To Andrew, with love

Chapter 3 - Rescue

Chapter 3 - Rescue

I blankly stared at the fish tank in front of me. It looked ridiculously filthy with green stuff all over it. Wait! Was that a beaker inside covered with scum? Ew. 

I had been sitting in this pungent old cupboard for a while now, and was beginning to get incredibly bored. Our school was short on budget and so the headteacher felt, against all logic, that a small book storing cupboard stuck between two labs shall suffice as the Science Department Office.

This 'office' was definitely the worst in the world, and sometimes I wondered whether such working conditions were even legal in the UK. Mould was creeping up the walls, creating swirly patterns across the wall, while a small pile of mice droppings had been collected at the corner - underneath a dusty mat.

I could see Faye's hazel eyes peeping in from the little crack in the walls. I had been here for ages and was getting ever so tired... My eyelids felt heavy with drowsiness...

"Mara! Are you listening to me!" My eyes snapped wide open. The woman in front of me was scrutinizing me - a truly petrifying sight. Her short, grey-and-white hair was held above her head, and she used her hands to straighten out her floral dress for what would be the billionth time. I mumbled incoherently at her while she fixed her grey blazer. She dressed every part the self-absorbed bitch she was. She was the evil fisherwoman that lured all the oblivious little year 7's into her school... She was the headmistress.

"Yes Mrs Duncan, I'm extremely sorry for creating a fire hazard, it will not happen again - in the future I shall be more attentive and cautious of my surroundings..." I replied hastily.

She was now holding her pen and writing something in midair - as if she was consulting the air for my punishment.

"I'm afraid a simple apology is not enough for the damages caused - you are to be excluded from this school, be it temporary, but it will make up for the trouble you have caused Mr. Andrew."

I gasped.

Wait! She was excluding me! What will I tell my parents - 'Oh I set fire to my school - Whoops!'. No no no this can't be happening...

The door knob of the cupboard-turned-office opened and in walked Mr. Andrew, shaking his head.

"I am extremely sorry for eavesdropping, but I feel this student had no intention of creating such a hazard, I understand that it was an accident and I think that she should not be excluded - I'll find a way for her to make up for the damages." That voice of silk...

Awww... He was defending me... 

Mrs Duncan was gaping at him with her jaw touching the floor, but then she immediately realised she wasn't acting sophisticated and sat up straight then fixed her blazer again.

She cleared her throat and began to broadcast how she felt that wasn't enough and blah.. blah... blah... "Are you sure? She can be a nuisance at times  - last year she created a big scene on the departure of Mr Fernando and Mr Blacksmith" How RUDE! I mentally screamed at her. Silly old hag doesn''t understand how amazing they were!

"I'm sure she didn't mean to cause any harm. Anyway Mrs Duncan, why waste your precious time and great intelligence over such useless matters when you could be in your office dealing with more serious issues - leave her to me"

Was he flirting with her?

I think I'm jealous of my headteacher.

I glimpsed towards the crack in the wall and could see Faye and Ashley giggling. Idiots!

At this moment Mrs Duncan decided she was too important for me and was heading towards her own luxurious office whilst telling Mr Roberto to teach me a lesson. 

Mr Roberto nodded and waited for her to leave, then he turned his ocean-blue eyes to look at me. I immediately began to feel awkward.

"I'm sorry sir, I really didn't mean to make your first day so horrible... I'm willing to accept any consequence." What else could I say?

"Mara, you haven't really ruined my day - just made it memorable" He paused. "Did you know, I done the exact same thing a couple of years back?"

I grinned.

"Only, I was at college and so the substances used for our practicals was more concentrated... And, it wasn't because of a spider..." He continued.

"Oh my God! Did you create an explosion?" I was beginning to get interested. Maybe this new teacher wasn't so bad after all...

He chuckled. "Well, you could sort of say that... Because the rate of reaction was so fast it was similar to what happened here... You just reminded me of my past... " I was gazing into his big blue eyes - they were so twinkly - like a night star...

I felt as if I was floating on a cloud...Hmmm...

"Anyway, what was Mrs Duncan saying about you creating a scene?"

"Oh! She was... well, our teachers left because our school is being changed to be run like a business so we umm... We protested against the running of our school - so that our teachers won't leave, because we didn't want any inexperienced person to come into our school and attempt to educate us with rubbish nonsense"

"Do you think I'm inexperienced?" He murmered humbly.

Aww... What could I say?

"Uh, well, I've never seen you teach but judging from the way you are I would presume not... But I do warn you, our previous teachers were quite unbelievably wonderful and so you have quite a competition..."

"I think I'm up for it..." He smiled.

I smiled back.

The silence stretched out for what seemed like centuries as I realised that I was still beaming like a complete fool. My heart began to beat loudly again and my fingers rapped the table in sync with my heartbeat... getting faster and louder with each thud.

"Umm, I think your friends are getting a little impatient Mara - They're peering in from that crack over there" He said.

How'd he know?

"Oh, yeah, it's nearly end of lunch" I began fumbling about to find my bag and laughed nervously "I'll be going now... See you sir - Oh and umm... Welcome to Starview Academy..." I could feel my face go red.

"See you" He replied waving his hand in a friendly farewell gesture.

I shut the office door behind me, a huge smirk plastered onto my face, to find Faye, Ashley and Bushra all staring at me like journalists. My smile dropped immediately. 

Oh please don't interview me...

"So... " Faye began.

"You were in there for quite a while..." continued Ashley.

"We want all the details..." Bushra added.

I hate Faye.

I hate Ashley.

I hate Bushra.

Why do they expose me like that?