Page 56 of An Irish Hope

“Don’t forget if any of you have any questions, you can always come and talk to me and I’ll be very happy to discuss things further. But for the majority of you, it will be enough for you to figure out how you are going to get to your schools and then make sure that you have enough time dedicated to getting all your preparation done.”

True.

She met the others who were at the school she’d been assigned to, and discovered Maisie seemed as nervous as she. Aisling had her doubts about how Maisie, a scared mouse-looking Maths trainee teacher would go, but hey, she knew better than some that appearances could be deceptive. Like meek-looking athletic types who proved to be far more—

No. Stop thinking about him.

“I’ve heard that some of those kids can be pretty tough,” Miles, the lone man—he was PE—said with a smirk.

She studied him. Did Miles think they wouldn’t cut it? Didn’t he know this wasn’t a competition, and one didn’t need arrogance to ‘win’? He could learn a lot from the likes of—

Lord, help me stop thinking about him.

“So, Ash. Want to get a drink later?” Miles smarmed.

“No.” She faked a smile. “Thanks.” She glanced at Maisie. “Maybe we should get a coffee at the end of the week.”

“That’d be grand,” Maisie said softly. “I’m so nervous I think I could vomit in front of my class.”

“Well, that’d be one way to make sure you keep the students at bay,” Aisling gently teased.

Fortunately Maisie laughed, even though Miles muttered something disparaging. Aisling shot him a look—nobody needed their insecurities fed by being told kids would mock them, even if throwing up in front of a class would be sure to do so. His lack of compassion suggested he’d be lots of fun to work with.

She glanced back at Maisie. “They obviously thought us tough enough to handle the tough kids, so you’ll be fine.”

“But—” Miles objected.

“She’ll be fine,” Aisling said firmly, narrowing her eyes at Miles until he huffed and walked off, still muttering.

“I don’t think he’ll be fine,” Maisie murmured.

Aisling laughed, which drew Miles to turn swiftly around and scowl at them both.

Well, too bad. She turned to Maisie. “How about we go get that coffee now?”

Making a friend in Maisie was one of the high points in her course. Spending time with her was a welcome respite from the challenges of more coursework than she’d known before. Unlike her previous degree, where she could skip some classes and have the second half of each week off—which had often meant heading back to the family hotel—she now had to attend five days a week.

Fortunately, she was staying with Ruth, a friend of her Aunty Aine, in the granny flat that she’d used in the previous years. Ruth’s house was only a stroll away, which saved money on petrol and parking. Ruth was a kindly older lady, who in the past hadn’t minded the fact she was boarder-less for several days a week. She hoped the fact that she’d be here full-time would now prove okay.

“So how goes the course?” Ruth asked her that night over a meal of potato soup.

“I think it will be good. It is a lot more full-on than the past years have been.”

Ruth nodded. “And the secondary school you’ll be teaching at?”

Aisling smiled. “‘Teaching’ sounds a lot more glamorous than what it will be. We’re observing the first few weeks, then doing some team-teaching the next, so it’s not like I’ll be out in front of a classroom on my own any time soon.”

“But you will be one day.”

She nodded. One day. The thought of being out the front by herself both invigorated and terrified her. And while she suspected it was practice that grew confidence, it didn’t seem that long ago that she remembered just how tough high school students could be. She hadn’t always been the nicest to her teachers, and there had been some in her classes who had been positively cruel to the substitute teachers. And substitute teacher was very likely what she’d be when she graduated and actually began her teaching career.

Her stomach tensed. Was this the right career for her? She likely wouldn’t know until she actually began doing it. But still, Kara’s words sang in the back of her mind, a reminder that she did have a personality that lent itself to enthusiasm and encouragement, which might well prove a good fit.

Maybe.

Aisling studied her reflection, wiping damp hands down the sides of her new dark green suit. Who knew her continued exercise and healthy eating regime would result in losing several pounds—and the need to purchase new clothes. Today, the first day of class placement, meant she’d opted for her brand new bottle-green suit and cream shirt, and tying her hair in a low ponytail. She wanted to look professional but also still like herself. But not too much like herself, she thought, as she dabbed on the makeup that hid her freckles. A swipe of lipstick later, then she studied herself in the mirror. Yep. She’d do.

She had to drive to reach the school, so collected Maisie on the way, then parked as they’d been instructed.