Chapter Ten
Sam
April
‘Right, settle down, folks.’
Sam lifted a hand, the familiar rustle of bags and scrape of chairs filling the room as the third years shuffled into their seats. Someone laughed too loudly, a water bottle clattered to the floor, and a few half-hearted groans followed his reminder that term wasn’t over yet.
He smiled faintly. ‘I know it’s the end of term and you’re all counting down the hours, but we’ve still got two more days after this.’
A ripple of chatter ran through the class. He waited for it to settle before continuing. ‘You can count yourselves lucky that watching a film counts as work today. Since we’ve spent the term dissecting The Great Gatsby, now we’ll see how Hollywood interprets it.’
That got a few cheers, a few mock yawns. Typical.
He woke the Promethean board. ‘Just before we start, a few ground rules. The film’s rated 13A, and as you’re all fourteen or older, I’m trusting you to handle it like adults.
Your parents have all given permission too, but I have to warn you there’s drinking, smoking, and a fair bit of poor decision-making – it’s Fitzgerald, after all – so watch responsibly. ’
A couple of kids sniggered, and Sam gave them a look that was firm but amused.
‘Maturity, please.’ He pressed play, then crossed to the light switch. The classroom dimmed to a soft blue-grey, the only illumination the flicker of the screen.
He moved quietly to the back, perching on the low cabinet beneath the window. On screen, Gatsby’s mansion blazed into life, music swelling through the speakers.
Sam leaned back, folding his arms. He could pretend to watch, but his mind was elsewhere.
Clara.
Her voice had been warm, bright with nerves when she’d offered to go with him to the wedding.
So her – thoughtful to a fault. She hated seeing anyone left out, and she’d clearly picked up on his reluctance about going alone.
He knew it came from kindness. But the more he turned it over, the more it tangled.
Time away with Clara would mean hours in the car, seeing his mum and sister, his nieces, visiting his friend Dominic before the wedding and meeting his wife-to-be, plus staying together in a very small cottage – was that something friends did together?
He rubbed at his jaw, watching Gatsby’s smile flash across the screen. Poor fool, falling for someone he could never have.
Sam snorted under his breath. Yeah, that hit a bit close to home.
He shifted, pulling a stack of exercise books into his lap and flipping one open. Work. Focus. That’s what he needed.
But Clara’s laughter still echoed somewhere at the back of his mind, bright and uninvited, as he watched the class, vaguely aware of a few shifting in their seats, and a couple of whispers. He didn’t really mind as long as they didn’t get too loud or disruptive.
If Clara came to Somerset with him… what would his family make of her?
He could already picture it – his mum’s knowing smile, his sister’s raised brow, the quiet pause that said ah, so this is her.
They’d love Clara, of course. Who wouldn’t?
She had that warm, open charm that made people feel like they’d known her for years.
The problem was, would anyone believe they were just friends?
It was human nature. People were hardwired for stories, for the possibility of connection.
Sam had spent his life studying literature – he knew how even a passing glance between two characters could light a fuse in a reader’s mind.
Humans saw love everywhere, chasing it like a mirage, needing the high of it, even second-hand.
Maybe that’s why romantic films and novels were so popular: people wanted to feel something, even if it wasn’t their own.
His family was no different. They wanted him happy, whole again after everything with Olive.
They’d seen how the divorce had stripped him raw.
They wanted him to find someone who made him laugh, someone to anchor him.
He couldn’t fault them for that. But the appearance of a woman like Clara would set their imaginations on fire.
He could already hear his mum’s teasing: She’s not just a colleague though, is she, love?
He scrubbed a hand across his face.
And what about Dominic? Sam couldn’t deny that meeting his friend with Clara beside him would give him a certain boost – though perhaps he’d have the opposite issue with him and have to pretend Clara was his girlfriend instead of trying to convince him she wasn’t.
But that was silly. He didn’t want to ask Clara to do that. Not after the jokes about her being his pretend wife. What she was offering was already over and above.
A soft clatter broke his train of thought – a girl at the front had dropped something. She giggled as she picked it up.
Sam checked the time, then paused the film on the next scene break. ‘Is everyone following ok? Or does anyone want clarification about anything or to make any observations?’
No one put up their hand or ventured anything.
‘Ok, I’ll put it back on then.’ He pushed the remote and returned to sorting the books, but his mind was back on Dominic.
He’d always been a flirt, and he’d be all over Clara like a rash – and would give Sam the third degree about who she was and why they weren’t together.
Sam let out a sigh. This wasn’t something to undertake lightly and he had to make sure her being there for the wedding was worth the hassle the rest of the time.
The wedding was just one day to get through after all. He’d have to speak to her again.
When the film finished, Sam spent the last twenty minutes talking with the class about their thoughts and whether they felt it did justice to the book. A fairly lively debate ensued, which was quite miraculous this late in the day on the last week of term.
When the final bell rung, Sam said goodbye to the class and saw them out at the door as always. Some of them stopped for a chat on the way past until Sam had to chivvy them along.
He finished putting away the last of the books and then shoved his laptop into his bag.
He’d find Clara, have a chat with her, and leave sharp.
Very rarely did he ever go so early. Generally it was nearer five thirty before he got out, but this close to the end, he didn’t feel bad about it, especially as he’d likely be late tomorrow.
Gil had decided to organise a meeting for the principal teachers, which most of them thought was a little irritating this late in the term, but hey-ho, it was what they were paid to do after all.
Sam set off along the corridor, then downstairs, towards Clara’s office. He needed to catch her before he second-guessed himself on the whole idea, or at least to clarify exactly what she was signing up for. But when he got there, her door was shut, and the lights off. Great.
He turned back, considering what to do next, when a burst of loud singing drifted down the hall. Lissa. Who else? Now the kids were out, she was using the empty space as her auditorium, spreading joy in her own special way.
