Abigail invites you for Staff Drinks

You’re packing up after the last lesson of the day when Abigail pops her head round the door.

“You doing anything this evening?” she asks.

“No plans.”

“Want a drink, to celebrate the end of your first week?”

You like the sound of that.

You lock up office and classroom, and the two of you head down to the Staff room. Anissa and Spencer are waiting for you.

“You coming too?” the blond English teacher asks.

“If it’s ok by you?” Spencer nods her head. Anissa is non-committal.

“John here, helped me with a Kelly problem earlier this week,” Abigail states. The other two look at her quizzically.

“Yes, Kelly did appear particularly subdued today,” Spencer agrees. “How did you do it?”

“He warned me what she was planning, and with that knowledge I was ready for her. She didn’t expect that.” Abigail laughs at the memory.

You continue chatting as you walk the five minutes into town. The nearest pub is the Drowned Guppy. While you walk Spencer grills Abigail on the details. Abigail is reticent, skirting over Kelly’s use of her ex, concentrating more on Kelly’s dejection than her plan. Halfway to the pub Spencer tries a different tactic. She grills you. You take Abigail’s cue and glaze over the details. You can see Abigail’s approval.

At the pub Abigail volunteers the first round, while Spencer and Anissa take a table. You help Abigail at the bar.

“Thanks, for the discretion,” Abigail whispers after they’ve gone.

“Not a problem. Can I ask, how much do they know about your ex?”

She smirks. “They know I’m divorced, and they know it wasn’t a cordial one. They don’t know he’s in prison, or that I sent him there. And I’d rather they didn’t.”

“I won’t tell them anything.”

“Thanks. You’re not as bad as I thought you’d be. Come on let’s get these drinks to them.”

The other women have taken the same side of the table, so you sit opposite Spencer while Abigail sits next to you. You let the others carry the conversation, going through all the events of the week, complaining about students, about the results of the first week’s chaos. It’s mainly Spencer and Abigail speaking, with Anissa only throwing a few words in with her thick French accent.

It just so happens that Anissa is talking when she suddenly stops and slumps. All three of you look at her quizzically, then follow her gaze to the entrance. You recognise two newcomers, Krystal and Blair. Krystal waves to you when she sees you looking.

“We should invite them over,” you suggest.

“Do we have to?” Anissa replies. When you look at her inquisitively, she continues. “They’re sinners. They mock God.”

Abigail laughs. “Oh Anissa, they’re harmless. At least to us. Maybe not to him. You be careful around them.”

“Yes,” Spencer agrees. “They’re fellow teachers.”

“They just make me uncomfortable.”

Yet when Blair comes over carrying two chairs Anissa doesn’t object. And she’s all smiles when Krystal comes over with the drinks.