A Dream Come True

“To be or not to be that is the question.” Mr Hale spoke dramatically from his perch on the corner of his desk, Hamlet book in hand. His brown floppy hair, that is thinning and receding, nearly covers his right eye, making him flick his head too many times. His stubble and moustache not matching the colour of his hair on his head, the hair on his face is more auburn coloured. The book which can’t be described as more than old crumpled and yellowed scraps of paper. Similar books sat upon the worn wooden desks of pupils. Who are seated two per table with only one book between the two to share. Though the majority of the class were busy doing other things then reading and following along. There are some that are finding enjoyment in the latest gossip, watching the latest match highlights on their phone, texting and pretty sure a group of girls at the back of the glass doing a Tik-Tok. Even one person was drawing Mr Hale as he sat there on his desk in front of the class with the chalk board behind him. But wait right there, in the middle row the desk is placed three spaces back from the front, there is a girl actually reading a long and taking notes. Pen, pencil, highlighters of all colours and sticky notes. All at the ready and eager to go. Sat next to the girl drawing the unflattering picture of Mr Hale. “El, are you even paying attention?” The girl doing the work asked the other. “I would if he taught us something new. We’ve been reading Hamlet since the start of the year all the way back to September and now we are in April.” “I know, but don’t you think it’s best to still listen? As you pointed out we are in April now, soon it will be May and we have our exams then.” “Addy don’t stress yourself about it, you’ll ace the English literature test and the English language one. It will be a breeze for you, it always is.” “Do you think so?” “Yeah why not? You’ve never failed any subject in your life so you are very unlikely to fail now.” “Thanks El.” “No problem.” Both girls went back to what they were doing. ‘Dig!’ One of the girl’s phones goes off. Eloise takes hers out her blazer pocket while Addy continues taking notes like the moral class star student that she is. (Eloise, we would like you to come straight home from school today.) - Mam Unlocking her phone to send a reply she nearly drops her phone due to Abby nudging her. Narrowing her eyes as all she can now see is red, Eloise elbows Abby in her side. Just as Eloise looks up to confront Abby she is met with Mr Hale staring her down. Slowly he puts the book down on his desk not making a sound, uncrossing his legs he gracefully pushes off his desk and makes his way towards Eloise, his pointed shoes making the slightest click on the polished wooden floor. Slowly getting closer and closer to Eloise. With each step he took his shoes clicked and Eloise's heart started beating faster and faster. Red no longer clouded her vision instead she felt her face pale and a hard Bitter lump make its way into her throat. The clicking of his shoes, on the classroom polished wooden floors, match in rhythm with Eloise's thumping heart. Feeling that at any moment now it will give out. Making her breathing become more laboured. She could no longer hear the chatter of students or Abby's highlighter scratch the paper. No, all she could hear was her heavy breathing and her obnoxious heart beat pumping in her ears and terracing her brain. The other students stop what they are doing, noticing that Mr Hale has stopped reading and is no longer at his desk. Their eyes following him. All that Eloise can do is take a big gulp as her eyes never leave him while she puts her phone back in her pocket. Once he reaches the table he places a hand down on it while staring directly at Eloise. “Phone.” He spoke, extending out his other hand towards Eloise. “What?” Eloise answered back, trying her best not to show her fear. “Your phone Misses Hudson.” “Why ? I wasn’t even on my phone.” She lied through her teeth. “Oh so what were you doing then ?” Mr Hale asked, crossing his arms over his chest, playing dumb and going along with Eloise’s story to catch her out. Remembering the drawing that she drew of him still sitting on the desk she met his eyes and hoped he wouldn’t notice as she carefully placed her arms on the desk and covered the drawing as best she could with her hands. Unfortunately he did notice and went straight for her book. Pressing down harder with her hands so he wouldn’t get the book and see her drawing of him. “Eloise, remove your hands or I am going to have to give you a detention!” Reluctantly Eloise removed her hands showing off her drawing. To say that Mr Hale was displeased would be an understatement. His face grew red as a tomato, new wrinkles came on his face, the book crumpled in his grip, it almost seemed like he had grown a few inches or even feet. Eloise gulped again, shrinking in her chair. “Eloise Hudson, the head teachers office now!” He boomed throughout the classroom, the neighbouring classes most likely heard as well, making Eloise sit up straight in her chair and stares straight forward. “Go! now!” He spat as he slammed her book on the desk causing Eloise to flinch a little. 