It was the start of a new term and Dr Caroline Elliott smiled as she walked down the corridor towards her office. She loved to be the first to arrive at school and she revelled in the quietness of the halls. Her stiletto heels cut through the silence, echoing on the black and white tiled floor and she tossed her head, flicking her hair off her face.

She stood outside the door to her suite of offices and paused momentarily, her hand hovering above the door handle. Looking up and down the corridor one last time, she swept into the office and stood facing her secretary.

"Good morning Beverley. How are you? Did you have a good summer?"

Beverley looked up from her computer where she was scrutinising a complex looking spreadsheet.

"Caroline! I'm very well thank you. And yes, I had a lovely summer but I am glad to be back. 3 weeks in and I started to embark on DIY projects, probably inspired by too many day time makeover programmes on the TV. I was driving Brian up the wall. 6 weeks always seems like an eternity."

Caroline laughed.

"I know exactly what you mean. I have had 2 growing teenagers moping around the house for the last 2 weeks undecided what to do with their days. It certainly feels good to be back."

"Would you like a cup of coffee? I have just put a pot on." Beverley started to get up from her chair.

"Yes please. That would be lovely."

Caroline walked through the outer office and opened the door to her own office, her inner sanctum. She looked down at her new carpet and inhaled deeply. It was a rather sumptuous burgundy colour and she slipped off one of her shoes and dug her toes into the deep pile. Kicking off the other one, she walked over to her coat stand and hung her coat up before smoothing down her jacket and walking over towards the window. She placed her handbag on her desk before taking out her phone and her glasses then sitting down on her chair. Leaning back, Caroline revelled in the way that the chair moulded perfectly to her body and she clasped her hands together and placed them across her stomach, smiling widely and breathing in deeply.

"I bet this desk won't look as clean and tidy in 10 hours time." And she leaned forwards and pressed the button on her computer, waiting for it to boot up.

"What was that you said Caroline?"

Beverley appeared in her office with a mug of coffee.

"Oh, err, nothing. Well, actually, I was just looking at how clear my desk is and wondering whether it will still look like that at the end of the day."

"I bet you anything that you won't be able to see the top of the table by lunchtime, never mind the end of the day."

"You're probably right. Thank you. There is no better way to start the day than with a cup of freshly brewed coffee A La Beverley. What does my day look like?"

"Well, you have the usual new term welcome assembly at 9am followed by a gathering with the new teachers so that you can give them a quick tour and impart your expectations to them. Then your morning is free until just before lunchtime when Gavin is coming in to talk to you about advertising the governing body in an attempt to get new people in. Is that enough for you?"

Caroline smiled.

"It is more than enough, thank you Beverley. Now, I had better put my shoes back on and find my robes. I don't want to keep anyone waiting."

"Over there, hanging on the hook, where they always are when they come back from the dry cleaners."

"Oh yes, of course they are. What would I do without you?"

The teachers she had recruited before the end of the last school year were sat in front of her. Caroline wondered if they would all look as fresh and enthusiastic after they had been at the school for a couple of terms. She loved the school and wouldn't have anyone think otherwise but the pressures that the Government were placing on teaching staff to meet targets and fulfil testing standards was taking a lot of her staff away from what they enjoyed doing the most: teaching. There was so much lesson planning that needed to be done, moderation and grade averages to work out. Teachers appeared to be spending more time filling in forms and reports than actually at the coal face with the children.

The new members of her teaching staff included a PE graduate, a language teacher who also taught music, an English teacher, a history professor and an ICT teacher. 2 were covering maternity leave and the remainder of the group were filling posts that had been vacated due to retirement or job relocation.

"So, now you have had the grand tour of the school and you know my views on what I believe makes an excellent teacher, do any of you have you any questions? Anything you are not sure about or anything that you feel I have missed? How about any ideas as to how we can make Sulgrave an even better school than it already is. I know it is your first day but I would welcome any immediate thoughts."

There was silence and Caroline looked from one end of the group to the other, slowly raising her eyebrows until they were unnaturally high by the time her gaze met the language teacher who was sat at the end of the line, her hands in her lap and her gaze somewhere level with Caroline's knees. She shuffled in her chair and then lifted her head and looked directly at Caroline.

"Yes, I would like to ask something if I may."

Caroline relaxed her face and looked at the teacher who had spoken. If she had to put an age on her, she would have guessed her to be in her early forties. She had a very smooth complexion and her dark creamy skin was complemented by the peach coloured blouse she was wearing. Her eyes quickly swept down her body and back up again to her face and the large brown eyes that were looking back, drinking her in.

