Disclaimer: I don't own Waterloo Road or any of it's affiliates. I just own the plot.
A/N: I was on my way home on the bus, listening to my iPod as you do, and the CD School came on. I don't know whether anyone will have heard of that CD box-set but whenever I'm feeling about this big * * I listen to these songs to make me feel better. For those who don't know the songs I mention in this fic, please please please go and listen to them on youtube or something while you're reading the fic, believe me it helps. I also chucked a few of my personal favourites in as well, mostly because whenever I listen to them, I can't help thinking of Reddie! I am not ashamed to admit most of this is fluff, fluff is good for the soul and I like writing it, I just hope you like reading it!
Also, for the purposes of this fic, Melissa does not and has not ever been to Waterloo Road, though she is still part of Rachel's life and no one else has met her. I should probably apologise now if anyone thinks this is a bit OOC, but we don't know what might have happened to the characters if Melissa hadn't turned up, Rachel may have gotten better at trusting people a lot faster than she has so far this series. I think she might have done, if not for her sister. *Mutters something very hurtful to Melissa under her breath* I know I'm not the only one thinking it! Just please give it a read and see what you think.
Summary: Can a community disco at Waterloo Road make the Headteacher and her Deputy less blind to the reality staring them in the face? Reddie.
Dancing To Their Tune
Chapter One
Rachel Mason strode quickly down the empty corridors of her school, hitching her briefcase's strap a little higher on her shoulder. It was quite early in the morning and as far as she knew, she was the first one in, which was exactly how she liked it. It gave her a sense of freedom, knowing she had the entire school to herself, if only for about half an hour. She passed a notice board on her way towards her office and the brightly coloured sign caught her eye. WATERLOO ROAD'S FIRST COMMUNITY DISCO FRIDAY EVENING 7:30PM ALL AGES WELCOME! DJ WILL BE TAKING REQUESTS ALL NIGHT BUFFET AVAILABLE BUT NO ALCOHOL. The sight of more similar posters littering the corridors ahead and behind her made her smile.
When she'd suggested a community event for all ages, she hadn't been expecting Steph of all people to come up with the disco idea, but it seemed rather popular among those kids and parents she mentioned it to, so the idea had taken off and been put into place with a speed she still found a little bewildering. It was perhaps that speed that made her rather glad she wasn't going to be there. She had stayed well away from the preparations, knowing she certainly didn't want to spend any evening supervising however many hundred kids and parents dancing around the hall to music that was practically deafening. She had enough headaches at the moment without volunteering to induce one.
Shaking her head, hoping that tonight was going to be the success it deserved to be, all the more victorious because she wasn't going to be there, she continued down the corridor, enjoying the quiet of her surroundings. She flashed a smile at her office door before slipping inside and through the anti-chamber into her office proper, leaving the door open for now so she could call through any notices to her new assistant when she arrived. She flicked a quick glance out of the window at the grey car park and cloudy sky before settling herself easily behind the desk, the dingy view oddly comforting, probably because she knew it so well by now. It felt so calm, so serene almost, and she took a moment to listen to nothing before focussing her attention on the papers before her.
Rachel shuffled some files on her desk before pulling out the finished ones from last night and setting them in the right tray. She had found the adjustment to the new colour scheme of her office a little difficult to begin with, though she did like the new colour she wished she'd had more of an input into the choosing and repainting. The purple was a little dark for her tastes, a little informal, which spoke so clearly of the man who had chosen the colour scheme for her.
She had asked Eddie about it, being careful not to offend him but at the same time gently pointing out the impracticality of the colour if someone else had taken the job, and he'd replied simply that he knew purple was her favourite colour, so that's what he'd picked for her. She'd been too embarrassed by the fact he'd remembered her favourite colour and the fact that he had been so convinced she would return to push the argument further. It was just like Eddie, sweet and thoughtful, that he'd done such a nice thing for her.
"Penny for your thoughts." A voice intruded upon her thinking and she started, head flicking up from the file she had been looking at but not seeing.
"Eddie!" She gasped, a hand pressing against her chest in response to the jump her heartbeat had made on being surprised like that. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to sneak up on people?" She asked with a mock-glare as her eyes found her Deputy's, which she was slightly perturbed to find were smiling at her. The man was spooky sometimes; he always seemed to know when she was thinking about him and he would just appear.
"No, she never mentioned that." He laughed, pushing himself away from the doorway he had been leaning on and taking a few steps into her office. She had a second to wonder how long he'd been there then shook her head in sarcastic despair and rolled her eyes, before leaning back in her chair and entwining her fingers.
"So apart from scaring me to death, what are you here for?" She asked lightly, her smile curving her mouth upwards and a shine to her eyes that told him she didn't mind nearly as much as she made out that he was here to see her. He grinned at her and stood in front of her desk, sticking his hands in his pockets like he usually did and tipping his head to one side.
"Just checking we're still on for tonight." At his words, her forehead crinkled and in her mind, she ran through her mental diary, pretty sure that she hadn't had anything planned for tonight outside of finishing more paperwork and possibly settling down with a bottle of wine to watch some of the films she loved but never got a chance to find the time and enjoy. When she twitched an eyebrow at him enquiringly, he frowned himself and continued his thought. "The disco? Steph said you and me were overseeing it with Tom and Davina, and a couple of others." He explained, and Rachel's expression suddenly clouded in a very displeased light.
