Wooooooo more words!

Chapter 4

"When will I see you again?" Clara asked once they returned to the cupboard.

"Sooner than you were thinking, but not as soon as you're thinking now." A sly grin appeared on his face and Clara rolled her eyes. "Go on, you've only been gone 5 minutes. Go mark books or whatever it is you people do."

A quick wave and she was out the door, a smile on her face and a lot happier. She'd really been gone a good 2 hours, so she was a little tired at this point, but she needed to keep to a real time schedule so she started to tidy her classroom up.

"You were a while in that cupboard. You'll get bored of tidying it eventually you know? Tom's is a complete mess I'm constantly putting books back in the right place." Clara grinned to herself before she turned around.

I bet you do. "You spend a lot of time in his room then? You guys get on well." She'd been thinking a little about this whilst looking in to deep space, and decided to make it her mission to work these two out. They were too suited to let them pass it over for whatever reason it may be.

"I don't know. I guess so? I like spending time in the English rooms anyway, much more interesting than anything else. No offence…"

"None taken. Always loved English myself, but the past is just fascinating… sorry, just remembered." Probably not a fan of your ex's subject so much.

"It's fine. Really. We were over well before he left… he cheated, with Steph of all people…"

"Which explains your loving relationship with her I suppose… why on earth would anyone choose her over you I have no idea! So, if he's gone that leaves space for someone else right?" Davina went bright red straight away; she knew exactly what Clara was getting at.

"It's not that simple… trust me, it's really not." She looked up at the clock, probably time to drop the topic for now. "We're all off to the pub. You coming?" Clara smiled and nodded, grabbing her bag. "Great, let's go. Most of them will be down there by now."

The pub was a great way to get to know everyone outside 'teacher mode'. Rachel bought the first round, a sort of welcome back gift apparently. Davina was chatting away to Tom (some things don't change), so Clara found herself talking to the woman who had helped her to find Melody earlier on that day who she now knew to be Donna Noble. An interesting woman, if somewhat outgoing and with far too much energy after the first day back! But Clara liked her, she gave great conversation.

"Thanks for this morning by the way; I never really got a chance to say." Clara smiled, sipping her drink.

"No problem. I know how hard it can be to get something like that on your first day, you did really well with her, calming her down and that."

"She didn't really mean anything by it. Just wants to make her mark on day one, impress her friends. Although her friends really didn't look all that impressed by it so I don't think she won there. I'm not sure that's the last we'll hear from her though… but there's always got to be one hasn't there?"

"You'll get the hang of it don't you worry! But I'd best be going now. See you tomorrow for more of the same." Clara nodded, smiled and then Donna left. When she turned around she noticed Tom had left and Davina was finishing off her drink.

"He had to get back." Davina obviously noticed Clara's expression.

"Sorry, I'm a nosey sod. You alright?"

"Mmm fine. Probably going to head off. You want to share a taxi?" After a closer inspection it was possible Davina had had half a glass too many. She wasn't drunk, but emotional sure. Her blonde hair was hiding the tears but they were there.

"Come on, I'll drive you. Stuck to the cola for a reason."

Whatever was going on here, the feelings were pretty strong.

It was almost a relief to reach her new flat that evening. She dropped Davina off home and made sure she was alright so it was already nearly 8 by now, and she was shattered. Clara put her bag down and started hunting through for her door key, she was now regretting the decision not to attach it to her car key. The door to the flat opposite was propped open, she noticed. By the look of all the boxes in the hall someone was moving in there. Eventually she found her key and stood up to open the door, managing to drop her folders on the floor in the process. She sighed, too tired for this happening now.

"You want a hand with them?" Clara looked up from her current position kneeling on the floor to find a man stood next to her, holding a box – presumably moving in to next door. He was, she had to admit, quite nice looking if a little sweaty (although that's not necessarily a bad thing). It did occur to her she had now been staring and silent for a little longer than is socially acceptable.

"Sorry. You look like you have your hands full already… sure you're not the one who needs a hand?" Eventually she managed to gather all her folders together and stood up. "Let me just put my things inside and I'll help you." She might have been shattered, but there was always time to help out a neighbour, especially one she might get along with. So with her door finally open, she dumped everything quickly on a table just inside and headed back out again. "What can I do?"

An hour and a pile of ridiculously heavy boxes later, and Clara found herself sat on her new neighbour's sofa with a coffee. This wasn't entirely how she'd planned the rest of her evening out, but there was no complaining on her part, she was having fun and making friends – the way real life should go.

"Nice to know the person who shares my floor isn't going to drive me crazy. More than I can say for the last place I was in!" Clara chuckled and replied.

"You don't know that yet. I could be one of those people who plays their music far too loud and stays up all night."

"True, true. But are you?" His smile was beautiful…

"Well… no. In fact it's only 9 and I'm more than done for the day! But still, I might be annoying. You don't know. You don't even know my name yet." Clara gave a slight smirk and sipped her coffee. She'd realised a little time ago that no names had been exchanged, but at the time she was helping a bookcase up the stairs so it didn't seem a very appropriate time. "I'm Clara. Oswald. Clara Oswald." That didn't come out entirely as planned…. The man smiled back at her, clearly amused by her stumble there.

"Danny. Pink. Danny Pink. Nice to meet you Clara Oswald."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm really sorry, would you mind if I went back now? I wasn't kidding when I said I was more than done for the day… been a long one!" To be fair, he looked pretty shattered too.

"Of course not. I'm sure I'll see you around, and I should probably start on this lot…"

So home she went. They said their goodbyes and she walked back across the corridor. As she shut the door, Clara smiled to herself. This was going to be a great life.

Thanks for reading my pretties