Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"You silly girl," Barbara muttered to herself as she spotted the fresh smear of chalk dust on her skirt. She was so awfully good at forgetting about the mess on her hands and then wiping it on her trousers.

"Pardon, Miss Wright?"

"Nothing. I was talking to myself," Barbara said to the girl who had caught her muttering, and to the rest of the he class she said: "you've got five minutes to finish your task and as you walk out, I want it on my desk for marking."

When the bell had rung five minutes later (after Barbara had wiped her hands on an appropriate piece of cloth), the students filed out, placing their work in the designated area. Barbara stood by the door and watched them go out for the afternoon.

"Good evening Mary and Stephanie. Alex, there's no need for that. Ashley, please watch the length of your skirt - I don't want to send you to the principal's office for indecency."

And then it was just Barbara. She had a quick flick through the stack of work and clicked her tongue. She'd need a cup of tea or something stronger to get through that. Fortunately, alcohol was not encouraged at Coal Hill, so Barbara went to the staff room in search of tea.

Comments

Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian had decided to deal with his marking by saving it for the weekend. As he made his way to the staff room he whistled. All the students had been quick to get away, which was just as well given that they weren't allowed to whistle in the corridors.

He stopped when he heard footsteps behind him and smiled when he looked round and saw Barbara. "Hello," he said to her. "Good day?"

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"As good as can be expected," Barbara replied with a smile and tried her very best to not focus on how much better she felt for simply seeing Ian. "How was yours?"

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"No one blew up the lab, so it can't be a bad day." He chuckled.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

She chuckled along with him for a moment. "I'm going to make a cup of tea, would you like one? It could be your celebratory drink after such a successful day."

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"How about a drink at the pub instead?" he blurted out before he could get nervous and change his mind. They were just at the door to the staff room at this point and he stopped in front of it, trying not to look too nervous at her answer.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

Barbara had opened her mouth to say something when one of the other science teachers poked their head out.

"Are you heading to the pub, Chesterton?" They asked loud enough for everyone else in the staff room to hear.

"Of course he is! It's Friday, isn't it?"

"If Chesterton didn't got other pub on a Friday, the women of England wouldn't know what to do themselves over the weekend!"

The room was filled with laughter.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian gazed at the floor for a moment, so Barbara wouldn't see his disappointed expression. He briefly considered saying no, but then he'd have to endure no end of ribbing and gossip about what he was doing instead that it wasn't worth it. There would be other opportunities to go for a drink with Barbara on their own. If he got up the courage again.

He looked up and smiled at the other teachers. "Of course I am. I was just asking Barbara if she wanted to come to. It's got to be better than a cup of tea on your own," he said to her.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"That sounds like a good idea," Barbara replied, forcing pleasantness out of her. For a moment, she thought that Ian was asking her out for a drink...and no one else. Like a date.

For a split second, the idea had thrilled her.

"What time this evening? I've got some work to do but I can meet everyone there." Barbara looked to Ian for an a deer but her eyes drifted to the rest of the stafftoom, too.

"Mister Chesterton! Miss Wright!" the secretary called as she trotted and puffed her way to the stateroom. She had been hoping to catch them both before they left the grounds. "The headmaster would like to see you both in his office."

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian was going to answer when the secretary arrived. "Did he say what he wanted?" he asked her, frowning. Even though he was a teacher and there could be many reasons why the headmaster might want to see him, he still felt like a child being summoned by the headmaster, which inevitably led to a telling off.

"I suppose we'd better get it over and done with." He sighed and started off towards the headmaster's office. "It's easiest to go straight to the pub from here and then do your work afterwards," he said to Barbara. Plus he worried that if he let her come later she might not turn up at all.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I suppose you could be right about that," replied Barbara, trying to chuckle but not quite feeling it. Being 'summond' by the headmaster was never pleasant. At any age.

Barbara walked with Ian, glad they were side by side. Friday was the day Ian tended to wear a pair of trousers that made him look all the more appealing. If Barbara were a lesser woman, she'd describe it as mesmerising, but she often had the decency not to stare (for long). Walking next to him took away that temptation entirely.

All temptation and happy thoughts were diminished significantly, however, once they got to the headmaster's office. Wooden panels lined the walls, and book cases stood to attention at the far end of the room, sporting leather bound copies of highly intellectual books and marble figureheads of difference people. The headmaster sat behind a monstrously large desk that was always impecably neat and well organised.

He watched the two teachers walk in under his thick, hairy eyebrows. Barbara could have sworn she heard a growl.

"You asked to see us?" she meekly said.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"Yes," the headmaster said. "Sit down." He indicated the two chairs in front of his desk.