"She said what?" There was definitely an edge to that voice that left Rachel's mouth and Eddie almost took a step back. Oh dear, what had Steph done now? He knew she and Rachel didn't get along but roping her into supervising a disco without telling her was just mean. He tried to slip on a cheeky grin but the way her whole face had just turned thundercloud immediately had him straightening out his expression. "Eddie, I never said anything of the sort, especially not to Steph Haydock." Eddie pulled a 'uh oh' expression onto his face in the hopes it would take the serious look out of her eyes but when she tipped her head and pushed herself up from the desk, he knew he'd not succeeded.
"Well, maybe she just assumed you'd be there, you are the Head after all." He offered, not knowing why he was bothering to defend the ditsy blonde but hoping Rachel would come around to the idea. He'd been looking forward to spending the evening with her.
"That does not mean I have to be at every event this school hosts. Besides, it was Steph's idea, why isn't she supervising?" Rachel questioned sharply, her hands leant on the desk in front of her, taking her weight forward a little, her eyes glinting dangerously and suddenly Eddie felt very sorry Steph when she eventually got into school. He hoped she was prepared for the anger she'd so obviously been hoping to evoke. No one had yet seen Rachel in such a spectacularly foul mood before and he wondered if maybe Steph didn't realise what she'd woken.
"I think she is, she wouldn't want to miss out on the fun." He answered, and he heard Rachel's rather sarcastic snort in reply, as if she very much doubted her evening spent at this thing was going to be what could be described as 'fun' in any way, shape or form. "Come on Rach, it might be fun, seeing all the kids having a good time and their parents embarrassing them." He chuckled, remembering another disco from his last school that had been a lot of laughs. He felt Rachel's eyebrows rise again and tried to look apologetic for disagreeing with her, but he was hoping to bring her around to the idea, preferably before she had a chance to have a go at Steph.
"Well, I can think of quite a few things I'd rather be doing than playing Headteacher at a parents and kids disco, thank you very much." Rachel replied sharply, shoving some papers into a file and setting it down rather hard on the side of her desk. Eddie couldn't help the disappointment that flooded his expression as she said she'd rather not be there. Didn't she like spending time at her job anymore? He realised he probably should have hidden the emotion in his face but it was too late, she'd already looked up and seen the hurt he'd felt so clearly. "Oh Eddie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean I don't want to be there and help you out, I just don't feel like spending an evening being a Headteacher rather than just me. I was looking forward to the respite." She admitted, her expression softening as she let herself be honest with him.
"Maybe we can compromise. You could be a little bit of both. I'll be more Deputy Head like than usual, and you can be less Headteacher like, how's that?" Eddie offered with a disarming grin, and Rachel couldn't help but return the gesture with a soft smile of her own. He really was far too good to her. She lowered her eyes and flicked a couple of papers around as she considered the proposition. Part of her wanted to accept, because it was a wonderful chance to spend some informal time with not just her Deputy but the rest of her staff and students as well. But there was part of her that still felt the inclination to run away from social situations, that felt no one would want her there, even though Eddie had just made clear he wanted her to come.
"Come on Rach, we could even try and get Grantley to show off his moves." He wheedled, his grin growing as he sensed maybe he was winning her over. The image of Grantley Budgeon doing break dancing was too much for Rachel's composure and a giggle slipped through as she remembered that incident last term when he'd impressed the lessons for life group with his 'skills'. Sensing Eddie knew he'd won, she sighed deeply and looked up, meeting his shining eyes with her own, happy ones.
"Alright. But the minute Steph suggests setting up karaoke, I'm leaving." She added definitely and he held up his hands in surrender.
"Ok! I can accept that. I'll even be right behind you if she does." His voice was light and happy, joking just as much as she was. She knew he was congratulating himself on his victory, getting her to concede defeat on something she had set her mind against was a major thing, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse him, not when he'd been so wonderful with her these last few weeks.
"Alright, now you've gotten your answer, will you let me get on with my job? I'm sure you've got some lessons plans you need to look at." She tipped her head at the door pointedly, the sharp edge in her tone not nearly as pronounced as it had been and he took the retreat she offered, taking a few steps back to her door, before he caught up with the implication of her remark.
"Hang on, meaning what? You think I haven't sorted out my lesson plans yet?" He asked with a mock-hurt expression and she laughed, she couldn't help it, as she took her seat again, pulling herself into the desk and letting her eyes drift up to meet his with an innocent glint she'd always found useful in situations like this, in making him laugh.
"Me? No, of course not. I'm sure you've got at least one lesson plan completed for today." She said complacently, smiling a little around the edges of her mouth, and his jaw popped open the minute she'd finished speaking. An indignant noise left him and he narrowed his eyes at the woman sat so casually behind her desk.
"You, Miss Mason, are far too cheeky."
"Maybe I've been spending too much time around a certain Mr Lawson." She shot back with a grin, and he huffed before slipping away and out of her office. She listened for the outer door shutting before allowing the soft smile to light her entire expression, one she would never had allowed to surface when in company. It always started the day off well when Eddie came to see her, and she loved bantering with him. Bantering was easy, and fun, and had once been the norm, a norm she hoped they were getting back.
