Summer & Winter Chapter (1) : College’s First Day (Patreon)

The late summer sun bathed the entrance of the Nursing College in warm golden light as two girls slowly made their way toward the main gate among the crowd.

The girl with the black mid length hair, Summer led the way, balancing herself with a single forearm crutch tucked beneath her right arm. She wore fashionable glasses on her nose and a bright blue tank top that left her toned waist and navel exposed below her well-developed breasts. A pair of dark blue jeans flared at the ankles, not for fashion alone, but because ordinary pant legs simply could not fit over the thick fiberglass casts wrapped around both of her lower legs.

From just below her knees to the tips of her toes, both legs were enclosed in smooth yellow fiberglass short leg walking casts. The rigid casts ended with sturdy cast shoes strapped securely underneath, allowing her to bear weight despite her injuries. Her gait was awkward, her casted feet striking the pavement with dull, hollow thumps as she hobbled forward.

Her left forearm was similarly immobilized inside a bright red fiberglass short arm cast extending from just below her elbow to the base of her fingers. A shoulder bag rested against her left side, its strap carefully positioned to avoid rubbing against the cast.

Beside her walked Winter, the blonde haired girl.

Or rather... hobbled.

Winter looked even more striking and far more revealing. Her black strapless top wrapped snugly around her midsection only, leaving her shoulders, smooth abs, and the graceful line of her collarbones exposed. She paired it with short blue denim jeans that showed off her long legs. A black knee-high boot protected her uninjured left leg, but her right leg was wrapped in a matching sky blue short leg walking cast. Both arms were in short arm fiberglass casts of the same color, and her right arm rested in a supportive green sling tied neatly around her neck. Unlike Summer, she carried her bag on her left shoulder and refused any crutch, simply limping on the walking rubber heel of her leg cast.

Today was supposed to be the beginning of a brand-new chapter. It had all started with that terrifying accident on the condo stairs months ago. They had fallen badly, bones broken in multiple places, only to be miraculously rescued by the heroic Dr. Laura who appeared out of nowhere. While lying in hospital beds encased by plaster casts, and surrounded by traction rigs, and pillows, the two of them became good friends and talked for hours. Their conversations were mostly about the heroic doctor who saved them, and because of that inspiration, they decided to chase the same path—caring for others. Medical school felt impossibly distant and becoming doctors seemed beyond their reach. But nurses, that dream suddenly felt possible. Even with broken arms, they had filled out their applications by biting pens between their teeth. Of course, the signatures looked terrible. But they were accepted.

After being discharged from the bulk of their heavy casts, they celebrated a little too much as excitement carried them through the summer. Preparing themselves ready for the coming college life, but it was summer holiday. During the holiday, they were unable to contain their excitement and spent nearly every day exploring the college neighborhood together, dreaming aloud about becoming “ultimate life-savers.”

Unfortunately, their healing bones were less enthusiastic than they were. At their final follow-up appointment, the X-rays revealed incomplete healing in several fractures. Now, four more weeks in these stubborn residual casts awaited them.

“I thought we’d finally be starting college cast-free,” Winter grumbled, her voice tired as she shifted her weight onto her good leg. A bead of sweat traced down her temple from the effort of walking.

“ You already know the answer to that,” Summer replied with a wry smile, planting her crutch carefully before swinging forward. “The big body casts and spicas healed fast because we were basically nailed to the hospital bed. We barely moved. We ate in bed. We slept in bed and we even used the bathroom in bed. But these little ones? We spent the whole break running around like idiots. No wonder they’re still sulking.”

Winter let out a dramatic sigh. “Whatever. I heard that whatever happens in the first week of college decides the rest of your life.

"So?", Summer raised an eyebrow.

"What if we're remembered forever as”, Winter gestured toward their casts, “the broken girls?"

Summer laughed.

"I'm serious!" Winter pouted again.

"We'll be fine." Summer pinched Winter’s pouting cheek.

"I hope you're right." Winter rolled her eyes.

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The campus was already alive with groups of freshmen hurried between buildings. Upperclassmen chatted beneath shady trees. Several students slowed as the two girls passed. Some looked curious. Others sympathetic. A few openly stared at the colorful fiberglass casts covering nearly half their limbs. Neither Summer nor Winter pretended not to pay much attention.

The automatic glass doors of the main building slid open with a soft hiss. Immediately they were greeted by a flood of conversations, footsteps, ringing phones, and lockers slamming shut somewhere deep inside the building.

Students streamed around them like a river flowing around two stubborn rocks. Some apologized after nearly bumping into them. Others squeezed past impatiently. The polished floor offered almost no grip for their cast shoes. Then they reached the staircase. It was enormous, steep and crowded with students.

"Please tell me there's an elevator”, Summer slowly lifted her gaze from her casted legs.

There was an elevator, unfortunately, it was located at the opposite end of the building. When the elevator finally carried them to the correct floor, another unpleasant surprise awaited them. heir classroom was, of course, at the opposite end of the hallway. By the time they reached the lecture hall, they were already late.

Summer carefully pushed open the lecture hall door. The room was a classic tiered theater with narrow fold-down desks and shallow stairs between each row. The only empty seats were at the very back. Every eye in the hall turned toward them as the two girls hobbled in, the soft thump of casts and the tap of Summer’s crutch echoing louder than they wished. Dozens of eyes followed them. By the time they reached the back row, both girls' faces had turned bright red.

“I was so embarrassed I wanted to die,” Winter whispered, slumping forward.

Summer leaned over with a mischievous grin. “You don’t have to die. Just show up tomorrow with a Minerva cast on your head. Full head and neck. Problem solved.”

“You idiot,” Winter was about to burst into laughter, but the two girls struggled to suppress their giggles.

During summer vacation, they had spent hours reading orthopedic books simply out of curiosity. They now knew the names of nearly every cast used in modern medicine.

"Are you two finished, my broken angels?" A voice suddenly cut through the classroom.

The laughter vanished instantly as both girls froze. Only then did they truly notice the professor standing at the front of the lecture hall. She was an elegant woman in her fifties with gracefully waved gray hair, striking cheekbones, and full lips that naturally carried an amused smile. What surprised them most was her left leg. It was enclosed from her thigh to the bases of her toes inside a traditional white plaster long leg walking cast. Unlike fiberglass, the plaster surface was slightly rough, bearing the unmistakable texture of carefully molded bandages. Despite her own injury, she stood confidently before the class without the slightest hint of discomfort.

"S-Sorry, Professor, we didn't mean to interrupt”, Summer immediately bowed her head.

The woman gave a graceful nod, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. “Thank you.”

Winter leaned slightly toward Summer, her voice barely audible. “Oh… this is going to be good.”****************************Here's the brand new story written by me, and checked by Mabauterklamm.This is a prequel story and it takes place after Laura's Wild Valentine 3 parts story.Enjoy reading, and please share your thoughts!

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