A Familiar Encounter

Beep beep beep. My eyes open to the sound of my alarm. It's a new day. Day three of my new job at the hospital to be exact. Five more minutes. I close my eyes. Beep beep beep. I slam my hand on the alarm clock and groan as I roll out of bed. I must get up. I look at the clock. 6:05am. I have to be there by 7am. I could have had another ten minutes in bed but I know I need to wash my hair. I grab a towel and head to the bathroom being quiet as to not wake my family from their sleep. I yawn as I take off my pyjamas and step into the shower, turning the dial and gasping as the freezing water hits my skin. That woke me up. It takes a minute for it to warm up, and I stand underneath the shower of water raining down on me and wipe my hands across my face as I think about the past two days at my new job at the hospital. Through the main doors, turn right, turn left, down the stairs, turn right, turn right. I try to memorise the way to the staffroom, the number on my locker, the names of my new colleagues. I feel my anxiety creeping in, but I push it out of my mind. You can do this. I come back into reality, realising how much time I have lost in my thoughts. I quickly wash my hair and my body and jump out of the shower, wrapping a towel around me and run to my bedroom. My uniform is hanging over my wardrobe door on a hanger, ironed from the night before. Any way to be more prepared. I finish drying off with the towel and throw on my uniform, smoothing down my dress with my hands as I look in the mirror. I dry my long brunette hair as quick as I can with my hairdryer and twist it into a low bun at the nape of my neck. Cute, but practical. I glance at the clock, 6:35. I go back to the bathroom to brush my teeth, running back to the bedroom to grab my phone and my car keys. The cold air on my face is refreshing after rushing around getting ready. I climb into my car opening up the wrapper of a breakfast bar and swallowing it down with some water. A quick breakfast, I'm not that hungry. As I drive to work, I try to memorise the hospital and the way to my department. I only finished studying a few months ago and here I am now, 21 years of age and I'm actually working in the Accident and Emergency department as a fully qualified Nurse. Don't get me wrong, it is so exciting, but I'm so nervous. It's all so new and I am terrified of making a mistake. I park up in the staff car park and make my way to the staff room, smiling and waving at the reception staff on the way in. "Good morning Julie!" I say to the blonde, middle aged lady at the front desk. I met her on my first day and she was so helpful when I couldn't find my way. "Morning sweetheart, have a good day." She smiles back. I glance over my shoulder as I walk by, "thank you, you too!" Right, now turn left, and down the stairs... I drop my keys. Way to draw attention to myself when I already feel on edge today. I bend down to pick them up and a hand gets there before me. I look up to a man, probably 6 feet tall, windswept dark black hair and piercing blue eyes, holding my keys in his hand. "You dropped these?" his deep voice makes my knees go weak as he tilts his head to one side to look at me. I take them from him. "Uh, thanks." Really? That's all that my brain could produce? I slide past him and start to walk down the stairs. I look back and he is turned around staring at me as I walk away. My heart flutters in my chest. I have no idea who this man is. I have never met him in my life, but I feel like I have.