Page 12 of Emma
“Is it Friday yet?” Emma poked her head through the open office door, offering a small smile to Graham, who was hunched over his laptop, absorbed in whatever he was working on. His presence in the school had been a constant, yet recently, the air between them felt different. Cold, almost. The reason was clear, though. Emma had been chosen over him for the head of department job. It hadn’t been an easy decision, but she had earned it. She couldn’t help but notice the distance in Graham’seyes as he looked up, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Can’t handle the heat?” He scoffed, his voice laced with a bitterness that wasn’t lost on her.
“Trust me, I can handle it.” Emma felt a familiar flicker of boldness rise within her. She wasn’t the type to back down from a challenge, especially one like this. “Unlike you, who can’t handle the fact I got the job.”
Graham simply shrugged, but Emma noted the tension in his face as he glared back at her. “We both know I’m more suited to the job. But sure. You believe what you want to believe.”
Emma felt her heart rate pick up slightly, but she stayed calm. The last thing she needed was to get drawn into this now, especially with students still around. She wasn’t here for drama. Not with Graham or anyone else. “I’m here to work with everyone…and that includes you, Graham.”
She turned away, choosing to leave the conversation hanging between them. There was no need to say more. Emma had a job to do, and she would do it well. The rest? Well, she’d deal with it when the time came.
As Emma turned away from the office, her eyes landed on the new girl standing alone in the corridor. Freya had only joined the school this week. The first thing Emma had noticed was the uncertainty of someone navigating unfamiliar waters. She was the kind of student who didn’t make a fuss. Reserved, shy, and with an air of anxiety that Emma knew well.
Freya stood there, clutching a hardback book to her chest, her gaze flitting around as if she was searching for something, or someone, in the busy school corridor. Emma couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. New students always seemed to stand out, not because they were loud or disruptive, but because they were silently hoping for someone to notice them.
“Hi, Freya. How have the first couple of days been here for you?” Emma asked as she stepped closer and gave Freya a warm, inviting smile. It wasn’t a forced smile. It was the offer of a friendly face that could, in turn, offer a connection.
Freya lifted a shoulder but kept her eyes on the floor. “Okay, I guess.”
Emma nodded, recognising the subtle signs of someone trying not to make a scene. “Well, if you’re all done in the changing room, you can head off for lunch.”
Freya’s gaze lifted a little, an uncertainty noticeable in her eyes. “Do you know where there are benches, miss? Somewhere I can eat lunch?” Her voice trembled ever so slightly, as though she didn’t want to intrude on anyone else’s space.
Emma’s heart sank. She knew that feeling all too well. The discomfort of being the odd one out. “There should be plenty of space in the dining hall. No need for benches,” Emma said, but the look in Freya’s eyes made it clear that she was already picturing the crowded room, and the clusters of students surrounded by their established groups.
Freya shook her head lightly. “The dining hall is full of groups of friends.”
A deep ache settled in Emma’s chest. This was the worst part of teaching for her. Seeing a child feeling invisible. Watching them anxiously navigate their new environment, hoping they wouldn’t be left behind. Emma wished more people could see these moments. To recognise when someone was standing on the edge and waiting to be welcomed in.
“That’s understandable.” Emma nodded, acknowledging the weight of Freya’s words.
Freya hesitated before speaking again, as though the words had been on the tip of her tongue for some time. “I tried to be friends with some of the girls in the changing room, but nobody really wanted to talk to me.” She said it matter-of-factly,as though it had happened time and time again. “I don’t think Kelsey would ever want to be my friend.”
Emma nodded, her mind briefly flashing to Kelsey and the endless frustration that came with her behaviour. She didn’t imagine Kelsey would have many friends left if she continued to alienate everyone around her. But Emma also knew that wasn’t the answer Freya needed to hear.
Before Emma could think of something comforting to say, the changing room door creaked open, and Alice emerged. She walked towards them, her usual bright smile plastered on her face.
“Alice. How are you?” Emma asked in a cheerful voice, trying to ease the tension in the air.
“Okay, miss.” She briefly eyed Freya and then turned her attention back to Emma. Alice was another student who kept mostly to herself, but Emma had noticed a different kind of quietness in her. Perhaps a sense of calm that suggested she didn’t quite fit in with the loud crowds, but wasn’t as lonely as she appeared. “Do you know if netball practice for the Year 7 girls is on this week?”
“It is. Tomorrow. Will you be joining us?” Emma asked, genuinely hoping Alice would give it a try.
Alice lifted a shoulder and chewed her lip for a moment. “I’d like to, but I don’t think I’m good enough.”
Emma raised an eyebrow at that. Alice was on her list of potentials within the netball team. “I think you should come along. You may just surprise yourself.”
Alice smiled a little, then she turned to Freya. “Will you be going to netball practice?”
Freya froze, her eyes widening slightly before she looked down at the floor. “Oh. I-I don’t think so.” She shook her head and tightened her grip around the book she was holding. It was the same gesture Emma herself had made when she wasyounger. When she was too unsure to take that first step. “Bye, miss.”
Freya turned to leave, but Alice stopped her. “Is…that the new fantasy novel everyone has been reading?”
Freya’s face lit up, her eyes gleaming as she looked back at Alice. “Y-yeah. It’s amazing.”
The shift in Freya’s body language was immediate. Her posture was more relaxed, and her face softened significantly as she spoke about something that clearly made her feel comfortable. Emma watched the two girls exchange a moment of understanding, and a warmth spread throughout her.
“Oh, I’mdyingto read it,” Alice said eagerly, almost bouncing on the balls of her feet.
