by Kiki Archer
Instigations
Kiki Archer
K.A Books (2012)
* * *
“Instigations,” is the sequel to Kiki Archer’s best-selling lesbian fiction novel, “But She Is My Student.”
Illicit affairs with happy endings. Do they really exist?
Miss Katherine Spicer, a well respected history teacher from Coldfield Comprehensive thinks so. Now in a committed relationship with her ex-student Freya, she feels she has it all: A thriving career, a wonderful girlfriend, and a fun-filled apartment shared with her very best friends. Previous insecurities are gently fading away and for the first time ever, she feels truly loved.
But will a chain of events, triggered by the deliberate and intentional actions of Freya’s new university acquaintance, see the downfall of their relationship? Has Kat got the strength to believe when Freya’s desire to stay strong is questioned?
“Instigations,” follows the ups and downs of all fast moving lesbian love affairs. From moving in, to moving on. A rollercoaster ride, full of emotion. Laugh out loud with the highs and cry in sorrow with the lows.
Lesbian chick lit at its best.
Instigations
by Kiki Archer
Copyright 2012 Kiki Archer
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For Angela King,
Thank you x
“Instigations,” is the sequel to Kiki Archer’s best-selling lesbian fiction novel,
“But She Is My Student.”
Chapter One
There was a wail, a gasp, and a dramatic fall to the knees. Results day; and tensions were high. The students on the outer edges of the main school hall were silently waiting, wide eyed and nervous. The ones in the middle were squealing and shouting and gasping with joy. The ones making a quick exit out of the fire doors were cursing their own stupidity for failing to revise and believing they would not be bothered when their awful results were finally confirmed.
Kat was sitting at one of the tables at the front of the school hall, flicking through her allocated box of remaining brown envelopes. She smiled as she found the name she had been searching for and lifted it gently into the trembling hands of her student. She gave the pale girl a reassuring nod and genuine wish of good luck - even though nothing at this point could change the results displayed on the shaking paper. Kat watched as the girl hurried back to her small group of friends and peeped at her results. Initial trepidation quickly turning to brazen pride.
Kat smiled to herself. This was turning out to be a very rewarding day. A day where everyone’s hard work was finally paying off. Teaching was Kat’s lifetime vocation and she relished every moment of the job, viewing each challenge as a personal mission where nothing but the best would do. She did not like to admit it, but she was universally liked and respected by the students at Coldfield Comprehensive School. She had even managed to win over the infamous cast of trouble makers who seemed to wreak havoc in all other lessons, but offered her their very best, if still slightly underwhelming, behaviour.
Kat glanced up from her table and saw one such troublemaker. A very sunburnt Chianne Granger was pushing her way past the older students. She looked like she had put on a good stone in weight since the end of the summer term and was thumping forwards in some tight wedge heels that made her feet look like trotters - coincidentally matching the rest of her piggy appearance.
Chianne arrived at the table with a huff and stuck out her big buck teeth. “Where was you last week Miss Spicer?”
The smell of potent perfume hit Kat immediately, but she managed to mask her shock with a warm smile. “Hello Chianne, how are you? We are handing out the A-Level results today. Your GCSE results were last Tuesday.” Kat always tried to be calm and kind no matter the situation.
Chianne blew an exaggerated puff of warm air up towards her solid black quiff and put her hands on her hips. It had cost her £1.20 for the bus over from the Peachell’s Estate and she was going to get her money’s worth. “Huh, you make it sound like I don’t know nothing.” She batted her eyes, looked at Kat and tried to wink - something that was very difficult given the amount of mascara that was clogging up her tiny eyelashes. “Well, I do! One A star, seven A’s and a B. The A star was in history.” She puffed up and pouted.
Kat coughed unexpectedly and ran her fingers through her thick blonde hair. “Wow.”
Chianne leaned over the desk trying to put her cleavage on show. The fact that she was a 44 double A did not seem to matter. “So you, Miss Spicer, have got moi, for A-Level history in September.” She winked again and tried to jiggle her chest. Nothing moved. “I bet I have just made your wildest dreams come true! Me and you for two years.” She sucked her teeth and glared at the table to the left, suddenly lowering her voice two octaves and addressing the other teacher. “You told me you were gunna ring her.”
Janet Louza, the Head of History, piped up from the table next to Kat’s. “Yes, sorry Miss Spicer, I must have forgotten to mention Chianne’s wonderful news when you phoned in about the GCSE results last week.” She tried to whisper, “I didn’t want to spoil the last bit of your holiday abroad.”
“I heard that,” growled Chianne, slowly turning back around and putting her prettiest voice back on. “Anyway, see you in September Spicer. Only two weeks to go.” She winked again and gave a little wave of her fat fingers. “That’s all I came in to say.”
“Well thank you Chianne. I am honoured that you came in to tell me that piece of good news.” Kat paused and fixed her blue eyes on the heavily dolled up student. “Seriously though, you should be really proud of those results. Well done.”
