Chapter 2 – First Meeting

Lofty walked into the cooler as he was the next person that had to keep an eye on the pupils in there. He had not started teaching quite yet he had his first class later on. Lofty opened the door and walked in four pupils were sat there including Barry who had been in Nikki's class earlier on. Grantley was supposed to be keeping an eye on them but had fallen asleep. Lofty walked over to him and shook his shoulder.

"Erm excuse me you fell asleep"

Grantley woke with a start Lofty heard some of the students snort at the reaction

"Hi I am the new teacher, Lofty; I am on cooler duty now"

"Grantley Budgen, and joy you can deal with the rascals, oh hang on, Darren, Kacey and Harley, you can go now, you Mr Barry, stay put!"

Lofty smiled at the pupils who walked out

"Lucky you, you only have the one pupil; sadly it's the hardest pupil to deal with in the school"

"I am sure I will cope thank you Mr Budgen"

Grantley left as Lofty sat down at the desk. So he would get to see Barry in action for himself, he was positive he wasn't as bad as people said he was. Lofty didn't have long to wait as Barry got his phone out and started to text. Lofty decided not to demand he put it away like Nikki did but use a different approach. Lofty got up and walked to Barry.

"Barry, can you please put the phone away as you are working?" Lofty said in his normal voice and very calmly

Barry looked up at the teacher who was talking to him

"Who are you?"

"I am Mr Chiltern, a new teacher"

Barry shook his head and looked down continuing to text but Lofty refused to get angry at him.

"Barry, as you are in class please can you put your phone away?" Lofty said just as calmly

"I need to speak to me girlfriend"

"You can speak to her later Barry" Lofty said and he decided to tell Barry what the consequences will be so he knew instead of just snatching his phone like Nikki had.

"Barry please put it away or I will have to take your phone off you, and we don't want that do we?"

Barry looked at the teacher for a few seconds and then he actually did what he was told and put his phone in his pocket. Lofty knew this was the way to work with this pupil, the shouting had no affect on him and Nikki snatching his phone without warning just left him angry.

"Thank you Barry"

Lofty smiled and walked back to his desk, Barry had not gotten his phone back out but was sitting at his desk looking around instead of working.

"Barry have you been given some work to do?"

"Yes sir but I...err"

"Yes Barry?"

"Nothing sir..."

"Can you please do the work, I need you to do some Barry, just do what you can"

Barry nodded and picked up his pen and started to work. Lofty smiled Barry was actually doing things he asked when he asked him calmly. Lofty couldn't see what Barry was writing but as long as he was working he would give him some freedom.

Soon after the bell went for lunch, Barry was allowed lunch and then had lessons not in the cooler the rest of the afternoon.

"Right Barry you may go, can you hand me in your work please?"

Barry stood up and picked up his book and handed it to Lofty.

"Thank you Barry, see you later"

Barry walked out the door as Lofty took a look at Barry's work and what he found shocked him. Written all over the paper was the words 'I am thick' and 'I don't understand' in messy writing. Lofty thought maybe he was trying to send him a message saying he needed help, and if a student needed help Lofty wouldn't rest till they had all the help they needed.