if only

1

Today is it.

My first day starting at my new job. Nerves got the best of me and I kept trying on different outfits only to wear the one I laid out last night.

"Rylee," Kourtney knocks on my door. "You're going to be late!"

I take one last look at myself in the mirror before heading out. I open my bedroom door to be met by Kourtney eating a bowl of cereal at the small round table that took up most of the kitchen.

"Do you want me to make you breakfast?" she asks, lifting to show me the box of cereal she was eating. "I make a great bowl of cereal."

I giggle, pouring coffee into a to-go cup. "I'm too anxious to eat, right now."

"Not eating will make it worse." she tells me, getting up to set her dish in the sink that wasn't far from the fridge where I stood. "You need to breathe, Rylee. You look like a nervous wreck." she says, trailing off to her room that was next to mine.

"Why, thank you, Kourt."

"You know what I mean," she rolls her eyes, throwing a towel over her shoulder. "Never mind what I said, go to school and teach the hell out of those kids. Good luck, you're going to be great, babe."

Kourtney walks off to the bathroom on the other side of the apartment and shuts the door behind her. I sigh still nervous that I have to speak in front of all these teenagers. I know how teenagers are, I went to school with horrible ones and I'm not excited about that part.

I look at my watch and I had twenty minutes to get to school on time. I grab my things and rush towards the door. As I open it, a familiar face surprises me with a bright smile. We both start squealing and I pull her into a tight hug, trying not to spill my coffee on her.

"Monique!" I cry out with excitement.

"I missed you so much, Rylee!"

"What happened?" Kourtney comes out of the bathroom then she starts squealing. "Monique, you're here! Why?" Kourtney runs up to us to pull us all back into a hug.

"I thought a visit was due since I didn't come during the summer at all." she explains, setting her things on the chair in the living room. "I missed you all and for the first time, I think I might miss this dumbass town."

"I can't wait to hang out with you, but today is my first day."

Monique falls on the couch and spreads out.

"Oh, of course," she nods, laughing when Kourtney lifts her legs up to sit next to her. "I'll be here when you get off and maybe we can go out and talk about it over drinks."

"That sounds great." I smile, not even thinking about my nerves. "Love you guys,"

It was tough trying to get to the school in the time that I had because of traffic. I pull into my parking spot, practically running into the school. Suddenly, I run into someone, dropping my coffee on the ground.

I whine in annoyance because this just had to happen. I kneel down to pick up the cup until my hands meet another.

"I'm so sorry," he apologizes with a deep voice. "I didn't see you coming at all. I can buy you another one, if you want?" he offers and I can hear he had an accent.

"No, I was running and everyone knows not to run in school." I awkwardly giggle, finally looking up at him. His eyes were so green and I become mesmerized by the man in front of me. "I haven't seen you around town before."

"Yeah," he breathes out as we both stand up. "I just moved here and I'm the new coach for the volleyball team. I also teach math."

"Oh wow," I say, walking with him into the building. "I've lived here for a long time, but this is my first day teaching here."