While I kind of hate doing this a combination of persistent wrist pain and my inability to reign myself in has resulted in this story growing too big for me to finish within my usual, self imposed time frame. But instead of pushing it back and trying to power through I've decided to release it in two separate parts. This one will be entirely story and setup while the second part will be all the naughtiness you guys really care about lol. And I'll do my best to release the second part soon, though more than likely it'll go up on the 4th of next month since that's my usual schedule.
“Okay... this is your chance! The worst she can say is no... the worst she can say is no!”
Repeating those words over and over again until they lost all meaning Antonio shut his locker and took as deep a breath as he could. Then another. Then another after that. Just about ready to pass out as his heart pounded and stomach twisted into knots he couldn't help but spend a few more seconds trying like hell to steady himself. To act cool for the first time in eighteen years. And quite possibly the most important time in his whole life.
But as soon as he actually tried to turn away from his locker and start walking he tripped over his feet and nearly crashed headlong into a girl standing a couple lockers down, “Watch it loser!”
“Nice one dork!” Someone shouted, no doubt someone on the football team. Or hockey. Or any sport really. Hell even the chess team could make fun of Antonio and still get cool points.
“I-I-I'm so sorry Tracie!” Antonio stammered. Desperately trying to regain his footing and respectfully pull away from her he stumbled backwards, tripped over his feet all over again, and crashed into his locker door as it swung open, “Ow!”
“God how are you still alive?!” Tracie shouted amidst a chorus of laughter.
“I'm sorry!” He muttered, his cheeks burning and his glasses askew.
Rubbing the back of his head and pushing himself up he turned his back to everyone and hid his shame for a couple of seconds before trying to the close his locker properly. Of course before he managed that simple feat someone slammed into him from behind, shoulder checking him into the metal and knocking all the air out of his lungs. All the while everyone continued to laugh at him.
“Watch where you're going nerd!” An all too familiar voice jeered.
Without even looking back Antonio knew who was speaking and he knew better than to try and stick up for himself, “S-Sorry Chad... I-I-I'll be more careful!”
Stupidly turning around with his books in hand he successfully closed and locked his locker only for Chad to immediately knock everything he was holding out of his hands, “You dropped something!”
Without so much as a word Antonio dropped to his knees and tried to grab his belongings only for Chad to immediately kick one of his books away. And when Antonio tried to grab some of his papers his lifelong bully stepped on it, grinding it up beneath his shoe. The sound of paper tearing under his heel was barely audible over the laughter of the students around him and whatever else Chad might've been saying. Antonio had heard it all so many times he didn't even need to really listen anymore. Hell if he wanted to he could probably recite what Chad was saying line for line without even trying. Of course he was too smart to do anything that stupid.
Instead he just grabbed something while Chad was distracted and kept his eyes downcast like he was trapped in the gorilla exhibit at the zoo. At least until a fiercely authoritative voice rang out, “What's going on here?”
Anyone who'd been going to Cherry Springs High for more than a week would've recognized that smooth English accent and the ire behind it, “N-Nothing Mrs. Sweet!” Chad exclaimed.
Antonio couldn't help but smile at the quaver in his bully's voice and when he looked up to see him shying away from Mrs. Sweet despite being a head taller than her and probably fifty pounds of muscle heavier he actually enjoyed a little moment of schadenfreude. “Really?” She asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she sized up the situation, “Then what's under your foot?”
“I must've stepped on it by accident!” Chad replied, instantly lifting his foot and even taking a small step back, “I was trying to help Antonio pick up his things!”
“Is that right Mr. Chavez? Was he trying to help you pick up your things?”
“Yes.” Replying without question and very pointedly not looking directly at Mrs. Sweet or his bully as they both stared at him Antonio grabbed a few more things while he had the chance.
Veronica fixed Chad with a glare many students feared and, after a moment or two of him shying away from her stare, she snapped, “Well? Aren't you going to help him?”
“Yeah! O-Of course!” Chad dropped to one knee and picked up the last couple of books Antonio hadn't manage to grab yet. But while he handed them off he caught his attention and said, “Say anything and your dead!” under his breath.
“Thanks...” Antonio replied, standing up and acting like everything was normal.
Chad did the same and looked to Mrs. Sweet with an ever so slightly hopeful expression. For just a second she smiled at them both, her irritation melting into an almost affectionate cheer. Then her sparkling green eyes darkened while her grin only widened, “I heard that Mr. Cooper. And I think it's only fair Coach Waters hears it too.”
All the color drained from Chad's face and the handful of other football players lingering nearby stared at one another, “Y-Y-You don't have to-to that Mrs. Sweet! I was j-just kidding around! I-I swear!”
“Oh it's no trouble!” She assured him, her voice frighteningly sweet, “I was already on my way to his office. After all he and I need to discuss your academic... well problems would be putting it mildly, wouldn't it Mr. Cooper?”
“I-I-I don't—”
“Run along to Coach Waters.” She ordered. Her eyes were still sharp and piercing even as her smile seemed almost cheerful and her tone was as light and airy as could be, “He's already expecting you as it is. I'll be along shortly. Once I've had a little chat with your good friend Mr. Chavez.”
Though he looked at Antonio for a moment as soon as Mrs. Sweet mentioned his name Chad didn't say anything. He didn't even shoot him a particularly dirty look. He just ran off with the rest of his cronies in tow, although not before meekly saying, “Okay Mrs. Sweet...”
