"Cool," she said, closing her notebook. The bell rang simultaneously, and Poppy blinked. "I guess I'll see you then."
"3:30," she agreed with a small smile before pulling her bag over her shoulder. She stepped out into the hallway, and hesitated before walking down the hallway towards the lab. She didn't particularly feel like going to lunch today.
Francis went to the soccer field with the rest of his group. Mixing with the football players would only start trouble.
Poppy's house was at the end on a long dirt road through the woods. Her dark red bug was parked outside a green house with white trim surrounded by various plants.
Francis stepped out of his sleek, black car. Luckily, he was able to drive again, this time hopefully more safely.
The door opened, and a golden retriever ran outside, tongue lolling. "Rye, stay," Poppy commanded as she stepped outside. The dog sat obediently, and Poppy crossed her arms, leaning against the door frame easily. "Hey, Craw," she said.
"Hm. Fine. Come on in," she said, turning to walk into the house, whistling lowly. Her dog stretched and followed her loyally after sniffing Francis' shoes innocently as he passed.
"I do," she said as they walked through a hallway. The house didn't have the feeling of being entirely settled in. It wasn't a childhood home. If Francis had to guess, they'd only been living there for a few months. "I only just got home myself, but I have most of it in the dining room." The dining room was painted blue, with a warm, oak table and sunflowers in the middle. There was a large block of clay, some precision blades, scissors, and some sheets of plastic. "Go ahead and sit down," she said. "I'll go get my bag."
The door creaked open, and a small girl walked in, no older than 6. She had tight, reddish brown curls cut in a pixie cut, and bright, warm brown eyes. She watched Francis inquisitively, cocking her head slightly.
