Chapter One
Daniel looked at himself in the mirror and wondered why he was going to so much trouble for a school leavers disco. After all he was 34 and only a mere teaching assistant. The last thing he wanted to do was sit with a bunch of adolescents who would be drunk on one alcopop. But the Head had insisted that all relevant teaching staff must attend and that was the end of that. Smoothing down his shirt, Daniel turned side on just to make sure his stomach was not sticking out. "Dan, you scrub up well, my old son." he said to himself and then wandered over to the dresser to get some aftershave. Having splashed some on, Daniel headed downstairs and it wasn't long before he heard the honking of a car horn outside signalling that his cab had arrived.
The short journey was over in minutes and, after paying the driver, Daniel got out of the taxi and looked at his watch. Smiling to himself, he made his way into the common room where the party was already in full swing. A voice in his head congratulated him on being fashionably late.
Looking around the room he saw various good luck banners hanging on every wall together with pictures of all the students interspersed amongst them. Over in the far corner was the disco, it's lights pulsing in rhythm to the music that was blaring out of the speaker. To his left, in what was usually the tuck shop, a makeshift bar had been assembled behind which stood a harassed looking figure. On closer inspection this turned out to be Jim who had been given the unenviable task of bartender for the evening. "Come on Mr Michaels, I'm getting thirsty here." came one voice closely followed by "I'll have two of them Smirnoff ice thingy's." Obviously manners and English grammar had been forgotten. The rest of the room had chairs around the walls leaving the centre clear for anyone who wanted to dance and in the alcove next to the bar was a table full of buffet food which seemed the most popular attraction for the pupils at this time.
I was standing there, hands in pockets undecided whether to go for food or beer when I felt one arm slip through my left arm and one arm slip through my right arm. "Hi, Mr Simpson." sang both voices in unison.
I looked left then right. "Hi Jenna, Hi Katie. Enjoying yourselves?"
"Sure are Mr Simpson." replied Jenna
"Gonna enjoy ourselves even more now you are here Mr Simpson." said Katie. And with that, they both planted a kiss on the nearest cheek and went off for some food giggling.
I smiled to myself and looked at the two girls who were virtual identikits of each other. Blond hair, tight tops, short denim skirts and calf length boots. "If only I was fifteen years younger." I thought to myself sighing and made my way over to the bar.
Chapter Two
I glanced at my watch again and began to drink my fourth beer of the evening. The party was moving predictably along with one male pupil slumped on a chair already. Over on another chair there were two pupils getting to know each other better and the centre of the room was full of people dancing along to the latest tune from Destiny's Child. Looking around I saw Carrie-Ann, one of my favourite, but now former pupils, sitting by herself. Carrie-Ann, or Caz as she liked to be called, was not one of what I called the crowd. Always a little chubby she never fitted into the stereotype of a Jenna or a Katie but there was always a sparkle in her eye and a smile on her face. She was a clever kid and everyone was sure she was going to Oxford or Cambridge, but that did not detract from her popularity. In all my time at school I'd never heard a bad word said about her, either by teachers or pupils. But as I said, she wasn't one of the crowd that would go out clubbing all the time or flit from one snogging session to another. She always kept herself just far enough away not to be distracted but near enough to be regarded as up to date.
Her eye caught mine and she patted the seat next to her, as if to say come and sit. I wandered over and placed myself next to her. She was dressed in a pink top with a white skirt that came just to her knees. Nylons and heels finished her outfit off and she didn't look out of place at all with all the short skirts and crop tops.
"Hi Mr Simpson. Having fun looking at all these scantily clad girls are you?" she said with a laugh in her voice.
"There are worse ways to spend a Friday night I suppose." I replied smiling. "And please Caz, drop the Mr Simpson bit. It makes me feel old and now that you are a former pupil I am sure the Head will not mind you calling me Dan."
"So which one takes your fancy then. Is it Carly of Aleesha? Maybe Jenna or Katie? I saw the way they pounced on you when you arrived." asked Caz.
I laughed. "Yeah right. Firstly I'm sixteen years older then them. Secondly, they wouldn't give me a second look and thirdly, well there isn't a thirdly but you can get my drift."
"Jenna will be so disappointed you know?"
"What do you mean disappointed?" I said, a dumbfounded expression on my face.
