Happy Endings

36. again

Warning: I'm sorry this is very long but also I'm just sorry in general

—

"I feel uneasy, internal conflict. My head and my heart try to rephrase the argument as 'You didn't feel that'."

☼

Vic Fuentes could laugh about the way he was spending his Saturday afternoon, but he wouldn't. Not when this was what he loved most about becoming a teacher. Or some part of it, at least. He didn't mind how his weekend plans changed because he received a special invitation in the mail a few days ago. Not that he had any particularly exciting plans anyway, but it was still a nice surprise.

He'd been running errands all day, and once he returned home, he picked up his correspondence from the mailbox before going up to his apartment. Rustling through it, he sighed at all the boring bills and random advertisements he got, but it was then that a bright pink envelope with his name on it caught his eye.

He opened it once he was inside his apartment, sitting down on his couch with a curious Poppy by his side, and once he saw the contents, he let out a laugh that startled the poor cat. Vic was quick to pet him and calm him down, laughing a little more. He couldn't believe it though, and he kept grinning like a fool reading the kid's party invitation over and over.

'Splish splash, Mari & Lili invite you to their 5th birthday bash! Join us for the celebration at Aqualand Waterpark on...'

Vic couldn't believe the twins from his former Pre-K class wanted him there for their birthday. That was such a big deal for five-year-olds and they invited good old him? Maybe Ms. Juniper was behind this, and man, he missed that lady a lot. He missed everything about being a student teacher at St. Nicholas actually, but he knew he missed something else a lot more too.

But this wasn't the time to think about that.

So Vic decided to attend this super fun waterpark party because, why not? He was excited to get the presents for the little girls too, knowing exactly what to get them thanks to the time they spent during the school year. Maybe he did get attached to all the kids from his class, but that was bound to happen. Ms. Juniper warned him about that after all. His very first class would always remain special in his heart.

He was a bit nervous to show up alone, but Mr. Wells—the twin's dad—was very welcoming once he arrived, and was eager to lead Vic to the party zone where parents were all mingling while their children played around in the pools and slides. Mr. Wells also explained that Ms. Juniper couldn't make it sadly, and that only bummed Vic out for a few seconds before he perked up again seeing all the beautiful decorations and bright summer colors everywhere.

The cake table was gorgeous, full of candy and snacks, in front of a seemingly complex balloon arch. There was a piñata hanging up nearby, food carts to its left, a zone to get face paintings, and huge buckets full of water balloons and different water toys.

"This is amazing," he couldn't help saying out loud, making Mr. Wells chuckle.

"It's been exhausting, but anything for our babies, you know?"

Vic grinned. He didn't know at all. He was merely a cat dad, and that was still so recent, but he knew one day he would get it. He couldn't see himself as an actual dad yet, but the prospect always left him feeling all fuzzy inside.

"It's Mr. Vic!!"

He suddenly heard to his right, and he turned his head with the biggest smile he could muster as he saw a bunch of his former kids running to him eagerly, dripping wet from the pool, but Vic didn't mind that his shirt got water stains when they all hugged him and greeted him and told him they'd missed him a lot.