One Month Later
"Adir. Is Adam going to be here today?"
Adir looked up from his desk and toward his teacher with a grin. "Yes, ma’am. He’s probably just late."
lody nodded. That sounded about right. Although Adam Collins had declined the supervised sessions that were recomnded to help build understanding and trust between him and Adir, he never missed a pickup.
He made it a point to co to school every day and spend ti with the boy- consistently, without fail.
She shook her head at her own eagerness and reminded herself that it wasn’t appropriate - not in the slightest. He was Adir’s parent, and she was his teacher. Anything beyond those roles was not just unprofessional, it was wrong.
Still, there was sothing about Adam Collins that unsettled her in ways she didn’t care to admit. Maybe it was the way he always made ti for Adir, or the quiet patience in his voice when he spoke to the boy. Maybe it was the way he listened - really listened -even when the conversation was mundane. Or maybe it was just the aura with which he moved.
Whatever it was, lody found herself noticing him more than she should. Looking up too quickly when she heard the familiar sound of his footsteps outside the classroom. Wondering if he’d smile today, or if he’d walk in with that focused look he wore when he walked away .
She pressed her lips together and looked away from the door.
It doesn’t matter, she told herself. He’s not here for you.
And yet... she still hoped he’d co soon. The door creaked open a mont later, and there he was.
Adam stepped inside with his usual quiet presence- not rushed or dramatic, just there. He offered lody a polite nod and a faint smile, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, wished her a ’good afternoon’ before flicking towards Adir who was busy colouring, looked up, showed a gesture to wait for a minute and went back to colouring.
lody nodded at Adam, her lips parting instinctively to return the greeting, but her words ca out too soft, barely above a whisper. "Afternoon." However, he was already looking at Adir, not giving her another look. She stared.
He leaned against the side wall near the entrance, waiting as Adir finished his work. That was his usual routine — never calling out to the boy or hurrying him, just standing back and letting him co when he was ready.
lody’s fingers hovered over the stack of worksheets on her desk, pretending to shuffle them. Her heart was tapping out an uneven rhythm, her mind racing faster than she wanted to admit.
Say sothing, she urged herself.
But what? She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to talk about. It wasn’t like she had a question about Adir’s performance - the kid was doing well, adjusting better than anyone expected.
Ask about Adir? Thank him for being consistent? Comnt on the weather? That’s harmless, right?
Her thoughts spiraled.
It’s just conversation, she reasoned. Not everything has to an sothing. It’s not like I’m trying to seduce him or sothing ridiculous like that.
The absurdity of the word alone made her cheeks flush. She shook her head, flustered, and looked down at her desk in an attempt to collect herself. Her fingers, distracted and fidgeting, closed around a paperclip — she tried to pry it apart without thinking. It snapped suddenly, catching the edge of her thumb.
She hissed in pain, dropping it with a clatter.
Adam’s head turned sharply and he sent her a look. "You alright?"
lody winced, clutching her thumb with the other hand. "Yes—yes, I’m fine. Just being clumsy."
He stepped forward instinctively, and looked at her, "You’re bleeding."
"It’s nothing. Really." She offered a nervous smile, trying to laugh it off even as the sting spread. "Just a stupid paperclip."
Adam reached forward and pulled out a tissue, walked over and offered it without a word.
She took it carefully, their fingers barely brushing.
"Thanks," she said, eyes downcast. "I guess I was... distracted."
He didn’t press, just gave a small nod and stepped back again, letting the silence settle.
lody bit the inside of her cheek, wondering if she’d ever figure out how to speak to him without turning it into a ss. She took a deep breath and dabbed at her thumb, trying to pretend it didn’t still sting — or that she hadn’t just made a complete fool of herself over a paperclip.
Just say sothing. Anything.She drew a breath and looked up, finally deciding to ask about Adir’s weekend.
But the words caught in her throat.
Adam was looking down at his phone, his posture relaxed, one hand still in his jacket pocket. There was a faint smile tugging at his lips - not the polite one he always gave her, but sothing softer. Real.
Sothing about the sight of it made her chest tighten unexpectedly.
Her heart fluttered before she could stop it, and she caught herself just... staring.
There was sothing incredibly gentle in that mont - a glimpse of the man when he wasn’t guarding himself. And she felt her resolve begin to slip.
Then a small voice snapped her out of it.
"Bye, Miss lody!" Adir chirped, bound up to her desk, backpack slung over one shoulder.
lody blinked, pulling herself back to the present. She smiled and waved, a little too quickly. "Bye, sweetheart. Have a good weekend."
Adir reached for Adam’s hand without hesitation. Adam tucked his phone away and took it, giving the boy’s fingers a gentle squeeze as they turned to leave.
As the door creaked open, lody heard Adam’s voice, quiet but distinct, "lanie’s coming ho soon. Might be nice to surprise her, don’t you think?"
lody stood frozen, her smile faltering.
lanie. The woman who looked like her but was actually Adam’s wife.
Before she could process the feeling, the door clicked shut behind them. And she was alone again. Feeling a loss that should not have been there.
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