Arthur has his heart broken when he is eleven. He had joined his new public school, and liked it, really he did. It didn't matter that he couldn't run as fast as some of the other boys, or that he wasn't very good at football, or that they made fun of him for making paper hats with Captain written on them. Arthur didn't care. All Arthur cared about was his Mum being proud of him…and planes. But mostly Mum. He goes about his business, trying really hard to remember everything he needs to, because his new school is much harder than before. He does really well until his form tutor gets ill.
Miss Hooper was young and clever and pretty and Arthur thought that she was the best person he'd ever met.
"Good morning class!" she said softly "I am Miss Hooper, I am going to be your form tutor until Mr Humphries returns." Smiling kindly at the class, her eyes fell on Arthur, "What's your name?"
"Ar-Arthur Shappey, Miss." Arthur squeaked.
"Well Arthur Shappey, could you be a big help and be responsible for fetching the registers after lunches?" Arthur blushed right to the tips of his ears.
"Yes Miss-Ma-am-Missum-Miss Hooper."
Arthur buried his face in his hands, feeling hot and embarrassed as the class tittered around him. Miss Hooper merely smiled and said
"Thank you Arthur. That would be brilliant."
And for a while it was. Arthur would finish his lunch hour ten minutes early to fetch the register. Miss Hooper would be sat behind her desk and would smile sweetly at Arthur whenever he turned up, would talk to him about anything. She'd ask what classes he had that afternoon, whether he was particularly good friends with any of the other boys and what his best subject was. Best of all, in Arthur's opinion, was that she would listen to him talk about planes. About different types of planes he knew about, about his Dad buying planes, about the times he'd been on one and, best of all, he told her about wanting to be a pilot. She wouldn't sigh like other teachers, or make fun of him like the boys did, she listened. After nearly a week she even starts calling him "Captain Shappey" when he comes in.
Arthur knows that when he becomes a pilot he wants Miss Hooper to fly around the world with him. He tells her so.
"Maybe one day," she giggles "First Officer Hooper has a nice ring to it." And to Arthur that means it's settled.
After two weeks Arthur can't imagine anyone else he loved more than Miss Hooper. Except his Mum, obviously. It is a big surprise then when he walks into his form room next Monday morning to find Mr Humphries, red-faced and grumpy, readying himself for morning registration. Arthur's stomach drops and he just about manages to ask where Miss Hooper is.
"Miss Hooper? She's gone lad. Was only filling in for me while I've been getting over the 'flu."
"Oh."
When Arthur goes home that afternoon he doesn't say hello as his mother opens the door. He rushes up to his room, throws himself onto his bed, and cries into his pillow.