The Garrettsville Golden Boy Returns Home (BreakFromReality and Frogger)

B

BreakFromReality

Super-Earth
Joined
Feb 28, 2018
As the sun starts to rise on this late August morning, Josh Miller pulls into the Garrettsville High School parking lot. He glances at the student lot as he passes through it, remembering when he parked here as a student just a short five years ago. Back then, he was a household name in the small Midwestern town -- a five-star quarterback, recruited by top Division I schools ranging from Southern Cal all the way down to Florida.

He decided to stay somewhat close to home, and attended Michigan. However, he didn't see much playing time donning the maize and blue, as a series of injuries derailed his collegiate career. After a failed effort to make an NFL squad for training camp, his dreams of turning pro ended, and he was left to live just a normal life.

While that reality would crush your average 22-year-old former high school star athlete, Josh sought out a way to stay in the game even though he'd no longer step foot on the gridiron.

Upon graduating from Michigan, he decided to return home to fill an opening at his alma mater. He'd be teaching U.S. Government, which was always a senior blow-off class, and serving as an assistant on the football coaching staff. While it was a far cry from making millions of dollars, living in huge houses and traveling the country to play a game, coming home to teach and coach allowed Josh to start all over again.

With his portfolio in his left hand and his bag slung over his right shoulder, Josh walks through the nearly empty parking lot to the front doors of the school. His short, dark brown hair is neatly done, and his piercing green eyes are hidden by a pair of sunglasses. A red polo shirt clings to his toned frame, and black dress pants complete the outfit. (To him, it only makes sense to wear the school colors on his first day.)

Upon opening the door, he looks to his left and sees Mrs. Jacobs, the longtime school secretary, sitting at her desk preparing for another school year. He stops by and chats with her for a bit before making the walk down to his new classroom.

Coach Bill Walker occupied this room for the better part of three decades before his retirement at the end of the previous school year. He was Josh's position coach all throughout high school, so Josh looked at him as a second father. It only made sense that Josh would come onto the staff and carry on the tradition that Coach Walker established all those years ago.

Josh opens the door, turns on the light and heads into the room. Just sitting down at the desk makes him think how strange it is to be on the other side of the teacher/student dynamic, and he expects it to get even weirder when the students start filing in. This year's senior class includes his sister and most of her friends, which will make the dynamic that much more interesting.

With a couple hours to go until the first bell, Josh goes over his brief lesson plans for the day, then begins to study the gameplan for Friday night's season-opening game against Roosevelt High.
 
As the sun starts to rise off in the distance, in turn casting a warm glow over the small town… Lily Aviles gently closed the book she was reading, in order to rise from her worn-out seat by the window and get ready for the first day of school. As much as she’d love to continue reading, she can’t wait to see her new students, either. Many are going to be dreading the seven hours spent away from their friends, from… whatever it is they prefer to occupy their time with, however… there is going to be a rare few that walk in with a bright, hungry light in the eyes… to learn. Lily can’t wait to see what is to come of this new school year.

During her own years of high school, Lily was known to be… quiet, with her nose nearly always in the pages of a book. It may sound sad and pathetic to some, but it was the way she preferred things. It is… well, it is nerve-wracking to endure the ridicule and scrutiny of those higher up on the social ladder. Unfortunately, that has not changed overly much over the years, even if she is an adult.

Lily stepped into the shower, closing her eyes and tilting her head back as hot water beat down from above. Her fingers tangled into black before very long, to pull it up and off her neck.

Many tendrils of steam lingering not just in the air, but along the floor, like the smoke of a cigarette, Lily leaned forward to run a hand over the foggy mirror... to study the reflection gazing back. A fond, but sad smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Lily is the splitting image of the mother she lost in a tragic accident right before graduation... that is, except for the eyes. It was her father's eyes she came to call her own: almond-shaped with long, thick lashes, and a beautiful golden-amber... similar to that of molten gold, depending on the angle.

