A/N: Thank you so much for all the follows/favourites! It really means a lot! So this one is a SethKate oneshot again but it will be in an alternate universe and I hope you all like it. I think I made Kate a little out of character but I tried my best! Watch out for the next update, especially RichieKate shippers! ;)

Note: This one shot is set in an alternative universe. Basically, Mexico didn't happen, the Fuller family wasn't kidnapped and the Gecko brothers don't know about Culebra's yet.

2: Crush (SK AU)

Kate's infatuation with Mr. Gecko was just a crush – nothing more, nothing less but nevertheless, a sin she would eventually pay the price for.

It began senior year when her guidance counsellor, Ms. Yates took an unexpected pregnancy leave and was left counsellor-less for weeks. It was absolutely crucial to have a guidance counsellor during that time. Especially for Kate who stressed beyond believe by the tornado of events spinning that was her life.

Other than the fact the S.A.T.s and college application deadlines were approaching, Kate needed a good mentor to help guide her and unfortunately for her, Mr. Gecko was not like kind and supporting Ms. Yates. Mr. Gecko was too honest at times, spoke his mind and opinion 24/7 and frankly swore too much to be considered professional. He barely cared about the students or their problems. It seemed he was only there for an undeserved pay check.

Kate never understood why Bethel High School thought it was a splendid idea to hire him or why a man who hated teenagers would become a guidance counsellor in the first place. It was wrong to dislike him immediately but the cold fact was that Mr. Gecko was an utter jerk with no filter. Those types of people were always hard to like.

Although she saw him for what he really was, that didn't mean the school did. No, the school loved him and fell head over heels over his 'charm'. Everyone liked him, student and teachers all around – female and male. They thought he was cool and believed he was the most attractive man in the world the second he walked through the front doors in a prim shirt and pants.

Part of the attraction was the mere surprise. Mr. Gecko – a weird name with a weird face to it, right?

Everyone thought he was a bald, fat old man who had a lisp. The school was pleasantly surprised when they received a tall, dark and handsome. There was no doubt about it; Mr. Gecko was young and hot. Everyone looked past his crappy attitude and found it endearing. It was even more ironic to realize Mr. Gackt was the worst guidance counsellor ever.

When she was finally able to book an appointment with him, he had the nerve to zone out on her because what she said was, 'boring'. Kate had been furious and called him out. He proceeded to be taken aback. It seemed she was the first person in the entire school to point out his flaws but being the jerk he was, he was unfazed by it and even had the nerve to laugh at her.

With that one appointment, Kate vowed she whole-heartedly hated Mr. Gecko.

She did everything to avoid him; she took another hallway route, parked her car far away from his and even opted to switch guidance counsellors – a wish she was denied. Nothing had worked. Seeing Mr. Gecko was inevitable, like the sun coming out. Kate bumped into him in the hallways, in the cafeteria, in the library. Everywhere. Mr. Gecko never left Kate alone either, he would always annoy her with every single cocky smile, little wave or sarcastic 'Good Morning, Kate."

It seemed God had a funny sense of humour.

Her dumb crushed rolled around the same time as November after a second, reluctant guidance appointment. He was her specific guidance counsellor after all. There was no avoiding Mr. Gecko or his inappropriate flirting. Though he could be an utter ass at times, he had other sides to him that Kate unexpectedly liked. He could be charming if he wanted to and caring if he needed to.

As the flirting increased, so did her appointments and newfound crush.

There was no reason Kate should've received a crush on him. She should've known better to have a crush on a man she couldn't have. Who knew? Maybe he flirted with every girl at the school for the hell of it.

Yet there was something about Mr. Gecko that Kate was drawn to and couldn't ignore.

Perhaps she couldn't help having feelings for him. Perhaps she was only a teenage girl with a schoolgirl crush. Perhaps Mr. Gecko was too handsome for his own good. Perhaps it was only natural for the young girl to be attracted to the older man.

Or perhaps she just really, really wanted to feel Mr. Gecko's hands on her skin -

Oh god.

Perhaps – no, definitely, Kate Fuller was definitely going straight the fiery depths of hell.

/

"How hard is it to tell Mommy and Daddy you don't want to spend the next four years of your life attending a college for kids who barely graduate high school?"

Kate sighed as she took a seat on the plastic chair beside the window and dramatically dropped her bag to the floor. "It's easier said than done. I-I just don't know what to say to them." She mimicked, "'Oh, I want to leave the family to live in a crappy dorm with a random roommate in the big city by myself'?"

Rolling his eyes, he heavily placed his feet on the desk with a thump and said, "You're being dramatic. Have you ever thought they'll like it if Katie-Cakes left? Maybe they'll even throw you a bon voyage party. Take my advice and just toughen the fuck up and tell them after church or something. Y'know, when they are all forgiving and shit."

"It feels wrong to leave them knowing they wouldn't want it - like betrayal," she bristled, looking at her hands, "They'd still want me to go to church on the weekends. I can't drive all the way from Kansas every weekend."

Mr. Gecko looked at her with disbelief, before saying, "Preacher's daughter strikes again. You're too good for own good but remember, you're an adult, angel face. An 18 year old shouldn't skip out attending a good university to attend church with her parents."

All she said was, "What if Kansas U doesn't even accept my application?"

"They'd be stupid not to," he scoffed. He suddenly looked at her with a mischievous smirk and dazzling eyes. "It'd be their loss of a pretty, smart and religious girl anyway. Take my reference, now."

Feeling the blush creep to her cheeks, she bashfully smiled and felt a coil in the pit of her stomach and took the reference letter from his hands. Their fingers brushed as they looked into each other's eyes, deeply. This even caused more butterflies. Mr. Gecko always made her feel like this. Kate knew it was wrong but as cliché as it sounded, she didn't want to be right.

She stuttered, "Thanks, Mr. Gecko."

"Seth," he croaked, "I've told you before, just call me Seth. 'Mr. Gecko' is too stick in the ass for my liking. I haven't reached that age – yet."

She repeated, "Seth." It still felt weird to call him by his first name. It felt inappropriate but she enjoyed the way the name rolled off her tongue. "Seth. So how old are you anyways?"

The minute she asked it, she regretted it. It wasn't any of her business anyways but the curiosity was too hard to handle and it seemed a good time to ask in the point of their conversation. Kate guessed Mr. Ge - Seth was either early thirties or late twenties from his attractive but mature features.

His eyes lifted from boredom to amusement as a small smirk crept its way onto his lips. He said, "How old do you think I am?"

"I'm not sure. 30?"

He winced, "About two years off but good try."

28.

"You're ten years older than me."

He smiled. "Counting our age difference, princess? I wonder why. It's normal, y'know, it's sexy to have big age gap."

"Shut up," she said but genuinely smiled back as she stood from her chair and slowly walked behind Seth's desk.