Caroline half smiled, thoughts running through her mind about whether the new teacher would ask a really stupid question in an attempt to impress her or whether she would have something intelligent which would add to the meeting. This woman in front of her had 5 seconds to make a lasting impression: there were no second changes with Dr Elliott.

"I was chatting to some fellow staff members about the famous competition choir that Sulgrave had and I would like to know whether there would be any chance of me resurrecting the team. If there is any budget of course. Is this something you would consider doing? I had experience of managing a team in my previous job and I would really like to emulate my success here."

Caroline looked down at her hands which were folded in her lap and a wry smile appeared on her face.

"I see you have been doing your homework Miss err" she quickly flicked through some papers on her desk. "Miss McKenzie. Well, if you had researched this properly instead of no doubt engaging in idle chit chat and gossip, you would know why the team was disbanded. And I would hope that you have the good sense to agree with me that this was indeed the best thing to do in order to maintain the reputation of the school."

Miss McKenzie blushed and bit her bottom lip.

"I was told what had occurred and I happen to think that it was very unfortunate. However, I also happen to think that because the 2 pupils in question have now left the school, we might be in a position to re-build the choir and re-enter it back into the league."

Caroline crossed her legs and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs.

"Well, we might have to disagree on that particular point of view about it being unfortunate. It was an absolute disgrace. But if you think it would be for the good of the school to restart the choir, you can prepare me a short report, no more than 2 pages, on the merits of doing this. Then and only then will I be willing to discuss this with you. Please get something to me by the end of the week and I will have Beverley, my PA, arrange a meeting. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a meeting with the chair of Governors and I am sure that you have classes you need to be going to."

And in an instant, the teachers were dismissed and Caroline almost flounced out of the room and onto the next appointment in her busy schedule.

Kate was far from happy. She felt like a naughty pupil who had been punished for disagreeing with the teacher.

"Who does she think she is? Prepare a paper by the end of the week?"

She was muttering to herself in the staff toilets as she straightened her blouse and shook her hair out of its crocodile clip. Pulling it back again off her face, she fastened it up again and tucked some of it behind her ear.

"Let me guess who you are chuntering about."

Sophie Brightman, the new PE teacher who had been in the introduction meeting, was just coming out of one of the cubicles. Kate turned around at her and smiled.

"I'll give you 3 guesses, not that you need them. I felt like such an idiot. My first day in a new job and I had to go and clash horns with the head. And if that isn't enough she gives me homework. "Write a paper and discuss the merits." Does she think that I haven't thought about it? Well, I will discuss the merits in no more than 2 sides of paper. And I will leave her with no choice but to say yes to starting the team up again. I'll let her know that she can't mess with me."

Sophie touched Kate on the shoulder and pulled her round so she was facing her. She drew her into a hug and rubbed a hand on her back.

"Don't let her get to you. Apparently, she is like that with everyone, well known for it. I heard one of the teachers calling her frosty knickers this morning. You don't get that nickname by being all warm and embracing. Better?" She held her at arms length and smiled.

"Much better. Thank you. I just don't think there was any need for it. How rude! If she wanted to assert her position and show me who was the boss, she didn't have to do it in front of everyone."

Sophie nodded in agreement.

"Do you have any plans for lunch? I was thinking about popping into town. Is that allowed? You can come with me if you want. We can eat our weight in cream cakes and have a good bitch about the other members of staff."

Kate giggled.

"Thank you, I'd like that. Where shall I see you?"

"Staff room?"

"Sure. See you later."

Kate checked herself in the mirror one last time before turning around and making her way back to her class. It was only 1030am and she had made a new friend in Sophie and an apparent enemy in her new boss. She thought about both ladies and mentally put them side by side. They were very different in looks and personality. One very tall and dark, the other smaller and blonde. Both easy on the eye but Sophie had a casual student look about her whilst Caroline had a professional sexy appearance. Sophie was full of life, bubbly and caring. Caroline's demeanour was quiet and more analytical and she came across as a bit aloof.

2 women with very diverse personalities who were appealing and mysterious and Kate found herself drawn to them both, eager to get to know each one better.

"Shit!"

Caroline contorted her body, sticking out her bum and bringing her chin onto her chest in an attempt to stop the files and paperwork in her arms falling to the floor. But it was in vein and it all went crashing to the ground, papers and reports spilling out all over the car park.

