THIS IS A REWRITE OF 'BEFORE I FALL'. PLEASE REVIEW :)
The music blaring from his daughter's room signalled that Poppy Mead was in fact awake, as the sound of her favourite pop band making it increasingly difficult for Chris to call up the stairs.
"Poppy, breakfast!" He called from the living area where he had been shoving the final books he had stayed up to mark last night in the box.
When Poppy's mum died in a freak accident last year when Poppy was 16 Chris had decided that the memories their town house held were too much and decided to relocate to a nicer part outside of Rochdale. Their apartment wasn't huge but it had been ideal for just the two of them, it meant Poppy had her own space and she was still relitevely close to her friends, Josh, Finn, Lauren and Sambuca who had unfortunatley passed away a month ago after being sick for some time.
"Dad!" Poppy's voice bellowed from her room. With the music still on Chris had it difficult to hear what his daughter was saying. "Have you seen my Chemistry file?"
Chris shook his head. He could swear that Poppy would lose her head if it wasn't attached to the rest of her body. "I collected them in, remember."
"Oh yeah." Her voice quietened as she appeared into the kitchen area. Making herself a bowl of cereal she jumped up onto the counter top.
"Poppy, off." He groaned as he shifted through the last minute arrangements for the AS Level exams that would be starting next week. "And go turn that music off will you."
The young Mead grumbled as she hit the floor with a thud and began making her way to her room at the other end of the apartment.
"You can leave the cereal bowl and that attidude here." Chris smirked. A sigh of satisifaction crossed his features as he heard Poppy turning the music off. Looking up to the clock Chris noticed the time and decided they had to leave otherwise they'd be late. "Poppy, hurry up. We've got to leave."
"Coming" Came the response.
"Morning all." Chris beamed as he entered the staff room, having dropped off the shed load of marking he had done last night in his class he had been keen to get a fresh cup of coffee.
"Someone's happy." Grantley grumbled from behind the racing paper.
Chris chose to ignore him and concentrated on making his coffee only looking up when he heard his close friend walk in. "Coffee, Tom?"
"Please." The English teacher said appreaciatevly.
As their children became closer so did the two teachers. Other than Mr Byrne it had only been Mr Clarkson she got on with but she had also been a really good friend to Josh. When he had been receiving all the rubbish from his peers Poppy had been the one to stand up for him, it wasn't out of the ordinary for Poppy to cause a scene but this time had clearly been an exception. From that day Josh had became one of Poppy's best friends.
"How's Josh with these exams?" Chris asked after a moment or two. AS Level's started next week which meant Josh, Poppy and their group of friends were about to start their final exams.
Tom shrugged. "He's doing alright, I think so anyway. Not had too much complaint." He said with a chuckle. "What about Poppy, she sailed through them last year."
Chris shook his head. He didn't really know in all honesty, Poppy wasn't someone who would divulge her feeling especially not to her Dad and sometimes that concerned Chris. But at this moment in time he was more worried that she was putting too much pressure on herself. "Just a little worried."
"She'll manage." Tom said. He had taught Poppy ever since she started here at Waterloo Road and he was pretty confident that she would sail through her exams.
"I just don't want her to think she's not doing me proud, you know?" Chris sighed. He was well aware that he was sounsing pretty harsh at this point but all he was doind was trying to look out for Poppy.
"I can keep an eye out though, just in case something is wrong." The English teacher offered.
"I'd appreaciate that." Chris quickly thanked him before moving towards the centre of the room where Mr Byrne had entered to brief the staff ready for the day ahead.
"And he what? Just kissed you after you commented on his bike?" Poppy chuckled as she listened to Lauren tell her the story about how one of the boys in their year had tried to make a move on her during the half term break. When Lauren grimaced Poppy shrieked with laughter.
Lauren Andrews rolled her eyes at her best friend. "I'm glad you found it funny. I wasn't flirting."
"What are you two giggling about over there?" Finn turned in his seat beside Josh. Finn Sharkey had a huge crush on Poppy Mead and he had done for a long time. When the two had been in the same class in another school, the school Mr Mead had gotten him kicked out of for setting fire to his car - he had asked the brunette to go out with him. She had said no and that having a boyfriend wasn't in her top priorities at the time.
"Oh you know," Poppy leaned forward. "Boys. Wanna join? Or would you rather sit there and look pretty?" Poppy chucked.
Finn shook his head. "I can sit pretty any time, you know me Mead."
"Good to know you think so highly of yourself." Poppy scoffed.
"Right. You lot. Get in here, open your textbooks to page 48. Prose entries." Mr Clarkson requested as he greeted his year 11 students. "Quieten down, please."
For a while, Josh and Finn had their own conversation going whilst Poppy sat doing work with Lauren on her left. She had been busy thinking when Finn's voice tore her away from her thoughts. "So are you coming then?"
"Coming where?" She asked confused.
"The party? Ronan's party?" Finn scoffed. "Are you then? Coming?"
