#free online courses for kids

[nileshpurpleturtle1]

The best Pre School for a good foundation in the early years is Purple Turtle Pre School

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[shoppurpleturtle]

Five Activities for kids to Play and Learn

cdn.shopify.com

To help your kids getting engaged in blissful work or to make them busy while you are preferring to work from home can be a full-time job in itself—this is the reason working parents find various ways to make their kids engaged and kids must learn must learn to find their own things to do. Kids would love daily to do something new and exciting, it just takes a little encouragement, training and proper guidance. When children constantly involve in these activities, they expand their interest and spend more time begin learning how to keep themselves busy also get involved.

Art & Craft Activities: - Make your child get involved in Art & craft activities, that will make them occupied for hours and also happy too. However, if it is to be done individually by children, make sure they should be able to do most of the setup and clean up by their own. So keep it simple and easy. For young toddlers do creativity that don't require cutting so to avoid any harm you can do the cutting in advance. For the youngest kids, it is best to allow them explore with coloring.

Reading Books/ Smart Books: - Reading is an independent activity, also it will help your child in getting a certain level of proficiency. However, there are many smart books that will engage kids of all ages and reading levels to guide them in learning new things, also in correct pronunciation and other related skills. Educational books for toddlers can be great way to promote brain development, social skills, pronunciation, vocabulary & in enhancing academic performance.

Educational & Knowledgeable Fun Games: - Nowadays everyone sector is going online, so education too is, so if you have a laptop or tablet available to your kids allow them during your work hours to play educational games, impart a little learning and fun at the same time. These games keep kids thinking and that keeps boredom at bay, so they will learn and have fun at the same time, also get knowledge with these fun activities rather watching TV or simply playing. To set a certain time limit in advance on electronic games, even educational ones because kids can find it hard to disengage from their screens. Kids need a wide variety of activities time to time to truly learn to play independently so too much time in front of a laptop or tab can run counter to what you are trying to accomplish and is harmful for them too.

Outdoor Games: - Take your child outside to have fun, play some creative games and activities along with your children make them feel comfortable and happy playing outside, don't make things complicated. Play some classic and fun games that don't require a lot of components and give proper time to your kid to listen and get involved in their activities.

Allot Household Chores: - Allot few household chores to make your child learn management and in enhancing their knowledge, (for ex. Allow your child to watering plants and teach them about plants, leaves, importance etc.) it is important for kids just to make them organized and to divert their mind. It is easy in a learning phase to teach kids & they will feel responsible in scheduling tasks by themselves. However allot proper time for everything so that they enjoy things and learn easily.

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[hob28]

Advanced C Programming: Mastering the Language

Introduction

Advanced C programming is essential for developers looking to deepen their understanding of the language and tackle complex programming challenges. While the basics of C provide a solid foundation, mastering advanced concepts can significantly enhance your ability to write efficient, high-performance code.

1. Overview of Advanced C Programming

Advanced C programming builds on the fundamentals, introducing concepts that enhance efficiency, performance, and code organization. This stage of learning empowers programmers to write more sophisticated applications and prepares them for roles that demand a high level of proficiency in C.

2. Pointers and Memory Management

Mastering pointers and dynamic memory management is crucial for advanced C programming, as they allow for efficient use of resources. Pointers enable direct access to memory locations, which is essential for tasks such as dynamic array allocation and manipulating data structures. Understanding how to allocate, reallocate, and free memory using functions like malloc, calloc, realloc, and free can help avoid memory leaks and ensure optimal resource management.

3. Data Structures in C

Understanding advanced data structures, such as linked lists, trees, and hash tables, is key to optimizing algorithms and managing data effectively. These structures allow developers to store and manipulate data in ways that improve performance and scalability. For example, linked lists provide flexibility in data storage, while binary trees enable efficient searching and sorting operations.

4. File Handling Techniques

Advanced file handling techniques enable developers to manipulate data efficiently, allowing for the creation of robust applications that interact with the file system. Mastering functions like fopen, fread, fwrite, and fclose helps you read from and write to files, handle binary data, and manage different file modes. Understanding error handling during file operations is also critical for building resilient applications.

