Entangled | Zayn Malik

Chapter Two

"Good morning, dear." Madge is her usual cheery self as I enter the main office and she gives me a sweet smile.

"Morning Madge." I smile back.

Madge sits at the desk across from me. She just turned fifty not too long ago. We decorated her desk with balloons and banners and confetti, and you could tell she was absolutely mortified when we all sang happy birthday to her and students passing the office stopped and joined in. But deep down we knew she loved it really. She has ashy blonde hair down to her shoulders and a dazzling white smile and she always has a cracking tan. Wouldn't mind looking like that when I'm fifty.

She immediately took me under her wing when I started here and I've always been extremely thankful for that. She'd worked here since I was a student and she'd always treat me like a friend and speak to me like an adult, unlike the majority of the other teachers. It's funny how when I was a student here, most of the teachers would treat me like a child and they wouldn't give me the time of day. Now they all suck up to me with their pretentious, nicey-nice attitudes. Artificial fucks.

"How are you this morning?" She asks.

"Not too bad. Stubbed my toe this morning though, could've done without that."

"Well, it is Monday. Monday blues are after you." She says.

"Well they can fuck right off." I frown and Madge laughs.

I wonder if she knows anything about the guy I seen this morning. He obviously works here, or else he wouldn't have been in the staff room. Unless he just walked in brazen-as-you-like and thought y'know what? I'm just gonna try and get into this locker and see what goodies are in there. But I doubt that. Actually scratch that, the security in here would probably let him walk right in without asking for ID. I say security, but what I really mean is Joe the security guard who sits on his arse all day eating crisps and only gets up to go pee or buy more crisps. I mean, the guys got a heart of gold and all but he's just really shit at his job.

"Hey Madge, do we have any new starts today?" I ask.

"Let me check." She puts her glasses on and opens the black leather diary in front of her.

"Let me see, let me see," her finger slowly drags down the page, looking for today's date. "Ah, here we go."

"We've got two new students and a new staff addition." She tells me.

"The staff addition, male?" I ask.

"Yep, names Zayn Malik," she nods. "New janitor. Have you met him?"

"Uh, possibly. There was a guy trying to get into my locker this morning. I told him that it was my locker then he just kind of looked at me then walked away."

"Without a word?" She asks.

"Without a word." I nod.

"That's a bit weird."

"Right?" I agree, just as the bell sounds, signalling the start of the school day.

—

The rest of the day passes quite quickly as it's now just after 5PM and all the students have well gone for the night.

"Right you, tear yourself away from that computer. It's home time." Madge pats the back of my chair as she stands up and puts her jacket on.

"I'm going to go to the staff room and get my stuff, want me to get yours?" She asks.

"Nah it's fine, thanks Madge. I just need to finish up here before I leave."

"Alrighty, I'll see you tomorrow then." She calls as she walks out of the office.

"See you tomorrow." I call back.