F1 One shots

PT1 - Checo Pérez

"Miss, can you help me with this?" one of the children in your class asks politely. "Of course! What do you need help with?" you ask her, kneeling down next to the small desk while you look at her drawing. "I can't find the right colour for this tree" she says, pointing at the tree before looking at you with an upset expression. "Oh, I see! Well, what colour would you like your tree to be?" you ask her, ruffling her hair when she shrugs her shoulders defeated. "I don't know miss" she mumbles, looking at you while you grab a few coloured pencils. "You can make an autumn tree, with this yellow, orange and red, or go for a spring one with the fresh green, or for a summer tree with a slightly darker green" you tell her, showing her the various colour options. She is silent for a moment while looking at the colours in your hands, before she takes the yellow, orange, and red ones from your hand. "Daddy says he likes autumn trees" she explains, nodding happily when you ask if she's drawing this for her dad.

The school day goes by slowly, it's autumn vacation after today and the kids are ready for a week without school. If you're being honest, you are ready for a week without school as well. You loved your job, teaching kids was what got you out of bed in the mornings, but a break is much needed for you. You weren't really sure what to do with the free time you'll have, maybe relax at the beach or venture through the city. You have been living her for a year now but making new friends at this age is harder than you expected. The only people you have contact with are your colleagues and a few of the parents of the children in your class. You had the most contact with one of your students father, Sergio Pérez, who told you to call him Checo. He was very busy, which resulted in him being late on various occasions to pick up his two children. You always stayed with the kids, letting them help with cleaning up and playing a few games until he comes to pick them up.

Truth be told, you had a massive crush on Sergio. He was incredibly kind to you, always complimenting your outfits or hair and took the time to ask how your day was whenever he saw you. It made your heart flutter every time, but you knew he was married because you had seen the golden ring on his finger the first time he took your hand to shake it. You had never seen his wife though, not even at the annual Christmas celebrations with the children where the parents were invited to. You're shaken from your thoughts when your phone buzzes, a frown appearing on your face when you see Sergio's name popping up with a new message. "I'll be very late to pick my kids up. Please comfort them, I'll explain later" it said. You look at the clock, sighing when you see it's almost half past three already. You can't keep them here much longer because the school closes at 4.

The door opens a minute later to reveal Sergio's older son who is a few classes higher than his sister, who's in your class. "Hi miss, can I join you here while we wait for daddy?" he asks, smiling when you nod. The two of them help with cleaning the classroom since it's Friday and the vacation is starting from now, so it needs to be squeaky clean. You look around satisfied when you're finished, handing the two kids some candy before you look at the clock and grab your bag. "I'll tell your dad to pick you guys up at my house, because the school is closing within ten minutes" you tell them, laughing when they look at you excitedly. "Miss, do you have pets? We have a really cute dog" the oldest says, grabbing your hand when you hold it out for him to take. "Really? I don't have any pets, but I'd love to have a dog" you tell him, smiling at the little girl when she also grabs your hand before the three of you make your way towards your apartment.

The kids are snuggled up on the couch with a blanket over their knees while they watch a movie, sipping on some hot chocolate that you made for them. You had texted Sergio a while ago that he could come pick them up at your place because the school was closed, but he had not responded yet. You join the kids after clearing your school bag out, chuckling when they move apart so you can sit in the middle. They cuddle up to your sides immediately and you tense a little before wrapping your arms around them. For some reason these two are so comfortable with you, which is a nice but surprising thing. "Mommy never watches movies with us" the small girl on your left says, humming when you stroke your hand over her arm. You're silent for a few moments because you don't really know what to respond to that. "But daddy does?" you ask eventually, smiling when they both nod excitedly. "Daddy is the best" they mumble in union, looking at each other with wide eyes before giggling.

Just when you're about to call Sergio if he's ever going to pick his, by now sleeping, children up, your phone rings. You get up from the couch, making sure the two don't wake up before you answer the call. "Hey Sergio, I was just about to call you" you say after checking the caller-ID. "I'm so sorry, my wife, or well my ex-wife" he mumbles, clearing his throat before quickly explaining that he found his wife being intimate with someone else and that he basically started the divorce procedure within the following hours. "But I'm on my way to your place now, I'm really sorry" he tells you, humming when you say it's okay and that you'll see him soon. You make sure you have the stuff of the kids ready for when he arrives, smiling when you see their small bodies cuddled in their blankets on the couch. You turn the TV off, cleaning the mugs up while humming a song to yourself.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't think it would take this long" Sergio says the moment you open the door for him. You trail your eyes over him, swallowing audible when you see him wearing a pair of neat blue slacks with a white, slightly wrinkled, linen button up on top. His hair seems to be ruffled from raking his fingers through it constantly, and you heart aches at the sight of this dishevelled version of him. "It's okay, I didn't mind. They fell asleep on the couch though; you can come in and wake them up" you say with a slight blush covering your cheeks when he places his warm hand on your arm before kissing your cheek softly. "Thank you so much for everything you do for them" he says, smiling at you before walking past you towards his children. You breath in and out deeply, trying to calm your heavily beating heart before you follow him into the living room.

A smile forms on your lips when you see him on your couch with his kids on his lap, and you quickly look away when he catches your eye. "Can miss eat with us daddy" his daughter asks him, looking at him hopeful before turning those eyes towards you. "I was just about to ask if miss wants to join us for dinner to thank her for being so nice to us" Sergio tells her, looking at you with slightly raised eyebrows, waiting for your answer. "I-I don't want to intrude, especially with" you wave with your hands, blushing when Sergio smiles softly at you. "You really won't intrude; we'd love it if you'd join us tonight. Let's get you two in the car while miss gets her stuff ready" he says to his kids, chuckling when they rush towards their shoes and coats before turning towards you. "Please come with us, I'd like to talk to you when they are in bed afterwards."

You clear up the table while Sergio is putting the kids to bed, smiling when they rush downstairs in their pyjama's to tell you goodnight. "Miss, can you read me a bedtime story?" his son asks, tugging on your hand to make you walk upstairs with him. "Me too! Me too!" his daughters squeals, clapping her hands excitedly when Sergio smiles with a nod when you look at him questioningly. You read them both a bedtime story while Sergio strokes their heads, smiling when they start falling asleep while your soft voice talks to them. You leave their bedrooms when you're done, leaving Sergio behind while he kisses them goodnight. You walk downstairs, looking around his neat living room, before walking towards one of the walls with pictures on them to look at the family pictures that are up. You listen to the sound of his footsteps who make their way towards you slowly. You swallow audible when you feel his presence behind you, fiddling with your rings when you can hear his breath close to your ear.