The Girl Before Eve by Lisa J Hobman (17)

Adam walked out of the staffroom and took a long, deep breath. His colleagues had been lovely, very supportive and kind. He had found himself fighting to swallow the lump lodged in his throat on numerous occasions. But just being here, in the school building with its familiar smells and sounds seemed to ease his pain ever so slightly. His first lesson of the day was going to be the hardest. The class of fifteen-year-olds had been with him since they started at the school. They were his favourite class of all. Not that a teacher should have favourites. They were by no means the brightest kids but they were passionate. Before he had left, they had been running through Romeo and Juliet as a play. The kids had struggled with the language at first but acting the scenes out had helped their understanding immensely.

He walked into his classroom and wiped the board of all the notes made by previous supply teachers. He rolled down the next panel and stopped dead. Scrawled in bubble writing across the board was the message…

Welcome back Mr. Langton, weve reely mist you.

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s good that I’m back if that’s how they’re spelling these days,” he said aloud. Feeling unable to wipe that section of board clean of the touching sentiment, he stepped away, leaving it in full view.

The bell sounded to notify the pupils of the beginning of the school day and with trepidation he waited for their arrival. The first to enter the classroom was probably the graffiti artist herself. Jenny Milton. Her bleached blonde hair and heavily made up face hadn’t changed.

“Mr. Langton!” She ran over and stopped short of flinging her arms around him. He inhaled sharply, panic washing over him at the thought that she might follow through but fortunately she stood in front of his desk with a big grin on her orange face. “You got our message then.” She pointed to her handiwork.

Adam breathed a sigh of relief when he realised she wasn’t going to hug him. “I did, Jenny. Thank you.” He thought about mentioning the atrocious spelling but decided against it.

More pupils filtered into the room and crowded around his desk placing envelopes down which Adam presumed were condolence cards. It was very sweet. “Are you alright, sir? We…you know…heard about Mrs. Langton. It must have been awful.”

“Yeah, we’re really sorry, Sir. If we can do anything just tell us.”

“Shall I hand the books out, Sir?”

“It’s good to have you back, Sir. That supply teacher we had was shit!” With a loud gasp the whole class fell silent, and everyone’s focus was turned to the owner of the foul mouth.

Adam cleared his throat and stifled a laugh. “Okay, Tom. I think that’s enough now.”

The spotty teenager bit his lip and cringed. “Sorry, Sir…sorry for swearing I mean… I’m not sorry for what I said though…cause it’s true!”

Jenny Milton punched him hard on the arm and glared at him. “You’ll get us all detention you spotty weasel,” she hissed. Tom chuntered under his breath that the whole class had thought it and he’d just said it.

Once everyone was seated and the books had been handed out, Adam took a deep breath. He had prepared a speech to deliver to the class, but it felt a little contrived now.

He blinked a few times to rid the tears stinging at his eyes and began. “Okay, kids, we have a lot of catching up to do. But first of all, I just want to say how great it is to be back with you all. It’s been a rotten time for me. Losing someone you love is never easy. I loved my wife more than anything in this world, and so you’ll have to please excuse me if I get emotional at any point. I’m trying very hard not to bring what happened into the classroom, but as my best friend has informed me…I’m a teacher not a robot. But I want to get on with life now. I want you all to do well in your exams, and you were making great progress before…well…you know. So let’s get cracking, eh? Onward and upward.” Silence fell on the usually rowdy group.

Suddenly, Jenny Milton stood and began clapping. She was immediately joined by Tom. One by one all of the pupils stood and joined in the applause. Then came whistles and cheers. Adam was taken aback as the class of loud-mouthed and leery teens showed their appreciation for his words. He soaked up the positive energy coursing around the room. He was back. And it felt good.

Lunchtime came around quickly and Adam heaved a long breath of exhaustion as he flopped into one of the threadbare, squashy armchairs in the staff room. Resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, he closed his eyes. Someone patted his back and sat in the chair beside him. He glanced up into the eyes of Diane Silverman, head of Performing Arts. She was a good friend and had been at the funeral.

“How are you holding up, Adam?” she asked with a kind smile.

He rubbed his face. “I’m shattered. I honestly don’t remember ever being this tired after a morning of teaching.”

She nodded. “I can imagine. You’ve been through a lot. I hear you got a standing ovation during first period.” She grinned.

His eyes widened. He’d forgotten how fast news travelled around school. “Erm, yes. That was a bit of a shock.”

“They adore you, that lot, you know. I’ve lost count of how many times Jenny Milton has asked for your address so she could bring you some soup.”

He pulled his brows into a frown. “Soup?”

Diane giggled. “Yes. Apparently she’s heard that you’re supposed to bring chicken soup to someone in your situation as it will, and I quote, ‘help to heal your soul’. Bless her heart.”

