After work that day, Anna was settled in to her new home happily.
She was sat in front of the television eating her dinner of pasta at about six o clock when the doorbell rang.
DING DONG
She set her plate down on the coffee table and wandered in to the hall way.
She swung the door open to reveal a man aged about 40, with floppy dark hair, wearing a smart suit.
'Roger, hi,' she greeted her elder brother without emotion.
Roger glared at her wordlessly.
'Nice to see you too,' Anna continued.
'What the hell are you playing at?' he snapped, as his face slowly turned a deep shade of red due to his anger.
'What do you mean 'what the hell am I playing at?' ? I was minding my own business in my own house and you come around here and start acting all angry.' she said innocently.
'How dare you get a job at the school?!' he fumed.
'I'm a teacher, where else do you want me to get a job?'
'There are plenty of schools you could have got a job at, so why pick the one that my son just happens to go to?'
'Maybe I felt like coming back here after all these years.' she said simply.
'You don't belong around here so you might as well just leave now.'
'No,' she snapped, 'You can't manipulate me. I'll do what I want.'
'Listen to me you stupid girl,' he hissed clamping his hands on both of her wrists and forcing her to look up at him, 'I don't want you around my son. If you don't leave then I'll find a way to make you leave.'
'No, you listen to me. You can't tell me what to do any more, we're not kids and you can push me about. I had a really good first day and I want to stay at Waterloo Road and there's nothing you can do about it.'
He scoffed as he let go of her in disgust.
'We'll see about that,' he said walking back down the path.
When he was at his car he stopped to look at her briefly.
'You know you don't belong here Ananstacia.' he said coldly.
'That's where you're wrong,' she said, following him to his car and looked at his defiantly.
'If you don't leave then I'll make you leave.'
'Stop telling me what to do, you're not the boss of me and you can't force me out just because you're scared.'
'What? I'm scared? That's what you think?'
'Yes, that's what I think.'
'Scared of you?' he laughed.
'Yes. You see, I think you're scared that I'll tell your son a little secret.' she smirked.
Roger froze, 'You wouldn't.'
'Wouldn't I?'
He stared at her, ' If you mention anything to him - '
Anna cut him off, ' Maybe he deserves to know.' she said.
'No. I know that you mention a thing, because it would really mess with his head and you couldn't bear to see him go through all that suffering. Plus it could all backfire. He'd end up hating that and you wouldn't that would you?'
Anna knew he was right but she wasn't about to let him know that. This was the only thing she could hold over him.
'We'll see what I do or don't do won't we?' she said carefully and calmly.
He stared at her for a moment before leaning on and whispering dangerously in her ear.
'If you say a word, we'll see how much damage I can cause to your life.'
Without another glance at her, he climbed into his car and drove away.
Anna stood on the pavement for a minute as she watched the car drive away.
Just as she turned to go back in to her house, she heard a voice call out from behind her.
'Miss Aspinall!'
She spun around to see Chlo Granger - Tom's step daughter and Mika's younger sister - whom she had taught earlier that day.
'Hi Chlo,' Anna said with a grin.
'I um.. I made you an apple pie. Kind of a welcome to the neighbourhood thing.' she said sheepishly holding out a plate covered in tin foil.
'Aw thanks,' Anna replied as they took it from her, 'Hey - do you want to come in for a drink or something?'
Chlo obliged and that was how they ended up spending hours sat on Anna's sofa, just generally talking.
They got to know each other and Chlo decided that she liked the new maths teacher a lot and Anna decided that her new neighbour was a very sweet girl and they were going to get along well.
It was nine o clock when the doorbell rang.
Anna went to answer it and opened the door to see Tom stood there.
'Hi,' Anna beamed.
'Hi, is Chlo here?' he asked.
'Yes you want me to get her?'
'Well it is nine o clock,' Tom laughed.
'Is is? God I'm sorry, I didn't realise that much time had passed.'
'No, It's fine. I know she's OK if she's at your house. It's nice you're getting on.'
'Yeah, she's a really great girl. They both are. Hold on - Chlo!' she called turning to face the living room. 'Chlo, It's Tom.'
Chlo came wandering into the hall way and after saying her goodbyes to Anna, Tom told Chlo he wanted a quick word with Anna.
'So,' he said, leaning against the door frame, 'I saw Brett's dad come by earlier.'
'Hmm,' agreed Anna quietly.
'He didn't look too happy.'
'He was always a grumpy sod.'
'He grabbed hold of you. He was really angry. Do you want to talk about it?'
'Not really. Was that all?' she asked quickly, hopin he would leave.
'If you're in some sort of trouble - '
'Well I'm not, but thanks for asking. Good night.' she said hurridley before shutting the door on the very confused man.
'Odd,' he muttered to himself as he walked away.