A/N: Sorry for the delay guys. Wrote the chapter on my laptop but my crumby laptop doesn't want to turn on so I had to attempt a rewrite! Didn't get to edit yet, forgive any mistakes! :)
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"In sports news this morning the Patriots celebrated a 33-20 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette las--"
"Yeah, yeah... I'm sure those balls were deflated too." I mumbled to myself as I turned my car off eager to escape listening to more Patriots news than I had to.
Sure, I was a Bostonion these days and I love it here might I add, but the last thing I will ever be is a Patriots fan. I was born and raised in western New York, being a Bills fan was in my blood. Win some or lose some, which seemed to be more on the lose some side in recent years, that was my team.
I gathered my belongings that laid on the passenger's seat before stepping out into the early morning fog that had yet to lift. Not that I minded it, it was usually a sign that fall was just around the corner and would grace us with its beauty in no time.
Being a teacher, the fall was a season I truly looked forward to for so many reasons. Not only were New England falls absolutely breathtaking, but it also meant that I had a new batch of eager little minds to shape.
"Good morning Miss Snow."
"Good morning Austin. What are you doing here so early?" I smiled at the shaggy haired boy that held the door open for me.
"I'm here to help Mrs. Norton with the candle fundraiser. Would you like to buy one?" His squeaky voice was so hopeful, a toothless grin on his face.
"I would love to. Come see me after school, ok?"
"Ok! Thank you!" His enthusiasm was contagious and it reminded me so much of the little boy that had first walked into my classroom three years ago.
"You're welcome." I smiled at him and we broke off in our separate directions.
I fished my keys out of my tote and opened the door to my preschool room, my nostrils immediately met by the scent of Lysol and Crayola crayons. It was certainly a scent that had grown on me over the years but it's funny to think it wasn't too long ago that the same smell would've made me run in the other direction. Not that I hated school, but I didn't love it either.
When I had made the choice to pursue an education degree I vowed to make my classroom a fun and colorful place to be but it didn't take long for me to come to the realization as to why so many teachers don't spend much time on their classrooms; it can be an extremely tiring job and an extremely thankless task. Maybe my decor efforts were more for myself, I know the kids enjoy their colorful classroom but I know I enjoy it even more because September through June, this is where I spend the majority of my time.
I walked around the room removing the tiny chairs from atop the tables making sure to wipe down each table as I moved along. Being a preschool teacher, I Lysol everything I can, Lord knows I love kids but they are germy little things. Sometimes I question if my valiant attempts to disinfect are really doing anything, after all each school year I find myself catching every virus or flu that goes around no matter how much I try to prevent it. I suppose it's a losing battle.
The kids began to file in one after another, some with their parents and some without. I greeted them with the same warm smile I did every morning as they headed to the coat room to hang their belongings and take care of their morning tasks. For three and four year olds, they caught on very quickly to what was expected of them and it never ceased to amaze me.
