In the staff room, Anna ended up sat with Tom and Jasmine Koreshi.

Both were very nice to her and both seemed eager to get to know her.

'How did your first class go? Who did you have?' Jasmine asked Anna in her scottish tones.

'One of the sixth form classes.' she replied, 'The one with Brett and Bolton Smilie and Mika Granger.'

'Mika's my step daughter, you know,' Tom told her.

Anna did know this, but she couldn't tell Tom that as he would want to know how she knew that, and she didn't want to tell him that Mika had asked her to keep an eye on him.

'I didn't know you had step-children,' said Anna conversationaly.

'Yes. Mika and her sister, Chlo, in year eleven.'

'So you're married?' she asked. She knew he wasn't but it was the only way she could think of to naturally continue the conversation.

Tom shook his head, 'Their Mum, Izzie Redpath and I were engaged. She died.' he said sadly.

Anna looked at his, eyes full of sympathy. 'I'm sorry, it must have been awful for you,' she said laying her hand ontop of his, where it lay on the table.

He shook his head again, 'I'm OK, I can cope with it. It's the girls I worry about.'

'The girls are fine,' said Jasmine, 'They've got each other. Chlo has Janeece and Maxine and Mika has Brett. Plus they've got you.'

'Yes, they'll be fine but how are you?' asked Anna.

'Fine. I'm fine,' he paused for a minute before looking at Anna apologetically, 'I'm sorry, you've only just started working here, you don't need all of my problems dumping on you. Let's talk about something else.'

'OK but any time you want to talk, I'll listen.'

'Thanks,' he said before Jasmine adressed Anna.

'So what about you?' she asked, 'Where have you moved here from?'

'London,' replied Anna.

'Have you got a house sorted around here yet or are you renting accomodation?'

'Oh I've bought a house but I haven't moved into it yet. The removal company didn't have a van available until today so they're coming down with all my stuff after work. I've been staying in a hotel these past few days.'

'So where's your house?' asked Tom. 'Is it far from the school?'

'Handale Road, about a 10 minute drive. Do you know it?'

'Know it?' laughed Tom, 'I live on it.'

'Really? That's a coincidence.'

'Yeah... hang on. The house directly opposite ours has just sold and that was the only one I recall being for sale in the last few months, it must be that one.'

'Number eleven?'

'I think it is. Ours is number eight.'

'I can't believe how much of a coincidence this is.' admitted Anna.

'I know. Hey - we can drive the girls mad by taking over house with marking books and grading homework.' he joked.

'Yeah, I'd like that.'

There was a momentary pause which was broken by Jasmine again.

'Have you moved up here alone or have you got a partner or something?'

Anna laughed, 'Please, as if anyone will have me. What about you?'

'No, I'm living on my own but it's nice you know?'

'Yeah, I know. All that freedom right?'

Before Jasmine could answer, Grantly sloped over to the three teachers.

'Ah Mr Budgen, how may I help you?' asked Anna, her tone sickly sweet.

'Miss Mason asked me to hand you this letter. It was found in your hole at the office.'

He held out an envelope which Anna took silently.

Before she could open it however Rachel flung open the staffroom doors and called to the room in general,

'Bolton Smilie has started a fight behind the bike sheds - his usual way of greeting the new school term. Can someone come and break it up?'

'I'll go,' offered Eddie standing up quickly. 'Who's the latest victim?'

'Brett Aspinall.' replied Rachel.

Anna also stood up quickly.

Tom reached for her sleeve, 'Leave it to Eddie and Rachel, they'll sort it out.'

'But he's my - ' she began.

'I know, he's your nephew but - '

'What if it were Mika or Chlo?' retorted Anna.

Tom knew he would be right there if one of the girls were in the middle of a scene so he knew he had no grounds to argue.

'At least let me come. If Brett's involved, Mika will be there too.'

Anna nodded and let Tom lead the way down the corridoe and out to the bike sheds, where Rachel had said the fight was taking place.

When they got there, Eddie was stod in the middle of Bolton and Brett, yelling at them to calm down. There was a fairly large crowd around them, desperate to see what was going on.

