Chapter 1
I walk around the room to see my students progress on the activity we're working on, I check the time and to see how much time we have left until it's time to go outside and we have a few minutes so I walk over to where we have our bell and ring it.
"Ok everyone, time to clean up and then we'll go outside!"
The kids cheer, and quickly put away their things and line up to go outside.
I've known from a young age that I've always wanted to work with kids.
When I was a teenager I was always taking babysitting jobs or working at daycares and summer camps.
My grandma on my mom's side is a kindergarten teacher and I got to go with her to help with her class sometimes when I was younger.
She let me help her teach the class and that's where I figured out that I wanted to be a teacher, I just didn't know what age range I wanted to work with and it wasn't until my sophomore year of college that I figured out I wanted to be a preschool teacher.
I like working with the preschoolers because I'm the one that gets to teach them the basics, education wise.
I can't tell you the feeling I get when one of my kids comes up to me and tells me they can tell the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters or they know how to count to 20, or my favorite one when they finally can write their name without any help, that's the best feeling because I played a big part in helping them.
Unfortunately if it wasn't for my students I probably wouldn't work here because it's not the best place.
My coworkers are very rude and I honestly have no clue why.
I know that no matter where you go you'll always have people who dislike you, but these people have tried everything to get rid of me and it's getting ridiculous.
I've been nothing but nice to them and they've still treated me like shit, so I've made the decision to try to find another job after the school year is over.
I feel a tug on my leg, so I look down and see bright blue eyes staring up at me.
He's such a little cutie.
I kneel down so I'm at his level. "What's up Wyatt?"
He bites his little lip. "Can I be the one to ring the bell when we have to go back inside?" He asked.
Like most of my kids, that's his favorite Job.
"Yes, you can ring the bell buddy" I smiled.
A huge grin grows onto his face and he reaches for my hand to hold.
This little boy has stolen my heart since the beginning of the school year.
He's the sweetest and kindest little guy I've ever met, especially after what he's been through.
His parents split and his mother moved out so he lives with his dad full time and stays with his mom on the weekends or whenever she has her days.
His dad sent an email to me in the beginning of the school year, explaining the whole situation just in case Wyatt starts acting out or something.
We've had no problems with him regarding the split and I think that's because he's closer with his dad, so I think if he lived with his mom it would've been a different story, but he's only 4 and it could effect him differently as he gets older so only time will tell.
Luckily for me I never had to deal with that growing up. My parents are just as in love now as they were when they were younger.
My brother and I have had the best role models when it comes to relationships from our parents and both sets of grandparents, and because of my high standards when it comes to love I haven't had the best luck with my love life, but I know what I want and I won't settle for anything less.
"Miss Thompson! Ricky's peeing on the tree!" My student Levi exclaimed.
I turn to see the 4 year old with his shorts dropped and peeing on the tree like he doesn't have a care in the word.
Ahh, the joys of working with preschoolers.
This is a first because usually the kids will hold it in and have an accident because they don't want to stop playing.
One of the other teachers Jenna, goes over to him while I tell Wyatt to ring the bell to bring the kids in since it also looks Ricky also pooped by the tree.
My coworkers and I have the kids wash their hands after playing and when they're done all the kids go back to their classrooms.
My class consists of 20 kids and thank goodness for my teachers aid Nikki or else I don't know how I'd do it.
I have Nikki read them a story so they calm down after playing outside before we do our next lesson.
I set up a name writing worksheet since we're at the point in the year where they should start to be able to write their names.
Apparently it's mandatory for them to be able to write their name to go into kindergarten along with a bunch of other things.
I remember when I went to school we didn't have to do that, but times have definitely changed.
After the story the kids go to their seats and start writing their name, so far I have 9 out of the 20 who can write their name so that's pretty good at this point.
While the kids are writing I sit at my desk and work on tomorrow's lesson plans.
"Miss Thompson!" Wyatt calls excitedly.
I already have an idea what he's excited about, so I get up and go over to the table he's sitting at.
"Look!" He exclaimed pointing down at his worksheet.
I look down and see very clearly he has Wyatt written down almost perfect on his worksheet.
I grin at him and give him my hand to high five it.
"Great job buddy!"
He smiled at me, his blue eyes shinning with how proud he is. "I can't wait to show daddy!" He said excitedly.
He's been telling me that his dad has been working with him on his name.
It's times like this that makes me love being a teacher.
*
Once school let's out I grab my stuff and head home.
Since I graduated college I moved out of my parents house and into an apartment with my cousin Ella.
Growing up we were really close so it only made sense to live together.
Today it's Monday and that means the bachelor is on tonight, so I hit up the grocery store on the way home to get our snacks.
Most women drink wine watching the bachelor, but Ella and I eat ice cream, Ben and Jerry's to be exact.
Mom also watches it too, so she facetimes me when it's a commercial to talk about what happened.
When I get to Publix I go straight for the freezer section looking for the ice cream.
I pull open the glass door and reach for the chunky monkey when a large hand reaches for it at the same time.
I follow up the hand to see the most handsome man I have ever seen before.
This man is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Black hair that's shorter on the sides and longer on top, but styled nicely, trimmed beard that adds to his appearance and piercing blue eyes that look very familiar, but I can't place them.
Whoa.
