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“What are you doing here?” I hoped my tone came across as an I’m excited to see you, but I have a class full of kids who may tackle you and not an I’m not wanting you here at my work, so please tell me why you’re here.
“I came to fix that hole you were telling me about. Sorry, I guess I should’ve come by later. The lady at the front desk said I should come straight here. just wanted to be sure you were here.” I couldn’t hold back my smile. Of course, he was here to fix something for me. He started to take a step into the classroom, but I placed a hand on his chest and cracked the door a little more where the students couldn’t see.
“You can come in, but you need to fix your face.”
He raised his eyebrows, “Fix…my face?”
I whispered back to him, “Yes, you have this scary caveman face you carry around new people and you’re going to freak them out.” His nostrils flared and the front corner of his eyebrows tucked in.
“I don’t make a caveman face.”
I pointed up at him and whispered, “You are doing it right now!” He rolled his eyes and dipped his chin to the room behind me, gesturing for me to let him in.
“Fine, but no scaring the kids.”
He smiled down at me, his eyes stuck on my forehead. I self-consciously raised my hand to it to find dried green paint on it. Peeling it off, I flicked it in the trash can to my left. “We were painting. It’s national frog jumping day.” He opened his mouth to let out an “Ahh.” as if he didn’t have a sarcastic comment waiting to roll off his tongue about the silly national days we celebrated here.
Taking a glance back in the room, all of the students’ eyes were back on me.
I opened the door wider and let Grant in the room.
“This is Mr. Dawes, he is here to fix the hole in the wall. Let’s be sure to leave him alone and let him do this job, okay?” A collection of “yes ma’ams” and drawn-out “okays” were heard from the sea of kids at their desks.
Grant did his best not to draw any attention to himself, he quietly sneaked away to where the hole was. I attempted to focus on my lessons in front of me but the giggles and stares around the room had me blushing.
“Alright everyone, what did I just say? Let’s focus, please.”
They turned back in their seats toward me, and I tried my hardest to focus on my reading lesson and not the man I was infatuated with. After so long I began to find myself looking over at him, seeing how much more he had to do. I partially wished he would take as long as he could just so I could have one more conversation with him alone.
I took a glance at the clock sitting on the back wall. 2:28 pm.
We still had till 3:00 when the kids left, and I doubt it would take him that long. I continued teaching through my lesson, forcing myself not to be distracted by Grant. As I had wrapped up, I told the kids to get their backpacks ready to go.
I walked back to my desk, grabbing my own supplies to help with the car rider line. I noticed the hole that had once been in the wall was now filled and sanded down, back to its original shape. Grant looked up at my desk and gave me my favorite grin. His left dimple poked at me just lightly.
I smiled back at him; my cheeks flushed at his blatant stare. He got up from his crouched position, wiped his hands on his pants, and walked to my desk.
“Alright, you’re all set. Let it sit for a day or two, and then you can paint over it.” I grinned at him.
“Thank you, really. I guess I’ll see you Saturday, right?” He rubbed the back of his neck, slightly blushing. “Yeah. I’ll be there.”
A group of “Oohs” were heard from across the room; when I looked over, I saw the majority of students looking our way. With their backpacks on their backs and dropping off their finished work in the correct folders, they whispered to each other and made little comments.
Timmy Miles came up to the desk, “Are you supposed to be her boyfriend?” The other students let out their high-pitched giggles.
I wish I could have taken a picture of Grant’s face at that moment. His cheeks were flushed, and his hands nervously moved the cap on his head. “I- um I.”
I interrupt Grant’s stuttering, “Go back to your desk Timmy. I told you not to bother Mr. Dawes.” Timmy ran back to his spot in the room, but he kept his eyes on us.
It was almost time for the students to line up for the bus and car rider line, so I stood up with my clipboard and name tag.
“Sorry. They can be a lot to handle.”
Grant simply shook his head and picked up his tool bag. “It’s alright. I’ll see you Saturday, Hart.”
I smiled up at him, trying my best not to blush any more than I already was.
Grant left the room, and I was immediately bombarded with questions from my class of nosy little buddies.
