Read In a Class of His Own for Free Online Page B

the
holiday fly by. I knew Jack planned on getting a last minute flight
to Greece. My aim was to sleep the week away, catching up with some
fat novels, with maybe a drive down to see Bev.
    To my
regret Jack hadn’t come to yoga again but I’d become quite
addicted, especially to the meditation session at the end. Although
we’d had ample opportunity,
for some reason, Jack and I hadn’t mentioned the meeting of hands.
It was my little secret, too precious to discuss and dissect but
treasured like a nugget of pure gold.
    I
yawned and stretched, catching sight of myself in the dressing table
mirror. I pulled at my fringe with a grimace. I’d
been so busy at work that I hadn’t had time to get to the
hairdressers. I sighed. My hair was thick and shiny but had grown out
of its layers. Highlights that had been put in months ago were no
more and it was reverting to what at best could be described as
mouse. I blinked. I’d been told once that my eyes were my best
feature; they were large and brown and, thankfully, fringed with long
dark lashes. The rest of my face I thought ordinary. My skin was good
but my mouth was too big and I knew it revealed every emotion I felt.
I’d make a lousy poker player, and not just because I didn’t know
the rules. I flexed my thigh muscles, the yoga was making a
difference and I definitely felt more toned. Then I reached down and
felt stubble on my shins. My body could definitely do with some
serious TLC. I leaped up, full of sudden energy and hunted for the
sachet of hair dye and razor I still had lurking somewhere ...
    Mum
had a long list of items she wanted from town and, as it was on the
way, I popped into school to sort out one or two things. At least at
school I could have a few hours to myself. No one was likely to be in
today. Rupert
Lawrence, the new Year Six teacher, was due to start after the half
term holiday and I wanted to check everything was all right in Tony’s
old classroom. As I let myself in, the thought that I ought to give
Tony a ring to see how he was nagged uncomfortably.
    I walked down the silent
corridor. Empty schools have a peculiar feel. It’s as if the very
air has gone to sleep, waiting for life to return. Dust-motes swirled
slowly in the sunshine and closed doors offered blank faces. I’d
spent so much time here over the last few weeks that it had become
like a second home but, even so, I wasn’t totally happy about being
here on my own. Without the usual hordes of children there was
something about the place which made you jump at your own shadow.
Today was breezy and the wind made the building shift and creak
eerily. After I’d checked on the room opposite to mine I put my
head around the door of my classroom. I could just sort out a few
things while I was here.
    An
hour and two cupboards later I felt as if I was making progress. A CD
was playing, covering any inexplicable noises that might disturb me
and I was happily singing along to Maroon 5.
    “Nicky
– what are you doing here?”
    The sound of his voice
had me whirling around in panic. The pile of paper I was holding
slithered from my hands and I stood there gaping open-mouthed, my
heart racing.
    “Jack
– you made me jump! You’re supposed to be in Greece!” I
accused.
    “And
it’s good to see you too, Nicky.” Jack smiled and began to kneel
to help me pick up the mess I had dropped on the floor.
    I studied him as I
recovered from the shock of being disturbed. He was wearing black
Levis and a cashmere sweater, the colour of a robin’s egg. He
looked younger and more relaxed but as sharply dressed as ever. I
wondered if he ever looked as dishevelled as I often felt when in his
company. He was such a contained man, I wondered what it would take
to rouse him out of the iron control he had over himself. If he ever
truly let himself go, I thought, it would be an interesting
spectacle.
    “I
had trouble getting a flight so decided to stay at home this week.”
He grinned ruefully and shrugged,