Watching him go with a satisfied smile Veronica didn't even try to hide how much she enjoyed taking him down a few pegs. Nor did she hesitate to look at the students around her with an imperious stare, many of them shrinking away from her and avoiding her gaze. And when most of them continued to linger in the hallway she was quick to address them, “Shouldn't the lot of you be eating lunch right about now?!” in a deliberately harsh tone.
Everyone scattered almost immediately and as they did Antonio quietly whispered, “Thanks Mrs. Sweet...”
“Don't mention it.” She replied, giving him an affectionate smile. Even if her warmth faded just the tiniest bit as she looked at the tattered paper he was holding, “That was the essay I assigned you're class at the beginning of the week, wasn't it?”
“Yeah... I-I can probably write up another one before sixth period. It didn't take me that long to write it the first time around!”
“I'm sure you could.” Veronica chuckled. She spent a moment or two sizing up her favorite student before taking a deep breath and letting out a little sigh, “Why don't you take the weekend and bring a new copy to me on Monday?”
“Really?”
“Sure, it'll be a nice little treat after I spend the weekend grading all your classmate's essays.”
“Thank you so much Mrs. Sweet!”
“You're welcome. Now hurry along to the cafeteria, you wouldn't want to miss whatever slop they're serving today.”
Like something straight out of a highschool drama Kandi was sitting in the center of the cafeteria loosely surrounded by a shield of less popular students. Everyone from her fellow cheerleaders to the football team to the rich kids was in her orbit but only a couple people were actually allowed to sit at her table. Sitting across from her and perfectly equidistant from each other Stacy and Mayumi were enjoying their lunches while Kandi looked out across the cafeteria with open annoyance. Between her stupid boyfriend breaking up with her, though she'd definitely get the last laugh there, and her stupid mother making her go to dinner with stupid Sarah Sweet later that evening her mood couldn't have been more foul.
She'd done everything she could to get out of it but both her mother and Sarah's mother had insisted on dragging them together for their little outing. A plan they'd almost certainly come up with after polishing off a couple bottles of wine and loudly wondering why she and Sarah didn't get along. The though of actually being seen with Sweet outside of the classes she was forced to endure with her couldn't have been more irritating and there was no escaping that frustration as she sat there stewing in her frustration.
Especially not with Sarah and her stupid, loser friends joking and laughing and eating together on the other side of the cafeteria. She didn't even have enough sense to hide her ugly face in shame and spare Kandi the irritation of seeing her before dinner! Instead she just sat there eating like the oblivious slit she was!
“Ugh!” She scoffed, turning her head and glowering at something else.
“Wanna switch seats?” Stacy asked, flashing Kandi a knowing smile as she picked at the nasty health food her parents insisted she eat.
“You can switch seats with me if you want!” Mayumi cheerfully remarked.
“I don't understand how either of you could bear to be around those losers!” She growled.
“You get used to it after awhile.” Stacy laughed.
“Aurora's lots of fun!” Mayumi added, “Last weekend we had this customer who paid for the extra special service and—”
“I don't want to hear about another one of your 'nero' massages!”
“It's a nuru massage.” Stacy corrected, “And I'd love to hear about it! What'd you and Aurora get up to this time?”
“Well the customer ordered an extra special service but he didn't realize it until—”
“What the hell is that loser doing?!” Kandi demanded, looking positively disgusted.
Mayumi and Stacy followed her gaze to see a tall, gangly dweeb awkwardly make his way through the people surrounding them like he actually belonged there, “Oh this is gonna be good!” Stacy giggled.
He might've been tall enough to play varsity basketball but he moved like he'd just started walking earlier that day. Like a newborn animal on one of those nature documentaries. And he was somehow dressed even more embarrassingly than he moved. With his button up shirt tucked into his khakis and an honest to God pocket protector he looked like he'd wandered straight out some old sitcom her mother used to watch when she was a kid. He'd even parted his hair like the most stereotypical dweeb in the history of dweebs! Yet despite everything about him screaming AV club, at best, he still had enough nerve to actually approach them like he belonged there. Like he had any business at all even standing in the same room!
“H-Hi Katie—I-I mean Kandi!”
Kandi glared at him without saying a word and he nervously looked at Stacy and Mayumi for just a second. Though even that simple glance was enough to prompt Stacy to whisper, “You're doing great Antonio!”
“You know this loser?” Kandi immediately hissed.
“Yeah we've got P.E. together.”
“Oh that's right!” Mayumi exclaimed, “You're the one who tripped during volleyball and got all tangled up in the net! Coach Horn had to cut you out!”
Covering her face with one hand and shaking with barely suppressed giggles Stacy couldn't even look at Antonio for fear of bursting into laughter. “Yeah... that was me...”
“Wonderful. Now that we've cleared that up you can leave.” Kandi stated, “I'm sure there's some computer somewhere that needs to be fixed!” Dismissively waving at him and turning away Kandi did her best to completely ignore him even as he continued to hover next to their table for a few seconds. But after a few more she fixed him with another glare and said, “Go away!”
“I-I-I was wondering if-if you... uhm... s-since you're—you know—since y-y-you're... uhm... I wanted to-to ask if you—”
“OH MY GOD!” Kandi groaned. Turning back towards him with a look of pure annoyance she all but shouted, “SPIT IT OUT ALREADY NERD!”
Just about everyone in the cafeteria was looking at them now but in spite of that mortifying fact Antonio didn't relent. He just swallowed past the lump in his throat and took a little breath as he finally said, “Do you want to go to homecoming with me?”
