BBC Ghosts: Teatime Club

Trouble

The next few days passed a treat.

Pat found that in the short space of time he'd been mentoring, he'd started to get to know his fellow students and was coming to understand their quirks, thoughts, and motivations a little better. In some sessions he'd been working with them on an individual basis and Pat's naturally curious and perceptive nature had already got him psychoanalysing them. He'd decided that Robin, Mary, Kitty and Julian were much easier to read than Humphrey, Fanny and Cap. But Thomas... Thomas was another story.

"Patrick, I don't quite understand why the formulae has to be written out in this order. Care to enlighten me as to why?"

Shaking himself out of his musings, Pat hopped over to Thomas and pulled up a chair alongside him. "No problemo!" he cocked his leg over the chair and sat on it back to front, resting his arms on the chair back. "You see Thomas, formulae-"

"Paaaaat!" Kitty wailed, "I am in need of your assistance!"

"So do I!" Mary whined alongside her. "These numbers and letters confuse me!"

He looked over at them, "Sorry girls, I'm with Thomas at the mo', if you could just wai-"

"Hold up, Pat," Humphrey stood up, turning to the girls, "I can help you if you want. I've just finished." he offered, walking over.

"That's so kind of you!" Kitty beamed, fluttering her eyes at him. "Thanks Humphrey!"

"It's a pleasure."

Pat felt pleased by this gesture because it taught him something new about Humphrey - he was kind and eager to help. This contrasted the arrogant image that school rumours had led him to believe.

Pat explained to Thomas what he needed to know about his maths work. Once finished, Thomas nodded in thanks and continued on with his work, leaving Pat free to roam about the classroom again. He wandered over to Fanny who seemed to be eying up Cap from afar. On seeing Pat approach she quickly continued on with her work, giving him a taut smile as he passed by. Pat nodded appreciatively and made his way over to Julian and Robin. Despite their fight a few days prior, the two were apparently best friends now, with Robin enjoying all of the raunchy gossip Julian was providing him with.

"-so then Alice decides to take her top off and of course, James being the gentleman that he is, let her remove her skirt too-"

"Julian." Pat warned, "Do you think that story's really appropriate for right now?"

Julian frowned in thought before deciding, "Um... yes?"

"I agree." Robin grinned devilishly.

Pat shook his head, "No it isn't! Keep it for your own time please."

"This is my own time." he replied, causing Robin to snort. "Technically."

"You should be doing your work." Pat tried again.

Julian just shrugged.

"Please?" Pat sighed, a little wary of the posh boy. Julian could be difficult to handle. Pat didn't really want to end up on his enemy list so tried to stay on his good side as much as he could. He didn't want to goad him. He didn't want Julian as an enemy. Not at all.

"You too Robin."

"Bleh." Robin dismissed him with a wave of his hand, slouching into the table and on top of his work as he scanned it closely. Pat turned away from Robin to see Julian still hadn't moved.

"Julian!" he huffed, causing the troublesome teen to sniff amusedly, "Why can't you be more like Humphrey, or Cap-" he looked to where Cap had been quietly sitting doing his work and found the spot empty. "Oh! Where's he gone?" Pat panicked, head turning anxiously. "I didn't see him leave!"