Surviving My Fate

Chapter Seven First Day

My alarm clock didn’t go off this morning so now Alex and I are forced into rushing to get to the school in time. How could this happen? I checked the alarm a dozen times over so I could be early and make a good impression.

It takes at least twenty minutes to get to the school and we have exactly thirty-five before the school bell rings.

I’m officially screwed.

Running into my closet I grab a turtleneck, slacks, and flats. I don’t even bother with makeup and dress as quickly as possible before running into Alex’s room and grabbing the first outfit I see. I’ve got his pull-up changed and his pants on before he even wakes up. As soon as his eyes open I throw a shirt over his head and hand him his shoes. Speeding into the kitchen I grab a pop tart and a Capri sun for Alex’s breakfast then run back to his room. He’s got one shoe on and is half asleep in his bed. I’ve got to hurry. I put his other sock and shoe on him swinging his body onto my hip as I sprint for the door.

Soon I’m speeding down the little winding road when a deer runs in front of my car. I slow down enough to miss it just barely and don’t dare accelerate above the speed limit after that.

The lot is packed when I pull up at the school, there’s a bus still dropping kids at the entrance, and the clock shows I have ten minutes.

That’s got to be record timing.

I park in the teacher's lot and reach into my purse to throw on some mascara and lipgloss. Eyeing myself in the mirror I decide it’s good enough and run my fingers through my hair releasing any knots that have formed.

“Alex honey wake up for mommy,” I say unbuckling his car seat and moving the straps from his arms, gently maneuvering to pick him up. His head lifts and he’s looking around as I speed walk into the building.

The area for pre-k students is divided into three rooms, two-year-olds, three-year-olds, and four-year-olds. Alex isn’t technically two yet but the principal was understanding and agreed to work with me on allowing him to join early. Their early head start program is an integral part of the learning curriculum here which has them rated as one of the top schools in the country. I’m practically running down the halls at this point trying not to be late and run right into a younger woman around my age with a short-cropped pixie haircut and eyes like the ocean.

“I’m so sorry” she’s looking right at me maybe through me.

“It’s okay, you must be the new counselor. Principal Atkins has had nothing but good things to say about you.” Her voice is soft and dances in your ears like a lullaby.

“Yes that would be me, again, I’m so sorry, I really should pay better attention, I’m Cassie.”

“Melody” her name matches her voice and I want to hear her speak more as she extends her hand towards me. Trying to accept her greeting I reposition Alex so I can reach out and shake her hand easier. She has a strong grip to be my size and it makes me wonder if everyone around here does because the principal's grip was extremely strong too.

“It’s nice to meet you, Melody, probably nicer if I weren’t running into you” her laughter fills the small hallway and it’s near angelic.

I know we must be running out of time. “You’re probably right” she jokes as her laughter dies down. I take in my surroundings prepared to rush to the twos room and realize I’m standing in front of it. Melody was exiting the room when I ran into her. She must be the teacher I’m turning Alex over to.

“You’re the teacher for the twos room, aren’t you?” I ask already knowing the answer.

“That would be me” she beams me a perfect smile accentuating her fair features “and you must be Alex” she coos at my son still wrapped tight in my arms.

“Yes ma’am” he sounds proud as he wiggles from my grasp. “I can take you from here if your mommy thinks that would be okay?”

I bend down kissing his cheek holding his tiny hand in mine “I think that would be just fine” I smile back up at Melody. “Mommy loves you.”

“I love you too mommy.”

“I’ll take great care of him I promise!” Her words of encouragement ease my tensions slightly and I release Alex’s hand. The pair walk into the twos room and I hear lots of excited chatter some of which I can’t understand before the door closes and I’m left alone.

Turning on my heel I make my way back to the front entrance where Principal Atkins stands waiting. “Good morning” I hope I’m not too late. I haven’t heard any bells yet but that doesn’t mean she won’t see me being exactly on time as a bad thing.

“Good morning Cassie, how about we step into your office and we can discuss a few matters before I set you free for the day?”