He stepped back. "Go ahead, you can have it" He smiled making me feel like my knees are gonna buckle.
Holy shit, what is wrong with me? I've talked to hot guys before and never acted like this.
I reach forward and grab the ice cream and then turn to him. "Thanks" I smiled.
"No problem" He said in a deep sexy voice.
He reached forward and grabbed one of his own, and I watched his muscles flex under his blue checked dress shirt.
Damn.
"You're the first person I've met that actually likes that flavor" I said not knowing why I said it, but I feel compelled to keep talking to this man.
Even though I'm a hopeless romantic, I don't believe in love at first sight, but I feel a very strong pull with him and I can't explain it.
His eyebrows furrowed. "Really? I know of a couple people who do including my son and I. He had a really good day at school today so I figured I'd surprise him with his favorite ice cream" He grinned.
I smiled back. "That's really sweet. I'm a teacher and treat my students when they do good things too."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's really cool. Well I better get going before this starts to melt. It was nice talking with you" He smiled.
I did it back. "Yeah you too."
He walked back down the aisle and I was pleasantly surprised to notice he had a nice ass in the tailored dress pants he wore.
Handsome, manners, and has a nice ass. Pretty good combinations.
*
I grab everything I had in the car and walked to the apartment.
Ella and I lived in a 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment, on the second floor.
It's not a bad place besides our annoying neighbors who don't have the decency to move their head board away from the wall when they're having sex, but besides that it's a nice place.
I open the door after going up the flight of stairs to our apartment, and see that my Aunt Addie stopped by.
"Hey kiddo" She said coming over to give me a hug.
"Hey, what brings you by?"
She pulled back and went to sit down on the couch next to Ella. "I just came by to drop off a chicken pot pie I made since I know it's El's favorite this way you girls can have a home cooked meal to break up the week so you don't have to cook" She said.
"Thank you I appreciate it." I walked into the kitchen and put the ice cream into the freezer.
"No problem, I just wanted to stop by quick before I meet your parents for dinner in a little bit" She said.
My parents were best friends growing up before they fell in love, but my Aunt Addie was also best friends with my mom. Growing up they were the 3 musketeers, but my Aunt always says that she was the third wheel.
They're all still close and do a double date night together at least once a week.
The one time I came over for something and they were having Chinese food and playing Mario kart, I hope I can have a relationship like they have.
Her phone starts going off. "Hey bitch what's up?" She asked.
Aunt Addie is exactly like grandma Sarah, no filter.
"Yes I'm bringing it, tell my brother not to get his panties in a twist" She said.
She nodded her head and rolled her eyes. "Yes I will, I'm leaving our kids apartment and I'll pick up Ryder on my way over" She said.
She nodded her head and turned to me. "You're parents say hi" She said.
I smiled. "Tell them I said hi back and I'll see them sometime this week for dinner."
Since my brother and I moved out we try to at least go over there once a week for dinner considering we're both super close with our parents.
"Ok, I'll see you guys in a little bit, ok bye bitch" She hung up.
That's always been her favorite way to hang up on my mom.
"Ok, I better get going before your dad has an aneurysm because he can't wait too long to eat" She rolled her eyes.
She said goodbye to Ella and me then left.
Ella got off the couch and into the kitchen to heat up the chicken pot pie, she's the perfect mix of her parents with her brown hair and brown eyes from her dad's Italian side, but her facial features are all her mother, including her sass. "How was work?" She asked licking the spoon she used to plate her food.
"Pretty good, except we had a kid take a shit on the playground and piss on the tree next to it."
She busts out laughing. "How the fuck do you not laugh your ass off?" She asked.I
I chuckled. "I honestly have no fucking clue."
"I couldn't do what you do" She said.
"I couldn't do what you do either, but how'd your day go?" I asked getting a plate out for myself.
She's a bank teller and I give her a lot of credit dealing with people all day, I'd rather stick with kids than dealing with money and people.
She hopped up on the counter waiting for the food to heat up. "Not too bad, but Stacy is driving me up a fucking wall, sometimes I just wanna throttle her ass" She huffed.
The microwave beeped and she took her food out so I could heat mine up. "I'm surprised she's still there."
She snorted. "You and me both babe, I'm just waiting for Carol to come to her senses and fire her already" She said taking a bite of her food.
"Hopefully soon enough" I said getting my food out of the microwave.
"Yeah, but besides a kid acting like a dog, how was your day?" She asked.
"Overall pretty good, and I got our ice cream."
I think about that hot guy earlier at the store.
She cocks her head to the side and furrows her eyebrows. "What's that look?" She asked.
"What look?"
She smirks. "You met someone didn't you?" She asked.
How did she?
"Kinda..."
She sits up straighter. "Fill me in bitch, spill the fucking tea!" She said excitedly.
I laughed at her antics. "Fine, but it's not like anything will come from it. I went to the store earlier to get the ice cream and met this really handsome guy and we talked a little and he left, that's it" I said eating my food.
"And you didn't get his number?" She asked.
"No and besides he said he had a son. He's probably married and has a family."
"Or he's a single father. Bitch you could be with a dilf!" She exclaimed.
He definitely was a dilf.
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, I'll probably never see him again anyway, so it doesn't matter" I shrugged.
"You never know" She said.
Yeah I guess so.
