Today, I start my clinical, at the Hospital of Dauntless, also known as HOD. Let me tell you, on first days, I am always nervous. I have so many questions that I am waiting to be answered. I wonder if my preceptor will be nice? I wonder what unit I will get? My clinical instructor, Marcus, is beyond mean. He is known in my school for being a hard-ass instructor, someone who you don't want on his bad side. He has made lots of students' cry before. He has uttered more than once, that he wishes that he could beat students, just for existing. Marcus and I, we have had a few run-ins already, prior to my senior year. Let's just say, he isn't my biggest fan, for reasons unknown to me. He likes to pick on me, and I have never done anything to warrant such behavior from him. He is a bully. He just doesn't like me, and we don't, exactly see eye to eye on many topics in the medical field. He believes that only the wealthy should be able to afford healthcare, while I believe healthcare should be for everyone, and affordable. Thankfully, however, since it is my senior year, Marcus is not around a lot for my clinical experience. There are only one or two students are assigned to a floor in the whole hospital. Now I know you are thinking to yourself "Come on Tris, get to the story!" Don't worry, I am going.

Anyways, my first clinical of senior year; I am a wreck and I am as nervous as hell. I set four alarms for myself the night before. I'm scared that I am going to miss waking up, and I didn't want to be late. I want to make a good first impression. This hospital has a reputation that if a nursing student does a good job during their senior year clinical, then they might hire them upon graduation. I am a straight A student, and because of that, I have no social life, except when Christina drags me somewhere against my will.

Next thing, I know my alarm is blaring in my ear, my best friend and roommate Christina, is sitting at the end of my bed, with a coffee cup in her hand ready to start her first day of clinical for the semester. I jump when I see her and say, "Chris! I told you to stop doing that! You are always scaring me. Can't you, just wait out in the living room for me, like a normal person?"

Chris just laughs as she replies, "Come on Trissy Poo, it is time to get up! Let's go, and start the first day of our future, hopefully." She winks at me, as she handes me my coffee, and says: "By the way, since it is the first day. I am going to do your makeup from this day forward to the end of the year. Hope you are ready to get up earlier than usual."

I groan, saying, "Chris, I really don't care how I look. I know, I am not beautiful or pretty."

Chris giggles as she says, "Who cares about that? I'm going for noticeable. Plus you want a job, don't you? Then you must dress to impress. Who knows maybe there will be some good looking residents on the floor that you are assigned to. Ones who could actually loosen you up, and maybe get you a life besides your books."

At her words of trying to impress to get a job. I agree, but I grumble, "Fine Chris, but nothing too crazy. I still want to look like me, and I don't want a boyfriend. I'm too busy with school. I don't need those types of distractions."

With that, I got up to start my day. I shower quickly, letting the warm water wake me. Then I get dressed in my beautiful white scrubs. I sarcastically roll my eyes as I look at myself in the mirror. These things are so bright and white, I might need to start wearing sunglasses. Christina and I make fun of the scrubs, saying "These things make us look like marshmallows. You can even see my white underwear through these things."

Christina groans as she says "Please, at least you weren't sent home from clinical, how many times last year for wearing brightly colored panties?" I shrug my shoulders as she replies, "Too many to count. Apparently, I was too distracting for my fellow students." I laugh as I shake my head.

"I can't wait to burn these uniforms." I murmur as I pick at my scrub top, "And you will never catch me wearing white again."

"Same here," Chris says as she finishes my makeup in record time.

She gives me a natural look, placing my long hair up into a braided bun. When I notice the time, I jump up from the torture chair, run out the door with Chris hot on my heels.

We drive in silence to the hospital. Christina and I are not morning people. I contemplate how my day will go. I continue to wonder which unit I will end up on. I secretly hope that I get a Surgical Unit because this is my passion.

Chris and I walk into the hospital, and we are greeted, with a smiling Uriah. I look at Uriah, and I grimace as I say "Uriah, why must you always be so happy. It is only six a.m."

Uriah just smiles and he says, "Tris, my dear, I am always this happy. Plus, look on the bright side. It's senior year. After this year, we will finally be getting paid for doing all the crap that we have to do here now for free."

I giggle as I agree with him. Then I leave to go to find a chair, to sit down in, as I wait for Marcus to roll through the door. At 6:20 a.m. the rest of our clinical group arrives, which consists of Will, who Chris has the biggest crush on. I tease her as soon as I see Will enter the lobby. She shoots me a look to cut it out. Also in our group is Marlene, who had a crush on Uriah, but he is oblivious. There is Lynn, who always seems to be in a bad mood, no matter what is going on or how well her day is going. Then there is the famous couple: Molly and Drew, those two, they have been dating since freshman year, and they always show way too much PDA for my liking. Finally Peter, I internally groaned when I see Peter. He is arrogant and thinks he is the greatest at everything he does. He is always mean to me and he is always making these inappropriate comments at me. He dislikes me for whatever reason. Chris always says it is because he has a crush on me, and he is trying to act like a middle schooler to get me to pay attention to him. Our clinical group gathers around awaiting our clinical instructor. We all discuss different rumors or experiences that we had with Marcus quietly while we wait.

All of a sudden, a guy walks up to our group, he looks at me, and says: "Excuse me, miss."

I just stare at him, noticing his deep blue eyes. His eyes, they are so dark that they almost look black. His eyes look like they hold secrets, and have experience hardships. He has short brown hair, which I want to run my fingers through, for some reason. He is wearing a pair of black scrubs with a white lab coat on. His body looks very muscular, but not overly muscular. He is very tall compared to me, but then again everyone is tall, considering I'm only 5'1. I am completely star stuck with this good-looking guy.

