Kingston Elementary School
Kindergarten Music Class
"Settle down, kids!" Selena Scott shouted at the top of her lungs. The kids wouldn't settle down, they were insisting on her singing a song to them.
Selena sighed and walked to the side to pick a guitar. She came back to her seat and struck a single note. As the tone wafted through the noisy class, the kids began to quiet down. When the class finally became quiet, she smiled.
"What should I play?" She asked and the class became noisy once more. Amidst the noises, Selena sighted a few raised hands. She randomly pointed at a redhead girl at the back whose hands weren't raised. She was simply sitting in silence.
"Rachel," she smiled politely. "Have any ideas?"
Little Rachel stood up, her hands clutched tightly around the hem of her dress and she kept her gaze on the floor.
"Uh- I think the little lamb?" Rachel suggested shyly and everyone clapped.
Selena smiled and struck another cord. "Little Lamb it is. Prepare to be amazed…"
The kids sat down in silence, eagerly waiting for their class mistress to begin her performance.
Selena tuned her guitar and started to play. As she sang, the kids sang along with her, making the class even more melodious and lively.
When Selena finished singing, the kids gave her a round of applause and she bowed slightly and kept the guitar away.
The bell rang, signifying the end of another school day and the kids started to pick their bags before returning to their seats to wait for their parents.
"Tomorrow, we'll be talking about the different types of colors." She said and leaned on her table.
A boy raised his hand and Selena pointed at him. "Miss Scott, can we bring our colors?"
"Sure!" Selena replied. "You all can. That makes it even better."
One after the other, the kids began to leave with their parents until it was only Selena and a girl named Isabelle Reese Lancaster.
Bella, as she was called was waiting for her driver to come pick her up. Her Father didn't usually come to pick her up because he was always busy in the office.
Today, it seemed that the driver was going to be late. He has never been late before and this made Selena worried.
She stood up and took a seat Beside Bella.
"Hey,"
Bella smiled down at her. "Hi, Miss Selena."
"How are you?"
Bella's smile shattered into a frown and she sighed. "I just want to go home. Could you please call my driver?"
Selena smiled and nodded. She got her phone and returned to Bella's side. Since she already had the driver's number in her phone, she simply dialed but it didn't ring.
Selena frowned and redialed the number but it remained off. After a series of tries, she put the phone away and held Bella's hand with a smile.
"I could take you home, do you want that?" She asked with a small wink.
"No one would be home, only Ms. Johnson," Bella mumbled, shaking her head slowly. "And I don't like her."
Selena arched a brow. "Why?"
"She doesn't like me, either. I don't know why " Bella replied with a shrug.
Selena sighed. "Do I take you to Daddy's office?"
"That'd be nice, thank you, ma'am. But-" Bella paused and looked away. -"Can I go home with you? My driver could come and pick me up later."
Selena was stunned. She didn't expect such a request.
"Wouldn't your dad be mad at me for 'stealing' you?" She said, wiggling her brow to see Bella chuckle.
"Will you send a message to him to come and pick me up from your place when he closes?"
"Sure!" Selena said standing up and pulling Bella to her feet. "I'd do that on the road. Let's go home"
"Thank you, ma."
*****
Selena parked the car in front of the two-bedroom apartment she shared with her younger brother and opened the door for Bella.
"Thank you, ma'am," Bella said and got out of the car.
Selena smiled, wondering just how polite the little girl was. She seemed very polite and well-mannered.
Selena led the girl into the house and offered her a glass of warm milk and some cartoon to watch, before starting to prepare some noodles for their lunch.
When she finished, she dished out a decent amount for Bella and placed it on the table before the child.
"Do you like it?" She asked with a smile when Bella swallowed the first mouthful.
Bella nodded and scooped another mouthful. After she chewed and swallowed, she smiled and said, "It's very delicious, Miss Selena. Thank you."
Selena nodded and patted her head. She picked up her phone and left the kitchen to reach out to Bella's father.
*****
Timothy had just got off the phone with the housekeeper who told him that the young miss hadn't returned from school.
Seething with a burning rage, he continued to dial Drew, Bella's driver, whose phone was off.
At a loss of what to do, he picked up his keys and was about to leave the office and go to the school when his phone began to ring.
It was an unknown number and he didn't enjoy taking calls from unknown numbers. He didn't think twice before rejecting the call and tossing the phone into his pocket.
A few minutes later, as he rode the elevator, his phone rang once more and it was from the same number.
With a frown, Timothy pressed the receive button and placed the phone on his ear.
"Yes?" He didn't bother to hide his irritation or even sound polite. All he needed was to get his little girl from school, he would settle things with the driver later.
Selena hissed inaudibly. She was not pleased by how Timothy had responded. Yet, as a teacher, she had to overlook it.
"Hello," she said in her best voice. "Is this Bella Reese Lancaster's father?"
Timothy's ears perked up at his daughter's name and he cleared his throat. "Yes. Who are you?"