Whatshisname

Author’s note: I remember Bryce commented on one chapter that he was a bartender during med school and I love the “what if they’ve met before?” idea. I believe that there’s a right place and time in our lives for things to happen, and that some random people from our past somehow in the end becomes someone important furthermore. I’m also inspired by Vik (@sawyeroakleyscowboyhat) who says that “someone like Bryce would never look at a girl like me” a mood So this fanfic takes place a few years before the book. 

Disclaimer: Characters and some dialogues belong to Pixelberry Studios.

Rei sat down onto the stool with a heavy sigh, her forehead hitting the wooden bar countertop. There were just a few people in the dim and small bar. Well, it was still 3 pm after all. 

She had lost her trip for nothing.

…Okay, not entirely.

Stanford University was holding a long week conference and all the most influential medical researchers and doctors were attending it. And that included her own idol, Dr. Ethan Ramsey. She had read all his work and, as soon as she knew the Dr. Ramsey was going to give a seminar there, she fled from Maryland and all the way to California right away. The timing was perfect; although she would miss some classes that Friday, she’d watch Dr. Ramsey’s seminar, go back home to Oregon in time for Tom’s – her little cousin – birthday and she’d see her family again – she missed all of them like hell – and on Sunday afternoon she’d be back to Baltimore. It was a wild trip but it would be worth it.

…But as soon as Rei stepped into the Californian university, she was informed that the experienced doctor wouldn’t be able to attend the conference due to some complication at his work. 

She had travelled almost 10 hours for that and he wasn’t even there. Okay, she saw other celeb physicians talks, but… it wasn’t the same thing. They weren’t her idol.

So that was a lost trip. She didn’t have any money and she knew she should be going back to San Francisco in a couple hours, but she was so frustrated she decided to go to the nearest bar she could find and drown her frustration in affordable alcohol as any other broke student (god knew how much she had to pay for her tuition, ugh). Going in there meant more money into her debt, but Rei wanted to forget all that.

“What can I get you?” – she heard the bartender talking to her. 

“The strongest and cheapest drink you have.”

Although she couldn’t see it, the man raised his eyebrow.

“That bad, huh? Alright, I’ll get you a mojito. And don’t worry. It’s on the house.” 

Rei immediately lifted her head.

“No, you don’t need to—” – her voice hating as she finally saw the bartender’s face.

He was gorgeous. 

Like heavenly gorgeous. His hair was flawless, his face structure was one belonged to the Gods, and he had a smirk that left her dumbstruck.

“Nah, it’s okay.” – he winked at her, skilfully fetching her drink, and the young medical student blushed violently. Rei wasn’t one to be flattered easily. In fact, Stephen, her best friend, was constantly flirting with her, but she never bothered nor cared. She would just laugh it off. But there was something about that bartender that made her heartbeat speed up.

He looked like a god. She was pretty sure he was being only nice to her because that was his job. But that wink and bright white smile caught her off guard. She even forgot her sorrow for a second. 

“U-uh, thanks.” – she managed to mumble, taking her glass. His hands brushed slightly on hers and Rei could swear she felt an electric current flowing between them. 

“You’re welcome.” – he winked again before turning to a group of freshly arrived customers. The young woman quickly found a booth, her face still flushed. 

Rei was still feeling numb. She wasn’t one to feel attracted easily. It was just so rare when she found someone hot. 

But that bartender… she was having some naughty thoughts while sipping on her mojito, watching him skillfully prepare some drinks to other customers. Hmm, he was pretty good with his hands…

“Oh my God, stop it, Rei. Get ahold of yourself.” – she muttered to herself, embarrassed for even thinking that.

She decided to focus on something else… 

Just when that thought flashed her mind, her phone started buzzing with texts from her mother, asking when she was arriving, how long it would take her to come home. if she needed Dad to pick her up at the bus station, if she would really go back to Maryland by Monday, if she didn’t have an important test on Monday that she could possibly miss…

Rei spent a few minutes answering to all her mom’s inquiries. When Mom seemed to calm herself, the young woman looked over to the bar counter, wondering if the bartender would still be there. She always lost track of time whenever her mom started with all that interrogation. 

He looked up at the exact moment as she glanced there, his dark eyes locking with hers. And he flashed her that smirk that made Rei feel her knees turning into jelly. She looked away immediately and resumed to drinking. 

Okay, that was just a coincidence. He just probably saw something or someone behind her, right? Like, it didn’t mean he looked right at her. 

Rei attempted to glance at the bartender once more, who looked up again, smirking a bit wider this time. 

Oh my god, he was totally checking her out too. That was how people stole glances? What should she do? Never in a hundred million years Rei Sato would have imagined a god like him would look over to her not once, neither twice, but three times over! Oh god, she was starting to panic—

No, come on, Rei. This is getting ridiculous. Just get up and go talk to him. You’re an independent woman, dammit. 