Kandi's eyes widened ever so slightly but the rest of her face was completely unreadable as she stared at him in the tense, overbearing silence that'd fallen over the cafeteria. Nobody breathed, nobody spoke, nobody made so much as a sound. Antonio's heart was pounding so loudly he was sure everyone around them could hear it. And yet he still had the tiniest flicker of hope as Kandi stayed quiet. At least until she finally answered him.
“Are you fucking serious?!” She exclaimed, bursting into derisive laughter and looking at him like he was a smear of shit on the sole of her designer shoes, “Why the hell would I ever go out with somebody like you!?”
The entire cafeteria erupted into laughter, overwhelming Antonio with a sensory overload of sound before he could fully parse what Kandi had said. In the blink of an eye he was surrounded by jeering students pointing and mocking him. An entire room full of kids from freshman to senior gleefully mocked him like Chad and his buddies never could. He was surrounded on all sides by their insults and laughter. Everywhere he looked someone was insulting him. Everywhere he looked someone was enjoying his shame. And even if there were people not openly laughing at him he couldn't see them among the rest. He didn't even notice Stacy's almost apologetic look or the pity in Mayumi's eyes. He was entirely lost in the downward spiral of shame and misery all but consuming him.
Antonio didn't know how long he stood there, paralyzed by fear as his heart sank and his stomach twisted into knots. There was no telling how long he stared at Kandi while his shoulders slumped and all the courage he'd mustered left his body in a single, heartbroken whimper. He couldn't remember turning away from nor breaking into a run. And he couldn't see anything around him as tears welled in his eyes. One moment he was standing there lost in his shame and the next he was sprinting through the cafeteria clutching his books and trying not to cry in front of everyone.
A moment after that he was sliding across the floor, all the air rushing out of his lungs as he slammed against his books. Someone had tripped him while he was trying to escape. And the laughter was more deafening than ever before. Antonio couldn't hear himself think over the cacophony and he could barely see what he was doing as he scrambled to grab his things.
Hell he didn't even know if he'd actually collected everything. He just snatched up whatever he could reach as people hurled trash at him almost as often as they hurled insults. And as soon as he couldn't take it anymore he scrambled to his feet and stumbled out of the cafeteria. Somehow nobody else tripped him on the way out and nobody stopped him as he sprinted down the hall without any idea what he was doing. Or where he was going. Antonio just ran and ran and ran until he finally stumbled into a bathroom. He wasn't even sure it was a boy's bathroom but he didn't have time to care. Barely making it to the first stall he slammed the door shut and dropped his things, slumping onto the toilet and gasping for breath. All the while praying nobody else would come in. Not teachers or students or even the few friends he had at school.
“That was horrible!” Sarah exclaimed, looking at her friends in disbelief, “I feel so bad for Antonio!”
“Me too!” Aurora agreed, “Why would he ever try to ask Kandi out?”
“Yeah I thought he was supposed to be smart!” Gwen remarked, shaking her head and even glaring at Kandi for a moment, “I didn't realize he was crazy.”
“Well whatever he is nobody deserves that!” Sarah insisted. She glared at Kandi too before Stacy happened to glance over at her and the two locked eyes. Shaking her head ever so slightly and letting out a small, almost imperceptible sigh she looked back at Mayumi as Sarah continued, “Except maybe Kandi!”
“Yeah that'd be nice.” Gwen nodded, idly picking at the assortment of nuts left after she'd eaten everything she liked, “But I'm not holding my breath.”
“What about Antonio?” Aurora's voice was soft and filled with concern as she looked towards the hall he'd sprinted down, “Do you think he's gonna be okay?”
“After what just happened, how could he? I just wish he'd told someone about his crazy plan, they could've talked him out of it! Don't you guys have Chemistry together?”
“Yeah,” Sarah replied, “But we don't talk much. He's really quiet. Really nice but really quiet.” Their conversation lapsed as all three girls at in silence thinking about what they'd just seen and how bad Antonio must be feeling. Not to mention wondering where he'd gone. “We should find him and make sure he's okay.” Sarah eventually stated.
“Yeah!” Aurora instantly agreed.
“Any idea where he might've gone?” Gwen asked, immediately packing up the remainder of her lunch and rising to her feet, “If something like that happened to me I'd be outta here so fast.”
“As long as you didn't have practice!” Sarah joked.
All three of them shared a little smile as they stood up but their mirth quickly faded as they spotted Kandi glaring at the from across the cafeteria. All the while Mayumi cheerfully waved to Aurora and Stacy gave them an appreciative little nod. “Maybe we should try the library?” Gwen suggested.
“Yeah that's a good idea.” Sarah glanced up at the clock hanging above the exit and frowned just a little bit, “We'd better hurry though!”
“Too bad we don't have sixth period free.” Aurora stated, pointedly smiling at Gwen as she spoke.
“It's not my fault you two refused to try out for basketball!” She replied, “We could've had every class together if you both gave up on P.E.!”
Sarah and Aurora exchanged looks behind their friends back as Gwen naturally took the lead. Gwen looked back at them while they did and smirked, flipping both of them off before laughing and quickening her pace into a light job. They did their best to keep up with her but within a minute or two they were already starting to breathe heavily and flag behind. After a couple more Gwen had to slow down or risk leaving them behind entirely.
“I take it back.” She said as they stopped outside the library, Sarah and Aurora visibly huffing and puffing while she remained entirely unfazed, “The two of you shouldn't b anywhere near the basketball team!”
