“Would you mind if I hung out in the rec-room while y’all completed the lessons?” Thomas asked as we walked back into the main building from the atrium.

“Not at all, Thomas!” Isabella seemed excited as she turned to me. “As long as it’s okay with Sophia, though.” She pouted a bit. Is she trying to fan the flames of Thomas’ crush on me?

I look at Thomas, and he is looking at me with the biggest puppy-dog eyes. How could I say no? “Of course you can, but it means that you will have to hear our discussion about onomatopoeias.” 

I can’t help but giggle at the face he pulls when he hears the word onomatopoeias.

“Worth it!” He was practically skipping.

------

If I hadn’t just been in a four acre atrium, the rec-room would have blown my mind. We had made our way to the floor second from the top. Instead of the hallways that I normally encounter when getting off an elevator in this building, I am immediately met with the rec-room. There is a full basketball court in one part of the room and a wide variety of seating surrounded by whiteboard walls and cupboards in the other. It is a teacher’s dream, full of natural light from a wall of windows, clean, crisp, and inviting. Pinch me: is this a dream?

Isabella sees the awe in my face and giggles, grabbing my hand and leading me to the seating area. There is a long table with chairs. There are bar-stool height chairs, with a tall table. There are yoga mats and bean bags. There was plenty of whiteboard wall to fill with anything and everything. There was even some art already drawn on the wall. Who exactly are these people?

“Are you ready for onomatopoeias?” Isa’s eyes sparkled and she was practically jumping up and down in excitement.

“Here’s a little secret: I am always ready for onomatopoeias!”

Thomas had started off my wandering around the basketball court, but soon joined us at the table we were working at. Both seemed transfixed on every word that I said. I wish the students I tutor at home paid this much attention to me!

Home.

Where am I exactly?

I don’t have much time to think about it, as two eager faces pull me back to my lesson.

After about an hour and a half of lesson, I suggest that Isabella does something active. “I would play basketball with you, but…”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Thomas winked. “I am already prepared to beat Isa here at a game of HORSE!”

“You wish!” Isa laughed as she headed to a room by the courts. She disappeared for a quick moment and returned wearing gym clothes. “You ready to get beat, Thomas?”

She smirked and threw the ball at him. “Only in your dreams, Isa!”

We were all laughing as they both got on the court and stretched. After a bit of a warm up, which consisted of the stretches and a couple laps around the court, a very heated game of HORSE began, with me as a cheerleader for both.

------

As promised, Marcos came with a snack. It was perfect timing, as Isa had just finished changing back from her hour long duel with Thomas. Thomas won some rounds, but Isabella vested him overall. I have a feeling that she will be rubbing that in his face for a while.

We all sit and chat over the fresh fruit and vegetables that Marcos brought for the snack. Isabella recanted how she totally kicked Thomas’ butt at HORSE. Thomas tries to play it cool, but ultimately admits his defeat. I ask if the snack came from the atrium, and Marcos confirms. It was a nice break from studying and exercise.

“I hate to break up this lovely conversation, but Ms. Isa has to write a persuasive essay.” I wink. All seem a bit sad to break up the meeting. So I search for a compromise. “How about we all eat lunch again tomorrow?”

That brought their smiles back in a flash. “Yes,” Marcos nodded, “I have to go think about the menu then!”

Marcos bolted up, grabbed the tray he had brought, and headed towards the door. Turning back to us, he smiles: “It was great seeing you all again; I look forward to tomorrow!”

It was smiles all around. "Okay, I’ll let you work on your essay. I’ll just sit over here and read.”

Thomas got up and moved to a bean-bag chair, pulling a book from the shelf right next to it.

Isabella turned to me with a look of determination. “I will write the best persuasive essay you have ever seen!”

“I don’t doubt that, Hon. I do not doubt that at all.”