Hana Rivers had expected a quiet afternoon.
The house was mostly tidy in the way it always was when she thought she might have company but wasn't entirely sure. A few books were stacked unevenly on the coffee table. A mug sat in the sink, forgotten. She wore comfortable clothes rather than anything formal, her hair tied back loosely, her mind already drifting toward the list of things she still needed to do before evening.
When the doorbell rang, she assumed it would be one student at most. Maybe two.
She opened the door without preparation.
And froze.
Her first reaction was confusion, her eyes moving instinctively over the group gathered on her doorstep. Shoes shuffled awkwardly. Some students stood too close together, others hovered a step back, suddenly unsure of where to put their hands. Someone coughed. Someone else whispered something that sounded like, Is this okay?
Hana blinked once. Then again.
"You're all…" she started, then stopped, a laugh slipping out before she could control it. "You're all here?"
Noah grinned, rocking back on his heels. "Surprise."
She stared at them for another second, then laughed properly this time, one hand flying to her mouth. "I—what are you all doing here?"
Her gaze moved automatically, counting faces, recognizing each one, relief and disbelief tangling together. Then her eyes landed on Tyler.
She stilled.
For just a fraction of a second, the noise around her faded.
"…You came too?" she said quietly, the words slipping out before she could catch them.
Tyler met her gaze calmly. "Yes, ma'am."
Something tightened behind her ribs.
She stepped aside quickly, waving them in as if afraid they might vanish if she didn't act fast. "Come in. Come in. Don't just stand there."
The group spilled inside in an uncoordinated rush, shoes piling near the door, laughter breaking through nervousness now that the surprise had clearly succeeded. Someone nearly tripped over the mat. Another apologized too loudly. The living room filled with voices, energy bouncing off the walls in a way that felt both familiar and strange.
Hana closed the door behind them and leaned against it for half a second longer than necessary.
They're so tall, she thought, her eyes flicking over them again. When did that happen?
As she moved further into the room, her thoughts scrambled, overlapping in quick succession. Did I leave the bedroom door closed? Why did I wear this? I should have cleaned more. I should have cleaned less. Why are they all looking at me like that?
She cleared her throat, straightening instinctively, teacher reflex asserting itself. "You didn't have to do this, you know."
Noah shrugged. "We wanted to."
As Hana moved around the room, offering seats, gesturing awkwardly toward snacks she hadn't planned to serve yet, her thoughts brushed the surface of his awareness without warning.
This is embarrassing.
I look like a mess.
They're really here.
And beneath it all, softer, heavier:
These are my kids.
The realization made her chest ache.
Someone commented on the house, something light and complimentary. Hana smiled automatically, nodding, her attention divided between hosting and the quiet storm forming behind her composure. She had taught these students for years, guided them through spelling tests, scraped knees, failed quizzes, small victories that no one remembered but her.
Seeing them here, outside the classroom, stripped of desks and schedules, made everything feel suddenly fragile.
"You all found the place okay?" she asked, more to steady herself than to gather information.
Kai nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
Hana winced slightly. "You don't have to call me that today."
There was an awkward pause.
"…Miss Hana?" someone offered uncertainly.
She laughed again, softer this time. "That's fine."
The group settled gradually, some sitting on chairs, others on the floor, a few leaning against walls like they weren't sure how long they were allowed to stay. Tyler remained standing until Hana noticed and gestured him toward an empty seat.
"Please," she said. "Sit."
He did.
As she watched them talk among themselves, the room buzzing with overlapping conversations, Hana felt the weight of time settle fully. Six years. Almost her entire career so far. She had watched them grow from children who struggled to tie their shoes into people with opinions, plans, futures that stretched beyond her reach.
She laughed at something Noah said, then felt tears sting unexpectedly.
Oh no.
She turned quickly, pretending to adjust something on the shelf, but it was too late. Someone noticed.
"Are you okay?" a student asked, concern genuine.
Hana exhaled, shaking her head with a small smile. "I'm fine. Just… emotional."
There was no teasing. No awkwardness.
Just quiet understanding.
And for the first time that afternoon, Hana let herself feel it.
The house grew louder as the afternoon settled in.
The initial awkwardness faded, replaced by the familiar chaos Hana remembered from classrooms and school events. Conversations overlapped. Someone laughed too loudly. Someone else leaned back too far on a chair and was immediately told not to break anything. Hana moved between the kitchen and the living room, answering questions, waving off apologies, and reminding herself repeatedly that this was happening. They were really here.
Hana moved toward the shelf near the window as the students spread out, some sitting, some standing, some unsure where they were supposed to be allowed. Her movement wasn't intentional at first, more habit than decision, fingers brushing lightly against the spines of old notebooks stacked unevenly there.
"Oh," she said, noticing their attention, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I never moved these."
Kai leaned forward slightly. "Those look like… school notebooks."
"They are," Hana replied, lifting one absent-mindedly. The cover was worn, corners soft from years of handling. "Old lesson plans. Practice sheets. Some of your work too, actually."
That earned a reaction immediately.
"You kept our stuff?" Noah blurted out.
Hana laughed, a little embarrassed. "Not everything. But some things… I thought I might need them again."
Tyler watched quietly as she flipped through a few pages, her expression shifting in small, almost imperceptible ways. There was no regret there. Only familiarity. The kind that came from repetition and care layered over years.
On the wall near the kitchen entrance, a few faded drawings were taped up, clearly old enough that the colors had dulled. Someone pointed them out.
"Wait, I made that," Aria said, stepping closer. "That was in second grade."
Hana nodded. "You did. You insisted it stay up."
Aria laughed softly. "I forgot about that."
Tyler didn't miss the way Hana's thoughts surfaced briefly then, not words, just impressions. Classrooms don't disappear when you leave them. They just change shape.
