Meeting another teacher, and testing the water

Saying goodbye to Donna Considine, the two of you continue down the path past the other cottages.

"I'll show you the Arts Pavilion first," Monica says. "It's pretty cool."

As you stroll towards Roscoe-Williams Pavilion you see an amphitheatre with seating built into the surrounding slopes. It reminds you of the pictures you've seen old Roman ruins, except for the addition of towers and crossbeams loaded with sophisticated lighting and special-effects gadgetry. You smile as the sight reminds you just how much money this school has.

Inside the Pavilion Monica shows you the music wing first. There are rooms for band, chorus and orchestra as well as several smaller soundproof practice rooms. You are surprised and pleased by the lack of locks on the doors, and peek inside the rooms as you walk by. Two of the practice rooms have pianos and in one a full drum set ready for any enterprising percussionist. While it would be a herculean task to try to steal one of the pianos, your mind starts to calculate how it could be done as you continue to explore.

The art rooms are upstairs on the south-facing side of the building. Like the music rooms below you are able to walk right in and find a collection of sculptures, charcoal sketches and even some oils scattered about the studios. The plate-glass windows that let in the afternoon sunlight overlook the small lake that is the southern boundary of the property.

Leaving the building you walk through a grassy quad where four girls are spreading out colourful blankets. They wave a greeting, and Monica waves back. She seems about to walk over to them but then she stops, looking ahead to where a black haired woman carrying a guitar case is approaching.

"Oh great," Monica bubbles. "I can introduce you to Christina. She's the music teacher and she's really cool. Hey Christina, this is Darnell Sharp, the new history teacher."

The woman puts out a hand in greeting, her smile brief but friendly. "Christina Thorpe. Monica giving you the nickle tour?" Up close you can see that she's strikingly pretty, her eyes bright and intelligent. She's wearing a denim vest over a long sleeved cotton pullover and skinny jeans, her body holding the promise of confident sexuality.

"Yeah, she's being kind enough to show me around" you answer. "This is quite a place."

"In more ways than one," she says with a slightly lopsided smile. "You'll have to excuse me, I've gotta go practice."

"Are you playing tonight?" Monica asks, then turns to you in explanation. "Christina has a band that plays in some of the bars in the area. They're really good!"

"Yeah, at the Red Falcon. Catch you later," Christina replies, giving a little wave goodbye as she heads towards the Pavilion.

"I'm not kidding, her band is great!" Monica says as you start walking again. "And you should see Christina on stage. She's got all these cool tats and she looks like a punk rocker. It's really cool!"

"I'd like to see them play," you answer. "Do you feel like going tonight?"

She gives you a grin and squeezes your arm. "Why Mr. Sharp! Are you asking me on a date?"

You look at her, giving her your most charming smile. "And if I was, what would the answer be?"

"Mmmmmm, maybe," she says teasingly. "I'd have to think about it."

"Would you really?" you say, stopping and sliding an arm around her slender waist, pulling her towards you for a kiss. For the briefest second her tongue is hot in your mouth before she breaks the kiss and steps back, tapping you on the nose with one forefinger as she grins.

"Down boy!" she laughs, then looks serious. "Take it a little slower Darnell. I can't go tonight, but maybe we can have lunch or something tomorrow?"

You smile at her, accepting the mild rebuff with grace.