Mrs Angela Pole was a tall lady with thick, grey hair tied back into a jaunty ponytail. She was strongly built and had a voice like a foghorn. She flew over the school gates only two hours before breakfast and Patricia had been the first to greet her. She led her into the staff room and sat her down, offering her a cup of tea after such a long journey from the north east.

"Where abouts are ye from?" Patricia asked, handing Mrs Pole a cup of steaming hot builder's tea.

"Durham," She said flatly, "I'm from Durham. Ye sound like ye're from Newcastle."

Patricia nodded as she joined Mrs Pole in her tea drinking, "I live in Jesmond at the moment, born in Whitley Bay. Eee you know it is amazin' to hear a familiar accent. It gets a bit tirin' bein' surrounded by Southerners all the time."

Mrs Pole ground her teeth, looking at Patricia. She was incredibly fussy looking with her precisely groomed platinum locks and perfectly plucked eyebrows. Too fussy for a school environment in her opinion, "Are we gettin' this interview started or what?"

As soon as the words left her lips, the staff room door crashed open, revealing Amelia with Constance hot on her heels.

"Sorry to keep you waiting so long, Mrs Pole. I hope Patricia hasn't been too much of a nuisance."

"Hey! I'm not a nuisance. I'll have you know I'm very warm and welcomin'."

Constance made a scathing noise at Patricia's comment as she and Amelia escorted Mrs Pole to the office for her interview.

"'Tired of being surrounded by Southerners'?" A voice came as though from nowhere.

Patricia looked around, "Where are ye, Davina?"

Davina's head popped out from behind the stationary cupboard door, "Cooee!"

Patricia jumped in her seat at the sudden noise from just behind her. She punched the cupboard door, but regretted it immediately as a shooting pain went up and down her first two knuckles.

"Ooh! Ye little bastard!" She growled through gritted teeth.

Davina was giggling as she emerged from the cupboard and sat down in the seat Mrs Pole had been occupying only moments before. As she positioned herself comfortably on the rickety chair the staff room door opened. It was Edith and she was carrying a book and an envelope. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red and swollen.

"What's that?" Davina asked, snatching the envelope from on top of Edith's book and reading the letter inside.

Edith sniffed loudly, "My boyfriend, well fiancée, he's staying in Germany for a little longer than we were expecting. He won't be back home until June now." She sighed and put her head on top of her book, her long blonde hair falling around her like a mass of golden silk.

Davina rubbed her back, trying to provide some comfort. She had no real words of wisdom for the younger woman but all the same she offered her a welcoming hand of friendship.

Edith looked up from her book and then at Davina and Patricia, "I'm sorry for being like this. I just... Not seeing Jay for so long is really hard. I love him."

Patricia knew exactly how Edith felt, "Listen. My boyfriend lives up in the Inner Hebrides. I hardly ever get to see him, only when I get time off work which is hardly ever in this place, let's be honest," Edith gave a little laugh as she wiped her eyes, "What I'm tryin' to say is rather than thinkin' about how long it's been since you last saw him, think about how soon it is until you see him again. June really isn't that far away. You'll be back in his arms before you know it."

Davina smiled, "That's a lovely way of putting it, Trish."

Edith's lips quivered as new tears began to fall from beneath her long eyelashes. She wrapped her arms around Patricia and whispered in a strangled voice, "Thank you."

Patricia, despite her own discomfort, returned Edith's hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Anytime, flower."

In the next room, however, things were not going as swimmingly. Mrs Pole and Constance were at loggerheads already. They were very similar in their methods of teaching but disagreed on nearly everything; uniforms, staff dress code, homework, discipline.

Amelia on the other hand had taken quite a shine to Mrs Pole, who had answered each question with precision and had given a good impression of the "fire in her belly" that had been mentioned in her application form by standing up to Constance's barbs.

"Right, well I am quite happy with how you've interviewed Mrs Pole. How do you feel about doing a little work trial today to see how you get on with the girls?"

Constance grumbled as Mrs Pole agreed to the trial and they walked out into the courtyard to wait for the girls to arrive. There was great merriment amongst the third year girls, who were the girls being trialled with Mrs Pole, as they had never been asked to use their regulation swimming costumes before. Of course they weren't the most flattering pieces of beachwear but they served their purpose. They were grey and black striped and came down to the knees and to the elbows so they were both practical and conservative.