At some point the first bell for sixth period rang but Antonio didn't get up. He didn't even think about getting up. He just sat there staring blankly at the door and all the things carved into it by other students, hardly blinking. Endlessly replaying what'd just happened in his mind he didn't notice the second bell blaring through the school a few minutes after. Though even if he had he was too lost in his misery to do anything more than dwell on every stupid mistake he'd ever made.
Every unimaginably poor decision that'd led to him thinking he could ask out the most popular girl in school. In the cold, miserable aftermath of his failure he couldn't even guess at what he had been thinking. Why he thought someone like Kandi would ever, in a million years, go out with him. The fact that she'd spoken to him at all was insane. And the fact that he thought she'd have any other reaction was... was too stupid to even put into words. Antonio had never wanted to shrivel up and die so badly in his life. He'd never deserved to shrivel die more in his entire life! He couldn't possibly come back to school after what'd happened. He could never show his face in Cherry Springs High again after—
“You dropped something pal.”
A deep, calm voice shocked Antonio out of his reverie and nearly sent him tumbling off the toilet he'd been sitting on for an entire class period. He looked up to see someone holding one of his books over the top of the stall and he almost immediately recognized the rings on the man's hand, “Damian?”
“Guilty as charged.” He laughed, “You gonna take your book or what?”
Slipping off his seat and leaning heavily against the wall he reached out and shakily grabbed his textbook, barely able to hold it as he asked, “W-What are you doing here?”
“Giving you your book.” Damian replied.
“Th-Thank you... but... why would you do that?”
Damian laughed and Antonio couldn't help but flinch, even if Damian wasn't actually laughing at him so much as just enjoying himself. Kandi might've been the most popular girl in school but Damian was easily the coolest guy. The sort that could bounce around every clique and friend group without even trying. The sort that everyone invited to parties and hoped he'd show up, but were never surprised when he didn't. The sort that never should've been talking to a completely loser.
“Cause you left it in the cafeteria and I figured nobody else was gonna give it back to ya.”
“Were you there... i-in the cafeteria I mean... w-w-when I... when it happened?”
“Nah I was hooking up with Principal Rutherford's wife in the parking lot.” Damian remarked, “Don't tell anyone though, she wants to keep it a secret.”
Completely glossing over the enormity of what Damian had just said Antonio quietly asked, “Then how did you... I guess it doesn't matter... thanks for bringing my book...”
“Yeah no worries man, none of those other dickheads were gonna do it and after what happened with Kandi you could use a break.”
Tears welled up in Antonio's eyes and he was unimaginably glad he hadn't opened the stall door as he said, “Thanks...” in a choked up, unmistakably emotional voice.
“Of course man, it's the least I could do.” A short, uncertain quiet filled the air as Antonio returned to his 'seat' and waited for the sound of footsteps. He didn't expect Damian to linger after dropping of his book and he never expected him to voluntarily continue talking to him, “So why the in the hell did you pick Kandi Anderson of all chicks?”
“W-What?”
“To ask out. Why in the hell would you pick that stuck up asshole?” He asked, half chuckling and half sighing, “A smart, nerdy guy like you's gotta have an in with all the nerdy chicks in school and I'm bettin a lot of em would've said yes if you'd asked.”
“Yeah... maybe...” Antonio replied, wholly unconvinced.
“I'm serious man.” The flimsy walls of the stall creaked ever so slightly and Antonio looked down to see Damian leaning against the planks between the doors. “Chicks love that whole nerdy thing you've got going on.”
“Kandi didn't.”
“C'mon, you've see who Kandi dates. Don't insult yourself comparin those meatheads to you.”
“Why are you saying all this to me? Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Do I need a reason to be cool to someone?” Damian laughed.
“No... I-I guess not... but it doesn't really—”
“Look man, I talk to who I wanna talk to and I do what I wanna do. I don't give a shit if you're a nerd or a goth or whatever the fuck else. Cool people are cool people.”
“But I'm not cool...”
“Well you definitely didn't do yourself any favors askin out Kandi Anderson!”
Damian said her name with open disgust and Antonio couldn't help but smile just a little bit. “Yeah... probably not...”
“But I didn't come here just to give your book back.”
“You didn't?”
A little ripple of fear spread through Antonio as he heard those words. Damian had never been the kind of guy to pick on anyone, hell if he was around any bullying he always shut it down immediately, but that wasn't enough to really calm him down. Not after what'd happened in the cafeteria. If anyone was gonna get bullied by the coolest guy in school it'd be him.
“Nah...” Even that single syllable was enough to hear the smile spread across his face, “I figured after the shit that went down in the cafeteria you could use a little moral boost.”
“To put it mildly.” Antonio remarked, smiling for the first time in what felt like days.
“Ha! Exactly! And I figure you weren't asking out Kandi for her personality.”
“Well... we used to be friends when we were little kids...” Antonio admitted, “I always had a crush on her even back then and I think she used to like me too... she didn't hate me at least...”
“Huh...”
“Huh?”
“I was honestly wondering why the hell you'd ever ask her out but that makes a lotta sense. It's kind of cute actually. Shame she's a raging piece of shit, you coulda had one of those romcom relationships my mom and sister are always talking about!”
“Yeah... that was kind of the idea...”
Damian chuckled but this time Antonio didn't recoil. Though he certainly couldn't bring himself to smile just yet, “Well ignoring all that I'm assuming you still wanted to sleep with her too?”
“I-If she wanted to... yeah...”
“And you're a virgin right?”
