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Chapter 6

For two weeks, Piper had joined Alex and Nicky in the staff dining hall for lunch, and occasionally stopped to chat throughout the day in the staff room or when they stopped by the history office. Piper was starting to get to know other staff better now too, and even managed to join in on a bitching session about their head mistress. She no longer felt like the newbie teacher, and she could not have predicted the relief she felt when this realisation had been made. She still avoided personal questions, and as time went on, it had become more and more of a game to Nicky, who had started to invent a rich imaginary back story for Piper.

"Witness protection."

Piper jumped as Nicky swooped down on her from behind one morning as she was serving herself coffee in the staff room. "What?"

"Vause and I were discussing it on our way in. You're in witness protection. You were a mule weren't you. You have a face that screams 'rich, privileged white girl willing to smuggle some dust in exchange for a life of adventure'" Piper blushed at the thought of Alex speaking about her. As the days past, Piper's attraction to Alex had only increased. She struggled to navigate this, and as a result, went through periods where she could barely say a word to the raven haired woman. Piper was thrilled by every look they shared, and this frightened her, excited her. She wasn't sure she knew the difference. She doubted this was reciprocated though. Alex was well respected at the school, even intimidating to some of the staff, yet Piper had heard rumours about her 'activities' in her private life. Alex probably saw her as nothing more than a younger, straight, awkward work colleague.

"Earth to Chapman. Damn, I think we broke her." Piper jumped, realising she had zoned out, staring through Nicky. "It is witness protection isn't it! What did you do? Please tell me it's something juicy, I know you're not as goodie two-shoes as you make out"

"Shut up. I'm no felon Nichols. Not unless you stand any longer between myself and the coffee machine."

Nicky held her arms up in mock surrender, and moved to the side. She turned back to Alex. "We'll crack her one day."

"People are entitled to a private life Nichols. You're her colleague, not a friend."

Piper, with her back to them, frowned into her coffee cup. So her thoughts were not far from the truth, but Piper wasn't expecting the pang in her chest. She went to walk away, when she felt Nicky swing an arm around her shoulders and walk along with her.

"Maybe with you, Vause, but Piper and I have something special. It's something you wouldn't understand. We have history." Piper smirked at the terrible pun, and then sloshed coffee over her top as Nicky planted a wet kiss on her cheek, and exited the staff room.

"Shit. Thanks, Nick!" Piper called after her, placing the cup hastily on the draining board and pulling the hot, wet material away from her arm.

"Jesus, are you okay?" Alex came round in front of her, brandishing paper towel and running it under the cold tap.

"Yeah, just a shock."

"Here." Alex took Pipers arm, and gently rolled up the sleeve, holding the now wet towel to her reddened skin. "She's an idiot"

"Yet I can't help loving her. What's that all about."

"It's a terrible curse." Alex chuckled. "You alright there?"

"Yes, thank you. I don't think I'm burnt. This shirt has seen better days."

"I have a spare, if you want."

"It's fine, I can go home and change at lunch."

"Come on," said Alex, picking up Piper's half spilled coffee cup and her bag from the ground. Piper, surprised by Alex's boldness, followed her without protest. Alex lead her out into the courtyard and down towards her classroom, but instead of turning into English, she awkwardly opened the door opposite and held it open for Piper to follow.

"Is this your office?"

"Yeah," said Alex, pushing the door closed with her hip and dumping the bag and cup on the desk. "Subject head privilege."

"I never knew this was here. You're always in your classroom."

"You'll have to get better at stalking me then." said Alex, teasing her. She pulled a cupboard open and took out a shirt in a plastic cover. "Here, freshly dry cleaned and everything."

"Are you sure?" Piper began to protest, but Alex had already pulled off the cover and was taking the shirt off the hanger for her. "Thanks"

"No problem. You can change in here. I will grab a bag for your shirt."

