Disclaimer: See initial chapter.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Was feeling like writing was pointless, and work was consuming much of my creativity.
Warning: The F word is used a lot, and in a variety of ways. I spell theatre in this fashion, because that's how I like to spell it. Loose grammar constructs.
Opie held his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees as he waited with Jax in the office for the principal to see them. His mother was going to kill him, no matter that he and Jax were just trying to break up a fight, not make it easier for Trager to pound on that stupid kid - Ortiz?
"Shit," Jax said, and Opie peered at his best friend, since preschool, through his fingers. Tried not to let his mind get caught up in how, even when he was pouting, lips pursed and drawn downward, forehead scrunched, Jax looked completely fuckable.
Gotta stop thinking like that, he warned himself.
Jax was slouching in the chair across from him, long legs stretched out into the middle of the room, crossed at the ankle, arms crossed over his chest, and a scowl fixed in place. He appeared every bit the rebel that many took him for - belligerent and angry at the world. Well, in this case, angry at Mr. Morrow. But, Opie was pretty pissed at the nosy teacher himself, though he knew better than to show it.
"Nice to see you two didn't get lost on your way to the office," Morrow said with a drawl, and Opie averted his gaze from Jax to look at the English teacher who'd just entered the room.
He kicked at Jax's feet, and Jax pulled them back so that Morrow could walk past without tripping over them.
"We didn't do nothing wrong," Jax said.
"Anything. You didn't do anything wrong," Morrow corrected, sighing as he sat down next to Jax, adopting the same posture as the teen, long legs stretched out before him, a long suffering look on his face, as though this pained him as much as it was going to pain them. Opie almost snorted at that.
"Though, from what I saw, there was quite a bit that you and Mr. Winston did that was wrong," Mr. Morrow added, looking from Opie to Jax.
"You weren't there," Jax countered, turning to glare at Morrow, who merely raised an eyebrow in response.
"I know what I saw," Morrow said, settling back in the uncomfortable chair, head resting against the wall, just beneath the bulletin board which was advertising tryouts for the high school musical - Guys and Dolls - that the school's theatre department was producing. Not that Opie was interested in musicals, high school or otherwise, but the advertisement was such a bright, neon pink and green, that it was hard for him to notice anything else. That, and, he was trying to avoid looking at Morrow. Trying to avoid getting caught up in how his body responded to Jax when he was keyed up like that.
"You only saw half of what happened," Jax argued, moving forward as he spoke.
"The half of what I saw was fairly damning," Morrow countered. "You and Winston were holding that kid up while Trager beat on him."
"We don't even know that asshole," Jax said, hand chopping the air between them.
Opie lowered his eyes to the floor, wondering if he could make himself disappear into thin air if he thought hard enough, or if he could get his seriously messed up libido under control.
Disappearance would be preferable to this. He loved Jax, really, and in ways that he had no right to love his best friend, but if Jax didn't shut the fuck up right now, he was going to dig them an even deeper hole.
No one argued with Morrow. At least no one with any sense argued with Morrow.
"Well, Jackson," Morrow said in a bored voice. "You can state your side of the story for the principal, and I'll tell Mr. Unser what I saw. Who do you thinks he's going to believe?"
Opie chanced a look at Jax, part of him wanted to plead with his friend to keep his mouth shut, not to play into Morrow's hand. His friend's hands were fisted and he was still glaring at Morrow, who had an amused look on his face. Jax's jaw was locked so tight that the muscles were jumping, and Opie's stomach did one of those crazy little flip-flops, his mouth dried up, and he had to close his eyes, because all he could think about was kissing his friend silent.
"Sir," Opie said, clearing his voice, and reluctantly opening his eyes, raising his head from his hands. "Honest, we were just trying to stop the fight."
"That's not what I saw," Morrow said, voice matter-of-fact, and Opie wanted to punch him. Not that he'd ever punch a teacher, unless he knew he could get away with it.