5. Multithreading and Concurrency

Implementing multithreading and managing concurrency are essential skills for developing high-performance applications in C. Utilizing libraries such as POSIX threads (pthreads) allows you to create and manage multiple threads within a single process. This capability can significantly enhance the performance of I/O-bound or CPU-bound applications by enabling parallel processing.

6. Advanced C Standard Library Functions

Leveraging advanced functions from the C Standard Library can simplify complex tasks and improve code efficiency. Functions for string manipulation, mathematical computations, and memory management are just a few examples. Familiarizing yourself with these functions not only saves time but also helps you write cleaner, more efficient code.

7. Debugging and Optimization Techniques

Effective debugging and optimization techniques are critical for refining code and enhancing performance in advanced C programming. Tools like GDB (GNU Debugger) help track down bugs and analyze program behavior. Additionally, understanding compiler optimizations and using profiling tools can identify bottlenecks in your code, leading to improved performance.

8. Best Practices in Advanced C Programming

Following best practices in coding and project organization helps maintain readability and manageability of complex C programs. This includes using consistent naming conventions, modularizing code through functions and header files, and documenting your code thoroughly. Such practices not only make your code easier to understand but also facilitate collaboration with other developers.

9. Conclusion

By exploring advanced C programming concepts, developers can elevate their skills and create more efficient, powerful, and scalable applications. Mastering these topics not only enhances your technical capabilities but also opens doors to advanced roles in software development, systems programming, and beyond. Embrace the challenge of advanced C programming, and take your coding skills to new heights!

[the-carnival-of-time]

Wholesome story time

My family sucks and I don't talk to my aunts or their daughter because the aunt I'm related to, we doesn't get along right (she's nuts and I don't like my peace disturbed)

ANYWAY so my cousin right I love her we haven't talked since she was 6, she's 10 now.

She liked playing Animal Crossing and Pokemon on my 3DS. I guess she asked moms for Zelda for her birthday. So I had to talk to the aunt I don't like about what game to get her, and now she probably thinks we're on good terms 🙄 but whatever

I recommended Ocarina of Time or Skyward Sword since she's never played Zelda and TotK and BotW might be a bit much (and since TotK gave me a nightmare like)

But she wanted the big kid Zelda games and got TotK

And it's 11am and I eagerly await her texts about the shrines she can't get to on the great sky island 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

[razzek]

Man. My dudes. I used to think I knew what sleep problems were, what with having two sleep disorders and all, but jeebus. I miss those days. I'm so sleep deprived even I can see the shadows under my eyes in the mirror. Fell asleep for maybe an hour earlier, after hours of nodding off but not quite sleeping, only to startle awake into a panic attack for no reason except that hot flashes fuck with your brain. Did you know you can have depression nightmares? I didn't, but oh my god I would like to switch back to the pants shitting terror ones please.

Anyway I'm really fucking tired. Think I'm going to see about meeting with the sleep specialist again to see if there's anything to be done about all this. I don't think I'll survive four or five years like this if the past month of increasingly bad sleep is an ongoing trend.

[coursesandmethods]

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[sabacus02]

Best Training Classes for Kids in Ghaziabad

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[nileshpurpleturtle1]

The best Pre School for a good foundation in the early years is Purple Turtle Pre School

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[shoppurpleturtle]

Most read blogs on child development by Purple Turtle offer authentic and innovative tips.

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[hob28]

Marathi Typing for Students: Enhancing Skills for Academic and Professional Success

Introduction

In today's fast-paced digital world, mastering Marathi typing is increasingly becoming essential for students. Beyond just a skill, it opens doors to enhanced academic performance, better career opportunities, and improved personal efficiency. This blog explores why Marathi typing skills matter for students and how they can benefit from acquiring this valuable proficiency.

1. Importance of Marathi Typing Skills for Students

In educational settings where assignments, projects, and exams often require written communication, proficiency in Marathi typing becomes crucial. Being able to type efficiently in Marathi ensures that students can express their thoughts clearly and submit work promptly, contributing to their overall academic success.

2. Benefits of Learning Marathi Typing for Students

2.1 Academic Performance

Mastering Marathi typing significantly boosts academic performance by allowing students to complete tasks more quickly and accurately. This efficiency becomes particularly advantageous during exams or when deadlines are tight, giving students more time to focus on understanding and mastering the subject matter.

