April 1966
"You asked to see me, Mister Chesterton?"
"Yes, come in. Sit down. Now, it's 'O' Level time in just over a month, and I'm worried you won't pass."
The girl looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. "I am trying, sir," she replied.
Ian nodded. "But you're not trying very hard, are you?"
"I'm doing my best," she protested, looking him in the eye for the first time since she came into the room.
Ian Chesterton held up an exercise book. "Last weeks homework assignment was sloppy and badly laid out. What do you say to that?"
"I wasn't very well."
"You were well enough to go to the Inferno nightclub with Billy Lyons!"
"How do you know that?" the girl asked sharply. She brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes.
"Because you were seen 'snogging' outside in the early hours of the morning."
She had the good grace to look sheepish. "Sorry, sir."
Ian sighed. "Look, I know this is a difficult time in your life, in any young person's life, but you're bright enough to pass this exam if you try. I want you to pass, not for my sake, but for yours."
"Yes, sir. I will try."
"Will you? One hundred percent?"
"Yes, Mister Chesterton." She smiled, a dazzling smile. "One hundred percent!"
***
"Oh, I don't know, Barbara. Sometimes I wish we were still travelling with the Doctor!"
"Whatever makes you say that?" Barbara asked, starting to clear the table after tea.
Ian told her of his meeting with the pupil as he began the washing up.
"Ah, your star pupil. Giving you a hard time is she?"
"She's not going to pass the exam, I can feel it. I sometimes wonder why I bother."
"And that's what got you thinking of other worlds and times is it?"
"Yes, I suppose so. Sometimes it seems those times were so simple. Let the Doctor sort out the main crisis while we just muddle along as best we can."
Barbara laughed. "You might have muddled along. I was in full control at all times!"
This made Ian laugh. Then he grew serious again. "It feels like I'm beating my head against a brick wall."
Barbara sighed. "She's a young woman. She's discovered boys. There's nothing you can do about it."
"No, I guess you're right," Ian said, drying his hands. "I can't get in the way of youth. But I can give her the best chance I can. I'll devise some new homework."
He picked up the exercise book. One the front, in neat handwriting, were the words:- General Science, Form 5B, Josephine Grant.