Alex began to riffle through the bottom of the cupboard, trying to find a bag for Piper's wet shirt. She usually kept a few in there for when the books she had to mark wouldn't all fit in her rucksack. Finding one, she stood, straightening it out. When Alex turned, her breath got caught in her throat. Piper had her back to Alex, coffee stained shirt off, unbuttoning the new one with nimble fingers. Her back was long, and as she moved, the muscles in her shoulders rippled. Her creamy skin smooth and radiant, only broken by the jade green of her bra strap. Alex's mouth went dry. She knew Piper was beautiful, and had thought about seeing her naked form more than she cared to admit, but that was nothing to actually seeing her. Alex turned quickly before she had a chance to see any more of Piper. It would take her long enough to get this image out of her head, and she already had a fantasy forming of walking over to the young woman and placing gentle kisses down her neck, ridding her of that stupidly sexy bra-

"Perfect fit. Thank you so much" said Piper, doing up the last of the buttons and turning around. Alex, flustered, felt a blush forming on her face as she pushed away the porno playing her head. Piper's smile dropped immediately on seeing Alex's expression, and Alex felt her heart start to pound in her chest. Shit, Piper could obviously tell Alex was perving on her, and clearly did not appreciate it. "Thanks for the bag, and the shirt." said Piper quickly, taking it from Alex and putting her top inside. She walked over to the door. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Sure." said Alex, turning away as she heard Piper exit. Stupid, what was wrong with her? Piper wasn't interested, she made that much clear. Alex was used to women flirting with her, and had become accustomed to those too shy to flirt giving her (not so) subtle glances, hoping she would notice and make the first move. Alex thrived off of that attention, as much as she hated to admit it. She never got any of that from Piper, and to be honest, even as a friend, she didn't know where she stood with the woman. She was either being wholesome and friendly, or giving Alex the cold shoulder. Alex was getting whiplash. She hoped to hell Piper didn't say anything to Nicky about this - she would never hear the end of it.

Piper only realised as she walked into her classroom that she had left her bag in Alex's office. She would have to go back after assembly to grab it, although she felt awkward in doing so. She may have overstepped the line in changing in front of Alex. She had seen the look on the English teachers face as she turned around, and she had clearly made her uncomfortable. Piper felt like an idiot. Nothing she could do now though.

"You ready?" Nicky's voice floated in through the open door of the office.

"Just about." said Piper, dumping the plastic bag under her desk. "I've left my bag in Alex's office, I'll have to go back later."

"What?" said Nicky, poking her head round the corner. Noticing Piper's outfit change, she smirked, leaning against the door. "Now I recognise that shirt, and I know that belongs to the amazonian down the corridor. What were you saying about her office?"

"Get your head out your arse Nichols, she leant me this after you scolded me with coffee."

"Sure sure, you keep your cover Chapman. I know what really happened. Now tell me, were you the student or the teacher?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "You're funny."

"You're right, definitely the student. I bet you're really into playing submissive." Piper smacked her on the arm and turned to leave the room, Nicky on her heel. "Oh, likes to play rough, maybe I was wrong." Piper let out a loud laugh despite herself.

"You're telling me you wouldn't do it?" Nicky whispered to Alex as they sat through Fig's morning assembly. The thin woman wore an open collar shirt with a deep v-neck that left very little to the imagination that morning as she gave her speech on upcoming events in the lead up to the half term break.

"Not even if I was paid." Alex's returned under her breath, pulling a face. "Can you imagine waking up to her the next day? She'd probably make you write lines on the experience." Piper smiled, exchanging a quick glance with Alex as she smirked at her own words.

"Not bad for someone of her age."

"Nicky, she's barely older than me."

"You know my thoughts on you, Vausey."

"In your dreams." Alex smirked, keeping her eyes firmly ahead.

"Every night." Nicky sighed dramatically, earning herself a hard dig in her side from Alex's elbow, causing her to laugh louder than intended. A couple of students in front turned to look at them, but with one glance from Alex, they turned quickly back to the front.

"How do they not even move with the way she struts around? She must have a super bra on or something."

"There is no way they're real" Piper whispered to Nicky, surprising both her and Alex with her contribution. "No one's breasts are that perfectly round"

"You say that like you have experience in such matters."

