Freak

by Alicia Masterson

  "Here, with you?!" Brian complained, not wanting to spend any time in this building with her more than he had to. But if Coach Stewart had agreed, he knew right off the bat that he was at this woman's mercy, so he backed down, and accepted his fate.

  "With me? I wasn't aware that you had a sense of humor, Mr. Mannus. I'm a busy woman, I have a family, kids, grading, planning; I barely have time to breathe. And if you won't listen to me in class, why would you listen to me after school? No, what I have in mind will probably be more conducive to our needs. As luck would have it, I have a student new to this school currently in my Calculus 2 class that apparently intends to try out football next semester. Why? I have no idea, his mind is sharp enough to cut diamond, and he's got a real affinity for numbers. I asked if he would be willing to spend an hour or so every day to help a member of his team out, at least until he pulled his grades up, and he agreed. God help that child, he even works after school! And he's gets the best grades in the class. I wouldn't have asked him to put an extra burden on his schedule if I didn't think that you would have been receptive to just anyone. At least it's with someone who's got something in common with you. And he's even in the same grade."

  Brian had a bad feeling about this; he had an idea about who she was talking about. 'Please don't let it be him…'

  "His name is Andrew Taylor, I'm sure you've met, and if you haven't, too bad, you'll likely have to get to know him next year, he's going to be under you, Captain," she said mockingly.

  Brian's groaned quietly, not really willing to have to deal with that particular person so soon, especially after that short dance they had this past weekend. "I know him," he muttered weakly.

  Mrs. Yang raised an eyebrow, wondering what it was about Andy that drew that response from him. "Excellent. You'll meet him in my classroom every day, after school, for at least an hour, no exceptions. Don't be late, I promised him that it wouldn't conflict with his work schedule. In fact, he should be here any minute now."

  "Yes ma'am—WHAT?!" Brian blurted out, not realizing that his tutoring sessions started so soon. He thought he would have at least a day's worth of time to sort things out, prepare himself, something.

  "No time to waste, I'm afraid. The final exam is approaching. Do you have any engagements?"

  -

  Engagement… man Corey's going to be pissed. Brian sighed, defeated. "No ma'am. Excuse me, I have to let my uh… mom know that I'll be late." He left the room, leaning against the nearby window at the end of the hall, unsure of how his lover would take this new development.

  --

  Andy quickly approached his math room, wanting to get tutoring over with. 'She didn't even tell me what this guy's name was…'

  To his surprise, he saw Brian at the end of the hall past the math room, facing out of the window, apparently arguing with someone vehemently on the other end of his phone. Not wanting to be noticed, he darted inside the room, closing it behind him. He greeted Mrs. Yang before taking a seat towards the front of the room, waiting patiently for whomever he was here for to arrive.

  "He'll be here in a little bit, he's just outside calling his mother, though what all that bickering is about, I don't have a clue, you'd think that any mother would be happy that her child was seeking needed help." she blabbered distantly, busy with papers in front of her. If she noticed the color drain out of Andy's face, she didn't say anything about it. "Could you please open the door? It locks automatically."

  Andy slowly nodded, getting up. Just as he reached the door, Brian reached it on the other side, both of them turning the handle at the same time, Andy pulling the door out of Brian's hand uneasily.

  "Funny seeing you here," Andy joked cautiously, not sure how Brian would react around him.

  "Funny isn't the word I would have chosen, but whatever, let's do this," Brian said flatly, taking a seat next to where Andy's stuff was. "Show me what you got, Teach."

  Andy looked pleadingly in his math teacher's direction, hoping that this was some kind of cruel prank, but she was busy grading, apparently oblivious to the drama that was inevitably going to play out when these two particular people were in the same place at the same time.

  "Um… I guess we could start with the stuff you didn't do well on recently," Andy suggested, not really knowing where to start. Brian's impatient glare was really distracting him, too.