"Shit, shit, shit" she muttered and, throwing her handbag down into the middle of the chaos, she ran her fingers through her hair and stood with her hand on her hip, breathing in deeply and looking up at the storm clouds which were gathering overhead.

Unlocking the jeep, she took off her long camel coloured coat and threw it on the back seat before unfastening the middle button of her jacket and gracefully getting down onto her knees to pick up the papers, which were threatening to blow away.

"Do you need some help?"

Caroline twisted her head in the direction of the voice and found herself staring at a pair of trousers. Tilting her head slowly, her eyes followed the trousers up and stopped momentarily, focussing on a small area of stomach she could see where the blouse had been tucked in awkwardly, perhaps in a rush. Clearing her throat discreetly, she continued upwards until she eventually saw the face of the person who had asked the question.

She was staring into the face that had flashed across her mind a few times that day and she wasn't quite sure why. And before she could answer, her rescuer was also on her knees and was picking up the papers and stuffing them back into folders.

"Err no, no thank you. I can manage."

"Are you sure? You seem to have made quite a job of throwing these papers on the floor. I really don't mind."

This time, Caroline didn't answer and she went back to haphazardly collecting all the loose sheets which were fluttering around in the breeze.

"It's Miss McKenzie isn't it?"

Caroline stopped and sat back on her heels.

"Yes, that's right. But most people call me Kate. Well, most people over the age of 16 anyway."

"Sorry. Force of habit. How was your first day at Sulgrave Heath? I hope that the students didn't give you a hard time. I see that you are making friends with some of the teachers. Didn't I see you leaving the grounds at lunchtime with that new PE graduate, Miss Brightman?"

"Yes, Sophie and I did go out for lunch together. I hope that is allowed. She is really nice and we get on very well. I like her. And my first day has been good thank you."

"Good, I am glad that you are making time to get to know the other staff members." Something about the way that Caroline said that made Kate stop.

"Yes. In fact we might even be going out at the weekend, once I have done my homework."

A small smile spread across Caroline's face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to feel like that. It's just that, well, if we are, err you are to do this, to restart the choir, I need something to take to the finance committee."

And she went back to the job in hand, glancing across from time to time at Kate, who was now on all fours and leaning forward to retrieve a piece of paper that had blown under the jeep. She stared at the way the material of her trousers strained across her bottom giving her a very visible panty line, and then quickly looked away as Kate turned her head to face her.

"There, I think that's the last of them."

Kate stood up, cradling the papers and folders close to her chest.

"I'll put them in the car." And she opened the passenger door and placed them onto the seat.

Caroline started to get up, and suddenly realised that Kate was standing directly in front of her. In an attempt not to flash tonight's dirty washing, she began to twist her hips away. She had half turned her back to Kate, thoughts flashing through her head about how she might do this in a delicate and lady like way when she started to wobble. She went to put her hand out towards the open car door to steady herself, aware that she was holding a large pile of papers, and realised that she needed to plant her feet more firmly and push up through her knees. She shuffled her feet, which was completely the wrong thing to do and it looked set to end in disaster. However, Kate had been watching closely and she quickly moved forward and put her hand under Caroline's elbow, providing just enough stability for her to find her feet and stand up without dropping anything onto the floor.

"Oh, err, thank thank you. My heel must have, I err just lost my balance a bit."

She placed the papers on top of the pile already in her car and closed the door, running her hands down her jacket and her skirt and regaining her composure. She smoothed her hair and then bent to retrieve her handbag which was still on the floor. As she straightened her back and lifted her head, she had to step backwards to avoid colliding with Kate's chin. She could feel her breath on her cheek and paused for a brief second, her own breathing quick and shallow. Caroline quickly lowered her eyes and started rummaging in her bag as though she was looking for something.

"Your keys are on the driver seat, if that's what you're looking for."

"What? Oh, err, yes, err, my keys. Yes, that's what I'm looking for. My keys."

Caroline walked round the front of the car and opened the driver door, throwing her handbag into the foot well of the passenger side. Kate watched her as she climbed into the car, marvelling at the outline of her calves as she lifted herself in. Wrapping her cardigan around her and crossing her arms, she walked round to the other side of the car and smiled at Caroline who had started the car engine and opened the window.

"Thank you for helping me. I really shouldn't take that much work home but then I am not one to watch television in the evening and, well, the boys are grown up and they do their own thing and oh, you don't want to be listening to me. I'm sure you've got somewhere else you need to be. Goodnight Kate." And without waiting for an answer, she drove off leaving Kate watching the back end of the jeep disappear.