The lump appeared in Adam’s throat again and he swallowed hard. “Oh…that’s…that’s so…sweet.” His voice cracked as he spoke. He couldn’t quite get over the fact this group of kids, whom most people had given up on, had shown such kindness towards him. He pushed his thumb and finger into the corners of his eyes and bit his lip as his emotions pushed toward the surface once again. He could feel his chin quivering.

Diane squeezed his shoulder. “Oh Adam, I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to upset you. Are you okay to be here? I can have a word with the headteacher.”

He held up his hand and shook his head. “No, no, Diane. Thanks but I’m fine. I will be fine. It’s all just a little overwhelming.”

Her hand was still on his shoulder. “Look…if you need anything…”

He covered her hand with his own. “I know.”

Adam walked through his front door at four thirty. There was a strange silence to the place now. Somehow, coming home from work for the first time since Eve was killed was like losing her all over again. He closed the door behind him, slid down it until he hit the floor, and leaned his head back to rest. The emptiness inside him mirrored the emptiness of the pretty little cottage he had shared with Eve. He closed his eyes as his shoulders began to shudder and the tears began to flow.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. He cleared his throat. “Who is it?” he called up toward the letterbox, his voice breaking.

“Adders, you big cry baby, it’s me,” Lily said as she reached through the slot usually reserved for bills and junk mail and ruffled his hair.

He whacked her hand, making her yelp. “Subtle as ever, eh, Lil?” He pulled himself up and opened the door to find her with her arms wide open.

“I knew today would be shitty. Come here.” She stepped inside, kicked the door closed behind her, and enveloped him in her arms. He crouched to meet her height and pulled her into him, letting his emotions run free. Once he had calmed down, he pulled away, wiping his eyes on the back of his hands and sniffing.

He rubbed his hands over his face and huffed out through puffed cheeks. “Sorry, Lil. I just can’t seem to stop fucking crying.”

She smiled. “That’s coz you’re a big cry baby, like I said.” She prodded him.

He rolled his eyes at her callous but jovial manner and couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks for that.”

“You’re so welcome. Who can mock you in your time of need if not your best friend in the world, eh?” Grabbing his arm, she pulled him through to the lounge. “Right, Adders, you have a choice. We either stay in and watch a movie while we eat crappy food all night, or we go out and get pissed. Now seeing as it’s a school night I’m thinking option one. Whaddya say?” She held her arms out, palms flat.

He thought about it for a few minutes. “Ah…to be honest, Lil, I was just going to do a bit of marking and get an early night.”

She rested her hands on her hips. “Tough titties. I’m here with the choices. Pick one.”

“Honestly, Lil—”

She stomped her foot and raised her voice. “Pick one!”

He huffed at her like a petulant child. “Oh for fuck’s sake, Lil. Option one then.”

She beamed like a little kid who had just been granted extra pocket money. “Great! Hang on there. I’ve got supplies.” She skipped out to the car and returned soon after with two carrier bags full of junk food.

“I got pizza, popcorn, kettle chips, a huge bar of chocolate, and a couple of bottles of beer,” she announced looking rather proud of herself.

He couldn’t help but smirk at his loopy friend. He wasn’t entirely sure what he would do without her at the moment. Although, it would probably involve tears, sad songs, and old photographs.

She rummaged around in the bottom of her bag. “Okay, I took the liberty of completely jumping the gun and renting two films. So you have another choice… Monty Python’s Life of Brian…or…Wayne’s World?”

Adam burst out laughing. “Good grief, Lil, did you happen to travel to the rental store in a DeLorean?”

She looked puzzled. “Huh?”

He rolled his eyes. “DeLorean…Michael J Fox…Marty McFly?”

Her face was scrunched. “What the heck are you on about, Adders?”

He threw his hands up in exasperation. “Back to the Future, you dufus!” He shook his head. “The films you’ve picked are blasts from way back in the past.”

A look of realisation spread across her face, and she blushed at her own silliness. She slapped her forehead. “Oh, that’s the car from the film! The DeLorean!”

He ruffled the top of her dark curls. “Bloody hell. That took some sinking in. I reckon senility is setting in early.”

“Oy! Cheeky pig. It’s a good job you’re grieving or I’d punch you.”

They sat huddled on the sofa eating pizza as Adam recounted the tales from his first day back at school. “Who would have thought it, Lil? Those kids really do care.”

“I had no doubt in my mind. That Jenny Milton though. That thing about the soup made me fill up. Bless her.” Lily sniffed

“Oh God, don’t you start. It made me do the same this morning in front of all my colleagues. She’s a character, that’s for sure. Every time I saw her today she gave this sad smile. I had no idea she had a heart underneath that crusty orange façade.”

Lily sniggered. “I don’t get this need to trowel make-up on. Girls that age don’t need to do that.”

“I agree but they all do it. Anyway, get the film on and pass me the choccy.”

“Bossy sod. Life of Brian is it then?”

“Absolutely.”