At some point, Noah found himself standing near the coffee table, a plate balanced precariously in one hand, his mouth already half-full.
"So," he said suddenly, voice raised just enough to cut through the noise, "where is everyone going for middle school anyway?"
A few conversations trailed off. Someone set their plate down more carefully than before. Hana paused near the doorway, her hand resting lightly against the wall, listening without interrupting.
Chris answered first, as he usually did. "Central. My parents already decided."
Kai nodded beside him. "Same. Darsen Middle."
Noah grinned, clearly relieved to not be alone. "Obviously me too. Central gang."
A few people laughed.
Amaya spoke next, her voice gentle but certain. "I got into Darsen as well."
Eris shrugged, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. "Same."
"Central," Luna added easily.
Aria's eyes lit up as she spoke. "Me too. I'm really excited."
The energy shifted, a subtle buoyancy forming around the shared destination.
Then there was a pause.
Not an uncomfortable one. Just a gap.
Klein cleared his throat. "I'm going to Westbridge."
Layla nodded. "Northside."
The room adjusted around the new information, acknowledging it without comment. Someone nodded. Someone smiled politely.
Noah glanced around, then turned his head. "Tyler?"
Tyler met his gaze calmly. "Darsen Middle."
A flicker of relief crossed more than one face.
Hana listened to all of it, her expression unreadable at first. She didn't interrupt. She didn't correct. She let the conversation finish naturally, allowing the names and places to settle where they would.
When she finally spoke, her voice was steady. "Different schools don't mean different futures."
A few students looked toward her instinctively.
"It's not the place," she continued, her tone warm but sincere. "It's what you do there."
She paused, then smiled softly. "But I'm glad you're all walking somewhere."
Something in the room eased.
Layla clapped her hands suddenly. "Okay, serious moment over. Cake time."
That earned a cheer.
The conversation loosened again after the heavier talk, plates balanced on knees and the noise breaking back into smaller clusters.
"So," Kai said, nudging him lightly with his elbow, "how did the other matches go after that day."
Tyler looked at him. "What matches."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Don't pretend."
Noah grinned immediately. "Yeah, don't act innocent."
Tyler shrugged. "We won two. Lost one."
Chris, who had been half-listening from nearby, turned sharply. "Won what."
Noah straightened as if this were his cue. "Oh, you don't know." He pointed at Tyler with exaggerated importance. "This guy."
Several faces turned toward them.
"What about him," Klein asked.
Noah didn't miss a beat. "A few weeks ago, Kai and I were passing by the field near Central, and we see Tyler there. Not watching. Playing."
"Playing," Kai added calmly. "With seniors."
That earned immediate reactions.
"With seniors?" Layla repeated.
Amaya blinked. "Really?"
Chris stared at Tyler. "You play soccer?"
Tyler opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Sometimes."
Noah waved that off. "Sometimes. He scored. Against older guys."
Luna laughed softly. "You never said anything."
"I didn't think it mattered," Tyler replied.
Chris leaned forward, interest clearly sparked now. "Then why don't you play at school. Or join something."
Klein nodded. "Yeah, if you're that good."
Tyler shook his head. "I'm not that good."
"That's what everyone says," Chris shot back.
Noah crossed his arms smugly. "He's lying. He moved past two guys like it was nothing."
Tyler sighed quietly. "It was just a random game."
"But you enjoyed it," Kai said, watching him closely.
Tyler paused, then nodded. "Yeah."
Amaya smiled at that. "That's good thing."
Luna tilted her head. "You always look like you're thinking about something else. It's nice knowing you do normal stuff too."
Chris laughed. "Normal. Sure."
Layla glanced at Tyler. "So are you going to play more."
"Maybe," Tyler said honestly. "If it feels right."
There was a brief pause.
Eris stood a little apart from the group, watching Tyler quietly. Not curious. Not amused. Just attentive, as if filing the moment away rather than reacting to it.
Chris broke the silence first. "You're weird."
Tyler met his gaze calmly. "I know."
That earned a few laughs, and the conversation drifted on, the moment settling into something lighter than before.
The cake was brought out with less coordination than enthusiasm, candles wobbling slightly as someone tried to steady them. The singing that followed was off-beat and uneven, voices colliding in laughter halfway through. Hana pressed her hands together, eyes shining as she leaned forward to blow out the candles.
For a moment, she didn't move afterward.
Then she laughed and wiped at her eyes. "You're terrible singers."
Someone protested loudly. Someone else laughed harder.
Cake was cut. Plates were passed. Frosting ended up on fingers and, inevitably, someone's nose. Photos were taken, then retaken because someone blinked or someone else moved at the wrong time. Hana insisted on one last group picture, everyone squeezing together awkwardly, arms slung over shoulders, the camera barely capturing all of them at once.
As the noise settled into smaller pockets, Tyler found himself standing near the window, watching the light outside shift as evening approached. Hana appeared beside him without announcement.
"I'm really glad you came," she said quietly.
Tyler nodded. "I wanted to."
She studied him for a moment, then smiled. "Wherever you go next… don't disappear."
He didn't promise. He just nodded again.
Gradually, the party wound down. Students gathered their things, thanked Hana, promised to visit, promised to keep in touch. Some of the promises would hold. Others would fade gently with time.
At the door, Hana stood watching them leave, her smile steady even as her eyes softened. When Tyler stepped past her, she placed a hand briefly on his shoulder.
"Thank you," she said.
"For teaching us," he replied.
She laughed softly. "That was the easy part."
Outside, the evening air felt cooler. Tyler paused at the edge of the walkway, looking back once at the house filled with lingering laughter and memory.
The classroom no longer needed walls.
And somehow, that made letting go easier.