In nothing but a towel, Lily opened her closet and found herself… at a loss on what to wear. It is not as though she is the most… fashionable person in existence. In fact, the color variation is always red, blue, purple… and… that is about it. Lily released a soft sigh before digging in the very back, Does she have anything-? No, apparently not. Oh well. It seems she has to make due with… let’s see… Lily brushed a few threads of hair behind an ear, frowning. Maybe she should just go with red and black? The school colors?

Yes, she might as well. It shows team spirit. Lily chose a pair of black jeans, the kind that… just so happens to hug all the right places, and a nice red blouse that she has always liked to wear. It is a sort of… confidence booster. It makes her feel sexy, though she knows it’s nothing more than a ridiculous delusion.

Thirty minutes later, Lily walked through the door with a cup of coffee for Mrs. Jacobs… and a cup of hot tea for herself. As early as it is to be gracing the hallways… she is going to take this opportunity to go over her lesson plan, to relax, perhaps listen to music… that way, she can greet everyone with a smile once they walk through the door. Lily passed by the U.S. government classroom… only to nearby trip over her feet. Is that… who she thinks it is?

“Well,” Lily spoke up upon retreating back several steps, just to lean against the doorframe. A foot crossed over the other as she offered him a shy smile. “Hello there, stranger. I… never thought I’d see you here again. How are you?” Josh has not changed one bit. It is a little… unsettling? Is that the right word for it? Lily bit the corner of her lip, the pink flesh darkening to red from the abuse.

No, a better question is: how should she act? How long has it been since they last spoke? Five years ago? Give or take? Lily fidgeted a little, obviously flustered at this sudden development. “You’re… teaching U.S. government now?” she decided to go with, though not after taking a sip of her hot tea.
 
Josh had his back to the door and was deep into looking over the Roosevelt gameplan when he heard a familiar voice coming from over his right shoulder. He sat up slowly and arched an eyebrow. It can't be...

Turning around, Josh saw his high school sweetheart, Lily, leaning against the doorframe. A wide, boyish smile quickly spread across his face as he took in the sight of his first real girlfriend. "Lily..." spilled from his lips as he stood to greet her.

As hard as it was for him to believe, she looked even better than she did when they graduated from here five years ago. Her outfit did its best to accentuate just how much she had grown. Her smile was cuter than ever, and it was a great reminder of their relationship. Usually, the best athlete in the school dated a cheerleader, but that wasn't the case here -- Lily's quiet demeanor was a nice contrast from the chaos that took place between the lines every Friday night. Had they not gone their separate ways following graduation, they'd probably still be dating.

"Hello to you, too," Josh said, walking over to give Lily a hug, his over six-foot frame towering over hers. "I'm great. It's so good to see you," he added upon releasing the hug.

He chuckled at her question, gave a simple shrug and looked over the classroom. "Yeah. Completely what we expected five years ago, right?" he joked. "But yeah, Coach Walker retired and there was an opening, and since I'm not playing anymore..."

There was a slight pause after he uttered those words. It was still painful for him to come to grips with the fact that he wasn't playing anymore, no matter how hard he tried to get over it.

"...since I'm not playing anymore, it was a nice opportunity to come back home and give back, y'know? So I'll be teaching government and coaching this year. I'm pretty excited for it. At least I get to stay in the game."

Josh looked into Lily's eyes. "So what about you? I had no idea you were teaching too."
 
“It is so good to see you, too,” Lily said on a soft laugh, lifting a hand up to place it gently on his back and return the hug. It was… a little difficult to juggle her hot tea, but she managed, somehow or another. It is a miracle she did not spill it all over him-!

A hand lifted to brush threads of hair from her eyes once they broke apart, just for a small smile to grace her lips. It brought out a dimple hiding in her right cheek… not that she knows that. Lily blushed pink, fidgeting nervously as she let her own eyes sweep the classroom.

