Chapter Two
I am so glad for the feedback I have received on this story already. It has a few unexpected twists and turns. I hope you like them and stick with me. Enjoy!
The morning had been good, if not a little boring, but Piper had learnt a lot and felt a little better about what she was walking into. Natalie had taken them back over the school rules, introduced new staff - there were three of them all in all, but Piper was the only teacher - and then she went over the targets for the year.
"Only eighty seven percent of our final year students went onto college. This is not good enough. The board wants to see higher percentages this year, and that is down to you." Natalie said, marching in front of the teaching staff like she were addressing her platoon in the military. Piper wasn't sure how she felt about this result driven environment, it wasn't something she thought worked. She would bring it up later with her department head, she decided, making a note at the top of her 'performance report' copy they hd all been given. They had then spent the morning going over reports and budgeting with the bursar, and listening to talks on child safe guarding and changing ethos within the school. Piper was surprised at how uninterested many of the staff seemed to be, and concluded that these meetings were not unusual and likely reoccurred over the school year.
Throughout the morning, Piper had felt a strange uncomfortable feeling, like she was being stared at. She had put it down to first day nerves, knowing she was new and feeling self conscious. However, now the meetings were over, she turned her head suddenly, and her feelings were confirmed. Once again she met with the emerald green eyes and smirking lips. This time, instead of turning away, Piper held her gaze for a couple of seconds, before smiling sweetly, and standing up. This time she had to turn away to hide her own smirk. Those green eyes had faltered in their amused smirk when Piper had refused to look away, and Piper got the impression that this woman was used to others backing down.
"So honey, I thought we could head down to the classrooms and I can show you what you have, and you can spend sometime getting situated and set up. Did you bring things with you?"
"I have a couple of boxes in the car, I can grab them now."
"Want some help?"
"Sure, thanks." Piper smiled at the kind woman, and released the breath she had been holding in. A small tension had started to rise in her chest, but she released it almost immediately. She had a good feeling about this place and thought she would fit in well. It took all of her strength not to look back round at the dark haired English teacher again. She wasn't going to be prey here. She was a Chapman, and like it or not, she had her parents fighting spirit. She couldn't wait to take this school by storm. After the last couple of years, boy did she need it.
Piper had had a difficult time over the past two years. She had seen her rock bottom and it had terrified her. She had worked hard not only to take herself away from the people that had brought her down to that point, her parents, Larry, but to build her own life up to where she could stand where she was now. On her own two feet, independent, and about to make a wonderful new start, not only for herself, but for those who now depended on her too. She stood a little taller as she walked to her car with Mrs Jones. They made small talk, and she asked Piper about her plans for the classroom, and where to find supplies.
"And don't forget," said Jones, picking up one of the boxes from Piper's boot, "You can come and find me at any point in the day, and ask anything you want. You'll have Nikki too, of course, but she can be difficult."
"Oh really?" Piper was curious about the crazy haired woman, but was sure already that she would keep her distance for now.
"Nikki has a good heart, and she is smart, and the kids love her. But she is, uh, tricky to get close to. Once you're in, you're in, but don't take everything she says to heart."
Piper considered her words for a moment before responding, "Noted."
"Come on then, let's get to that classroom and set you up. Have you run your own classroom before?"
"After I graduated from training, I did some part time work, covered medical and maternity leave, that kind of thing."
"Oh really? Part time? That can be difficult when you are a newbie, having to establish yourself like that." Piper frowned questioningly. "Having to get control of a classroom when it's for such a short time can be challenging for a lot of teachers."
"I just didn't have the time. My, um, partner had just left me, and I have our son to raise. I couldn't leave him all week like I can now. I mean, he is with my brother, but he's older now, not so much baby." Piper stopped herself, aware she was starting to ramble. Being a mother, let alone a single mother, was still a source of anxiety for her, although she wasn't sure why. She loved her son, more than anything in this world, and yet she hated people to know it.
"You have a son, that's great. What's his name?"
"Ash." She replied, but she heard hesitation in her own voice. "This, um, I know this isn't conventional, but, I um. Well, it's not something I tend to like to share straight away. About my son, I mean."
