Summary: Between writing for the school paper, fighting with his girlfriend, and leading on the resident football team dumbass, Eric really doesn't have time to crush on the hot new English teacher that's fresh out of college. Slash

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Chapter 24 (OH MY GOD!!)

We are subtle.

Well, kind of.

Rhys leaves the washroom first, telling me to wait a few minutes so he can bring his car around to the front of the theatre. I don't ask what he's going to do about Fire Crotch.

It's not like I care. Fire Crotch is not only ugly but he's also not me and I think it's been established that the only guy Rhys wants is me.

I try not to let my giddiness out as that thought occurs to me. It would look pretty retarded if I started jumping around like some lovesick fag in the lobby of a theatre. Not that anyone but the pizza faced kid manning the popcorn would see. But still.

I glance at my phone, trying to calm the bubbles floating around in my stomach and fighting down the stupid grin that wants to take my face hostage.

Yes, face, I acknowledge that I'm happy. Now piss off and let me not look like a complete social retard.

In an attempt to take my mind off the impending make out (and maybe more) with Rhys, I decide to fire off a text to John – let him know that I'm not coming back.

To: John

leaving now. sumthing came up. when they ask tell them that i found a hot lay ;)

I know John will know what that text means and I know that he's probably already extremely suspicious. Fire Crotch has been alone for a good ten minutes by this point and I've been gone for at least fifteen.

My eyes trail to the glass doors of the theatre's foyer and I see a familiar car pull up and stop. The bubbles come back with a vengeance and I'm pretty sure I skip to Rhys' car, though if anyone were to call me on it, I'd play denial in a heartbeat.

I jump into the car with a resolute huff of air and toss Rhys a cool smile. He raises an eyebrow at me and I can see the corners of his lips twitching. This is too much. I lean across the seat and catch his lips in a quick kiss before pulling away and leaning casually against my window.

"Eric," he says in a warning tone as he hits the gas.

I don't bother with acknowledging his warning. It's a dead end discussion. Besides, I have better questions to ask.

"So what did you tell Fire Crotch?" I ask, secretly rejoicing over the fact that Rhys ditched his date for me.

"What?" Rhys shoots me a confused look.

"Your date," I elaborate and my voice is the tiniest bit hard because yeah he ditched Fire Crotch but he was still on a date with him to begin with.

"Oh," Rhys says in that 'a light bulb just clicked on' voice. "Alex. I told him there was a family emergency," he tells me without a beat and glances at me out of the corner of his eye. I smirk at him. He would use the family emergency line.

"You're calling him Fire Crotch, huh?" Rhys continues and it's clear from his tone that he finds this quite funny.

I shrug, all calm and casual, and say, "It suits him more than Alex."

"I suppose," Rhys agrees as we pull to a stop in front of his house and almost like a switch has been flipped my stomach suddenly tightens with excitement and nerves and lust. God, yes. Especially lust.

We make our way up to his front door with Rhys leading the way. Walking behind him isn't as easy as it seems because my eyes keep trailing to his ass and my heart is pounding in my chest and I just want to fuck the whole getting inside deal and start the hanky panky right here.

Fuck me. I just said hanky panky.

"Hurry," I whisper in his ear when we're both on his porch. He's unlocking the door and I'm pressed against his side and my body is humming with desire as he fumbles with his keys. I want to rip them out of his hands and open the door myself but I don't. Rhys has some weird control issues and I'd rather not aggravate those right now.

I think my dick would disown me if I did something to compromise the impending... something.

"I am," Rhys says back after a second in a hoarse tone and I realize that his cheeks are staining red. His hands shake and he's looking at me with darkened eyes. I try to ignore the way he's staring at my mouth.

"Fuck," I groan, pressing myself just that little bit tighter against him. The warmth from his body pours over me and I realize that I'm practically bouncing up and down. I ball my hands into fists and shove them in my pockets just to ensure that they don't start wandering.

Rhys finally figures out the oh so complicated process of inserting a key into a lock and turning it and we both practically jump through the open door. The second we're secure and locked in his house our hands are all over each other's bodies.

