Destined for Destruction

chapter six - delilah

My mom and my nana have always said that I have two modes: go like hell and sleep. This past week, I had been in go like hell mode, even when I was trying to sleep. On top of my now normal EMT schedule, I stupidly agreed to help with my church's Vacation Bible School. I loved VBS; I had gone every year as a kid until I outgrew it and "graduated." We even had a little ceremony when I was in eighth grade, a little celebration as I moved on in life. But even still, the next year I was a part of the staff. I worked in the crafts room and in the kitchen, making snacks. I'd go anywhere I was needed.

That said, as much as I loved VBS, my nights were later than I wanted. Even though VBS itself only took three and a half hours of my day, my EMS homework took much longer and kept me up. Some of the instructors spoke faster than I could write my notes, so I often spent my nights catching up on the notes that I had missed. It was only the third week, but I felt like I was drowning.

Well, that also meant we were more than halfway done with the class. Thank God.

Not thank God to the fact that the cutest guy on the planet already had gotten his HazMat awareness and operations certifications. In fact, the HazMat certs for firefighters trumps the certification for EMTs because it's more in depth and they actually do the practicals. In my opinion, it's just a long way of saying I don't get to see James on the weekends. Normally I wouldn't care, but with VBS all this week, I hadn't gotten the chance to "study" and swim after class with the prettiest man I've ever laid eyes on. I missed him!

But I certainly didn't miss class, and apparently my body didn't either.

You know that feeling when you slept really good? Like suspiciously good? That's how I was on a bright, sunny morning the first week of August. My fan was blowing on my warm body, the sun was shining through my window, I think the birds were even chirping. It was a nice morning.

I opened my eyes to look at my alarm clock, just to make sure I wasn't getting too much sleep. Yeah, it was only 8:35.

Wait. 8:35?? Class started 35 minutes ago!

I scrambled out of bed, peeled off my sweaty clothes, and hopped into the shower. Yeah, I was late but I also looked and smelled like sweaty trash. If I was already going to be late, I might as well be presentable. I washed my hands hastily and put in my contacts. I washed my hair, face, and teeth almost simultaneously and I got face wash in my mouth and nearly got toothpaste in my eyes. Youch, that would've hurt.

I didn't get to the Academy until well after 9:30. On the first day of class, they explained that since the class is only 5 weeks long, we can't miss more than one day of class — or even more than a couple of hours — not without an explanation. Emergencies happen and they would be excused but oversleeping isn't an emergency.

When I got to the Academy, I checked the whiteboard to see where our class would be. Same classroom as always — who woulda thought. But with my anxious nerves, I didn't know what to think. I wanted to hide in the bathroom until the next break, but I didn't want to waste any more time or miss any more of the lecture. We were supposed to go over pediatrics today.

I slipped into the back of the classroom, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. Sure enough, we were going over pediatrics. The one lecture I needed to be here for! Peds are so much different than adults, from their vital signs to the fact that kids compensate until they crash. Peds terrified me, but I knew they would be a part of my scope of practice. I would have to take care of kids, whether I liked it or not.

Buck noticed me coming in and gave me a subtle nod before continuing on with the lecture. I would talk to him at the next break, seeing if I had to make up the day. Hastily, I pulled out my notebook and iPad, pulled up today's PowerPoint, and got started on my notes. I like to say that I rewrite the notes in my own Delilahfied way.