"Well, don't tell her I told you but she said that she was going to try and get off with you tonight, maybe even more." said Caz.
I rolled my eyes. "Geez, I'm not in her league Caz. And not withstanding the fact I am as I said sixteen years older than her, I like a little more conversation when I am with a lady plus I've met her Dad and he scares me."
Caz laughed. "You're talking like a teenager now. Scared of her Dad I ask you. It's not like you are sixteen Dan and you look like you could handle yourself. Anyway, I wish I looked like her sometimes and had her confidence. I'd never dream of telling anyone what she told me."
"Don't put yourself down Caz. Everyone has their own beauty and ways doing things. I bet she sometimes looks at you and wishes she could have your brains and personality."
"I noticed you didn't say looks Dan." said Caz. "And that's understandable I suppose. I've always been the chubby clever one with the great personality."
I looked at her again. "As I said Caz, everyone has their own beauty. And if you want my opinion, you have the looks and the brains and the personality."
"You are just saying that Dan. Nobody ever looks at me the way they look at Jenna." she said, a resigned look on her face. "They look at her and think I wish I could go out with her. Or, I bet she's good in bed or questions to that effect. All they do when they look at me is smile and walk on saying about how nice I am and how clever I am. If only they knew. They probably still think I am virgin." And with that Caz blushed a deep crimson.
"So what was that you were saying about confidence? Geez, you didn't hold back there did you?" I responded. "I'll tell you what I think when I look at Jenna. I think blimey she is beautiful."
"See I told you." replied Caz.
"Yeah, but that is all I think. I look at her and I think she looks like everyone else. I mean she and Katie are like two peas in a pod. The way they dress, act, talk...everything.. You don't want to be like them. You need individuality, your own persona. Stand out, don't blend in and you will find that in the long run it will do you no end of good. I look at you tonight and think that it's so refreshing that you dress and act differently. All of which takes nothing away from the fact that you are a very pretty girl." And for the second time in the space of minutes, Caz blushed. "Oops, I've embarrassed you now haven't I?"
"No, no. Not at all." replied Caz as she composed herself. "Do you really think I am pretty? You are not just saying that?"
"Yep I do think you are pretty. Everyone has there own beauty remember and I see yours very clearly."
With that Caz smiled and placed a hand on my knee. "Thanks Dan, you have cheered me up no end. You know what it's like when you have a couple of drinks and you are sitting here on your own."
I nodded and looked out onto the dance floor. The song was winding down and the DJ had chosen this moment to play the first slow tune of the evening. Everyone began pairing off and instinctively I turned to Caz. "Do you want to dance with me?"
"It would be my pleasure." came the reply followed by a smile.
I took Caz's hand and we went onto the dance floor. My arms slipped around her waist and hers around my neck. Suddenly my heart was racing and I felt like a teenager again. Caz started to move closer and I must have flinched slightly because she looked at me and whispered, "It's ok. I am a former pupil now." She emphasised the word former and I wasn't about to miss the hint I can tell you.
This time didn't flinch as we moved forward so that our bodies touched and moved in time to the music. I could feel her breath on my neck as she nuzzled in, my arms squeezing her tightly yet gently.
"Are you ok?" I whispered in her ear.
"I have never been better." she replied.
And with that she snuggled in further, her finger tracing absent-minded patterns on the back of my neck. My eyes closed and I was enjoying the sensations of what Caz was doing to me. My brain and body seemed to be transported into a distant past as if I was eighteen again, dancing with a fellow classmate at my own school disco. I felt her lips lightly kiss my neck and my brain was filled with questions like was this right and should I be doing this? I felt her teeth gently bite my earlobe, tugging at it softly and then she whispered, "Please kiss me Dan." All I could think about was her saying she was a former pupil as I moved my head to look her in the eye. We both leant our heads into each others and then our lips touched and parted as we began to kiss, so tentative at first but then stronger and deeper. After what seemed ages we broke the kiss and nuzzled back into each other. As I leant my head on Caz's shoulder I looked around. Had anyone noticed? Nobody looked like they had and if they did, nobody was paying much attention to us. Everyone seemed to doing his or her own thing. Jenna was snogging the face off one of her classmates and she wasn't alone doing that I can tell you. The bar had a couple of customers and still slumped over the chair was the same drunk male pupil as earlier. I just shut my eyes and went back to dancing with Caz.
Chapter Three
