The Headmaster's Flame

Chapter 6: Archery Quivers

Clutching her plate almost at the lunch serving counter, wondering that she hadn't seen Luxton or Cohen at Assembly today, a stout jacketed arm appeared in front of her to reach the crockery trolley, as she tossed her brown ponytail round in surprise.

'Excuse me, young lady,' came the voice of Neill himself, as the surrounding pupils' bodies promptly parted. 'Thank you, thank you, I'd just like to grab a... slice of your quiche, please! Janet, isn't it?'

'Pizza,' said the dinner lady abruptly.

'Funny name for a lady.'

Janet cackled, as Neill peered down at the pizza. 'It seems very...' he cocked his head quizzically, '...small, fat and thick.'

Natalia watched, stifling a laugh.

'The pizza,' he added hastily as Janet stared. 'Well, what's that potato stew like?'

'Where?'

'That one.'

'That's tikka masala,' Janet frowned.

'Oh! That doesn't look like chicken.'

'No, because it's vegetarian!'

'Right, well I'll have some of your meat version then.'

Janet pursed her lips. 'We don't have one today! He's having me on, isn't he?' she chortled down to the other dinner lady at the till.

'So what meat do you have?' Neill asked.

'Today, burgers,' Janet pointed bluntly with her spatula.

'More like last week, burgers,' as he screwed up his nose. 'I've only got two canines and I fancy keeping them, fangs very much!'

'Oh, they said you were a cheeky sod!' tittered Janet. 'You want to go straight to dessert?'

'To desert the main yes, sorry Janet darling. But that butternut squash soup over there looks lovely.'

'That's custard!' laughed Janet as she drew up a plate, and pushed it out to him: 'Here, try the tikka, it's alright you know!'

'Oh, I see,' retorted Neill. 'This is all for Friday 13th!'

'Off you go!' she grinned, waving her hand.

He took it reluctantly and turned to withdraw from the queue, muttering at Natalia:

'You want this? I can't look at it.'

'No thanks,' she smiled. 'I'm having quiche.'

'Darling that's not quiche, and definitely not pizza. That's my steering wheel boiled down to a pulp.'

Natalia chuckled.

'How have you been eating this all these years?' he frowned.

'Well I usually bring a packed lunch.'

Neill now flashed a showman smile at someone behind her, uttering: 'Here you go, and I'll pay for it too' to the reply heard, 'oh thanks sir!' from whom Natalia could see, stepping out to the cashier with Neill, was Ryan from her class. A few moments later Neill stepped back to Natalia.

'You were wrong, girl. They're more than mediocre. They're an atrocity.'

She shrugged. 'I wanted to ease you in slowly.' Upon the dubious look he gave back at her, she hastily added, 'So are you gonna... revamp the food?'

'Revamp? More like, rescue. Resurrect. Resuscitate!'

'Repair. Restore. Rehabilitate?' she added.

He looked impressed. 'Well who needs a thesaurus with you around?'