  "Ahem, Mr. Taylor, if you'll have my advice, I would suggest that you start from the beginning, and go up from there. God knows how many lessons he didn't listen to over this year. Don't believe him if he says he understands, either," she said, her face still glued to the papers in front of her.

  -

  "I guess it's the beginning then," Andy said, unsure of how he felt about going over the entire curriculum with someone who clearly didn't want to be there with him. Clearly Corey doesn't want him here with me either. "Do you have a book?"

  Brian exhaled, letting go of his tough façade. There was no need for it, it would just make things even harder. "Yeah," he said, pulling open his bag. "Thanks for doing this by the way, I may not be showing it right, but I appreciate it. I hope you can deal with me though," he joked easily, hoping to alleviate some of the tension. I'm practically drowning in it.

  Andy got up and turned his desk around so that his back was to the teacher, and gestured for Brian to do the same thing. They scooted their desks together, and started. Mrs. Yang raised her eyebrow again, but dropped it, finding that she didn't really care. 'Whatever works.'

  Andy decided to go step by step through the book, asking Brian if he remembered each section, looking into his eyes with scrutiny to make sure that he wasn't lying. Garret taught him a thing or two about reading someone through their eyes.

  The first time that Brian claimed to remember the material, he couldn't help but look into Andy's eyes back. This was the first time he'd done so since the day they formally met. Brian felt the familiar fluttering feeling again, and he was disappointed when the eye contact broke. He has the prettiest eyes I've ever seen.

  "You're lying, I can tell," Andy said pointedly, sighing as he pulled out a piece of paper to try and explain the section as best as he could.

  Brian was amused that he could tell so easily, and decided to make it into a game. Every section, he claimed that he remembered how to do it, just to see if Andy could tell he was lying or not. Who am I kidding, I just want to stare into his eyes some more…

  Only after Andy was confident that Brian could do everything in each section of the chapter, Andy closed the book, laughing. "I'm beat; I think that's good for today. You really don't have to lie, you know. It's okay if you don't remember anything, that's why I'm here."

  Brian grinned, shocked to see that two hours already passed. Andy was a really good teacher; everything made more sense when he said it than when Mrs. Yang did. "I thought you had to go to work."

  "I actually had the day off today, but we'll probably have to cut it off at an hour from now on," he said, putting his things back into his bag. "You actually understand things pretty well if you just apply yourself, you know."

  "So I've been told," Brian replied, looking over towards Mrs. Yang, who looked quite pleased with herself. "Have a good evening, Mrs. Yang."

  "You too. Thank you Andy, for putting up with this."

  Andy looked comfortably towards Brian before answering. "It's no problem."

  They walked in silence towards the parking lot, until Brian stopped them, making sure no one was around.

  "I'm sorry. It's been bothering me for a long time, but I never got the chance to say it. I don't know how much Christine told you, but it doesn't matter, I shouldn't have done what I did."

  Andy knew what he was talking about, but he wanted to play coy for now. "Are you talking about our dance this weekend? Because I'm not sorry about that."

  Brian blinked, not sure how to follow up with that admission. "You know what I'm talking about."

  "I know. And I've already forgiven you, long ago. Thank Brian
for the dance by the way. If you remember him," he added bitterly. "I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for him. You owe him thanks… until last Saturday, I would flinch even if someone just mentioned your name."

  With that, Andy walked away, leaving Brian to think over what he said. You were… afraid of me? I'm not sorry about our dance either. Damn, you're so hot. Fuck, Brian, you have to stop thinking like that.

  --

  "About time," Corey muttered, as Brian plopped on the couch in their room, exhausted. "You're over an hour late."

  "Late?" Brian asked. "I wasn't aware that I was being timed."

  "You really should have let me talk with that bitch teacher of yours. Where does she get off doing that to you? You never told me who your tutor was, either."

  Brian's eyes grew wide open. "Oh, sorry about that. Apparently she thought it was a good idea if someone on my team tutored me. It's, um, Andy Taylor."

  "Oh," Corey said evenly.