She tried to use that enjoyment of normality with him as an excuse for the warm feeling in her heart as she heard his footsteps recede down the corridor, towards his classroom. Not the fact he had called her 'Rach' twice in that conversation, a nickname she hadn't allowed him but he'd used nevertheless. He really felt that close to her that he didn't need to ask for permission. Usually she would see that as an imposition, a liberty, but with Eddie – it was different. It was a mark of friendship. Something she hadn't shared with anyone for a very long time.
.~*~. .~*~. .~*~. .~*~.
Eddie stood by the front doors of the school, hands in his pockets as usual, watching the road for any headlights that might mean the person he was waiting for was coming. The staff had agreed to be here by 6:30pm to make sure everything was set up and plate up the food for the buffet, and as it was now 6:45pm almost everyone off the staff who had volunteered was here. Everyone except Rachel. He was worried, he'd admit it, that she'd go back on her word and choose a quiet evening at home over the rowdy and no doubt very loud night she was promised if she came to this disco.
After all, she hadn't been asked to oversee this evening, she'd been manipulated into it. And he wouldn't blame her for not wanting to give up a night to herself. She probably didn't get them very often and he knew she deserved more time to devote merely to her own happiness. But she'd said she'd be here and he trusted her enough to hope she'd keep her word. Just as he was about to give up and go inside, he felt someone come to stand beside him and looked around, to see the bleached blonde he knew so well also peering into the relative dark of the evening.
"She still not here?" Steph asked, tugging her light jacket further around her and flicking a glance up at Eddie. He shook his head, the defeat registering in his stance and for once, the blonde did not feel the need to use the situation to highlight Rachel's faults. Instead, her mouth twisted a little and she turned to look up at Eddie with an understanding shade in her eyes. "Well, maybe she's just running late. If she told you she'd be here, she will." There was a certainty to Steph's tone that Eddie wished he could feel and agree with.
"Yeah, well, if you'd just asked her instead of making me get her to agree to come, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation." He replied, a hint of growl in his tone as he flicked a dark look at Steph.
"Oh come on Eddie, she'd never have agreed unless you asked her, she knew the whole thing was my idea and wouldn't have anything to do with it until you said you wanted her to go."
"I didn't say that."
"Well, you must have said something like it, or else she'd never have agreed to come and help out." Steph insisted, raising both her eyebrows to challenge him and he exhaled slowly, his eyes once more drifting to the road as he tried to ignore the implication of the blonde's insistence.
"What's that supposed to mean Steph?" He asked in a low voice, a warning not to tell him even though he'd asked. Steph threw him a disbelieving look, as if she couldn't believe he hadn't picked up on her true meaning yet.
"That you two are joined at the hip most of time, and if I got one of you to agree to come, the other would jump at the chance to be here as well." She answered in a slightly smug tone, as if the implication was suddenly clear, though Eddie thought she couldn't possibly be insinuating what he thought she was. Didn't she have a sensible bone in her body?
"Careful Steph. I don't think me or Rachel would like what you're implying." He gave her a way out, an exit if she chose to take it, but of course this was Stephanie Haydock and she never backed down from pointing something like this out once she'd decided to talk.
"Tough. I mean what I say. You're both being blind, all the rest of the staff can see it, even the kids can, it's just you two finding excuses to cover it up."
"Cover what up?" Eddie snarled, turning to the annoying woman beside him and hoping she would back off before she actually said what he thought she was saying.
"How you're feeling! Blimey, it's an obvious as the nose on your face Eddie! You're practically in love with Rachel, anyone can see that, and she's just the same."
"How on earth do you know that?"
"A woman sees these things, Eddie." The derisive snort she received in reply was not the response she'd wanted but she continued nevertheless. "I mean it, you're a perfect match, but you keep putting things in the way. God only knows why! I'm telling you now, if you wait a little while tonight until Madame Mason has relaxed a little, she won't be averse to taking things further." Eddie couldn't believe what he was hearing; he was aware of his feelings for Rachel, had made them clear to her on the first day back, but she'd pushed him away. Now Steph was saying she'd lied? Well, had she ever said she didn't feel anything in the first place? Or was that the conclusion he'd drawn on his own?
Now he thought about it, she hadn't actually said she didn't feel the same way, she'd just said there was no 'us'. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in the possibilities that came with the blonde's revelation, he would have noticed the self-satisfied smirk that made it's way over his companion's face as she watched his thoughts flash over his expression. He never was one to hide how he was feeling, unlike the woman he was so obviously in love with. She'd also gotten away with the unflattering nickname for Rachel as well, which proved just how distracted he was by what she'd said.
"Steph, you – look, I'm not going to deny it, it probably is obvious about me, but Rachel, she – she turned me down. The first day back." He admitted, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to tell someone the struggle he'd been through, even though the last person he'd usually confide in was Steph Haydock, number one gossip of Waterloo Road. Having said that, somehow he had the feeling she wouldn't be spreading this particular piece of information around. The way her eyebrows shot up and her mouth turned to a sympathetic line made him think perhaps she was actually being a real person tonight and letting him talk without thinking about how far she could throw the information in the next few hours.
"Well, she might have done, but not because she doesn't like you. Any fool can see you're the only one she really trusts. Did she give you a reason?" Steph asked, tipping her head to one side and there wasn't any of the shining curiosity he knew came from her instinct to gossip but honest concern for someone he thought maybe she looked up to.
