The warm June sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the classroom and Ellie felt her eyelids droop. She lifted her hand to swat away a fly and then leant across to open the window so it could escape. She missed the catch and there was a loud bang. The careers advisor, Poppy, stopped talking and glared at her. Ellie pulled herself up and smiled, nodded an apology and tried to concentrate.
The subject was Beauty Therapy degrees and Ellie glanced across at Gail Markham who was taking notes but stopping at intervals to flick her long hair over her shoulders or admire her shell pink and silver nails. Ellie caught Gail's eye and they giggled as the career advisor raised her voice to state emphatically that you could travel the world with Beauty Therapy. Cruise ships offered lots of possibilities, spas in far off places like Iceland or Bali were always on the look out for qualified Beauticians from British universities.
Some of the boys were fidgeting and taking off their jackets and loosening their ties and the career advisor cleared her throat. Poppy moved to the front and wrote in large letters on the board.
'Careers that will let you travel the world.'
She turned and addressed the class, her voice full of enthusiasm,
'Who can tell me the careers that we have mentioned today that will give you the opportunity to travel?'
Hands shot up and Poppy pointed in turn, nodding vigorously at each response.
'Teaching English as a Foreign language, '
'Medicine'
'Psychology'
'Engineering',
and on and on
Poppy beamed, 'There you are, the world's your oyster. I can't say it enough, travel, travel, travel. Don't even think of going from school to university to school again, no teaching until you've travelled, broaden your horizons first.'
She collected up her papers then as she walked to the door stopped in front of Ellie,
'I'd like to see you in the staff room after school Ellie.'
The room broke into a buzz of excited chatter.
Ellie felt a dull weight in her heart.
Part of her had been longing for this day but now it had arrived she felt sad. She would miss seeing Gail and the others every day.
Her mind was a whirlwind of jumbled up thoughts and emotions. Gail Markham rushed past her, knocking her arm as she chased after Dale Brightman. They both turned and smiled, beckoning her to follow them.
Ellie moved to look out of the window at the traffic bustling along outside the school grounds. Often she would watch the lorries climbing the hill and wonder what it must be like to feel so free. No studying and preparing, just loading up the goods and off all over the country, nothing to think about, turn on the radio and sing along. The classroom had felt stifling then, a small microcosm of problems, challenges and thwarted dreams.
There were only two boys left in the classroom, John Simpson and Trevor Cartwright, they had their heads down over a sheet of paper.
Ellie's phone beeped and she picked it up. It was mum, wishing her well on her last day. Ellie's heart swelled as it always did at the thought of her mum. So sweet and gentle and never complaining in spite of her health problems. Home time had always been Ellie's favourite part of the day. In the Winter mum would have tea and crumpets set out in front of the fire and in summer scones and jam in the garden under the shade of the apple tree.
Ellie followed John and Trevor and made her way to the staff room to see Poppy.
On her way along the corridor Gail came up to her and linked arms. She waved her perfectly manicured hand under Ellie's nose,
'I was thinking, maybe I could come and give your mum a manicure, I still need lots of practice and I could start by giving her treatments, whatcha think ''.
It had taken some time for Gail to settle down at school, she had been a real rebel, smoking and drinking and many times at risk of dropping out and now here she was talking about a career. She even worked as a volunteer in the Day Hospital doing make up.The same with Dale, John and Trevor, real trouble makers all of them, hanging around with drug dealers and skipping school, but now they were all three hard working young men with Saturday jobs and places at university.
Ellie squeezed Gail's arm and together they entered the staff room. There was a loud cheer and shouting and then singing 'For she's a jolly good fellow'. Ellie was blinded by lots of flashing and popping and someone put a glass of something bubbly in her hand. She laughed in amazement and looked at Poppy, raising her eyebrows.
'What's all this about? ' she giggled,
John and Trevor were unfurling a banner and holding it up for all to see. Dale was handing her an envelope. All the teachers were clapping and smiling.
Ellie gasped and stuttered her thanks, 'but why? so kind, too much,' a strange feeling came over her, her head was throbbing, her heart felt it would burst.
Then she read the words on the banner
'To the best teacher in the world, you have made such a difference to our lives.'
Poppy shrugged.
' The kids did it all Ellie, they wanted you to know how much difference you have made to them and many others like them. Remember when we were at Teachers Training that old teacher who told us, it just takes one person to change a young person's life, for the good or the bad. You've done it so many times Ellie over the years. I've seen so many children be saved because of you, you've got the gift.'
The children and the other teachers had formed a sort of chain and were dancing round Ellie, she was soon drawn in to the circle and found herself linking arms with Mr Johnson from Biology. He span her round and they broke into an impromptu waltz.
Gail whistled and cheered, 'Way to go Miss.'
Ellie stopped and reddened as she remembered that Mr Johnson was recently separated from his wife, Ellie had vaguely heard something about her going off with his best friend. Mum had take up all her life and she'd never even thought about men but the way Mr Johnson was looking at her made her feel dizzy.
Gail called out 'The envelope, you haven't opened the envelope.'
With trembling hands she opened the envelope and drew out a ticket, a ticket for a round the world cruise for two, for her and mum.
She gasped, then laughed, then clapped her hands to her mouth.
'I can't believe it.'
Poppy whispered in her ear, 'You're never too old for a Gap year Ellie, and when you come back I think Mr.Johnson might like to be invited round for tea.'