Antonio didn't respond for a few seconds as a whole new wave of shame crashed down on him, “Yes...”
“Perfect.”
“Why is that perfect?”
“Because I know somebody a million times hotter than Kandi and WAY more experienced. Someone who just loves poppin cherries. And I'd be more than happy to hook you up with her.”
“W-What?! A-A-Are you—this is a joke isn't it? S-Some kind of—of prank?”
“Nope. I'm totally serious. And I'm bettin you already know who I'm talking about. Rumors about her have been going around school ever since she started subbing here. Maybe even a little before she showed up!”
Instantly realizing who he was talking about Antonio couldn't help but let out a nervous little gasp as his mouth went dry and his palms started to sweat, “Th-Those rumors are true? I-I-I just thought th-that was something the football team m-made up! O-Or the popular girls! Sh-She actually... she actually does that?”
“Ohhh yeah!” Damian replied, “You just gotta put on the right moves and approach it real careful. Mrs. Sweet's a classy lady, she doesn't just give it up because you brought a condom and a six pack. But she'll definitely give it up if you do it right....”
“A-And you'll tell me how to do it right?”
There was another, much shorter pause before Damian cheerfully replied, “How else are you gonna pop your cherry?”
“And that's another F for you Miss Kinsey, I can't even say I'm surprised.”
Much as she wanted to go home and change into literally anything other than the white blouse and black pencil skirt she always wore while subbing Veronica was so close to finishing off all the essays she had to grade. In a small stroke of genius she'd forced her sixth and seventh periods to 'review the material' for most of the class period with only a few minutes spent actually teaching them anything new. Which meant getting a nice little head start on the work she'd meant to take home. Or at least that was the plan. But when so many students were turning in absolutely abysmal work grading their essays, or what passed for essays, was astonishingly easy. So much so she only had a handful left to read through and most were from students she had absolutely no faith in whatsoever.
“Mr. Cooper!” She exclaimed, pulling Chad's paper off the pile and smirking as she recalled the verbal dressing down Coach Waters had given her least favorite student, “Should I even bother grading your essay? I think we both know how it actually turned out!”
Yet no matter how appealing the prospect of literally and figuratively writing Chad off might've been Veronica was too proud to completely give up on him. Even after she read his pathetic excuse for a hook and the rambling, disjointed opening paragraph that followed. Instead she simply went to work on his 'work', wielding her red pen like a paintbrush as she corrected and underlined and annotated damn near everything. Short of the periods at the ends of his sentences and the capitalization at the start there wasn't much left untouched by her efforts.
“I'm surprised he spelled his own name correctly!” She muttered to herself. “I'm almost disappointed he did, marking him down for that would be an absolute delight! And I'm sure Coach Waters would love to see—” the door to her classroom opened and without even looking up Veronica said, “I'll be out of your way in a few minutes Mr. Parikh. I'm just finishing up a few essays—”
“I-It's me Mrs. Sweet. Antonio... A-Antonio Chavez!”
Momentarily thrown through a loop Veronica looked up to see her favorite student standing in the doorway looking like a child come to confess they broke something. She was immediately reminded of Jack and Sarah standing in the bedroom doorway after countless mishaps. But surprise gave way to genuine concern as she recalled what she'd heard from the teachers overseeing the cafeteria. Although she hadn't actually been present for the mess she'd been given a detailed enough account, whenever Mr. and Mrs. Bennet managed to stop laughing, to have an idea what Antonio had suffered. And she couldn't help feeling sorry for the awkward, bumbling nerd watching her from the other side of her classroom. Suddenly she was reminded of an entirely different member of her family as she watched him awkwardly stand there until she responded. Though to his credit Henry had never been quite so... accident prone nor anywhere near as bullied.
But that only made her feel all the more sympathetic as she stood up and said, “Mr. Chavex, are you all right? I... I heard about what happened in the cafeteria. I'm sorry that happened to you.”
Looking down at his feet before she'd even finished speaking Antonio looked about ready to die as he quietly said, “Thanks...”
An awkward few moments passed between them before she spoke again in as kind a voice as she could possibly manage, “Did you need something?”
“I... uhm... I-I-I wanted to—I thought I-I should explain—I didn't m-mean to skip class and... uhm... i-it's not important. I-I'm sorry for bothering you Mrs. Sweet! I'll s-see you on Monday! A-And I'll make sure my-my essay is finished!”
He tried to turn away and leave but Veronica stopped him dead with a single word, “Wait.”
“I-I wasn't—”
“Come in and sit down.” She ordered, her tone firm but gentle. At least compared to how she normally spoke to her students.
And just like her other students Antonio didn't resist her orders. Immediately turning on his heels he walked into the classroom and tried to sit down at his usual seat somewhat near her next. But before he could even finish sitting down his eyes met hers and he lurched upright again. A moment later he was sitting in the seat right beside her desk as she sat down too.
“Are you okay?” She asked, leaning forward and watching him closely while he continued to avoid her gaze at all costs.
“Yeah... I-I'm... I'm fine...”
“Are you really?”
Almost scoffing at his lie Veronica didn't try to hide her thoughts and after a few seconds Antonio managed to look up and shake his head, “No... I-I-I guess I'm not okay... but I'm feeling a-a lot better now...”
“Well that's good. I'm sure you'll feel even better over the weekend.”
She gave him as sincere a smile as she could manage and looked down at her essays, torn between grading the last of them and comforting the only student she earnestly liked. Outside of her own children of course. And maybe Gwen and Aurora. “Yeah...” Antonio murmured, clearly not feeling all that much better, “Hopefully...”
