Over the din of the train station, Davina Shackleton clearly heard her mobile going off in her pocket. It was the third call in five minutes and it was obvious who was calling. Even so, she pulled her mobile out of her coat pocket and looked at the display.
"Incoming call from Tom" the display read, in all its flashy glory. She hesitated for a second, knowing that she needed to do what she needed to do. Tom knew why she was leaving, the note explained it all. He had found the note, right? What if he was only calling to apologise and tell her that he'd booked a spot at that new burger restaurant off the high street? No...he had to have read the note. Otherwise he wouldn't have called so many times in such a short time span. She pressed her finger down on the END button and shut the phone off before putting it back in her pocket. She couldn't wimp out now and go back home to Tom. He was a great guy and all, but she couldn't spend the rest of her life in Rochdale wondering if he was or wasn't having an affair with Rose Kelly. She didn't think Tom was the type to have an affair, but things just weren't matching up. He'd given money to Rose out of their holiday fund behind her back, he was taking her to AA meetings (if that was even true) behind her back, and Rose had slapped him in front of the whole school because "she thought she could trust him."
Today was supposed to be her big day, now that she was a fully qualified teacher, and instead she was faced with a possible affair and leaving home. The whole school had been talking about it, when they should've been celebrating her achievement. God! How could Tom have been so thoughtless, doing all those things without ever bothering to tell her? It was like something Jack would've done. In fact, Jack had done it! He'd given out money like crazy behind her back so people would attend Waterloo Road, and now he was exiling himself out in Dubai. Davina couldn't believe that she'd had her first two adult relationships go sour in the span of two years. It was unbelievable!
As Davina stood in the middle of the train station, both hands gripped firmly on her luggage, she could only imagine what was going on back at the Clarkson household. Tom had probably shown the note to Donte and Chlo by now, and they were probably both trying to console Tom. What they must all think about her. Chlo had really warmed up to her, and now she'd up and abandoned them all. When word got around to Mika at uni, she'd probably be pleased. Mika never could stand her, since word got out that she'd slept with Brett Aspinall. And whatever was Karla going to think of her? She'd just helped Karla get back into the school choir and promised to help keep her on pitch, and now she was abandoning her as well. Davina wiped a hand across her face and sighed. Was she doing the right thing?
"Last call for the 4:15 to Liverpool! Last call!" Davina heard a conductor shouting from the edge of a train. Her train, to be exact. The words made her snap out of her funk and realise that she was about to miss the train that was taking her home. Home. The word didn't sound right in the context of Liverpool. Rochdale had been her home for so long, and now she was going back home to her parents in tears. Davina made sure that her luggage was firmly in hand as she raced over to the train and placed her ticket in the hand of the conductor.
"All right love? You look a bit frazzled." asked the conductor, giving Davina the once over.
"It's nothing. Nothing that matters." She stepped up onto the train and guided her way through the cars to her seat. She put her luggage up onto the rack and noticed that nobody else was sitting with her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips before she could give it a second thought. She didn't need anyone listening to the call she was about to place, or asking her why she looked so frazzled. She took the seat by the window and glanced out sadly. The train was already starting to roll off, and she could see the masses of people that were swarming around the platforms, bound to spread out across the country. Davina turned away from the window, unable to watch as Rochdale faded away behind the now fast moving train.
Davina pulled her mobile back out and switched it on. The display alerted her of 7 missed calls from Tom. She ignored the notice as she pulled up her contacts and scrolled down to Rachel's name. The phone rang for a second before Rachel's voice came over the line.
"Davina? Davina, where the hell are you? We were supposed to discuss your contract after school in my office." Rachel paused for a second, as if waiting for a response. "Do I hear a train? Davina, do you want the job or not? The board of governors approved a new member of staff and this is a great opportunity for you!" Rachel had switched over from sounding angry to sounding concerned. It figured. Rachel always did want what was best for everyone.
"Oh, Rachel..." Davina's voice cracked. "I'm sorry. I can't take the job. I'm going...I'm going home. To Liverpool. It's not your fault, I really did love Waterloo Road. It's Tom. I think he might be having an affair with Rose Kelly, and I can't stay there anymore. Please don't try to talk me out of it, please Rachel. I'm already on the train home and I don't think I could deal with you telling me I've made the wrong choice." She stopped talking, allowing for Rachel's response.
"Davina. I understand. I've had situations in my past where I had to do what was best for me. Don't worry about it. I'll make something up about why you couldn't take the job. Is there anything you want me to say in particular?"
"Tell Karla...tell Karla that she was my favourite student and I'm so proud of her and everything she's accomplished. Tell her that I didn't leave because of her and I'm so sorry that I couldn't stay to help her with choir. Give Karla my number and tell her that she can always contact me if she needs to." Davina was crying at this point, but she knew that the message would get to Karla.
"I'll get that message to her first thing tomorrow morning. Davina..." Rachel hesitated, her own voice barely cracking by this point. "If you need a reference or anything, you let me know. Goodbye, Davina." The line went dead.
Davina got up from her seat and went rushing off to the lavatory, where she locked the door and sobbed. Leaving Rochdale wasn't the best decision and she knew it, but she couldn't go back and face everything that'd gone wrong. Rochdale was behind her, along with almost everyone in it. She would start her life anew in Liverpool, get a job in teaching, do whatever it took to forget about Tom Clarkson, Jack Rimmer and Waterloo Road Comprehensive.