Sparks Fly

CHAPTER SIX

Delaney
As I stood in front of my classroom, I tried to keep my voice steady. I forced a smile, looking down at twenty pairs of expectant eyes.

"Guess what, everyone?" I started, clasping my hands together. "We have a special surprise planned for the end of the week."

A ripple of excitement ran through the room, and the kids practically bounced in their spots on the rug.

"We're going on a field trip!" I announced, my voice louder than I intended. I braced myself for their reaction, and, sure enough, it came all at once—a wave of squeals and gasps.

"Where are we going?" asked Mason, his face lighting up.

I took a deep breath. "We're going to visit the fire station!"

The kids erupted with cheers, a few of them talking over each other about fire trucks and firefighters. I kept the smile plastered on my face, even though the thought of going to the station made my stomach twist. I knew it was tradition for the kindergarten class to visit every year, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow. This meant I'd have to see Carter again. And after what happened on Saturday... I really wasn't in the mood to deal with him.

As I watched the kids chatter excitedly, I tried to keep my mind from drifting back to that night, to the way Carter had looked at me, almost as if he was about to say something important. I'd barely been able to sleep since then, wondering what he had been about to say. But thinking about him now wasn't going to help.

"Alright, everyone," I said, clapping my hands to get their attention back. "Let's get back to our math lesson!"

The rest of the day passed in a blur of finger-painting, snack time, and a spelling game that left everyone laughing. By the time the bell rang, I was ready to collapse. After I said goodbye to each of my students, I gathered my things and headed home.

When I got there, I saw a note stuck to the fridge from my mom, asking me to grab some groceries. I sighed, but grabbed my keys and headed back out. Grocery shopping was probably just what I needed to clear my head.

The parking lot at the store was nearly empty, which was a relief. I pushed my cart through the aisles, ticking items off my list. Milk, bread, some vegetables... my mind wandered back to Carter again, despite my best efforts to push him out of my thoughts.

"Delaney?"

I nearly jumped, turning to see a familiar face from high school standing a few feet away. "Evan?" I asked, blinking in surprise.

He grinned, running a hand through his hair. "Wow, it's really you. I thought I recognized you from the other aisle. How've you been?"

I returned his smile, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over me. "I've been good! Just... you know, teaching kindergarten and living back at home for now."

"Teaching, huh? I never would've guessed that," he said, chuckling. "You always had a way with kids, though. Makes sense."

"Thanks," I replied, feeling a little blush creep onto my cheeks. "What about you? Are you still around here?"

"Yeah, moved back a few years ago. Speaking of old times, we're having a high school reunion coming up soon. You should come. It's gonna be a blast."

"Oh, I don't know..." I hesitated, but he gave me an encouraging smile.

"Come on, Delaney, it'll be fun. It's a chance to catch up with everyone, see what people have been up to. I'm pretty sure a few of our old teachers are even planning to make an appearance," he said, laughing.

I considered it, tapping my fingers on the cart handle. "Alright, I'll think about it. When is it?"

"Next month. I'll get the details to you on Facebook or something." He gave me a thumbs-up. "It'd be great to see you there."