Letting out a quiet sigh and smiling ever so slightly Veronica pushed aside the essays on her desk and stood up. Walking around it to lean against the edge and watch Antonio closely for a few seconds she said, “Why on earth would you ever try to date Katie Anderson?” in as caring a tone as she could.
Antonio laughed and gave a halfhearted shrug, “I don't know... I guess I just... wanted to have a girlfriend...”
“Well I can't say you don't have ambition.” Veronica chuckled, “But your critical thinking skills leave something to be desired. Which is rather odd after grading so much of your work.”
He looked up at her with a faint smile and she smiled back at him, folding her arms as a much more comfortable silence stretched between them. One eventually broken by Antonio admitting, “I didn't think she'd ever say yes... I just...”
“Hoped she would?”
“Yeah...”
“Heh,” Shaking her head and thinking about Henry once again Veronica let out a sigh and leaned back a little more comfortably against her desk, “A few boys have done the same thing with me.”
“Did you say yes to any of them?”
“Not a single one.” Veronica smirked. “I didn't wait around for anyone to ask me out. I went after what I wanted and got it. Katie Anderson's the same way.”
“So I never had a chance with her?”
Staring at him for a few seconds as she briefly considered how best to respond Veronica quickly settled on her usual brusqueness, “No. Not even remotely. You would've had a better chance being struck by lighting as you won the lottery.”
Though his shoulders slumped even more Antonio still chuckled at her words and even managed to hold that smile for a few moments, “I guess I should've talked to you about it first!”
“Yes you should've. I would have saved you a great deal of unpleasantness.”
Smiling at him as she spoke Veronica moved to sit on the edge of his desk, glad to see him grinning back at her for any stretch of time at all. After what'd happened she was honestly worried about what might happen to Antonio. In a way she was still worried but at the very least being able to see him smile and know he wasn't a complete wreck made her feel a little better. The future was still completely uncertain but there was little she could do about that.
“Who should I ask out instead?” He asked, catching her entirely by surprise.
“What? I have no idea!” Veronica replied, half chuckling and half scoffing at him, “I can certainly tell you who you shouldn't ask out, now that you've clearly marked Miss Anderson off the list!”
He laughed again and looked down, awkwardly fidgeting and squirming like he was trying to work himself up to something. Though she didn't have the slightest idea what. “I really want a girlfriend Mrs. Sweet...” He finally whispered, “I'm tired of being alone...”
Flushed with a faint yet maddening sense of deja vu Veronica was almost distracted by those feelings before she managed to get her head on straight and say, “You'll find someone. Maybe not in highschool but certainly in college. Everyone blossoms in college, even the nerdy boys like you.” She said with a smile. “You just have to be patient. And pick the right girls to ask out.”
“How do I know the right girls to ask out?”
“Well that's the million dollar question isn't it? I think we can safely say nobody like Katie Anderson or any of her friends. Though I suppose Stacy Prattford might give you a chance.” She said with no small amount of judgment, “And I'm sure Mayumi Tanaka might too.”
“Maybe I should've tried asking them out instead.” Antonio joked.
“Well there's certainly no risk with a girl like Stacy.” Veronica stated, “But even so, you should look for girls that share your interests. Girls in your same social circles.”
“There aren't any girls in my social circles.”
In spite of her attempts at consoling him Veronica couldn't help but laugh at that remark, “No I suppose there aren't. At least not yet. But that'll change in college. Even if you only go to Community College you'll meet all manner of people. Including nerdy girls.”
Nodding and lapsing into another silence Antonio seemed to be working himself up yet again and when he spoke Veronica was entirely caught off guard, “I don't want to be a virgin when I go to college...”
Once more struck by a sense of deja vu Veronica actually narrowed her eyes as she looked at Antonio for a moment. He didn't meet her gaze as he continued his navel gazing and after a few seconds she put aside her feelings to respond with, “There's nothing wrong with being a virgin in college. From what I understand most people don't remain virgins for long.”
“But won't I be really bad at... you know... it?”
All at once amused by the conversation she was having and mildly annoyed by how stupid teenagers, and especially teenage boys, were Veronica sardonically replied, “there was little chance you'd be good at regardless.”
“I know... but... I'm worried I-I'll be even worse... I'll be-be so bad everyone will hear about it a-a-and I'll just end up right back where I started.”
“Well I suppose that's not impossible.” Veronica admitted, “But even if it does you can still learn.”
“M-Maybe... but I d-d-don't really know anything... that feels like a-a lot to learn... especially with college girls who already h-have a bunch of... you know... practice... a-and stuff...”
“Well if they have as much experience as you think they will you won't have anything to worry about.”
“I-I won't?”
“Of course not, who better to learn from than a slut.” She quipped.
Antonio smiled and looked up at her, seemingly satisfied with that answer. But before she could stand up or say anything else to comfort him he asked, “C-C-Could you m-maybe teach me s-something like th-that? Before I-I graduate?”
All but leaping to her feet as she was practically smothered by deja vu Veronica finally remembered why she was beset by such strange feelings. The tone had been different and there'd been infinitely less stuttering but she'd heard all those words before. And alongside the whispered rumors she'd heard from a few students over the years it wasn't hard to make sense of what was going on. But the shock of it happening with her favorite student left her stunned just long enough for him to stand up too. Although rather than trying anything stupid like kissing or groping her while she watched him Antonio looked about ready to melt into a puddle of shame.