My phone buzzes in my pocket but I ignore it. Probably just John wishing me luck.

Rhys grabs the collar of my shirt and tugs me towards him, attaching his lips to mine for a hard kiss. We break away and he pulls off his jacket in one jerky movement then grabs me around the waist with his free arm. I fall into him with a wild grin. As we start kissing again, I decide that I want this party to move to a bed so I give him a tiny shove, encouraging him backwards and towards the hall. I've never been to his bedroom but I'm guessing the hallway is my best bet at finding it.

As we stumble around the corner and down the hall, I let my hands drop down to begin working on Rhys' pants. I pop the button and break the kiss to give him a cheeky grin. He responds by making an amused growl deep in his throat and pulling my shirt over my head. I don't know where it ends up and I don't care.

I tug at his zipper and begin pushing his pants down as Rhys latches onto my neck, sucking and kissing and I think I'm burning up. I think I'm dreaming. Maybe the horror movie is so horrible that I've fallen asleep and have made up some super hot fantasy about finally hooking up with Rhys. His finger nails dig into my back as I push his pants down over his ass and I let out a surprised breath.

His cock pops free of the material and I stare at it, realizing that he's not wearing underwear. He sees me looking down and grabs my chin with one of his hands. Our lips meet in a more gentle kiss and when we break away the touching stops and we just stare at each other, his one hand on my chin and both of mine on his hips.

"I fucking missed this," I admit through my heavy breathing and Rhys smirks, his hand giving my chin a playful squeeze.

"I missed you," he tells me, his voice strong and confident and I don't even think, I just lunge forward and start the kissing all over again, leading him backwards until we're in what I assume is his room and falling onto what I assume is his bed.

And all over again I'm stuck with my mind looping one single thought: I love him.

Rhys' penis is hard against my hip as I fall on top of him and he groans at the friction. The sound makes my head spin with dizzy happiness so I reach for the hem of his shirt and lift it off and he lets me. There's no power struggle right now. Just a silent agreement that we should both be getting naked and that as much touching as possible should be happening the whole time.

Rhys flips me over so that I'm under him and he begins kissing his way down my body, his tongue leaving searing trails along my torso. I groan and clench the sheets tight in my hand, watching him with a dazed grin. As he kisses and licks his way down my body, his hands begin work on my jeans, undoing them and then pulling them down. He lifts his head away from my stomach and looks down at my black briefs.

I watch him carefully, swallowing and burning up with need.

"Fuck me," I say and the words surprise me.

When the fuck did I decide that I'm a bottom?

Rhys' gaze snaps away from my underwear and he looks to me with wide surprised eyes and I think he's going to say no.

But then a devilish smile overtakes his face and he says, "All right."

No outburst or lecture about jail or rant about friends and mortgages and diapers.

Just a nice simple "all right".

I grin.

Rhys needs to go on dates with homely Fire Crotches more often.

---

Rhys' arm is heavy over my chest and his breath tickles my skin where he's tucked his face against my shoulder. I stare at the ceiling and try to convince myself that the warm tingles buzzing under my skin are real. I try to convince myself that I'm really not making this all up.

I shift and adjust my arm so I can take hold of Rhys' hand and watch our fingers intertwine. I'm fixated. The sight is so real and the feel of his hand tightening around mine is indisputable and if I sang, this moment would be about ten seconds away from becoming a musical number.

For probably the first time ever I wish I was more gay because a little song and dance right about now seems like the perfect idea.

Instead I settle for humming the only song I can think of.

Slave 4 U by Britney Spears.

I don't bother considering why that song is stuck in my head. Instead I just accept that Slave 4 U is forever going to be the song that I wanted to sing after I lost my gay virginity to my gay teacher after he ditched his gay boyfriend for my gay ass.

I hold back a laugh. Maybe it's a gay thing.

