• Monday •
Fatima walked around the classroom of 23 first graders as they silently worked on their single step addition worksheets. "You don't have to rush but we'll be going to lunch soon. Finish up what you can and we'll go over it together once you guys return from lunch, deal?"
"Deal!" they said back, their little hands and pencils still at work.
Soon as she sat down, a little hand went right into the air. "Yes Elijah?" she smiled as he jumped down from his little desk, lightly skipping over to hers.
"Do you have a question for me?" Fatima asked, turning her chair to face him. He quickly shook his head "No" making her concerned as she looked at him. "Do you have to use the restroom?"
He shook his head again. "Um" he said, putting two fingers in his mouth. Fatima laughed a little, gently pulling them out.
"Elijah if you-" she shook her head, her voice growing more stern. "My daddy called you cute"
Fatima squinted, folding her arms and rested her back against her chair "Did he now?"
"Yep! he said it's your first day and you have to look nice and smell nice for your cute ass.. uh- cute teacher" Elijah said with a straight face as he tried making his little voice deep.
Fatima laughed a little and shook her head.
"See looook!" Elijah stretched his shirt out and got on his tip toes so she could smell it.
"Okay Elijah" she chuckled, stopping him.
"Thank you for letting me know. Can you return to your desk for me please?" Elijah just grinned and walked back to his desk.
"Cute?" Fatima lightly scoffed, "Ima grown ass woman, fuck is cute" she mumbled under the soft music playing in the background.
••••
When Principle Greer called Elijah to the office for early dismissal, something in Fatima couldn't wait to hand her class over to her teacher assistant. She silently fought her excitement of seeing Zac again and decided to blame the nervous feeling in her stomach on the uniform and the way his cologne lingered in the air when he left the room.
"There he goes!" Fatima's head snapped towards the direction of the woman's voice as she entered the office. She looked to be in her late twenties.
fucking figures, Fatima thought to herself.
"Bye Ms Wilson!!" Elijah's little voice said, hugging her leg and taking off towards the woman.
••••
• Monday evening •
"What does she look like? Is she cute?" KJ asked while she and Fatima were on the phone. "Ehh, she's not ugly. I don't think green is her color though or maybe not that shade" Fatima replied, strolling through the Health and Wellness section in Target.
"I say until he confirms it or denies it, you should get to know him. He seems nice Fatima"
"Seems and is are two different things, I don't know. I'm excited about focusing on my career, I don't need the distractions"
"I said get to know him not remarry! and please shut up, you barely like kids"
"Not all the time, just some of the time" Fatima shot back making them both laugh.
"But back to this girl. Did she have to sign in? See if you can get her name and text it to me in the morning so I can look her up on Facebook"
"No KJ" Fatima laughed, "Messy ass!"
Fatima wanted to act like she didn't care that much but she knew she did. The thought of there being a woman in Zac's life didn't sit well with her.
"Just know she's not ugly but she doesn't complement him well" Fatima said, knowing her friend would know exactly what she meant.
Fatima was so wrapped up in her conversation, she seemed to forget how small of a city she moved to really was.
"And what? you would?" The familiar male voice said from behind her.
