Their first after-school tutoring session began on the fourth day of the fourth week of September, which happened to be the first day of autumn. Something came with that day like the turn of a century, or the death of a star, or the first crack in a shell hiding an inconvenient truth. In the days leading up to their session, Matthew carried on like he always did, with twice-a-week hockey practices and sneaking-into-Alfred's-after-midnight-to-play-Pokemon and dozing off in all his classes (except Mr. Kirkland's).
The news about him and Bella had spread throughout the school like wildfire, too. But like most scandalous rumours that came and passed, Matthew simply waited quietly for it to blow over. And it did. Bella might have been the schools' hottest pride and joy, but what happened between her and Matthew was just another scratch to etch on Matthew's long list of reasons-to-avoid-this-boy.
So Matthew didn't really give a rat's ass if everyone hated him just a little bit more.
Mr. Kirkland's approval, however, was more important to Matthew than anything else. On the day of their session, he even dressed nicely (well, 'nicely' was putting it generously, giving the state of his wardrobe). He showered the night before (he usually never took daily showers) and brushed his hair (he usually never brushed his hair) and swapped his blindness for the glasses he found gathering dust under his bed (he usually never wore his glasses).
Even Alfred whistled when he saw Matthew.
"You're really taking this seriously, aren't you?" he asked, laughing.
Matthew couldn't begin to start explaining how Mr. Kirkland made him feel like he was an important member of society and that he mattered. Or how Mr. Kirkland made him feel like a wench in the pirate-fantasies of his inner mind and how he wanted to be bent over and spanked.
"I just felt like trying something new today," was all he said in response.
"Just remember," Alfred said, leering. "It's not a date."
"Fuck off."
"I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that you actually have a thing for Old Man Kirkland, in all his uppity bossiness and…and oldness."
"Fuck off, you ass."
Mr. Kirkland looked just as surprised to see him that morning when it was English class. He didn't, however, point anything out in front of everyone (because he wasn't an immature adolescent with hateful desires to embarrass him to death like Alfred was).
Matthew reddened when Mr. Kirkland looked at him, anyway.
I'm doing this for you, he thought. Because maybe — just maybe — you're worth it.
Mr. Kirkland asked him to stay after class.
"You know it wasn't all just a plan to indebt you, right?" he asked.
"I didn't do this for you," Matthew said immediately, gesturing to all of himself.
"What on earth are you talking about, lad? I meant paying attention today in class. I thought I saw you taking down notes."
"Oh." Matthew's complexion deepened considerably. He seemed to be blushing an awful lot lately. "I didn't want to show up at our da — at our session — empty-handed. Are you accusing me of doing what I'm supposed to, for once?"
"By the gods, I was just surprised. I don't want you to feel obligated to change drastically for me overnight. No matter what, I will not judge you, Matthew." And then he smiled.
Mr. Kirkland had no idea the depths of which Matthew was willing to go for him. If he told Matthew to jump, Matthew would only ask how high.
They ended up at the coffee shop behind the school, sitting across from each other at a four-man table with their books spread haphazardly across it. Mr. Kirkland asked Matthew to start with a few basic exercises. They went through some grammar techniques Matthew had never heard of before, and then he lead him through the first ten pages of Heart of Darkness.
Mr. Kirkland ordered tea for both of them. "I drink about three cups of it every day," he admitted, as though it was something to be embarrassed about.
"I do, too," Matthew blurted, which was untrue. Like he could afford tea. Like he would ever spend what little money he had on hot leaf juice when he could be spending it on new hockey gear (or hot dinners). "Well, maybe only one or two cups. Of tea. I'm a really big fan," he finished lamely.
"Why, Matthew, I never pegged you down as someone who enjoys tea!"
Matthew loved the way Mr. Kirkland said his name.
Their 'date' ended all too soon, and there was a part of Matthew that was disappointed because he'd been expecting more. Exactly what he'd been expecting, he wasn't sure — it wasn't like Mr. Kirkland would have sex with him on their first date — so Matthew wasn't too worried. They set their next 'study date' for just two days after that, and Matthew spent the next morning dreaming non-stop about all the things that could happen between them.
That afternoon in the coffee shop, though, really was the best date of his entire life. Hell, it was the best night of his entire life. Not many people could come into existence so perfectly the way Mr. Kirkland did for Matthew, and not many people could flip another person's entire world around the way Mr. Kirkland did for Matthew. Mr. Kirkland did both.
It was amazing, the things Mr. Kirkland did to him. All his life and never was there another person who would focus their attention on him so fully, or treat him like a genuine human being and not a complete outcast.
It was there, surrounded by the smell of coffee and the sight of well-loved books, that Matthew decided Mr. Kirkland was his. Forever.