2.2 Career Readiness

For future career prospects, especially in Maharashtra and other Marathi-speaking regions, Marathi typing skills are invaluable. Many job roles require bilingual communication, and proficiency in Marathi typing enhances students' employability in fields such as administration, content creation, and customer service.

2.3 Personal Efficiency

Enhanced typing skills enable students to manage their study time more effectively. With faster typing speeds and fewer errors, they can accomplish more in less time, whether it's taking notes during lectures, researching online, or preparing reports and presentations.

3. Methods to Learn Marathi Typing for Students

3.1 Online Typing Courses

Online Marathi typing courses offer flexible learning options, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Platforms like TypingBaba and Lipikaar provide structured lessons and interactive exercises designed specifically for learners aiming to improve their typing proficiency in Marathi.

3.2 Typing Software and Apps

Dedicated typing software and applications provide engaging tools for students to practice Marathi typing. These tools often include typing games, speed tests, and progress tracking features, making learning both effective and enjoyable.

3.3 Classroom-Based Instruction

Some schools and educational institutions offer in-school typing classes or workshops. These classes provide a structured learning environment where students receive personalized guidance from instructors, helping them develop and refine their Marathi typing skills.

4. Tips for Students to Improve Marathi Typing Skills

4.1 Practice Regularly

Consistency is key to mastering Marathi typing. Students should dedicate regular practice sessions to build muscle memory and improve typing speed and accuracy gradually.

4.2 Focus on Accuracy

While speed is important, accuracy should not be compromised. Students should focus on typing correctly and minimizing errors, which helps in developing good typing habits.

4.3 Use Typing Games and Exercises

Engaging in typing games and exercises not only makes learning fun but also reinforces Marathi typing skills effectively. These interactive activities challenge students to improve their speed and accuracy while enjoying the learning process.

5. Resources and Tools for Students Learning Marathi Typing

5.1 Online Typing Platforms

Platforms like TypingBaba and Lipikaar offer comprehensive Marathi typing courses and practice modules. These platforms cater to students of all levels, providing a user-friendly interface and effective learning resources.

5.2 Typing Tutors and Courses

Specialized typing tutors and courses provide structured learning paths designed to enhance Marathi typing skills systematically. Students can benefit from modules that cover keyboard familiarity, typing techniques, and advanced typing exercises.

5.3 Typing Tests and Assessments

Regularly taking typing tests and assessments allows students to track their progress and identify areas for improvement. Many online platforms offer typing tests that simulate real-world typing scenarios, helping students gauge their typing speed, accuracy, and efficiency.

Conclusion

Acquiring Marathi typing skills equips students with a valuable asset that enhances their academic performance, career readiness, and personal efficiency. Whether pursuing higher education, preparing for future careers, or simply aiming to communicate effectively in Marathi, mastering typing skills is a worthwhile investment in their future success. Start learning Marathi typing today and unlock the potential for academic and professional growth.

[incorrectbatfam]

It's graduation season and you know imma ask for batfam grad hcs

• Alfred missed his graduation because he was called to the military and didn't celebrate until after he moved to Gotham

• Bruce's name was somehow the only one the announcer goofed

• Kate celebrated leaving West Point by sticking a really big knife in a cake

• Selina crashed a lot of grad parties of people who didn't like her

• Luke had so many honor cords he had to wear some as belts

• Bette was valedictorian and snuck a Bruce Wayne Is Batman joke into her speech

• Barbara's graduation party witnessed the first and only time the Commissioner tried to breakdance

• Helena celebrated getting her teaching license with the kids she tutored

• Dick did a backflip across the stage

• Steph ordered catering from Waffle House

• Harper dropped out but set up fireworks anyway for the hell of it

• Cullen went from the unconfident freshman trying to be invisible to openly wearing a rainbow stole as he got his diploma

• Tim also dropped out but took people's grad photos in exchange for free food

• Duke decorated multiple caps and kept switching them out during the ceremony

• Carrie covered her robe with enamel pins that jangled when she walked

• Damian only RSVPed for the pets

• Cass graduated an online course and the family surprised her with her favorite midnight patrol breakfast

• Jason secretly finished school and is waiting for the day he can go "well actually…" and pull out his degree knowledge

