Faking the Grade at Glenbriar High (The Glenbriar #17)

Chapter One

Clara

February

Clara Morgan needed coffee. She’d had a few days of ‘being good’ for the February half term, but even just setting foot through the doors of Glenbriar High School made her crave caffeine. Completely psychological of course, but she wasn’t going to fight it. Not after the few days she’d had.

The main corridor was already busy, though not with pupils.

The first day back was an in-service training day, and the high school was hosting a community engagement workshop for the staff and others from feeder schools in the area.

Clara smiled and waved at a couple of people she recognised from other schools but didn’t know well.

‘I love your top,’ she said to a woman she knew to be the headteacher of the local primary school.

‘Thank you.’ The woman smiled at her. ‘Weren’t we lucky with the weather this half term? I mean, it was cold, but so sunny. It almost feels like spring has arrived.’

‘Yes, it really lifts the spirits.’ Clara gave her a little pat on the arm before continuing to the staffroom.

Her chest fluttered slightly, kind of like she had stage fright.

She wished the good weather was enough to boost her, but it wasn’t.

While she loved her colleagues and enjoyed the banter with them, she wasn’t sure she could face listening to all their happy stories about what they’d done last week – not when she’d spent some of it on her back at the doctor surgery with a probe shoved in an uncomfortable place.

And now everything was up in the air.

At only thirty-four, “menopause” wasn’t a word Clara had given much thought to.

It was something that happened when you were older, not something she’d have to worry about now.

So when the GP had suggested premature menopause as the reason behind her lack of periods, she’d been too confused to make sense of it.

Even now, the implications were only just starting to sink in.

There were to be more appointments, more tests, but nothing about it looked positive.

Not exactly the kind of thing she wanted to discuss with her colleagues – especially when one of them was him.

She pushed open the door and went in. Already, people had formed groups and were chatting among themselves.

Some faces turned as she came in, and she waved to Mirren Elphinstone, the young music teacher – such a sweetie – who was talking to Adele Robson, one of the deputy heads.

Clara was in awe of how stunning Adele always looked – so tall and poised, and she commanded attention without doing anything.

An unmistakable laugh caught Clara’s attention, and a smile tugged at her lips when she located the source.

‘Clara!’ Lissa McArthur called, waving profusely.

This woman had a way of warming the heart.

And if Clara were to confide in anyone about her issues, it would be her.

Clara and Lissa were both around five foot two – yes, short – but Lissa was curvy where Clara was slight.

Clara liked dresses and colours as much as anyone, but her pale blue dress now seemed like an unsaturated photo compared to Lissa, who was resplendent in a fuchsia pink jumpsuit and layered silver chains, her dark curls piled high on her head.

Beside her, Sam Addison – a tall English teacher – leaned on the edge of the work surface, smiling as always. Clara wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Sam not smiling. Even when he was serious, he had a twinkle in his eye.

Nice to see two of her faves so early. That definitely helped her mood.

‘Hi, Lissa.’ Clara made her way towards them. ‘And Sam the man.’ She patted him on the arm as Lissa pulled her in for a side hug.

‘You look like you need it,’ Lissa said.

‘Do I?’

‘Coffee will help.’ Sam turned and lifted a mug. ‘You want one?’

‘Oh, god yes.’ Clara smiled. ‘You must be a mind reader.’

‘I’ve just learned your ways.’ His voice was low and deep, with a well-spoken English accent. The kind of voice that could read the nutritional information on a cereal box and still sound appealing. He spooned some coffee granules into a mug.

‘Good week?’ Clara smiled at Lissa.

‘Oh, you wouldn’t believe it.’ Lissa launched right in, waving her hands about – no wonder she taught drama.

‘We took the kids up north, and they just wouldn’t leave the beach.

The sun was out, but it was bloody freezing.

We have a four-year-old who thinks she’s a dolphin and a one-year-old determined to eat half the sand on Nairn Beach. ’

‘Oh dear.’ Clara laughed. ‘Doesn’t sound very relaxing.’

‘Definitely not. It was a wild ride, but then it always is. Kids don’t half keep you on your toes.’

Clara kept smiling, but a little pang fluttered in her chest. Normally, she loved listening to people’s stories about their kids, but after hearing the words premature menopause, this hit different.

