phi

years

over the classroom. I sensed their restlessness in the silence that ensued. Finally, br

y go to

chorused cheerfully as they

child. Amused by their enthusiasm for life, I turned toward my desk. While I loved my job a

dache pulsed

door behind me. Mid-semesters loomed in a few weeks, and I couldn't risk any mischief wit

g the pins that had tightly secured my thick hair in a bun all morning, I let it casc

h mor

lding a cup of coffee. I smiled gratefully and accepted

tten into them this morning. I had to reprimand them at least five times, a

at time of year. I don't know what it is about March, but it

ke you're talking about

hey've been frozen, and now that it's warming up, t

theory as I took a

onto something

I leaned forward, avoiding his encroachment, while pretending to reach down and massage my feet. Dayton had this irritating habit of invading

pletely," I said as I stood and stretched. The kinks in

ge? I'm really goo

as I slipped my shoes back on and headed to the pantry for a snack. I returned w

and occasionally, vivid three-dimensional images infiltrated the peace of my mind-memories of a dreadful birthday, standing by the ocean, feeling the wind in my hair as I cast my beautiful pearl necklac

recollection away. I was no long

th away. The past four years had been good to me

h; lunch would end in ten minutes, but I preferred to be there before my class returned. I grabbed a coffee from th

o have a child, there would need to be a partner, and that wasn't in my plans. My heart wouldn't open to that kind of hurt again. Go

te school, and the lack of funding and resources was apparent. The success of the fundraiser

. The principal had agreed, and my team had worked diligently to secure support from the business commun

ad and stood by the door. As my students entered the roo

ool received the