'Bolton, Brett, my office!' hissed Rachel Mason.

The boys walked off towards the head's office, Eddie and Tom escorting them.

Anna looked at Rachel, unsure of whether she should go back to the staff room or go with the others, to Rachel's office.

'Come on,' said Rachel, 'Shall we go find out what this fight was all about?'

Anna followed the other woman to her office, where Bolton and Brett were sat inside, being watched over by Eddie and Tom.

When the two women entered the room, both of the teenage boys began talking at once.

Rachel held out her palms to silence them.

'Mr Lawson and Miss Aspinall, would you take Mr Aspinall through there and talk to him? Mr Clarkson, if you would stay here whilst I speak with Mr Smilie.'

The staff members did as they were told, so Eddie and Anna found themselves sat at Eddie's desk looking at Brett.

Eddie decided to take control of the situation.

'Why don't you tell us why you were fighting Brett?'

'It was nothing Sir,' insisted the young man.

'You weren't arguing over nothing and we'll sit here until you tell us what's going on.'

'Really Sir, it doesn't matter.'

'We'll be here as long as it takes so you might as well tell us.' continued Eddie.

Brett looked really uncomfortable, 'It was just a stupid disagreement over nothing.'

Eddie looked quite annoyed now and looked at the woman sat next to him, pleading with his eyes. Maybe he would listen ti her.

Anna nodded at Mr Lawson and turned to look at Brett.

'Brett, come on don't be stupid, tell us what's going on.'

Brett was silent but he avoided Anna's eyes - a sign that she was getting to him.

Anna suddenly smirked as she thought of something,' If you don't tell us, then I'll go tell your father.'

'You know my dad would kill me for getting into a fight, please don't tell him.'

'Well if you're not going to co-operate with us - '

'Fine! Fine.' sighed Brett, 'Basically I oveheard Bolton saying some things I didn't like, so I asked him to leave it but he wouldn't. He kept on saying those things until I got really mad and shouted at him so he hit me.'

'Well what was he saying?' asked Eddie.

'Sorry Aunt Anna, but he said you were just a pathetic nobody and that you were probably just some hooker acting all posh and privelidged.'

'Huh, making fun of my middle-class status, never had that before,' she said sarcastically.

'Obviously I couldn't just stand there and let him insult you like that, I had to try and stop him.'

'Well it was very loyal of you to stand up for Miss Aspinall like that Brett, but don't let yourself be dragged into a fight by anyone else.' Eddie told him.

Anna nodded in agreement, 'I'm used to the stick that comes with being from a well off family, if anyone says anything about me again just ignore it.'

'I know I should have done but it's hard. I mean - you're not just my aunt, you're the only family I've got that gives a damn about me.'

'Brett I'm sure your father does care but in the future don't get into fights over anyone.'

'I know but I was only defending you, anyone would do the same for their family. Mika and Chlo are the same with Tom.'

'Look - I'm a teacher, I'm bound to get things said about me by some of the pupils, it's just how things are. I can look after myself.'

'Right, well I'm sorry for making a scene, won't happen again.' the school boy apologised.

'Make sure it doesn't,' said Eddie, 'You can go now, we won't be pursuing this any further on your part.'

After Brett left Eddie and Anna joined Tom and Rachel in the laters office as she had also finished with Bolton.

'According to Bolton,' Rachel informed the two teachers who hadn't been in the room, 'He was merely making a joke about Miss Aspinall when Brett overheard and got mad.'

Tom nodded, 'Knowing Bolton Smilie, he'll have been doing more than having a 'joke' and Brett did right to hit him.'

'Not that we're telling Brett that.' added Rachel, 'We don't promote fighting, Tom.'

'Right, we had words with Bolton,' he told Eddie and Anna, 'And he apologises for his behaviour and accepts that he was out of line.'

'Brett told us that Bolton was insulting Miss Aspinall and that he wouldn't stand to listen to the insults. We gave him a telling off and that should be the end of it.' said Eddie.

Rachel looked at Anna and gave her a smile.

'You've got one hell of a nephew.'