When you know

3. Meeting

'Hey stop looking so concerned.' Deborah, a fellow English colleague and friend said to Arianna, noticing her habit of clenching and unclenching. Arianna dreaded parents meetings. It was her first parents meeting as the head of English and hence she felt under more pressure. Surprisingly, she had been offered the job as the head of English a few months prior. The principal had asked in such an imprudent and indifferent manner, like it had meant nothing. But to Arianna, it had meant so much.

'I understand that you are rather young,' The Principal had said, 'but I've seen the dedication and effort you put into your teaching, and the results of the last two years have been perfect. Not a single student below a B. That really is something. Here, at Roseville Academy, we value effort and hard work over years of experience. If anything, everyone agrees that you deserve this post. But a word of warning, more hours and work may be required. I don't want you to accept if you feel that it will affect your performance in the classroom or things at home.'

He didn't know that she had nothing to do at home. Just herself and the Kitty. So, having a promotion and a higher salary and more work was not a problem for her.

Usually, during parents meetings, it was the disappointed parents that was to fear. The look of hopelessness and heartbreak or the tears. However at this academy, they weren't teary or disappointed but proud, boastful parents, like the current ones who sat in front of her. All she could do was nod and smile as they talked about the Givenchy coat they were going to purchase for their daughter for receiving the A grade.

The evening passed by smoothly. Truthfully she didn't have anyone to complain about, except for the next student Flynn Grange, who was most likely passing the 'rebellious' stage of life. He turned up late to lessons, disrespected teachers, flirted inappropriately or so the other teachers had said. With her it was his lack of homework which was the issue. Lastly it was Alicia Swife; a talented, respectful student who almost reminded Ariana of herself  at that age. A goody-two-shoes but unlike Ariana, Alicia was confident and brave. Plus her parents were lovely, whenever Ariana did get the chance to meet with them which was very rarely.

As she waited for Flynn Grange she signed and straightened the papers, he was not going to be turning up, so she'd be spending the following evening on a phone conference with his parents, that was if she was lucky enough to get hold of them. These parents were so busy working away and so difficult to get in reach of. She even questioned whether their careers or children came first. She looked up and around the large, assembly room. It was designed in a semi-circle, with red seats all around, facing the large stage at the front of the room. There was a gap in the middle of the hall where teachers sat on different parts of the room and spoke to the parents.

As she looked around for Flynne she felt her heart quicken. That same strong stare she had felt all those weeks ago seemed to reappear. But she wasn't going to look up this time, otherwise she was probably going to stare again and she didn't want that. So she pretended to look busy and mostly unaffected. It couldn't possibly be him right? He looked too young to have a child in secondary school.

'Psst.' Ariana looked up to see Deborah grinning at her. Her table was empty. 'Seriously hot guy staring at you.'

'Whatever, Deborah.' She rolled her eyes, despite being secretly pleased that she wasn't imagining things after all. The person couldn't possibly be staring at her for a good reason, she thought, this must be the nagging parent.

'I want to lick him. Black suit and tie. Yum.'

'That is amusing but don't forget Rob, your boyfriend of 4 years.' Ariana shook her head with a small smile. Deborah was always trying to get her hooked up on a date with someone or another, but Ariana never accepted although it stop Deborah from trying just like Ellie.