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When she handed me the envelope containing my first check, elation filled me. It was barely enough to cover the cost of my hotel, but it was mine, earned through genuine hard work. I still had a small chunk of cash from my last bank withdrawal in Nebraska to live off. It was likely how Todd and his new cronies had found me, which no doubt meant Romero had tracked me there as well. But now that I was back off-grid, I hoped my current location was unknown.
Given that I’d been here for so long without any attacks, I was starting to relax into my new life.
I missed college. If all went according to plan, I’d find a way into the School of Mines and Technologies next year. It was eight hours east, but I wasn’t tied to any location permanently.
Getting dressed for my first solo shift at the dojo, I checked the time on my phone, my stomach dropping when I noticed the date. October thirteenth.
It was Romero’s birthday.
An ache deep in my chest squeezed my lungs, making it hard to breathe. My eyes fell shut as I tried to block out the sting of threatening tears.
He never wanted his birthday celebrated—I’d discovered it by accident—but I wanted to call, just to hear his voice, so much it hurt.
With a deep, steadying breath I opened my eyes again, my gaze fixed on my reflection. It was hard not to notice how much older I looked in the space of a few weeks. Running for your life did that, I guess.
Taming my loose pink waves into a single braid, I forced myself to take a deep breath before heading out the door. The cool wind brushed my cheeks and stung my eyes. Above, the sky was a dull grey, and the scent of the air fresh.
Crisp.
I eyed the never-ending stretch of clouds for any sign of a shower of snow, but I admittedly didn’t know what I was looking for. So I pulled up the building’s keys from my pocket, and they jingled as I searched for the correct one.
The sound of footsteps behind me made me pause. I whirled, searching the open parking lot as well as the alcoves of the businesses on either side.
There was no one around. But every coincidental moment in my life—that made the hairs on my arms stand on end as they did now—made me believe I hadn’t just imagined the sound. After checking behind me once more, I turned the key in the lock, pushed the door open before shoving it shut, and jerked the lock back into place.
My heart beat heavily in my chest, my breath coming in faster pants. I took a step back from the door, still searching the sidewalk and beyond for any sign of who had been behind me.
“Maybe I really am crazy,” I said to the dark, empty room before switching the lights on. There were only twenty minutes until my first class of the evening, so I started to stretch and warm up, blasting music over the speakers to unwind the knots in my stomach. Every so often my gaze swung up to the wide windows and solid glass door, but every time I looked it was empty. That is until one of my students—Jasmine—arrived with her mother in tow.
She was a cute little girl with perfect golden brown ringlets tied back in a ponytail, and bright green eyes. I leapt to my feet, hurrying to the door to unlock it. I greeted Jasmine, who smiled up at me, one of her front teeth missing. She took my hand in her much smaller one and led me to the mats without a backward glance at her mother.
I laughed. “Are you excited for class, Jasmine?”
She nodded vigorously. “You’re always so nice, and you don’t let Jax pull my ponytail,” she said, as though that had anything to do with the material being taught.
My smile was conspiratorial when I leaned close to her and whispered, “If you pay very close attention, I’ll teach you how to make sure Jax never touches your hair without your permission.”
Her eyes widened and she giggled. “Okay, I will.”
I nodded again, patting her tiny shoulder, then rose to my feet to welcome the other students that filed in over the next ten minutes. When Jax marched through the doors, his eyes went straight to Jasmine and a mischievous grin split his rounded face.
“Welcome, Jax,” I said, placing myself in his line of sight. “Why don’t you come sit beside me while we stretch?”
His honey-colored eyes swept up to meet mine, and he dismissed me in that way that only five-year-olds could. “No thanks, Sensei Kelley. I want to sit by Jasmine.”
Flabbergasted, I watched the boy make his way toward Jasmine. Her big, wide eyes looked to me for help. When he whispered something, her cheeks went pink and she replied with angry words I couldn’t make out. Before I could intervene, he reached out to grab her hair. Jasmine balled up her little fists and sent one flying. It collided with Jax’s face and he stumbled back, holding his nose, and wailing.
As the class teacher, I knew I needed to act, but I couldn’t help but feel a sliver of pride for Jasmine. She’d stood up for herself.
Bullies were everywhere, and letting them treat you poorly only gave them power over you. If it wasn’t for Romero’s teachings, I might have had a much different outcome with my own bullies.
After I separated the children and made sure the situation was handled, we got started on basic blocks. It was toward the end of the class when one of the kids squealed excitedly, pointing outside at the fat, puffy flakes of snow drifting to the ground. They melted almost as soon as they landed, but still I felt an unexpected surge of warmth in my chest.
The class ended shortly after since no one was really willing to pay attention. When they left, I walked outside, not even caring that my thick cardigan was inside. I tilted my head back and stared up at the now-dark sky.
Snow gently kissed my face, and I laughed, tears forming in my eyes. It was the first time I’d seen snow in person, let alone felt it on my skin. There was something magical about snow. It was serene.
The cars passed by slower, and everyone seemed to take their time. More students began to arrive, noticing me out in the snow. I smiled and headed back into the heated room to get ready for the next session.