The girls filed out into the courtyard, their bags filled with towels and slung over their backs for safe keeping as they listened to Amelia's explanation of the situation. After the girls were filled in they followed the teachers to the village. Edith, Patricia and Davina joined Constance and Amelia at the front of the herd of students while Mrs Pole wrangled the girls lagging behind like a persistent shepherd, waving her arms and hurrying them on.

"What do you think of her, Constance?" Amelia asked very quietly so as not to draw too much attention from the students, "Do you think she's capable?"

Constance frowned, "Well she doesn't appear to be a pushover, Headmistress. Her true aptitude will be tested when she tries to teach our most difficult year group," she shot a slight glance at the lax Davina who was skipping along merrily, listening to whatever Edith was talking about - probably tarot cards.

The pair of them had grown close due to their mutual love of the white arts; tarot cards, crystal balls, runes and incense. Constance didn't share their interest but noticed that the pair plus Patricia appeared to be getting very close.

They soon arrived at the pool and the girls waded into the changing room, exciting to dive into the pool. Mrs Pole changed into her teaching gear; a pair of white shorts that showed off her toned calves and a bright orange vest. She walked out into the pool area which was a large space with brilliantly white tiles covering every surface. To one side of the pool there were three long benches occupied by Amelia, Constance, Davina and Edith who were waiting for the lesson to start.

Eventually the students appeared from the changing rooms one by one, with their swimming caps covering their ears and their black and grey striped swimming costumes either too big or too tight for each student. There wasn't a single one that was a perfect fit. The girls sat down on the benches beside their teachers and waited for Mrs Pole to begin the lesson.

Amelia looked confused as she looked around the poolside. Finally she spoke, "Where's Trish?" she asked, "She didn't get lost on her way to the pool did she?"

Constance furrowed her brow and turned to Davina who was to her right, "Well? Where is she?"

Davina's head pricked up at Constance's tone and she began to make a strange clucking noise.

Edith looked alarmed until Constance leant forward and told her it was probably just one of her panic attacks and she'd be okay in a few moments. She often did have panic attacks when she was asked where anything, or anyone, was.

Eventually their questions were answered as one of the changing room doors opened.

Patricia was standing in front of the changing room door, her hands on her hips, wearing a brilliant red swimming suit that accentuated every bulge and roll of fat on her body. It was cut like a normal swimming costume, not like the ones the girls were wearing, and revealed the majority of the leathery skin on her legs and arms. She had thick spots of cellulite on her thighs that seemed to ripple as she moved.

She waddled her way over to the bench where the rest of the group were staring, open mouthed at the sight of her as she shuffled closer and closer, her bathing suit creaking with every movement she made. Constance and Amelia looked at each other. Amelia was trying to suppress a snort of laughter.

"Patricia, this lesson is purely for the girls," Constance sneered, "Perhaps it would be a good idea to get changed and sit to the side of the pool?"

Patricia sat down, still in her costume, shaking her head, "Oh no. If there are any, erm," she began waving her hand at the pool, "issues, I can dive in and help."

Constance leant forward again, "I think Mrs Pole is quite competent without your help."

"Nah. I've seen enough episodes of Baywatch to know what to do." She sat up straight, a smile creeping on to her lips, "Eee, you know me and Pamela Anderson could be sisters! We're both young, attractive blonde ladies."

There seemed to be a joint mumbling of "Oh for goodness sake" among the staff as Patricia went into one of her vanity fuelled rants, comparing herself to her current muse. They were relieved when Mrs Pole finally started the lesson.

The girls didn't seem overly enamoured with her as she barked commands at them while they were in the water and the cannon blast of noise that erupted from her made both the students and the teachers sitting by the side of the pool jump in shock.

"KEEP GOING!" She screeched, "YOU CAN DO IT!"

"She's only doing a lap of the pool isn't she?" Constance muttered from the corner of her mouth, "She's going on like she's swimming the channel," She looked at Amelia and caught sight of her concerned expression. Her fingers were tented, the crease between her eyebrows growing deeper and deeper with every passing stroke on the water.

Finally it was Amanda Honeydew's turn to take to the pool. She followed her friend, Jasmine Spellbinder, and climbed into the water, her bleached blonde hair tied up into a tight ponytail as she refused to wear her swimming cap.

At the sound of Mrs Pole's whistle she began to swim, paddling madly, sending a torrent of water straight at Constance as she thrashed in the pool, gracelessly propelling herself forward. Constance scowled as she smoothed down her now sopping wet dress and watched as Mrs Pole crowed at Amanda to keep going.