Chianne almost gave a genuine smile but instead she sucked her buck teeth and spun to leave, deliberately adding a wiggle to her bottom that was wobbling naturally on its own; Miss Spicer’s crush was clearly as strong as ever and she was going to enjoy teasing her for the next two years.
Janet Louza jumped into the plastic seat next to Kat. Both watched in disbelief as Chianne clumped heavily out of the hall, offering insults to the Sixth Form students she passed. “Don’t ask me how she did it, she was barely predicted a pass in most subjects!” Janet placed her hand on Kat’s shoulder and offered a squeeze of encouragement. “I have faith that you will work wonders with her.” She believed it as well. Miss Katherine Spicer had been the best thing to ever happen to her failing history department at Coldfield Comprehensive. Kat was fiercely intelligent, always professional and had managed to secure a one hundred percent pass rate for the classes she taught last year. This had, in turn, nudged Coldfield ahead of their rivals, John Taylor’s.
The Head Teacher Kirsty Spaulding had called Janet in for a congratulatory meeting since history was now the top performing subject across the school. Both knew that this was not down to Janet and the same system she had been following for the past twenty five years. The success was Kat’s. It was Kat’s belief that every single child who crossed her path would reach their potential, and they did. Most never even realised what their potential was until their favourite Miss Spicer opened their eyes wide enough to see it, and tuned their brains in deep enough to achieve it. She was great and all at Coldfield knew it. All except the jealous English department women, that was.
Kat accepted Janet’s prolonged
look of earnest as her first challenge for the term ahead, and Janet accepted Kat’s look of slight worry as nothing more than shock. If anyone could turn the hulk of Chianne Granger into a mewing pussy cat, Miss Katherine Spicer could.
Kat sighed and shrugged her shoulders, turning back towards the large hall and the groups of students that had started to thin out. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Diane Pity and Fiona Mews who were clipping their way from the glass double doors that were encrusted with the school’s shield. They were heading away from the staffroom, through the hall, and towards the open fire escape. Staff presence on results day was optional and they were the last pair she expected to see giving up a day of their summer break to congratulate, or commiserate, the nervous Sixth Form students.
She watched as Kirsty Spaulding clattered through the glass doors, clapped her hands sharply and wolf whistled to the pair. Kirsty then waited with crossed arms for them to arrive in front of her. There was a wagging of fingers before she quick marched both teachers towards her office. Kat wondered if the poor English results were top of the agenda.
“I read a good Joanna Trollop book on holiday actually,” said Janet with her eyebrows raised, tracking their path.
“Don’t be rude Janet,” laughed Kat, pleased that her old fashioned Head of Department was finally managing the odd joke here and there.
Janet shook her head, causing the ruffles on her high necked shirt to gently flap. “Well look at them! I know it’s not a school day, but what on earth do they look like?”
Kat had often thought that Fiona Mews looked like an air hostess from a low budget airline with her long black hair scraped back into a permanent plait that was known to whip you if stood too close when she turned. Diane on the other hand, could pass for a bleach blonde low grade Julia Roberts from any of the hooking scenes in Pretty Woman. Both had tried their hardest to intimidate her in her first year at Coldfield, using her sexuality as their main bit of fodder. They hadn’t succeeded and Kat only had one last hurdle to overcome - to disclose to her Head of Department the identity of her new girlfriend. Janet had tried so hard to be all ‘new age’ as she had put it, and support her protégé’s lifestyle choice, but she did not like to ask too many questions, or get too involved.
Janet still found it rather peculiar that a woman, especially one as naturally beautiful as Kat, could be attracted to another woman - ‘I mean what goes where?’ - she had asked after one too many sherries at the Christmas bash. Kat had tried to describe it as cuddling and Janet had appeared somewhat appeased and relieved, but both realised it was not a topic of conversation either would like to repeatedly frequent. So they maintained their acceptance, but ignored the details.
There was however, one detail that Janet did need to know. Kat checked that no students were approaching their table and began, “I’ve had such a wonderful summer and I have actually started to see someone new.” She looked at Janet with sincerity. “I’m really happy.”
Janet blushed immediately. “Oh, right.”
Kat just had to go for it. She kept the eye contact. “Actually you know her...”
The noise of Poppy Jones wailing in glee and flapping her freshly opened results sheets above her head filled the hall. “Three A’s!! Oxford, here I come!”
Kat paused as a lump caught in her throat. The morning really had been a mix of emotions for students and teachers alike. She watched as Poppy’s mum and dad raced into the hall and proudly threw their arms around their daughter, disobeying her request for them to wait in the car. Kat focused her attention back on Janet, who was now fiddling with her necklace and starting to perspire. “Janet, you need to know that my new girlfriend is Freya Elton.”
“Ah yes, very good,” came the quick response. The Head Teacher, Kirsty Spaulding, had already briefed Janet on the likely news and advised her on how best to react. Freya had been a pupil in the Upper Sixth last year and the star of Kat’s history class; but the relationship only started once she signed off from the school in July. The Head Teacher had told Janet that the relationship was all legal and above board and Janet, after her shock, had told herself that that was all she needed to know. “Is it not a bit odd?” She could not help herself.
