Open Door
"Tell your moms, your dads, your grandparents, whoever, we want them all here. Because we're opening the doors this year and the message that I'm trying to get across is if they're in need of something, the first place we want them to look is Waterloo Road."
That was received with mixed reactions. No less than she had expected, but she had promised to make her mark and Rachel Mason would not allow for anything less.
Matt looked indifferent, if not a little tired. Perhaps his wild night out hadn't helped. Steph was smug, as always, waiting for the moment where she could voice her criticisms. As for Tom and Jasmine, at least they looked supportive. The latter perhaps a little too excited. She wriggled in her seat, a determined look in her eye. Davina was nodding, flashing a reassuring smile, while Grantly was…. Well, he was absent. Strange, considering she had seen him early that morning. At the same time, it wasn't so strange. He was no more ashamed than the kids when it came to playing hooky.
It needn't matter what they thought; she was going to do it anyway. Rachel believed in doing the best she could and she had faith in her plan. This was no different than the schools she had worked in before, the strategies she had implemented there.
Still, as she caught sight of Eddie on the front row, his face radiating with a trust that frightened her, Rachel supposed it was nice to have someone support her. She couldn't have done it without him.