Oh. Right. Five years ago, he imagined himself… as a star quarterback, on a team just as good as he is. Lily glanced at him from the corner of her eye, unable to help but notice the regret in his own green pair, the pain that temporarily tugged at his mouth. It is not her place to say anything, though. It hurts to see him in pain, to see the regret and the hint of bitterness… but she doubts there is anything she can say that will make him feel better. Lily pasted on a smile when his attention returned to her, as the question hung in the air between he and her, just to blush a little darker.

“Wh-What about me? Oh. Ah. Well. Principal Wallaby decided I can masquerade as an English Literature teacher, since I read so much,” Lily decided to joke, as weak and… pathetic as it may come across as.

Lily ducked her head a little, a veil of black falling forward from behind a shoulder to hide her face from view. A hand lifted to deal with the issue… however, it ended up playing with several strands, instead of tucking them behind an ear. “I… suppose a love of reading… makes it somewhat… difficult to find a suitable job related to it, so… I just sort of… found myself in a teaching position. I work online as a Book Agent, but…”

No, wait. Not entirely true. Lily is writing a book, too, though… it is not something she advertises, since it is somewhat embarrassing to confess. “I… ah, I sort of… stuck around. I had to look after Briana, too.” It was then that she finally managed to bring herself to glance up at him.

Very shortly after graduation, their father passed away… leaving Briana and Lily orphans in this cold, cruel world. Yes, there were many people who stopped by, offering their condolences… however, their sympathy leaves much to be desired.

“Y-You do remember that… Government used to be one of my worst subjects, right?” Lily continued on a weak laugh, this time to avert his attention elsewhere. “I thought you had trouble with it too? I am surprised you did not decide to go into… physical education.”
 
As Lily gave Josh a small smile, his eyes immediately took notice of the small dimple in her right cheek, which always brought a smile to his face. She was just too damn cute, leading his mind to briefly wander to a different reality in which he also stayed closer to home.

"Masquerade?" he laughed, shaking his head. "Lil, I'd say you're more knowledgeable on literature than nearly anyone who's ever taught in this school. And you should be writing! You're so good at it. You bailed me out of a bunch of assignments," he added, thinking back to when he would ask her to look over or even write (!) his papers. "The kids will be learning from the best, that's for sure."

Josh's smile faded as Lily mentioned looking after her sister. He couldn't imagine losing one parent, let alone two, and here was Lily trying to make it on her own as a teacher while balancing the responsibilities of being a big sister and essentially another mother figure. After getting to college, he lost contact with Lily thanks to constant practices, games, and lifting while trying to maintain a healthy GPA and a decent social life. Suddenly, he hated the fact that he never bothered to check in on her to see how she was doing. He hoped she didn't look down on him for that.

"Well, neither of us really tried in that class," Josh admitted. "I don't think anyone did. They thought I'd be better off just filling Coach Walker's shoes instead of reshuffling the staff, and I really wasn't in a position to demand anything."

Glancing over Lily's shoulder, he looked at the clock. "Guess I should probably let you go. I didn't think I'd be getting first day jitters, but here we are," he laughed. "What period is your lunch? Maybe we can eat and catch up some more then."
 
Amber-gold eyes glanced up, just for a laugh to bubble up before very long. As if to hide it, Lily brought her hand up to her mouth… but it was too late, and of course futile. “Yes, well… just because I helped you on some of your assignments… no, the majority of your assignments… does not mean I should be writing. It could just mean I was the best person available,” she could not resist retaliating.

“I… suppose you are right. I never cared to learn about politics, or economy, or… anything along those lines. I always found myself dreadfully bored.” Lily shuffled between her feet, about to indulge herself in the distraction of… sipping her hot tea, while it is still hot, only… he pointed out just how much time has gone by. “Oh. I did not realize…” Lily bit the corner of her lip, the pink flesh darkening from the abuse.

