<h4>Chapter 67: Duck, Duck, Goose</h4> The sun shone brightly overhead, casting a golden hue across the school field where the children were gathered. It was time for Freya’s outdoor ss. Miss Cooper had momentarily stepped away to rest in the teachers’ room, leaving Mr. Ves Larkinson in charge of supervising the students during this yful session.


    Mr. Larkinson stood nearby with a warm smile, his hands loosely folded behind his back as he watched the children sit in a wide circle on the grass. Today’s game was Duck, Duck, Goose, and the excitement among the little ones was palpable.


    "Alright, everyone, let’s begin!" Mr. Larkinson announced cheerfully. "Damien Quinn will be the first ’farmer’. Let’s show him how it’s done."


    Damien, a lively boy with sandy blonde hair, stood up with a grin and began walking around the circle. As instructed, he gently tapped each child’s head and said, "Duck... duck... duck..." He made it around the entire circle but forgot to pick a "goose."


    The children looked confused, and Mr. Larkinson chuckled. "Damien, don’t forget! You have to pick someone as the ’goose’, and then you run!"


    Realizing his mistake, Damien nodded earnestly and tried again. This time, after tapping a few heads, he suddenly shouted, "Goose!", choosing Zachary Han.


    Zachary blinked in surprise, momentarily frozen in ce. Damien had already darted around the circle at full speed. With a little encouragement from Mr. Larkinson, Zachary jumped to his feet and chased Damien with all his might. But Damien was too quick and managed to sit down in Zachary’s spot just in time.


    Now it was Zachary’s turn to be the farmer. Giggling, he began his circle. "Duck... duck... duck..." Then, with a yful shout, he chose Jane Austen as the goose. Jane’s reflexes were sharp. She sprang up instantly and chased after Zachary. Before he could reach her seat, she tagged him on the back.


    Zachary sighed dramatically and remained the farmer. The next round, he chose Jason Reed as the goose. He picked up speed, racing with determination. This time, he made it to Jason’s seat first, making Jason the new farmer.


    By now, everyone had gotten the hang of the game. Laughter and squeals of joy filled the field.


    Jason circled the group and suddenly tapped Klein Moretti, calling "Goose!" Klein jumped up and chased Jason, but Jason managed to plop down in Klein’s ce just in time.


    Klein was next. He started walking, tapping heads and calling "duck" until he stopped in front of Freya and shouted, "Goose!"


    Freya, momentarily surprised, reacted a bitte. But she was fast... much faster than Klein expected. As she gained on him, Klein panicked and stumbled. With a yelp, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.


    Freya gasped and quickly leaned over him. "I’m so sorry! I didn’t touch you! Did it hurt?"


    Mr. Larkinson immediately rushed over and gently helped Klein to his feet. "Let’s take a look," he said, his tone calm and kind. He checked Klein for any injuries and, finding none, asked, "Does anything hurt?"


    "It hurt a little when I fell, but now it’s okay," Klein sniffled.


    "Then why were you crying?" Mr. Larkinson asked gently.


    Klein wiped his face and mumbled, "Because I lost to Freya..."


    Mr. Larkinson smiled kindly. "This game isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about having fun with your friends and learning to y together."


    Klein looked up at him with wide eyes. "Really?"


    "Yes, really. So, don’t cry. Just enjoy the game."


    "Okay," Klein nodded. "I won’t cry anymore."


    Mr. Larkinson pped his hands and addressed the ss. "Alright, kids. Remember to run safely... no rushing too fast. We don’t want anyone else falling. Freya, please return to your ce. Now, who wants to take Klein’s ce as the farmer?"


    "I do!" Irene Winters called out, raising her hand.


    "Great!" Mr. Larkinson smiled. "Klein, switch ces with Irene."


    The game continued with cheerful energy. Irene became the new farmer and quickly picked Tamara as the goose. Laughter erupted as Tamara chased Irene around the circle. The game went on until the lunch bell rang, and the children were led inside for their meal.


