Kat sat in the chair behind her desk and looked at her students. They were working hard but the heat was distracting. It was probably slightly over 100 degrees and it was only 11 in the morning. The weather would be sure to escalate a little more before school was over. Kat's water bottle that typically held its place in her drawer was bone dry and she barely ate anything for breakfast.
But class still needed to continue so Kat stood unsteadily and cautiously walked around to the front of her desk. The kids' eyes gravitated toward her when she began to speak. But their ears strained to hear her.
"Who can tell me the answer to number one?"
Kat asked faintly. She gripped the side of her desk to help secure herself while she was on her feet. At the back of the room Luis quickly came into view but only for a second. He dropped a big cardboard box by the door and there was a note on the side that read it was cold water. Kat sighed heavily and then spoke again.
"Everyone get a bottle of water from that box, just 1."
Kat said. She felt so drained and exhausted. Every action she did felt like it took so much out of her; even her eyelids felt lazy. The kids scrambled to the back of the room as if there were gold hidden around the area. But it was probably the equivalent to them.
Kat took her time getting to the box. She wanted to make sure everyone got one first. Just holding the bottle snug enough for it not to hit the ground was difficult. But the condensation felt wonderful against her skin. She took her place at the head of the room. As soon as she turned herself to face the class, Delora came back from the bathroom. Kat knew she had taken the last water bottle from the box. She unselfishly put the bottle on Delora's desk.
Delora took her seat in front of Kat and opened her water. Kat watched her class sip on the cold, partially frozen drink and felt like she had been in the canyon for 2 days and was a few feet away from civilization. She fought to keep her mind focused on teaching but it kept shooting blanks. Her brain was drifting toward darkness and within a few seconds, she could feel gravity pulling her toward the floor.
"Mr. Luis!"
Delora called. And the last thing Kat could make out was small feet running on the way to the back of the room and out the door in search for help.
***
Alejandro was sitting in his paramedic truck eating his lunch with his partner. The truck was running and the air conditioner was making his job enjoyable. His partner was fast asleep in the passenger seat with his feet on the dashboard. His intercom rang loudly in the space. Alejandro's heart sped up when he finally pieced together that there was a pass out at the school.
He wondered if it was Kat. More than likely it was; she was probably the only one in the school not accustomed to the heat. Alejandro woke up his partner Fernando when he threw the truck in reverse and revved out onto the street. He drove quickly toward the nearby school and his partner barely had any time to ask questions. Alejandro walked fiercely to the back of the truck and grabbed his bag.
"We're doing it inside. No gurney."
Alejandro told his partner. He didn't need to rush her to the emergency room or anything. Worse come to worse, he take her home and finish treating her there.
Alejandro found himself jogging up the steps of the entrance and immediately checked her classroom. When he looked inside to see a woman with short, brown hair at the start of the room instead of Kat, he grew a little panicked.
"The office is up here."
Fernando said, pointing down the hall. Alejandro followed his lead and entered the cool office.
Alejandro's face tensed and his jaw went jagged. Luis was knelt beside fainted Kat and he gently brushed her hair away from her face. The movement was so sensual and tender, it made Alejandro furious. Fernando took his place beside Kat and without delay hooked her up to an I.V from his bag. Although Alejandro couldn't take his eyes off of Luis. Luis stood to give Fernando more space to work on Kat and took a deep sigh of relief. When he turned around, he was startled to see Alejandro's intimidating stare before him. Luis changed his expression just as fast as it had come.
"Shouldn't you be doing something?"
Alejandro asked him coldly. Luis chuckled stiffly and crossed his arms over his chest. Luis fed off of Alejandro's jealousy and territory demeanor.
"I was. In fact I was taking care of Kat here."
He replied, taking a glance back at the sleeping woman.
"Well I hope you enjoyed the little contact you had with her while she was unconscious, because it won't be happening again. I promise."
Alejandro said while walking around him and kneeling over Kat to help with getting her healthy again. Alejandro was almost a little upset with Kat. He recalled their conversation in the car about setting him straight and figured it must not have happened. Now he was dealing with the green monster within himself that could've easily been avoided.
***
When Kat woke up, she felt like she was dreaming. 3 gorgeous men sat around her face. Everywhere she looked, there was beauty even though one of them was a complete stranger. But the most beautiful of them all was the man above her. His soft curls nowhere in sight but his concerned eyes were shooting into hers. However he flashed a momentary look to Luis who was positioned near her hips.
"Let go of her hand. I'm asking nicely." Alejandro said through grinded teeth. Kat hadn't noticed the stroking inside her palm that Luis was providing.
"You didn't ask at all. Is it bothering you?" Luis taunted. Kat's brow furrowed at the unwelcomed tension. It was nerve racking to see the two men most active in her life obviously not getting along. They looked like they would start brawling on the ground at any minute.
"Where are the kids?" Kat asked, attempting to sit up and slyly moving her hand out of Luis'.
"Take it easy Kat."
Luis urged, guiding with a hand behind her back. "Marlennys is with them. They're okay. You don't have to go back to teaching, school is almost over."
Alejandro hated the sight before his eyes. He should be comforting her and making sure she was okay. But Luis was her friend and he held his tongueβhis real rage, with fears of upsetting her.
"Take me home Alejandro?" Kat murmured, standing to her feet. Alejandro stepped in and coiled an arm around her hip.