A/N: Thank you to the Guest who reviewed the last chapter, its means a lot. I will definitely consider introducing Lydia to Kyle Stack and maybe Barry Barry if carry on until they go to Scotland.
Chris pulled into the car park of Waterloo Road car park. When he got out he spotted Lydia standing against a wall with best friend, Emily James and boyfriend Denzil Kelly. Chris opened the boot of his car to get out his bags.
"Can you give me a hand Megan? Megan?" Chris turned around but Megan had gone already gone off with her friends Lauren Andrews, Finn Sharkey and Josh Stevenson. They had lost their other friend, Sambuca Kelly, to a brain tumour at the end of last term.
They were all massively affected by her passing but Megan was there to support everyone else and act as the strongest one out of them all but at home she spent many nights crying herself to sleep.
"Need a hand" said a friendly voice behind him. He turned to see it was English teacher, Tom Clarkson.
"If you don't mind" Chris said.
"Not a problem" Tom said as he picked up two of the bags. Chris picked up the other two and his laptop bag. He then locked the car.
"Know much about our new leader." Tom asked.
"Apart from being stabbed in the back. No." Chris replied.
"Betrayed?" Tom questioned
"No quite literally stabbed in the back by a group of boys at his old school, part of the reason that he left. Thank for the help" Chris said as they reached his classroom.
"No problem. I'll see in the staffroom a bit later for his lordships briefing." Tom said as he walked up the stairs.
Chris lifted the bags into his classroom and began putting the books and test back into the appropriate pigeon holes in the shelf. He then set out the tests and books for his first lesson. As he wouldn't have time after he had to deliver the assembly that morning. Chris sat behind his desk checking his e-mails, when there was a knock at the door.
"Yeah." Chris shouted as he carried on working at his computer.
"Chris Mead. I presume?" A female voice spoke. Chris looked up.
Stood in the doorway was a woman with tanned skin with dark hair and eyes. Chris had absolutely no idea who she was, he didn't remember a meeting he was supposed to be having.
"Yes and you are." Chris questioned.
"I'm Sian. Sian Diamond, new science teacher and deputy head teacher." Sian said.
"Oh right. Sorry, I totally forgot that you were coming today." Chris said confused and panicked.
"It's fine." Sian said reassuringly.
"You are taking on some of my lessons after I had to take on some of Miss Holder's." Chris said trying to the relevant paperwork from the mess that his desk was in.
The conversation went on for about another ten minutes whilst Chris told Sian about were all of the exercise books for her classes were and filling them in on were all the classes were in terms of progress and content learnt.
"Seems like you've had a lot of work over the past few weeks." Sian jokingly said as she realised the extent of Chris's workload.
"You don't know the half of it. I'm glad you arrived when you did. We better get to briefing." Chris said when he saw the time
Sian and Chris walked to the staff chatting about each other's teaching experiences. Sian and her husband, Jez, had worked with each other at previous school. Chris told her about working with previous headmistresses, Rachel Mason and Karen Fisher. They reached the staff room and the joined the rest of the staff ready for the briefing. Sian sat with her husband and Chris sat with Tom and fellow English teacher, Grantly Budgen.
"Wonder what this one will bring" Grantly said from behind his newspaper.
"Ever the optimist aren't we Grantly." Tom said.
"Morning all." A rather happy voice said. Everyone turned to see who it was.
"Hello stranger." Tom got up to welcome back former drama and music teacher, Matt Wilding. Matt soon found himself becoming reacquainted with the staff room.
"I don't mean to worry anyone." Maths teacher, Daniel Chalk said.
A crowd gathered around the window to see the new intake of pupils at Waterloo Road.
"Well they all look like a barrel of laughs" Chris said.
"Isn't this what teaching about the challenge" Sian said
"Good Morning," A strong Scottish voice. Stood in front of the all of the staff. "I'm Michael Byrne, your new head teacher."
The meeting went on for about another twenty minutes. The main message was being mindful of the new intake and have a zero tolerance attitude to poor behaviour from them.
"Well that was positive." Grantly said.
The staff room all left and headed to morning registration. Michael headed towards his office with Chris and Sian.
"Chris. I believe you were supposed to be leading assembly this morning." Michael said.
"That's right." Chris agreed
"Don't. Change of plans, I'll be leading assembly this morning." Michael said as they reached his office.
"Any particular reason, sir?" Chris wondered.
"Let' just say I feel the children need to know who I am and what I stand for," Michael answered.
Michael, Chris and Sian all headed to the hall. The pupils were already beginning to enter the hall. Michael lead the assembly very much the same briefing earlier.
"Is he always like this?" Chris whispered to Sian.
"This is just his way of showing that he means business after being stabbed." Sian whispered back.
"I'd also like to introduce a few new members of staff in the room. We have Mrs Diamond, who is a science teacher and deputy head teacher alongside Mr Mead. We also have Mr Diamond, our new PE teacher. Finally, I'd like to welcome back, Mr Wilding who many of already know and he will be resuming his role of drama and music teacher. Thank you very much for listening, are there any more staff notices…Mr Mead and Mrs Diamond do you mind dismissing from the back of the hall." Michael said.
Chris and Sian finished dismissing from the hall and began walking back to their shared classroom.
"Could you just stop there for me please," Sian asked one girl, it was Lydia. "Do mind taking off the jacket it's not raining in here and sort your tie out, it's not a necklace."
Lydia adjusted her tie. "Better?" Lydia asked sarcastically.
"I believe I asked you to remove the jacket." Sian asked again.
"I'm not taking it off." Lydia argued.
"Lydia come on. Take the jacket off." Chris said trying to reason with her.
"You can't control me here like you do at home." Lydia shouted at him and she walked off.
"Don't go after her." Chris said stopping Sian from chasing after her.
"What did she mean by at home" Sian asked as they walked back toward their classroom.
"Put it this way she is my step daughter and I think she wishes I didn't exist." Chris said as he unlocked the door letting in the class waiting outside.