  Brian knew that there was a mountain of meaning behind that answer though. He looked up at Corey's face, but was unable to read anything significant. "Are you okay with that?"

  -

  Corey shook his head, realizing that he was being stupid. "Why wouldn't I be? How did it go?"

  "It was whatever. He's actually a pretty good teacher," he said, not really willing to let Corey know any more. He knew that Corey could see through him though.

  'Whatever,' Corey thought nervously, knowing exactly what that word really meant. 'He's still attracted to him. Prom made that pretty clear… His face that night, he looked like he was ready to fuck that guy silly. I hope that's all he wants to do…'

  'So I have the hots for another guy,' Brian reasoned with himself, pretending to be trying to fall asleep. 'What difference does it make? I still love Corey, nothing's changed. He's not mad, either. So why do I still feel like shit?'

  --

  After a few more tutoring sessions, the two were starting to get more comfortable with each other. After a few days, Andy even got permission from Mrs. Yang to take the sessions into the library, since neither of them really liked to be observed. Against her better judgment, she acquiesced; satisfied and surprised that Andy already made as much progress with him as he had.

  "Brian," she called after class. "Andy is going to meet you in the library from now on. Don't think you'll be in any less trouble if you skip out. I'll know."

  "I won't," he promised, surprised at the conviction in his voice.

  "I trust you. Oh, and I've turned over responsibility for assigning homework to Andy from now until the end of the year. You can work on his assignments in my class, or you can actually listen to me. Since you've never tried the latter before, you might not understand what we're doing right now."

  "Thank you!" Brian said, exuberant that he actually had permission to tune out a teacher.

  "Don't thank me totally. I'll be grading your work, and Andy will be checking it personally."

  "Understood."

  Despite that he was going for the purpose of learning math, Brian was looking forward to the session. He liked spending time with Andy, even if they were both more or less forced into it. And hell, who was he kidding, he owed the man a lot. Brian still didn't think that he deserved to be forgiven so easily.

  -

  "Good, you're here," Andy greeted as Brian walked into the school library doors. "Don't bother putting your stuff down. Listen, would it be okay with you if we did these tutoring sessions outside of school from now on? I really don't like being here longer than I have to be, I'm sure you feel the same way."

  "Uh, sure, sounds good to me, did you have any place in mind?"

  "I was thinking one of our houses would be pretty good."

  "Not mine," Brian quickly said, before Andy could get anything else in.

  Andy raised his eyebrow, but he knew perfectly well why Brian's house, or Corey's house rather, wouldn't work. That was fine with him, avoiding one more person who didn't like him suited him just fine. "I don't think my house would work either," he added.

  "Oh. I think you know why my house probably isn't a good idea, if you know as much as I think. Why won't yours work?"

  "I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, and I don't mean this in any bad way, but the second I take home any attractive guy, my mom automatically hears wedding bells. You don't deserve to have to go through with that. She'll ask you a million questions, it'll be awful, we'll get nothing done," he explained. "Especially after Garret…"

  "That's fine," Brian assured him. "I get it. So where did you have in mind."

  "If you're okay with it, it would probably be easiest for me if we took this to the Starbucks where I work. My um… 'boss' has been getting on my case about being a little bit late some days."

  "I don't see anything wrong with that. I'm a little tired anyway, coffee'll be good for me." This feels like a date.

  --

  Brian was at the register, amusing himself by juggling cups in the air, when he saw Andy's car pull up in the parking lot. 'He's early… I thought he would be tutoring for at least another hour.'

  He paled when he say who Andy was with. 'No… there's no way, no, what is he doing here?'

  "Hey, boss!" Andy greeted half sarcastically, "I'm not here to work yet, I just wanted to get out of the school, needed some coffee before I did more math today."

  -

  Brian barely noticed Andy, looking right past him, giving Andy's companion a very calculating stare. Brian was doing his best to pretend like he didn't know who was staring at him. "You didn't tell you you'd be bringing… company."

