𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐈𝐓 𝐄𝐍𝐃? ,𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐆𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒

12

—- REAL LIFE

The 16 of us students sat in the front row of Professor Owen's classroom, patiently waiting for his arrival. It was currently 12 P.M, and a little awkward considering we were in his classroom without him. The lights were dim, the temperature high. We all made ourselves busy, talking amongst each other. All of us had received an email from Professor Owen's yesterday evening discussing the matters of the first exam day. He claimed he wanted to meet with us about our goals and tasks for today before we started. I had to say, the whole scene was reminding me of The Breakfast Club.

I was currently sat in between Avery and Blake, who I had recently found out was also doing this program. It took me by shock, but I'm not complaining. We'd just met a day ago, but I liked talking to her.

Avery and I woke up reasonably early this morning in order to get all of our stuff packed. All of the pre-wrap, scissors, bandages, gloves, gauze, and more were stuffed in my black bag. I pray that I did not forget anything, considering how distraught and out-of-it I was this morning. I had been nervous all morning and all night, hardly getting any sleep. It was like when you were a kid struggling to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, knowing the events that were happening the next day. Only I was not excited, nor looking forward to these events. I was up for hours tossing and turning, staring into the ceiling, where fear and dread took over my thoughts and looped through my body.

Avery and Blake's conversation was drowned out whenever Mr. Owen's frantically entered the room. He looked tired, as if he overslept.

He cleared his throat, "Sorry about that wait, I had an emergency at home. How you guys feeling?"

Murmurs dispersed around the room, mostly from boys. All the girls just gave thumbs up. I gave him neither, instead just thinking about her. I couldn't stop thinking about everything, it was ruining my life. I had no clue what was going to happen today, all I could do was wish I could get this over with, or not have to see her at all.

"Alright," he spoke, causing me to forget my thought process, "Today will be easy, considering it's the first real day. I have emailed all of you the rubric, and the required tracking sheet for your athlete, make sure you have your computers. It is quite organized, so you shouldn't have too much trouble figuring it out. The men's basketball team does not practice until 3:30, so you have some free time until then, make sure you have all your supplies. The women's basketball team starts practice in 45 minutes. Ladies, you'll sit in the stands and watch them, monitor their every move okay? It's your job to prevent injury now, so let's be professional. After their practice, you will follow them into the Sports Medicine room. Each of you will introduce yourselves to your assigned athlete, they have been informed about all of this. You will evaluate them and interview them on their injuries, figure out what you will need to be focusing on. Once you're done with that, fill out your progress for the day and you are free to go until I tell you your next session. Thank you for waiting on me, see you later!" Mr Owen's said with a wave, entering his office. The sound of scraping chairs entered the room as all of the boys left the classroom in a hurry, probably to go eat. All of the girls took their time, fiddling around with their things, obvious they were nervous as well. Maybe not all of us for the same reason.

"You okay?" Blake asked me, worry in her eyes.

"Oh yeah, just nervous. Aren't you?"

"Eh, I'll be alright. Today's an easy day, so take it easy Leighton." She smiled. "Hey, which girl you got?" She asked, oh no.

"Umm-" I replied, her name stuck in my throat.

"Oh, she has Paige," Avery cut in, saying her name with such admiration, it hurt me a little.