The Teacher and Me

Its been just under 10 years since I stepped foot in the corridors of West Shores high school, and as soon as I did the memories came flooding back as if it was yesterday. Looking around I cannot say it has changed much, if at all. There is still the same musty smell of smoke as you walk along, and the hallways are still painted the school colours, a delightful shade of olive green and off-white. It is still surprising that someone thought that this shade of green would suit well for high school colours; instead, I think it just complimented the type of students that attended, the type that barely graduate and are bound to be lower class citizens of society. After seeing a boy get pushed into the lockers on the right of me It reminded me of the s**t times I had here, and it made me glad I was here on business and had no time to stroll by memory lane. Instead I paced quickly following an administration lady with a drug bag in one hand and heart monitor in the other. When I walked through the door of the classroom, I see him, the one good memory I have of high school. I’m not sure what I was expecting walking through these doors but for some reason I wasn’t expecting to see the one reason my days spent here ten years ago weren’t entirely horrendous: Mr Blake Henson. He doesn’t look any different since I last saw him still handsome and easily the most attractive teacher I’ve ever met. Most other male teachers here are old enough to be your grandad or have that not so appealing ‘dad bod’; with a carton of beer opposed to a preferable six pack on their stomach. Mr Henson on the other hand is tall with dark brown hair, and deep brown eyes that pierce straight through you. You can barely tell 10 years have been added to his life besides the slight grey tinge to his stubble when he turned his head to look my way. “He’s over here” Blake stated sounding nervous. I was unsure whether he noticed me at first which I couldn’t blame him if he didn’t. When I attended here 10 years ago I was many things that I am no longer today including my stature. I became thinner with a more hourglass figure opposed to the oval shaped one I had before. When I turned to see a young male on the ground, swollen face, blue lips, gasping for air I suddenly realised why Blake sounded so chaotic compared to his usual calm demeanour. All the thoughts about ten years ago instantly escape my mind and work mode set in. After a short ten minutes, two doses of adrenaline and oxygen I had the young man named Kane sitting up, talking and answering some of Alisters questions. Alister is the newest recruit at the ambulance station; a few years younger than me however acts half his age. I’m not sure how he got to become a paramedic and although he only started a mere 6 weeks ago the jury is still out whether he is cut out for the job or not. Nonetheless he is a people person, and people seem to love him, no matter how much I find him irritating. Once I knew Kane was going to be alright I avert my gaze to my surroundings. I look around to see the 50 odd eyes glaring at us in the classroom, some younger girls crying, a few clapping, but one person catches my attention; the dark ebony eyes of Blake Henson staring straight at me. I gulped and remember that look; a look he gave me 10 years ago a look that says he remembers every one of those countless moments spent together; a look of desire. I sent Alister to go collect the stretcher from the ambulance so we can take Kane to hospital. The administration lady advised us that his mother would meet us there and that she would arrange a class mate to collect his things for us. Looking over at Kane he looked one hundred percent better than before, his now pink, flushed, still mildly swollen face is now smiling and conversing with a friend while still wearing an oxygen mask for good measure. “Hey” a deep male voice says behind me. I shut my eyes and take a deep breathe before turning around as I know who it was based on the look I just witnessed him giving me. One half of me was hoping he didn’t recognise me and I could finish what we were doing, take Kane to hospital and forget this job ever happened however the other half hoped he remembered everything and we could re-ignite what we had all those years ago. “Hey, how are you going?” I say as I turn around. “Better now, I’m glad you arrived when you did! I didn’t realise you were a paramedic!” he said still staring straight into my eyes. s**t! He does remember me “Well why would you, I haven’t seen you since I left here!” I snapped at him. I had to take another breathe because the way he is looking at me reminds me of all the memories I had with him those many years ago, the memories that caused me so much pain and heartache in the end, the memories I chose to forget. “Well thanks we were all worried!” He replied looking surprised by my tone. I don’t know why I snapped at him, I don’t hold anything of the past against him, its been ten years and I’m completely over it but for some reason his comment made me frustrated. Like of course he wouldn’t know I’m a paramedic its not like we are keeping tabs on one another. Prior to today I almost completely forgot about his existence and I’m sure he completely forgot about me as well, as there are plenty of other girls around to keep his mind occupied. “No worries, it is my job after all”, not sure where to look after my abrupt comment prior, I look at my shoes reverting back to when I was in high school, shy, quiet, and afraid to make eye contact. I muster the strength to look up proving that I am no longer that girl and my eyes lock with Blakes, he is looking at me like he is seeing me for the first time, and that I am the only girl in the world. I know that this isn’t true and that he is just being polite and attempting to make small talk before resuming back to our lives as they were, but I can’t help but to feel like a stupid school girl staring at her school yard crush all over again. The seconds feels like minutes and I feel like its just us two in the room. “Bethany, I….” Alister comes in knocking the stretcher into a cupboard causing us to look over his way and cutting Blake off. “Sorry about that” Alister exclaims to the administration lady as she huffed in an unamused tone. This is something I am all to use to while working with Alister. Luckily he has a way with words and I know he will have her in a better mood by the time we leave, either by making jokes that I’ve heard every day since working with him or subtle flirting that could be seen as un professional but somehow he gets away with it. “Oh my God Alister” Rolling my eyes, rushing to pick things up that fell onto the ground. “It’s OK, I got this, you go handle things over there. it was nice seeing you” Blake says softly, eyes still locked dead into mine. I did not say anything in response, instead smiled slightly and walked back over to Kane and helped him onto the stretcher. The trip into the hospital was uneventful. I found out that a group of boys from Kane’s class thought it would be funny to expose him to peanuts, even though they were completely aware that it could’ve killed him easily. Hearing these things make me disgusted with today’s society and also sorry for Kane. No one deserves to be treated like that. I know this as I was a victim of bullying most of my senior years at high school, and through my job I am aware of the psychological toll bullying is taking on these kids these days. It has seemed to have gotten worse since I left high school. When I was at school most of the bullying consisted of verbal comments aimed to lower self-esteem and the occasional fight between the boys, however now it is more physical and life-threatening, its just not fair! After we helped Kane onto the hospital bed, I got myself an instant coffee and took a seat in the lunchroom of the hospital where we can eat lunch, do paperwork, or just hang out with the nurses. There were not many people in here yet as it was too early for lunch, so I carried on doing my paperwork in peace while Alister restocked the ambulance. As I was finishing off the paperwork, I could not help but wonder what Blake was going to say when Alister came crashing through the door with the stretcher earlier. I didn’t wonder for long as my pager interrupted my thoughts with another job. Although we do not live in the heart of the city, the workload was constant, generally only having a short time in between jobs to complete paperwork and eat. I look at my pager to see what we were attending to; great I thought another drug overdose. I love my job however working in a poor town can be taxing especially when this is the 4th drug overdose this week! Before I knew it my mind was busy filled with drug dosages, protocol and teaching Alister and I knew I would be able to completely forget about my encounter with my ex high school teacher, my former flame, Mr Blake Henson.