look after you ( andrew bazzi )

I

"daddy, i don't want to go in there. please, don't make me."

andrew bent down, getting eye leveled with his daughter. "i know, princess, but you have too. i have to go to work and i'll get in trouble if you don't go to school. trust me, if i could keep you by my side for the rest of our lives, i would." he pushed some of the hair out of her face. "but i can't."

"what if they don't like me? or the teacher is mean?" the child said softly.

"rosalia, baby, i promise they will love you. if someone's mean, just tell me and your uncle nate when you get home. i promise i'll be back as soon as schools over. i love you."

rosalia threw herself into his arms, andrew almost losing his balance. "i love you more."

andrew could her the child's quiet sobs making his heart break. he pulled away from her, making her look at him in the eyes. "you have to be a strong girl today, okay? i need you to be the tough, badass little girl i raised. oh shit- i mean shoot, don't say ass."

the little girl let out a small giggle making andrew smile. "you promise you'll be here when it's over?"

"i promise."

rosalia put her small hand out, sticking her pinky up. the mans smile grew, wrapping his pinky around the child's.

andrew stood up, his daughter putting her hand in his tightly before they walked into the school. it was easy finding the classroom after he had asked around. there were parents and children everywhere making rosalia's nose scrunch up in disgust. when they reached the classroom, the girls small hands tightened in her fathers. he looked down, seeing her already looking up at him.

"this is where i have to say goodbye, ladybug."

"okay." her voice was quiet. he could barely hear it over the loud children.

rosalia hugged her dads leg, not wanting to let go. andrew bent down again, really thinking this was one of the hardest things he's ever had to do. the man pushed her hair out of her face again, seeing a few dried tears under her eyes. "when you get sad, just look down at the locket i gave you for your birthday and think about a happy memory that makes you laugh. that's what i do when i get sad. i think about when you took your first steps by yourself and uncle nate freaked out so much that you started crying and we had to wait another few months before you attempted at walking again."

"i'll think about when uncle nate and uncle j pushed you into the pool and you got so mad and it ended up with everyone in the pool. that was a very happy day."

andrew smiled, "it was, princess. now, go in there and be yourself and learn something new so you can teach me about it."

"i will, daddy."

rosalia gave her dad a kiss on the cheek before she walked into the classroom. andrew felt his eyes water up at the sight of her walking away from him. the two were always together and knowing he was going to have to let her go a little bit was breaking his heart.

"the first day is always the worst."

the man was so busy thinking about his daughter that he hadn't realized the women who had walked up to stand beside him.

"i'm adeline, adeline kuwonu."

"andrew, andrew bazzi."

adeline nodded, her arms crossed. "i promise it gets better. first day of school ever is scary for everyone involved." the two watched rosalia put her green book bag up and watched her sit down in an empty seat. "she's yours?"

"the one who looks angry at the world, yeah she's mine."

adeline let out a small chuckle "well, i can relate. teaching kindergarteners isn't always the idle job."

"you're a teacher?"

andrew looked over at her, finally taking a good look at her. the woman had long brown curly hair that was pinned back and out of her face, her brown eyes shining in the light. the thing that caught his attention though was her smile. it was beautiful and lit up the room. she was breathe-taking.

"yes, actually i'm your daughters teacher—" the bell rang signaling the start of the school day, making adeline look over at andrew. "well, that's my que."

andrew smiled, "uh— you'll let me know how her first day went? i'll be here to pick her up this afternoon, i'm just worried about her. we've never really been apart."

"of course. i'll keep an eye out for her, if that makes you feel better. i'll see you this afternoon, mr. bazzi."

"call me andrew."

it was adeline's turn to smile, "i'll see you this afternoon, andrew."