Light ► JACKSON AVERY

chapter two

THE WORLD SHE KNEW HAD DISAPPEARED. Who knew that one day — one pitiful day — could end up changing everything? Layne didn't like change. Not in the slightest. She liked the routine of it all, knowing what to expect every day. Her alarm would go off 6:20 am, then at 6:25 and eventually five minutes later she would drag herself out of bed to the kitchen. She would grab herself a bowl of cornflakes — too lazy to make anything elaborate so early in the morning. She would leave dreamland slowly but surely as she filled her stomach. Next was the bathroom — where she took too long, making her have to rush to work and arrive caught out of breath.

She had a daily routine and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Imagine the dread she must have felt after hearing that Richard Webber had decided to switch things up out of nowhere. Seattle Grace hospital was going to merge with Mercy West. Her job position was no longer safe. She no longer had certainty that she would be able to continue to work in the hospital that had helped her shape herself as a person. Since the two hospitals would work as one, it was necessary to cut people. "Everyone will have to put their best foot forward", as the Chief of surgery had said, while giving his speech on the top of the stairs.

The atmosphere in the room had been icy cold. No one dared to utter a word. What do you even say in a situation like that? Looks of shock, anger and sadness were on everyone's faces. It only took one person loudly muttering under their breath for total chaos to break out. Some broke out into tears, sobbing on the floor, while others moved forward in a fury, spitting harsh words at the Chief. Layne herself had seen her entire world crashing and burning right in front of her eyes. She had felt like crying, breaking stuff, just anything, but instead she had remained calm and composed.

She needed to be the pillar that her friends could lean on.

Ned Boyd had broken out in tears rather quickly. Layne had wrapped her arm around his shoulders to comfort him. Hearing him sobbing like that and seeing his body shake made her heart break. She had done everything she could to make him feel better. Imogen had looked as calm as Layne, with no emotion on her face as she tried to take in the shock. Out of the four of them, she had worked there the longest. Imogen had thought she had finally found a place where she could work for the rest of her life. With a look as cold as ice, she had kept on handing Ned some tissues out of her pockets. Layne's other hand had been holding Elizabeth's, softly rubbing it with her thumb. Elizabeth had been trying her hardest to remain tough and strong, but she couldn't help but tear up.

Elizabeth's free hand continued on wiping away the tears making its way down to her cheek. She always tried to act tough and confident, but in moments like these that brave exterior crumbled down to reveal another side of her. People weren't just pages in a book with a front and a backside. They were far more complex than that.

Working with all of that information stored in the back of your brain was hard. Layne had tried to put on a smile, but she felt like it wasn't very believable. Her smile didn't reach her eyes like it mostly did. Had people seen through her fake smile? Did they now think of her differently? Thinking that she was all fake? Her brain couldn't stop thinking about the what ifs. Thankfully for her, the weekend had come to save her. She could take a little break from all the pretending. She got the chance to let everything out and start fresh on the following Monday.