“Lunch? I have B block,” she went on to share. “I usually like to have lunch outside, so… if you have the same lunch period, how about we meet under our usual tree? I will even bring two chocolate milks,” Lily went on, nearly grinning from ear to ear. “I remember how you used to sweet-talk the cafeteria ladies into giving you an extra one. I do not want to hear a lecture about how I need to eat more, do you understand?” Lily twisted away from him while pointing a finger at him, as though to threaten him… but of course, it is not a real threat. Amusement sparkled in her eyes as a smile tugged at her lips.

Between one heartbeat and the next… Lily was gone. A subtle scent lingered in the air, however, of gardenia and something exotic, obviously the perfume she sprayed on before coming in. Lily’s footsteps echoed off the walls… fading as she went down the hallway.
 
"Teachers actually thought I could write, so I'd say you were more than just a warm body," Josh replied with a smile and a wink.

"Oh, you have B block too? Perfect!"

He gave Lily a warm, genuine smile as she suggested they sit outside under their tree. It was where they shared so much time together, and it was also the spot where they first kissed. And chocolate milk on top of it? Josh loved how she remembered a little detail like that. She was still as amazing as he remembered, filling him up with more regret that they couldn't work out the distance between them in their college years.

"Chocolate milk? Oh, you're the best, Lil," he said. He pretended to cower under the weight of her extended finger, all the while keeping a big, toothy grin on his face. "Well, I make no guarantees on lectures. I'll be doing that all morning, so it may just carry over to lunch," he teased.

"I can't wait." And with that, he caught one more hint of her intoxicating scent before she departed his room. After she was out of sight, he carried that big grin back to his desk. Maybe being home and teaching wouldn't be that bad after all.

The final few moments before the start of the day flew by, and as the first bell rang, Josh took a deep breath and went over his plans for the day. His heart began to beat a little faster in anticipation as the sounds of students making their ways through the halls got louder.
 
Uh oh. Hopefully Josh can refrain from lecturing her, because otherwise… she may very well leave him alone under the grand old oak they used to eat under all throughout high school.

Lily chuckled under her breath at the thought, just to slip into her own classroom.

As to be expected, posters of the classics are all over the walls. A line of windows offer a stunning view of the courtyard… though, more often than not, it serves to make students daydream. Up against the opposite wall is a small bookcase, which… she admits, she keeps some of the books she plans on reading at some point ready. Lily has a rare, quiet moment every once in a while, and she likes to take advantage of it by jumping into the written world between the pages.

Once she had settled behind her desk, Lily pulled out a few folders to look over the lesson plans she had put together over the past week or so. Nerves fluttered in her stomach unexpectedly. It was almost as though… she had eaten butterflies for breakfast, or something just as crazy and delusional.

“It is time,” she told herself on a laugh, closing one folder and lifting her head up, in order to greet the first students walking in. “Good morning!” Lily chirped, blissfully unaware of a few eyes lingering on her in a suggestive manner, from both young men and women alike. “How are you doing today?”

----------------

Meanwhile… Jasmine Miller strolled through the door of a certain classroom, hands buried in her pockets and a pair of headphones hidden discreetly under her hoodie. A lollipop stick can be seen sticking out from the corner of the young lady’s mouth. Jasmine -or Jazz, as she prefers to be known as- froze upon seeing her older brother sitting behind the desk instead of the old fart that’s usually there, just to groan.

“Right… I totally forgot you were back in town, and gonna be my teacher.” Jazz popped an earbud out before sinking into a desk not up front, or totally in the back, but in the middle -the perfect spot to hide behind somebody else. “Hey. How are you doin’?” It’s just common courtesy to ask, right?
 
Josh smiled when Jasmine stepped into the room. Upon seeing his sister's name on his first-period class roster, he began to work up this idea that sharing a classroom would be something cool that they'd be able to look back on fondly someday. He was looking forward to teaching her and seeing how much she had grown as a student.

And then she stopped, groaned and popped one of her earbuds out. "Right....I totally forgot you were back in town, and gonna be my teacher."

So much for that.

"Nice to see you too, Jazz."

