Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

38. The New Boss

May

Before long, it was May; cooler, wetter, darker, greyer. Winter was well on the way and it was promising to be a dry one – which only meant severe cold, harsh frosts and little to no rain.

Kylie and Jack didn't carpool this Tuesday morning, because Kylie had gotten swamped at home, falling into bed without getting her resources properly prepared the night before and decided to get in an hour earlier to get herself sorted. She arrived at a quarter past six and was surprised to see she wasn't the only one who had gotten an early start.

As Kylie entered the building, stuffing her keys in her bag, heading for her classroom, she heard Matt call out a startled good morning to her.

"I didn't think anyone would be in so early!" he called out from his office.

Kylie nodded to him, one hand wrapped around the handle of handbag and the other stuffed in her woollen coat pocket.

"Oh yeah ... I don't normally get in till seven–ish, but I just didn't get anything done last night."

"Ah well, you'll just have to try a little harder to find that balance." Matt offered in a business–like manner.

Kylie bit back her retort rather hard and instead offered a tight smile and entered her classroom to get herself organised for the day.

While she wrote the date on the board, one of the laminated times tables charts that was Blu–taked above the board came unstuck, fluttering to the floor.

Kylie wasn't tall enough to pin it back up on the wall, even in her boots – so she dragged a chair to the wall, picking up the chart along the way and climbed up onto the chair.

Just then, Matt knocked on her door but instead of attracting her attention, he leant against the doorframe and blatantly scanned her body, from her ankle boots, her tight fitting, dark blue jeggings – the hem of her pants visible along with a sliver of exposed skin as Kylie reached up to pin the chart back to the wall. Matt could see how flat her stomach was as well as the fit curve of her arse. Still, his eyes continue to savour her, following the pleats of her black and white spotted blouse ...

Kylie clenched her jaw, feeling that uncomfortable sixth sense feeling of being watched and turned to see Matt standing in the doorway staring at her.

Neither of them heard Jack's ute rumble to a stop outside.

"Can I help you with something?" Kylie snapped at Matt, pressing her thumbs into the chart, making sure it stuck to the wall this time.

Matt cleared his throat and straightened up from the wall. He continued to watch Kylie climb down off the chair when he answered her question.

"Have you and Joel had any more thoughts on rearranging the classes?"

"No, because there's no Joel here." Kylie snapped sarcastically at him again. Matt raised his eyebrows at her, somewhat impressed ... he knew Kylie Foley had a reputation for being fierce ...

"You know I don't appreciate sarcasm –" Matt began to say sternly. He was determined, ever since their last encounter, to reign in her feistiness. Kylie, however, was only getting started.

"– and I appreciate it when superiors take the time to know their staff."

Matt tilted his head at her questioningly. Kylie huffed, shaking her head.

"You only have to work with two other teachers, not two hundred. Is it really so hard to remember Jack's name?"

"Well if I do, clearly you're well versed with saying it, so I guess I'll just defer to you."