"She's got a – a scar," his hand lifted and hovering over his chest to show where it was and understanding bloomed over Steph's face as her eyes flickered to his hand, "from the fire." He finished uncomfortably, knowing Rachel would most likely kill him for telling anyone that information but unable to finish a conversation that had given him more hope than he'd had in week without divulging it. Steph smiled and shook her head, smacking a hand against Eddie's arm.
"Eddie, you idiot, she does like you. Otherwise she wouldn't care what you thought of her! Now, if you tell her tonight that you don't care about that scar, and tell her how you're really feeling, I'm telling you now she won't be able to turn you down, ok?" Unable to believe he was taking tips on relationships from Steph Haydock, he nodded and just as he was about to turn back to his vigil with renewed confidence, he heard the unmistakable sound of a car engine turning into the school car park.
His eyes flying to the sound's source, he felt the smile lift his expression before he was even aware of the thought to do it, and as he stepped forward to greet the owner of the silver Audi drawing up to the front of Waterloo Road, he heard Steph shuffle back into the school as discreetly as possible, no doubt a smug look in her eyes. He jogged down the steps and stopped just by the front door of the car as it was opened and Rachel swung herself out, looking a little harassed and brushing her hair back off her face. He waited until she'd closed the car door and locked it before he directed his smile at her, and was delighted when he was greeted with a similar one.
"Hi, Eddie, I'm so sorry I'm late, I somehow manage to spill a glass of red wine down myself just as I was about to leave and had to change." She explained, folding her jacket over her arm and slipping her car keys into the tiny black bag hanging over her shoulder. He shook his head as if to say the apology wasn't necessary, even though five minutes ago he would have welcomed it, then let his eyes sweep her from head to foot while her gaze was also focussed on her outfit. She looked stunning, in his opinion, and he couldn't help wondering if this was the back up outfit, what the first one must have looked like.
She had a black, long-sleeved top on with a neck that gathered on her shoulders, leaving the material to hang a little just over her collar bone, meaning the scar was well covered but it didn't look as though she was trying to cover her chest, while the sleeves were wide at the ends, a wavy edge to them that made him think a little of robes out of the Harry Potter movies. The top also had a kind of netting covering it with black glitter on that just gave the whole thing a bit of a disco feel; it looked gorgeous on her, though he was sure there was a better way to describe it but that was the best he could do in his mind.
Her black suit trousers were loosely fitting, hanging quite straight from her waist, though the way the top clung to her hips and just above showed off her tiny waist. He was sure she'd lost weight over the summer. It wasn't a showy outfit, but it did suit her and if he thought she would have allowed it, he would have showed her the approval in his eyes, but the way she shyly met his gaze when she caught him looking her over said perhaps it would not be a good idea. She never had taken compliments well, he'd noticed, even before the fire – she usually turned them back on who had spoken, or ignored them altogether.
"You look great." He told her bluntly instead, smiling, and he watched as her lips quirked a little in appreciation of his honesty before she grinned back. He was reminded vaguely of the first day of term, but pushed the thought away, not wanting to loose the moment he was in now.
"So do you. I didn't think you actually owned a dress shirt." She joked back, walking around him and up the steps, him following with a grin of his own. "Why is it you can't wear something like that for work, Mr Lawson?" She teased, flicking him a look as he held the door open for her to enter and she slipped under his arm to the warmth of the inside. He considered turning the remark back on her but knew it would say too much about his state of mind just then and opted for mock-offended response again.
"What's wrong with what I wear to work?" He enquired, his eyes never leaving her face, not wanting to miss any of the happiness she was expressing at the teasing they were entering into.
"Well, it's not a suit and tie, is it?" She returned with a raised eyebrow, her mouth desperately trying not to give her away and smile at him.
"You've never complained before. Except that one time with the tie thing." He shot back, opening another door for her as they made their way through the corridors they both knew so well, towards the hall. Rachel shrugged in reply.
"It's never come up before, apart from then, and I rather liked that tie. But since we are on the subject, why isn't your usual work attire more formal?" She posed the tease as a question, and he rolled his eyes.
"Because I don't like wearing suits. They don't look right on me somehow. I'm not Tom or Grantley." Eddie added, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. He'd never had to explain his clothing before, even in a joking manner, and he'd never really questioned it himself. But his excuse was the truth, he didn't think suits suited him at all and they felt awkward on him. Even now, with only the slightly stiff shirt he wasn't used to and a pair of smart jeans on, he still felt a little wrong. Just as they were about to go into the Hall, Rachel paused and gave him an appraising eye from his shoes to his hair, and a faint smile made it's way across her mouth as she met her eyes with his.
"Oh I don't know. I think that shirt does something for you." He felt a blush spread across his face at the compliment, and ducked his head a little to avoid her eyes. Then he felt her lean forward, so her face was only a few inches from him, and whispered lightly, "Maybe Grantley could give you a few tips on where to buy some more." At that, his head shot up in horror and saw her let out a small laugh at his reaction.
"Why Grantley?" He asked, the mix of revulsion and confusion evident as she smirked a little.
"Well, he's more your build, isn't he?" She waited a second for the answer to register with him, then saw without a doubt the indignant cloud overtake his expression as he realised what she meant. She chuckled a little and patted his arm in mock-sympathy before turning and entering the Hall with a wide smile. Eddie was left standing in the corridor for a moment, letting the joke sink in, before going after her, determined to pay back the favour. 'How dare she say that, even in teasing?' Part of his mind asked, even while another part rejoiced.
