Chapter 02 - Don't judge a book by its cover

Angelina doesn't understand what to do or how to solve the problem.

    "Okay, I'll pay the bill."

She said after unzipping her purse and checking on money, she doesn't have a lot of money but a piece of hope maybe she pays the advance payment for the treatment.

The doctor and nurse shared a look in response.

    "Please start the treatment; I’ll pay the bill right now." Angelina requested a doctor to take the treatment process forward.

   "Okay, I’ll study the patient's file."

   

   "You go and pay the bill, then come and inform me!" The doctor said while taking Sebastian's report and scanning the information in the paper.

She steps to the toll desk to pay the treatment bill.

  "Please tell the bill of room number 101, patient."

   "Give me a second." The receptionist checked the patient's bill on the computer, running her fingers across the keyboard.

    "$500." Angelina placed her hands on the purse to take the money but groaned as soon as she heard the bill amount.

   "$500?" She rolled her eyes, not expecting that much of the bill.

The doctor was still standing outside the room, checking Sebastian's file and wondering whether the girl could even afford the fees.

    

   "Are you paying the payment?" The receptionist asked.

    "I don't have that much money." Angelina said grabbing the doctor's attention.

   "What happened?" The doctor came and asked.

   "Don't you have enough money for the treatment?" The doctor raised the question, scanning her expressions.

    "Doctor, I only have $100 right now." Angelina replied, turning her attention to him.

   "What is the bill?" The doctor asked a receptionist.

   "$500."

   "You don't even have half the bill of the money!" He commented, rubbing his thumb on his forehead. 

Angelina pressed her forehead with her thumb, finding a way to settle the bill.

  "I’ll pay 100 dollars now, and the man will pay the rest of the money after the treatment, doctor."

Even though Angelina has a kind heart, she is only twenty years old, and she is still a college student in her last year of study. 

Her parents died in a bus accident when she was eight years old while her brother was 5.  

After their parents died, they had stayed with their grandmother until she died of a health issue.  

Thanks to grandma, they had a house to live in and can go to school. But after her death, Angelina had to take responsibility as the elder sister to support the poor family, even though she was still in high school at that time.  

Whenever she used to get hurt, she healed her wounds with first aid, avoiding hospital bills. But today she came to the hospital intending to save a stranger. But who had expected the extremely high treatment bill?

   "Hello, miss." The doctor shook his hand in front of Angelina, pulling her back into reality. 

   "Please don't waste our time." He sighed.

   "I don't have enough money." She replied.

    "Then we can’t start the operation." The doctor groaned, and still, there is Sebastian's file in his fist.

    "Doctor, that patient needs you." Angelina argued while exhaling her breathe.

    "But I can't do anything against the hospital rules; if I do treatment for free at your request, the director will fire me." The doctor replied, kicking the file on the table beside him.

   "Sorry, I can't do anything." He sighed.  "Ward boy, get the patient out of the room." The doctor passed an order, calling the ward boy to pull Sebastian out. 

Angelina exhaled her breath, and her heart and mind started fighting with her thoughts.

    "No, I have brought that man to the hospital to save him, so I have to save him no matter what happens."

   

    "I can't let him die." She mumbled, pulling herself up.

She remembered - she had a gold chain around her neck. She quickly takes out the chain and puts it in the doctor's hand not even considering that it's her mother’s last sign remains.

  "What is this?" The doctor asked, looking at the chain in his hand.

   "I beg you to save his life." She joined her hands.

   "I don't have money, but now I’ll pay $100 and keep the chain for the guarantee." She closed his palm around the chain, showing the confidence in her eyes.

    "I have called the patient's family; they are on their way." Angelina shared the piece of information.

    "I’m sure they will pay the rest of the bill. If in case they don't pay the bill, then keep this chain with you until I pay the rest of the $400." She explained everything in one breath.

   "He is a stranger to you; why are you taking all the problems on your head?" The doctor raised the question, watching her struggle to save Sebastian.

   "He is a human being, and I cannot see him dying in front of my eyes, no way."  She replied.

Angelina's answer impresses him.

Indeed, she doesn't have money, but she's still trying to save a stranger. She is really a civilian.

   "Here is my student card; keep it with you; if I don't come, you can report me to the police." Angelina again grabbed his attention.

    "Okay, I’ll treat the patient." The doctor was impressed by her behaviour and finally agreed and replied to her with a smile.

  "Thank you, thank you so much, doctor." She grabbed his hand and thanked him.

    "I have to go now; I have an interview, but I promise I’ll come to see the patient after the interview."

   "Okay, fine." The doctor agreed that as long as he has her student card, she can't run anywhere.

   "Thank you; please take care of the patient." She requested, and he nodded his head in response.

Angelina looks at Sebastian one last time before running out.

••Here the doctor starts the treatment••

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Angelina came out of the hospital and slide her eyes around, searching for the bus stop near the place.

Holy moly! There is no bus stop near the place.

