I sat in the chair hugging my legs as I contemplated how I had gotten this lucky.
His firm, naked ass was clearly visible from this vantage point and he was still wearing my favorite T-shirt. His broad, muscular torso had stretched the fabric beyond the point of its elasticity, so it was definitely not my size anymore.
It had all started with me taking the fall for Charlie; the guy I had a crush on. I knew he couldn't afford to get detention again or his dad would kill him.
The look on Charlie's face was priceless when I raised my hand and admitted to Mr. Bartlett that I was the one that had done it.
Who would have known that my semi-noble gesture would soon be rewarded in a way that I could never have imagined?
***
It was Friday afternoon and I showed up in a half-empty classroom, where everyone was sitting at their own desk. I wasn't the kind to rebel against an existing ecosystem so I picked a spot next to the window.
That's when Jackson walked in, casually chatting to the guidance counselor.
What the fuck was he doing here? He wasn't in my class but I knew perfectly well who he was. Shouldn't he be gliding through hallways, making all the other guys feel inferior?
"Welcome to detention, Ladies, and Gentlemen," the guidance counselor said enthusiastically. "For those that don't know me, I'm Mr. Hoser."
Did he expect a greeting?
"Today, we will try to discover why you are really here through conversation with a partner," he said, before writing the words "Origin of Cause" on the board.
"I'm here because I told the perv sitting next to me in second period Math to go fuck himself," a girl in a black hoodie announced.
"That is a symptom," Hoser said. "Why did you feel the need to lash out?"
"Because he is a perv," the girl repeated.
"Dig deeper," Hoser said mysteriously. "But not with me, with your partner."
Then, he started to pair us off until...
Fuck! I had to work with Jackson, this was going to be painful!
***
"Jackson," he said, sticking out his hand for me to shake. Was he for real?
"Ollie," I said, carefully taking hold of his perfectly manicured hand. Was he not scared that I would taint him with my mundanity?
"So, what brings you to detention?" he asked with an air of easy confidence. How dare he find high school so comfortable whilst the rest of us had to suffer.
"Actually, I'm not supposed to be here. I took the fall for someone that couldn't afford to be sent here again."
"Sure," Jackson laughed. Did he think I was lying?
"It's true!" I insisted.
His smile turned upside down and he asked, "Why would you do that?"
"I told you, he couldn't afford to be sent to detention again. He has issues with his dad."
"But if he got himself into trouble, why are you rescuing him?" Jackson asked, following Mr. Hoser's instructions to dig deeper.
I sure as fuck wasn't going to tell him the real reason.
"Why are you here?" I asked, trying to deflect.
"I have something to prove," he replied cryptically.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I asked, unable to stop myself from chuckling.
"Do you know how frustrating it is to only be judged by your looks?" he asked, going in a completely different direction.
I actually snorted. "Dude, you're in detention for rebelling against being gorgeous?"
Holy fuck! I clasped a hand over my mouth and felt my cheeks become warm. Jackson tilted his head slightly and quietly observed me.
I thought he was going to say something about my slip but instead, he mumbled, "When people only concentrate on the outside, they can easily dismiss the rest. I really hate being underestimated."
"So detention is a statement. Something to take the focus away from your looks and give you street cred," I said, wanting to keep the convo about him.
Jackson's eyes sparkled but he didn't deny nor confirm my hypothesis. This had now become a game, one where he hadn't yet shown his hand.
"You saved the guy that should've been here because you have a crush on him," Jackson said and it wasn't a question. How had he managed to deduce my secret so quickly?
"What the fuck?! No! I'm not..." I sputtered.
"...just like any other high school kid?" he said quietly.
"Are you going to tell Hoser and the others?"
"No," he said dismissively. "Aren't you going to ask what I did to end up here?"
"Trying to prove that you are more than just a pretty face is a luxury problem," I said. "You already have the spotlight, you just want it to shine wider."
"Statistically, the chances are high that you are crushing on a straight dude," he countered.
"Your brain is addicted to the chemicals released every time someone likes one of your pretentious half-naked Insta posts. Now, it's looking for a way to get even more attention."
"You check my Insta posts?" he asked with a devious grin.
"Narcissist," I said teasingly.
"Masochist," he whispered, still grinning.
"Gentlemen!" Mr. Hoser was standing in front of our desks. Fuck! How long had he been there?
"Ollie is in detention because he is worried about his grandma. She sometimes forgets his name," Jackson said with a perfectly straight face.
Hoser stared at both of us for a moment before announcing to the room, "Thank you for taking this exercise seriously. You may go."
"How did you know about my grandma?" I whispered, giving Jackson a wink. I instantly felt stupid.
"More than just a pretty face," he said, his sexy smile catching me completely off guard.