“I-I-I'm really sorry Mrs. Sweet! I-I didn't mean th-that! I-I don't know what I meant! I d-d-don't know what I was th-thinking! I never should've t-tried to—”
“Shut up.” She whispered, her voice deathly quiet. Antonio did as he was told and fell silent, withering under her famously intimidating glare. It was the first time she'd ever looked at him like that and the first time he'd ever felt anything close to the brunt of her ire. “Why did you think that would work on me again? Who put you up to this? Who told you to say those words to me?”
Antonio might've been head and shoulders taller than Veronica but the moment she glared at him he withered away to nothing, shrinking back from her and completely caving in on himself, “I-I didn't—th-there wasn't a-anyone—I'm not—”
“Tell me.” She hissed, her voice deathly calm even as her eyes burned a hole right through him.
“I-I-I can't! I—”
She took a step closer and he immediately fell silent, his face burning and his heart beating so fast what happened in the cafeteria felt downright fun by comparison, “Tell. Me.”
Meeting her terrifying stare for just a moment or two Antonio let out a noise torn between a whimper and a gasp, “It w-was a rumor! I heard a-a-a rumor about y-you!” He stammered, “I heard y-you like to p-p-pop boys cherries and I-I thought—I th-thought m-maybe you could—y-your my favorite t-teacher ever and it-it j-just made sense t-t-to try—I'm so sorry Mrs. Sweet!”
Veronica watched him flinch away from her like a puppy being reprimanded, the faintest glimmer of pity rippling through her body. Though she remained almost blindingly incensed by the rumor he'd so foolishly listened to she couldn't quite bring herself to rip him apart like she would've with literally any other student. At least not when he looked so sincerely apologetic for his stupidity. From the worry in his eyes to the way he wrung his hands Antonio seemed genuinely torn up by what he'd tried. What he'd assumed about her. If nothing else Veronica was at least glad to see so much as a shred of regret after dealing with packs of rabid sociopaths in every class. Sand there was no pretending what'd happened to him earlier that day didn't soften her edges a bit more too, much like the constant reminders of her husband and how much of a sad little nerd he'd been.
“I-I-I'm really sorry Mrs. Sweet!” Antonio murmured, actually looking into her eys for a second or two before staring back down at his feet, “I know it-it was stupid! I j-just—I just didn't—I don't have a-a-any excuses! I-I'm just sorry... r-really, really sorry!”
She listened to his babbling without so much as a word, breathing as deeply as she could in a wholly uncharacteristic attempt to calm herself down, Veronica didn't immediately respond. Instead she let him stew in his discomfort and uncertainty for a good few seconds. Partly as a punishment for his antics and partly as a little treat for herself. Watching him twist into knots as he waited for whatever she might say lifted her spirits far more than she expected. Especially when he met her intense stare once again and mumbled out another apology.
“I'm sorry Mrs. Sweet...”
“In light of what happened today,” She finally said, “and what an exemplary student you've been before now... I forgive you.”
“Really?!”
“Yes. But if you ever think about—”
The rest of her threat ended in a groan as Antonio lunged forward, wrapping her up in a surprisingly strong hug before she could even think to react. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm so sorry Mrs. Sweet! I-I'll never do anything like that again!”
Practically lifting her off her feet as he crushed her against his chest Antonio forced all the air out of her lungs without even trying, leaving her to simply wheeze, “You're welcome!”
After a second or two she awkwardly patted him on the back and looked around the room as if there was someone else who could save her from his enthusiastic relief. Luckily for her Antonio let go before she had to say anything, releasing her with a giddy little sigh. He smiled down at her with an unsurprisingly adorable smile and she smiled back at him, though her own grin was far more sardonic as she folded her arms.
“S-Sorry about that...” He immediately muttered, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away from her while she watched him yet again, “I-I don't know why I d-did that...”
'”Well as long as Principal Rutherford doesn't see it I suppose there's no harm in a simple hug.” She stated, shaking her head just a little as he nodded and grinned at her, “And speaking of what Principal Rutherford may or may not know, how far have these rumors about me spread? Does everyone in school know—by that I mean does everyone in school know about the rumors?”
“I-I-I don't know Mrs. Sweet... most of the school doesn't talk to me... I'm not cool enough...”
“Right. I suppose that makes sense. How did you hear about these disgusting and entirely untrue rumors?”
“I... uhm... I-I don't want to say...”
“You mean you don't want to snitch on the person who told you?” She clarified, already certain she knew who the culprit was even without his confession.
“Yeah...”
Letting out a sigh and pursing her lips Veronica chose not to press the issue any further. Instead she turned away from Antonio and approached her desk. Turning back towards him and leaning against the side she folded her arms once more and asked, “What exactly do the rumors say about me. Aside from this supposed 'cherry popping'?”
“I-I don't know... they just said you like sleeping with virgins... that you like taking their virginities... I didn't really hear anything else aside from that.”
“I see.”
Growing more nervous by the second and completely misreading Mrs. Sweet's calm, collected demeanor Antonio tried to think of something else to say. Anything that might satisfy whatever she was trying to figure out. Instead he just started babbling like an incoherent fool, spilling his guts without a second thought. And without the slightest idea what he was actually saying.
“I didn't—I-I didn't really care what they said a-about you Mrs. Sweet! A-As soon as I heard those r-rumors I wanted to—I know I-I-I shouldn't have because your a teacher a-and—b-but you're the prettiest girl in-in school and I n-never thought I-I'd actually have a chance with s-someone like you b-before—I-I mean I know I d-don't have a chance with someone like y-y-you now but I couldn't help myself—And I know th-that's not an excuse f-for anything! I wasn't thinking about w-what I was doing or-or what could happen...”
