A/N : hey I'm back ! This year is going to be hectic so I don't know how regularly this will be posted but I'll try to upload it as quickly as possible ! Your response to the first chapter and the story overall was good I'm determined to do well !!

Please review if you liked this chapter as well !

John's jaw hung open for a solid minute. He was as pale as a sheet. What was she doing here ? He had thought his past life was behind him but Sarah's presence was threatening to make his life much harder than he intended it to be. He hoped she hadn't seen him. He quickly excused himself to his new friends before leaving the table, not without earning questioning looks from his tablemates. He walked as fast as he could with his knee to reach his best mate, who was chatting with his daughters

"Robert, have a time for some chat ?" he said in a voice that suggested it wasn't a real question. Robert nodded, excused himself before walking away with John. They walked until they were far enough from the others.

"So, what's got you so worked up, mate ?"

"Why is Sarah O'Brien here ?" John asked, looking anxious.

"You mean our math teacher, Sarah O'Brien ?"

"What ? When were you going to tell me she worked here ?" John was exasperated.

"Why would I tell you that ? I didn't even know you two knew each other."

"She's Vera's best friend"

"I didn't know that witch had friends. Well I won't say I like O'Brien but she's a good teacher. What's the matter anyway ?"

"She hates me. That's what is the matter"

"Well, you're the librarian. It's not like you'll see much of the other anyway"

"I wanted to forget about my other life, my life with Vera"

"And you will, she probably doesn't care about you. Stop worrying John" His friend reassured him.

John sighed. He supposed he would have to deal with it. O'Brien couldn't cause much trouble for him. She probably won't even notice him, hidden under his books in his library. He had decided he would get a new start and he attended to do so, O'Brien or not.

The next day, he woke up around 6 am. After a hot shower and a good breakfast, he took his car and drove to the Abbey. The large building had a comforting feeling which made him automatically more confident. He parked his car and walked to the teacher's entrance - a coal yard leading to a big green door which had once been the servants entrance -. He saw Thomas, smoking a cigarette, but the younger man didn't even look up. He opened the door and went down the two little stairs here. He passed the big kitchen where he was greeted by Mrs Patmore fussing over Daisy, who was getting the lunch ready. The teacher's common room was along the hall, after the stairs leading to the classes. He passed the threshold and saw Anna, talking to Gwen and Jimmy. He smiled and was about to greet the group when he saw her on the other hand of the table. Sarah O'Brien, her back facing him. John panicked and before he could think more about it, he left the room. He wanted to avoid O'Brien as much as he could, even if he struck as rude to the others in the room. Anna had noticed him and furrowed her brows at his sudden escape. Gwen asked her if she was alright and she nodded. She excused herself after, gathered her stuff, left the room and took the stairs.

John had climbed the stairs leading to the classes as fast as he could with his knee. He knew he looked suspicious but he really didn't want to see O'Brien on his first day. He walked to the library. The room was enormous, with gigantic windows offering a view on the beautiful garden. The book collection was so big there was a ladder on the side of each wall to reach the book you wanted on the shelf. John winced, wondering how he would be able to climb them with his bad knee. Well, he would cross it when he comes to it. It was only 7 am and classes didn't start until 7:45 am so there was no one else - and he was glad of that -. He sat himself behind the counter and put his bag at his feet. He breathed out and tried to relax. Today was the start of his new life, he wanted it to be perfect. He started the computer, entered the password and plugged his USB. He was going through his files when he felt a presence in the library. He looked up from his computer to see a blonde head on the threshold watching him.

"Hello ?"

"Mr Bates ?" He recognized the voice. It was Anna.

"Miss Smith ? What are you doing here ?"

"I saw you running off the teachers' room. I wondered if you were alright"

"I am alright thank you. I'm sorry I worried you" He didn't realize she had walked her way to him. She was standing on the other side of the counter and was looking at him with her big blue eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't want to seem rude. I feel silly for running away for such a stupid reason -" he began before realizing what he was saying.

"What stupid reason ? You weren't running away from us, were you ?"

"No. Of course not," He said far too quickly. "I-I'm trying to avoid someone"

"Who are they ?" She asked, leaning on the counter, her chin supported by her bended arm.

"Miss O'Brien" He admitted, ashamedly.

"Oh, she has that effect on all of us. Don't worry" She joked and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"No, she is someone I knew when I was in London" He didn't know why he hadn't told her the entire truth, that she was a friend of his ex-wife. He was probably ashamed.

"Oh" she just said. "Well, I can't say I like her. She's good at what she does but she's a real bitch" John lifted a surprised eyebrow at her last sentence. She gave him a cheeky smile.

"Well, Miss Smith, you seem to know a lot about everyone"

"Well, it happens when you're best friends with the director's daughter. I'm surprised you don't know a thing, being Robert's best friend" She pointed out.

"The thing is…before I came I wasn't really in touch with him. We were school buddies long ago and he just proposed this job when I needed it" He scratched his head. He should tell her about his divorce but it seems weird.

"What were you doing before ?"

"I was a firefighter"

"What ?" She said, laughing.

"I feel offended" He brought his hand to his chest in a mocking way.

"No, it's just, you look so…cozy" She replied, embarrassed.

"I shall take that as a compliment" He slightly blushed.

"It is," Anna said in a whisper.

Just as he was about to reply, the door opened and some students entered. Anna took it as her cue to go. Before making her way back to the classes, she told John to come eat lunch with her and her friends at noon. She winked at him and left the room. John felt his cheek burning with his smile. He greeted the kids and went to his occupation.