Sam applauded, and she spun around.
‘Ah, hello, Sam.’ She grinned. ‘Is it the holidays yet?’
‘Not long now. You haven’t seen Clara around, have you?’
Lissa’s eyebrows shot up, and she let out a little laugh. ‘No, I haven’t seen your pretend wife, actually.’
Sam rolled his eyes. ‘Not funny.’
Lissa laughed even harder, nudging him with her elbow. ‘Oh, come on, you know I’m not wrong.’
Sam took this as a pretty good indication of what his family would be like.
‘I “ship” you, you know.’ She used her fingers to air quote.
Sam frowned. ‘You what?’
She chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. ‘You know, it’s like when fans of a TV show want a couple to be in a romantic relationship. Like you can ship Harry Potter with Hermione and that kind of thing. I ship you and Clara.’
Sam rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh. ‘Riii-ght. Sometimes you worry me.’
‘Only sometimes? I’m slipping. What did you want Clara for, anyway? If I see her, I’ll let her know.’
Sam rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Oh… Just needed to discuss a pupil.’
Lissa let out a loud groan. ‘Max Lyndell, I suppose.’
Her voice carried down the corridor, and before Sam could answer, Kerr appeared behind them. ‘Is that you taking the devil’s name in vain?’
Lissa turned to him and laughed. ‘Pretty much.’
‘Well, don’t get me started on that little shit.’ He pulled a face. ‘Today, we were treated to his one-man show – make that one-completely-spoilt-youth show – of “why I shouldn’t be in school”.’
Sam raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t meant for this to open yet another Max-bashing session, though he knew how much trouble the lad was causing for his colleagues. ‘He certainly has issues.’
‘Apparently, being allergic to me is one of them.’ Kerr shook his head. ‘He told me he could only be in class if he sat at the back, and I didn’t look at him or talk to him because it made him want to throw up. Such a charmer.’
Lissa nodded. ‘Wasn’t he doing the same to Isaac?’
Sam nodded. ‘Something very like that, yes.’ But he didn’t elaborate, as he’d just spotted Clara and Adele walking toward them, deep in conversation. Clara’s main focus was on Adele, but she noticed Sam and the others out of the corner of her eye, and she waved to them.
‘Poor, poor Isaac.’ Lissa let out a long sigh. ‘He’s such a quiet and nice man, but it means he’s an easy target for kids like Max.’
‘He can be tough though,’ Sam said, ‘and stubborn in his own way.’ His attention shifted towards Clara as she and Adele came closer.
‘We’re just discussing your favourite pupil again,’ Kerr said to Adele.
She raised her eyes to the ceiling. ‘What’s he done this time? And please god, do not say it’s something I have to call his parents about. If I never see his father again, it’ll be far too soon.’
Sam caught Clara’s eye for a second, and she gave him a tiny wink and a smile, which almost made him start laughing but he collected himself.
‘I’m past caring.’ Kerr thew out his hands. ‘Just get me to the holidays and he’ll be on exam leave soon after. Maybe when he comes back for fifth year, he’ll be reborn.’
Adele sighed, a faint crease appearing between her brows. ‘So, who wants to talk to me about him?’
Sam held up his hand. ‘It wasn’t actually Max I wanted to talk about. Lissa just assumed that.’ He gave her a little smile. ‘And it was Clara I needed to see… about someone else.’
‘Thank god for that.’ Adele pushed her black curly hair behind her ear. ‘I’ve had enough for one day.’
‘Shall we go and talk then?’ Clara smiled at him. ‘In my office if you want.’
‘Um, yeah. Thanks.’
Her heels clipped along the corridor, and Sam glanced back. Lissa was still watching, eyebrows raised and a know-it-all smirk on her face.
When they reached Clara’s office, she pushed open the door. ‘So, who is it you want to talk about?’
He shut the door behind them. ‘Actually, it’s nobody. I just wanted to talk to you without anyone else listening.’ He took a breath, scratching the back of his neck.
‘Oh, right.’ She sat down on one of the comfy seats. ‘What about?’
‘About this wedding… I’ve been thinking.’
‘I won’t be offended at all if you don’t want me to come. I just thought it might help.’
He leaned forward, with his wrists on his knees.
‘That’s just it. It will help, and I do want you to come.
But it’s not just a wedding. I don’t want you to feel like you have to stick around for the whole time I’m there.
If you’d rather just come for the day and then head back, I can sort that.
I could run you to Bristol, and you could fly back.
Or I’ll book you a hotel if you’d prefer not to stay with me…
’ He pulled a helpless face. ‘I mean, the cottage I booked is really small. I booked it because I can walk to the reception from there, which means I can have a drink – I figured I might need one or two. But there’s only one bedroom.
I think I read that they can unzip the bed, so it doubles out, but even that might be too much.
I could sleep on the sofa. Why are you laughing?
’ He couldn’t help smiling too. Her sunny smile always affected him like that.
She crossed her arms, tilting her head to the side.
‘Sam, you are so sweet. It’s actually adorable.
But I don’t mind sharing a room if you don’t.
I’d happily stay in the cottage, meet your family if you want, whatever’s easiest for you.
Honestly, I’m just glad to tag along. It sounds like fun, and I’ve not got anything else booked this year at all.
I suppose I just saw it as an opportunity for a holiday. ’
Sam blinked. ‘Really?’
‘Really.’ She leaned over and patted his knee.
He met her eyes, and her lips tugged out even further.
‘But only if that’s what you want.’
He nodded. ‘Yeah. I do.’
For a moment, he just looked at her, and his heart tumbled down a few steps. It really was what he wanted. Expressing just how much was impossible to put into words, but hopefully his smile said it all for him.