Awaiting Eternity

Chapter 1

I was leaping with joy, it was my first day as a teacher! I'd just completed my year long training and got a job at my local school. I was nervous and excited. I'd spent the last two months going through lesson plans and scenarios in my head of how I'm going to deal with tough students. Oh, and the shopping was really fun. I was wearing a smart new blazer and decided to add a pop of colour to my wardrobe and opted for a maroon hijab today.

I was to be Ms Aziz, teacher of English. I was so ready to promote literacy and oracy in a bunch of hormonal teens! It would probably be a lot of people's nightmare but I couldn't wait. My training year had gone fairly well.

I'd had an induction day a couple of months ago and had already been introduced to the huge department and my mentor. I wasn't fully qualified yet. I came under the title of NQT, meaning Newly Qualified Teacher and I had to pass this year to be fully qualified. My mentor seemed quite relaxed and it really calmed my nerves when we were chatting during my induction. The Head of Department, also my first boss, was wonderful and smiley.

I was too excited to have breakfast and left on an empty stomach, a cereal bar in my new teacher-like backpack (alongside all the books I had to teach) in case I got hungry later. The school was only a 15 minute walk away. Today, it was an INSET day, meaning it was going to be teachers only preparing the school for the children returning.

I was daydreaming about the day, how I was going to start conversations and reject handshakes when I found myself at the school gates quicker than expected. Time flew and I smiled at how easy the journey was. My last school in which I trained was a 30 minute train ride away, in addition to 20 minutes of walking.

I had to sign in at the reception as I hadn't received my card to beep in like everyone else. I couldn't wait to get my own card with my picture on it, beeping in like everyone else! I was told to go to the Sports Hall after I'd finished signing in.

"Could you direct me there please?" I asked the lady at reception.

"I'll take you," a blonde woman spoke up from behind me. No idea who she was but she had a big smile on her face.

"Thank you!" I walked with her and she introduced herself as a Drama teacher and asked me what I would be teaching. This was the first conversation of many of its kind as I had several similar ones throughout the day.

When I got to the Sports Hall, there was a table with tea, coffee, pastries and cookies. Everyone was helping themselves so I joined in too. I saw some familiar faces and made my way to them.

"Hi guys, you're in the English department, right? If I remember correctly."

"And you're our newest addition? Welcome to Crestview Community School! I'm Joanna Richardson, lovely to make your acquaintance," Joanna said as she put her hand out to shake mine. She was a charismatic black woman who, I didn't know it at the time, was going to become my school Mum. And I really needed a school Mum with what I was about to get myself into!

"Hi, I'm Ayah Aziz."

"Oh what a beautiful name. Ayah Aziz, mm!"

"Thank you," I replied.

"I'm Ben," another guy said, holding out his hand to shake mine. I put my hand to my chest.

"Sorry," I said, hoping my apologetic expression would help me cause the least offence possible. "But it's lovely to meet you." Joanne slapped away Ben's hand.

"Can't you see her headscarf. You don't offer to shake a Muslim girl's hand unless she offers first!" Joanne scolded.

"I'm really sorry, I hope I didn't cause any offence." Ben was starting to go red in the face.