“Please, Isabelle, you have your bag and your files to carry. I’ll help you.”
We exit the building and walk across the gravel car park until we arrive at my old, beaten-up Ford Fiesta. Or Fifi, as I call her.
Yes, I name my car. What sociopath doesn't?
Retrieving my files from James, I add them to my bag in the back seat. “Thanks, James. I appreciate the help.”
“Anytime. I’ll always help you if you need.” His expression offers more than he’s saying on the surface, and a moment stretches as I imagine what else he could help me with. He clears his throat, snapping me out of it. “Apart from marking homework, which is all on you!”
I laugh and get into my car, smiling at him through the window before he casually walks away to a black Audi. I slump into the seat and sigh.
Today has been a day and a half! Not only taking in all the normal first-day information but also navigating whatever this is between me and James. It may be nothing, and I’m probably imagining it, but there seems to be a pull that he appears to feel as well.
Our plan is for me to shadow for the first couple of days to get to know the students before diving in and taking over, as much as I think I’m ready.
Alexandra Ravensbrook
Maybe this term will turn out to be a different sort of fun.
James greets me as I walk into the staffroom for my second day and holds up a mug in offering. I walk over to the kitchen area and gladly take the hot tea from his hands.
“Tea, two sugars, and a drop of milk,” he says as he adds sugar to his own mug.
“I’m impressed. How did you know?”
He leans back against the countertop, sipping his own drink, and shrugs. “I saw how you made your tea yesterday morning during our induction meeting.”
I’m speechless. No one has ever just noticed and remembered. Even my uni housemates took a couple of months to remember my tea order.
“Well, thank you. That's very observant of you,” I manage to croak out.
“I pay attention to the important things,” he laughs, his eyes crinkling up at the sides, and a slight dimple appears in his cheek. Once again I’m lost in those espresso eyes. “And there’s nothing more important than the first tea or coffee of the school day! Come on, let’s go. We’ve
Yes, Miss
got double music theory this morning, and you’re teaching it.”
“Whoa, what about shadowing?” I squeak, mortified at the sound of my own voice. Vic would be ashamed of me. Not very strong or independent of me.
“I’ll be there if you need me. You’ll be fine.”
The week goes fast once I'm thrown into the bustle of the teaching day, and as usual, the students try to take the piss out of the new teacher. But they soon realise I’ve been here before—literally in this classroom. The other teachers have been welcoming, though most have changed since I was here three years ago.
James is there to help and jump in if needed, but there are times I see him zone out, lost in his thoughts.
As the students file out for lunch, I see him sitting hunched at the desk, frowning down at his phone screen.
“James?” I ask tentatively, gently placing my hand on his forearm. It’s hard not to focus on how strong and firm he feels under his shirt. “Everything ok?”
He looks up from his phone screen, startled, like he thought he’d been alone. His eyes look flat and empty. “Sorry, Isabelle. Yes, all good, thanks.” He gives a tight, small smile that screams anything but ‘all good’. It feels
Alexandra Ravensbrook
like a stone has dropped into my stomach. The idea of him being unhappy makes me irrationally irritated. I want to see his smile again, and whatever he is frowning at on his phone has taken that light away.
I've no right to pry, but I hope he knows I'm here if he needs me. He was always there for me during my music exams. He’ll never know how much I needed that focus and support at that point, with everything going on with Matt, and I want to give him the same support.
“James, I'm here if you need anything, you know,” I offer softly, hoping he feels he can talk to me if he wants to.