[inkskinned]

it is totally okay to be hurt and tired and fed up with the american schooling system but i need you to understand that we need to be better about loudly and routinely defending public education.

yes, many teachers suck, many schools utterly suck. i also got bullied and was absolutely not given the right support for my needs. i am not defending public education because it was kind to me. i am defending it because it needs to exist.

right-wing republicans do not want an educated population. they want kids to be homeschooled or in private school. there is a huge religious undertone to this.

the most common argument is that despite high costs, the "result" is not "good" enough. they point to failing schools as proof that public education is just never going to work out. there will be arguments made here that you actually agree with: that teachers can be bullies, that we taught online for 2 years and still charged the same amount of tuition, that we have no recourse for students to actually have agency or a voice, and that schools are now unsafe for kids due to risk of illness and gun violence.

these are all placing the blame in a fraudulent way, one intended to get your parents to homeschool you. the less kids in a school, the less federally-awarded funding for that school, the less any school succeeds. they will not mention the fact it is their legislation that takes away important funding opportunities, that teachers are living at or below the poverty line, that buildings are not kept up to code, that administration is overpaid and forces specific curriculums, that corporations like (my personal enemy) Pearson Education control certain classroom goals because teachers can't afford other options. they pretend to be ignorant of the gun violence and say "oh just get a gun" - but these are the same people who will be sending their child to a private school with a bulletproof backpack. they don't care if your kid dies, though. they "don't believe" in covid, but they did get their kid vaccinated, because of course they did.

it is a closed loop. conservative parents hear the fearmongering and remove children from the system. frequently these parents are also deeply religious. the kids are raised without access to other media & learn to parrot their parents. you have now created a new generation of conservatives. additionally, one of the parents/caregivers must stay home and homeschool the children, usually for free. i will give you 1 guess which parent tends to stay home to homeschool the children. these parents are encouraged to have many, many children. those children are most likely not getting access to safe sex ed.

we might laugh at fox news suggesting teachers are forcing children to use kitty litter but: first of all, there is kitty litter in the classroom. it's part of an emergency kit in case children are locked in due to a shooter. so that's fucking dystopian, and the fact they've completely reimagined the scenario to somehow make the teachers look bad when it's instead a fucking huge symbol of our failure as a country to protect our children.... it feels a little intentional.

secondly: don't just dismiss the situation. because, yeah, obviously, no teacher is encouraging kids to be a catboy. but the actual undertone that fox news is trying to sew is an outright distrust of teachers and of public education. they rely on the dehumanization of trans people as a common touchstone to hide the fact they're pushing two agendas at once. (which is ironic. because the thing they accuse teachers of. is pushing. an agenda.)

whenever someone tells you they want you to read less, you should be suspicious of that. when someone tries to separate you and your education, you should be suspicious of that. i don't even like incel rhetoric nor would i want my kids exposed to it - but i would not take away my child's (age-appropriate) access to the internet. i would just provide more educational materials, not less. the difference here is that i believe we can resolve ignorance with knowledge; whereas conservatives believe that ignorance is bliss.

they misappropriate funding and demonize teachers. they pull the same trick each time - the same thing we are seeing with anti-trans rhetoric. they do not want you to have access to safe sex ed, so they act horrified, claim sex ed teaches you how to thrust deep, claim that we have no idea what "age-appropriate" means. since the mid-nineties, the united states has spent at least 2 billion dollars on abstinence-only education, even though to quote the above link: "a preponderance of studies has found no effect of abstinence education at reducing adolescent pregnancy". conservatives want you to think less of any person struggling with addiction so they can continue their racist "war on drugs", so they spend up to $750 million dollars a year on the DARE program which has absolutely no effect. acting like teachers "must" be "grooming" children is just the same thing - so they can demand that funding either goes to their causes or the funding doesn't "exist" ("i'm not paying for our kids to learn that thing!")

and they want you to feel uncaring about this. they are aware that you will hate some parts of your school experience. pretty much everyone does. they want to lean into the parts that you hate so that you don't put up a fight about it when they take it away for not being "good enough."

i know i maybe sound like a conspiracy theorist. but truly. truly. it is beneficial for conservatives to reduce your faith in the american public schooling system.

one of the explicitly stated campaign promises of the conservative party: to axe the Department of Education in 2024.

i know we are all tired and burnt out and there is so much else wrong with their entire platform. but maybe just - pay attention to this one.