For a moment, Josh forgot to deal with his sister's bratty behavior like a teacher instead of like an older brother. Luckily, no one was paying enough attention to notice the little back-and-forth. As the rest of the class filed in, Josh assembled his papers then stood up. "Good morning," he smiled at the students who received him more warmly than the girl sitting in the center of the room.

The bell to start class sounded, and Josh assumed the front of the room. "Morning, everyone, and welcome to Physics. I'm Mr. Miller." He began to count out syllabi before passing them down to the students, all the while waiting to see if anyone took note of his little joke. If nothing else, it was sure to draw a roll of the eyes from Jasmine, which may have been intentional to embarrass her.

"No, seriously, you're in the right place. This is U.S. Government, so everyone can relax." He gave a little laugh before beginning to dive into the class structure and what they'd be covering this year. After that, he began to take roll call.

"Jasmine Miller?" he announced, his green eyes looking directly at the young woman in the center of the room.
 
“Yeah. Uh-huh.” Jazz twirled a finger to portray a portion of the ‘enthusiasm’ she felt for this situation. More students filed into the classroom, one after the other, their footsteps and idle chit-chat disrupting the quiet that had fallen. It wasn’t long before the bell rang, and everybody settled down in their seats… a few a little reluctantly, others not so much.

Physics? Is he seriously cracking lame jokes on his first day? Lovely. Jazz rolled her eyes and sank down in her seat a little more, as if she’ll be able to hide that way.

How did she get so unlucky she ended up in U.S. Government with her brother teaching the class?

A hand ran through her hair, making several gold strands of hair stick up not just up on top but towards the back.

Lame. Jazz cracked open an eye, and after accepting the syllabus with a fake smile, proceeded to stuff it into her bag. It’s not like there’s going to be anything on it that she doesn’t already know. And… of course, Josh went on to take roll call shortly after the fact. A yawn threatening to bubble up, Jazz was just fixin’ to cover it with a hand when she heard her name called out… which brought every pair of eyes to shift over her way. Doesn’t it figure?

Jazz chose to take this opportunity to glare at her older brother. “Present,” she drawled, serving the acknowledgment with a heavy dose of sarcasm to go next to the irony. A scowl settling over her features, Jazz sank a bit more into her seat before pulling the hood of her jacket up, tilting her head to stuff an earbud back into her ear. Maybe if she closes her eyes and listens to her music, this class will end fast...
 
Josh nodded and marked Jasmine as present. As he lifted his head again to call for the next student, he noticed his sister shifting in her seat and pushing an earbud into her ear. He pretended not to notice and continued to do attendance. Once he was finished, he paused for a moment, then spoke.

"Look, I know this class is pretty much a blow-off class for seniors. I know I treated it as such. I'm sure this being your first class of the day doesn't help much, either. So while I'm willing to cut you all some slack at times, I do ask that you treat me with respect. Pay attention, or at least pretend like you are. That means no falling asleep, listening to music, texting or anything like that."

As his little speech concluded, Josh settled his eyes on his sister with a you know who I'm talking to glare. Hopefully, she'd get the hint and make this first period manageable. If she didn't, it was going to be quite a long year for the both of them.

"We're not going to get into too much today, since it's the first day of class. I just want to review some basic material and we'll call it a day. Maybe I'll give you some time at the end of the class to talk with each other or ask me questions."

With that, Josh began his first lecture as the U.S. Government teacher at Garrettsville High.
 
Jazz returned his glare with one of her own, making it a point to yank out one earbud at a time with a fierce scowl plastered all over her face. It looks like he’s going to make this year miserable; she can tell. Didn’t he just admit that U.S. Government isn’t a big deal for seniors? Maybe he should listen to himself and actually let them slack off, instead of insisting on teaching.

Using a hand to hold her head up, or else it’d fall on the desk out of pure boredom, Jazz let her eyes go out the window so she can daydream about being far… far away from these four walls. It’s just… It’s so aggravating. Josh gets hurt in college, and he didn’t even bother trying to call their parents or her, tell ‘em he’s coming back to his hometown or anything. Nope! He just decides everything on his own without sharing or nothing.