'Oohs' came from the other students in every direction in class, all directed at Eloise. Stiffly getting up from her seat she collected her pen, pencil and book form the table and picked up her backpack from the floor, shoving everything in. She briskly made her way out of the too silent almost deafening classroom, to the empty corridor lit up by the warm spring sun through the big old arched windows. The door behind her opens revealing Mr Hale. “And please don’t forget to show her your pretty picture that you find is more important than passing your exams!” Slamming the door shut in her face. squeezing her hands into fists Eloise took a deep breath before turning to walk down the corridor towards the head teachers office. Sat outside on the hard touch of the sofa for what feels like an eternity. “Eloise ?” The headteacher’s voice came from her office. “Yes?” Eloise asked while looking up into the office that has its door open seeing that Miss Kirk’s face is no longer looking down at her monitor screen. “Why are you sitting outside my office today?” “Mr Hale sent me here.” “And why is that?” Miss Kirk asked, raising one eyebrow. Standing in the doorway of her office was Miss Kirk, wearing a deep plum purple blazer with matching trousers, complementing her dark skin, a white open collar shirt and black high heels. Her black hair naturally curly in coils framing her face and brushing the shoulder pads of her blazer. Soon her eyes left Eloise to look behind Eloise. “Right, why don’t you come into my office and we’ll talk about it in there, away from prying eyes and ears.” Mumbling the last part as she got off her chair and stood in the doorway motioning for Eloise to come in. Standing up, Eloise turned her head to look behind her to see if she could see what Miss Kirk was staring at. Once Eloise was in the office Miss Kirk narrowed her eyes at the receptionist, an old nosy woman who starts most of the gossip in this small village. Closing the door while staring down the old woman who stared back as she bit into a biscuit which crumbled away and most of it fell out her mouth and down her chin. Miss Kirk was the first to look away. Miss Kirk’s office’s walls are lined with square wooden panels and four arched skinny windows on the right wall looking out at a farmers field. A dark wooden heavy desk sat in the middle of the room with a leather dark green chair placed behind it. On the desk were many pieces of paper with a corner of a laptop peeking out, a mouse, keyboard and monitor. In the corner near the door is a brown leather sofa and matching armchair. “Right!” Miss Kirk says just as she pops herself back into her office chair. “So will you enlighten me a bit more as to why I found you sitting outside my office?” “Mr Hale sent me thinking I was on my phone.” “Were you?” “Umm” “Eloise?” "Were you or were you not on your phone, during Mr Hale's lesson?" “Well yes .... But he didn’t see me on my phone or catch me!” Eloise said, jumping out her seat. “I see.” “Yeah so he has no evidence and he gave me detention.” She says, sitting back down and crossing her arms over her chest. “Is there anything else?” “I may have drawn a picture of him ...” Eloise says meekly under her breath. “Okay, I am guessing it wasn’t a flattering drawing.” Miss Kirk sighs. Only response that she got was a grunt. “I am going to have to inform your parents about this.” “Why? I was only on my phone. You know what I wasn’t even on my phone it went off and so I was just checking it, I didn’t even unlock it. And it was because my Mam texted me.” Eloise rambles on. “Okay I’ll have to talk with Mr Hale and hear his side.” “Why? You know he always has it out for me.” “Eloise he doesn’t have it out for you.” “Really? Well, who’s the teacher that sends me to you and gives me detention the most ?” “I see your point ... but maybe if you paid more attention in his lessons. I bet he would appreciate that a lot.” Not getting anything back, Miss Kirk sits closer to the table and leans into ward Eloise. “How about if we have a deal? You start applying yourself to all your lessons, especially Mr Hale’s, for let’s say by the end of the week I’ll let this slide and have a talk with Mr Hale and we’ll go from there. Yeah? How does that sound?” “Yeah, I guess... ” Eloise nodded. ‘RING!’ The school bell goes off signalling the end of lesson. “Okay we’ll do that, so why don’t you go to your next lesson now?” “I have a free period.” “Well even better you can go have a little break and have a think and reflect. Because I don’t want to see your face in my office or detention for the rest of the week. Okay?” “Yeah, I’ll try my best.” “That’s all I ask.” Miss Kirk says with a smile before getting back to her work. “Bye miss.” Eloise says waving at the door. “Goodbye.” Miss Kirk says, giving her another smile. Making her way down towards the sun filled grass field she spots Abby on their picnic bench. Walking over to join her, Eloise plops her back on the table as she climbs in the seat opposite her best and only friend. “Hello, long time no see.” Eloise says with a smile. “El you should start taking this and things more seriously.” Abby says not looking up from her note book. “What are you doing?” “Revision. Just like what you should be doing as well.” "Jeez Mam!" Eloise laughs “I told you it will be fine.” Closing her note book, Abby finally looks up at Eloise. As Eloise opens the packet of sugar coated jelly sweets that she got on her way to the field. “So what’s the damage?” “Well miss Kirk and I have made a deal if I apply myself to my lessons, mainly Mr Hale’s. if by the end of the week if I have gotten in trouble she will let this slide and have a talk with Mr Hale.” “Well that doesn’t seem so hard.” “I know it’s going to be a piece of cake.”