Grant Elementary, Two Months Later
10 a.m., Ms. Johnson's Classroom Anonymous POV The hum of excitement filled the room as the kindergarten class worked on their Halloween project, making masks out of paper plates. It was a bright, sunny Tuesday, and everyone was eager to let their creativity take over. Sade sat at a table with Isla, a quiet girl with long, fiery red hair and bright green eyes. They’d been in class together for two months, but they hadn’t really spoken much—until now. Sade, with her braids woven into neat extensions, sat carefully decorating her paper plate with glitter and crayons. Isla, wearing a blue jean jacket over a colorful shirt and a blue jean skirt, was focused on her project, the bright colors of her red hair standing out in the room. Sade looked up and noticed Isla’s shirt. It was a bold red design with the Powerpuff Girls on it. The characters' bright colors caught her attention, and she couldn’t help but say, “I really like your shirt. It’s so cool!” Isla looked up, a little surprised, before a small smile tugged at her lips. “Thanks! My mom bought it for me last weekend. I think it’s awesome, too.” Sade smiled back. “I love Powerpuff Girls! Blossom is my favorite.” She leaned over slightly, pointing at the shirt. “Isn’t she the smartest one?” Isla nodded. “Yeah, but I think Buttercup’s the best. She’s the toughest!” She grinned, glad to be talking to Sade. The conversation began to flow, and the awkwardness between them seemed to fade away. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Sade asked, adding some colorful stickers to her mask. Isla hesitated for a second, then replied, “Well, I’ve got my mom, and my dad… and a baby brother. His name’s Marcus. He’s only two, and he’s always getting into stuff.” Sade laughed, imagining a little brother causing all sorts of trouble. “I have an older brother, Eric. He’s ten. He’s always acting like he’s too cool for anything. He wears this Spider-Man jacket all the time,” Sade said, shaking her head. “And my sister, Madison, she’s seven. She’s always looking out for me and helping me.” Isla smiled. “Sounds like you have a pretty big family.” “Yeah, it’s fun,” Sade said. “What about you? Do you live in a house or an apartment?” Isla nodded. “We live in an apartment. It’s not too big, but it’s close to everything. My mom says it’s the best place for us.” Sade nodded. “I get that. My family lives in a house, but it’s in the city. We’re close to everything too, but sometimes I wish we had a bigger yard, or a dog. Chicago has so much to do, though. I love the park near my house, and sometimes my dad takes us to the lakefront. There’s always something going on.” As the girls continued their conversation, Isla blinked and quickly looked down at her shirt. A blob of blue marker now covered the front of her white shirt, spreading out into a big, messy stain. She gasped, feeling her heart drop. Her favorite shirt was ruined. Before she could react, a loud voice interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, stop that stupid, are you crazy or something?" Sade stood up from her seat, glaring at the girl who had just ruined Isla’s shirt. Tamra, the girl sitting next to Isla, froze. She looked up at Sade with a defiant look on her face but didn’t say anything. "That’s not funny," Sade added, crossing her arms. "You can’t just ruin people’s stuff." Isla looked up at Sade, surprised. No one had ever stood up for her like that before. She hadn’t even had time to react before Sade had stepped in. Tamra mumbled something under her breath, but she knew she had been caught and backed off, muttering something about how Isla couldn’t take a joke. Sade sat back down and turned to Isla. "You okay?" Isla nodded, her cheeks flushing. "Yeah, thanks. That was really nice of you." "Don’t mention it," Sade said, flashing Isla a smileSpring Break Adventures in FloridaThe Florida sun was high, and the laughter of tourists filled the air as Sade walked down Main Street in Magic Kingdom with Isla, Madison, Eric, Marcus, and her parents. The energy was electric, but Sade’s focus wasn’t entirely on the magic of Disney—it was on her phone.Every few minutes, her screen lit up with a new notification:Marco:“Look at this meme. Doesn’t this remind you of Dre? 😂”Sade:“STOPPPP! Why is this so accurate? 😂”Then another from Tamara:Tamara:“Girl, tell me why Dre asked me if you’re mad at him. You know you’re gonna have to deal with him when you get back.”And, of course, Dre himself:Dre:“I miss you, babes. How’s Florida? When you coming back?”Sade’s fingers flew across the screen, juggling between group chats, GIF wars with Marco, and polite responses to Dre. She barely noticed where she was walking until Isla elbowed her.“Can you put that down for five seconds?” Isla snapped.Sade blinked, startled. “Huh? Oh, sorr
