Teachers USUK

Chapter 6

Arthur's POV

"I'm glad you liked it, poppet," I murmur, rubbing my son's hair as he hugs me tightly. I've never felt more attached to another human being, and the feeling makes me love being a father.

"I'm gonna go hang out with everyone else," he tells me, finally releasing me from his smothering hold and taking off towards the stage where his friends are.

"Mr. Kirkland, can I go learn how to play from Peter?" Michelle, one of the rather nice cheerleaders says. When did she get back here? 

I shrug. I know her well enough to approve. She's Peter's best friend, so I totally trust her. "Go ahead, love," I tell her, patting her shoulder. She rushes off with a grin on her face, and I can't help but smile. The fact that my little boy has friends is such a wonderful thought.

"Have you seen Michelle?" 

I turn to find Alfred panting softly as he looks around in a small panic. I point towards the stage where the Peter and Michelle sit at the piano, practicing fingerings and reviewing notes. "Peter is teaching her how to play the piano."

He breathes a sigh of relief and nods, seemingly relieved to know of her location. "Okay, good. She just kind of rushed off, and I didn't know where she went."

"Well, she's alright," I return, and all he does is nod in reply.

"Not a bad song," he says after a few moments of awkward silence. He looks awkward and thoughtful. I'm actually rather scared of what he's thinking.

"Thanks," I say with a shrug. "An old friend of mine showed it to me."

"They've got good taste," he says before scoffing. "Unlike some people I know." He gives me a pointed look, and the previously pleasant thoughts I had about him vanish just like that.

"And here I thought you were being a decent human being for once," I mock, crossing my arms as my brows furrow.

"And here I thought that you'd be someone decent enough to talk to," he counters, making me fume. 

Growing angrier by the minute, I step up to him, catching him off guard. "Wow. What the fuck did I do to you?" I ask, gritting my teeth.

"Shouldn't you know?" he returns, leaning forward so our faces are inches apart. "You act like I'm the asshole here, but we both know that it's really you."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask, confused and angry and seconds away from punching him square in the jaw.

"Wow. I guess remembering isn't even worth your time," he mocks quietly, whispering it to me with an icy tone that sends chills down my spine. "You claim to be this bigger, better man, but all you are is a coward."

That's it. That does it. I snap, sending a fist right into his jaw with a loud slapping sound. He pulls away quickly with a loud groan and hiss, looking at me in utter bewilderment. 

"I don't know what the fuck you think I did, but I will not stand for being treated this way, especially by the likes of you," I state bitterly, silently hoping that none of the students saw that. "Get the fuck out of this auditorium, or I swear up and down to God above I will make you regret it."

He gives me one last glare before stomping passed me and out the side door of the auditorium, which leads directly to the parking lot. "Fuck you," he calls out from the parking lot, just before the door finally clicks shut.

I sigh and shake my head, leaning against the cold, black wall as I clutch my aching fist to my chest. "Good riddance," I whisper to myself, and I know that I'm just trying to justify what I did. He may have been an asshole, but that doesn't mean I needed to hit him like that. I shouldn't hope that he's okay, but I can't help but feel worried about whether or not I hurt him.

"Dad, what was that about?" Peter asks, rushing over to me with wide eyes. He looks at my face and the hand I'm keeping clutched to my chest. Michelle comes up behind him with an equal look of worry on her face. "Did you hit him?" Peter asks in shock, making Michelle gasp in surprise. 

"Don't tell anyone, but yes," I say, and they both nod in understanding. I sigh and sit on one of the extremely large amps, putting my head in my hands. "I don't understand what I did to make him hate me," I whisper. It's pathetic, but my son is the one who has to comfort me this time. He knows about my feelings for Alfred, and he's been very gracious about it, supporting me whenever I need it.

"We'll be okay, Dad," he tells me. "Everything seems to work out in the end." He smiles cheerfully at me, and it makes my heart lift ever so slightly. I pull him to me, clutching him like my life depends on it. 

"I love you, poppet," I tell him, hugging him as tightly as possible.

He chuckles softly and returns the gesture. "I love you, too, Dad."

Alfred's POV

"I can't believe that dick!" I shout into the phone, pacing back in forth in absolute anger. "Who the fuck does he think he is?" I'm screaming into my cell phone to my brother Mathew in a high school parking lot, but I can't bring myself to care.

"Alfred, calm down," Mathew tells me, voice as quiet as ever. I force myself to take slow, deep breaths, trying to relax after everything that just happened. My jaw is still aching, and there's even a bruise on my face that's starting to purple. "What happened?"

"That dick, Arthur Kirkland!" I say animatedly, gesturing wildly with my hands. "We started arguing, and then he punched me in the face!" I lock myself inside of my own car and prop my feet up on the dashboard.

"So he finally snapped?" Mathew asks, and then, I hear a soft chuckle emanate from the phone's speaker, causing me to be more confused than anything.

"What are you talking about?" I ask. 

"Well, you've always been a huge douche to him for no reason," he says, and my brow furrows in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" I repeat. "I've always had good reason," I state, poking the window rather harshly with my finger in emphasis.

"Oh? Please, enlighten me," he says, and I roll my eyes at the tone. He appears to be a quiet sweetheart, but he can be really sarcastic when he wants to.

"In high school, all those years ago, you liked him, and he was a douche to you. You told me that he didn't even see you. How am I supposed to get along with someone who treated my little brother like shit?"

"Oh, my God... Alfred you IDIOT!" he shouts, making me have to pull the phone away from my ear as fast as I can.

I feel my heart sink. "I screwed up, didn't I?" I ask, and I can hear a loud groan from the other end of the call.

"You think?" he asks angrily, and I wince. Mathew makes you feel really guilty when he's angry. "For one thing, I never said he didn't see me. I said he didn't see me that way. He was my best friend throughout high school. How could he not see me?" My heart sinks even further. "And you know  that he had the biggest crush on you all throughout high school. He'd constantly pine over you, and I'd tried to get you to see him."

"Oh, God," I whisper, placing my hand over my forehead. "I am the biggest dick-bag in all of the world," I whisper, feeling dread sink into my bones. "How am I supposed to fix this?" I ask in a blind panic. Everything has changed.

"I don't know if you can fix this, Alfred..."

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Heylo, my lovely little nuggets! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave any comments or suggestions, if you have them. They make my day :) Anyway, I'll see y'all nuggety readers in the next update! Until then, have an absolutely fantastic and fabulous day! Bai!!! >:3

-IggyScones