“Okay.”
I end the call just as the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch for my students. Shoving my phone in my pocket, I grab my classroom keys and make my way outside.
“Ms. Vienna!” Ellis comes running up to me as I make my way to the spot on the blacktop where my students line up.
“It’s Ms. Lewis when we’re at school, remember?” I whisper to her.
“Ugh, I keep forgetting.”
“It’s okay.”
“Are you gonna come over and paint rocks with me and Daddy tonight?”
“I can’t, sweetie. I’m going to your Aunt Laney’s house tonight for a girls’ night.”
She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t know why I can’t go if it’s only for girls.”
“Grown up girls,” I reply right as I arrive in front of my class. “Okay, kiddos. Are you ready to go back inside?”
“Can we play a little while longer?” Johnny whines from the back of the line.
“Yeah!” One of the other boys echoes. “We were playing a game and it was really fun. I don’t want to do math!”
The weather has been so rainy the past few days, even though we’re at the end of May, but that means that the kids haven’t been able to play outside for recess. Today the sun is shining, so maybe more time for them to run around and burn off their energy isn’t a bad idea.
I turn to the other two kindergarten teachers. They shrug.
“You know what? Yeah, let’s play outside for a little while longer!”
The kids scream in celebration and race back to the playground. Stacey comes up beside me. “Honestly, I was dreading going back inside with them right now, so thank you for making that decision.”
“I do think they need some more time to run around. The past few days have been brutal.”
“You’re telling me.” I stifle my yawn, and Stacey bumps her shoulder against mine. “You seem to be tired too. It wouldn’t have anything to do with that handsome neighbor of yours, would it?”
My cheeks turn hot instantly. “Oh, well…uh…”
Stacey laughs. “That’s what I thought. So things are going well with you two?”
I think back to the conversation I just had on the phone with Elliot, but then instantly veer to last night when Rhonan fucked me over the arm of my couch after he got home from his shift and earlier when he delivered lunch to me. My body heats up now from the memory. “They are.”
“Does this mean you’re sticking around? Word on the street is that we have two teachers retiring, which means there will be openings here. Not that I need to explain that to you, but it doesn’t happen often in small towns like this.”
“Oh.” Excitement mixed with uncertainty builds in my gut. “Well, I would definitely be interested.”
“Ms. Lewis!” A student named Sadie comes running up to me, yanking on my shirt.
“What’s going on, Sadie?”
“There’s a guy on the other side of the fence with a camera.” Stacey and I both look in that direction, my eyes landing on the man she’s referring to.
Wait. Is that…
“Ugh,” Stacey says before I can finish my thought. But even though I’m pretty far away, I recognize the man’s build and black hair with gray at the temples from the day he walked into the office at the school after our staff meeting. “This creep is back?”
“What do you mean,back?”
She crosses her arms over her chest, shaking her head. “He was here last week taking pictures too. I’m going to call the sheriff’s office and see if they can send someone down to get rid of him.”