"I promised Dad I'd stay home tonight." Poppy sighed. She hadn't really but she really didn't feel like going out tonight, she had so much work to do by next week.
"Pops..." Josh whined. "You're my best friend. I need you there."
Poppy nodded. "Fine. But I am not staying long."
"Finn, Josh, Poppy. Quiet, please." Mr Clarkson looked up from the essay he was marking as he heard the two call from across the tables.
"Sorry, sir." They mumbled.
Poppy arrived at Ronan's party just after 7. Explaining to her Dad that she would be hanging out with Josh he quickly agreed on the condition that she spent the next evening at home.
With natural beauty Poppy stood at 5ft4 in her heels and short skirt.
Finn noticed Poppy walk in. "MEAD! Over here! Didn't think you'd show up!" He said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"Of course I'd show." Poppy said as she rolled her eyes pushing Finn's arm away.
Before he could answer a voice interrupted. "Poppy! You're here!" Lauren Andrews squealed over the music that blasted through the house and greeting fellow classmates as they passed.
"Lauren! Like I'd miss this!" Poppy squealed over the music that blasted through the house and greeting fellow class mates as they passed. It wasn't long before the two best friends were dancing and accepting drinks left right and center.
"SHOTS!" The girls shouted in unison.
Tom Clarkson had wondered straight through the house, directing the drunk teenagers out as he did. "Right you lot, party's over."
He had found his son dancing with his group of friends which had consisted of Finn, Justin, Lauren and Poppy, they clearly hadn't realised that the music stopped and people had quickly dispersed when they saw Waterloo Road's favourite teacher turn up.
"Get in the car NOW!" Tom's voice bellowed towards the teenagers. Doing as they had been told they made their way to the teacher's car.
The journey took longer than Poppy Mead could hope as Tom Clarkson finally reached Finn's home. She had been the last stop. The silence was painful, now feeling the effects of the alcohol she had just consumed she really wished he would slow down.
"Come on you." Tom looked back to Poppy before turning towards his son. Josh. "And you, you're not staying in here."
Ushering the two teens up to the second floor apartment they had been met by an increasingly angry Chris Mead.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Chris said as he slammed the door behind them.
Poppy squinted her eyes as she lifted Josh's watch. "I believe" She slurred. "It's one thirty four, maybe forty three? The numbers are a little blurry."
Neither men could say anything as they just stared in pure shock at the two giggling teens.
Tom Clarkson shook his head. He used to have a lot of respect for Poppy Mead but he was quickly starting to lose it with her, especially if she was dragging his son down with her.
"Come on you." Tom said as he latched a hand around Josh' arm before turning to the increasingly angry Chris. "I'll take him home. I hope you have better luck with her."
"Yeah, me too. Thanks again Tom, for bringing her home." Chris said appreciatively.
"She's safe, that's what matters. Night, Chris." Tom waved bye as he left the Mead home.
Shutting the door behind Tom Clarkson, Chris turned to face his daughter. He didn't shout, he didn't need to, not yet anyway. Chris knew the pain of the hangover would be punishment enough but he would still be having words with Poppy in the morning.
"Come on, kitchen." Chris said as he moved towards his daughter who had her back slumped against the wall.
Chris had been sat in the living room marking some papers when he heard some movement across the apartment. Reaching for the remote he hit the info button, it was 5AM. Sighing Chris realised that it would be Poppy moving around and his suspicion was proven correctly when he heard the bathroom door slam shut.
The father, setting his work down made his way to the otherside of their home, he hadn't even reached the door when he heard Poppy empty her stomach contents into the toilet. "Poppy?" Chris' voice soft but clear enough so his daughter could hear him. "Darling, can I come in?"
He heard a mutter from his daughter, sounding similar to a 'come in' Chris entered the bathroom where he saw his daughter sprawled across the tiled floor, clinging to the toilet bowl.
Chris slid to his knees, reaching for his daughter's hair pulling it away from her face. "What's wrong Pops?" He asked immediately although it was clear it had been the effects of the alcohol, Chris found it a habit asking if his daughter was okay.
"Sick" She murmured painfully before she continued to throw up. "Stop." She muttered after stopping for a second. She sighed in relief when she thought the had finished. But no. She wasn't. Her body shivered as she continued to throw up.
Although Chris was tempted to read his daughter the riot act he decided not to, not yet anyway. "Are you done yet?" Chris tried to say as he rubbed a hand up and down Poppy's back softly.
"No. I'm done. I'm okay." She sighed.
Chris eventually coaxed Poppy up from the floor and after allowing her to rinse out her mouth he guided her towards the living room where she curled up into her father's side as he continued to mark the last remaining books.
He had hoped Poppy would fall asleep and the remaints of her hangover would begin to dissappear but when he looked down he noticed that she was wide awake. "You okay, hun?"
Poppy nodded.
"You gonna get ready for school? I have a meeting with Mr Byrne."
PLEASE REVIEW! AND LET ME KNOW OF ANY SUGGESTIONS! REMEMBER REVIEWS MEAN CHAPTERS!