The headmaster always tended to look stern, so it was hard to tell why he wanted to see them. He just tried not to look nervous as he sat down on one of the chairs. He rested his hands on his legs so he wasn't tempted to fidget too much.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

For what felt like a very long moment, The headmaster simply watched them. Barbara was about to ask about the a true of why they had been called when the headmaster finally spoke.

"Certain rumours have come to my attention," he told them both, "and I want to make myself very, very clear. I do not tolerate relations between colleagues. I believe that you can understand what I mean by 'relations'."

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"They're just rumours," Ian said with confidence. As long as he didn't consider either his feelings or the fact that he'd tried to ask Barbara on a date, then he spoke the truth. "We're just friends. There's no rule against that, is there?"

The headmaster glared at Ian's slightly reckless comment. "As long as that's all it is."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I assure you that there's nothing more going on. We're very aware of your stand on relationships between teachers. You mentioned it at the last staff meeting."

"That May have been the case," the headmaster grumbled, "but rumours are usually started for a reason. There is no smoke without fire. So why might there be any smoke?"

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

In Ian's experience it was perfectly possible to generate rumours with no basis in fact at all, but now was not the time to debate it. "I think people have just seen us being friendly and jumped to conclusions." Perhaps they didn't have anything better to do, but he didn't say so, for fear of the headmaster giving everyone more work and him being to blame.

"Hmm." The headmaster glared at them each in turn. "Then I trust there won't be any more of these rumours."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"We will try our best," Barbara replied and waited another moment before rising from the chair and leaving the room.

She walked down the corridor and halfway up the stairs before tuning back to see if Ian was still with her.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian hadn't been keen to stay in the headmaster's office and he'd left behind Barbara. When she turned back he caught up with her and smiled. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to handle this situation yet, but they could still be friends at least. "Now I definitely need that drink."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I may have to agree with you," she said and continued once he was by her side again. "I need to get a few things from my room - whip hich pub are you going to? I'll get the bus. There should be one leaving every 20minutes or so."

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"The Red Lion." He was tempted to say he'd wait and give her a lift, but he was worried how that would look, thanks to the headmaster. He sighed instead and said, "I'll see you there," gave her a brief smile and continued back the staff room to pick up his things.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

Barbara did much the same. She packed up her room, collected her briefcase, making and handbag, then left for the bus stop. It was still warm enoug outside that she didn't need to do up her coat and, if she had to wait long enough, would probably take it off soon.

A bus was just pulling up as Barbara approached; at least something was on her side that day. She took her seat, paid for her fare, then looked out the window.

Ian had seemed a little odd after first mentioning the pub, she thought. He looked downwards like a little boy who was being picked on. Perhaps he really didn't like the reputation he had around school for being popular with women. Although that was hardly somring fog he was going to get rid of any time soon. He certainly was quite attractive. The entire female staff could agree on that. Some of the mothers of the school probably could, too.

She really shouldn't be thinking such things. What if she let something slip? The headmaster had already told them off. She dreaded to think about what might happen if he thought she had disobeyed him.

The bus pulled up a street away from The Red Lion, and Barbara got off to walk on her own into the pub. She saw most of the staff there. Rhonda appeared to be trying to take all of Ian's attention once again. So Barbara waved and sat down by Brenda to discuss their days. The fact that she still had a good view of Ian went entirely unnoticed. Mostly.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian didn't notice when Barbara arrived. It was during a brief break in the conversation that he looked over and realised she was there. He wondered how long she'd been there. She looked intent on her conversation with Brenda and he didn't like to give any more fuel to the rumours, so he didn't say or do anything. Instead he started a debate on whether the Americans or Russians would be first to put a man on the moon.

While everyone else was happily engaged on the issue he slipped out to the toilet. When he returned he decided his old seat was too hard to get to and sat by Barbara instead, reaching across the table for his pint.

"So you made it," he said to Barbara, after a sip of his beer. "I'm surprised no one's convinced you to come to the pub more often."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I made it," Barbara confirmed. "I have been invited before, and I think I went once for a short while when I first started but I didn't really know anyone and felt a little too awkward to stay." She shrugged and sipped from a glass of wine.

"I'm glad that changed," Brenda said to her, which made Barbara smile.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"So am I." And so that that statement wouldn't continue the rumours, he added, "No one should be awkward with this lot. And besides, it's a tradition to let your hair down at the end of the week."

"Some more than others," Brenda said, and Ian looked over to the dartboard, where two of the teachers were playing. They laughed uproariously every time either of them missed the board. Which was every time.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

Barbara frowned at what she saw. There ad aster had just blasted Ian and herself for supposedly being more than friends, and yet there stood a man and woman, entirely intoxicated, playing darts, and acting a little more thank friendly.

