Rory pulled out. Gentle. The condom dealt with. He dropped onto his back beside Neil. Stared at the ceiling. His chest heaving. His stomach slick with Neil’s come.
‘Well,’ Rory said. ‘That was embarrassing.’
Neil turned his head. ‘What?’
‘I lasted about ten seconds after you came.’ Rory put an arm across his eyes. ‘Just so you know, that’s not representative. I’dlike to formally request a do-over on the grounds of extenuating circumstances.’
‘What circumstances?’
Rory moved his arm. Looked at him. The green eyes wrecked, the lip ring catching the lamplight, the half-smile back but shakier than usual.
‘You. Coming like that. Around me.’ He shook his head. ‘There was no surviving that.’
‘I didn’t know it felt like that.’
‘Now you know.’
‘I want to do that again.’
Rory’s mouth curved. The full smile. The one that arrived when his guard was down.
‘Any time you want. Preferably when I haven’t been edged for half an hour first, so I can maintain some dignity.’
‘Where did that come from?’ he asked. Quieter now.
‘Gemma’s chicken. And you standing in goal with Owen, letting Freddie score. And my ex-wife hugging you in her hallway. And the fact that I’ve spent six months being led and tonight I wanted to lead.’
‘You led.’
‘I led.’
‘You can lead whenever you want.’
‘I know. That’s the point.’
Thursday. Mrs Webb’s office.
Neil had been summoned by email, the formal kind, subject line _Meeting Request: Staffing_, the sign-off including Mrs Webb’s full title and the school crest. The email that meant a decision had been made.
He sat across from her. The office immaculate, desk clear, pens in a holder. She wore her reading glasses on the chain. The chain meant business.
‘Mr Ashworth. Thank you for coming.’
‘Ma’am.’
‘I’ll be brief. Your fixed-term contract expires in July.’ She removed the glasses. Set them on the desk. ‘I’m offering you a permanent position. Head of English.’
The room was quiet. The heating ticked.
‘Head of English,’ Neil repeated.
‘Mrs Farnham is retiring in September. You’re the strongest candidate on staff, and the only one I’d trust with the department. Your work these past few years has been...’ She paused. Chose. ‘Exemplary. Year 7 writing scores. The Toby Marsh turnaround, which the SENCO described as “unprecedented.” I’m inclined to agree.’
‘Toby’s been...’
‘Toby Marsh hasn’t been excluded once this term. He wrote a poem about belonging that made the deputy head cry.’
A beat.
