that they are all just stories,” she smiled and continued to have her breakfast.
I awkwardly smiled, picking up my glass of orange juice. I tried so hard not to show my interest in what she had just said.
“It’s very sad,” she added.
And then Jules stared at me with her concerned eyes but too kind to say anything directly to me. However I knew what she was thinking Jules started a conversation with another teacher who sat a few seats away from us. I looked around to see if James was having breakfast. I couldn’t see him.
“It’s time to go!” Jules yelled excitedly.
She got up immediately, smiled at me, as we made our way to the front lawn. It was cold and windy; this climate was going to take some getting used to.
“What a wonderful day!” Jules sang as she smiled at me. Luckily the rain had stopped, but with the grey clouds above it seemed far from a wonderful day. I smiled back nevertheless.
“And there is the answer to your other question,” Jules said and looked behind me. I turned around to see. There was the person on our shift: James. I couldn’t believe my luck and how amazing he looked, yet again. He was wearing dark navy pants and a navy shirt with the top button undone and a jacket.
“We should help him, don’t you think?” Jules asked.
“Help who?” I answered still not looking away from James.
“Mr Barclay. I know he will not be enjoying all that attention.”
“Ha…” I suddenly now noticed everyone around him. “I guess.”
Jules immediately put on her mother hen persona and headed towards them. I couldn’t look. I felt a bit guilty that my motives were completely selfish. I hoped that she wouldn’t embarrass herself or worse, upset James. I still couldn’t look. I was too nervous about seeing his reaction or the reactions of those women when Jules dragged him away.
“Good morning, Catherine.”
“Ha! Um… good morning,” I stuttered.
“Are you alright?” he asked, concerned.
“Yes… Why do you ask?”
“Jules said you were feeling slightly nervous this morning, and that it might be a good idea if I spent some time with you.”
He put his hands in his pockets and grinned at me, obviously thinking that both Jules and I were co-conspirators in this set up. And here I was, feeling sorry for Jules having to save him from those women, and all the while, she had used me as the excuse! Jules was now talking with the women and they didn’t seem to be anywhere near as happy now that James had gone. I looked back at James and smiled. I could feel my cheeks start to redden.
“Thank you, but I am fine. Jules worries too much about me!”
There was a quiet pause. Both James and I were busily smiling to students as they arrived.
“It’s a beautiful college. The grounds are amazing, you must love being here,” I said in an attempt to change the subject.
“Yes, I do. What’s not to love?” he replied.
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked. His hands were in his pockets while he looked straight ahead, his head slightly raised.
“Yes, of course.”
“What made you apply to this school?”
For a second he was expressionless before turning back again.
“Um… I don’t really know. I mean, I love teaching. Regardless of where I am, it’s what I have always wanted to do. I have also wanted to come to the UK for as long as I could remember.”
He turned towards me again and I knew I had his undivided attention, so I continued on.
“One night I was on my computer and started to search for positions available in the UK. This college appealed to me the most; I had a really good feeling about it. Such a good feeling, that I didn’t apply anywhere else but here. So you could imagine how relieved I was when I was accepted.”
I stopped speaking out of embarrassment. The boys that were coming through the entrance were staring at me… in an inappropriate manner. I guess this was what Jules was worried about. James immediately gave the boys a stern look of
I awkwardly smiled, picking up my glass of orange juice. I tried so hard not to show my interest in what she had just said.
“It’s very sad,” she added.
And then Jules stared at me with her concerned eyes but too kind to say anything directly to me. However I knew what she was thinking Jules started a conversation with another teacher who sat a few seats away from us. I looked around to see if James was having breakfast. I couldn’t see him.
“It’s time to go!” Jules yelled excitedly.
She got up immediately, smiled at me, as we made our way to the front lawn. It was cold and windy; this climate was going to take some getting used to.
“What a wonderful day!” Jules sang as she smiled at me. Luckily the rain had stopped, but with the grey clouds above it seemed far from a wonderful day. I smiled back nevertheless.
“And there is the answer to your other question,” Jules said and looked behind me. I turned around to see. There was the person on our shift: James. I couldn’t believe my luck and how amazing he looked, yet again. He was wearing dark navy pants and a navy shirt with the top button undone and a jacket.
“We should help him, don’t you think?” Jules asked.
“Help who?” I answered still not looking away from James.
“Mr Barclay. I know he will not be enjoying all that attention.”
“Ha…” I suddenly now noticed everyone around him. “I guess.”
Jules immediately put on her mother hen persona and headed towards them. I couldn’t look. I felt a bit guilty that my motives were completely selfish. I hoped that she wouldn’t embarrass herself or worse, upset James. I still couldn’t look. I was too nervous about seeing his reaction or the reactions of those women when Jules dragged him away.
“Good morning, Catherine.”
“Ha! Um… good morning,” I stuttered.
“Are you alright?” he asked, concerned.
“Yes… Why do you ask?”
“Jules said you were feeling slightly nervous this morning, and that it might be a good idea if I spent some time with you.”
He put his hands in his pockets and grinned at me, obviously thinking that both Jules and I were co-conspirators in this set up. And here I was, feeling sorry for Jules having to save him from those women, and all the while, she had used me as the excuse! Jules was now talking with the women and they didn’t seem to be anywhere near as happy now that James had gone. I looked back at James and smiled. I could feel my cheeks start to redden.
“Thank you, but I am fine. Jules worries too much about me!”
There was a quiet pause. Both James and I were busily smiling to students as they arrived.
“It’s a beautiful college. The grounds are amazing, you must love being here,” I said in an attempt to change the subject.
“Yes, I do. What’s not to love?” he replied.
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked. His hands were in his pockets while he looked straight ahead, his head slightly raised.
“Yes, of course.”
“What made you apply to this school?”
For a second he was expressionless before turning back again.
“Um… I don’t really know. I mean, I love teaching. Regardless of where I am, it’s what I have always wanted to do. I have also wanted to come to the UK for as long as I could remember.”
He turned towards me again and I knew I had his undivided attention, so I continued on.
“One night I was on my computer and started to search for positions available in the UK. This college appealed to me the most; I had a really good feeling about it. Such a good feeling, that I didn’t apply anywhere else but here. So you could imagine how relieved I was when I was accepted.”
I stopped speaking out of embarrassment. The boys that were coming through the entrance were staring at me… in an inappropriate manner. I guess this was what Jules was worried about. James immediately gave the boys a stern look of
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