"Are they together?" Barbara asked Brenda and Ian.

"No," Brenda sighed, "she's married and he wishes for the opposite but every physical education teacher has more hormones than they know what to do with." She sipped her drink as though it weren't something out of the ordinary.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian was sure that just because they were married didn't mean they couldn't be having an affair. And was hardly likely to stop rumours - it didn't seem fair that the rumours about him and Barbara had reached the headmaster's ears, but none about these two teachers.

"I don't think being a PE teacher means you have more hormones." Despite the unfairness of it all, Ian still felt bound to protect her from gossip. "It just means you're more energetic during the day than the rest of us."

Brenda looked over at Ian. "I forgot, she used to hang around you a lot, didn't she?"

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"Did she?" Barbara asked. She certainly hadn't seen Ian spending time with her.

Barbara tried her best to not feel jealous.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian shrugged. "Not particularly."

"There were rumours about her and Ian before you arrived," Brenda whispered to Barbara. "And then she went and married someone else and suddenly she didn't seem so interested in Ian any more."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

Barbara tried to look calm as she played with her glass. "I think that people simply like to talk in this school," she replied eventually. "All I've heard since arriving is various rumours."

"What else is there to talk about?" Brenda scoffed.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"Plenty," Ian said. "There's more to life than school gossip." He heard the school gossip because it was impossible to avoid, but he didn't participate in it. "And we don't want the students getting hold of any rumours."

"They don't," Brenda assured him. "We don't gossip in front of them."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"But what happens if a student accidentally hears you?" Barbara asked.

"They don't. We see them coming."

"But what if you don't?" Barbara insisted. Although she joined in on some gossiping, she knew it was wrong and constantly worried about whether students could he at her or not.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"They are supposed to knock."

Since it didn't look like Brenda was going to back down Ian attempted to change the subject. "Speaking of life outside of school, do either of you have any plans for the weekend?"

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"My husband and I want to go away soon, so we're going to spent some time looking for a nice place to stay for a week or so. We're hoping for somewhere moderately priced and with some interesting things around but there are also nice relaxing things to do like massages and things. I don't suppose you know anywhere?" Brenda rambled and stopped to sip at her wine.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian shook his head. "Not really. I've never really had a massage anywhere."

"You should," Brenda said, enthusiastically. "It's really relaxing. How about you?" she turned to Barbara. "You must have had a massage in the past."

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

She shook her head. "Not really," at least not what Brenda was referring to, "but I have heard that they're quite nice. Maybe I should look into having one."

"Oh, but you should! They're wonderful."

Barbara smiled politely. She didn't really have any intention of letting someone she didn't know massage her, no matter how wonderful it felt. Her wine had just one mouthful left in it. Which she finished easily. Barbara had promised herself that she would only stay for one drink...but Ian had only just joined them...no. She didn't want to keep the rumours flowing.

"Well, I'll think about it," Barbara said and gathered her things, "but in the meantime, I really should head home. Thank you Ian, this was lovely. I'll have to join you all again some time soon."

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"Stay for another one," Ian said, looking hopefully at her, not caring about the rumours. "You've only been here five minutes." He still hoped for the opportunity to talk to her on her own.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I've been here for half an hour," Barbara told him.

Brenda smirked. "I can leave if you'd prefer."

"No, that shouldn't be necessary," Barbara quickly said as she smoothed over her skirt. A part of her was feeling nervous at having to leave; Ian seemed so keen for her to stay but she had to go home. What would happen if she stayed here with him?

No. No, she couldn't. Not after that talking to earlier.

"I'm sorry, but I must. Have a pleasant weekend Ian and Brenda."

Brenda glanced at Barbara as she left, then turned back to make eyes at Ian. What was going on between the two of them?

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

Ian tried not to look too disappointed, as he returned her pleasant weekend wishes. He watched her go, wondering if he could have done anything differently to get her to stay. Maybe she was worried about the rumours, maybe she hadn't wanted to come with him to the pub in the first place - after all she hadn't had a chance to answer before it turned out to be everyone going to the pub.

He could feel Brenda's eyes on him and he turned to face her, smiling. "I don't know what we did to make her dislike our company so much," he joked.

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I'm sure it's just because the rest of us are here and she can't have your company entirely to herself," Brenda replied casually and sipped more of her wine.

Re: Double Meaning

[splendid_roman]

"I doubt it. We're all friends here, I can't imagine why she wouldn't want to talk to people other than me." Ian finished his beer and seized the opportunity to escape and talk to someone else. "I'm going to get another drink. Would you like some more wine?"

Re: Double Meaning

[first_in_time]

"I'm fine, thank you," Brenda replied and got up to give him another look before joining some of the other women at another table.