She always takes the bus to go anywhere and she is very far from her interview venue right now.

She looks at her wristwatch to see the time; there are 3 minutes left for the interview to start.

She left all her money to save the stranger and now she only had some pennies to afford a passing bus. 

Thoughts start running through her mind.

   

   "I have succeeded in saving a man, but now I have to make the interview. Jesus, please help me."

Encouraging herself, Angelina runs ahead, finding the bus stop.

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Angelina reached the company after thirty minutes.

She wore a Nobo bag around her shoulder. Grabbing the handle of the bag, she rushed inside the office.

The manager who called her earlier was roaming there in anger.

   

   "Manager!" She called him, grabbing his attention.

   "Sorry, I’m late." She apologized while taking a breath and resting her hand on her waist.

    "Yes, you are thirty minutes late." The manager screamed in anger, which made everyone look at them. 

Sliding his eyes at the members in the office, the manager shut his mouth, controlling his frustration.

   "You!" He showed his finger to her.

    "You make me upset, girl, and now I’m regretting why I have given you a chance." He sucked his teeth.

   "Listen to me once." She took a step toward him to explain to him, but no use; he showed his hand, shutting her mouth back.

    "I won't hear a word from you; don't tell me the reason for being late but I had already told you to leave the house early."

   "I have given you a chance on my friend request, but look, I think you are an unqualified person - who doesn’t even have a sense of time." He insulted while judging her. 

   "How can you judge me?"

   "Just because I’m late doesn’t mean that I’m unqualified; there is a reason behind my being late, manager." She replied to him back, not tolerating her unnecessary insult.

  "Don't judge a book by its cover." 

She can't afford expensive things, but her self-respect is very dear to her, and when she doesn't make mistakes then there is no chance to tolerate it.

The manager scoffed, pinching his nose.

      "Yes, I blame myself for giving you chance, my dear.”

    "My boss, scolded me because of you. "

   

   "I took the appointment for you and fixed the schedule so that you can fix your college and your brother's life while doing a good job." 

Angelina comes to her senses as memories of her average life smack into her mind.

She needs this job at any cost else she will be ruined.

    "I’m sorry, manager. I'm late, but there's a reason; give me a chance." She requested, rubbing her hand.

   "Give me a chance for the last time; please take my interview; I’ll prove myself." 

   "Enough!" He pushed her back.

  "You have lost your chance; if now even my boss gives you a chance, I’ll not let you work in my office; get lost."

No way, she wants a job; she can't leave here with an empty hand.

   "Manager, please give me a chance." Angelina grabbed manager's hand while requesting him to give her a chance.

   "I said get out of here." He sighed. 

   "Guards, come here." The manager called the guards to throw Angelina out in rage after all his boss scolded him because of Angelina, but Jesus, Angelina has her own reason for being late.

The guards came in and grabbed Angelina, taking her out. Angelina still hasn't given up hope; she's shouting and requesting a manager: "Please give me one last chance!" but there is no one here to listen to her.

No one is asking what the reason is for her late arrival but is furious at her being late.

Every member standing in the office is watching Angelina's struggles; no one is helping her, but they are watching like a movie is running in front of them.

The manager turned back when her voice started annoying him, and the guards threw Angelina out.

  "I’m saying this for your good - Don't create the scene, and get the hell out of here." The guards warned her, shutting the door in her face.

Angelina scanned the company; she left the house to give her best and joined the company, but now everything is messed up.

  "Geez!" She kicked her feet on the ground, losing her temper and emotions.

Tears rolled in her eyes before tracing down her cheeks.

She is working as a part-time worker right now in a cafeteria near her college.

Being her last year of college, she made plans to go to college on weekends while working as a full-time worker for a good company.

She is in the last year of her graduation, so this time, her expenses have doubled, including tuition fees, and she also has to take care of her brother.

Now he is going to enter college this year, so Angelina needs a lot of money to wrap up her expenses as well as her brother’s college process.

To fulfil all of her expenses, she needs a good job at a corporation, but she skipped the interview in an attempt to save the person's life, so she is not regretting it either.

But wait, the thing comes to her mind.

   "Why do I have to cry? I haven't done anything wrong." She wrapped her tears in her hands while turning back to start a new beginning.

She has saved a man, but her responsibility is not over yet; she also has to check on the patient.

Encouraging herself, she makes her way to the hospital to check on the man, whom she saved.

His surgery must be over, right? Would he have regained consciousness?

She is very excited to meet the man.

Soon, she catches the bus and reaches the hospital.

    "Hello, may I know where the patient whom I have admitted?" Angelina asked. 

The receptionist recognises Angelina, as just a while ago, she created the scene for the treatment.

   "That patient, he is out."

   "Out, what?" Angelina yelled out, widening her eyes.

Where has the man gone? The doctor hasn’t operated because of a non-payment bill. Has the man died?

No way!!!

Angelina exhaled her breath, with a lot of questions in her mind.

To Be Continued.