For Our Broken Hearts (Book 2)

Chapter 9

The next morning I sat on the curb by the foot of my drive way eating an apple. Last night Abriana and I vowed to go to school together now. I was glad to be rid of the awkward car rides with my father.

I was out a bit early as I couldn't sleep too late since Burkley. As I waited for Abriana to come outside, my mind wandered to Rolan as it often did. I still couldn't believe he was here of all the places. It wasn't fair. The universe had taken him from me once and now, as my teacher, it was bound to happen a second time.

I was so caught up in thought that I didn't see a young girl running toward me until she was a couple meters away from where I was sitting.

"Hello Miss, I'm Asha!" she greeted me with a smile, two front teeth missing. She was adorable with her tiny frame lost in a moss of curls and reminded me of young Nicole.

"Well, hello there. I'm Nicole," I smiled back.

"I was wondering if it was okay if I got my ball back?" She pointed behind me to a blue ball sitting on my driveway. With this full sentence, her lisp became apparent. Due to the missing teeth, I assumed.

"Sure!" I stood leaving my book bag and walked over to get the ball for her, throwing my half eaten apple in the trash in the process. As I bent to pick it up, it dawned on me that this was the little girl from next door. Before I could turn to return it, I could hear hurried footsteps.

"Asha! There you are, what did I say about playing in the front yard alone?" the voice sounded familiar.

I turned around, ball in hand. I couldn't see her father's face as he was not holding her in his arms and her hair was blocking his face.

"I'm sorry Daddy! I just wanted to play with my ball," she apologized sweetly and I could tell her innocence got her out of plenty of trouble.

"Well where is your ball?" He asked in a low, forgiving voice.

I walked closer to them to return the stowaway ball.

"That nice lady is getting it. I kicked it onto her driveway," she giggled and turned in her father's arms to point on me.

This small action revealed his face and I stopped dead in my tracks. It was Rolan. It seemed I could not catch a break since being back. I wanted to do many things, pass out being one.

Not only was he my teacher, but he was my neighbor...with his daughter. I had never gotten the chance to ask more about her. As soon as I had found out, Alex has found us...

Rolan, with equal shock in his eyes, placed Asha down who ran over to me and grabbed her ball, "Thanks Nicole!" She smiles brightly and walked toward her dad again.

"Sweetie, why don't you go inside and let mommy do your hair up for school," he urged her. She waved goodbye to me before running up her own driveway and into the house.

Mommy...the image of the little girl and her mother in the backyard replayed in my mind. I had admired them, envied them. Now I realize I had even more reason to do the latter.

Rolan stood there unflinching, his tie draped around his neck as if he noticed Asha outside without his permission just as he was about to do it up.

We had a good 10 feet of distance between us. I decided to break the silence, "You live here?" as if it wasn't obvious.

He cleared his throat then answered, "Uh, yeah."

He looked over to my house as if about to ask if I lived there but I beat him to it, "Yeah, I live here."

Before we could utter another word to each other, Abriana walked out of her house, "Nicole!" She signaled.

I ripped my eyes away from Rolan, looked over to her and waived.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in class then," I muttered before turning to grab my book bag and walking away.

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