Page 1 of The Coach

Chapter One

IVY

The bell rings to start the school day, and the door bursts open like someone fired a starting gun. “Good morning, Miss Bennett!” the kids shout, their backpacks thudding onto desks and chairs screeching across the floor.

“Good morning, everyone,” I reply, trying to suppress a smile. It’s already May—hard to believe the end of the school year is practically here already. I’m going to miss this batch of kids a lot. “Please sit down before you turn this classroom into a wrestling ring.”

Brayden is already halfway across the room, pretending to throw a football. “Touchdown!” he shouts, dodging Mason, who’s trying to tackle him.

“Brayden, take a seat. Mason, save your tackling for recess,” I say firmly, pointing to their desks. “Otherwise, I’m putting both of you in charge of organizing my supply closet.”

That does the trick. Brayden slides into his seat, still grinning, and Mason groans dramatically as he slumps into his chair.

“Alright, let’s start the day off easy,” I say, writingFriday Warm-Up: Weekend Planson the board. “In your journals, I want you to write about what you’re most excited to do this weekend. And before you ask, Mason, playing Xbox doesn’t count.”

The class groans as I say it, and Mason throws his hands in the air. “Why do you always come at me like that, Miss Bennett?”

“Because I know you can be more creative,” I reply with a sweet smile. “Now, go!”

As they get to work, I weave through the desks, glancing at their journals. Emma Lopez’s hand shoots up.

“Yes, Emma?” I ask, pausing by her desk.

“Miss Bennett, what are you doing this weekend?” She asks.

“We can all share our plans after we’re all done journaling.”

“Miss Bennett, are you married?” she asks, not taking the hint, her eyes wide with curiosity.

I blink, caught off guard. “Uh, no, I’m not.”

“Why not?” she presses, tilting her head like this is a perfectly reasonable question to ask your teacher.

Before I can respond, Mason groans loudly from across the room. “Miss Bennett’s not married because she’s too busy picking on me! Now I gotta do something this weekend besides play Xbox!”

The whole class bursts into laughter, and I fight the urge to laugh myself. “Thank you for your expert analysis, Mason,” I say dryly, earning a few more giggles.

Emma looks unconvinced. “But don’t you want to get married someday?” she asks earnestly.

I kneel down by her desk, lowering my voice. “Maybe, Emma. But only if I meet the right person. You wouldn’t want me to rush into something, would you?”

She considers this for a moment, then nods solemnly. “Okay. But you should hurry, because my grandma says the good ones get taken fast.”

This time, I do laugh. “Noted. Now back to your journal, Emma.”

“Miss Bennett!” Emma says, her hand shooting up again before I can even move on. “My dad said a famous football coach is in town! Do you think he’ll come to our school?”

I raise an eyebrow, amused. “A famous coach? What’s he doing here?”

Emma shrugs. “I don’t know! My dad says he’s here for some fundraiser thingy. He coaches in the NFL! With the big dogs! You think he’ll come visit us?”

The class immediately starts buzzing with excitement. Brayden pipes up, “What if he comes to recess and throws the football with us?”

“Yeah!” Mason adds. “What if he signs my jersey?”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down,” I say, holding up my hands. “If he’s as busy as you say, I doubt he’s stopping by Oakridge Elementary. But I’ll keep an eye out for anyone suspiciously good at throwing spirals.”

The room bursts into giggles, and Brayden shouts, “Miss Bennett, you should totally marry him if he does!”

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