Divided We Stand: Ackley Bridge

...6...

Izza's shift was almost done, she breathed softly and looked up to the clock in the corner of the till it was 10:00.

"Hey, Izza I am gonna be the one closing down the tills, want me to drop you off?" Pete asked, her co-worker.

"Umm... no, it's alright, would cost you the trouble." She said passing a burger to one of her customers.

"What trouble? Except having a cute girl in my car as I drive, giving me some company for half the path home, your town-house comes up right where I live, yeah know that." He informed with a small smile.

"Alright, my shift's done, so I'll wait outside for you." She said taking off her vest and putting in her backpack.

They both went into the car.

"You act differently when you're at school and then when you're at job," Pete said starting the car.

"At school, everyone looks at me flirtingly, but here you're just trying to be nice, not trying to get me in bed."

"Well, thanks for not making assumptions for me as everyone else did-"

"What yeah mean?"

"I mean, Missy and Nasreen thought I was trying to get them in bed and trying to pull down their pants, but really I was just trying to be kind."

"You know what happened right?"

"Yes, gladly I know, that she died of internal bleeding."

"She was an amazing person I would hate to talk her like a whore."

"But I wasn't saying that she actually was-"

"I know Pete, but don't say anything about her or what she did to you if it was bad, because of Hayley and Nasreen and Razia."

"Yeah, she was amazing, I actually kind of did like her, gave her the idea to become a fortuneteller in the circus."

"She agreed?"

"Yes before her accident!" He laughed a little. "Now here's your stop, have a nice night and see you tomorrow."

Every student was gathered in the hall along with the teachers. 

Mrs. oaks began to talk on the microphone, "Hellow Ackley Bridge, we call you in for a small announcement, please welcome our new Physics teacher, Mr. Qureshi!"

There was a loud clapping, and an Asian kid shouted, "Mr. Qureshi's back!"

"Yes, we appreciate it that after his fatal accident he could be allowed back to school." Mrs. Oaks handed him the microphone.

"Yes, I am pleased to be back at school and to be teaching and I will be coaching the girl's badminton team as saying I would love for every in this school to try out for we all have some badminton passion or skill." He said smiling cheekily.

Manny sporty girls cheered.  

"So you excited?" Izza asked one of her friends Elham. "You are very sporty, you're trying out aren't you?"

"Only if you're trying out with me!" Elham backfired.

"No I hate sports, me not do good, I need to focus on my studies and on my job, sorry."

"Alright, then me not going either."

"C' mon Elham!"

"me bein' serious, ain't gonna without yeah! C'mon it'll be fun!" The taller girl said.

"Okay fine!"

"Martin!" Hassan called the teacher walking by.

"Yeah?" he asked turning around to face Hassan.

"Look, I know you might not be happy with this decision, but really I called the Valey Trust and I told them everything, the police are gonna come to pick you and Corry, for information," he spilled.

"Why'd you do that?"

"look-"

"I said we could call them after my name was out of the box after we got proof she was being a liar!" he scolded angrily.

"Look, I am sorry- but cases like these, yeah need to understand that I would get in trouble for keeping them secret as a teacher my career-"

"Martin!" called Mandy who had came to check how the students and staff were doing. "Martin, the fucking police is calling out for you for some charges that I can't believe!"

Martin looked up to Hassan, "nice work," he said with a hurt in his eyes.

"Martin, I'm sorry, I really am-"

Martin didn't listen to him, two broad police-men walked in and they handcuffed him and pushed him outside the school. Manny confused kids ran outside and the ones who were in Mr. Evershed's class yesterday realized and held there faces, knowingly.

"Oh, Sir's getting arrested for trying to screw with that dyke!" Chloe said with a small smile.

Right then when he was getting put into the car Sam ran outside.

"What's goin' on sir?"

"Nothin, one of the P.E department's new tactic," he said laughing giving a small glance to Hassan who held his face in pure guilt.

Minutes later with the same police-men Corrie stumbled and was pushed into the car beside Martin. Riz ran out trying to give a small word to Corrie but they drove off.

"Why are you getting arrested? What did yeah do?" Corrie asked.

"What did you do Corrie?"

"Got sexually assaulted, by a female teacher, they're arresting me for nothing, and they won't say anything to that bitch if I am proved innocent and she's guilty. Real gender equality!"

"Are you really innocent?"

Corrie looked up to him and held his gaze for a few seconds, "are you innocent? They were talking about you screwin' with Sam, is that true?"

"I am not required to answer your questions-"

"Nor am I-"

"I'm tryin' to help you-"

"First help yourself, gettin' stuck on the floor of a filthy jail-cell for all yeah know."

"You're impossible," he said irritably.

"But you never answered my question, I'll take that as a yes, Chloe was yellin' about it wasn't she?"

"It's not true," he said dryly. "And I see that I am only seeing my potential in a filthy jail-cell because of Mr. Hussain nothing else."

"What'd he do?"

"Long story," he whimpered looking outside the glass to see the town of Ackley Bridge as they went to the police station.

"Shut your guy's crap!" called a brown police-officer.

"Excuse me you have no right to talk to us like that!" Martin growled angrily.

"Oh sorry, your majesty!" called the white one. 

"Shut your mouth, you can talk all you want in the stupid police cell."