He recognised just then how much of her old confidence was returning, the ability to joke coming with it, and he was glad but she deserved some revenge for that comment. He hadn't figured out what he was going to do yet, but he was going to do something. Shaking off the thought until he could come up with a plan, he followed Rachel over to the buffet table where Davina and Tom were setting out the snacks on paper plates, while Steph was helping the new PE teacher set up the lights around the stage. Jasmine was also at the other end of the room, on the phone by the looks of it, and by the time he'd reached the table, Rachel was already asking why the young brunette looked so frustrated.
"Apparently, the DJ Steph booked has come down with the flu, so we're having to call around to try and find another one. If we can't, it's not a huge problem, Rob said he'd DJ for tonight if we couldn't get someone else, but I think Jasmine would rather have him in the audience." Davina added, in a low voice, in the hopes her friend wouldn't hear her, and Eddie watched Rachel grin at the intended implication as her gaze swept between Jasmine, who was pacing agitatedly by the other door and Rob, whose eyes were following her rather than focussing on the lights Steph was telling him to adjust.
Eddie didn't see any disapproval in that look and was glad, if Rachel thought they'd make a good couple then that was good enough for him; he'd been a little protective of Jasmine since that incident last year with Michaela White and he didn't want her to get in any more trouble. He wasn't surprised by the little motherly concern he detected in Rachel's gaze as well but did get caught off guard when the woman he trusted so much let out a small laugh and shared a look with Davina before adding in an undertone,
"I can certainly understand that." The inflection in her voice drew Eddie's gaze, wondering if she'd meant what he thought she'd meant. When he saw both women flick a look at the muscle-y PE teacher, he rolled his eyes at Tom, who tucked an arm firmly around Davina in response. It was then the younger blonde laughed and pressed a kiss to her partner's cheek, assuring him she didn't mean it and that he was the only one she had eyes for. He wished he could have the same assurance from the woman beside him, though he had no business in hoping such things.
Completely oblivious of his thoughts, Rachel passed him a packet of crisps, which jerked him out his imagination and observations and he tried to look as though he'd not been contemplating them a lot closer as she pointed him towards a plate further down the table, which he could reach and she could not. Luckily, she seemed distracted enough by the task in front of her not to notice the thoughts probably written all over his face, he just hoped the rest of the staff were similarly occupied and did as she asked, opening the packet she'd given him and tipping them over the plate. He was about to sneak one into his mouth when he felt a hand reach out and slap his lightly, before taking one for itself.
That indignant expression he had worn already tonight once again taking over his face, he turned to find Rachel holding the crisp lightly between her fingertips, smirking a little. He made a grab for the food but she popped it inside her mouth before he could be successful and turned away as if she'd done nothing. He leant over towards her and snuck a hand up to her ribs, tickling her through the soft material of her top with a mischievous expression. She squirmed under his fingers and nearly sprayed crisp bits all over the table in an effort to keep from laughing as she turned to face him. Swallowing with difficulty, she exclaimed once her mouth was empty,
"Eddie!" He raised a hand in affected innocence and tried to keep the guiltily pleased light from his eyes as he replied in as blameless a voice as possible,
"What?"
"What was that for?" She asked, motioning towards her side and trying to keep her shocked expression mixed with righteous anger when in fact they were both struggling not to laugh.
"Well, you nicked my crisp." He answered in a childish voice, and he could see she was hard pressed not to giggle before she pulled on her best Headteacher tone and face,
"Well, you should not be helping yourself to the food that is meant for our guests."
"Shouldn't that rule apply to you as well?" He pointed out, raising an eyebrow as if to further the idea. She smirked back before replying,
"I'm your Headmistress, that's different." She put a hand on her hip, and challenged him to defy her. He never refused a challenge.
"Oh, so different rules for different people? Well, in that case, I'm your Deputy so same rule that goes for you applies for me!" He picked up a crisp and popped the salty thing into his mouth. Rachel admittedly tried to be shocked but didn't pull off the effect very well when she was dieing to laugh at the same time.
"You'll ruin your figure if you keep that up Eddie. Weren't we just discussing that a little while ago?" She asked, her eyes dancing with amusement as his blazed a little at the remembrance of her earlier jibe at him.
"Hey! What did I say this morning about you being cheeky?" He shot back, raising a finger to point in her direction. She couldn't help it this time, she gave in and laughed, before raising an eyebrow in return.
"And who did I say was to blame for that?" She returned quickly, moving a step closer and tapping a finger against his chest sharply. He met her eyes and a silent battle of wits was engaged as they both tried not to be the first to laugh, and they could sense the other was just as full of giggles as they were. In a rush of sound, they both sniggered together and then broke down into fully-fledged laughter, in Rachel's case falling slightly against Eddie's shoulder in the hopes of keeping upright.
After a few moments of attempting to calm themselves, they finally managed to get themselves straight and standing, a huge grin still gracing both their faces as they met the other's eyes, until Rachel turned away from Eddie, back towards the table, and noticed the entire Hall was staring at them. Some were perplexed, some amused, but everyone single person was watching them. They had forgotten they had an audience, that's how it was with them sometimes, they forgot there was anyone else watching the moment they were sharing.
