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After I left the hospital, I immediately called my parents, telling them the good news. I think my mom was happier than I was because I could practically hear my dad cringing at the entire octave my mom's voice spiked up to. She screamed in excitement while my dad gave me a hearty congratulation and started jumping up and down with my mom. I honestly didn't expect them to be so excited but was glad for their support nonetheless.

Although students had been let out for the summer, teachers still had a few days more of work to do and staff meetings to attend before they were released into the wild as well. Being as I had only just received the news of being appointed into a real position there was a certain number of steps that needed to be taken. I had already obtained my teaching license during the previous summer after I completed my first round of student teaching with my previous mentor before Kathy.

On the first day, I almost immediately acquisitioned by the hiring committee as they explained the steps on furthering my education which would in turn potentially increase my pay and class quality. I took notes diligently, listening as they went over my contract and I signed across the dotted line. There were, of course, training programs that the school required teachers to take, some of them were over the summer or scattered across various breaks depending on the topic. Those classes were really for everyone's benefit to ensure that they were giving their teachers the proper tools to be in a classroom and I didn't mind subjecting myself to them.

My first training program would begin in around the second-week of June for a three-week course in Colorado. I lit up at the sound of the place. This meant that I would be able to visit my parents over the summer; it would be nice to see them again. The meeting ended with them wishing me well in my new position as Kathy walked me to the classroom I would be occupying.

It was Mrs. Jenson's room, the second-grade teacher that I saw from time to time but this had been her last year. We had even had a retirement celebration for her at one of the staff meetings back in April and she seemed glad to go, happy to move to Oregon to be with her grandkids. I looked around the classroom, taking it all in before Kathy handed me a set of keys, warning me that if I lost more than two pairs then I'd owe the school quite a bit of money.

The second and last day was just a day of meetings, each department head giving an overall summary of events while the rest of us made occasional comments and nodded along. At the staff meeting many of the teachers that I knew came up to me, giving me their congratulations. It truly meant a lot to me. I was also very grateful to Mr. Williams for introducing me to more of the staff through the volunteering, it seemed that people were much more open to me now.

We ended shortly after the last staff meeting, the principal releasing everyone home a tad bit earlier than expected. Overall the two days had exhausted me. I was feeling both mentally and physically drained. Usually, I wouldn't have to go into school for more than one day in a row and would work at the book store almost every other day, including today.

I arrived at the bookstore within a reasonable time, getting there an hour before my shift actually started. I was surprised to see Joe there, usually Cindy worked the morning shift on Tuesdays.

"You're early, Cora" he exclaimed as I walked through the door, smiling at him.

"The principal let us all out a bit early, figured that I'd come in and start sorting a few of the shelves" I said, shrugging off my bag behind the register.

"Oh, yeah and how is teaching going?"

I paused before answering. "It's going good, I actually have to talk to you about something"

I hadn't actually told Joe that I had gotten the job which was probably important because he co-owned the store with my uncle. My uncle was more of a silent partner, well an absent partner really. He was busy traveling, going off to location after location. I suppose now I wouldn't be working at the book store for much longer. Carlisle's face flashed through my mind for a second before I shook my head, refocusing on the conversation I would need to have.

Joe inclined his head, waiting for me to go on.

"I actually got the full-time position at the school, I'll be teaching a second-grade class in the fall."

He nodded in understanding, seeming to get where I was going with the conversation. "So, you'll be leaving this old shop, when do you need to go?"

I thought about it for a second. I would have to go to the training program in June which took up half of the month and a week into the next one. It wouldn't exactly be fair to expect them to hold my position for the time I'll be gone and then show back up and then have to leave again. I guess my time at the bookstore would be ending sooner than I had originally thought.

"Well, I have to be in Colorado by the 13th and so I suppose my last day can be the 12th, I think that's last Tuesday, I'll probably book a flight for later that night."

"We will miss you here, Coraline"

"And I'm really going to miss this place, it's been the spot of many interesting developments in my life" I said, smiling as my mind flipped through images of both Ben and Carlisle. I was grateful to have met both of them at this place, it was truly a wonder.

"I bet," he said, giving me a bit of a knowing glance. "I heard you've been hanging around the Cullen doctor an awful lot."

"I have, he's a real nice person" My cheeks turned a light shade of pink as I thought about Carlisle. I couldn't believe that last Friday, I had been so bold as to hug him and he hugged me too. I could still remember the feeling of his arms around me, pulling me close as he spun me around. "Anyway," I started, changing the subject. "I should get to sorting those shelves"

He let me go and I was glad for it. My mind just all of sudden couldn't get the image of Carlisle out of my thoughts. I was still having dreams about him but I tried to forget about them, dismissing them almost immediately after I woke up. They seemed to get more real each time and I seemed to be inching closer to him in each of these dreams. I had to admit that I thought about him an awful lot more than I did others. Certainly, I'd never had so many musings on any of my other friends.

The hour passed by rather normally, Joe occasionally messing up the order that I put the books in. At the end of his shift, Joe came up to me.

"Well, I'll be off now, but I wanted to say congratulations on the job," he held out a book. "I thought I'd give you this, be careful, Coraline" I smiled at him, taking the book gratefully from his outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Joe" He nodded to me before turning to leave the store.

I looked down at the book, running my hand down the soft leather exterior. It didn't have a title and it looked like a rather vintage book. I opened the cover. Yes, I was correct, the book was an old copy of what looked to be a book on the supernatural. I smiled, it was just like Joe to give me something like this. Perhaps, I'd actually read this one. I hadn't read many of the books in the store before, the supernatural not being one of my areas of interest but I didn't want to be rude and it was clearly an expensive guilt, probably something from Joe's private collection. I really did appreciate the gift; he hadn't needed to get me anything.

I flipped through the pages, walking towards the counter to put the book away when the entrance bell sounded.

"Oh, Carlisle" I said, looking up at him. I put the book down on the counter while I grabbed my bag.

"What do you have there?"

"It was a gift from Joe, for my new job and to say goodbye" I said, putting the book in my bag.

"Goodbye?" he asked, the confusion written on his face.

"Well, I've gotten a full-time job now and it's my first-year teaching by myself, I think I'll need more time to put together everything, I'm going to be ending my job here soon"

"You should take a vacation soon then, to celebrate it I mean, maybe soon actually" he suggested and I was surprised by the amount of seriousness in his eyes.

"Trying to get rid of me?" I teased. "Actually, I have a training program in Colorado, I think I'm going to leave on the 12th, it'll also be my last day here as well"

"Oh," he looked surprised. "How convenient"

I gave him a questioning look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's nothing" He shook his head, his eyes looking a bit relieved. I didn't understand. Did he want me to be out of town? No, that couldn't be it. Maybe he just meant that it was convenient that my leaving day and my last bookstore day was on the same night. Whatever it was, I let it drift out of my thoughts. There was no use dwelling on such silly things.


I wrote another chapter! Tell me what you think about it and what you think should happen next!