  Andy came up to the counter, signaling for Brian to stay behind for a second. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you who I was tutoring. Or telling you that he was coming here. It's fine, he won't mind if you just pretend like you don't know him either."

  Loud enough to make sure that Brian could hear him, "Andy, please read my lips, because I don't think I can say this in any other way. Fuck. No. Get his ass the fuck out my store."

  Brian rolled his eyes at the theatrical statement, sure that the Brian he remembered wouldn't even dare say something like that if there was anyone else in the store. Or if Andy wasn't there to stop big, bad, dangerous Brian from doing something to make Brian regret his words. He nonchalantly walked up despite Andy's request, casually looking at the menu. "I'll just have a Grande regular coffee. Black."

  Brian was looking at him, unbelievingly, then back at Andy, and back at Brian. This was the closest he's been to Brian since they were friends, and Brian was talking like nothing happened. He pulled Andy in close by his shirt, and hissed into his ear, "You know just as well as I do that Christine comes in here all the time. It's on your head and conscience what happens when they meet. I won't have any part in it."

  Andy pried Brian's hand from his shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles before scoffing slightly. "Fine, it's on me then. I can talk with her if it comes to that, I'm not afraid to at least try."

  Out of disinterest for drama, Brian sat down on the other end of the store, waiting patiently for them to either quit arguing, or for his coffee to actually be made. With Brian out of earshot, they started to whisper.

  "Why are you even doing this?" Brian asked. "What do you gain?"

  "He's a good person, or at least there's one inside there. I saw him once, the real Brian."

  "Do you know who you're up against?"

  "I'm not 'up against' anyone, Brian."

  Brian frowned, looking closely at Andy's defensive posture and stole a glance towards Brian's direction. Just as he expected, Andy turned his head too, and when he looked back, Brian was smirking. "Oh my God, you like him, don't you?"

  "What?!" Andy exclaimed a little bit too loudly.

  "Whatever, that's your business. But let me remind you about something. That person that you're messing around with, he dumped the most important people in his life at the drop of a hat, for who knows why?" I know why, and I've had to live with that. "He hasn't exactly been the most
hospitable person to you, either."

  "At Prom, you were the one who told me to take a good look at Brian. I did, and maybe I decided recently that liked what I saw. He won't hurt me like that again, you don't know how sorry he was—is."

  It's not Brian I'm afraid of, you big idiot, Corey's the one pulling all the strings. "Just know what you're getting into. I'm just concerned, that's all, can't blame a friend for watching your back? No hard feelings?" He said out loud, so that Brian could hear. Quietly, he finished his statement, "Be careful, Andy. He's got friends—"

  "You mean Corey," Andy interjected. To Brian's dismay, Brian snapped his head in their direction upon hearing the name.

  "Here's his drink," Brian said quickly. "Go over there and do what you came here to do, we've got hours to talk later. Do you want anything?"

  "I'm not really in the mood anymore," Andy replied sullenly. "I'll have some later."

  "Done with your little pep talk?" Brian asked, his head buried in a math book. "If you didn't notice, I kind of need some help here. Still no clue what the hell I'm doing. Oh, my drink, thanks."

  Brian smiled warmly, scooting over to give Andy a spot next to him, accepting the drink, sipping some of it before setting it down. "I won't be able to finish that, feel free to have some if you want."

  "Thanks for the offer," Andy said, taking a small sip from the cup. "I get enough of the stuff for free, but I kind of need the pick me up right now."

  'He's so beautiful, I can't stop looking at him,' Brian thought, watching Andy drink his coffee. 'I've never felt it this bad for anyone… I want more.'

  --

  Andy walked Brian quietly back to Brian's car, not really sure what to say. He held out a hand awkwardly for a handshake, but Brian rolled his eyes, slapping the hand away and giving Andy a full embrace. After Brian drove off, Andy entered the store again, sighing gently as he donned his apron, joining Brian behind the counter to help him with the growing crowd.

  -

  "That was a Kodak moment if I've ever seen one. So nice of you to join me," Brian joked. "How was your date?"