[soarrenbluejay]

Supervillains for a community. (Well, except those jerks over in Gotham, insular lot, but they’re they’re one problem) Of course they do- supervillains are a group defined by strong opinions and a willingness to see them through, often with a healthy dash of societal failures and trauma as a catalyst.

The fentons, while not active even on the online message boards, are well known and explosive when they do show up, full of fascinating insights and hours long rants on mad science on hair pin turns courtesy of that ADHD attention span. Bit of the cryptids you feel honored to bump into kind of deal. Besides, like a good quarter of the community as it aged, they’d settled down and had kids (not necessarily in that order) and taken it very seriously! Out in the middle of nowhere, where even the most fearsome government outpost members, the local branch of the IRS, quake before them in fear. Out of the way.

Reveal gone okay-ish, Danny moves to Gotham still to get some air bc now things are Akward and he landed that engineering scholarship which is loads better than any other college would give him with his track record. So- the mysterious Fenton children are finally crawling out of hiding! Everyone is psyched! And roll in to Gotham en masse to witness the fireworks!

Except Danny is Determined To Be Normal. He’s had enough of the throwing himself into harms way shit for a lifetime- he wants to be free to peacefully built Rube Goldberg machines and unintentional increasingly complex bombs to his hearts content. JAZZ, on the other hand- the coveted token Normal One, has finally snapped! She’s watched her baby brother she practically raised throw himself into danger over and over and could do nothing, and now that she’s exposed to this whole network of superheroes outside of small town Amnity, some of those uglier emotions are coming out. And boy is she pissed! And can’t afford to show it much while filing the paperwork to have Arkham legally razed to the ground!

See I love this idea of like, niches in superhero society. A villain the heroes know they can plop their kiddo down with for an exciting afternoon brawl while they take care of a particularly grisly case and come back to a few hours later ranting about some new life lesson and a new move they really want to try. A villain who has a functioning moral compass despite their somewhat batshit long term goal and you can contact to fuck with another villains’s plan so they can laugh at them and you can have an easy afternoon. One who pries up hostile architecture and fills in pot holes, idk man. Get creative here, there’s such potential!

So Jazz becomes a Training villain- someone the heroes know their sidekicks will walk away from in a fight 100% of the time, usually with some new lesson to ponder and only a couple of bruises. Sometimes even snacks!

She also absolutely ambushes mentors to check that they’re worth the kiddo, which they appreciate once they get over being jumped in a dark alley by a 7 foot Amazon trained force of nature. They are not used to being on that side of the jumping, it’s a little unnerving.

(Yes, she low key adopts Shazam upon checking in with him on cursory ‘is the main hero of this city and asshole’ checkin. Yes, the super clones get yoinked out from under Superman’s negligent thumb to go have a blast with Ellie. What about it?)

This however only encourages more assorted weirdos to crawl out of the woodwork. It’s not often one of their own forfeits their potential spot for the running of the coveted Most Normal I Swear prize, but when they do it’s bound to be good! But jazz is off hounding various heroes and punching the faces in of pedophiles and shit whenever there’s no cape within easy reach, and so is a mite bit harder to contact than Danny, who has innocently gotten an apprenticeship under a clockworker for access to their workshop and is gleefully going about doing nerdy shit with great abandon.

Plus this is Gotham. No one gives a shit if someone in the Mad Alchemist uniform and still smoking from their latest experiment pokes their head in a window to bother the local shrimp teen- none of the usual social rules apply, everyone’s crazy here! So everyone drops any and all attempts at masking and just acts their genuine unhinged selves, much to the alarm of the Bats and frustration of Danny.

Bc he cannot get these mfers to go. Away. Even liberal use of the creep stick has little effect when the interloper is calibrated for an opponent with super speed or laser vision or whatever, and he’s trying to maintain his guise as a Normal College Student Do No Investigate.

