by Anna Archer
“Because your reporters aren’t returning my calls!”
“Bear with me.” The lady lifted the phone on her desk and spoke in a hushed voice before returning her attention to David. “Someone will be through in a minute.”
“Someone?” shouted David. “Someone? What happened to Justin? I’ve been working with Justin! You said Justin was on his way.”
“Can I help you, sir?” asked the suited man entering the waiting area, giving a glimpse of the bustling press room behind him through the door he’d just exited.
David stood up. “Are we going through? I went through with Justin last time I was here.” David peered. “In fact I see him! There! There’s Justin!”
The man pulled the door closed. “How can I help you?”
“My exclusive. I gave it to Justin six weeks ago and I’m still waiting for his big exposé.”
“Six weeks? Maybe there was no story?”
“There was! Get Justin! He’ll tell you.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but if he’s not returning your calls there was obviously no story.”
“Manny Jones. Lesbian affair with her teacher.”
Recognition suddenly appeared on the man’s face. “Right. Yes, I did hear about that one.”
“And?”
“No story.”
“There was! Get Justin! He’ll tell you! All over me he was, taking me through to your plush conference room, hearing all about it with baited breath, said he’d set reporters straight on it.”
“He did. There was no story.”
“I knew I should have gone to The Star!”
The suited man shrugged. “We shared it. We pool resources sometimes. No one came back with anything.”
“You followed her? You hacked her account? You put bugs in her teacher’s classroom?”
“We know what we’re doing and there was no story. Everyone agreed. That girl’s just trying to get her life back on track, even the TV vans have stopped turning up at the school.”
“So that’s it?”
“I’m sorry sir, but there’s no story.”
“What about the teacher, Eve Eden, maybe she’s got form with this kind of thing.”
“Very boring by all accounts. Works, plays hockey, goes to the gym, that’s about it from what I can remember.”
“And her relationships with women?”
The man shrugged. “You need to let this lie.”
“That’s what they’re doing,” shouted David. “Lying! I work here in the city. I can’t be following them around up there. I have a real job to do.”
“As do we, sir.”
“So that’s it?”
“That’s it I’m afraid.”
David spun on his heels. “Waste of bloody space, each and every last one of you.”
****
Calling Manny over to the shallow end, Eve nodded. “Right, are you still thinking of coaching for your assessment?”
Manny wiped the water from her hair line and laughed. “Haven’t you seen how slow I am?”
“You’re the fastest one here, Manny.”
“But I’m not fast enough. My knee’s slowing me down, so yes, I’d rather coach at the moment.”
Eve maintained the eye contact. They were both standing in their swimming costumes, breast to breast and any glance down would be noticed. “Right, I’ll call each girl over one at a time. They’ll do a couple of widths of front crawl. I just need you to point out one strength and two weaknesses.”
Manny laughed. “It’s like that game, two truths and a lie.”
Eve smiled. It was the first off-topic thing Manny had said in a very long time.
“Sorry, ignore me,” said Manny quickly, “I was doing so well. Shall we have Dulcie first?”
“Wait, what do you mean?”
“Nothing, sorry.” Manny shouted to her classmate who was completing widths in the deep end. “Dulcie! Can we borrow you?”
Eve watched the fluster with interest. “Manny, would you be able to stay behind after class for a chat?”
“No,” said Manny quickly.
Eve reddened. She hadn’t chosen not to ask for a chat before for fear of rejection, but simply because she’d been enjoying the control she’d regained with her classes and didn’t want anything to disrupt that, plus she’d assumed Manny would eventually show up in the sports hall again one morning, or hang around after class of her own accord. But here she was, having finally made a move, now faced with Manny’s dismissal. Wading through the water Eve spoke again. “It wasn’t a question. You’ll stay behind for a chat.”
****
Pulling his car onto the curb opposite Ridgecrest Academy, David huffed. His aunt Bonnie had stopped returning his calls about the affair just like the reporters had done, but unlike the reporters, Bonnie was family and he couldn’t leave things as they were. Loosening his tie, he lumbered across the street and dialled the school’s phone number. A previous visit some years ago had taught him the building was like Fort Knox to get into. Big gates at the front that closed once school started and big sturdy doors at the entrance. None of this floor-to-ceiling glass you see at new schools nowadays, just completely old-fashioned with someone equally as old-fashioned running the office. He spoke loudly. “Hello, it’s David Bruster. Bonnie’s nephew. I’m at the gates. The last time I came your old intercom didn’t work so I thought I’d call ahead. Could you give me the gate code please?”
Keying in the digits, David twisted the wrought iron handle before clicking the gates back into place and walking the short distance up the wide stone steps. “Yes,” he said, “I’ve stayed on the line, I need the code for the front doors.” He looked up at the single security camera and smiled. “Yes, Bonnie Bruster’s nephew.” Punching in the new digits he entered the school, inhaling the smell of the wood-panelled corridor. It was like entering an old library, or how he imagined a nineteenth century billiards room to smell. Walking forwards he poked his head through the hatch and smiled at the woman he’d been talking to, the same one who’d let him in all those years ago. “Thanks. I’m okay to pop down to Bonnie’s classroom, aren’t I?”