Rhys stirs, curling himself tighter around me and I can't help but smile as I decide that maybe Slave 4 U is having a subliminal effect on him. I'm so wrapped up in post-coital feelings of contentment and love and fuzzies that I'm not even thinking about how spooked Rhys might be when he wakes up.

Well, now I'm thinking about it.

But I'm not worried because the warm hum coursing through my body won't let me and I'm optimistic that he's feeling the same way.

I hear the sound of a car door slamming outside and grin, feeling sorry for the entire world outside of this bedroom because they are not lounging about in their own spunk and revelling in the wonders of gay sex with their sex pot English teacher.

The doorbell rings.

Rhys' hand tightens around mine and he snuggles further into me. I smile at the puff of dark hair tucked under my chin and shake him.

The doorbell rings again.

"Rhys," I whisper, giving him another nudge. He yawns and stretches out like a cat – the length of his body pressing against mine – and then looks at me with tired but happy eyes.

"Hey," he says quietly and shifts to kiss me softly on the lips. It's quick and when we part he goes back to looking at me with tired happy eyes and says, "Hey," again in a dazed sort of way.

I fight down the stupid feeling of giddiness that's bubbling in my chest and settle for giving him another quick kiss. "Hey," I reply.

The doorbell rings.

"Shit," Rhys mutters – not afraid at all, just annoyed – and log rolls to the edge of the bed. He sits up and I stare at his naked back, at the way his muscles ripple as he leans over to sort through the drawer alongside his bed, presumably seeking out underwear.

Three quick knocks sound against the door and after tugging on a pair of undies, Rhys stands, turning to glance at me. His hair is a crazy messy puff atop his head, all in disarray and sexy as fuck. He's wearing a black pair of briefs that fit so snug against him that I think they may actually be booty shorts.

He's so much more gay than I had thought, I think as I fight back a smirk.

"Stay here and don't say anything, k?" he says and then in spite of himself he's smiling and leaning forward and kissing me again. He pulls back just the tiniest bit and then adds playfully, "If I say, "Let me get my robe," that means get your ass in the closet."

I laugh and nod my head. "No one will know I'm here but you," I reply and give him another kiss and then he's making his way out of the room and I can feel my little piece of Cloud 9 getting heavier.

The doorbell rings again, this time in an irritated succession, and Rhys calls out, "Coming."

I slide out of his bed and gather up my clothes – well, the clothes that made it to the bedroom at least –, deciding to be proactive and head for the closet now.

"Rhys," I hear someone say, "I just wanted to stop by and..." the speaker trails off and I slide the closet door closed as quietly as possible.

"Alex..." I hear Rhys say in a surprised tone and a band of angels sing a rousing chorus of "Oh shit" in my mind.

Fire Crotch showed up.

"You smell disgusting," Fire Crotch says in a repulsed voice and even though I know I should be worrying, I'm smiling and thinking about how Rhys smells like sex and me.

"Alex," Rhys says firmly, "Let me get my robe and then we can talk." I can hear the slight panic in his tone and it makes me subconsciously press myself tighter against the back of his closet.

"No. We're talking now... Who's here?" Fire Crotch demands and then I hear him stomping around and I figure he's heading for this bedroom. Oh dear fucking god, Rhys had better keep him away from the closet because I'm butt fucking naked.

"No one," Rhys tells Fire Crotch in that terrifyingly abrupt tone he's used on me before and I shudder, bringing the bundle of clothes in my arms tighter to my chest.

"Then why are your pants in the hallway? You just came home and magically fell out of them and started smelling like cum? This totally looks like a huge family emergency to me, Rhys!" Fire Crotch practically yells and I wince because I know from firsthand experience that Rhys does not take kindly to yelling.

There's a long silence and I can only imagine the look Rhys is giving Fire Crotch and if I wasn't so pissed that he's here, I would probably be feeling sorry for him. But he's here so I'm not.

"So I fucked someone else," Rhys eventually says in a cold tone after what seems like forever.

"You're a whore," Fire Crotch hisses and I really wish I could see Rhys' face after hearing that.

"And you can leave," Rhys tells him.

