Luke
Ifind myself back in the cafeteria-turned classroom again, hiding my armpits.
As if I didn’t feel enough stress from my personal relationships- today, we finally get the test scores back. A delay of just a day or two makes a world of difference.
The odds of beating someone as cool and collected as Isaac on the written test are slim to none, and, even if I do beat him, I don’t believe the Captain will give either one of us the position after watching us together with his daughter.
The same chubby administrator passes back the test results. I think I see him smile at me when he hands back the test results, but I can’t be sure.
I stare at the small yet powerful envelope in my hands. The sealed results hold so many possibilities. I probably have a low score. However, everyone gets lucky from time to time. While still sealed, the envelope represents a beautiful dream (kind of like polyamorous relationships working).
Maybe something subconsciously clicked when I went back to the math portion and got them all right. Maybe the administrator saw my wink and changed the answers for me. Maybe someone mixed up my Scantron with someone else’s.
The clock moves as long as I can let it before I remain the only person with the envelope still sealed. I begrudgingly open it and look at the results:
? Math/SpatialConcepts - 72%
? Reading Comprehension/Writing - 64%
? Reasoning - 61%
? Overall - 65%
Barely passingscores look familiar to me, but they definitely don’t look familiar to fire station Captains. I know my small chance of getting the promotion disappears the moment the bosses see the scores.
A Captain needs to know how to handle pressure, whether it comes in the form of a fire or a Scantron test. I still have a long way to go.
Still, a part of me feels proud about the 72% in math.
As I look up from my test scores, I catch Isaac looking at me.
“You okay?” Isaac asks.
I feel embarrassed that’s the first question he asks. However, I also notice the sincerity in his eyes. He cares for my well-being. He cares for the whole squad’s well-being. That’s why he will make a great Captain.
“I rocked the math portion!” I exaggerate slightly.
“Fuck yeah!” Isaac says, giving me a high-five. He doesn’t even add to my pain by asking to see the scores.
“How did you do?” I ask him.
“I did okay,” Isaac tells me casually.
He doesn’t need the privacy as badly as I do, so I grab his open envelope to see for myself:
? Math/Spatial Concepts - 97%
? Reading Comprehension/Writing - 84%
? Reasoning - 92%
? Overall - 90%
“How do you have time to nerd out so hard when you spend so much time at the gym?” I ask.
“I am the opposite of you. I am a naturally good test taker. I just get it,” Isaac shrugs.
“Good for you,” I tell him.