    The children were brought into a cozy dining room with arge table surrounded by 25 chairs. Each student found their seat and sat down in anticipation.


    Miss Cooper returned to supervise the lunchtime routine.


    "Students," she began, "ording to the information your parents provided, none of you have any food allergies. However, if you need nut-free, dairy-free, or gluten-free meals, please raise your hand now."


    No hands went up.


    "Very well," she continued. "Today’s lunch includes macaroni and cheese with broli and sweetcorn, a mixed sd with lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and grated carrot, a cup of semi-skimmed milk, and an apple. Please check your tray. If anything is missing, raise your hand."


    Again, no hands were raised.


    "The meals have been carefully prepared by our nutritionist," she exined. "You’re expected to finish everything on your te. You’ll have thirty minutes for lunch. If you finish early, you may go back to your desk and rest."


    The students began eating. The food was warm, fresh, and surprisingly tasty for a school meal. The macaroni cheese was creamy, and the sd was crisp and colorful. The children munched happily, chatting quietly among themselves. One by one, they finished their meals and made their way back to the ssroom.


    Back in the ssroom, the students took their seats as Miss Cooper prepared them for their post-lunch quiet time.


    "This is your thirty-minute rest period," she said softly. "I’ll draw the curtains and dim the lights. You must stay in your seat. If you need to use the toilet, do so quietly. You may rest your head on your desk. Please don’t disturb anyone."


    She pressed a switch, and the thick curtains slid into ce, darkening the room. Only a soft light remained on over Miss Cooper’s desk.


    Most students, ustomed to this routine,id their heads down without fuss. Freya looked around, then copied them. She crossed her arms on her desk and rested her head. Her thoughts wandered to home. She missed her room, her toys, and the warmth of her mother. But despite that longing, she felt proud of herself... she had made it through her first morning at school.


    After quiet time, a new teacher entered the room.


    "Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Ms. Odessa Devereux, yournguage teacher. You can call me Ms. Dev," she introduced herself with a warm smile. "Today, we’ll work on Phonics Reinforcement. That means we’ll learn how letters and sounds work together. But don’t worry... we’ll do it with fun stories!"


    She pped her hands gently. "Let’s begin with a little story. Repeat after me."


    She recited clearly, "A fish went on a trip. He got in a ship. The ship went swish. Then a ssh! The fish got wet!"


    She repeated the story, emphasizing each sound, then invited the students to try.


    Zachary was called first. He stumbled through a few lines, but Ms. Dev patiently corrected him. Then she turned to Freya.


    Freya repeated the story wlessly on her first attempt.


    "Excellent, Freya! Well done!" the teacher praised. Freya beamed with pride.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Eleanor stepped out of the elevator, ready to pick up Freya. She was surprised to find Ethan’s car already waiting.


    Ethan’s driver opened the door for her. Ethan, seated inside, looked up from hisptop and smiled.


    "Hop in. I thought it would be nice if Freya saw both of us pick her up from school together."


    Eleanor rolled her eyes but got into the car. "Fine. But I’m only here for Freya."


    The car headed toward the school.


    ***


    At dismissal, Freya walked hand-in-hand with Miss Cooper to the gate. Her eyes lit up as she spotted her father waiting just beyond the fence.


    "Daddy!" she squealed and ran forward,unching herself into Ethan’s arms.


    He caught her easily and gave her a tight hug.


    Together, they walked over to Miss Cooper to collect Freya’s schoolbag. Ethan thanked the teacher politely and turned to head to the car.


    Inside the vehicle, Eleanor was waiting. As soon as Freya climbed in and saw her mother, her face lit up again.


    "Mommy! ssmates are childish. But we had so much fun!"


    As the car pulled away from the school, Freya continued chatting animatedly, recounting every little detail of her day with sparkling enthusiasm.