Ephemeral (Slow Updates)

Chapter 1

It's a lovely day.

It's been a long time since I have been able to say the phrase and mean it, but today I do. 

Looking out the window of my classroom I can't help but envy the squirrels scrabbling along the trees and the small birds singing above them. My thoughts are taken away from the playground as the phone on my desk begins ringing. I answer when I see the call is from another school phone.

"Samaria, Lily would like to eat lunch in your room again, can I send her over?" Amber asks as the distinctive cafeteria chatter hums behind her.

"Sure thing." I respond.

I hear a small sound as a reply before a tone rings through the line signaling the end of the call. Before Lily gets to my room I think over how to address her situation. And within a few minutes, there is a light tapping on my door before Lily slips through it and walks over to her desk in the front row of seats.

I send a reassuring smile in her direction as I continue to grade my classes Count & Color worksheet they turned in before lunch and she pulls out her vibrant pink lunchbox. After a while, I notice there are only about five minutes before lunch is over so I pick up a tiger sticker I hadn't used while grading and walk over to Lily's desk.

I crouch down next to her desk and slide the sticker over to her. 

"Lily, this whole week you have spent lunch in here with me." I say softly as her small hands touch the sticker and a small frown comes across her face. "Sometimes people get picked on and they have a hard time telling others." 

Lily tenses her shoulders and blinks a few times before nodding her head.

"But, telling someone can help." 

"What about being a tattle-tale?" She asks with obvious apprehension.

"If someone is being mean it's good to tell someone. Tattle-tale rules do not apply."

"What if someone is making fun of your lunchbox?" 

"Then we can call their mommy or daddy and talk with them. Is someone picking on your lunchbox?"

"Yea, Adley is." Lily says after a little bit of silence.

"Alright, well during recess later today I'll take care of this. Thank you for telling me." I respond with a small smile as I stand up and go back to my desk. 

After I sit down the overhead bell goes off and the other children start to filter back into the room. 

"Ok, quiet down everyone please and get out your folder." I say once the final bell rings and I take attendance. Once I know everyone is here I stand from my desk and begin today's lesson on addition.

The lesson goes by smoothly as the kids follow along and interact with my questions. When I am confident they understand the concept I pass out the worksheet and walk around the room answering specific questions and going over the harder problems.

Ten minutes until recess I have the kids finish up their work and clean up.

"Ok, you guys, make sure your desks are all cleaned up before recess, and when you guys get back we are going to do an interactive lesson."

When all of the kids are outside for their break I pull up Adley's information on my computer and use the school phone to dial her mother's number. 

"Mia Lucas speaking." She answers with an authoritative tone.

"Hello, Ms. Lucas. This is Ms. Johansen, Adley's teacher, do you have a minute to talk?" I ask as the background noise behind her intensifies. 

"Yes, hello, is Adley alright?" She responds noticeably less harsh. 

"Your daughter is fine, she is at recess right now. I would like it if you or Mr. Smith could pick her up today so I could discuss some things with you." 

"We are both currently out of the city today. We won't be back for a few days. What is this about exactly?"

"It has come to my attention that there may be some bullying going on."

"Adley would have told me if she were being bullied." Ms. Lucas responds with certainty.

"I believe Adley is the only doing the bullying." As I speak over the phone I can feel my ears redden and clear my throat quietly.

After a few moments of silence, Ms. Lucas begins speaking again. "I'm not sure how to respond to this actually. Adley is currently staying with her godfather, his information should be listed under Micah Graf if you could speak with him."

"Sure, that can work. But I would still like to speak with you once you are back in town." 

"Yes, that works. Have a nice day Ms. Johansen."

"You as well." I respond before the line goes dead. 

I let out a huge breath of air from my lungs as I dial Mr. Graf's number into the phone and hear it ring.

"Hello." He answers on the fourth ring.

"Hello, Mr. Graf?" I ask for confirmation.

"Yes."

"Hi, this is Ms. Johansen, Adley's teacher. I just spoke with Ms. Lucas and she said to talk to you about Adley.

"Ok." 

"Well, I would like for you to pick her up today so we could have a discussion about some bullying that has come to my attention," I say nervously, put off by his abrasive tone.

"School ends at two o'clock correct?" 

"Yes, it does." 

"I can do that, see you then." He says before ending the call.