The kitchen is a picture of happy family life as everyone sits down to have breakfast of toast and cereal. John Smith looks at the Tyler's as Jackie is going on about the mother's at the toddler group that she went to last night and Pete is stressing about the day ahead of him at work, Tony is being like any other toddler. He is scared by the chaos of it all but Rose just sits quietly playing with her Rice Krispies, she looks adorable in her blue dressing gown with her hair still untamed. He still isn't used to all this even though it's been a while since he stepped on to that sandy shore.
"Would you like something to eat?"
He looks at her and shakes his head, "I'm fine."
She smiles at him that look that says that she knows him well enough not to take no as an answer. "C'mon you have to eat something, you're starting work today."
He gives in and picks up a slice of thick cut white toast, "Happy?" He asks.
She smiles, "Close," she answers with a twinkle in her eye.
He can't keep the grin off his face, "Got to go, everything here is a lot slower..."
He had to say it didn't he, he couldn't have picked a better word a different statement anything other than that. The world stopped then for a moment and then she told him that she didn't want him here either it's seems strange now as he sits on the bus thinking there argument over that these things should happen. He knows deep down that he doesn't belong here because there's this little voice in his head that niggles at him. He didn't ask to be here it's not his fault either but the cards have been sorted and he has to cope with what was dealt and maybe consequences are a foreign land even to him the most seasoned of travellers but they mean Rose.
The bus stops at the corner by the school and he picks up the new leather satchel that Rose brought for him to carry about his books and pens for his day. He is going to be a teacher again; it won't be easy trying to remember where the level of knowledge is and it will be frustrating but he likes teaching. He always took a companion with him to try to show them a better way of life to teach them about the universe and admittedly there isn't a lot of comparison between the TARDIS and a classroom but the principals the same.
"Ah Mr Smith," the head teacher smiles, "I hope you found us alright."
"You're directions were helpful," John answers he doesn't want to make a bad impression on his first day. "But I am generally good at remembering places as long as I have been there once and the interview don't feel that long ago." He smiles with his hands in his pockets at least he has a reason to wear his suit today.
The head smiles again, "Quite right, well we'll go to the staff room and I'll introduce you to the head of your department, wonderful chap named Taylor, been with the school since the year dot type of thing. He teaches chemistry mostly."
The school seems so eerie without the students but they will be there soon enough and he wonders if he's up to taking charge of thirty odd kids with hoodies and ASBO's. He smiles at himself thinking on that original idea it is after all a private school in the leafy Surrey suburbs not really the intercity nightmare he was trying to paint.
The staff room is on the first floor by the assembly hall and reception in a part of the school that the pupil's never go to. The head teacher opens the grey door with the staff only sign and inside sit a small congregation of people sip coffee and industrial strength tea in personalised mugs, he doesn't have a cup.
"Where is everyone it's nearly opening hours?"
"Simon's stuck in traffic," a woman in blue drinking from a cup with a kitten wearing a tiara on it answers starting the line of excuses.
"Thank you Katie, "the head sighs. "Katie Branning is my deputy and the head of the maths department while Simon Luke who is apparently caught in traffic is head of history. Next to Katie is Charlie Bartram head of English...
John nods feeling nervous at least they seem a friendly enough bunch unlike those at Drayton Vale who weren't very welcoming the last member of the factuality to make himself known is Adam Taylor who is edging sixty and wide around the middle and thinning on top.
"Welcome aboard lad, shall we have a look at our impressive science block it's a highlight of the school was in the prospectus but then the last one was blown up by a bright spark named Jenkins." Adam smiles and John instantly likes him to the point that he laughs at his bright spark joke.
The science block is very modern with power point boards and the neat little gas taps. "You have had two previous posts in schools Mr Smith?"
"That's right, and, please calls me John," he smiles.
"First period is at nine, I hope you don't mind but Mrs Giles had left a few notes for today's lesson plan."
"It's usually best that way," John nods because it seems a thing a teacher would say after all he doesn't know where they are in the curriculum and being private do they even have a curriculum? He has never felt so alien and out of depth but then money needs to be made as he can't sponge of the hospitality of the Tyler's forever.
"Quite right, if you'll excuse me I have a form and have to do registration."
"Of course," He watches his head of department leave and takes a tour of his new classroom SC4. He sets up for the first lesson and waits for the large empty room to be filled with eager students ready to learn.