The old woman nodded. “The bell’s about to go. Make sure you’re not mown down by all of the girls rushing to get home.”
David laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m used to women charging at me.”
The old woman looked confused.
“Left at the end of the corridor isn’t it?” David didn’t wait for a reply, instead he followed the aroma that had changed from old fustiness to freshly baked cakes. Upon reaching the home economics classroom he waved at his aunt through the glass-topped door just as the bell sounded for the end of school. Stepping backwards he watched as the girls filed out sensibly. “How could I get mown down by these robots?”
“Excuse me?” said Bonnie staring at her nephew in the doorway.
“It’s hardly a corridor crush like we used to have when I was at school, and look at them, all walking so sensibly and so straight. Little robots. That’s what you’re breeding in here.”
“How are you David?” asked Bonnie, pulling the last tray of steaming cakes from the oven.
“I’ll be better if you let me have one of those?”
“No. The girls will be decorating them tomorrow.”
“And being the little robots that they are, they’ll notice one’s gone?”
“How can I help you, David?”
David closed the classroom door and walked over to his aunt. “I’ve come to apologise.”
“You’ve driven all this way just to apologise?”
David nodded. “I have. I’m sorry. I’ve been a fool. They’re not having an affair.”
“Oh for goodness sake not this again!”
“Six weeks of press investigation concluded there was no affair.”
“David, I told you that.”
David moved closer to the cakes. “I’m a man who can hold his hands up when he’s wrong. I was wrong and I’m sorry.”
“It’s not me you should be apologising to.”
David glanced back towards the door. “She doesn’t know, does she?”
“That you set the press onto her? No.”
“Thank goodness for that. Is she around?”
“Manzana?”
“No, Eve.”
“This whole thing’s been about Eve?”
“Of course. She walked out on me. I wanted to know why.”
Bonnie tutted. “Maybe it was your sexual innuendos?”
“She told you?” David smiled. “That means she likes me. You don’t mind if I take a wander over to the sports hall do you?”
“She’s gone swimming with her A-Level group. She’ll probably head home from there.”
“Could you give me her address then and I’ll catch her on her way home?”
“I don’t know it.”
“I thought you were friends?”
Bonnie pulled a piece off one of the cakes and popped it into her mouth. “I’m obviously not a good enough friend if I’ve allowed my nephew to mount a press campaign against her.”
“I very much doubt they even investigated it properly, and I thought those were for decorating?”
Bonnie batted her nephew’s hand away. “Just go home, David.”
“Which pool is it, do you say?”
****
On hearing the lifeguard’s long whistle and seeing the stream of people enter the pool, Eve spun to the huge wall clock at the end of the deep end. She shouted to her class. “Girls! I’m so sorry, we’ve run over! Get out quickly and get yourselves home!”
Ava swam to the shallow end. “I’ve not been assessed yet.”
Eve looked to the lifeguard. “He’s putting the ropes out for the lanes, we won’t be able to do it, sorry. You’ll be the first up after half term. Go and get yourself changed.”
The girl nodded. “Okay then. Are you coming, Manny?”
Manny pointed to the members of public who’d started to do lengths. “I think I’ll stay in here for a bit.”
Eve cut in. “Your knee’s done more than enough for one day, Manny.”
“See you later then, Manny,” said Ava kindly.
Eve smiled as the girl swam to the pool-side and climbed out of the water. “You’ve made great progress with everyone, Manny. You should be really proud of yourself.”
Manny turned back to the lanes. “I do think I’ll stay in and swim for a bit more.”
“I wouldn’t. You really worked it out there.” Eve waited for a funny comment but nothing returned. She paused, unable to connect with the eyes before speaking again. “Are we okay to have that chat now?”
Manny glanced towards the changing rooms. “It’ll have to wait. I’m not getting out yet. There won’t be any cubicles left.”
“That’s fine, we can chat in here.”
“Don’t you have to supervise everyone?”
“We walked down. Everyone has permission to head home from here.”
Manny looked to the wooden door at the other end of the pool. “Sorry, I actually think my knee could benefit from a stint in the sauna.”
Eve nodded. “Right then, I’ll join you in there.”
Chapter Seventeen
Following Manny into the small wooden space at the end of the swimming pool, Eve coughed as the humidity caught in the back of her throat.
“Don’t you like saunas?” asked Manny.
Eve coughed again. “Following you in here seems to be my only option.”
Manny closed the door and ladled some water onto the pile of stones.
“Please don’t make it too hot,” said Eve, gingerly sitting on the wooden slats, gasping as her bare legs touched the warm wood.
Manny added more water. “I need it boiling for my knee. It’s fine, you go, we can chat another time.”
“We break up for half term tomorrow. This first term’s flown by and I want to check you’re okay.”