Eventually Amanda stood up, rubbing her eyes, and to everyone's horror her hair had become bright green.

With a thundering splash that sent a wave of water out of the pool and onto the students and the staff (Constance snarled in her anger), Patricia dived in head first to rescue Amanda. Amanda argued, trying to push her away but Patricia wasn't having any of it as she wrapped her arms around her student and brought her back to the edge of the pool.

"No, flower! You're strugglin', I'll save you!" She cried as she lifted her out of the pool, attempting to put her in the recovery position, "Now deep breaths-"

"Miss Gimlet!" Amanda said loudly, still rubbing her red eyes.

"Don't speak. It'll only make the water sit on your lungs."

"Miss Gimlet!" Amanda shouted, sitting up, "I got water in my eye, that's all."

Patricia stopped trying to push Amanda into the recovery position and stared, slack jawed at her. After what felt like an age she cried, "Well you should've said summet!" And she plucked Amanda up off the tiled floor and flung her back into the pool. She landed in the water with a deafening scream and a splash that sent ripples across the water, sending yet more water out of the pool and onto the tile floor.

This time Amanda really did start panicking. She had been thrown in at the deep end, literally. Her feet couldn't reach the bottom of the pool and to her horror she couldn't get herself moving without the initial push off from the floor.

Mrs Pole screeched in terror, not knowing what to do as she waved her arms, trying to gesture something to the panicking Amanda.

There wasn't much else to do. The staff were panicking, even the students were screaming, trying to encourage Amanda but their attempts were futile as she flailed in the water, kicking water around in a useless attempt to get herself moving.

Constance stood up and with a zap of her fingers Amanda was stood at the side of the pool again, bundled in a warm fluffy white towel.

The cacophony of screaming stopped abruptly as Constance glared at Mrs Pole, "Incompetent comes to mind, Mrs Pole," She seethed, "Incompetent and ostentatious in both your methods of teaching and your self proclaimed "life saving skills that are second to none". I think I've seen enough, do you Headmistress?"

Amelia stood up and nodded, "Quite right, Constance. Putting a student at risk like that. Patricia may have caused the incident but you should have been able to help Amanda Honeydew. You may go, Mrs Pole, but for the rest of the lesson the girls can enjoy the pool. I'm sure Mr Ridley won't mind," she added, seeing the excited look on her students' faces.

The girls climbed into the pool, some dive bombing as Mrs Pole left the pool area, but not without a word to Constance, "Speak to me like that again and you'll regret it."

Constance smirked, "I doubt that, Mrs Pole. I sincerely doubt that," and she watched as Mrs Pole left the building.

Amelia had emerged from the changing room in a tight fitting swimming costume, much like Patricia's it emphasised every bulge of her body.

"Where did you get that from?" Constance asked.

"Oh I put it on under my clothes just in case. Would you like to join me?"

Constance shook her head as she watched Amelia climb precariously into the pool and made her way across the water and to her students and Patricia.

Davina and Edith were sat by the side of the pool, reading each other's palms as Amanda walked over to Constance, still holding tightly on to her towel.

"Thank you, Miss." She muttered almost incoherently.

Constance's mouth twitched at the corner, almost forming a smile, "I was only doing what should have been done." Then her face returned to its usual unreadable expression, "Now join the rest of your class."

And Amanda climbed carefully into the water, wary after her recent experience, and joined her friends in the pool for a game of Marco Polo. Constance sat down beside Edith who smiled.

"We're going to have to do something about the green in Amanda's hair." She said softly, stroking Davina's hand, "What gets rid of green hair?"

"White vinegar!" Patricia shouted from the pool, "Or lemon juice!"

"Thanks Trish!" Edith called back, then with a smile she said "You did really well, Constance." She was feeling a lot perkier after her heart to heart with Patricia earlier, "I think you need to give yourself a pat on the back."

"Hmm... I was doing what should have been done by Mrs Pole. She was the one on the work trial, she should have been the one saving the day. Oh no, it's always left to me isn't it?"

Davina chuckled to herself as she crossed her legs on the bench, "Are you having a moment, Constance?"

Constance shot a deathly glare at Davina who shrank back and joined her colleagues in watching the girls, Patricia and Amelia play in the water together, enjoying what was left of the swimming lesson.


A/N: Mrs Pole may have been inspired by my old swimming teacher from school, but either way I do hope you enjoyed this update.