Rachel cleared her throat and it seemed to break the spell, everyone turned back to what they had been doing and the chatter level rose again, leaving the Head and her Deputy to privately blush before also going to back to their tasks. Eddie in particular felt the knowing glance being shot at him from a certain blonde by the stage, who caught his eye and flicked a pointed look at the woman he'd been laughing with only a few minutes ago, as if telling him to get on with what she had told him.
.~*~. .~*~. .~*~. .~*~.
Half an hour later, the Hall looked amazing. Disco lights hung from every surface, a disco ball in the middle of the room, a row of tables practically groaning under the weight of the food and drinks laid out on them. Rachel had also swept a keen eye over the liquid and made sure there wasn't even a faint hint of alcohol, and thankfully she'd not had to remove anything. Just as the clock's longer hand alighted over the 6, signalling 7:30, a couple of kids from the younger years nervously approached the doors and Eddie nudged Rachel's shoulder, nodding towards their little faces peering into the room.
Smiling her thanks to her Deputy, she hurriedly went over to the doors and pulled on her biggest welcoming smile. Flicking a quick look behind her to check everything was ready, she pushed open the doors and beckoned the kids and their parents into the Hall, reaching behind the doors to flip off the main overhead lights. Instantly, the disco lights began to dance across the floor in bright multi-colours and flashes of silver were reflected off the disco ball near the ceiling. She witnessed the way their faces lit up with excitement, even the adults, and she felt an enormous sense of pride in her staff that they had created that effect.
There were some more people lurking by the end of the corridor who obviously did not want to be the first ones to come in and she waved a hand at them, motioning them forward as she spotted some more approaching behind them. They had been expecting quite a big turnout, according to the reports she'd heard back from various people and by the looks of it, Steph hadn't been exaggerating how popular this idea had been. Sometimes Rachel wondered whether she could trust the French teacher, and times like this, she wondered whether she was right to doubt her.
Once the flow of people into the Hall had been established, Rachel retreated from her position by the doors and wandered across the darkened room, greeting quite a few of the students she knew and being enthusiastically introduced to their parents. It really was a great way to get to know more of her school and she was surprised how many of the parents greeted her warmly, with encouraging words and hearty handshakes.
Perhaps Eddie was right; there were a lot of people in Waterloo Road and outside of it, that did not hold her past against her, still held a great deal of respect for her despite what had happened last term. She found herself smiling without any effort, exchanging words without thinking too much about what she said, and it was such a freeing experience. She was also a little astonished how many of the kids she did know by name and sight, and how much she knew about them as well.
Breaking away from another set of parents, she found Eddie in the crowd stood by the buffet table, holding a plate of what looked like sausage rolls and cheese on a stick, and she smiled before going over and stealing a sausage roll off his plate as she took up a place next to him. He was talking to Tom, and from what she'd heard as she got near him, they were discussing a football game, but Tom broke off in the middle of his sentence as Rachel took a bite out of Eddie's food with a quiet smirk. Her Deputy frowned at Tom, having not seen Rachel take anything off his plate, before turning to look at Rachel, who beamed at them both.
"Oi, is that my sausage roll?" Eddie asked rather indignantly, and Rachel nodded, a mix of impudence and innocence in her expression, while Tom rolled his eyes slightly at the two of them. Just as Eddie was about to return the remark she'd made earlier about him spoiling his figure, the DJ cut across the chatter and began speaking. Jasmine had managed to get hold of another replacement, so her and Rob were stood together on the other side of the Hall, completely oblivious to anyone around them.
"Alright, everyone, welcome to Waterloo Road's first community disco! We've got an oldie to start off, though I'm betting a few of you young'uns will know it too! Here's Queen!" The beginning of the song began to blast over the speakers, a voice so many people knew started to sing, and a cheer went up among not just the parents, but the kids as well, which surprised Rachel; she hadn't thought many of them would know this one.
'Tonight, I'm gonna have myself a real good time, I feel ali-i-i-ive, and the world, we'll turn it inside out, we're floating around in ecstasy, so don't stop me now…' The words were as familiar to her now as they had been when she was a teenager and she couldn't help the smile that lit her face as she began tapping her foot slightly to the beat. She noticed Eddie also seemed to light up at the start of the song and she wondered if maybe he would go and dance, if the right person were to ask. Many of the parents had already gravitated towards the dance floor, dragging red-faced kids with them, and were starting to dance. It was a great sight.
"Come on Tom, if we're going to have a good time tonight, might as well as start now." Davina had appeared by her partner's shoulder and was smiling alluringly at the younger man, who gladly put down his plate and followed the young blonde out onto the floor, soon followed by a whole host of other members of staff, including Steph and to Rachel's surprise, Jasmine and Rob. She'd thought Jasmine might take advantage of having Rob's undivided attention and finally do something about the attraction sizzling between them.
"Looks like they're all starting early tonight." Eddie commented leaning down to talk into her ear over the music and she nodded, a grin illuminating her face as she felt his breath brush her skin.
"Leaving us to play adults." She muttered back, picking another sausage off his plate and taking a bite. He considered calling her out on it, but decided he didn't really mind and couldn't work up the energy to shout above the noise around them to reproof her. In fact, he didn't know whether he could have drawn his eyes away from her mouth as she took another bite of that sausage. There was something incredibly seductive about the way she was eating and he had to seriously shake himself mentally to regain his concentration.
