Lowell was the first to drift down one bronze and white checkerboard tiled hallway to get to his locker, then it was Kelly that walked up a staircase without a word. Then it was me, reluctantly I said bye and walked down the specialty classes hallway.

The hallway was new, the tiles not the usual bronze and white, but yellow and white. I heard when it was built five years ago some alumni almost took the school to court over “the lack of school pride”. It would have been hilarious. But I guess they realized how stupid they were because after a few months they dropped it. Such a shame it would have been the funniest thing that happened in Fortuna in years.

Anyway, I got to class just as the bell was ringing, just like 50% of the class. I’ve learned that normally it would be 75% of the class, and in gym 90% of everyone comes in the second the late bell rings. But my first class was EMT Certification, and you had to apply for that one, so I guess people take it more seriously.

It’s one of the biggest classrooms in the school. The walls are lined with anatomy pictures and glamour shots of the county’s volunteer rescue squad. But the sky lights in the ceiling are a bit redundant, it’s cloudy like half the time so mostly it just lets in fog. I took my assigned seat, in the front row unfortunately and started to unpack. My binder, my textbook, my pencil case but it was toss up whether I would need them today or not.

The back half of the room was the standard classroom, desks in a row, Mrs. Sinters had a bigger desk in the front in front of a whiteboard. But in front of us behind the whiteboard was what Mrs.Sinters called our practical classroom. Mannequin for CPR and EKG training, and a bunch of other ones with various different injures we practice on. Next to orchestra it’s my funnest class, but today I just wasn’t feeling it.

Mrs.Sinters started us off as usual writing stuff on the board, here’s some of my notes actually

First Aid - the assistance given to a person with an injury to prompt life and recovery.

CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Always assess for pulse and breathing before beginning.

Criteria 1. No moving 2. Not breathing 3. No pulse

Today we were just reviewing for the test on basic safety procedures and our CPR certification. Nothing special, nothing fancy.

“Naomi, what are the three criteria for beginning CPR on a victim?” Mrs. Sinters asked me this right as I was starting to space out, that’s what happens when you're in the first row I guess.

This was the easiest question to answer, “No moving, not breathing, no pulse.”

I swear she looked disappointed that I was able to just answer off the top of my head. But isn’t that the mark of a good teacher? Her students having the answer to basic questions at the drop of a coin? Did she want me to not answer? Sometimes Mrs.Sinters is just so weird.

After the lecture, we went to the practical classroom to practice our CPR some more, and honestly, I don’t know what I feel about all this. I was so happy when I learned that my application for the class was accepted. It was December 20, when I was five years old when I met my first EMT. One of my mom’s friends had either overdosed or was having a bad trip or something, I can’t really remember. But they took her in their ambulance, and the lights were so loud and noisy that I was straight spooked, one of them I remember gave me a hug and told me everything would be okay like I was worried about Sara when really I had just never seen a strobe light before.

But now that I’m learning my dream job, I don’t know how to feel about this. It just feels kind of empty you know…

After class, I was talking about this with Kelly while we were both heading to the math hall. She’s always so intimidating and cool, so I thought I could talk to her about it.

“Hey, do you think I should drop my EMT Certification?” I really wanted to hear her advice about this, “I’m just not feeling the point of it, you know?”

Kelly smirked, “Yeah I don’t know why you take that class anyway. It’s an elective but it takes so much work. Honestly, I think you should just drop it before it’s too late.”

I nodded, “Yeah, that makes sense I guess..”

That’s what I said but I think I’ll try to stick it out for the rest of the quarter. I get to meet with the counselor to discuss class changes in November anyway. And I’ve spent so much time invested in this and I’ve always wanted to be an EMT so I think I’ll wait. Kelly’s right though I guess, classes that are too hard will just bring my grade down, and I don’t know if Derrick’ll pay for college. Everyone thinks that Nathan’s going to get a bunch of scholarships anyway.

To classes later and it was finally time for lunch. Since we’re a small school everyone has lunch together, though I heard we’re the only school in the county that does that. All the senior, junior, sophomores, and us freshman were shoved into the same lunchroom, and normally it was cutthroat.

For the first month of school, I was on my own with all the other freshmen. Bouncing from table to table, eating next to the trash cans and table right next to the lunch line. Once all of the tables were full so I had to eat in the bathroom. But eventually, around week three of school, I settled down and sat near the middle of the cafeteria with some of the fellow orchestra kids. Not as good as some of the window tables, but not near the lunch line ether.

But I think that I’ve finally found where I can sit for the rest of the year. Kelly and Steven basically stared down some of the gymnastics team until they gave us their table near the window. Technically it was next to a window table, but I think it was close enough. And Lowell has started throwing chicken nuggets at anyone who tries to sit next to us. So I guess for the rest of the years it’s just us at the 18 person table, it’ll be great.

As has become the normal I was the first one at the table, Steven came next since his class was right next to the cafeteria and he got in the lunch line first. Today it was soft tacos and grapes, perfect ammunition if anyone got too close to our table.

Lowell, Kelly, and Willis basically came at the same time and then we all started talking. Well, they started talking, I still don’t know what to say with them around. But it’s always nice when they talk about something I actually relate to.

“Ooh, can I have one of your granola bars, Naomi?” Willis asked sarcastically.

I just rolled my eyes and gave him one. But Kelly was on the teasing train today I guess.

“Oh, Naomi can I have a bit of your sandwich?” She asked me, equally sarcastically.

Since I was already finished with my sandwich I just gave her my other granola bar.

Lowell fake gasped, “Naomi you’ve given away all of the food your mommy packed for you? Is she going to be mad?”

They always give me trouble for my mom packing my lunch but this time Lowell was right, today it was just a sandwich and two granola bars in my lunch box today. When I realized that I had no more food left I looked over at Nathan’s table, which was right by the biggest window mind you. With the rest of the athletes and popular kids. A sandwich, and what looked like an apple, a granola bar, and a brownie. I guess Mom had run out of food by the time she packed mine. But that’s fine she knows I don’t need her to pack my lunch anymore. I mean Nathan’s a junior and he still had my mom pack his lunch, what a baby.

Steven was talking when I looked away from Nathan, “I can’t believe they’re going to tear down the old community center next year. All my artwork, gone! How are we going to practice tagging without that place.”

Kelly comforted him, I think she said that they can just tag out in the open now. Steven said that wasn’t the point and cue an argument. One that I had no stakes in so I just kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want either of them to be angry with me so I was just trying to keep neutral. I looked over to Willis and Lowell at this time, Willis was looking at Kelly and Steven like they were a baseball game and Lowell was just on his phone. I stared out the window for the rest of the lunch. The clouds were moving in an almost hypnotic way, swirling greys, whites, and darker greys. And all of a sudden lunch was over and I headed to my next class.

It was boring and so was the rest of my day. But at least I have girl scouts tomorrow so I’ll have mom to myself for the ride over there and back. But Evelyn is going to be an entirely different thing to deal with.

Anyway bye Diary, thanks for listening.

Naomi J. Morgan