“Which bit?” Kat was now equally as embarrassed as both were once again in the position with the other discussing things they would rather not discuss.
“Well, the fact that she was your student.” Janet ran her fingers through her curly grey cloud and tried to come to grips with it. “How are you equals?”
Kat really did not want to get into this now, but needed Janet on board. She checked the hall once more. No one with a surname from D-G seemed to be approaching. “It’s only a three year age gap and most of our friends think she’s the older one of us!”
Janet paused, our friends, how peculiar for Kat and her ex-pupil to have friends. There was so much to this whole lesbianism thing that she would never understand, but she realised she had to be all ‘equal opportunities’ so decided to go with - “Thumbs up for girl power then!”
Kat was not sure which was more awkward, the thumbs up gesture, or the slight hug that followed. What she was pleased about though was the lack of importance it seemed to hold. Janet had acknowledged, questioned slightly and then accepted with a strange hug and quick dash off to the ladies. What more could she ask for? Kat smiled to herself as she saw Janet passing through the double doors and watched as another Sixth Former tore open their small brown envelope and collapsed to the floor in tears of joy.
This had been the best summer of her life. She was head over heels in love and happier than she had ever been before. Freya was her world and today their future would be decided. Suddenly she felt the butterflies. Freya was approaching her desk. It still got her every time. The way her shoulder length chestnut hair would sway gently as she walked, the way her mischievous green eyes glistened with passion and the way her pretty face lit up every time she smiled. Kat stood up, leaned over her desk and kissed her on the cheek. “Hello.”
“I was not expecting that,” whispered Freya, feeling her heart swell inside her chest. She realised that small gesture would have taken a lot for Kat, and in that instance loved her a little bit more.
“How else should I greet my girlfriend?” Kat whispered in return.
Freya smiled, mesmerised by the piercing blue eyes. She broke the connection and coughed in announcement, “Ahem, Freya Elton please.”
Kat flicked through the remaining small brown envelopes. Her desk had a large white sign on with the black letters D-G clearly displayed. Students had a three hour window to come in and claim their results. Some chose to open them there and then, others hid them away in deep pockets, waiting for their nerve to arrive, and the ones who didn’t want the limelight had them posted to their home address instead. Freya already had her plan.
Kat held onto Freya’s fingers as she passed the envelope over. “Here you go. Good luck.” She did not know who was more nervous.
Freya grinned cheekily. “See you at the sand dune in an hour?” Freya’s sand dune had quickly become their sand dune and was in fact nothing at all like a sand dune apart from its sunken appearance. It was a private hollow on Coldfield Park that Freya had found years ago and subsequently spent many an afternoon sheltered by its private nesting of heather and bracken, lying on the soft grass, revising, or sunbathing, or more recently, making love.
“Sounds great,” said Kat remembering their last outing.
The charged connection was abruptly broken by the noisy sound of cheap high heels steadily increasing in volume. The clipping stopped abruptly. “You two look like you have got the same suntan,” sneered Diane Pity sliding up closer to Freya’s side.
“Yes definitely,” flared Fiona Mews, trotting up to the desk and peering down through two large nostrils at Kat’s brown arms.
Kat stood up and her elegant height instantly took away some of their power. “We have the same suntan because we have been away on the same holiday.” Ka
t was never intentionally mean but she wanted to kill the conversation so added, “How were the English results?”
Diane ignored the question. “Together?”
“Yes, we went on holiday together.” It was all very matter of fact and it felt good that she had nothing to hide. Their faces were a picture so she continued. “It was beautiful. We went to Sorrento. Sun, sea...” She was going to leave it there; there was getting your own back and there was childishness, “...staffroom calls, I need a drink.” She nodded as she passed Janet who was making her way back to the table.
Freya watched as Kat walked confidently across the hall. She could not resist adding to Pity and Mews’s horror, “...and so much sex it was beyond belief!”
Diane and Fiona simultaneously leaned against the desk for support and watched in disbelief as Freya almost skipped out of the open fire exits.
Kat stood still in the staffroom. She needed a moment to compose herself. Diane and Fiona still had it in them; the ability to intimidate and make her question herself. She pulled a small plastic cup from the dispenser, trying very hard not to crack it, as so often happened to the stressed out staff members just trying to get a drink from the temperamental water cooler. The plastic crinkled but didn’t split, so she pressed the button on the gurgling machine, glancing around at the staffroom that would once again become her home in a couple of weeks. The room always seemed to have a musty feel to it, with odds and sods lying around for literally months on end, like the bicycle wheel she was now staring at. It had appeared last December and remained shoved between two of the low chairs in the geography department’s area, even though none of them claimed to know anything about it. She looked back towards the door - yep, the discarded computer hard drive was still serving as a reliable door stop. She sipped her water slowly and looked up at the main notice board. Nothing had been updated and there were still posters advertising the staff end of term beer bus and the inter-form sports tournament that was inevitably rained off. She suddenly jumped.