"Well, according to our agreement, I'm playing the Deputy tonight, you get half a night off." He returned, trying not to get distracted by the scent of her hair floating by his nose as he spoke gently into her ear. He felt a slight shiver pass through her just after he finished and wondered if that was down to him being so close to her, or just an involuntary reaction to the warmth of his breath on her skin. He hoped it was a response to him; he wanted to know he wasn't the only one affected in this situation.
"I never did thank you for that." Rachel replied, turning towards him and lifting her eyes towards her Deputy, and he tried not to make it obvious his breath had hitched in his throat at the happy look in her eyes.
"Don't worry about it." He managed to force past the lump in his gullet and he hoped the thump of the music would drown out the waver in his voice. She shook her head and lifted a hand to rest against his arm, making him focus on her shining eyes as she looked up as if into his very soul.
"No Eddie, I'm serious, I don't say thank you to you nearly enough. You've been brilliant, with not just me but the school in general, and I – I haven't ever thanked you for that. So thank you Eddie, for being there, even when you shouldn't have been." Rachel smiled up at him, wanting him to read just how earnest her words were and he felt another lump forming just below his mouth as he tried to tell her she didn't need to say these things, even when he felt an undeniable swell of happiness inside him that she had said those things.
He went to shake his head but her hand squeezed lightly on his arm, then she leant forward, balancing on her tiptoes, and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. Eddie had to close his eyes at the beautiful sensation of her lips brushing lightly against his skin, he wanted to imprint the moment on his memory permanently so he would never loose the wonderful feeling of her sharing so much with him in such a simple gesture. He wanted to hold her there, he wanted to return the gesture, he wanted to kiss her properly, but he knew he couldn't, not now and definitely not in front of all these people.
"Thanks Rachel." He whispered back, against her cheek, and she drew back a little too quickly, as if she'd suddenly realised how long she'd lingered next to him. He was about to raise his hand, to repeat his action from her first evening back and curl a hand around her neck, but a voice from behind them made her whirl about and the moment was lost.
"Miss! I didn't think you were coming." It was Emily Hill, a girl from year eight, hurrying towards them both and Eddie had put serious effort into not letting his expression betray how much he wished Emily had not spotted them just then. She was a nice enough girl, he'd had her for Maths last year and knew she was clever and definitely worth talking to on a normal day, but Eddie couldn't help but want to glare at her for interrupting. The girl hurried up to them both and he saw Rachel smile at her, they obviously had talked at some point, and he vaguely remembered an instance last year when the girl had been involved in a bullying problem, had stood up for one of her friends and gotten her glasses broken for her trouble.
"Emily it's great to see you here. Is your Mum with you?" Rachel enquired, moving slightly away from Eddie and reaching out a hand to rest on the younger girl's shoulder. The excited expression that had been filling Emily's face suddenly faltered and she lowered her face as if a little ashamed.
"Umm, no, she couldn't make it. Amy brought me and Chelle, her Mum's here, she was hoping to have a chat with Miss Haydock about Amy's French lessons." Emily hurriedly explained, flicking looks behind her, probably to check where her friends were. Eddie recognised Amy's name and thought he caught a glimpse of the other brunette dancing with Emily's three other friends, Michelle, Fredi and Hollie. They had a reputation as being the Five Musketeers, a mischievous lot in the wrong circumstances and loyal sometimes to a fault, but essentially a fun and happy group of girls.
"Well, I wouldn't hold out much hope of getting Miss Haydock to talk about school stuff tonight." Rachel replied over the music, which had now changed to some dance music no one over the age of twenty recognised, and there were people filtering off the floor, leaving the kids to bounce up and down to the beat. "Not sensibly anyway." His headmistress added under her breath, but he caught it, just and had to withhold a snort of laughter.
Emily also laughed at Rachel's words, though whether she'd caught the murmur or not, he didn't know, he knew the students were aware relations between the French teacher and the Headmistress were not completely happy but it wasn't as though they wanted to advertise the fact. He flicked a look at one female then the other, who were sharing an amused look. Then Emily bit her lip for a second before raising her eyes to her Headmistress and asking what she'd evidently come over to say.
"Miss, we were just wondering if you'd come and dance with us, you know, if you want to. We even managed to get Amy's Mum up earlier, and she never dances." Emily began, twisting her hands together and now looking anywhere but Rachel as she waited for a reply. Eddie watched as Rachel's expression betrayed how torn she was, between the instinct to hide away and just manoeuvre everything from the back of the figurative stage, and the impulse to do as this little girl obviously wanted and have a good time with her students.
"Umm, that'd be lovely, Emily, but how about when a song I know comes on? If I'm going to make myself look like a div, I might as well do it to something I know." Rachel laughed, leaning back slightly into Eddie as she tried to make the self-deprecating joke sound natural though Eddie would have immediately leaped in to correct her if Emily had not been there. As it was, he didn't need to in this instance.
"But Miss, you wouldn't look like a div! I can think of other teachers who'd look a lot worse, but that's not really the point. I bet you can dance really well!" The beautiful thing about it was that Emily wasn't sucking up at all, it was shining honesty that flared in the student's eyes as she spoke and it tugged on not just Rachel's instinct to give in, but Eddie's to help her as well. Rachel smiled, and patted the young girl's arm, though Eddie caught a glimpse of the way her eyes blinked a little more rapidly than usual and he knew the kid had gotten to her.