There's more silence and I have no idea what's going on. Whatever they're doing it's quiet enough that they aren't even making enough noise for me to guess. Maybe they're having a really intense stare down or something.

After about five hundred years, Rhys growls, "I said you can leave," and his voice is followed by the sound of silence and then a quick succession of footsteps.

"Fuck you," Alex says and then I hear the front door slam closed and after a few seconds Rhys calls out, "Eric?"

I make my way out of the closet and I'm still stark naked but I don't care because I need to see Rhys' face so I can know whether or not I need to be preparing myself for the worst.

I come to a stop at the end of the hall and see him standing with his back pressed against the front door as if he's holding back an army. He looks at me and his eyes are dark and I can feel the panic setting in.

But then he smirks and his eyes travel down my body and I feel so exposed and so turned on. When his gaze returns to mine it's thick and full of lust and I just swallow and wonder if Rhys has noticed that my cock is starting to get hard again.

"You should be naked more often," he eventually says and his eyes dance and I feel like collapsing with relief.

"All you have to do is ask," I tell him and then we're rushing at each other and starting all over again and I decide that I've died and gone to heaven.

---

Two days later I find myself sitting across from Bobby in the hallway that no one ever uses. We're not really looking at each other. Well, I'm staring at him but he's avoiding eye contact like the plague. I clear my throat awkwardly.

Bobby doesn't shift his attention. He just keeps staring at the floor and pretends he's mute, which is bullshit because he's the one that asked me to meet him. I could be sneaking off with Rhys right now for a quick lunch break make out but instead I'm sitting and doing absolutely nothing with Bobby.

"You're the one that asked me to come down here," I tell Bobby once I've decided I've had enough of the awkward silence. He doesn't acknowledge me.

I don't even know if he heard me. Maybe he's playing mute and deaf.

"Bobby," I say a little more firmly, "If you have something you wanna say just say it. Or I'm leaving."

I'm trying to be nice – call it a new leaf I'm attempting to turn over – and I've decided to make the most effort with Bobby. It's my way of giving back to the world. I mean, I got Rhys and Bobby got screwed over. The least I can do is not be the world's biggest asshole to him.

"I hate you," Bobby tells me after a moment, his eyes still on the linoleum and his words take me by surprise because last time I checked he was madly in love with me.

"Yeah," I say rather sceptically, "And I'm Mother Theresa." I laugh, hoping Bobby will catch the joke but he doesn't. Though, he does lift his eyes to look at me. That's some progress I guess.

"You're the biggest asshole in this school," he corrects and I have to wonder if he thought I was serious.

"I was joking," I tell him on the off chance that he's as stupid as I sometimes think he is.

"I'm not," he says in a super serious voice.

God, this guy needs to get a sense of humour.

I raise an eyebrow. "I know," I say and watch Bobby to see if he's going to finally tell me what's eating his ass. He doesn't say a word. "So what did you want?" I ask when it's obvious that Bobby's not going to talk unless spoken to.

He lets out a breath and shrugs his shoulders and scratches his nose and finally meets my eye for more than a second.

"Are you with him?" he asks and I find myself smiling despite my best efforts. I have to fight down the butterflies in my stomach to keep myself from looking like a total knob.

I want to tell Bobby that I sure as hell am back with Rhys but I can't. Rhys would probably kill me. Then Bobby.

"He's a teacher," I drawl, fighting to make my smile appear more condescending, "It didn't work out for obvious reasons."

Bobby laughs, dark and angry. "Liar liar pants on fire," he mocks and I feel like I'm in some psycho ward about to be ganked by the crazy guy.

"Whatever you say, Bobster," I tell him with a sigh as I push myself to my feet. "Anything else you wanted to say?" I ask and that's when I notice that we aren't alone.

Maddy is standing at the end of the hall with a shocked expression. My eyes turn back to Bobby and he looks just as surprised as Maddy and this is fucking ridiculous. I can't decide if Bobby's smart enough to have planned this or not.

