The sun was a blazing heat and it didn't matter if I was standing underneath a tree, it's heat was enough to make me uncomfortable. The school year, like always, begun in the middle of summer, where it was scorching hot. What we were wearing didn't help alleviate the heat. Plain red shirt tucked underneath the camouflage pants and a pair of tactical boots that were too heavy for my feet.
Now, I was really contemplating on why I had pursue this special course. I could have spent my sunday at home with a fan in my face but instead I'm at the university, regretting my choices.
"Those who are in the First Aid Unit kindly bring the water jug to the training ground and line up"
A commanding officer, one that was clothed in camouflage shirt and pants shouted but no one on my side seem to care for what he had just ordered. Our unit, the first aid unit, was mostly consisted of girls and I had counted up to six boys only.
I waited but none of the others seemed to have heard the order and I can't really tell the males to do so since I barely even know them. Pierce who is my best friend and supposedly one of the people to enter this unit is absent for today because of church activities. And I don't really know anyone since I only started attending this university this year.
I let out a deep sigh and stood up and was about to grab the water jug when an arm started lifting it up.
"Let me, girls should not carry something this heavy, it's bad for your body and you're pretty so you shouldn't carry it"
A man a few inches taller than me wearing the same uniform I have on held the jug and lifted it to his shoulders. He looked at me and winked before walking away. I squinted my eyes as I watched him carry the water jug onto the training ground.
Pretty? I chuckled, oh the outdated ways of men when it comes to flirting. I shook my head at the notion and walked after him to the formation.
Being 5 foot and 5 inches taller had its benefits but also its disadvantages. For example, being in the front line of the formation. Compared to every girls in the unit, my height was considerably taller, so I stood next to the shortest male in the unit and held my stance.
I stared at the guy's back the one from earlier, I think he's a bit taller than me by an inch or two, and his skin color looks scorched like he's actually been under the sun for about a year or two. Well, that'll be my future skin color apparently but I'm originally whiter than everyone else in the unit. And he isn't in the line with us rather in front of us.
"Guess you've met Leonel"
I look at the girl standing beside me, wearing a thick eyeglass, considerably much thicker than mine and about an inch smaller than me but we're about the same body size.
"Leonel?"
She nodded and smiled before looking at the guy whom I'd been staring at since formation started.
"Leonel Cydel Ramir, he's going to be our platoon leader since he's an *EMT Officer."
"He's only a first year isn't he?"
"Yeah born in 1996, same age as me"
She pointed herself before lending her hand as an introduction, something you shouldn't really do when you're standing in attention but none of the commanding officers were in front yet so I guess we're free to do so.
"Annika by the way"
I shook her hand and smiled.
"Qian, born in 1998 btw hahaha"
I laughed when her eyes widened when I mentioned my birth year.
"1998? Did you even undergo Senior High School?"
"Nope, I took the acceleration program exam. I skipped two years in senior highschool"
That's the reason why I didn't know anyone in this school, I have my guy best friend who went through the acceleration program exam too but again he has his reasons for not attending today's training.
"That's sick, you must be smart"
"I'm so-so I guess haha so you two must be acquaintances?"
I pointed at Leonel who was still busy talking to some of the officers.
"Yeah, he's friends with my older sister that's why"
I stared at him again, an EMT Officer at his age. That's quite an achievement, I'm guessing it's his dream. Not a moment later he looked at our way and gave us a smile and another one of those winks.
Well, he's not handsome but he does look good. I chuckled lightly at myself. I'm here for training not for a love story, and yet I find myself being drawn to that back.
And I could already tell that this was a lasting impression. No one actually calls me pretty because I'm not that kind of girl. I'm big-boned too, not petite, not chubby, just big-boned. It's like I have the body of a man, that's what my aunts and uncles always say. Having a body like that, I was always expected to be able to carry heavy objects even though I was a girl. That's why I felt different when a man actually offered to carry it instead of letting me do it.
"Okay, for now I'll be giving a preliminary exam so we'll know up to what extent your knowledge in first aid is."
After the exam, he gave us an ample amount of time to eat lunch. I went with Annika since she became like my buddy today and we kind of hit it off. Annika was your typical good and family-oriented girl and that kind of person is hard to find right now. Also because, most of the girls in the unit cared more about their nails and make ups and I didn't wanna join that kind of group.
"So you're from a long line of soldiers too?"
Annika gave me a nod before continuing to eat her food.
"My grandfather and uncles all became a soldier and so did I once but I'm studying engineering because that's my dream, how 'bout you?"
"I don't have one"
I simply answered. Annika stared at me like I gave the wrong answer and she was waiting for a more realistic one.
I came from a family with a long line of soldiers. That tradition ended with my father's generation but that does not mean that my grandpa stopped there. Since I was the eldest grandchild I was trained to be a military personnel, and I have my whole life planned out for me.
Be a reservist, graduate with a bachelor's degree then take the exam and serve as a military personnel. That was my grandfather's dreams and also my mom's.
"I really don't have one, I'm just living my current life that's all"
"That's impossible, you must have one as a child?"
"Well, I did dreamt of being a nun when I was a kid"
She looked at me with so much disbelief before dismissing the subject and continuing eating.
I stared at her, I do wish I had a dream but no I don't need it. I've already set my goal and I'm going to accomplish that.
And it wasn't like I didn't like the fact that my grandpa and mom shoved their dreams into me. I love my family albeit all the pressures and scars, they're the only ones that I have in this world.
So, no, I didn't need to have a dream of my own. Making my family happy was more important for me and I intended to follow their wishes.
*EMT – Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic