Chapter 7


It was break time at Waterloo Road, and almost all of the teachers had returned to their favourite haunting ground. The staff room.

Jasmine was sat on one of the chairs in the middle of the room, opposite Steph (who was cradling a cup of coffee beneath her chin, closing her eyes and breathing in the sweet aroma) and next to Davina, who was curled up in her chair, reading a magazine Tom had confiscated off of one of the Year Nines and playing with her hair.

She couldn't stop thinking about him. It scared her, the way she felt, having never felt this way before, about anyone. She wasn't sure how she should act on it, what she should do. Sure, she asked him out on dinner dates, and they had drinks together at the pub after work, but he always said no.

"So." said Steph, still with her eyes closed over her coffee. "Has he replied yet?"

Jasmine literally jumped out of her skin, or felt like it. "I, er, don't know what you mean."

Steph opened her eyes, and looked at her critically. Davina also looked up, just as Grantly walked in and slouched down in the chair next to Steph.

"Well, you have asked him, haven't you?"

"Asked who?" Jasmine asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. She really didn't want Steph to know how she felt, that would mean that everyone else would know.

"Rob, of course." Steph grinned as Jasmine blushed beetroot red, "See, I knew you had!"

Jasmine didn't respond. She didn't want to tell that she had been rejected. Again. Every time he looked at her she felt like she would die from her heart beating so fast, and every time he said no, she felt like she would die from her heart breaking. Thankfully, she was saved from having to reply to Steph's comment by the sudden entry of Matt, who was later than he normally was.

"Hey, budge up Steph!" Steph sighed, but squidged up against the arm of her chair, just allowing Matt enough room to squeeze himself in beside her.

"Oof! Do you mind?" she asked him, swatting at him with her hands. He just stuck his tongue out at her.

Jasmine laughed at him, and he winked back at her. She was pally with Rob like she was with Matt, but with Rob she wanted so much more. No, she didn't want it. She needed it.

That was right, she thought, as the room lapsed back into silence. She needed him like she needed air. That was what it felt like. And then there was the thought that had been making her blood freeze every time she thought it. If the school closes, will we ever see each other again?

She couldn't allow herself to dwell on matters like that. Wouldn't allow herself to. To kept telling herself that as she raised her mug to her lips. Man, she should have so been an actress.

"Oh, by the way, has anyone seen Rachel? Or Eddie?" Matt was looking around the silent staff room, as if he had just thought of the question.

Steph was watching him with raised eyebrows. "No, not yet. Why?"

Matt sank back into his seat (or his half of his seat, and as much as he could with Steph in the way). "Just wanted to ask him something about tomorrow."

"Ask who what about tomorrow?" Eddie had just entered the room. Jasmine smiled at him as he stood, towering about all of them in their seated positions (apart from Tom, who was pressing his head against one of the metal shelves in the corner. "Headache," murmured Davina, following her gaze).

"Oh, hi Eddie." Matt said, struggling to get out of the chair he had sunken into. Eddie also raised his eyebrows at him, and Jasmine could see that he was struggling not to laugh at the young drama teachers plight. "I wanted to ask you something, actually. Or Rachel, wherever she is."

"Go on then, spill."

Matt finally managed to stand up, and nearly fell over the coffee table. Steph burst into laughter, until Matt stole her coffee ("Hey! Give that back!")

"Just, wondering, are you getting any students to show the inspectors around tomorrow?"

"Not that I was aware of. Why?"

"Sorry if I'm mistaken," came the drawling tones of Grantly from behind the Racing Post, "but you want some of this lot to advertising our school to the closing party?"

"Er….yes, to put it bluntly. Just thought it might help to show the part that the kids play in this school, showing them taking on responsibilities and being interested in the plight of the school." Matt said, sounding, to Jasmine, as though he had been rehearsing exactly what to say.

Eddie looked at the eager faced man before him, quite blankly. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't thought of how to show the role the kids played, he had been to busy comforting Rachel, and, well, spending time with Melissa. But now that the idea was brought to his attention, he could see that it made sense.

"Oh right? And which pupils did you have in mind?"

"I thought two of the older students, who know their way around but aren't too busy with school work. Who like the school and what it's done for them. I though….maybe, Janeece and Paul would be good."

Eddie nodded his head. The idea did make sense, and Janeece and Paul would be good students for the job. Janeece, able to talk her way out of most things could make even the worse thing sound good, and Paul, normally quiet, but sensible enough to keep Janeece under control. They were good suggestions.

"Well, I'll talk to Rachel about it." Although, he knew that she would agree. She'd probably be annoyed that she hadn't thought about it herself, knowing her.

Matt was grinning as Eddie strolled out of the room, not noticing Steph's attempts to grab back her coffee. Jasmine watched him, eagle eyed. If I didn't know any better, she thought as Steph managed to grab her coffee back accompanied by the sarcastic cheers and applause coming from the other members of staff, I would think that Matt was up to something.