"I've seen my fair few." To this, Nicky and Alex shared a glance, smirking.

"Is that so, Miss Chapman?" Nicky leant in, "and here I was thinking you were more into Harry than Carrie."

"Sexuality is fluid, Nichols. Everyone sits somewhere on a scale."

"You can keep me right up the pussy end thanks." Nicky said, causing Alex to snort with laughter. The students in front turned again, this time earning a hushed chastise from Nicky. When they had settled, she whispered "Out of interest, where are you on this scale?" Piper ignored her, doing her best to concentrate on whatever important messages Fig was droning on about.

If truth be told, she had never really been into men as much as she had once convinced herself. She didn't know if it was because that's what you did when you were a teenager, had a crush on boys and giggle about them with your friends, draw hearts around your initials in your journal, but Piper had always gone along with it when she was younger. Swept along by the hetero tide of youth. It wasn't until college, where she had a chance to be free of her uptight parenting and straight laced waspy friends, that she discovered her love for women, and fairly soon, 'experimenting' became her new normal. In fact, in the first three years she was at Smith's, she became so confident in her sexuality, she may have even referred to herself as a lesbian once or twice to close friends. Polly, her best friend since birth, had initially found it difficult to come round, but eventually accepted Piper's love life, and would even attend LGBT bars and events with her. Piper suspected that Polly got as much out of these experiences as she did, but would never admit it. She had been with her boyfriend, Pete, since graduating high school, and Piper suspected that marriage would be on the cards soon enough.

She should call Polly soon, Piper thought to herself. Since accepting her new job, she had barely seen her best friend. Balancing life and work again had seemed an impossible task for the last month, but they had exchanged texts almost every day. Polly was desperate to see Asher. Piper thought she was hoping that the more time Pete spent around him, the faster he would become accustomed to the idea of becoming a father himself, a job he had been so far reluctant to agree to. Once or twice her friend had threatened to go at it alone, until Piper reminded her that being a single parent was not all fun and games.

Polly knew this. She had been the one to help her through the incident with Larry, and each step of her pregnancy afterwards. It was Polly who had broken the news to Piper's parents, and Polly who had picked up the pieces after they had fallen out and disowned her. Polly who was there for the first six months whilst finishing her own degree, sharing night feeds and nappy changes. Polly, the sole reason Piper was able to finish her teacher training the past three years and be where she was today. She should call her, five weeks with only texts was far too long.

Assembly ended and the girls began to file out. Piper went to follow, but felt a warm hand take her shoulder. "You left this in my office." Looking down, her bag swayed between them. Piper looked up into the green eyes.

"Oh, thank you, I was going to come by your office and grab it now."

Alex smiled at her, handing the bag over. "If I'd known, I would have left it there." Piper looked at her, not knowing what to say. Something changed slightly in Alex's expression, and she gave a low chuckle, "have a good day, Miss Chapman." With that, the taller woman stepped around Piper, and out into the crowd of students.

"Still in with a chance then." said Nicky, quietly.

"Stop it." said Piper, as they fell into stride on the way back to history.

"I'm just calling what I see."

"You see nothing Nicky, she's just being Vause."

"Being Vause?" Nicky looked at her bemused.

"I've heard the other staff talk. About her, relations. "

Nicky nodded her head slowly, smiling slightly. "Reputations aren't everything, blondie."

"She thinks you're a manwhore"

"Huh?" said Alex, sliding her glasses up on top of her head and rubbing her eyes. She glanced at the clock on the back wall. Four o'clock in the afternoon, the girls were long-gone by now.

"Chapman. She's heard rumours"

"That I'm a manwhore?"

"Lady killer, whatever you want to be known as. The staff have been talking."

"They're always talking."

"I told her not to believe everything she hears."

Alex looked up at her friend, surprised at the lack of joviality. Usually Nicky revelled in stories of Alex's promiscuous out-of-school activities, and loved to share stories of her one-night stands with anyone who would listen, however looking at her now, there was no hint of teasing.

