TO THE MOON & TO SATURN | shawmila

seven.

All the kids sat in a circle on the alphabet rug around Mrs. Bailey's rocking chair. Shawn hoped she wouldn't ask him to read to the class. He loved doing it, especially the funny voices, but he was having trouble focusing right now.

"Did everyone have a good weekend?" Mrs. Bailey asked the class and they all chorused yes. "Who wants to tell us about something interesting that happened to them over the weekend?"

Immediately, most hands went up and Mrs. Bailey called on one boy.

"My dog peed on the carpet!" He said and all the kids started giggling.

"Thank you for that, Thomas." Mrs. Bailey said, also trying not to laugh. "But you told us that last week, remember?"

"But it happened again this weekend!"

"Well, I'm sure your mother was very thrilled about that." She said. "Does anyone else wanna share something? Yes, Seth?"

Shawn looked up, seeing Seth excitedly waving his hand from where he was sitting right beside Luna. Shawn looked up, wondering what this could be.

"I got to sleepover at Luna's house!" He said.

"Oh, I bet that was fun." Mrs. Bailey smiled. "What did you guys do?"

"We played monster trucks and trampoline—it's when we jump on Luna's bed."

"And what did Luna's mommy think about that?"

"She wasn't there. Luna's Tía Sofia was watching us because her mommy and my daddy were kissing—"

"Okay—I think that's enough sharing for now!"

Shawn jumped up as all the kids either broke into laughter or started yelling in disgust. He couldn't look at Mrs. Bailey, he could only glare at Seth and Luna who were both giggling loudly.

"Why don't we read a story?" Shawn was still blushing as twenty children laughed about his date with Camila. Luckily, he had an idea on how to shut them up.

He quickly flipped through the picture books on the shelf and grabbed one of the class' favorite one about the crocodile.

Mrs. Bailey went around the room collecting the morning coloring sheets from the students' desks as Shawn finally found the book and went to sit in the chair at the edge of the circle.

"Kids—you know they say the most ridiculous stuff." Shawn whispered as Mrs. Bailey passed behind him. "Who knows where he even came up with that?"

"Mhmm." She just gave him a look before Shawn turned back to the class, his face still red.

He started reading the book, and luckily, being one of their favorites, the kids finally settled down and stopped giggling as they listened to Shawn read the story.

Though they'd stopped laughing for now, Shawn would have to pull Seth aside later and explain to him the difference between things that were okay to say during sharing time and things that weren't.

He'd just finished the book as Mrs. Bailey said that everyone should go back to their tables and start on their math. Shawn breathed in relief and went to put the book back on the shelf as a student raised his hand, still sitting on the rug.

"Um, Mrs. Bailey—"

"Logan, we're supposed to be going to our tables now." Mrs. Bailey said gently.

"But Mrs. Bailey, I have to tell you—"

"No, we're not having sharing time right now, Logan—"

"I'm gonna throw up!"