Taking a deep breath, she stood up and walked over to him, his eyes trained on her, never leaving her face. Rei felt her cheeks getting hotter and hotter as she approached the handsome stranger, thoughts starting to fly around her mind.

If she was going there, she would have to say something. She couldn’t just stand in there in front of him and say nothing. Maybe ask his phone number? But why? She lived in the other side of the country and she would be gone from Stanford in a couple of hours. In fact, she should be going to the airport at that right moment. 

Oh god, she was almost there. There were no other clients talking to him. He was completely free.

“Hey.” – she tried to sound both confident and relaxed, but Rei was hyperventilating so hard, she surely was as red as a tomato.

“Hey.” – he greeted her back, his smile widening as he leaned over the counter. – “What can I get you?”

“I…” – she mumbled, dumbstruck by his energy. Oh my god, his hair was flawless… uh, say something! – “Uh… where’s the restroom?” 

She watched him biting his lower lip – was it another flirting technique? Or was he disappointed? Jeez, what it meant? – before pointing out to the door in the back of the saloon with a W.C. sign on it. 

The young woman quickly thanked him and locked herself inside the small restroom, leaning her back against it. 

“You’re ridiculous, Rei.” – she told herself, and decided to throw some water on her face, the heat of her cheeks going down. After waiting for a couple of minutes, she left the restroom, as ready as she could ever be.

The bartender was now busy, preparing drinks while talking to a group of girls – probably Stanford students – who seemed to know him well.

Rei felt a bit more relaxed by it – she was the worst flirt ever – and returned to her booth. She finished her mojito and looked at the time. She would have to wait some more and then would go get a bus and then a train to San Francisco, where she should take her flight to Oregon and then another bus to her hometown, a small town named Westchester. It would all take 5 hours, but she would be back home before dinner. The medical school student felt the tiredness consuming her body, but it was going to be worth it in the end. She missed her family like hell and Tomo would be thrilled to see her on his birthday. They were cousins but got along well like siblings. 

Oh crap, she forgot to buy his present! She’ll have to get something for him at the airport shop. Maybe new headphones? He was always breaking his—

Suddenly, a glass with a transparent liquid was set in front of her. She promptly lifted her head, murmuring: 

“I didn’t ask for anything—” – shutting up when she saw who was standing there, right next to her. That smirk. 

“I know, but this might help you. It’s water.”

“Oh… thank you…” – Rei was back to being monosyllabic and drank the water in one go. The bartender chuckled.

“Hey, calm down. You’ll choke drinking this fast.”

“Sorry… I mean, thanks… I mean, ugh…” – she knew she was sounding like a total loser. Not that she wasn’t one. Rei noticed that he had changed his clothes. – “Oh, are you heading home? Uh, sorry, this was too personal…”

“Don’t worry about it. My shift’s over, but I’m heading to my classes. I’ve never seen you around the campus before.”

“It’s because I’m not from here… when I heard that Dr. Ramsey was coming to the conference, I fled all the way here…”

“Dr. Ramsey? As author of Diagnostic Principles, Dr. Ethan Ramsey?”

“Do you know him?!” – her jaw dropped.

“Yeah, I believe every medical student has heard about him.”

“Oh my god, are you a medical student too?”

“Yes. I’m going to be a surgeon, though.” – he smirked confidently. – “Where do you study at?”

“At Johns Hopkins.”

The bartender whistled.

“Wow, you’re good. Color me impressed.” – Rei felt her cheeks getting slightly hotter as he suddenly checked his watch. – “Crap, I have to go. But what do you say we continue this later? We can grab dinner.” 

Rei felt her heart leaping inside her chest. HE WAS ASKING HER OUT!!!!!! She bit her lower lip, looking hesitant.

“Sorry… In fact I’m flying home later today…” – fuuuck!! She couldn’t believe that a guy like him was asking her on a date but she can’t go!!!!!! Fuuuuck!!!!!

“Aww, that’s too bad.” – the stranger pouted. – “But hey, maybe we will meet again someday, right? Since we’re both going to be doctors.” 

“Ha, yeah.” – Rei snorted to that idea, rolling her eyes. There were thousands of hospitals in the US. The possibility of them meeting ever again was unlikely.

“Never say never.” – he winked at her and Rei’s face got bright red. – “Now I really gotta go or I’ll be late. See you someday, stranger.”

“Yeah. See you someday.” – she waved shyly at him, her cheeks still flushed.

She watched as the bartender left the bar with confident steps. 

Okay, going to Stanford wasn’t a total waste of time after all.

…

…

…

…Crap, she never got his name.