So he calls in the big guns. He’s not super active in the supervillain kids group chat ever since things in amnity calmed the fuck down post becoming King and then immediately using a loophole that says he will not take the throne until he is grown, as defined by finishing learning his trade a la the medieval standards Pariah set up. So he can just take his sweet ass time with his graduate degree and out of inter dimensional bull shit that much longer! Point is, he hasn’t taken the chance to rant over there in a while, so his Crazy friends are getting a lil worried.

The change to come over and shout at their batshit crazy but (mostly) well meaning parent AND see Danny? Score!

The bats, however, are getting awfully suspicious about this one kid that villains from all over the country are flocking to, especially young and upcoming ones as of recently! And he’s acting his engineering course- all the worst rogues are known to have flown through their PhD studies prior to Cracking. They seem to have a real problem on their hands with this Fenton guy.

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[cordeliawhohung]

the prowl - single dad! Price x teacher! stripper! Reader (fem) taglist

[6] parent-teacher conference

As it turns out, everyone wants to fuck school teachers. 

At least, that’s what Tinder would have you believe based on the depraved messages and unabashed debauchery sent your way. There’s something about you working with children that seems to get every man within a ten mile radius chubbed up and sending pure filth directly to your phone. It buzzes like you’re at work. Buzzes while you’re asleep. Either they’re very oddly religious about wanting a traditional wife who’s good with kids, or it’s something much worse. Some have been extremely brave about expressing wanting to play out a teacher and student porn scenario with you. Their ideas and thoughts make you shiver. 

You block and move on. 

Chrys was right about one thing though — it at least takes your mind off of John. When you’re not working at the school or the club, you spend your free time weeding through every single man within the city of London. Even if nothing comes of most of your interactions with them, you do find it fun. Sleuthing through profiles, seeing funny comments or weird ones that make you cringe. It passes the time. Allows you to do something that doesn’t expend too much energy: a commodity that’s in low supply for you these days. 

Things become different when you actually manage to score a date out of it. 

His name is Cameron, and he seemed nice enough online. Didn’t immediately express his wishes to bend you over or get upset at you for not messaging first. From what you can gather of him, he’s a curious nerd. One that didn’t trip any sort of blaring alarm in your head. True to his photos, you recognize him instantly at the tea shop he suggested meeting at. Freshly shaved skin reveals a tender jawline that mirrors his lanky form, and he offers you a lopsided smile as he waves you over to the table he’s perched himself at. 

Grinning, you stride up to the table with a grin. Your dress swishes around your legs as you saunter through air thick with caffeine and coffee. Your greeting is awkward, as is his. First dates, meeting strangers — none of it is exactly easy, yet you brush it off as you take the seat across from him. 

Cameron is cute until he opens his mouth. Online, he came off polite. A sweet man around your age who was capable of holding a good conversation. Now, you sit with your hands around an empty cup while his tea grows cold, tongue too busy dancing in his mouth to take a break and enjoy his drink. He speaks of things that you are too stupid to understand; at least, that’s what his tone attempts to convince you. Day trading, American stock markets, entrepreneurship — brags about the income he makes without having to lift a finger. Some tirade meant to impress you, when it couldn’t be any more off putting. 

There’s very little to be believed in his story, considering every article of clothing he wears is nothing but knock-off brands, but there are parts of it that still sting. Even if he made the same amount of money that you do, you’re having to work ten times harder. Wrangling students, shaking your ass on a stage — it’s impossible for him to know your woes, and still, it’s nothing but salt in the wound.

You’re too polite for your own good. Smiling and nodding along with him. Hardly able to get any words out of your mouth. You begin to wonder if he went on this date in search of a partner, or just to force you to watch him as he strokes his own ego. 

It’s a breath of fresh air when he leaves. Says he has some meeting to go to. Online, of course, but he’s got to look presentable for the video call. There’s a promise of a second date — one you don’t intend on keeping — and you’re left alone with an empty cup and fried brain as the tea shop continues to bustle around you. How lucky those walls are to not feel your pain. 

This wasn’t how you wanted to spend your early release Friday; and you still have to work at the club tonight if you want to make rent for the month. Speaking to a man who would hardly allow you get two words in is exhausting in more ways than one. Smiling and nodding along as if his rambling isn’t going straight through your lethargic mind. As a teacher, active listening has always been your strong suit — you’re just beginning to wonder when you won’t have to work and perform when around others. 

