“Xander, can you hear me? Open your mouth a little wider for me, okay?” Harper’s voice was calm but firm, her gloved hand gently tilting his chin upward. Xander blinked slowly, his vision blurry under the bright overhead light, and nodded as best as he could with the dental dam in place. The faint hum of the drill buzzed in the background, making his stomach tighten.

Harper adjusted her mask, her dark brown eyes focused intently on his teeth. She was in her late twenties, with a warm, approachable demeanor that put even the most anxious patients at ease. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, and her scrubs hugged her figure in a way that was professional yet undeniably flattering. Xander, groggy from the sedation, couldn’t help but notice the faint scent of her vanilla hand sanitizer as she leaned in closer.

“Almost done,” she murmured, her voice soft but steady. “Just a little more, and then we’ll get you all cleaned up.” Xander tried to respond, but the words came out as a muffled groan. Harper chuckled lightly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Don’t worry, you’re doing great.” She paused, glancing at the monitor beside her, and her brow furrowed slightly. “Hmm, that’s odd…”