A Second ChanceAnonymous POV Sade adjusted her water bottle in one hand and her gym shoes in the other, closing her locker with a soft click. Turning to head to the gym, she froze. Marco was standing directly in front of her, so close she could see the flecks of brown in his dark eyes.She blinked twice, confused. “Hey…what’s up?”For a moment, he didn’t say anything. His gaze locked on hers, a mix of determination and nervousness in his expression. Then, without warning, Marco reached out, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her.It wasn’t like the kiss before winter break—it was deeper, more deliberate, filled with emotion that caught Sade completely off guard. Her gym shoes tumbled to the ground as her free hand shot up, grabbing his wrist in shock.When he finally pulled away, her wide eyes met his. The hallway felt impossibly quiet, except for the soft murmurs of a few scattered students nearby who had witnessed the scene.“What was that?” she demanded, her voice hushed bu
A Week Before Spring Break March Sade’s POV The cafeteria hummed with noise, a mixture of laughter, clattering trays, and the chatter of spring break plans. Sade stirred her mashed potatoes absentmindedly, her mind racing with excitement for the Florida trip. Universal Studios, Disney World, and a whole week of freedom sounded like heaven. Even better, Isla and Marcus were coming along—it was shaping up to be the best trip ever. Sade’s thoughts were interrupted when Isla slid into the seat beside her, practically bouncing with excitement. “Girl, one more week!” Isla said, grinning. “I know! I’m counting down the days,” Sade replied, her mood instantly lifting. As they chatted about their packing lists, Tamara and Star made their usual dramatic entrance. Tamara dumped her tray onto the table and flopped into a seat with a sigh. “This school is trash, and so is this food. I swear this chicken looks like it came out of the damn dumpster.” “Tamara,” Sade said, laughing. “You say t
December 10:15 pm of Date NightSade POVThe front door creaked open just as Dre and Paul were stepping out onto the porch, their jackets zipped up against the cold night air. Sade’s parents walked in, their arms full of shopping bags, the faint smell of snow and city air following them inside.“Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!” Sade called out, rushing over to help her mom with some of the bags.“Hey, sweetie,” her mom replied with a warm smile, handing her a couple of bags. “Did you guys have fun today?”“Yeah, we went ice skating and hung out at the mall,” Sade said, glancing back at Dre and Paul. “Dre and Paul are just heading out.”Dre gave a polite wave. “Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Thanks for letting us hang out here for a bit.”Paul nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we had a great time. Thanks for having us.”Sade’s dad gave them a nod as he stepped inside, shaking the snow off his coat. “Good meeting you boys. Get home safe, all right?”“Will do, sir,” Dre said, flashing a grin.
Date ContinuedThe laughter and chatter from the family room gradually died down as the group settled in. Sade’s older brother was still lost in his game, barely glancing up from his controller, and Isla was busy flipping through a magazine she’d found on the coffee table. Paul, leaning back in his chair, seemed content with the quiet atmosphere, but Dre looked over at Sade with a playful grin."Hey, Sade," he said, his voice low enough to keep it between the two of them, "can you show me your room?"Sade raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She was pretty comfortable around him, but she hadn’t expected this. She didn’t mind, though—it felt natural.“Sure, come on,” she replied, standing up and leading the way. She glanced over her shoulder as she walked, catching Dre’s gaze. Her heart fluttered a little, but she shook it off. It was just Dre. He was her boyfriend, after all.As they walked through the house, Sade showed him around, pointing out th
December Anonymous POV The weekend before Christmas was filled with excitement. The crisp winter air was a welcome change as the group of junior high students gathered at the Magnificent Mile for their “date.” But let’s be real, it wasn’t really a date—it was a group hang, a chance to get away from the regular grind of school and enjoy a bit of holiday cheer. Dre, Sade, Isla, and Paul met up at the mall, ready to dive into the festive spirit.Sade, looking casual but cute in a light sweater and jeans, was walking next to Dre, her hand in his. Dre was all smiles, his hoodie pulled up over his head, clearly enjoying the attention. Isla, in a fitted jacket and leggings, walked next to Paul, her eyes flitting around the crowds of people.As they made their way into the bustling mall, Sade pointed toward the ice skating rink. “So, we’re skating first, right?” she asked with a grin, her eyes bright from excitement.Dre chuckled, the sound light in the air. “Hell yeah, we are. I’ve been lo