Teach You How To Love

Better Talk Fast

Scott stepped out into the hallway, seething. He knew that it wasn't that big of a deal, but the students didn't need to figure out that he and Mark were dating each other. They had already agreed that they would avoid the students being able to guess that, and that meant that they couldn't know about the pet names they used on each other.

The students in his class were quite happy to assume that they were together already. Now, though, they were over-excited. They were entirely convinced that the two of them were dating now.

He looked in the direction of the choir room. He realized then that Mark was right outside the door. He shivered a little bit. Scott walked over to him. "Are you going to talk to Mitch as well?" he asked.

"I already have," Mark replied. "Be nice to him. Remember the day, baby."

Scott frowned. "What day is it?" he asked.

"April Fool's," Mark said. "It was just to tick us off." He laughed slightly. "It was actually a favor to Kirstie."

"Kirstin asked him to tell them?" Scott raged.

"Babe, they'll hear us," Mark whispered.

"Okay, now I'm really mad," Scott grumbled.

Mark rolled his eyes. "They're your friends, love."

"I don't care!" Scott said. "I get to be mad at them for encouraging the students."

"Yes, you do, but just be nice to Mitch," Mark told him. "Please, for me. I like him. I want him to be alive."

"Okay," Scott said. "I will be."

"Promise."

"I promise."

Unfortunately, Scott wasn't very good at keeping his promises.

_

Matt opened the door when Scott knocked, and he smiled slightly. "Mark was just here," he whispered. "He was irate. I guess you're here for the same reason?"

"I am," Scott replied in the same low voice. "I want to tell Mitch exactly why he can't just tell the class that."

"It isn't untrue," Matt pointed out, still whispering.

"I don't care," Scott told him. "I'm still mad."

Matt chuckled. "Okay," he said. "Mitch, the theatre teacher wants to hur- talk to you."

Mitch looked over, and his face filled with fear. "'Kay," he said, acting nonchalant. He walked over. "Thanks," he told Matt. Then he turned to Scott. "Let's go into the hallway," he said.

The two of them went into the hallway between the choir room and the band room. "Talk fast," Scott said.

 "It was Kirstin's idea, and it was true," Mitch defended himself.

"Why did you agree to her idea, though?" Scott demanded. 

"Because I thought it would be interesting to see the reactions of the students!" Mitch said. "Honestly, just calm down about it."

"They aren't supposed to know we're dating," Scott lectured.

"They don't," Mitch pointed out. "I only told them that Mark calls you Scotty. Honestly, you guys are going to be the ones that tell them you're together, whether or not it's on purpose."

"Yeah, and that's a pet name," Scott said. "Most friends don't just call each other little pet names like that. Also, we won't let them know the truth."

"But I didn't tell them about him calling you things like 'Baby' or 'Sweetheart' or anything of that sort," Mitch said. "Lots of people call you Scotty. And I'm right."

"You made it sound like it was just Mark, apparently," Scott said.

"Well, take it out on Kirstie," Mitch said. "She convinced me."

Scott sighed, seeing that his words had no impact on Mitch, and he left. Mitch followed him from the hallway, and out of the room. "You gonna go talk to Kirstin?" he asked.

"Yep," Scott replied.

_

Later, Scott and Mark met up outside the school, away from the dismissal areas. Neither of them helped with one, and there was a few more minutes before they had to do anything other than that. 

"How was Mitch?" Mark asked.

"He used the invalid argument that he just wanted to help Kirstie, and I gave up," Scott said. "I scolded her instead. But she gave me those eyes, and I couldn't stay mad."

Mark laughed. "Those eyes are why Mitch's argument was valid," he said. "The rest of us do whatever she wants. She's better than your nephews at puppy eyes."

"Yeah, and I wouldn't have thought anyone could be better than them," Scott said, laughing.

Mark, smiled, reaching up and wrapping his arms around Scott's neck. "I love your laugh," he said.

"Thanks," Scott said, smiling contentedly at their closeness.

Mark laughed slightly. "You're so cute, darling," he murmured.

Scott grinned even more as Mark leaned in close, going to press their lips together gently.

But their lips barely even touched before they heard a voice. "Oh, my goodness! They are together!"

The couple turned to see three of their students standing to the side, staring at them. One held a phone. Scott's eyes widened, and he looked at Mark, who looked as shocked as him. Scott sighed, looking back at the students.

Mitch's voice rang in his head: Honestly, you guys are going to be the ones that tell them you're together, whether or not it's on purpose.

Better talk fast.

***

I'm sorry for being slow about updating. I'll try being faster about it after this chapter. I just didn't know how I wanted it to be.

How do you think they'll try to explain this?