Language of Love

Ausculor

"I can see whoever it is behind the vending machine," Marx says.

      We creep out of the vending machine's cover. He glares at us.
"You guys too? Who else is hiding in here?" He asks. The bathroom door swings open. I gasp and look over to Fitz. He shrugs. Mr. Coleman walks out. A woman follows him. The school nurse.

      "Oh...hi." Mr. Marx says. Mr. Coleman blushes.
       "Oh, Nurse Coleman, Mr. Coleman.... makes sense." Courtney pieces together.
       "You two are hooking up?" Nurse Coleman remarks.
      "Well...." I say at the exact same time Fitz says, "Yeah." She snickers.
      "Not surprised. You seem like the type." She says, not making it clear who "you" was. I'm pretty sure it was me.
       "And you." She says, pointing to Devin. "I figure you played for the other team." She looks to Courtney. "But you? You're a straight as they come. Straighter than her." She says nodding back to me
"I'm straight!" I argue.
"You better be. I just spent my planning period making out with you." Fitz remark.
"Obviously you're straight." Nurse Coleman says. "But that was my point. Brasher is as straight as can be."
"Wait, on the first day, you talked to me about how hot Fitz was," I recall.
"I was trying to see if you were gay, clearly not." She says, motioning to the lipstick on Fitz's face. He tries to rub it off.
Mr. Marks just shakes his head, chuckling.

"This place is a fucking soap opera. You, people, do realize you're living in a soap opera. Secretly lesbians, making out behind the vending machine so no one finds out, the nurse and Spanish teacher hooking up and me the one left out. You people are living a soap opera and I'm just watching." He mutters.

"Sounds like someone's salty they aren't starring in the soap opera," I comment. He rolls his eyes. The bell rings.

"I have class." Three of us say at the same time.

In my last block, one of my students, Amy, raised her hand in the middle of class.
"We've been talking about Roman politics, but what are your political views?" She asks.
"I'm not supposed to discuss my political opinions with you guys," I say.
"Okay, just answer a few questions. You said we were done with the lesson anyway..." She persuades.
"Fine, you have three questions." I give in.
"One. Opinions on gay marriage?" She starts.
"Okay. Um, I think that is should be allowed. I mean, gay people aren't hurting me, so why should it matter?" I state.
"Two. Gun control?" She continues.
"The laws should be a little stricter, but guns should be allowed. Just not to the extent they are today." I answer.
"Three. Abortions?" She asks.
"Right to choose. Now, if I was in that scenario, I couldn't do it, but not everyone is me. Let them do what they want to do." I reply, knowing fully well I've been there and done that.
"Thank you." She says.

After class, Amy walks up to my desk.
"Ms. Thorne?" She says, cautiously.
"Yes, darling?" I ask.
"Can I speak to you for a minute? Um, this is kind of why I asked you about politics." She explains.
"Yeah. So either you're gay, pregnant, or have a gun on you. In which case, I'd like to know, so I can run...." I joke.
"I don't have a gun..." She says.
"Wait, then are you pregnant?" I ask, concerned.
"No, um, I'm..." She starts  but doesn't finish. I look up at her, give her the "go ahead" look.
"Gay." She finishes. She takes a deep breath. "That's the first time I've said that out loud." I nod.
"Good for you. Um, you know you are actually the third person who has told me they are gay today." I respond.
"Wait, really?" She asks.
"Yeah. Do you want to talk about it? I'm here, but if you'd like, I can ask one of my coworkers who know exactly what you're going through to talk with you." I say. She smiles.
"That'd be great."
"Stay here. I'll be back." I say, leaving my room. I peak my head into Courtney's classroom.
"Hey. So I have a girl, who just came out to me. Can you talk to her? I don't know what to say. I mean I'm happy for her, but I don't know what it's like." I ask. She rolls her eyes.
"Fine. You owe me. I should be grading papers right now." She mutters.
"It's for a struggling teen!!" I remark.
"Bullshit." She mutters.

She talks to the girl for about 30 minutes and I sit across the room. Amy seems to feel better, a lot better. So, she decides to go home and Courtney gets back to grading papers. I gather my things and walk out to my car.

✿✿✿✿✿

Fitz leans back in his chair and waits for his last block to stumble out. He can hear them grumbling about the test he just informed them of. One of his students, Katie, walks up to his desk. He looks from his gaze.
"Yes?"
"I have some concerns about the test," Katie says. She bites her lip.
"I'm sure you'll do fine. If you're worried, I have help sessions on Tuesday mornings." Fitz suggests.
"I was hoping for a more...personal... session." She whispers.
"You can come in here during lunch one day, I'll help you through your homework if necessary," Fitz adds.
"That's not what I meant," Katie says, giving him a wink.
"No. No! No way in hell!" Fitz blurts, offended at her assumption.
"Think about it..." She says before sauntering out. He chuckles to himself.

He walks across the hall to Gray's room but inside sits a crying student. He spins back around and looks for someone else to talk to. He checks in Mr. Coleman's room, but he must have already left. Fitz walks into Mr. Marx's room.
"What?" Mr. Marx says, sharply when Fitz walks in.
"I need advice," Fitz says.
"Is it the girl? The one who's lipstick you were covered in like two hours ago?" He asks.
"No. Not about that." Fitz answer. Mr. Marx raised an eyebrow.
"Another girl? Dude. Really?" Mr. Marx exclaims.
"Kind of. Look, a student of mine just tried to get me to trade sex for a good grade." Fitz explains, leaning against the wall.
"You didn't, right?" Marx exasperates.
"No. I said no way. What do I do? Do I tell Dr. Molton? Should I just let her pass? I'm not going to sleep with her, obviously, but do I tell someone she's trying to seduce me?" Fitz contemplates.
"The problems of being good-looking." Mr. Marx mutters. Fitz rolls his eyes.
"I guess I should head out, thanks for listening!" Fitz says walking to the door.
"No big deal, it's like catching up on the soap opera!" Mr. Marx shouts.