A caffeine high hits you full force. Jittery fingers, a racing heart; you ask the barista for a cup of water before taking your own leave. Maybe you can attempt to flush the rush out of your system before you have to get ready for work a second time today. Head down and mind in the clouds, you book it to the exit as you attempt to outline the rest of your evening. 

But you should know by now that things never go the way you plan them. 

Plastic clatters to the pavement as your dainty water cup sloshes all over the cream colored dress shirt in front of you. It soaks into the cotton, darkening the fabric as it spreads like capillaries transporting blood. You gasp, hands flying up to your mouth to hold back a curse as your ankles receive some of its mist. Of course you hardly made it out of the damn building before ruining something. 

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” you spew out. “I didn’t see you, here let me-” 

Your voice falters when your eyes finally focus on the face of this stranger whose day you’ve ruined. 

Fuck. 

“Mr. Price, I’m so, so sorry.” 

He’s grimacing. Fresh, algid water has his pecks tensing — you try not to take note of his hardened nipples peeking through the fabric — but still, he chuckles. It’s horace; strained as he keeps wild emotions in check from an unwelcome surprise. Had your cup been any larger, it would have soaked his trousers. As you’re mentally cursing yourself, John finally manages a smile. 

“Just John is fine, Miss Lolly,” he reminds you. 

Guilt eats you alive — burrows little holes until your very core is exposed like a worm infested apple. You follow him inside the shop, gathering as many napkins and towels as the staff will allow before helping to pat him dry. Apologies flow from your mouth on a caffeine driven anxiety attack, and it doesn’t stop until his shirt is half dry. 

“Out of all the things you could have poured on me, I do appreciate that it was only water,” John humors. 

It’s enough to get a laugh out of you. Strained, and still embarrassed, but you’re both able to relax after the trepidation quells and wanes. To make it up to him, you offer to pay for his lunch, something he quickly declines in favor of asking you to stay with him for the meal instead. Explains he wanted to get out of the office for lunch, but he hates sitting in public places alone. Makes his skin itch ‘being around so many strangers.’ 

But aren’t you a stranger, too? A woman he hardly knows? Just the teacher of his child? 

Despite the alarm bells ringing in your mind, you stupidly agree. 

Nothing wrong with an impromptu student-teacher conference. 

John retrieves a fresh water cup for you as he gets his food and tea, and you accept it with the promise that you won’t pour it on him this time. He’s chosen a small, intimate table shoved in the furthest corner of the shop where wary, blue eyes flitter between you and the entrance. Still, despite his odd — and rather endearing — anxiety in crowded places, he gives you more attention than Cameron could ever care to give. 

Mouth full of food, John lets you do most of the talking. It’s easy. Natural. Something already practiced and performed before. Except this time, you’re not nestled against his side. Not bathing in his scent with his arm around your shoulders, holding you close. Not half naked, cuddled up together on a couch. No, this time you get to see every little expression. Every slight simper that pulls at his lips as you speak, or the way his eyes glue to the features of your face as you giggle. 

This time, you get to speak as Miss Lolly. 

Each question you attempt to throw John’s way is met with careful sidestepping or ambiguous answers, but you’re able to pull some things free from his mouth. He works as a team lead for some company across the street, and this shop is his favorite place to get lunch. On the weekends, he’ll take Amelia here sometimes. She gets hot chocolate in the winter, and a strawberry smoothie in the warmer months. If weather permits, they’ll go to the park at the end of the block. She begs him to spin her on the mary-go-round, or push her on the swings. He speaks of Amelia like she’s his whole world. The fabric of his reality. The glue that holds him together. 

“How is Amelia enjoying her early release day?” you ask, prompting him further. Your water cup is drained; fully in your system. It’s done nothing to quell your caffeinated nerves. John’s presence alone is too electrifying — it makes the dithery cells rattle in the back of your brain. 

“Oh, she loves it,” John chuckles as he wipes his mouth with a napkin. “Loves any day she gets to spend with Grandma Diana.” 

Grinning, you lean forward, chin resting on your hand. “Sounds like it. If I remember correctly, it seemed like last time they went to the pool together.” 

“They did. She was jumpin’ off the kiddy diving board and everything,” John nods wistfully. 

