Tom pulled up into the sea of black, red and yellow. Beeping, signalling the students to move out of his way as he tried to get to the parking lot. The students filled into the hall for the termly welcome back speech. The new girls sat nervously at the front not daring to even whisper to the person sitting next to them, while the older ones shouted and threw things across the hall completely defiant of the rules and school authority. A plain black car pulled up outside the school, a girl stepped out who looked like she was much too old to be at school, she looked at least 21. She was wearing a black skirt which barely skimmed her thighs paired with long black socks and small black heels, she had a white shirt that buttoned up just enough to be decent and a tie with a tight black jumper over the top. She had long blonde hair that curled elegantly down her shoulders, she had big blue eyes framed with eyeliner and mascara. She walked into reception and waited for the Head to come for a meeting. The bell went and the hall doors flew open releasing the school onto the unsuspecting newcomer. The girls gave her dirty looks while the boys shouted chat up lines to her, the seats on either side of her soon became occupied
"So what brings you here?" Asked a boy next to her
"Fancy coming to mine tonight?" Asked a boy in front of her
"Oi shove off Bolton, she don't want to go out with you"
"How would you know Kelly, don't think she's interested in boys?" The boy next to her stood up and pushed Bolton across the corridor just as the teachers filled out.
"Hey you two! Cooler now!" Shouted a man in his late forties as he escorted the two now angry looking boys down yet another corridor. The teachers looked at the new girl with interest as the milled to their respective classrooms, until only one was left.
"Hi, I'm Rachael Mason, the head teacher you must be Annabelle Lee"
"Just Anna for short Miss" She said with a smile. She followed the teacher into her office and after she signed some forms, and received her timetable Rachael walked to her to her first lesson. English.
"Mr Clarkson. This is Anna, she'll be joining the class, can I see you outside?" Anna walked in, smiled at Tom and took the only spare seat available, in the front row in the corner.
"Rachael, it's too late in the year to be adding in new students now" Tom said with his arms crossed slightly annoyed at her
"Tom listen, she's brilliant. She's taking 6 A levels here, and she's up to speed with everything, she was originally home schooled before she persuaded her parents to move her into mainstream"
"You owe me Rachael" He said with a sigh and walked back to the room. An hour later the bell went and Anna pulled out her timetable, Second period English language with Mr Clarkson.
"You know" He said, walking towards her and leaning back against the desk in front of her "It's customary here to leave the lesson when the bell goes" He smiled
"O, I would, but… erm… I have you for English next… I think" she replied blushing slightly, he took the timetable from her and furrowed his brow
"Jesus, are you a genius or something?" He asked her smiling "All these subjects, my Chlo has trouble with just the 3"
"O, you have a daughter? You don't look old enough"
"No, Step"
"Married?"
"No"
O, o…k" She replied, a look of confusion covering her beautiful feature's
"Long story, I was engaged to their mother, but she died last year, so now I look after the girls. The oldest, Mikka, She's at university now" He told her, evidently proud of their accomplishments
"O, I'm sorry Mr Clarkson, you're a good man, I know a lot of people who wouldn't do that" She told him with sincerity
"Anna, That's very nice of you to say. Thank you" He said with a smile and glint in his eye. The two swapped small talk, he asked about her previous learning, and what she thought of the school, and he told her about his daughter, who was in her year. The class filed in including the 2 boys from earlier, each shoving each other out the way for the seat next to her. Bolton won and looked pretty pleased with himself, before the other one, called Kelly picked up and chair and sat in front of her.
"Hey, Earl. Get out of my classroom!" Shouted Tom
"Chill out sir, just getting to know the new girl" He said with a malicious glint in his eye
"You shouldn't be doing that" Said a girl from the back "Your with Maxine"
"Shut up Janeece" shouted Earl
"Kelly!" Yelled Tom "Out!" He dropped his head and picked up his bag
"Later gorgeous" He whispered in her ear as he lent over
"Now!" He slammed the door behind Earl and got on with the rest of lesson. Throughout the lesson Bolton had been trying to chat her up like crazy, but she really wasn't interested, the other boys had been eyeing her up but hadn't said anything, she took this to mean that Bolton and Earl were the popular guys, or everyone else was scared at them. She knew the history of the school, stabbings, shootings, fires. This place had had them all. She liked Tom, he was ruggedly good looking, his hair sticking up slightly and day old stubble on his face, his shirt sleeves were rolled up showing his toned forearms.
"Ok, you can go" Anna packed up her things and walked towards the door with Bolton hot on her tail, Tom reached out to hold her arm back, as his hand touched hers she felt a jolt go through her, she jumped slightly
"Anna, can you stay behind for a minute" She nodded her head and walked with him to his desk, Bolton lingered by the door. "Bolton, I don't bite, she doesn't need a bodyguard. Miss Korehi's looking for you"
"Man, she always is" He said as he slouched out the room looking back towards Anna
"I… I wanted to warn you about Mr Kelly" He said quickly
"That's very unprofessional of you sir" He sighed and looked down, don't worry I'm only kidding she said laying her hand on his arm, he looked open just as the door swung open to reveal Chlo
"Tom, I've been looking all o…" She stopped and stared at this new student, with her hand on tom, he looked down and quickly moved his arm out from underneath her hand
"Ah Chlo. I was just warning Anna here about Mr Kelly" She nodded in agreement
"Yeah, not that you would. He's with Max, and a year 11" She said turning up her nose
"Well Chlo, this is Anna, She's new. Thought you could show her around, you know help her settle in?" He asked her hopefully
"Yeah sure." She said with a smile, I was just going to the common room" The two girls left talking to each other and Tom practically ran to the toilets. He ran a sink of cold water and shoved it over his face sighing.
"That bad eh?" Said Eddie, coming into the room
"O… just had to argue Kelly out of my classroom"
"He's not in your class Tom" Said Eddie, slightly confused
"Yeah I know" He replied "But that new girl Anna is"
"Ahhh" He marvelled as if it all made sense "Young love ey" He said as Tom walked out. This wasn't the reason Tom just threw freezing cold water over his face. It was the new girl, she was perfectly beautiful, she was intelligent, funny, drop dead gorgeous and friendly, the minute he saw her he knew he was attracted to her. Why did she have to be his student? He slowly walked to the staff room and slumped into a corner making himself a large black coffee.
Chlo guided Anna to the common room, they chatted about their subjects and Chlo advised on Anna on the tough teachers and the lenient ones, on the people to avoid and the ones to chat to. Along the way they were the target of a few cat calls until a boy showed up and slung his arm around Chlo
"This is Donte my… fiancé" She said with a smile
"Wow, your engaged, but your so young" Anna said amazed at the fact
"Well we're married" Explained Donte "But we want to do it again, proper" Donte pushed open the door and held it for the girls, people stared as they watched Chlo take the new girl to where her group sat. She was greeted by Janeece, the girl from English, and then Maxine, Earl's girlfriend. She was quite off with Anna, probably because of Janeece told her about Earl's fascination with Anna, even though Ana wasn't interested. Then there was Bolton, and the head boy and girl. Flick and Marley. They all seemed quite nice even if Janeece gave her bitchy looks every time Bolton hot on her, and Maxine was still acting quite frosty with her, it looked like she had found her place.