Playground Romance
Chapter Two

“Dad, hurry up! I’m late.” Whined Spencer as she tugged at his wrist. He was preoccupied, meticulously packing a lunch for both her and her brother. Finally he distributed the brown paper bags between his two children and they were free to rush out the door.

Their mother was waiting at the curb with the car already started, her blue eyes impatient as she watched them climb into the vehicle, “You two have everything you need? Homework? Lunch?”

“Yes Mom.” Replied the pair, sounding equally lackluster as they pulled away from the curb and heading towards King Elementary.

“Now you head straight to class Glen, no dilly dallying.” She spoke, knowing the boy would be tempted to take his time, seeing as he was already late.

“Yes ma’am.” Glen replied with a little sarcasm, knowing full well that he planned to walk a few laps around the school before he headed into any classrooms.

“Bye.” The smaller blonde girl said as she hopped out of the car, swinging her backpack onto her shoulder as she rushed towards her homeroom class with Mrs. Baker.

Spencer paused a moment as she reached the door, catching her breath slightly before she delicately twisted the doorknob and pressed inside. The room was your typical 3rd grade classroom, with brightly colored construction paper decorating the walls along with vowels and simple equations. The teacher smiled and stepped aside to allow Spencer into her aisle, choosing not to hassle her simply because Spencer was rarely ever late.

“Hi Mrs. Baker, sorry I’m late.” Spencer spoke in a soft, shy voice as she slipped into her seat, disappointed to find Ashley wasn’t in class. She noticed a few of the kids around her were whispering to each other, their eyes occasionally shifting to stare in her direction. She readjusted herself uncomfortably in her seat, that twisty feeling in her gut setting in. This had happened before, after Clay died in a tragic bicycle accident involving those rough elementary school gangs, and she hated that feeling of being at the center of all the gossip.

Suddenly the classroom door opened and in breezed Ashley, all confidence as she acknowledged the teacher than took her seat behind Spencer. The teacher frowned, her arms folding as she glanced at the clock, “Ms. Davies, you are twenty minutes late.”