Chapter 4

Monday 1^st

Alban

I don't remember much of that afternoon's lessons either, to be honest. I know I was there, someone would have said something if I weren't, but I spent most of it worrying about Connor, and to a lesser extent about Kelly. I'd have to have words with Evan, I realised at some point during the afternoon, as well.

Then, suddenly, it was four o'clock, and time to head out. I stood at the gate for about five minutes, waiting for Connor, but he didn't turn up, and I had to go back looking for him. Turns out he was waiting outside Dr Hibbert's office to get his clothes back.

"They're at the main gate." I explained to him as we emerged into the vestibule, and saw the problems out on the path. Kelly and Marissa were trying to get to the boxes with the clothes in them, but Andrew McBride and his 'associates' — as Connor likes to call them — were waiting.

"This is getting repetitive, Andrew." I just wanted to get their attention, really. Kelly didn't look too perturbed, but Evan seemed edgy — he can sense a mood, and there was definitely a mood here — and Marissa was hunched over and huddled.

"Well if it isn't the knight in shining armour again." Whatever history there was between McBride and Marissa was their business, she'd obviously been reluctant to say anything, but his possessiveness was getting to be a problem.

Clothes serve many purposes. There's warmth, storage, protection and all the rest, but there's also a sense of inferiority that comes from being naked. I don't know why, or where it comes from, but Marissa's stronger than this, and without something to cover herself up it seemed like it had been stripped away — excuse the pun. So it just seemed natural that, as I approached, I took off my coat and swept it around her shoulders. The difference was instantaneous, as she straightened a little, staring back.

"She's supposed to stay naked on school grounds."

"School's finished for the day." I pointed out. "And we all have places to go, even if you don't. Excuse us."

"School grounds, still."

"Which means we're obliged to leave them."

"Is there a problem here?" Dr Hibbert turned up at just the right time. I kept my eyes on McBride, who just turned away.

"No, no problem, sir." I confirmed, as Connor guided Kelly to the box where her clothes were.

"How was your first day?" he asked, studiously examining a nearby tree. I guess I hadn't really considered the idea that he might be embarrassed by all this as well. He was approaching his sixties, I guess, and he'd probably been a teacher for nearly forty years — this had to be as new to him as it was to us.

"Pretty good, on the whole." Kelly enthused, tugging her shirt on back to front, and hastily rearranging it. "I didn't get the outright attention I wanted, but... it's only Monday. People are still getting used to the idea, aren't they."

"I'm sure they are, Kelly."

"That means it's going to get worse, doesn't it?" Marissa winced, fully dressed. Connor was still struggling into his shoes, but Marissa looked like she'd just taken her clothes out of a drawer — even her hair was neatly arranged.

"That depends on how you handle it and what you're looking for," the head tried to build her up, "but... it's going to get more extreme, I think."

"Who was supposed to be doing this this week?" I asked, recalling this morning's conversation. "You said you'd managed to get some changes in place..."

"You and Connor, and Isobel and Kirsten Connors." He offered.

"So how come you switched? I can understand not putting Kirsten in, perhaps, but Issy would have loved it." I was pleased with myself — I don't think there was a trace of condemnation in my voice.

"I can't reveal the details of why the Connor's weren't suitable — suffice to say their time will come."

"Why draft me in?" Marissa asked, quietly — she winced when she realised it sounded like an accusation, but she didn't shy away.

"I was given two choices, and I'm sorry Marissa, but I considered you more capable of dealing with this than the other." It was a compliment, of sorts, but a difficult one to take. "Tomorrow morning, you will find these boxes here. You don't need to come to the office, you can just get undressed here."

"Nice and public." Marissa observed, wryly. You had to be impressed, you really did. Connor hadn't really had any trouble, and Kelly had gotten at least some of what she was looking for, but Marissa — she didn't want any of this, and she just put it aside until tomorrow. That took class, and strength.

"Listen, are you going to be alright making your own way home?" I asked her, as Dr Hibbert strolled away.

"Yeah, I should be... my Mum'll be in the car park, I get a ride home."

"OK." That was something, at least, I wouldn't put it past McBride to be waiting for her on the way home. Another week started didn't seem an appropriate thought, all things considered, but it was all I had.

"See you at home, Connor." I offered as he headed off to the bike rack, and I turned towards the car park.

Kelly

Well, well, well... Alban and Marissa seemed to be hitting it off nicely. They go well together, they're both sort... not stiff, but guarded, I suppose. They don't open up, much, but you can tell they're nice people underneath it all. Of course, Alban's not really playing the game, but... damn, who else could get away with just saying no?

Of course, now I had a slight problem... now I had to explain to my parents what was going on. See, I'd volunteered for myself. My Dad was going to blow a gasket. I had about an hour and half, once I got home, to get my Mum onside, and that wasn't going to be easy.

It was made even more difficult when I got in to find that no-one was home. It wasn't that much of a problem, usually, my mother quite often went to the shops in the afternoon, leaving my brother and I to get started on our homework — although Tim was more likely to be playing on his games console if no-one was watching over his shoulder. So usually it wasn't a problem... today it was.

By the time she got in there was just about enough time for her and my brother to put the shopping away before my Dad trundled in the door.

"Did you hear, May?" he called from the hall before he'd even shut the door.

"Hear what, dear?" My mother called back. I started to edge up the stairs.

"They started that naturist programme in the school today, Chas Martin's wife phoned him at lunchtime, she's one of the dinner-ladies there."

"The kids haven't had a chance to say anything, I've only just got in with the shopping." She stopped on her way to the fridge with the milk to kiss him on the cheek, and he joined in — I could hear the bags rustling.

"So... what happened Tim?" Oh, well...

"I didn't see much of it myself." Tim admitted, though I could hear that he was keeping something from them. They must have done as well, maybe they just put it down to his being embarrassed about talking about it. He's a fourteen year old boy, after all, don't they all get embarrassed about that sort of thing?

"What about you, Kelly?"

"I didn't see anything either." I offered, with a smile. I study intonation a lot, I'm used to listening carefully, so I can lie pretty well... except to my mother. It's like a sixth sense she has... obviously she got my other one. So I tried humour to see where that got me.

"Kelly?"

"Yes..."

"What's going on, you've got that guilty look on your face." That's where it got me."

"Well... some kids were called aside as they were going in the gate this morning. Marissa Wright, do you remember her? Well she and Connor Murphy, he's this mega-genius who actually finishes his A-levels this year, even though he's our age, he got called. And so did Alban Darch, but he refused to take part apparently. There's going to be trouble about that, they reckon."

"Who's they?" my Dad asked, but my mother wasn't going to be side-tracked.

"And... what else aren't you telling me?" she asked. "Two boys and only one girl? I thought they partnered people up in pairs."

"Well, Alban and Marissa were paired up, he was looking out for her all day."

"Alban? Is that the young man we met at the open evening? Wore the roll-neck jumper, you're mother seemed to think you had a thing for him?"

"DAD!!!" He just didn't get it, he really didn't. OK, so I wanted a boyfriend, but... I didn't want to talk to him about it. And I certainly didn't want Tim taking stuff like that back to school. And especially this week.

"That's the one, dear, yes." My mother confirmed.

"Seemed like a good lad, on the whole. He's looking out for her, is he?" I just nodded.

"So who's Connor's partner?" My mother asked. Oh damn. Why can't she be just the slightest bit menopausally scatterbrained or something...