Really? Why is Jasmine being so disrespectful? Doesn’t she realize that the legend is teaching their class?! Kaylee Gilchrist used to watch all the football games when she was younger. An enthusiastic athlete herself, Josh Miller used to catch her eye in a way nobody else could… maybe it was his passion? It’s hard to tell. It’s a shame he couldn’t continue playing because of his injuries...

At the end of class, Kaylee stole the opportunity to hop up out of her seat and approach him. “Hi there, Mr. Miller,” she greeted with a big smile. “I’m sorry, but… my older brother used to play with you during high school. Ken? He was the defensive lineman.”

Does he remember Ken? Her? Maybe. It was a long time ago, now that she thinks about it...
 
Josh shook off the scowl and the heat coming from Jazz's seat and continued on his lecture. He had won the first little sibling battle between the two, but there was no way she was going to let him take the war that easily.

After concluding his first lecture, Josh returned to his desk to check his email and sneak in a little gameplanning before second period. Kaylee, one of the cuter students in the class, approached him.

"Hi, Kaylee. Oh! Kenny! Of course I remember him," Josh beamed, thinking back to the easygoing, hulking defensive lineman. Kenny was a good guy and one of the team captains along with Josh their senior year. "I had no idea he had a little sister, although I probably should've put it together. How's he doing?" he inquired, genuinely curious since he had fallen out of touch with most of his teammates following graduation.
 
Kaylee’s entire face lit up with a smile. In seconds, pink had invaded her somewhat tan skin… however, she managed to play it off as nothing and continue on with the conversation. “I wasn’t sure if you would,” she dared to say on a laugh, twirling a few pieces of brown around her fingers.

“Oh. Ken’s doing great. After graduation, he managed to get a sports scholarship. I think he’s studying to become a physical therapist,” Kaylee relayed, shuffling back and forth between her feet. Bright blue eyes glanced up at him through long, thick lashes.

“Let me think… I know he plans on marrying his high school sweetheart next year, too.” Kaylee let a shrug roll through her shoulders, but then put her hands on his desk… unintentionally offering him a great view of her breasts, fighting against the fabric of her shirt. “I just wanted to say I’m really sorry about what happened. My Dad watches the games, and… well, I’m just really sorry it had to happen to you. I liked watching you play a lot.”
 
Upon seeing Kaylee's wide smile, Josh met her with one of his own. Kaylee seemed like a bubbly girl, a stark contrast to his sister. At least there was one girl in first period he could rely on to keep his mornings from being too miserable.

"That's awesome to hear. Kinda wish I had a physical therapist right about now," Josh thought out loud while rubbing the back of his neck and chuckling.

His smile turned into a bit of a frown as she offered her condolences for how his football career turned out. "Well, that's awfully nice of you, Kaylee. And thank you. I had a blast playing here, but you have to make the best of it sometimes. I'm happy to be back here, teaching all of you and getting ready to coach the guys this season. It'll still be fun."

The word 'fun' dangled a bit in the air as Josh let his eyes drift down from Kaylee's face to her breasts, which she was perfectly displaying for him. Whether she was doing it to be a flirt or doing it unintentionally, it was still a pretty nice sight to see.

The bell rang to dismiss the class, and Josh sat up to address the class. "Alright, everyone! Have a good rest of the day and we'll see you tomorrow morning!" Turning back to Kaylee, he grinned. "Have a great day, Kaylee. It was nice talking to you."
 
“I know how that is.” Kaylee often gets sore after her swim meets, though it mostly depends on how miffed or motivated the coach is to ‘push them to their limit’. It was right about then that the bell rang, cutting their conversation short.

Kaylee leaned against his desk as he dismissed the rest of the class, just to return his grin with one of her own. “You too, Mr. Miller,” she couldn’t resist teasing. “It was nice talking to you.”