All of a sudden, Christina elbows me, and I come out of my daze, the guy speaks again. "Miss," he says, and I finally realize that he is speaking to me.

I try to get my mouth to move, but I can't. Come on, I think to myself. Speak, form sentences, talk to him. Finally, after a second, I say: "Yes, can I help you."

He says, "I'm looking for the north tower, the second floor. I believe it is a surgical unit. I'm also looking for the OR. Do you know where those two places are? There are so many elevators, and I am unsure which one to take?"

I give him the directions, of which elevator to take, and of which hallways to avoid because they end up at a dead end. He says "Thank you," before he walks off.

After he is gone Christina, keeps teasing me about Dr. McHotty, as she has named him. She grins as she keeps telling me that he looked at me as if he had seen an angel. Now, I will be the first to admit, I'm short, and I'm not very pretty. I just let Chris keep telling me how hot that doctor was. It goes in one ear and out the other. I keep wondering, why I reacted the way that I did when I saw that doctor. I have never wanted to run my fingers through another person's hair before. Finally at 6:40 a.m. Marcus decides to grace us with his presence, and he decides it is time to start our day, to give us our assignments along with who our new preceptor would be on each floor. I sit patiently and listen while everyone else is given their assignments, but before giving us the units we were on, Marcus proceeds to lecture us on how we better behave. He lectures about how he will be watching our every move, to not mess up or else there will be consequences. Then he says, "your assignments are as follows."

Christina-Operating Room (OR) with Lindsey H as a preceptor.

Will- Emergency Room (ER) with Edward M as a preceptor.

Uriah-Newborn unit with Frank K as a preceptor.

Lynn- Pediatrics with Melissa R as a preceptor.

Marlene- Labor and Delivery with Susan B as a preceptor.

Peter-Psychiatric unit with Derek W as a preceptor.

Molly-Cardiac unit with Lisa A as a preceptor.

Drew- Orthopedic unit with Sam G as a preceptor.

Tris-Surgical (Med Surg) unit on N2 with Tori W as a preceptor.

I bite my lip as a smile spread across my face. I got the floor that I wanted, and on top of it, I got an area that I am passionate about. I love Med Surg because there is such a variety in the types of patients you take care of. Caring for patients after surgery is great too. I have a feeling this is going to be a great senior year. I say goodbye to Christina and the rest of the gang as I run up to the floor eager to find Tori to start the day. Tori is a woman who is skinny as a rail with long black hair. Tori and I have worked together in past years, she is a great teacher. We both have the same attitude when it comes to caring for our patients. We want what is best for our patients, and we will do whatever it takes to get the best care possible for them. She is teaching me to take no crap from a doctor. I love it when the residents cower from her.

I find Tori coming out of the nutrition room, walk up to her, and reintroduce myself. She gives me a tour of the unit, gives me all the codes for all the doors, that way I can open all the different door on the unit. Then the rest of the day, I follow her around as she cares for her patients. She gives me a review on how to work the charting system. Overall, my morning is very informative and educational.

At lunch, my clinical groups meet for a get-together, and we talk about our experiences on the floor thus far. Everyone seems to be having the same type of day that I am having so far. Marcus sneers at all of us as he makes comments under his breath, about each of us, but we all hear him as he says that we are each incompetent losers, who don't belong here and are inadequate as students.

On the way back to my unit, Christina whispers with a smile on her face, "So, have you seen Dr. McHotty, since this morning? You are so lucky to at least have a good looking resident on your floor. You should totally try to hook up with him. Maybe ask him out on a date or something. If you won't, then I will. Hopefully, he will work in the OR, and I can see him in action. Don't worry, I'll scope him out for you, bestie." She winks.

"Chris, that is unnecessary! I just want to finish this year of school and find a job. I'm not interested in starting a relationship with someone. I prefer to be single. You know that. Also, you would never go after Dr. McHotty, you have been hung up on Will for ages. When are you going to do something about that?"

"You have been single for far too long, Tris. Robert was a jerk. You deserved someone better than him and what he did to you. We both know that. A little eye candy never hurt anyone. Maybe Dr. McHotty could show you how a man should really treat a lady, how you should be treated because you are a great person. I'm not saying this because I'm your best friend, Tris. I'm saying this because it's the truth. As far as Will is concerned he will ask me out, one day when he is ready to. I would wait forever for that boy, because we are going to get married, and have babies. He just doesn't know it yet. I would wait a hundred years if I had to."

"Stalker much." I giggle as I walk away from her, leaving her to go find Tori.

After lunch, we each return to our own units. When I get back, Tori and I give a bunch of medications, then she lets me leave early because there is nothing left to do, except to give a report to the next shift. I fill out the report sheets for her, then I practice giving a report one more time before I leave.

Tori looks at me as she tells me to leave saying, "See you bright and early tomorrow morning, Tris." I wave goodbye, leaving the floor, but seeing as I drove with Chris today, I have to wait. I grab a magazine and some water from the gift shop to keep me occupied as I wait for Chris to finish in the OR for the day. As I flip through the magazine, my mind keeps floating back to the hot guy from this morning, in the back scrubs, with the deep blue eyes. All of a sudden, I see Marcus walking down the hall, staring at me. "Crap, I'm in trouble. . . . Big trouble."