Chapter One

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^ Isla's ID picture

"Hello again," Dani smiles as she shakes Isla's hand.
Isla tries to find words. But was caught up in the moment, she remembers me. She smiles back.
"Good you've met." Gerald interrupts,
what had become a bit of a smile and stare off. "Miss Foster, will show you up to the guidance support base. She is the principal teacher for pastoral care." He quickly leaves the two women to continue their gazing.
"Well Miss Foster, you want to show me to my office?"

"I'll take her along," it was Tracey "I'm heading that way anyway". The guidance support base was next to the PE block. Isla stopped smiling. She noticed the PCs gaze and smile, welcome the new voice.
Yeah, Isla thought to herself, she is so much more attractive than me. The sporty, physical type, probably what you are more into. Rather than the boring English teacher, same way Hannah did. Isla nods to indicate to Tracey that's fine. "Well I'll leave yous too it". Isla walked away and returned to her coffee.

Okay then. Dani thought, Obviously I didn't make a great first impression. Or maybe she doesn't remember me. "Yeah, no this my first school posting" she answered Tracey.
"Don't worry, I'll look after you?" The blonde in gym gear, punched her playfully in the arm. This Tracey's flirting game needs toned down a bit, Dani thought, as she took a quick glance at Ms Foster. Who now had her head buried in a book.

The bell rang and like programmed androids the teachers all stood up. Heading for the door.
"After you" Dani held the door for the PE teacher who was taking her along to the base.
They walked the corridor, following Ms Foster who turned off and up a set of stairs.
"There are three bells in the morning, the warning bell. Which has just gone. The registration bell when students all have to be in a class for a register to take place then the third bell indicates first period. You'll get used to it"
"Thanks Tracey, I'm sure I'll get used to it."
"Morning break is 1045-11 and lunch is 1 to 140"
"Thanks"
"I'm just through there" Tracey pointed and smiled, touching Dani's arm "if you need anything".
"I'm sure I'll be fine" Dani gave a small smile and entered the base.

She looked around the empty room. There were a few desks. One of which had a welcome sign printed out. 'Welcome to Inverclyde High-PC Danniella Woods' there was also a short post it.

Hello, I'll be here second period. The school handbook is in the top drawer. There is tea etc in the caddies on shelf above the kettle in the corner. Milk in the mini fridge. See you soon
-Isla
Ps there is choccy biscuits in my top drawer- the desk with the dog pics!

Dani looks at the desks and spots Isla's. There is a photo of her mystery woman with a Spaniel. Molly really did smell her dog. She smirks as she sees another framed pic of the dog which reads Daniel. Seriously Daniel the Spaniel. She shakes her head. She looks at the rest of the desk, post it notes of phone numbers sticking everywhere a desk planner. Pen holder. Untidy desk tidy. Her old ID badge is hanging over a pin on the cork board. She takes a second to look at the picture, it's obviously a few years old. But it's a fair likeness including the shy smile she seen on the prom last week. Isla is definitely the the less than mysterious stranger she'd been thinking about since last Wednesday.

She opened the top drawer to find caramel wafers and Kit Kats. I like this woman. She smiled as she lifted a wafer from the pack and put the kettle on. The second bell Tracey had mentioned rang. She heard a commotion in the corridor and looked out to see teenagers swarming all over. It was short lived and within a moment it was quiet again and she retreated back to the base.

...

"Okay, come on settle down" Isla was standing at the front of her period one class.
"Jennifer, sit down"
"Sorry Miss"
"Okay, so thought we'd spend the first week making a short news program all about our summer break. So who remembers how we write news stories from last year?"
"Miss?" It was Craig, a cheeky little shit who liked to make the class laugh usually at Isla's expense. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about you and Ms Overton."
What? That didn't compute he was being nice. "Okay Craig"
"We heard it was because you were frigid Miss." he laughed so did the class.
There it was the first attack of the day. "Craig maybe when your mature enough to understand the complexities of adult relationships you'll grasp how stupid you actually sound right now. But for now you can write a news piece all about how Kelly, seen sense and dumped you at the end of school dance, and how you spent the summer in tears" too far Isla, she thought. Too far he looks like he's to hit her.
The class was now laughing at Craig.
"Bitch" he muttered underneath his breath.
"I'll ignore that comment this once. But it hurts, people using your private life to get a laugh doesn't it"
The class were stunned to silence.
"Right, how do we write a news story? David..."
"Kipling's questions Miss"
"Which are?"
"Battenburg, apple pie..."
The class laugh.
"Very good." Isla replied sharply to Sara another would be clown. "Not very original though, but points for being quick. They are Who, What, where, when, how and why. So if you start by thinking about something that happened through the summer and answer those questions."
The class started writing. There was a general mumble of chat which Isla didn't actually mind in the class.

