far too goo

s she leaned against the hallway lockers, arms crossed, legs long and impossibly

ng a cookie and her coffee as she made her way back to her

d her hourglass figure like it had been painted on. "Because it's meet-the-kids day. And summer

d. "You're s

lowing her with the lazy grace of a pant

lt Elementary nervous, lost, and clutching a teacher's manual like it was a Bible. Janelle had

anelle was outrageous and unfiltered, but she never judged. Never pried. S

miss me," Mia teased as she paus

ith it, perfectly discreet. "I missed your cute little bir

not b

r," Janelle said with a wink, then blew

nd stepped int

breeze. Her pastel bulletin board read "First Grade is Magical!" and her student desks were a

huffling of tiny feet. One by one, her students arrived some skipping in wit

ile. "Good morning! Welcome to first grade, sw

mediately tripped over his own feet. "I'm

n, hiding a smile

d clapped her hands gently. "Hi everyone! I'm Miss Hart. An

introduce ourselves. I want you to tell me your name, and one fun fact. Anything! A fa

hand shot u

ooth last night and the Tooth

class like she'd just ann

with a soft laugh. "Do you think she

d solemnly. "Sh

d, "My family got a dog and a cat this summer.

nto laughter. "That's very kind

oog

armi

and nervous hands, he looked at her with wide, uncertain eyes

have to say anything big, okay? You can tell u

, "I don't think I have anyth

k liking dinosaurs is pretty s

itated.

the class. "This is Elija

eks turned pink. But he smiled. A shy,

Mia's classroom with a salad

ping dramatically into the reading corner. "One of my kids t

fe," Mia said, biti

Life chose this." She eyed Mia. "You're glowing. G

ave her just before lunch break, stick figures of a bo

d softly. "Jus

t smile looks like something mor

her a help

wouldn't love her. But here in this little bubble of constr

oday, that