My office? Free? Please don’t be anything bad. “That sounds great! Lead the way!” Right at that moment the bell dings and a student with platinum blond hair takes a peek out from the main office, Principal Atkins nods, taking that as the go-ahead the girl starts spouting announcements into the intercom.

“Follow me” the principal orders talking and walking in the opposite direction. She has long strides and reminds me of a predator or a model by the way she walks with such confidence. I fall in line with her stopping in front of a large wooden door labeled guidance counselor. I really do get my own office. She opens the door and gestures for me to enter.

“It’s been a few months since we’ve had an upper-level counselor on staff, the last one left at the end of the school year so the students haven’t had anyone since the year started a couple of weeks back. Many of the older students don’t want to go to the lower level counselor.” When she finishes I’m left nodding in understanding.

“I will do my best to support each student and make them feel welcome in my office.”

“I trust that you will, the last thing I need from you is a signature on our confidentiality agreement.” She points to a paper already sitting on my desk and I walk over to it. I take to time to read it carefully, it seems pretty standard. I pick up a pen and sign.

***

Hailey leaves my office in a better mood than she entered with. I can’t help smiling knowing it’ll get easier for her. It’s been a month since Alex and I got to Wyoming and I’ve been at the school for three weeks now. Many of the students come in asking for academic advice but the rare few discuss the loss of a parent and those are the ones I cling to helping the most. I lost my parents at a young age and my grandmother who raised me passed not long after I turned eighteen. I was left alone aside from Ian. A knock on my door brings me out of my thoughts and Ben walks in.

“Good morning Ben, how can I help you today?” He’s a shy boy, not very big for his age though extremely smart he needs people in his corner and we’ve been working on getting him to open up and step out of his shell some.

“Morning, I wanted to come by and tell you I made a friend.”

A smile spreads across my face “that’s great news, who’s the lucky student?” Ben blushes and I assume it’s because it’s someone he likes.

“It’s Hailey, we bonded over our losses and she’s nice to me.” This is great news their both shy and in need of a dependable friend.

“She’s a lovely girl.”

His blush deepens “yeah, anyway I’ve got to get to class, thanks, Ms. Knightly.”

I head out of my office to pull a few psychology books from the library, I’ve been doing a lot of reading to head my research for the thesis I began writing. The brain is a very interesting thing and behaviors aren’t as predictable as they may seem. The librarian and I have gotten used to seeing each other often. He’s an older man probably late fifties who enjoys reading in all his spare time but his greatest love is his wife Laura who teaches science to the middle schoolers. They eat lunch together every day. I send him a small wave as I walk into the library and he returns it with a smile. I’m making my way through the stacks gathering books when I hear Laura come in. I must’ve gotten so caught up in my search I didn’t realize the time. I grab one more book from the shelf and head to the front to check them out. The librarian scans them in quick succession handing me back the stack and returning to his wife.

My stomach rumbles reminding me of the time so I make a pit stop by the cafeteria on my way back to my office. Ooooh yay, it’s pizza day. I reach the teacher's lounge and spot Melody, we’ve become close the last few weeks and she’s even offered to babysit Alex outside of school. They have a cute bond and I’m glad she’s his teacher. “Hey Mel,” I say sliding into the empty seat next to her.

“Hey, Cass” she gurgles her mouth full of pizza. I can’t help but laugh for women our size we sure do eat.

Lunch goes by quickly and Mel heads out to grab her twos, I’ve learned her and the teacher of the three class often switch off for lunches so she’s going to have her hands tied with a ton of kids the next thirty minutes.

I dump my tray, my nose already back in my book, Dr. Joe Dispenza has my attention captured in becoming supernatural.

I’m rounding the corner to my office when I slam into what feels like a brick wall. My books drop to the floor and I too almost fall when a pair of arms wrap around me like vices helping me regain my balance. Okay, so not a brick wall but a man a very muscular and strong man. I look up tilting my head back until my eyes meet a face I thought I’d never see again and those eyes I haven’t stopped dreaming of lock on mine.