What Shouldn’t Be Said

The First Day

Daniel woke up early that morning.

It was his first day at his new job, so he had set his alarm well ahead of time. Even so, when he slowly opened his eyes, he spent a few seconds staring at the ceiling, unable to remember where he was.

Then he remembered.

New York.

His first day at work.

He sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the clock on the nightstand.

He had plenty of time.

But it didn't feel that way.

He got up quickly and headed to the bathroom. He stood in front of the mirror, trying to fix his hair, which seemed determined to rebel against him on his very first day at work.

He ran his hand through it several times, then stared at his reflection in annoyance.

"Great... Excellent start."

A few minutes later, he was wearing a white shirt and a dark jacket. He picked up his phone from the table, and as soon as he unlocked it, a new message appeared.

It was from his group of friends.

He opened it.

A short video appeared on the screen.

A doctor was running down a hospital corridor, screaming, while a man chased after him, laughing hysterically.

Daniel stared at the screen for a few seconds.

Then the comments began appearing one after another.

"That's you after your first week at the clinic."

"No, that's you after your first patient."

Then a message from Peter appeared:

"I'm starting to get worried... What if one of those crazies strangles my dear Danny? 😭"

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

He quickly typed:

"What the hell? Who is your dear Danny?"

It took only a few seconds for the group to fill with laughter.

Daniel sent:

"F*ck you."

The laughter only got louder.

Then the messages started pouring in.

"Don't take it seriously."

"We're just messing with you."

"And don't forget about our dinner at the restaurant today!"

Daniel smiled and shook his head.

"Alright, I won't forget."

He locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

He looked at himself in the mirror one last time, grabbed his keys, and left the apartment.

---

As soon as he opened the building's door, New York greeted him with its usual noise.

Cars passing without pause, people crossing the street in a hurry, the sound of engines, hurried footsteps, and distant noise whose source he couldn't quite identify.

Everything was moving.

Even people who seemed to have nowhere to go walked as if they were late for something.

Daniel smiled.

He still found it strange.

Just a few months ago, he had been living a completely different life. Now he was in a city that seemed unfamiliar with the meaning of silence.

He looked toward the end of the street.

The café.

It was small, tucked between an old bookstore and a flower shop. It wasn't the most famous café in New York, but it had become his favorite place since he moved into the neighborhood.

He pushed the door open and walked inside.

The smell of freshly roasted coffee greeted him, mixed with the scent of freshly baked bread.

The man behind the counter looked up at him.

"Good morning, Daniel."

"Morning."

"The usual?"

Daniel smiled.

"I'm becoming famous."

The man laughed.

"Not as much as you think."

Daniel sat near the window.

A few minutes later, a cup of coffee and a piece of toast were placed in front of him.

He picked up the cup but didn't drink from it immediately.

He looked at his watch.

Then at the street.

Then back at his coffee.

Today was the first day.

He tried to imagine what the clinic would be like.

What would the patients be like?

What would the manager be like?

And most importantly...

What would Dr. William be like?

He had heard about him from a few people who worked in the field, but the information was limited.

A young psychiatrist.

Quiet.

Precise.

Not much of a talker.

That was almost everything he knew.

He wasn't sure why he felt curious about him.

Perhaps because someone around William's age, with that kind of reputation, was worth being curious about.

He finished his breakfast, paid the bill, and left.

---

The trip to the clinic didn't take long.

The clinic was located in one of Manhattan's older buildings, a building that had retained its classic exterior despite undergoing several renovations inside.

Daniel stood in front of the entrance for a moment and looked at the clinic's name fixed above the door.

He took a deep breath.

Then walked inside.

He climbed the stairs and reached the appropriate floor.

He stopped in front of the door.

He looked at his watch.

Right on time.

He raised his hand and knocked.

"Come in."

Daniel opened the door.

The office was quieter than he had expected.

A middle-aged man was sitting behind the reception desk. He looked up at Daniel as soon as he entered.

"Daniel?"

"Yes."

The man stood and shook his hand.

"I'm the manager. Welcome."

Daniel smiled.

"Thank you."

The man welcomed him and began explaining some of the things he needed to know about the job, from patient schedules to the clinic's basic rules.

Daniel listened carefully, trying to remember everything, until the manager said:

"Since this is your first day, I won't have you dealing with patients on your own."

Daniel felt visibly relieved.

"That's reassuring."

The manager gave him a small smile.

"You'll be accompanying Dr. William at first."

Daniel's smile faded slightly.

"Now?"

"Now."

The manager gestured toward a door at the end of the hallway.

"His office is there."

Daniel walked beside him.

The closer they got to the door, the more nervous he felt, though he couldn't explain why.

Perhaps because this was the first time he would meet the doctor he had been hearing about for the past few days.

The manager stopped in front of the door and knocked twice.

A calm voice came from inside.

"Come in."

The manager opened the door.

William was sitting behind his desk, reviewing some papers.

He looked up.

For a brief second, his eyes met Daniel's.

There was nothing unusual in his gaze.

No big smile.

No exaggerated welcome.

Just a calm look, as if he were trying to get a sense of the person standing before him.

The manager said:

"William, this is Daniel. He'll be working with you for a while."

William closed the file in front of him.

"Welcome, Daniel."

"Nice to meet you, Doctor."

William gestured toward the chair beside the desk.

"Have a seat."

Daniel sat down.

Before he could say anything else, there was a soft knock at the door.

William glanced at the clock.

Then said:

"Come in."

_____________________

Thank you so much for reading my story! 🖤

This is my very first novel, and I’m really excited — and honestly a little nervous — to finally share it with you.

I hope you enjoy the story, the characters, and the mysteries waiting to be uncovered.

Your support, comments, votes, and feedback would mean so much to me and would encourage me to keep going. ❤️

I hope you’ll stay with me throughout this journey, and I truly hope you enjoy the story! 📖✨