To Seek. To Learn. To Hide. *All Boys School Story*

Chapter 7

First year boys are about as annoying as they come. That hypothesis took me 25 seconds to deduce after I introduced myself to the class. The reason? A boy in the back row immediately shouted out, "Aren't you a little short to be a teacher?"

And the rest burst out laughing like this was the funniest thing they had ever heard. Needless to say I was not amused by this comment. I know I'm short but get over it! I wasn't even really that offended, I found the lack of creativity to be the worst offence he committed.

Anyway after that little comment I decided to just sit and stare at them. Neural unaffected expression, maybe a little bit of an overly innocent smile. And I can tell you, not one of them has moved beyond breathing or said a word since the laughing stopped. And that was 10 minutes ago.

My smile broadens as I decide to put them out of their misery.

"Now we have that out of the way, has anyone any questions?"

Still no one moves. I break out into a proper grin, "Excellent. Now I'm going to be honest with you here, I haven't planned out the lesson plans exactly yet and seeing as you haven't had a steady teacher so far this year I would like to gather what you have covered so far. Unless of course you want me to go back to staring at you. "

I give them a bit of a wink and a smile and they were sold.

Ok I will admit I developed a bit of a strategy just before the class arrived and decided that for the younger classes I was going to be charming and relatable so that they would either love me as the fun teacher or develop a serious crush on me. No way was I going to be the teacher that they walk all over, that sort of respect needs to be attained from the start or I was doomed. But by the engaged looks on there faces I knew I had won this round.

********

The morning hadn't gone badly. Honestly it was a huge relief: the first year RE class were eating out of the palm of my hand by the end and I'd also had my third year geography class who seemed to shocked by the fact they had a female teacher to cause too much bother. But now I had another huge challenge I had been dreading: meeting the staff. Yep, that's right I had a free period and here I am standing outside the staff room door like a frightened pupil, too unsure of myself to move.

Do I just walk in? Do I act aloof? Try to make conversation? Cling to the first friendly professor type married man I see in hopes he'll protect me? I really need to make some friends here, if for nothing else than to seem normal. Plus it would be horrible to have to eat lunch on my own. Right, I can do this. It can't be so bad, most teachers will be giving class right now anyway.

I'm being ridiculous. Just walk on in like you own the place.

So I do.

It's exactly what I expect, a weird mix of a typical staff room and antique furnishings. There's a small kitchenette area, a bending machine, a few tins of biscuits, a surprisingly new looking TV and a weird mosh mash of antique furniture and comfy chairs with lots of holes that look like they're from the seventies. And better thank I expect? There's barely any teachers. I breathe a sigh of relief, thank goodness. At the sound of the door closing behind me some older me sitting in the corner with newspapers look up but quickly dismiss me. Then look up again in shock. I give a small wave big they just keep staring at me.

"You'll have to forgive those 2 old bats, they're chronic bachelors who've worked her for well over 30 years. You're probably the first female they've seen in this room since then,"

I just a mile in the air and spin around to see a rather amused looking man who looks to be in his mid 60s (definitely not someone who should be calling those other men old bats). He is honestly your stereotypical public school teacher with the wore tinned spectacle, white beard and impeccable posh Southern English accent. The only thing that's missing is the tweed suit.

"Sorry dear did I scare you?"

You can tell perfectly well by the look on his face that he knows he scared the shit out of me. But why not I decide to play along, "Of course not, I am merely brimming with excitement and may have turned a bit over excitedly."

He grins at me, "I think I like you."

I smile back, "I shall take that as a compliment."

He holds his hand out to me, "Professor Michael Walker; long suffering Latin teacher."

"Miss Emily Hamilton; geography, RE and apparently now Health teacher. New recruit." I say as I shake his hand.

His booming laughter fills the room and causes the men in the corner to look over with a disapproving expression. We both ignore them and I can't help but grin along with him.

"Health teacher? You poor poor child, so sorry to laugh at your misfortune but it's honestly the most amusing thing I've heard of happening here in age. Black must want rid of you badly.

I smile sheepishly, "That obvious huh?"

"Definitely," He states, "The man runs an efficient school I'll give you that but he's definitely sexist, the school board must have finally pushed some of their authority for him to have finally hired a woman. Sneaky bastard probably figured if he made you as uncomfortable as possible so you'd quit he's have a case to the board as to why women should not teach."

"You don't exactly seem his biggest fan either, if he's so fond of controlling the staffing to that extent how is it you're till here?"

He grins, "Image and connections. Very hard to find such an experienced teacher in a dead language nowadays and you can't hang around for as long as I have without sinking some very deep roots in this place, be it for better or for worse."

I smile at him, "So you're the one to go to for the inside track on all things Ashwood?"

"Most definitely my dear."

New chapter. Sorry it's been ages, only starting to get back into the flow of writing again. Next chapter will be Emily's first senior class and maybe a wee bit more from Campbell and the boys at the House. Hope you enjoyed!