Oh. Wait. Kaylee paused before leaving him to deal with his next lesson, twirling back around to face him. “Ken showed me a few tricks last time he visited, since I get sore during my swim meets and after my volleyball practices. If you ever… find yourself sore, let me know. I’ll show you what he taught me.” Kaylee offered him another bright smile and strategically left him with that to consider.

“Huh. I didn’t realize you’d have a fan club so early in the school year,” Jazz huffed, pulling her hood up and over her head again. Most girls like to flaunt their natural beauty, catch the eye of any boy passing by… but Jazz knows for a fact she’s got nothing in comparison to other girls, so why bother?

Dark green eyes shifted over to focus on him. “Mom wants you over for dinner tonight. I think she’s upset because you didn’t tell her you were moving back.” A shrug rolling through her shoulders, Jazz left shortly after the fact, hands buried in her pockets and listening to her music again.
 
"Thank you, Kaylee."

Josh let his student's words resonate in his head for a moment. He had only taught one class and he already had one of the girls offering to show him some 'massage' tricks. He didn't have the heart to scold her for making a comment like that; instead, he filed it in the back of his head.

He always had a thing for volleyball girls.

"I didn't either. I also can't afford to lose my job in the first day," he laughed with a shrug to Jazz. He frowned upon hearing about his mother's insistence that he show up for dinner because he didn't announce his return home. It looked like he'd have to come up with a solid story as to why he didn't tell her anything. A surprise, perhaps?

"I'll be over at 6. See you later tonight," he said. "And cheer up...you're only here for one more year, Jazz."

Josh shook his head as Jazz left his room, then got his next set of syllabi ready to do the process all over again for second period.
 
“Six, huh? I’ll tell her.”

Jazz stole a glance over at him one last time, just to roll her eyes. “Yeah. Right.”

Hours went by smoothly, none of the students causing too much trouble on his first day teaching. A few recognized him from his high school years, others his name, because of how their parents talked about the football legend. Not only students didn’t know who he was, in one way or another.

It wasn’t until twelve that the bell rang, signaling the start of B lunch.

Lily smiled as her students clambered to get out and enjoy this hour free of homework assigned and lectures, getting her things together herself. “I need to stop by the cafeteria first…” Lily murmured to herself, bending down to retrieve her purse out from under her desk. “I know Josh would be sorely disappointed if I failed to show up without his precious chocolate milk.” A soft laugh swept through the emptying classroom.

Ten minutes later, Lily sat down underneath the old oak tree they used to meet at often during their adolescent years, gathering her hair off the back of her neck. It looks as though it is going to be another hot day…

A sigh leaving her lips, Lily went to fetch the apple she brought with her for lunch today, while also pulling out the book she chose early that morning to pass the time with.
 
Josh was relieved to hear the bell for B lunch. It had been a whirlwind morning, and he was looking forward to getting a few moments of relaxation under the oak tree with Lily.

He carried his bag with him out to the tree, already seeing Lily there. She was biting into an apple, and he wondered if that was all she going to eat. He had to remind himself not to lecture her.

"What a day," Josh sighed with a weary smile as he sat down beside her. He pulled his salad from his bag and began to eat. "So...Jazz is in my class. I have a feeling it's going to be a big back-and-forth with her all year."

He looked down toward her hip and spotted the chocolate milk, which immediately brought a smile to his face. "Ooh, you really did get me a chocolate milk," he laughed. While opening it, he continued to chuckle. "So you remember when Mark Davidson told that joke at lunch while I was drinking and milk came out of my nose? Very nearly ruined the stuff for me." He popped open the lid and began to drink the cool, chocolatey liquid. "Ahh...just as good as I remember."
 
A thick canopy of leaves in… all shades of green provided a small bit of relief from the heat threatening to suffocate them both, but a soft breeze did prove to be refreshing every now and then.

“Do I need to apologize ahead of time? Out of sympathy?” Lily could not resist teasing, playfully bumping her shoulder against his. “I remember how… Jasmine never was very…” A hand gestured, and yet… she could not find the right word, so she let it slide.