Still, she’d never begrudge Lissa – or anyone – these moments to talk about their children.

She mustn’t let this news drag her down.

‘Here you go.’ Sam handed her a mug of coffee.

‘You are actually the loveliest man in the world.’ She took the mug and held it under her nose, breathing deeply. ‘Did you have a wild week too?’

‘Not as wild as Lissa’s.’ He ran his fingers through his short hair.

It was light brown with a few flecks of grey creeping in.

‘The boys are older, and I didn’t have them all week, only when their mum was working, so it wasn’t quite as intense.

We just went bowling and for some walks, that kind of thing.

Kaleb, my eldest, is into running, and I like that too, so we did a bit of that. ’

‘No sand-eaters then?’ Clara teased, and Lissa let out a snort laugh.

‘Thankfully, no.’ Sam’s smile widened, making little dimples appear beneath his neatly trimmed beard. ‘And what about you?’ His eyes were very bright blue and piercing, but somehow looked warm, and invited confidence. ‘Did you get up to anything exciting over the break? And how’s Skye?’

Clara’s chest swelled at the mention of her toy poodle – her fur baby and her pride and joy – but another part of her recoiled at the thought of sharing what she’d actually been through.

‘Skye’s brilliant, thank you. We did some nice walks too.

It’s time I properly explored the area.’ She’d only moved closer to Glenbriar last year and was renting a newly refurbished cottage on the local Glenvorneth estate a couple of miles outside of the town.

‘Loch Briar is so pretty. And I found some walks from my cottage along an old bridle path into the woods. It’s really beautiful. ’

Sam nodded. ‘Yeah, it’s a lovely place. I was lucky to get my house in Clachnabronnachan.’

Lissa chuckled. ‘Well done, you, for pronouncing it right. And you’re English.’

‘A man of many talents,’ Clara said.

‘I admit I was a little put off by the name,’ he said. ‘I dread being asked to spell it on the phone, but I’m glad I got something. Properties here are hard to get. I’d love this to be my forever home, but—’

The staffroom door opened, bringing a loud voice that stopped Sam mid-sentence. Clara turned around, half expecting to see him. But it wasn’t.

‘Morning all.’ The voice of Gil Warden, the headteacher, rang out. ‘We’re about to start loading people into the lecture hall. I wonder if some of you could come out and stand by the entrance to direct them.’

‘Sounds like a job for us.’ Lissa clapped both Sam and Clara on the arm.

‘Definitely.’ Clara glugged down her coffee and headed for the door.

Lissa took over from Gil, telling people where she thought they should go.

Gil looked half amused, half pissed off, as he folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

Thankfully he had a reputation for being a reasonably laid-back head, though he could be strict when he had to.

Clara was allocated the door next to the lecture theatre, where she basically had to holler and wave to people as they got to the bottom of the corridor, so they would turn up this way.

The door was wedged open, and she looked inside.

Her heart stopped. Up on the stage, laughing and joking, was Kerr Halley.

Him. Clara’s insides flipped as they always did when she saw him.

Would a day ever come when they didn’t? Kerr was so incredibly handsome he was almost unreal.

Beside the other people on the stage, he looked tall, and his arms were muscly beneath his short-sleeved shirt – not overly ripped, just strong.

She took a deep breath and looked away. She had to stop.

Kerr was dating someone now. As well as having heavenly looks, he was a nice guy, so it was hardly surprising.

Just a pity he’d never seen her as someone he’d like to date.

Though after her recent news, maybe it was just as well – for his sake.

She waited at the door, showing people in, and every now and then catching Kerr’s laugh or his voice as he chatted with Eddie Caldwell, the head of the history department. After what felt like an age, Gil came down the corridor followed by Lissa, Sam, and some of the others.

‘Thanks,’ Gil said. ‘If you go on in and get seats, I’ll do the introductions. Adele’s doing the housekeeping.’

There weren’t a lot of seats left together, but Sam waved to fellow English teacher Isaac, who had a couple of empty seats next to him.

Clara followed Sam, and Lissa grabbed an end seat a couple of rows in front.

Clara gave a little wave to Isaac as she sat down, but her eyes were drawn instantly to the stage.

Kerr had taken a seat next to Eddie. There were a couple of other teachers plus a few other people she didn’t recognise but knew they were part of community initiatives.