The Assistant Headmaster (Mystrade Fanfic)

Twenty Two

Mycroft

"Mr. Holmes?" Anthea said, knocking on the door of my office.

"Yes, what?"

"Mel Lisborn just called and she's had her baby prematurely. She'll need to go on her maternity leave immediately."

"Tell the headmaster, Anthea, that's not my division."

"He's away again, Sir."

"Who is covering for her?"

"No one, that's the problem."

"And I suppose I'm supposed to cover for her, am I?"

Anthea nodded. "The board was kind of hoping you would, Sir."

I groaned. "She teaches English, yes?"

Anthea bit her lip. "Yes. We're understaffed as it is, no other English teacher is available. You're the most qualified we have."

I nodded and sighed. "Alright, fine. I guess she has a class now, does she?"

"Yes, Sir."

I stood up and put my coat on. "Fine, I'll go now. Change all my meetings to a more suitable time, please." I left my office, closing the door behind me, and began walking over to Mel's English class.

The halls were quiet as I walked along them. I glared at the straggling students who'd not yet gotten to their classes, and watched as they hurriedly went to their designated places. What was I supposed to teach a bunch of students? She better have left something for them to do, there was no way I'd be dealing with them.

I got to the woman's class and walked in. The place quietened down as soon as I went in, and every pair of eyes were on me. Irene Adler, the netball captain, sidled up to the front and sat down in front of the teacher's desk as I sat behind it.

"I guess you'll be our teacher until Lisborn gets back?" She asked, twirling her hair around her finger.

"Yes, Ms. Adler. Please sit back and stop pressing your breasts out like that. Honestly, you'll hurt your back doing that and let's be honest, you don't look at all flattering."

The class laughed, and Adler sat back in her seat, pouting slightly. I rolled my eyes at her as I took my coat off, and stood up again. "For those of you who don't know me," I began, addressing the class, "I am Mr. Holmes, and I am the assistant headmaster at Baskerville. Yet here I am, teaching your English class. Speaking will only waste your own, and what is infinitely worse, my time, and so I suggest you do not do it unless I address you first. Is that clear?"

There were hums and nods of acknowledgement, and I smiled. "Good. Let's begin then."

The class finished, and I sorted out the students' worksheets  as they piled out. So far, so good. Until I heard someone clearing their voice behind me. "Yes, Ms. Adler?" I asked, bored, not bothering to even spare the girl so much as a glance.

"I was just hoping to talk to you, Sir," she said. I looked up at her.

"I already know your sexual orientation, Ms. Adler, and undoubtedly you are aware of my predicament. I do not like people, let alone hormonal, dominant teenage girls."

"You never come to any of my netball games."

I looked up at the girl as she sat on the edge of the desk. "Excuse me?"

"I said, you never come to any of my netball games."

"And that's supposed to mean, what, exactly, to me?"