Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Ivy
Inside, the elementary school smells like floor wax and cheese. Olivia has the map of the school and refuses to allow my input. She confidently navigates the halls, turning into a crowded stairwell. We follow behind a group of parents and children until we exit into a long hall.
Ten minutes later, we’re still looking for her classroom.
“Weren’t we supposed to be on the third floor?” I ask.
Olivia consults her colorful map with a frown. “I thought this was the third floor.”
My stress is dialed to eleven, and even Olivia’s excitement from earlier has dimmed.
We are lost, and every turn makes us more confused. Amid the cheerful chatter of clearly comfortable families in little clusters, we are the obvious outsiders. Everyone else has known each other forever and have been navigating Starlight Bay Elementary together for generations.
My heart squeezes as I imagine what it might have been like if we’d a traditional family like everyone else.
Maybe if we hadn’t moved so many times, we would have a community of friends, or at least know our way around the school. A wave of frustration washes over me as we take yet another wrong turn that leads us to the end of a hall with no stairwell in sight.
I see that Olivia is near tears, and I grab her hand and squeeze. “Don’t worry. We’ll find our way.”
They are words I’ve told myself a million times when I’ve been feeling devastated by the options in front of me. I’ve forged a path through life on my own since I was eighteen, and I can’t stop now.
I choke back emotions and remind myself I’m a strong, capable mother, who just happens to be lost in a new place.
It happens to everyone.
We’ll find our way.
And then I see a familiar face. There’s no mistaking Owen, my kind, generous neighbor who put us up on our first night in Starlight Bay.
He’s a bright beacon in a dark alley.
My belly tightens, and a flicker of heat sparks in my chest.
Owen .
He’s a sight for sore eyes. Dressed in professional clothes, with his hair smoothly styled and a neutral smile on his face, he radiates calm amid chaos.
Owen is very close to the man I pictured myself marrying when I’d been fifteen years old.
Back then, I thought I would live a traditional life of marriage and kids.
But everything changed when my parents discovered my talent.
I’d been pushed into the spotlight, and the whirlwind of stardom had swallowed me whole.
The spotlight had quickly become a trap. Then, Olivia happened, and everything spiraled out of control.
Olivia spots Owen and breaks free of my grasp to hurl herself forward. I try to grab her hand again, but she’s lost in the sea of students and parents. Bracing myself for Owen’s reaction, I pray he is kind to her and doesn’t mind the full body hug she presses on him.
I watch his smile light up his eyes, and my entire body relaxes.
“Hey!” He pats her small back, ruffling the fringe on her T-shirt. “You made it.”
“We still don’t know where we’re going,” Olivia says, staring up at him like he’s her knight in shining armor.
Owen sees me, and his eyes widen. “Was there a glitter explosion?”
“We were working on Olivia’s first assignment.” I pluck at my button-down, regretting that I hadn’t changed my clothes. “Have you ever heard of a teacher giving projects before school even starts?”
Owen winks at me. “These teachers are worse than corporate CEOs.”
My body reacts to that wink like I’ve been plugged into an electric socket. Blood heating, knees weakening, I slide back to that moment before his phone rang and interrupted our almost kiss.
“Do you know where Mr. Taylor’s room is?” Olivia asks. “We’ve been looking for hours.”
I cringe with embarrassment. “Actually, it’s only been about fifteen minutes.”
Owen nods, and I know he’s used to children and how they exaggerate. My shoulders relax a little more. Just being around him makes me feel more stable.
“You’re in luck,” he says, gesturing toward the room behind him. “This is Mr. Taylor’s room right here.”
“Oh!” Olivia bounces in her sequined sneakers.
Owen points his thumb at his chest. “In fact, I happen to be Mr. Taylor.”
I pause blankly, my brain trying to reboot. “You’re Olivia’s teacher?”
He holds out a hand. “Owen Taylor.”
Shaking his hand, I try to think of something witty. “Huh.”
“Go ahead and have a look around,” he says to Olivia. “Your desk is on the second row.”
Olivia rushes into the classroom, her unicorn headband bobbing.
I can feel Owen watching me as I watch her. My cheeks heat, and my heart races.
“You didn’t know?” he asks.
“No idea.” I tear my gaze from my daughter and glare at him. “You could have told me.”
“I didn’t know. We had a teacher leave unexpectedly, and everything shifted.” He leads me into the classroom, turning around to look at me. “Are you okay with me being Olivia’s teacher?”
After a moment, I smile, letting him off the hook. “Are you kidding? It’s great. Olivia already knows you.”
Owen adjusts his tie, grinning a little. “Aside from the first day of school assignment, I’m not that demanding.”
I laugh, letting his calm presence wash over me. I’m more than okay with Owen being Olivia’s teacher. His classroom is just as orderly as his home, and from the sound of the excited chatter of the children, he’s well-liked.
Each desk has a tidy name tag and a little paper bag filled with pencils, stickers, and a tiny eraser shaped like a taco. A reading nook is filled with books, magazines, and a huge potted tree.
Who wouldn’t want to be in Mr. Taylor’s class?
For the first time since seeing the house I bought sight unseen, I feel like I’ve made the right decision coming to Starlight Bay. This could be the fresh start I’ve been needing.
Then, someone taps me on the shoulder, and my world comes crashing down.
“ Oh. My. God. You’re Ivy Ice!”
Several heads turn. A couple of parents glance our way.
I freeze. A woman has her phone out, camera aimed straight at me.
I summon my patience and force a smile. “That was a long time ago. Now I’m just… a mom.”
“I knew you looked familiar,” the woman says. “That song? What was it? ‘Neon Daydream?’ It was huge. ”
“I’m not that girl anymore,” I say. “I’m just a mom. Here for my daughter.”
“A mom with a platinum record,” she says, not even trying to keep her voice down.
“Excuse me.”
I step away and hover just outside the door, needing a moment to breathe. A few seconds later, I hear Owen’s voice inside.
“She just wants her daughter to have a normal year. No attention, no spotlight.”
He doesn’t sound judgmental. If anything, he sounds protective.
But still, heat floods my cheeks. I know he means well, but I hate being a topic of conversation. I’m trying to just be like all the other moms, not someone who used to dance onstage in a cropped top and mini skirt.
“She’s just trying to keep a low profile,” he says. “I didn’t ask for the circus.”
The words hit like a slap.
Heat rushes up my neck. I don’t wait to hear more. I march back inside the classroom and find Olivia.
“Time to go, sweetie.”
“Already?” Olivia whines.
“Gotta get to bed early for your big day tomorrow.”
I walk fast down the hallway, the hum of cheerful voices buzzing in my ears. A lump forms in my throat.
I didn’t ask for the circus either .
In the parking lot, Olivia skips ahead, chatting with her new friends, completely unaware of my spiraling emotions.
At least one of us had a good day.