"When a song comes on I know, I promise I'll dance with you and your friends." Rachel assured the young girl and having sensed that was all the guarantee she'd get from the Headteacher, the young girl nodded and left, not completely satisfied but willing to accept what she could get. Eddie was about to turn Rachel around and tell her to go after the girl, or at least ask about Emily and how Rachel seemed to know her so well, when the song shifted again and one most of the adults would recognise began to blare through the speakers.
"Oh Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey!" The heavy beat that went with the song made Rachel's hip instinctively swing a little. She had used to dance quite a lot when she was younger and had really enjoyed it, though as her life got more complicated, she'd lost her passion for it and slowly, it had gotten lost on the sidelines somewhere. But now, in a place she saw as her home, a place inside which she felt more and more accepted and cared for, safe, the urge to move with the song's tune was almost overpowering her now and she knew it wouldn't be long before Emily came back to find her and drag her out, so she didn't have much time to think of an escape plan.
"Eddie, do you want a drink?" Rachel asked, turning to her companion and her eyes flicking towards the buffet table. When he didn't reply, she looked up and there was a flash of disappointment in his eyes as he met hers. "What?" She asked, wondering if maybe her intentions to become invisible were clearly readable in her face.
"If you want a drink, I'll get it, you stay here where Emily can find you." He answered after a few seconds, his voice low but nonetheless Rachel could pick up on the warning. He would not let her disappoint that girl, he knew part of her didn't want to but her fears were still strong, that she shouldn't be in such a casual situation. Knowing he knew exactly what the fight behind her eyes was about, she sighed and nodded, turned slightly again to face the floor, waiting for the inevitable appearance of the young student. "How do you know her anyway?" Eddie asked, also angling himself towards the middle of the room, but also meaning he could talk into Rachel's ear again without having to raise his voice, always an advantage when discussing students, but particularly pleasant when her hair accidentally brushed his cheek every so often.
"She and her friends were being bullied last year, and they didn't tell anyone. It got quite serious, Fredi got quite depressed over some of the insults and the others were getting so stressed their grades were starting to suffer. So one day, Emily just snapped and flew at one of the girls who'd been making them miserable, got beaten a little for her trouble, few cuts and bruises, nothing really serious, but of course she ended up being sent to me and the whole story came out. I've been keeping an eye on her ever since, to make sure her and her friends are never in that situation again. She's a bright girl. Her friends are a mixed bunch but they seem nice as well." Rachel was smiling, seemingly unconsciously but Eddie recognised the motherly instinct for what it was. She'd connected with that girl, for some reason, and he was glad.
"What about her parents? Didn't they know about the bullying?" He'd caught the fumble over her mother and was curious, but didn't know if Rachel knew or would tell him any more details, this kind of problem she liked to involve as few people as possible because then there were less problems if something went wrong. At the question, Eddie witnessed for the second time today a darkening of Rachel's expression and wondered what he'd said.
"Her mother is… not very involved in her life. Her Dad left three years ago and from the little Emily will tell me, her Mum doesn't spend a great deal of time with her or her brother, who's in year five. The girl is desperate for someone to care about her, which is why her friends mean so much to her she was willing to take what she knew could be a painful beating, in an effort to stop them getting hurt." Rachel whispered back quietly, her eyes glowing with emotions, empathy for the student she'd evidently taken under her wing, and Eddie felt a surge of sympathy himself, knowing Rachel probably understood the situation a lot more clearly than he realised.
"Well, I bet she's glad she's got you looking after her." He replied, completely honest, and he caught the slightly pleased but still faintly embarrassed blush as Rachel registered his words.
"I don't know about that." She replied quietly, her eyes flicking around her as she tried not to accept the compliment. He was about to make sure she understood he was telling the truth when the girl they'd been discussing appeared in front of them, and to Eddie's surprise, there was a definite knowing look in her eyes as her gaze swept between both teachers stood so close to each other.
"Miss, will you come now? I'm sure you know this one." Emily ventured, still nervous but as Rachel's expression shifted to a huge smile, the nerves filtered away and were replaced with a delighted glow.
"I certainly do, and I'd love to. Lead the way." Rachel held out her hand and shyly, Emily took it, leading her out into the middle of the Hall where her friends were stood in a circle, dancing in their own ways. Eddie watched them go, admiring the way Rachel slipped naturally into the group and exchanged a few words with the other girls as she began to move slightly to the music. Her dancing, though subtle, was smooth and graceful, accentuating the smooth lines of her figure and making his heartbeat increase uncomfortably fast.
He tried turning away, to get a drink as she'd suggested, but he couldn't tear his eyes off of her. He'd made an effort, he turned his body towards the walls, but his head just wouldn't seem to follow. He was drinking in the sight of her, so at ease and so beautiful, her body all lithe lines and wonderful curves, and he was sure in a minute she was going to turn at just the right angle to catch him staring and she'd have to be blind not to see the admiration in his eyes, to read the desire in his expression. It was that thought that made him coax back his feelings, clear his countenance of emotion and finally drag his gaze from her to head off to the drinks, wishing suddenly that he had a real drink on him.