"Say no more. Your life is for you to tell, not me." Piper smiled at her gratefully. She would definitely like working with Erica. "But good for you Chapman. Raising a child isn't always easy."
Piper didn't know how to respond. "That's life, hey."
"Oh for sure. For sure."
Jones was leading Piper in a different way then she had come this morning with Fig and Caputo, and she made a mental note that this was obviously the normal way staff entered the building. "Is this a quicker route to the classroom?" She asked.
"Oh much. Teachers tend to avoid the reception area in the mornings. The receptionist has a bit of a kink in her chi, and it's easier to avoid." Piper laughed with her.
"Good to know." They were now coming back through the staff room, which was almost empty now, apart from a small group gathered in the kitchenette. Immediately she recognised Nikki and Alex, and the electronics teacher. All three looked up as they entered, and gave a small wave. Piper smiled and nodded her head, and Jones gave a polite, "Hey there." But they didn't stop. Piper could feel eyes on her, boring into the side of her face as they made their way through. Once outside, Piper couldn't hold it in anymore.
"That other woman, Alex Vause."
"Head of English. She's a lovely girl. A little intimidating, but she is one of the best teachers we have here. Which is more than I can say about that lump, Luschek, but I don't want to put ideas into your head on your first day. I'm sure you'll meet everyone quickly. We're a friendly bunch."
Piper nodded. She wanted to know more about Alex, but she didn't dare ask. She didn't want to give the impression she cared. Because she didn't. She was just another teacher. One who was clearly very attractive, and very clearly knew it. It was the way she looked at Piper, like she was something to be won, that had thrown her. No one had looked at Piper like that in her entire life. She had been the source of attraction before, she knew it, regardless of if she believed it to be deserved or not. She knew what it was like to be stared at by men with lust in their eyes and women with envy. But never had anyone looked into her the way Alex Vause had that morning. It threw her, but part of her, she knew, liked it, and that scared her. She would have to keep her distance from that one, just whilst she got her confidence with the school.
"Well, here we are." They had stopped in front of a green door with a large window taking up the top half of the space. Piper could see a fairly large room inside, lined with desks. "This is your room." Said Jones, opening the door and strolling in. "That door through there-" she pointed towards a white door just behind what Piper presumed was her own desk, "leads through to the office which we all, the history department, share. There is another door through there which leads to Miss Nichols classroom. My room is just the other side."
"Connected." Piper said stupidly, but Jones smiled at her and nodded.
"You like it?"
"I love it."
"Great, I'm so glad. Well I will leave you to get situated and put your thing away. I'm going to head to the office as I have some planning to do. Just call through if you need anything."
"I will, thanks."
"Oh, and before I forget, your computer password is on a postit in your top draw. You can change it again once you have logged in. I think you'll want to." Piper smiled at her as the woman left, closing the door behind her. Piper let herself slump down into her desk chair as she had a look around. The room was painted white over the exposed bricks of the classrooms walls. She liked that, it gave the room a little character. Opening the top draw of her desk, she found a little key, and, as promised, a yellow postit note. The key, she discovered, was to lock the desk draws, something she was sure she would be grateful for at some point. She added it to the small key ring she was starting to collect, which included the key to her classroom, one for the history office, and one for her new house. Slipping the bunch back into her coat pocket, she turned on the computer and glanced at the little note for her password. Her face, she was sure, displayed the shocked amusement she felt reading the word scribbled down. Either the teacher before her had a lot of confidence, or it was someone's idea of a first day joke. Shaking her head slightly, she entered the word into the little box that appeared on the screen, 'N1c3As5'. A small chuckle escaped her lips as it worked, and opened up the start box so she could set up the computer for herself. She clicked through the steps quickly, not bothering too much about the set up. Anything major she could change tomorrow. She didn't really want to get stuck into the tech side of this job just yet.
Shutting down the computer, she had another look around her classroom. It was large enough for about twenty students, although she had been ensured that classes rarely had more than 15 girls at a time. This was slightly intimidating to Piper. During her training, she had worked at large public schools with classes of up to thirty kids at a time. Small classes meant more attention on her. Less commotion, less chatter during group work. For most teachers, that was the dream, but Piper found herself feeling anxious again. That was one thing she hated about herself, her inability to let herself fail. A product of her Chapman upbringing, she was sure. A small class meant less room for error. No, Piper thought to herself suddenly, she had to teach her students that making mistakes was okay, and being allowed to fail was part of that. It included her too. She would have to suck it up. It was a positive thing, she would get to know her student more intimately, help them better, offer them more of her time and attention. Of course it was a good thing.