Manny returned the ladle to the wooden bucket and sat down next to her teacher. “I’m fine.”
“Really?”
“You asked me to behave, so I’ve been behaving.”
“Why? What changed?”
Manny kept her eyes on the stones. “You’re my teacher and I’m your student and I’m here to get my head down and get my A-Levels so that I have a shot at another life.”
“Right,” said Eve with a nod.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Of course, I just…” Eve thought back to their last personal interaction in the corridor six weeks ago; Manny stepping in close and asking if she felt it. “I just thought…” Eve paused. What did she think? She had no clue. Manny had settled into school perfectly. She was exactly the same as every other student. Following the rules. Working hard. Speaking when spoken to. Eve shrugged. “I just thought we might have become friends.”
Manny let out a quiet scream.
Eve frowned. “What?”
“Don’t. We’re so close!”
“To what?”
“To half term!” Manny screamed again. “I told myself I’d give it until half term, just to be safe.”
Eve wiped the sweat from her brow. “Safe from what?”
“I promised myself that I wouldn’t tell you until half term.”
“Tell me what?” Eve pulled at the neck of her swimming costume. “Could we open the door for a bit please?”
“No, someone might hear.”
“Hear what?”
Manny swung around on the wooden slats so she was finally facing her teacher. “The press have been watching us.”
“What?!” gasped Eve.
“Reporters from the tabloids. They had a tip off that we were having an affair.”
“What?!” Eve stood up and fanned open the door sending a plume of chlorine-smelling air into the sauna.
“Shut that.”
“I can’t, I can’t breathe.”
“You can. Shut it.” Manny stood up and took hold of Eve’s hands. “Look at me. Don’t panic.”
Eve stared into the piercing blue eyes, a sense of calm instantly descending all around her.
“I’ve missed this,” said Manny.
“We never had this,” managed Eve, unable or possibly un-wanting to move away from the connection.
“We both know it’s been here, but the past six weeks have made it obvious that when I stop, this stops.”
“Because I’m your teacher and it’s been going so well.”
“But I miss this,” said Manny, pulling Eve that little bit closer. “And I know you miss it too. Or the potential of whatever this is.”
Eve shook her head. “You need to explain what’s going on.”
Manny moved them back to the wooden slats but continued to hold Eve’s hand. “I have a friend who works for the papers, freelance. She was asked to look into the story.”
“What story?”
Manny signalled to the space between them. “This story.”
“There is no story.”
“Because I stopped.” Manny sighed. “I don’t know how many papers or people were on it but I heard they gave up after a couple of weeks of snooping, but I know that world and people don’t always stop so easily.” She nodded. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry so I promised myself I’d give it until half term to make sure there were no stragglers or interns wanting to impress giving it one final snoop.”
“They’ve been following us?”
“There’s been no us, so there’s been nothing to follow.”
Eve gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you’d panic. You’re not used to this. I am. I stayed away because of this, but you stayed away because… well, maybe because I was wrong? Maybe you don’t want this.”
“This?”
“This friendship. This connection.”
“I was just enjoying the calm.”
Manny stared into her teacher’s eyes. “Calm’s not enjoyable. In fact calm’s real
ly rather boring.”
“We shouldn’t be in here.”
“You like being in here.”
Eve managed to laugh. “I don’t actually. I’m sweating like a pig and my wind pipe’s almost sealed up.”
Manny smiled. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant, but I couldn’t have them ruining your career as well as mine.”
“So what do we do?”
“We keep this a secret.”
Eve felt the adrenaline rush through her veins. “What is this?”
“A friendship.” Manny smiled. “A flirtation.”
“I’m not… I don’t…”
“Date women? I’m not asking you to. I’m just asking you to have some fun. We’ve both proved our points. I can keep my head down and behave. You can be professional. But we’re both incredibly bored.”
“I’m not bored.”
Manny stared at her teacher. “You are.”
Eve smiled. “Well, maybe a little bit.”
“So let’s do this.”
“Do what?”
“Have a fun friendship affair. I’ve spent six weeks privately perfecting my banter-back skills and I’m ready to take you down.”
“Is that where you like to go?”
Manny laughed loudly. “Boom. One point to you.” She smiled genuinely. “I’ve missed you, Eve, and I know that sounds ridiculous as I’ve been with you nearly every day but just so you know it’s been really hard not to stare at you and not to comment and not to feel.”
“What might you have felt?”
“That you’re inspirational. That I want to get close to you. That you’re kind, and fair and steady.”
“And steady’s a good thing is it?”
“It’s a safe thing. You’d be really good for me, Eve.”
“As a friend?”
“Of course as a friend. I’ve been working through so much recently and I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere. The TV vans have disappeared from school. United have finally realised that my no means no and agreed my settlement. I’m doing well in my classes. I’m finding the rest of the girls tolerable. My parents are letting me get on with things my way.” She paused. “It’s like the ocean’s finally gone still.”
“And you prefer the waves?”