Veronica's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up the moment he mentioned her being the prettiest girl in school and she listened to the rest of his rambling with a slowly spreading smile. She knew most, if not all the boys, and many of the girls, at Cherry Springs High fancied her. Even most of the teachers, men and women alike, fancied her. That'd always been the case from the very first day she started subbing there and most of the time she hardly thought about it. Except when it could benefit her in one way or another. But somehow in spite of that she'd never actually thought about Antonio harboring those feelings. He'd always seemed like such an innocent little soul she hadn't even been sure he was attracted to women in the first place. Part of her had been convinced he was the same kind of ace-thingy Aurora was!
“I'm the prettiest girl in school huh?” She asked, finally speaking up after Antonio had finished his rambling.
His cheeks turned a brilliant shade of crimson as he face burned so hot she could practically feel the heat radiating off him eve a few feet away, “I-I-I didn't mean it-it like—I-I mean I meant it l-like that,” he stammered, tripping over his words as Veronica tilted her head to the side, “I-I meant I sh-shouldn't have said th-that to you! I-It's inapropriate and I-I'd never want to g-get you in trouble!”
“And where was that concern when you were trying to fuck me?” Veronica teased, “You didn't seem to worry too much about what was appropriate when you were trying to get into my knickers.”
If shame and embarrassment could kill Antonio would've been at death's door as he blushed and squirmed and stumbled over his words. Half starting what must've been a dozen sentences only to trail off it took him an eternity to actually get out a coherent, “I-I-I'm really sorry M-Mrs. Sweet...”
Once again letting him bask in the humiliation he'd made for himself Veronica was feeling even more kindly than before. More kindly than normal in fact. Her smile only continued to widen as she watched him turn inside out and she couldn't help but chuckle at his awkward fumbling. She'd always had an enormous soft spot for bumbling nerds who couldn't get a girl if their lives depended on it. And apparently Antonio was no exception.
“You've said that once or twice,” She smirked. Pushing herself off her desk and approaching him with arms still folded Veronica asked, “How long have you thought I was the 'prettiest girl in school'?”
“I... uhm... I... I...” Swallowing past the lump in his throat and nervously tugging at his collar Antonio didn't know how to answer that. The truth was probably out but he didn't want to lie to Mrs. Sweet any more than he already had, “Since you first subbed for my class in third grade...”
Genuinely taken aback by that response Veronica couldn't help but laugh at his words, though she wasn't exactly mocking him, “That's quite a long time to have a crush on your teacher! It's no wonder you tried to sleep with me after hearing what I supposedly do with virgins. I'm honestly surprised you're able to control yourself at all around me!”
So unimaginably embarrassed by her teasing he just wanted to die Antonio didn't notice Veronica take a step closer. Then another. Then another after that. Only when she was almost touching him, her massive breasts literally stopping him from staring down at his feet, did he manage to lift his gaze at look at her. Of course as soon as he saw the amused gleam in her eyes and the almost gloating smile spread across her face he tried to inch away from her as subtly as possible. Which meant crashing into the desk a few inches behind him and nearly falling right over as he did.
Taking another step closer Veronica slowly unfolded her arms and clasped them behind her back, “I'm curious...” She said in the most unexpectedly terrifying yet exhilarating voice he'd ever heard, “What exactly did you think would happen?”
“W-What?”
“If I really was the kind of teacher who slept with her students. The kind of woman who liked taking a boy's virginity, or 'popping their cherry' as you Yanks love to say. What did you think would actually happen between us? I'm sure you must've thought about it at least a little bit while you were rushing over here to sleep with me.”
Confused beyond all reason and just about ready to faint Antonio looked around the classroom like a cornered animal before shakily replying, “I-I-I don't... I don't know...”
“Really? You don't know?” She asked. Her tone was downright playful as she tilted her head to the side and smiled at him. He struggled to make any sense of what was going on and Veronica didn't help him in the slightest as she simply said, “No ideas at all?”
“I-I don't—I m-m-mean maybe I had one or-or two—b-but nothing crazy o-or—just y-you know—th-the normal s-s-stuff! I-I didn't really g-get—”
“Hmm,” Veronica laughed, “You really are a virgin aren't you?”
“I-I-I-I”
“You don't have to answer that.” Taking a long, deep breath and staring up at him she half turned away only to look back with a look straight out of Antonio's wildest dreams. Though he never imagined he would actually see it in person, much less from Mrs. Sweet! “But you do have to answer one last question before... well... before I'm satisfied.”
“W-What?”
Turning back towards him and teasingly biting her lower lip Veronica moved in close enough to press her breasts against his chest as she laid her hands on the desk he was slumped against, “Am I simply your consolation prize after Miss Anderson humiliated you today?”
“N-No!” The word had left his lips before he could think and even more followed, “Y-You're the girl I-I never thought I'd be-be able to get! E-Even after I heard those rumors!”
“Oh so I'm the dream girl am I?”
Struggling to meet her sparkling green eyes as she stared up at him with unbearable intensity, to say nothing of the softness of her breasts pressing against his chest and smothering him in warmth, he didn't know what to say or how to respond. So he didn't even try to say anything more than the simple truth, “Yes...”
“Hmm,” Chuckling at him and leaning in even closer Veronica soft whispered, “You always did know how to pass a test with flying colors...”