I wasn't going to post this yet because I wanted to finish some other stories first but I'd already got the chapter written and it was just sitting there so I thought I would.

Chapter One

I love you xx

Fancy a drink later? xxx

A meal? xxxx

Lily? xxxxx

Why aren't you replying to my messages? xxxxxx

Lily nervously chewed on her fingernails, as she read the dozens of text messages that Archie had sent her. She wasn't sure whether to be pleased that he wanted to spend time with her or irritated. She was at work after all and he knew that.

She leant against the reception desk and pondered on how to reply to him. Archie was her first proper boyfriend and she was still getting used to that. Her biggest worry was saying the wrong thing and upsetting him. Alicia usually helped her on that sort of thing but she was in with Connie for an appraisal.

"Doctor Chao," Noel called over to her. "There's someone on the phone for you. It's someone from psych, asking about a Mr Dingle."

Lily had almost forgotten about the patient that she'd referred to the psych ward. She still needed to reply to Archie though, or he'd keep on messaging her until she eventually did.

"Um...Could you say that I'll call them back?" Lily asked.

Noel rolled his eyes but nodded, before getting back to the phone call. Lily sighed and began to type a message to Archie. She turned round and immediately bumped into Connie. She had her arms folded across her chest sternly, and Alicia awkwardly stood at her side with a folder clutched to her chest.

"Doctor Chao, I think it's time for your appraisal next don't you?" Connie said, in one of those voices that clearly told Lily she was in trouble. "Doctor Munroe, you can work alongside Ethan for now. Well done."

Lily bit her lip, secretly annoyed and jealous that Alicia had received a fantastic appraisal off of Connie. She tucked her mobile phone into her pocket and glared across at Alicia who immediately shuffled away towards cubicles.

"With me, please," Connie sighed. "Noel, if there are any calls for me get them to leave a message and I'll phone them back later."

"Will do, Mrs Beauchamp," Noel promised.

Lily took a deep breath and followed Connie towards the office. Connie didn't say a single word to her, not even when she was rooting through her top drawer for Lily's notes.

"Lily," she eventually spoke, but not before shutting her office door. "I know that having a boyfriend is exciting but I really need you to focus on your job. You're a good doctor and it isn't like you to be distracted."

"I'm sorry, Mrs Beauchamp," Lily apologised, jumping a little as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. "I shall not be getting distracted again."

"I should hope not," Connie sighed, firmly placing her hands on her hips. "Take a seat please and we can get started."

Lily faintly nodded and sat down on the sofa, embarrassed over the fact that she'd allowed Archie to distract her from her job.

"Now apart from this little mishap, I am very pleased with you so far," Connie said, as she took a seat next to her. "Firstly I will mention that there have been no more problems between you and Doctor Munroe. Her return must have been a shock but you've taken it well and the two of you actually seem like good friends now. So, thank you."

"It's a pleasure, Mrs Beauchamp," Lily said.

"Okay, what else is there to say?" Connie asked, clicking her pen to try and help her think. "There hasn't been any complaints made against you."

"I should hope not," Lily said.

"Well," Connie laughed. "So you've passed all your objectives so I don't doubt that you'll get your bonus. We need to make some new objectives for you, though."

"Of course," Lily said, reading over what Connie had written, determined to point out some spelling or grammatical errors. Annoyingly, there was none.

"I'll email this across to you anyway," Connie said. "Just sign and date the bottom of the page for me and that should be you done for today."

Lily felt her phone vibrate again and she was so tempted to get it out and read what Archie had said this time. She quickly scribbled the date and her name though and handed it to Connie.

"Is everything okay?" Connie asked.

"Could I please just make a phone call before I get back to work, Mrs Beauchamp?" she questioned.

"Five minutes," Connie agreed with a small sigh, although she didn't sound happy. "I have to say Doctor Chao that I'm surprised, Mr Grayling doesn't seem like your type. Not forgetting about the age gap of course."

"He's perfect," Lily pointed out and stood up from the sofa.

"Okay," Connie said. "As long as you're happy."

"Thank you, Mrs Beauchamp," Lily said and opened the door before walking out. It really wasn't Connie's place to question Lily's boyfriend, but Lily was kind of touched that she did. It meant she cared, at least.

She took a deep breath and took her phone out of her pocket, noticing that she'd received about six messages since she last checked. They were all from Archie. She began to make her way towards the staff room whilst dialling his number.

He answered straight away and Lily wasn't even surprised by that.

"Archie, I have to get back to work," she told him straight out. "I can't talk right now."

"And you couldn't have mentioned that to me in a text?" he spat down the phone aggressively.

"Archie, we've been really busy today," Lily said, as calmly and patiently as possible. "I'm really sorry but I have just not had the time. I'll text you as soon as I've finished my shift, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Lily," he soon apologised.

A heavy sigh escaped Lily's lips as she leant against the wall with an arm across her chest.

"I was just worried about you, that's all," Archie continued. "I thought something had happened."

"It's okay," Lily said, sighing heavily to herself. "I'm fine, though, but thank you for your concern."

"So, did you want to go for a meal after work?" Archie asked her, ignoring the fact that she really did have to carry on with her shift. "I'll pay."

Lily didn't know how to answer that. She wasn't even sure on her exact finish time, mainly because they were incredibly busy and she may have to work a bit later than she was supposed to. In her opinion, she and Archie had already gone for a meal the other day so they didn't necessarily need to go today. Archie wanted to spend time with her though and she did enjoy the time that she spent with him.

"I'll see what time I finish," she said, deciding that that was the best answer for him. "If it's too late for a meal then we could always go for a drink instead," she suggested.

She flinched, as she heard Connie booming orders throughout the department and she was sure that she'd come storming into the staffroom. Lily couldn't stay in there for much longer or she was really going to be in trouble.

"I have to go," Lily said into the phone, but Archie had already hung up.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, before putting her phone away and out of sight. She made sure that it was switched off so if Archie did send her any more messages then she wouldn't be so tempted to look at them.

She hadn't liked the way he'd spoken to her. She told herself that they were both stressed out though and that things would be okay later on when they would be laughing for a drink.

Lily tucked some stray hairs behind her ears. She was very lucky to have a boyfriend like Archie, who was caring and protective.

So the way he'd spoken to her didn't really matter. Did it?

Lily shook her head, berating herself for getting distracted and headed back to work, knowing that otherwise, Connie would probably hang her up with her washing.

I hope you liked the chapter. If you have the time, please leave a review and let me know what you think :-) x