I woke up with a yawn.

"Have a good night's sleep?" my roommate Maryann asked.

I nodded. "What time is it?" I asked tiredly.

Maryann smiled. "It's 7:35 am."

7:35 already?! I overslept. I needed to be at the coffee shop very soon so I could be in time for work. I jumped out of my bed and hurriedly got dressed. After I was dressed, I brushed my hair while putting my shoes on and brushed my teeth while putting on my jacket.

"See you later, Mary!" I yelled as I ran out the door, locking it behind me.

I walked as fast as I could to the coffee shop and entered as soon as I got there. I glanced at the clock. 8:00 am. I breathed a sigh of relief. If I could be out of here in ten minutes, I'd be at the elementary school and teaching just in time. I straightened my jacket and sat at the bar.

"Anything I can get you?" Ruby asked.

"Um, yes. Can I get some coffee? Nothing added, just normal coffee."

Ruby laughed. "You got it."

I looked down at my fingernails as someone sat next to me. "That's an odd order."

I met his eyes and nodded. "Sheriff. How are you?"

He laughed. "I'm doing fine. And you, Miss Rogers?"

"Amelia. I'm doing good."

We looked at each other for an awkward time. During this time, I was probably the most nervous I had ever been in my life. I began tapping absentmindedly on the table.

"Here's your coffee," Ruby said as she placed the drink in front of me.

I took it and stood up. "Thank you so much."

I turned to Graham as he was brushing his wavy hair out of his face. "Good day, Sheriff," I told him, and turned to the door to exit.

"Good day, Mel."

I smiled to myself. "Amelia."

I glanced at the time once more before I left the shop. 8:06 am. Looks like I'll be a little early to work today.

~~~

Actually, by the time I got into my classroom and was ready to teach my class of second graders, I was about five minutes late. To make things worse, this was my tenth time being late this month. In a row. And the principal of the school was sitting at my desk waiting for me.

As quickly as I could, I put my purse in a closet and made the final preparations for the day. "Good morning, Mr. Barnes," I said as I walked past him.

"Ms. Rogers, you're late," he paused. "Again."

"Yes sir, I am very sorry. There was a..." I stopped, thinking of how to describe the encounter with the sheriff. "Distraction. It won't happen again."

He casually and smoothly stood up. "You know, Amelia, I might believe you, but you said that same thing yesterday."

I stopped moving. "Yes. Yes, I did." After saying that, I walked over to the chalkboard and wrote a few simple math equations like 24+15 and 36+10. I tried my best to pretend that the principal wasn't there while I was teaching. Apparently, my previous comment and my ignorance of his presence deterred him, and he angrily left the room.

One of my students, Jackson, politely raised his hand. I smiled at him. "Yes?" I asked him.

"You have a sticky note on you," he answered.

I frowned and pulled my dark black hair over my shoulder, actually finding a sticky note in it. When I saw who it was from, I rolled my eyes, slightly smiled, and re-read the note a few more times.

Miss Rogers,
Have a good day!
Your friend,
Graham Humbert

"What is it?" Another student, Cooper, called out.

I laughed. "It's a note from a friend," I said. "An annoying one." How did he ever manage to get it in my hair? He must have put it in there when I paused at the door.

"Is it your boyfriend?" Zeke called out. Ooos spread throughout the room.

I felt my face growing red and came back with my usual answer. "No. I'm not going to fall in love with anybody. Ever."