"Why?"

"Because you like her."

"Shut up Nicky."

"You're telling me that you loaned her your parents-evening shirt without a second thought, when you wouldn't even let me, your best friend in the whole world, borrow it for that open day where I spilt curry sauce down the front? A women who barely speaks to you, a stranger-"

"You're so dramatic"

"-borrow that shirt, over me in my time of need."

"Nichols, the last time I loaned you any of my clothing, you slept with a girl you met that morning and gave it away as a gift."

"Well we ruined her shirt. Those little buttons just ping right off."

"It was signed!"

"It was Bruno Mars. Get over yourself."

"Whatever" Alex chuckled. "You ready to go soon?"

"Come on Vause, admit it."

"What Nicky?"

"You like her."

"So what if I do. She's a colleague, one who can barely stand to look at me. Even if I was in with a chance, I definitely scared her off this morning. She caught me staring whilst she was changing and looked thoroughly disgusted."

"She changed in front of you? Bold. You can fill me in on the details later." Alex rolled her eyes, "She's gay though, you heard her this morning"

Alex snorted, "she probably experimented one time as a teenager and wants to feel validated."

"I hope that's not bi-phobia, Stretch." smirked Nicky.

"Nope, just one lesbian who refused to be screwed over by a straight girl."

"Again." Nicky added, laughing as Alex threw a pencil at her. "only one way to find out." Alex gave her friend a questioning look. "I'll get her out for drinks, bit of liquid courage, see if that changes things."

"How many times do you have to be rejected before you get the picture?" Alex laughed.

"I'm about two more times away from feeling like she's got the hots for me." Nicky retorted, and they both laughed. "I have a feeling Taylor Swift is finally starting to unclench that incredibly tight ass of hers. She's definitely coming around. Now, paint me a mental picture from this morning"

"Fuck off Nichols"

Piper sat down heavily on her sofa, grabbing a blanket to wrap around her feet. She could hear Ash upstairs, talking to himself as he fought sleep he needed so badly. She wanted to call Polly, but was waiting for him to settle completely first. Leaning forwards, she grabbed the monitor from the coffee table and turned it up to listen to his teeny voice, gabbling away.

"Mumma," he cooed. "Mumma gone. Gone." she smiled. "Mumma gone. No more." Piper frowned. What was the small child thinking about? He was at such an awkward age where his ability to understand the world around him was so advanced, Piper had to fight the urge to declare him a genius child for fear of being mum-shamed. His speech, however, was a little on the slow side. To be expected, she had read once in a parenting magazine. He had learnt to walk early afterall.

"Gone Mumma." Ash repeated. Slowly, Piper got up off the sofa and made her way towards his room. Peaking in, her heart sank. Where did he find that? She thought she had taken them all away, placed in a box that she gave to Neri to dispose of months before. She opened his door, and settled on the floor next to his little bed. He turned over and offered the photograph to her. She took it tentatively, and rested her head on his mattress. "Gone Mumma"

"Yes, she's gone Asher." said Piper gently. "Mumma is here, and mumma loves you so much." she stroked his face from hair line to tip of his nose. After five minutes, his eyes drifted shut and his breathing slowed. Piper detached herself slowly from the bed and stood up, trying to avoid the creaky floorboard as she exited the room.

Returning to the sofa, she looked down at the photo still in her hand and closed her eyes. A picture taken only last Christmas. Asher in one arm, the other wrapped around the woman's waist. They had agreed initially to remain in one another lives. Asher loved her as a parent and neither of them had wanted him to lose that, but Stella quickly became jealous any time Piper was not available to her to just show up, and began to create elaborate made-up stories of Piper's infidelity during their relationship. As if the break up hadn't been hard enough. After that, she had stopped her from seeing Asher, fearful she would use the small boy in her weird vendetta. Stella was gone.

With a sigh, she picked up her phone and dialled Polly's number.

"About time stranger."

"I miss you"

"I miss you too. So, tell me more about this Alex..."