"You have got to be kidding me," I say more to myself than anyone as Maddy approaches nervously. I turn and look at her and despite the irritated front I'm putting up, I'm shitting bricks. This is not good. At all.

"Eric." Maddy sounds timid and she looks it too. Her eyes are darting between Bobby and me uncertainly. I glance at Bobby and it's obvious that he isn't going to be much help. He's too busy awkwardly looking off into the corner.

After making a show of my aggravation by letting out a long dramatic sigh, I say to Maddy, "How much did you hear?"

"How much is true?" she counters.

Rhys is going to kill me.

"None of it," I lie without hesitation and ignore the sharp look Bobby gives me and the way Maddy's expression drops.

She takes in a shaky breath and stares at me with her wide blue eyes and I hate that I still care about her. Especially when she asks, "So you're not gay?" as if she really believes it.

I swallow and settle against the wall of lockers behind me, trying to think of some way out of this mess. Up until this moment I hadn't ever considered myself as having a plan, but now that I'm here I realize that the plan I didn't know I had was to get out of high school with no one but John and Bobby knowing I'm gay.

"Eric?" Maddy presses.

"I don't know," I snap, frustrated because I hate lying to Maddy when I don't hate her. And I don't hate her right now. Not like I did when I loved her at least. She blinks at me, shocked into stillness by my anger, and scratches her neck – an old gesture of discomfort.

"You do know," Bobby interjects boldly, standing up and giving me a defiant scowl.

"Bobby," I warn, "I just made up my mind to be nice to you. Don't make me change it." I sound like a caged animal. Trapped between two people that I've treated like shit because I knew they loved me and would get over it. I'm figuring since karma didn't actually screw me over the other day, it's getting me now.

"Maddy won't tell anyone," Bobby says to me, completely missing the threat in my gaze and sounding like he thinks he's doing me a favour.

"Won't tell what, Eric?" Maddy asks, sounding a little more shrill and a little more on edge. "Are you?"

I look between them and this whole conversation is like a nightmare scene straight out of a movie.

"Yes. No—well, kind of. Yes," I snap, my unsure words undermining the firmness of my tone.

Maddy's face goes white and Bobby smiles as if he's proud of me or something and I realize that he's getting out of this scot-free. He just told Maddy I'm gay and didn't say a fucking word about himself.

"Bobby was my first gay kiss," I tell her after a second and the words are mean but they feel good. I'm like Baby. Nobody puts me in a fucking corner and gets away with it.

Maddy's eyes sharpen and she steps closer. "When?" she demands and I can see the panic on Bobby's face out of the corner of my eye. I look at him.

"Why don't you tell her?" I taunt, "Since you're all about honesty all of a sudden." He glares at me and I can tell that he hates me for making him the scapegoat.

So much for being nice to Bobby, I guess.

"When, Bobby?" Maddy repeats a little harder.

"Ricky's frosh party," he says in a nervous stumble of words and despite the sick curling sensation in my stomach, I smile. It's a shitty attempt at looking put together and in control, but I'm hoping Maddy and Bobby are too fucked up with their own shit right now to pay much attention to mine.

"Is that true, Eric?" Maddy asks, her voice suddenly quiet and betrayed and I freeze, the smile dropping off my face. She's pissed.

I offer a stiff shrug. "Does it matter?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"We were dating," Maddy bites out as if she doesn't need to explain any further.

"And I'm not straight," I say in a tone that sounds very self-explanatory as well and glance at Bobby with a look fit to kill.

Maddy takes a breath and holds her hand over her mouth and her gaze drop to the floor. I can see tears in her eyes but I don't move to comfort her. There's no point. Bobby looks torn and I want to ask him if he's happy now because this is his fault.

"What teacher?" Maddy asks quietly – vulnerable – and I'm taken aback.

"What?" I ask, genuinely confused and terrified.

"You and Bobby said something about a teacher. Which one?" she repeats and lifts her red-rimmed eyes to look at me with a resolved expression and I know she knows which one. It's not like she's stupid and, unless I missed something, there aren't any other hot teachers at Riverside, never mind gay ones. I think of Rhys and how happy we are right now and I don't even consider my response.

