32. Emily
Emily
L ast week of school. The kids have been feeling it and so have us teachers. It’s hard to concentrate on teaching when the taste of summer is at our fingertips. We work hard nine months out of the year for a full three months of relaxation.
It is the end goal when becoming a teacher.
Of course, that’s the last goal when our main one is making sure our kids don’t fall behind. It will be sad when I say goodbye to this group. And when they move up to the next grade, all I can hope for is that I prepared and taught them enough.
Adam: T-minus 2 days until you’re free to be mine.
Me: Stop distracting me.
Things with Adam have been great. However, I’m nervous and excited for our relationship to proceed further than it is.
He keeps me laughing. He lets me feel my feelings when I need to. He doesn’t belittle me or tell me to stop feeling my grief when the wave hits me.
On weekends when his restaurant has live bands, I keep him company. I’ve yet to introduce him to my friends as I want us in the next phase of us before we venture into the outside world.
But my taking it slow and adhering to his good karma has not been easy. Oh, no. Adam makes sure that the nights we do see each other are worth remembering. He kisses me breathless and leaves me with a serious case of lady blue balls. I’ve never gotten so much use out of my vibrator than the nights he leaves my apartment. And I’m sure it hasn’t been easy on him if what I’ve felt through his jeans is any indication.
When the bell rings for the end of the day, my little ones pack up their things and head to the bus.
“Bye, everyone. See you tomorrow.” I stand at the door and watch their eager faces as they leave my classroom and head to the bus one last time.
I smile as the exuberant chatter greets my ears as other students pass me by. When the last of the group is out the door, I look across to Melissa and breathe out a sigh of relief.
“One more day,” she announces rather loudly that it incites a round of cheers from the other teachers that have classrooms nearby.
While my kids were doing their color worksheets, I was catching up on end-of-the-year paperwork and report cards. I laugh as I see what they colored and how they colored them. Laughing as I clean up the mess they left behind, I pack up my things and head to the front office to pick up any mail before leaving for the day.
On the way home, I blast My Dear Melancholy, by The Weeknd , an album that Adam is obsessed with. I’m not usually an R&B fan, but this album is sensual. Maybe that’s why Adam is a fan. I get home as the last song is ending and get my things out of the backseat. Walking up the stairs to my apartment, a vase with orchids is waiting for me on my welcome mat.
I unlock the door to my place and pick up the vase right as I open the door. Bringing it to my kitchen counter, I pluck the card off of its holder.
To make you smile.
Yours, Adam
Taking a picture I send it to Adam.
Me: Mission accomplished.
Adam: I’m glad you like them.
Me: They’re one of my favorites.
Adam: What are your other favorites?
Me: Sunflowers and roses.
Adam: Does it make me cheesy if I say that you’re the sunflower in my life?
Me: Not at all.
Heading to my bedroom, I pull some shorts out of my dresser and a tank top. Once changed I walk to the other end of my apartment and check in on Biscuit. Although it’s veering towards the middle of May, I open my patio door and am lucky when a breeze comes off the water.
It’s moments like this, when my life is at a plateau, that I miss the chaos. The silence causes me to slip into the darkness. So I find an upbeat record that never fails to boost my mood. Pouring a glass of Rose, I pick up my Kindle and head to my patio as I let the rest of my day pass by.
“Five, four, three, two, one! Summer!”
Cheers are heard throughout the school as summer is officially here. School is done until August and my kids could not be happier.
I’m happy too. But for an entirely different reason.
My kids smother me with hugs on their way out of my classroom. I had a blast teaching them and it makes me a little sad that I won’t see them again. When the final kid is out the door I let out a long-awaited breath.
I straighten up desks and push the chairs in. Throwing away worksheets that were left behind. I have three months of freedom.
“Bye, Melissa. Girls night soon!” I say as I pop my head into her classroom.
“You got it, girlfriend.”
With a wave, I walk down the deserted hallway and push my way out to the parking lot. I see a lone figure standing by my car. I’m a good distance away so I can’t quite make who it is. But when I’m closer my heart rate picks up and I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Adam with a laugh.
He meets me halfway. “I told you I didn’t want to wait.”
And then his mouth is on mine. Claiming me for the world to see. My bags drop to the ground and my hands fist the bottom of his shirt. This kiss is freeing. Our tongues tangle and send shockwaves down to my toes. I rise to my tiptoes wanting to get closer to Adam.
Wrapping my arms around his neck and weaving my hand through his hair. His hands slide down my body landing on my lower back, pulling me into his groin.
I rip my mouth from him and take in a much-needed breath. “Hi.”
My greeting comes out breathy as I search his eyes. They’re greener in this light but all I see is my reflection shining back at me.
He leans in for one more kiss. “Hi, beautiful.”
“How are you here? Where’s Dylan?”
Adam bends down to pick my fallen bags up off the ground and slings them over his shoulder. “I was waiting for him at home. But he promptly informed me that he’ll be at Sandra’s pool, one of the baseball team moms, with the rest of the team and they’re having a sleepover. I was told their pool is better than ours. I even took today off for his last day. But now that he’s occupied I have a free night.”
We get to my car and I fish my keys out of my bag Adam is holding. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying, Mr. Montgomery?”
He crowds me against my car. “What is it you think I’m saying?”
“That you have a free house and an empty pool just waiting to be used.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Will you join me for an at-home date?”
I feel my smile spread across my face so I turn my head and kiss his forearm. “Yes, I would love to. Let me go home to change and get some clothes.”
“Deal,” he leans forward and kisses my forehead, then pulls out his phone and I hear mine chirp a few seconds later. “I just texted you my address.”
Leaning up to kiss him, I unlock my car and get in. Sending him a finger wave I drive off. The good thing about the last day of school is that it was a half day. This means we teachers get more than a few hours of sunlight to enjoy the start of our break. And it’s a rare weather pattern where it’s already sweltering in the early summer.
Adam wasn’t joking when he said the last day of school I was his. And if the joy I feel from one slightly public moment at my school’s parking lot is any indication of what being his feels like, then I’m in for the ride of my life.