"Aneurysm?"
"I'm not sure. Could be."
"Oh Lord, they've broken her on the first day. It will take months to train up her replacement."
Two voiced pulled her out of her head, and she noticed with a start that Nikki and Alex were staring at her as they leant against the doorframe, holding mugs of coffee and looking at Piper like concerned doctors. She smiled at them, feeling the ache of her face from where she had clearly been frowning hard, and stood up.
"Hi," said Piper, "I didn't notice you there."
"Clearly. You alright there blondie? You just realised what you've signed up for?" Teased Nikki, inviting herself into the room and sitting down on the edge of a desk. Piper laughed, a little uncomfortably, weary of her two 'guests'.
"No, just wondering what to do about these two stalkers I seem to have picked up at work. They keep following me around and staring at me." Piper smirked and turned away, trying to act nonchalant as she picked up the box Jones had left on a desk and brought it over to her own. Nikki barked out a loud laugh, but Piper couldn't miss the soft chuckle of the other woman.
"I don't know what you mean Chapman, but if you point them out, I'm happy to rough them up a bit for you."
"Thanks," said Piper, turning back to face them, looking amused.
"Vause, get in here, don't be a creepy shadow giant at the door." The tall woman rolled her eyes, but walked in all the same and perched next to Nikki. "I don't think you two have met yet. Piper, this is Alex Vause, head of the English department. Vause, this is Piper Chapman, fresh meat." Piper frowned slightly at the last part of Nikki's introduction, but smiled at Alex none the less.
"Nice to meet you."
"You too."
Piper had to restrain herself from walking forward and shaking Alex's hand. She felt that Alex Vause would not appreciate the formality of it all, and Piper didn't want to make a fool of herself. Not when she was clearly the source of entertainment for these two already.
"Did you get onto your computer okay?" Nichols asked innocently, and Piper didn't miss the darting eyes she made to Alex.
"Ah, you are the one who set up my new password, I gather?" Said Piper, straight faced.
"I don't know what you mean blondie. They give us all pretty generic passwords at the start of each year."
"Ah, I see. I suppose 'nice ass' is the kind of professionalism I was expecting from South Bell." Alex almost choked on her coffee, and turned to her friend.
"Nice Ass? Really Nikki?" Nikki wiggled her eyebrows and looked over to Piper.
"Nothing starts the school year like a compliment." Piper didn't respond. In all honestly, she had no idea what to say. This kind of banterous and, well, inappropriate behaviour was not what she expected from the teachers on her first day. She started taking her things from the boxes and placing them onto her desk, and some things away into the draws.
"Well, I can see you're busy, we will be on our way. Need to set up our own rooms. Don't worry though Chapman, you'll definitely be seeing me, a lot." Nikki smiled, which Piper returned.
"I can't wait." She said, perhaps a little drier than she meant it to be, but this seemed to amuse Nikki further.
"I'll see you around, Piper." Alex said, and they left the room. The way she said her name, drawn out, slightly breathy, made Piper blush. She had to turn away quickly, in case one of them decided to poke their heads through again. It made her heart beat speed up, and she could feel embarrassment prickling in her chest and neck. What on earth was that? They way she felt, the way Vause made her feel, was not something she was used to. She felt like a young girl who had just been noticed by her crush. Crush. She did not have a crush on this woman. Piper decided, right there, that she was not going to play their game. They got their kicks from flustering new young teachers, and Piper wasn't interested.
Fishing her phone from her coat, she sent a quick text to Cal.
'I hope you too are having fun, and behaving. Don't forget that there is milk in the freezer if you need more. Thanks for doing this Cal.'
The response came quickly, to her surprise, and she read it greedily, 'All good here Pipes. Ash is napping and I'm raiding your food cupboards. Hope your first day isn't terrible'. She smiled. What would she do without her brother. Making a mental note to buy more chicken on her way home (she knew Cal would be taking full advantage of the fact Neri couldn't monitor his meat consumption), she put her phone away and turned to the boxes.