“Oh! I do remember! You kept making this face every time someone passed you a chocolate milk for two weeks after,” Lily chuckled, just to smile as he began to drink it. “Well. If that is the case… it is a good thing I persuaded the cafeteria ladies in giving me two.” In a smooth motion, she passed over the other one she was hiding.

Lily shifted over to lean against his side, bits and pieces of black teasing his shoulder. “Anyway. I happen to have a student who believes that ‘How to Kill a Mockingbird’ is an… informative instruction manual on how to shoot birds from the sky,” she decided to share on a sigh. “I asked everyone what their favorite classic is. I swear… it is moments like these that I truly have to wonder about future generations.” Lily closed her book between her palms, taking this opportunity to steal a sip of his chocolate milk.
 
"Ugh, I don't know if apologies are enough to save me," Josh sighed, bumping Lily's shoulder in return. He looked into her eyes as her words trailed off when trying to describe Jasmine. "Yeah, I think that about sums it up."

"Ooh, you're smoother than this milk," Josh joked as he accepted the second little bottle of chocolate milk. "They couldn't resist your sweetness, could they?"

Josh audibly groaned. "You're kidding, right? That's pretty sad. Of course, I had students that had to actually take notes on what the three branches of government are," he shrugged. It was nothing in comparison to the 'To Kill a Mockingbird' story, but it was still bad. "We may have been the last good generation, sadly."

As Lily took a sip of his chocolate milk, Josh began to feel like they were dating again. It seemed like everything was back to normal -- the way it should be. "So, busy afternoon too? I have seventh period off so I can head over to the locker room and get ready for practice."
 
“My-? Oh, please. No. I think the cafeteria ladies are just fawning over the ‘returning football prodigy’,” Lily replied in turn, though there was nothing she could do to hide the fact that she is blushing over his… shameless flattery.

Lily burst out laughing at his own story. “Are you serious? I never was very good at government, but I at least know that much. And… you may be right. We may be the last good generation.”

Pink touching her features, Lily lifted a hand to brush threads of black behind an ear. “Hm? Oh. I… actually happen to have seventh period free, myself. Do you want me to cheer you on from the sidelines? Just like old times?” Lily was smiling nearly from ear to ear as she bumped her shoulder against his again… only to linger there.
 
"Oh, my goodness, stop," Josh chuckled, thinking about the older women in their white aprons just oohing and ahhing about Josh's return to Garrettsville.

"You do, huh?" Josh asked. The similarity in their schedules made him believe that perhaps there was this...force...bringing them together again. "I'd love that. Just like old times."

He let his eyes fall upon Lily's and smiled widely. He wanted to lean in to kiss her right there, but it probably wouldn't be a good idea to kiss a colleague at lunch on your first day. "This is kinda crazy that we get to hang out with each other again, y'know?"
 
Lily smiled, the pink darkening over her nose and even going so far as to travel down the curve of her throat. It was not long until she began to nibble on her lip… but once she realized, she put a quick stop to that.

“It is,” she had no choice but to agree, because… well, it is true. “I am happy about it, though. You are… were… my best friend, so… it is very nice to have you back... “ Does he think of her that way still-?

Maybe. Maybe not. It has been a long time, after all. Lily shifted until she could rest her cheek against his shoulder, though her amber-gold eyes closed out of contentment. It is because of this new position that her red blouse tightened across her breasts… not to mention black threatened to hide half her face from view.
 
"You were...are...my best friend too. I'm glad that we can pick up right where we left off."

Josh shifted while Lily did the same. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, and he put his arm around her. Just like old times, indeed. Only the sound of the ringing bell interrupted their time together, and Josh really wished they had C lunch to share as well.

"You can't fall asleep yet," Josh teased. "We still have a half a day left. Come on, let's go."

He smiled and stood, then bent down to take her hands and help her to her feet so they could walk back to the building together. "So seventh period?"
 
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