"There isn't a teacher," I say in a hard tone because I hate Bobby right now and Maddy's practically crying and I think I'll have to tell Rhys about all this.

"Is it Mr. Kramer?" Maddy obviously doesn't believe me. She watches as I look at Bobby and try to decide if I should keep lying. His gaze drops to the ground and I don't think I'll ever forgive him for this.

"I had a crush on him. So did Bobby and so did you. It was a joke," I tell Maddy, trying to shrug off her concern and make it seem like she's being crazy.

Her eyes turn to Bobby and he's wearing a fucking depressed smile on his face.

"Who doesn't want Kramer?" he asks her with his pathetic smile and Maddy closes her eyes tight, taking a deep breath in through her nose.

"All right," she agrees.

"All right?" Bobby asks sceptically and if I was holding something I would throw it at him.

"Shut up, Bobby," I say none too kindly then look at Maddy. "Don't tell anyone," I tell her softly and try not to sound like I'm ordering her. But I am and no matter how 'softly' I say it I know that all of us know there's an 'or else' attached to my comment.

Maddy doesn't even think about it. She just nods her head and says, "We'll talk more when I'm ready," and I don't argue with her.

"All right," I agree and then I turn around and walk away from them without another word and try to figure out how I'm going to explain this mess to Rhys.

---

That night I'm about to fall asleep when my phone starts buzzing. I grab at it without checking the caller ID and answer with a tired, "Hello?"

"Eric?"

I raise an eyebrow at the familiar voice, perking up just a bit. "Yeah," I say, "Who's this?"

There's a pause.

"Rhys."

I grin. "Hey," I say, my voice becoming just that little bit more husky as I think of him lying in his bed thinking of me. I can't help but wonder if he's naked.

"Just wanted to say goodnight," he tells me and I can hear his smile in his voice and I feel like a girl – all giddy and fuzzy. I roll over and bury my face in my pillow, hiding my blush from no one.

"You're lame," I tell him because I don't want him to know how happy I am at the gesture. Especially after the day I've had.

Rhys laughs and the sound sends a tickling feeling through my stomach. "You're sexy," he replies.

I take a breath and I can feel the mood shifting. I can hear it too. His breathing is just that little bit heavier.

"Not as sexy as you. I wish I could touch you right now," I whisper, feeling almost dangerous because I've never done this before. I can practically hear Rhys swallowing on the other end so I figure it's working.

"Come over tomorrow?" he asks after a moment in a heavy voice and I fight back a groan at the implication in the way his words come out.

"Oh, I'll come," I say and Rhys grunts out a nondescript sound in response and I smile as I realize how turned on he is. "Over and over again," I continue, my voice dropping into a husky whisper.

"Scream my name?" he asks, breathless, and I fight the urge to touch myself by trapping my free hand under my lower back.

"Rhys," I whimper, exaggerating his name and sounding a bit like a porn star in the process.

He laughs out a groan. "You're too much, Eric," he says in a thick teasing tone and I smile.

"We'll make this work," I tell him quietly, feeling a bit more optimistic about everything. "From mortgages to frat parties. It's worth it for the hot sex.

Rhys chuckles. "Definitely worth it," he agrees and I feel like I'm floating because I don't think I expected him to agree. I'm so full of heady happiness and in my delirious state I decide that Maddy and Bobby and all their shit can wait.

"See you tomorrow," I tell him – promise him.

"Tomorrow," Rhys agrees.

And when we hang up I don't feel the slightest bit stressed. Just dizzy and happy and horny beyond all belief.

---

AN: Thanks for the all the reviews guys! You continue to make my day with all the comments you leave!! I appreciate it so much! This is going to be my last update until December. Sorry but NaNoWriMo is in a few weeks and that'll be my focus.

If you're reading please take the time to let me know what you think about where everything's heading. It only takes a few seconds for you and makes a huge impact on me! I love hearing what you have to say! Thanks!