It had been over an hour when the door behind her desk opened, and Jones came through, carrying a large folder and small box of what looked like work books. Piper was in the process of hanging some posters around her room, different images from various moments in time that she found particularly poignant.
"I like this. It looks good. Good work Chapman."
"Thanks! What have you got there?" She asked, jumping down from the desk she had been using for height and came over to Erica.
"Your registers and some workbooks for the girls. If its not enough there are more in the storage cupboard. I would get in there before Nichols has the chance or you wont be able to find anything."
"Ha, I'll go now, just in case."
"You've made an impression on her already, you know."
"Who, Nikki?"
"Yes, she's been talking about you for the last hour. I think we will all be good friends." Piper was surprised to hear this, but glad. Nikki seemed harmless, if not a bit of a class clown. She was still one of the the teachers, Piper reminded herself, and maybe her strange teasing sense of humour was her way of making friends. It was, after all, the dark haired beauty that really had Piper on edge. Get a grip Chapman, she said to herself.
"Good, I think this is going to be good."
"Yes. See, good. Nothing to be nervous about. Are you hungry? I was about to head over to the dining room if you wanted to join me?"
"I'm starving actually." Piper grabbed her phone and putting in the back pocket of her jeans.
"Let me just grab my keys." Said Jones, and she headed back to the office. Piper followed her, eager to see it herself. "That one's yours." Erica told her, pointing the the desk and shelves just inside the door. This would be good, Piper thought to herself. She had somewhere to store the many books and journals she had collected over the years. Turning round to see the rest of the small room, she almost jumped out of her skin. A bush of wild reddish hair and wide eyes were merely inches away from her face, and made Piper take a step back. Apart from there was no where for her to go, and so she ricocheted off her desk and toward Nichols instead.
"Watch it Chapman." Nikki said as she caught Piper, pulling her up before she could fall to the floor. "You're boosting my ego. It usually task a bit longer for me to get women kneeling at my feet." Piper blushed beetroot red, and pushed Nikki away, playfully, once she had got her footing.
"Behave Nikki." Jones scolded.
"Maybe you should work on your flirting skills." Piper said, in an attempt to save face.
"Oh I'm not flirting with you, Chapman. Not now I know where you come from." Nikki winked playfully, reassuringly. Piper knew she meant her parents. "Two acorns from the same perfectly manicured, stick-up-the-ass, cognac drinking tree."
"Don't remind me." Piper said, lightheartedly, but felt uncomfortable from the way Nikki regarded her.
"You're an interesting one Chapman. I'm glad you're here."
"Thanks." Said Piper, and she relaxed a little. Maybe Nikki wasn't so bad after all.
"Are you joining us in the dining hall Nikki?" Jones asked.
"I'm gonna grab Vause first, make sure she eats. These working women, committed to their jobs, putting so much work into their planning and students. I just don't understand it."
"That's so great to hear." Her boss commented, sarcastically.
"I guess we'll see you in there." Nikki winked, nudging Piper with her elbow as she added, "Save us a seat? I know Vause would like to get to know you." Piper's face must had betrayed her thoughts, making Nikki chuckle and she went back into her classroom, closing the door behind her.
"That's Nichols for you." Erica laughed, and Piper joined in, a little forced. They exited the office and walked back towards the staff room. "Don't worry about her and Alex. They like to tease. It's all harmless. You're just-"
"Fresh meat." Piper finished for her, a sour taste in her mouth.
"I guess." Laughed Jones softly. A new teacher joined them at that point, introducing herself to Piper before going into some conversation about a particular student Piper didn't know yet, and it gave her a minute to think as she walked. Fresh meat. It made her shudder. That was it, she made up her mind. A little teasing Piper could take, but this other game Alex seemed to be playing, Piper wasn't interested. She didn't have time to be somebody's plaything. New job, new house, new life - Piper had enough to contend with. She would have to nip it in the bud. She walked a little taller, and joined in the conversation with her new colleagues, eager to find out about the school and her students before the bell on Monday morning.