Isla thought :
Who: the very gorgeous PC Dani Woods
What: met randomly
Where: on Largs prom
When: last Wednesday
How: her dog soaked me. We watched dolphins, made small talk
Why: fate sent me someone to obsess over and be a complete loser around.

...

"Hi, I see you found the note and the biscuits" Isla smiled.
"Yeah thanks, thanks for the note, and the biscuit." Dani smiled back.
"Yeah" Isla offered her hand again, although she'd already shook it this morning "I'm Isla, never got round to my first name this morning before Gerry interrupted and Tracey dragged you off"
"Yeah. I worked it out from your note"
Isla smiled, "what and you're not even in CID?"
Dani smirked, "very good" she noticed the teacher holding her gaze momentarily before dropping her eyes again.
"Sorry" Isla replied a lot less sassy.
"Don't be, it was funny" Dani tried to hunt out Isla's eyes again.
"So you found everything alright?"
"Yeah"
"Good. I'll give you that tour now if you like. Point out all the high crime areas" she was smiling again.
"Let me guess, drugs in the toilets, gang violence in the canteen and indecent exposure behind the bike sheds"
"and to think they never made you a detective." Isla shook her head, she smiled, "however pretty spot on."
Dani laughed.

They headed out on the tour. "So this is the PE block. Girls changing rooms, and showers that basically no one uses are in there. The staff are allowed to use the gym before and after school and we get some community classes in on a Tuesday afternoon." Isla showed Dani into the gym.  "Tracey" she hated saying the name "Laura, Alex or Jim can give you an induction if you like."
Dani nodded. The Gym, looked good all the modern equipment. I might actually use it.
"The accessible changing is here. We have about 15 students with mobility needs. And boys changing is there. They also use these changing rooms for the football, so sometimes when we have visiting teams and there can be a wee bit of hassle- usually with the girls team though, viscous."
Dani smirked,
"No seriously the girls under 14s are crazy. The team captain is quite partial to a punch up." Isla smiled.
"The sports field is through these doors, they should be locked at lunch but sometimes the PE staff forget so, it's worth a check. We get some kids having a joint out here"
"So is there a drugs problem in the school?"
"Not anymore than in any other school.  But it's becoming more common."
Dani nodded. They carried on the tour round passed the canteen areas, social spaces. "This is the common room for the senior students." She knocked the door and entered.
"Hey, Mrs Overton."
"Jordan. It's their space, so we tend to knock if we are entering. This is PC Woods, she's the new campus police officer."
"Hi," he went back to his laptop. They left him to it
Dani realised that the woman she was walking round with must be recently separated or divorced. Not her place to pry though. But she was interested. She wanted to ask the question. She looked at Isla. I wonder what happened?

After a trip up the lift, which is only to be used by those with Mobility issues, seniors and teachers. They walked back along the floors. "That's my classroom, if you're ever looking for me and I'm not in the base."
"Can we have look in? I'd like to see your class" oh god Dani, what do you sound like. Like a teenager asking to see a girls bedroom.
"Sure" Isla smiled.
"So you teach English?"
"English and Media Studies" Isla was obviously proud of her class.
"So who's your favourite writer then?"
"Oh, do you read?" Isla suddenly realised how cheeky that sounded. "Sorry, that sounded a lot more rude than I intended"
"It's okay" she thinks I'm a stupid cop.
They left the classroom and headed back pretty much in silence to the base. Isla couldn't believe she just insulted the newcomer. "Look I'm really sorry, I really didn't mean that the way it sounded..." she was distracted by a student standing at the base.
"Christie, you know I thought I might at least get to Wednesday without seeing you."
"Come on Isla, you know you've missed me all summer." It was true. Christie was one of maybe three students she worried about over the summer break.
"And it's Ms Foster, remember"
"Yeah sorry Miss."
"You better come in." Isla unlocks the door. "Christie, this is PC Woods. She's the new campus police officer"
"At last they finally sent us someone hot, eh Miss?"
"Christie that's not appropriate. We spoke about how you should treat and talk to women and staff in general"
"Yeah sorry. But you look cracking in your uniform. Isla, surely you like a lady in uniform."
"Christie" Isla was not impressed and was also pretty embarrassed.
"It's okay. I'm quite partial to a woman in uniform myself. Just not this one." Dani smirked.
"You want to go in Christie I'm just going to finish up giving PC Woods the tour" the student stepped into the room leaving Isla and Dani in the corridor.
"Not helpful." Isla said strongly. She shook her head at Dani as she entered the room and left Dani in the corridor.

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