“Awe, brave girl. That’s so sweet of her. Your mother, I mean. Taking her out to do things like that.” 

A silence heavily laced with nothing but the gauche twisting of your stomach stretches between you and John. His expression doesn’t change. Neither do his movements, nor his eyes, but the air is heavy. Too thick for you to properly draw between your teeth. 

“Diana is Amelia’s maternal grandmother,” he corrects. “She helps watch her on the days I’m at work or to take her out on weekend excursions. She’s been a great help since Amelia’s mother… well, left…” 

John leans back in his chair, hips sliding along the wooden seat. While the sight of him like that would usually make your mouth water, with shoulders spread wide as thick fingers tap against the table, you find your throat closing in on itself. 

“I’m… I’m so sorry,” you whisper. You feel like a broken record. 

He offers you a tight lipped smile as he shakes his head. “Don’t be. I’ve been meaning to mention this to you for some time, really. Not my own issues, but rather Amelia’s. She’s getting rather self conscious about it, especially at school. She was fine with it being just her and I for a long time, but with the way kids at school talk about their families… She thinks she’s missing out on something. Not having a mum.” 

John’s laugh is breathy as he looks away from you. He stares a hole in the center of the table like his gaze alone will ignite a fire in the cellulose of the wood. “You’re the best teacher she’s ever had. Going the extra mile for her the way you do. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I hate to ask more of you, but it would mean a lot to me if you could keep an eye on her.” 

“Of course.” Your reply is quick. Bursts free from your lips as a half formed idea. “Of course, I’d do anything.” 

His smile is as quiet as his gratitude, and you find yourself breathless as he looks back up at you. Those blue eyes bore into you, peeling back all your layers — skin and tendon and bone until you’re nothing but the important parts. The vital ones. Arteries, heart, and brain; his gaze sears you until it heats up the words struggling in your throat. 

“You’re a kind man, Mr. Price.” You swallow the regret already festering in your stomach before you continue. “A good father.” 

John’s titter is quickly smothered by a hum as he smooths down the thick facial hair that lines his mouth. “I try to be.”

By the time his lunch is over, John’s shirt has completely dried and your nerves have quelled from the raging tempest they had been after your failed date with Cameron. You’ve already forgotten all about him and his blabbering in favor of focusing on the man in front of you. His presence demands attention as he cuts through the shop, weaving through the dying afternoon rush as you trot along behind him. He holds the exit open for you with a smile, forearms flexing through the thin fabric of his shirt, and you try not to gawk as you cross the threshold. 

With autumn around the corner, the wind carries a quiet, icy chill with it that tugs at the fabric of your clothes and the strands of your hair. Closing your eyes, you breathe in the change. The whispering smell of freshly decaying leaves still holding on to their homes. The withering branches that send them off before they’re ready. Before their work is finished. Like a bird kicking their children from the nest. Wings flapping around flippantly before crashing on the pavement that haunts the roots of the tree they grew up on. The season of change — one that means more work. 

“Careful, darling.” 

Warmth seeps into your waist as you’re firmly tugged to the side. Your feet stumble, arms coming up to rest on the chest at your side, and suddenly you’re overwhelmed with that sillage again. That spice and warmth that haunts the drawer in your desk — the same scent that clings to John like it’s known no other master. He corrals you away from the doorway like a dog herding livestock, hand still firmly on your waist as the couple attempting to enter the building can now do so without you in their way. They offer you polite smiles, glancing between you and John with a glint in their eye that you’re not sure you like. 

“Let’s not have you run into anyone else today,” John humors. 

All you can do is sputter thank yous and apologies as he releases you. Embarrassment burns a hole through your stomach to the point you’re certain the pit will be transparent soon enough. He tilts his head to the side as you laugh uneasily. Like he’s reading you. Watching that hole form right before his very eyes. If he reached out, he could move through you, hand punching right through your stomach, and there would be no blood to show for it. 

Right when you think he’s got you figured out — can see the small specks of glitter that can never wash free from your skin — he hums. Blue eyes look out across the street at the building demanding his return, before looking back at you with a nod. 

“See you Monday, Miss Lolly.” 

That John Price; always keeping you on your toes. 

“See you Monday, John.”