The Teacher // Josh Dun

.:twenty:..

"Can we speak with you two?" One of the school's administrators peaked her head into the door of the break room. Josh and Devon luckily weren't doing anything that could get them in trouble. "In the main office before the day starts?"

"Sure." Devon and Josh followed the woman down to the office, where they were led to one of the conference rooms.

"So," she sat down and open a file. "We've gotten a few reports concerning you two."

Josh immediately began getting nervous. He knew they were going to be caught, one way or another.

"We have been informed that you two are carrying out an inappropriate relationship that the board strictly prohibits," the woman began. "Is that true?"

Josh knew that Devon would handle the talking, so he decided he would piss her off. Relationships, right? He set his hand on her thigh from under the table, giving it a squeeze.

"That's insane," Devon laughed. "We need our jobs. We wouldn't put our careers on the line like that."

"But Miss Taylor," the woman was prepared to argue. "Numerous staff members claim to have witnessed you two getting awfully close, physically and emotionally."

"So what?" Devon scoffed. "Is having a friendship against the rules now?"

"No Miss Taylor I was just-"

"You can't expect us not to become friends," Devon went on. "We are six feet apart every day. It's kinda hard to not talk to him."

"Is there anything else you'd like to say to me?" The woman asked with a sigh.

"Nothing else ma'am."

As they walked back to their classrooms, Devon was giving Josh the silent treatment.

***

"And they did nothing?" Josh was arguing with Devon about her doctor's visit during their planning period.

"They can't do anything," Devon explained. "Not until they know what it is."

"So you basically went for no reason?"

"No," Devon shook her head. "They scheduled me for an ultrasound. They think it's my gallbladder."

"Why couldn't they just do it right there?" Josh asked.

"Because they wanna make money by having me come in again." Devon slid herself onto his desk.

"That's not even right," Josh shook his head. "They're putting you last."

"Because they have people that come in with cancer," Devon reasoned. "Stomach pain is nothing to them."

Josh gave up on arguing with her and sat next to her on his desk. "Do you want me to come? To the appointment?"

"If you want," Devon shrugged. "But it's not a big deal. Don't feel like you have to."

"It's a big deal," Josh corrected her. "My girl is sick. Christmas is in a few days and you're still not feeling well."

Devon rolled her eyes. "Your girl will be fine."

Josh leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh and for Christmas?" Devon started. "I can hardly fit my pants anymore, which makes me feel terrible about myself, but I need some new pants."

Josh grabbed her hand and slipped his fingers in between hers. "I'm sure they just shrunk in the dryer." He tried to be supportive. He did notice her gaining a bit, but he was just awfully confused since she hardly ate.

Devon sighed before hopping off of the desk. She turned to walk back to her classroom, but Josh decided to give her backside a slap. "Get to class." He told her.

"I hate you so much." Devon told him before she left the room.

Then they had their lunch break an hour later.

"Did you bring anything to eat?" Josh asked as he entered her classroom. She was stapling art to the wall.

"Yeah," Devon lied. "But I'm not hungry."

"Stop it with the I'm not hungry stuff."

"What?" Devon scoffed. "Am I supposed to lie to you?"

"Your right," Josh sat his bag down on her desk. "You deserve a hug." He approached her with his arms open.

"No," Devon opened the stapler and aimed it at him. "Don't touch me."

"Come on baby," Josh kept on as Devon walked to the other side of the table. "I need a hug too."

"You're disgusting." Devon clicked the stapler, one of the staples flying out and hitting his chest.

"Oh I'm damaged." Josh said sarcastically as he charged at Devon, pulling her into his arms before she could protest. "See?" He patted her back. "You're so calm."

Devon rolled her eyes and sighed, resting her hands on his chest. "You're such an idiot."

"An idiot that you love." Josh replied, not even realizing that he used that word.

Devon looked up at him with a dumbfounded look, not having been told that for years since her mother was unable to speak. "I what?"

"You lo-" Josh stopped when he caught on. "Sorry um-" he barely got out. "I meant to say like and I-"

"I love you." Devon interrupted.

Josh let out a thin breath as he took in what she said, full intent to say it back.

"Y-You don't have to say it back," Devon shook her head. "I-I know its early a-and-"

Josh interrupted her the same she did to him. "I love you too."

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Devon broke a smile, letting out a light laugh as she let her fingers wrap around his collar.

"I love you." Josh repeated as he hugged her closer. "Everything about you. Your smile a-and your personality and.."

"Josh." Devon interrupted him.

He assumed that she was trying to get him to stop, but he kept on. "You have a really nice butt and you're super talented, like who else could paint what you do?"

"J-Josh." Devon repeated as her grip around his collar became loose.

"And you're so strong and I can't wait to-" Josh stopped when he felt her hands slip from his collar.

Devon fainted again.