Peer Pressure Read Online Free Page B

“Thanks gorgeous.”
    She didn’t even smile.
    The two men walked together, John pointing out various rooms and departments. Rob’s head was spinning trying to take it all in.
    The school had been built to be functional, not logical. Therefore there were doors everywhere, and endless corridors, some of which appeared to lead nowhere. Rob’s shoes made skidding noises on the tough carpets, made from what felt like rough leather.
    Around them, students went about their business, searching for their new classrooms, timetables in hand, sweat and alarm on their faces. Rob could relate. John took some paperwork from his clipboard and handed it to Rob.
    “Here’s your itinerary for today. Now your first class is about to start. Don’t worry, I’ve been told another member of your department will be popping by in around twenty minutes to show the ropes. In the meantime, just familiarize yourself with the class.”
    “Familiarize?”
    “Yeah, you know, introduce yourself. Tell them your likes, dislikes. It’ll be fine. These sixth year studies are only ever full of kids that actually want to learn, so don’t panic. Dicks don’t go to college, your kids will. It’s the other classes you’ve got to watch out for, especially the forth years. Little bastards are just counting the minutes until they can leave for good.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind,” said Rob, although with all the information John was throwing at him, he was beginning to feel like his brain had reached maximum capacity.
    “You’re younger than I thought” said John.
    “Really, is that good or bad?”
    “Oh, I mean it as a compliment. There aren’t many young teachers at Brushwood. I worked it out once. The collective age of the faculty in your department was something like Four hundred. I guess you make it Four hundred and thirty?”
    “Four hundred and twenty-five.”
    “You’re twenty-five? Jesus!”
    “Again, good or bad?”
    “Well, let me put it this way, I have two kids. My eldest is twenty-three.”
    “Maybe he and I should go bowling,” Rob quipped, although he wasn’t sure if this remark would get the right reaction. Thankfully, John smiled and gave a chuckle.
    “I might take you up on that. He could use the exercise.”
    “Really? I thought being a PE teacher you’d be all over that.”
    “C’mon, did you ever do what your parents wanted you to? What about your father?
    What does he do?”
    Rob hesitated before responding,
    “He’s an English professor.”
    John turned his head, looking to Rob’s face for any hint of sarcasm. There was none to be found.
    Only irony.
    “Is that a joke?”
    “He’s at Edinburgh University.”
    John nodded his head.
    “Well, I guess you’ll do just fine then. This is you.”
    They had come as far as they could go. The hallway led to a dead end, save for one door.
    Rob poked his head through to look upon the half full class of students. He swallowed, hard. John tapped him on the shoulder.
    “It’s not too late to run. But I have to warn you I’ve been told to give chase, and I’m pretty fast.” He gave Rob a warm smile and a wink, “You’ll be fine. I’ll tell you what; I’ll come back here in a couple of hours. We’ll have lunch.”
    “Thanks John, I appreciate it.”
    And with that, John started to walk off, back down the hallway, passing a couple of students as he went. He turned back to Rob and shouted,
    “And don’t let the little buggers piss you about.”
    One of the students turned his head in shock. John pointed at him, “Yeah, I mean you.”
    He kept walking, turned the corner and was gone.
    Rob had never felt more alone.
    A bell rang. That was his cue. The last of his class shifted past him and took their seats.
    Rob took the time to hang back, collect his thoughts, took one last deep breath. And then he walked into the room, closing the door behind him as he went.

SIX
    Jodie didn’t notice Rob entering the classroom. She was too busy rummaging in her bag for