The morning passed too slowly for John's taste. He had to deal with really annoying noisy teens. He wondered how Anna managed. She struck him as a fierce little woman. She had the nerve to be a teacher that he never would have. John liked calm and tranquility. However, there was one thing John liked more than that and it was books. He was glad to be surrounded by books like that even though he was probably the only one. The kids weren't showing much interest in the books, most of them came here to do their homeworks or work on the computers. He lent many mangas but full novels weren't at all their cup of tea.

He was arranging the Sheakspeare's collection on the bookshelf when he saw a blond haired girl standing behind the counter. She was a student, he turned around to know what she wanted.

"Hello, how can I help you ?"

"I've come to find a book"

"Well, I think you came to the right place then" he teased. She giggled a little.

"Do you have…hum…Pride and Prejudice ?" she asked shyly.

"Wow, that's a great big book. It's for a class ?"

"Not at all. I wanted to read it"

"Oh so you like to read ?"

"I love it. It's all thanks to Miss Smith. She always recommends us books" She confessed.

He would definitely be good friends with Anna, he thought.

"That's nice. What's your name ?"

"Rose. Rose Maclare. I'm in Year 10"

"Here's your book Rose" he said as he handed her the volume. "I hope to see you often here"

"You will, Mr Bates. Have a nice day"

"You too"

John couldn't help but smile. Rose had raised his confidence. Around noon, he gathered his stuff and made his way downstairs. He was going to the teacher's lunch room to meet Anna and her friends when he came across Robert.

"Bates ! Can I have a word with you in my office ?" His friend called.

"Huh… It's just I…"

"Come along, John. It won't be long"

He hesitated. He was going to be late to eat with his colleagues. He had no way of contacting Anna to tell her. He cursed his friend but followed nevertheless. It won't be too long. They went into Robert's office. He sat in front of his desk and John did the same on the other side. He fidgeted with his fingers, he wanted this interview to be as quick as possible.

"So, John, how was your first day so far ?"

"Great" He said, nonchalantly.

"O'Brien did not cause you any problem ?"

"She did not. I avoided her this morning"

"Ever so social"

"Oh shut up, Rob. She was really good friends with Vera. I bet she hates me" He huffed.

"Probably. So what ?"

"She could talk about me"

"And say what ? That you're an old boring man ?" Robert teased but his smile disappeared when he caught the killer look on John's face.

"That I'm a drunkard"

"That you were a drunkard. You haven't touched alcohol in ages" Robert pointed out.

"Nevertheless, I wouldn't want the colleagues to know it… or worse, the kids"

"About kids. How are you coping with having to interact with them ?"

"I'm not a hermit, thank you very much. Don't forget that I saw yours growing up" John tutted.

"It's true. So everything went well then"

"Yeah. I even had a student asking for a real book"

"Wow. In a library ?" Robert said in mocked surprise. John rolled his eyes.

They talked more about how John was getting on with his new life. He had almost forgotten about his meeting for lunch but suddenly he thought of it and said :

"Anyway. Is this all you wanted to talk about ? I need to meet the others to eat"

"The others ?" Robert was curious.

"Anna, Gwen and Thomas"

"John, you made friends ! I'm so proud of you my boy" Rob congratulated him as if he was his child.

"Oh hush you, Anna asked me to join them" His friend smirked but John didn't notice.

"Well, I hate to break it to you but I think their break is over"

"What ?" John looked at his watch and saw it was already 1 pm. "Oh, no it can't be that time already" He ran from his friend's office and went to the lunch room. The place was empty. He sighed and sat at the table. He took his sandwich out of his lunch bag and started to eat in silence. He would have to make excuses to his colleagues later.

The afternoon passed quite as slowly as the morning had. The library was too calm, even for John's liking. Rose did not come back, nor did Anna. Some students came to ask him about the newest manga or comic he had in storage. At five, he took his things, closed the library and left the school. He went to his car.

"John" He heard someone call. He turned around and saw her. Anna.

"Anna ?" She came near him, a ton of books in her arms.

"You stand us up at lunch. You seem determined to ignore us, Mr Bates" she said and he turned crimson.

"Oh, Anna. I'm so sorry. Robert asked me in his office and I couldn't join you and I realize too late -"

"It's okay, John, I was only teasing"

"Oh"

"Well" she smiled at him "You could do me a favour to make it up to me"

"Of course"

"My car broke down. I would have gone home walking but with these" she nodded to the pile of books in her arms "I don't feel like doing so and since you live next to us"

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that. Come then" He replied, pointing at his car.

He opened the car's door and she hopped in it. She put the pile on the dashboard and buckled the seatbelt. John sat before the wheel. They drove until their flats. They talked all the way about things and others.

"I had one of your students coming this morning. She borrowed Pride and Prejudice"

"Oh, you met Rose. I really like her. She's a smart one. She has been living with the Crawleys since her parent's divorce and she's the brightest student I have"

"She made my day. I really felt like no one care about books these days"

"I try to encourage my students to read as much as I can"

"It's really nice. I know the books we make them read at schools aren't always fun but if we make them see how fun reading something can be by letting them read genres they like, I think it would be great"

"I love your mind, Mr Bates. Perhaps we should organize some kind of events around books. We could come up with an idea the both of us"

"I would love that, Miss Smith" He replied, smiling ear to ear.

When they arrived in their street, he pulled off in front of his flat. They said goodbye to each other before Anna walked away to her own flat. They were both smiling. However, they didn't know that Mary had seen them and was smiling as well.