Jax shook his head and leaned back in his seat, looking at the ceiling. His nostrils were flaring and his face was turning red, and Opie really didn't like where this was heading, in spite of the dirty thoughts about Jax that his mind was conjuring up.
"Just because you have the hots for my mother," Jax said, biting the words out. "Doesn't mean you can meddle in my think she's going to like you more if you bust me for some shit I didn't even do?"
Morrow laughed, and Opie's gut twisted. "Son, this ain't about your mother. This is about right and wrong."
Jax snorted. "Who are you trying to kid? You don't give a shit about doing what's right and wrong."
There was a small cough, and Opie turned his head. The secretary had her lips pursed and was giving Jax a look of chastisement, as though he'd personally offended her with his words.
Rich, Opie thought, and he looked away, only to find that Jax was looking at him, blue eyes piercing in their intensity.
"The only thing you care about is -"
"Boy, you'd better watch what words come out of your mouth next," Morrow said, leaning forward.
Jax snapped his mouth shut and glared at the carpet. Opie wished that he could do or say something that would make things better for Jax without making things worse. Wished that he could make them both disappear.
"Winston, you got something you want to say?" Morrow asked.
Opie shook his head. "No, sir." He had plenty to say, problem was, it would only get him in trouble, and he knew when to let things slide.
Morrow and his father went way back, except, they weren't friends. Not like Jax's father and Morrow were. Something had happened between the two men, and Opie knew better than to push his luck when it came to dealing with the intimidating English teacher. He tried to avoid him at all costs, which, well, given that he was in Morrow's English class this year, was going to be hard to do.
It would be easier if the man wasn't practically everywhere that he turned. It was like the man was just looking for an excuse to jump on him and Jax, to drive a wedge between them, or maybe to get one or both of them expelled. Or, maybe Jax was right, and Morrow was just looking for a way to get in Mrs. Teller's pants.
Hell, all he was thinking about was how he could get into Jax's pants, though, by Opie's way of thinking it wasn't the same as what Mr. Morrow wanted. Jax wasn't dating anyone. Wasn't hitched or taken. The fact that Jax was, more than likely straight, didn't put as much of a damper on Opie's hormones as he needed it to. Didn't make the wet dreams that he had any drier. Didn't make his heart ache any less.
Pathetic. Abso-fucking-lutely pathetic. Get a fucking grip. Opie forced himself to look at the bulletin board over Morrow's head, because looking at Jax was going to get him into a whole different kind of trouble than he was already in.
Try-outs started next week, not that Opie was going to try out or anything. Not like he was interested in acting, or singing, or making a fool of himself in front of the entire school, and whatever members of the community decided to show up. No, definitely not for him. Hell, he couldn't even keep the fact that he was in love with his best friend a secret from his little sister.
Fuck, he was so damn screwed, he couldn't even distract himself right. Maybe he should try out for the musical, learn how to act so that he could keep what he felt for Jax under wraps.
"Ope, hey, Ope." Jax was standing over him, blue eyes filled with concern, hand hovering just over Opie's shoulder, as though he was about to shake him.
Opie opened his mouth, closed it, and cleared his throat. Blinked his eyes, because Jax was so damn close. Close enough that if he shifted, just a little, their lips would be touching.
"You okay?" Jax's voice was low, the hand that had been hovering over Opie's shoulder was now perched on the outer edge of his jaw, and Opie held his breath as Jax's fingertips brushed along his jawline, making him shiver.
Guys and Dolls, Guys and Dolls, Opie thought frantically, even as he was drawn to the thickness of Jax's eyelashes, and how almost pretty they were.
"Uh, yeah," Opie breathed the words out, throat constricting. "I'm...fine."
"You two lovebirds need a moment here, or can we get this over with?" Morrow was leering at them, a knowing glint in his eyes, and Opie thought he couldn't hate the man any more than he already did. Fuck, but it was going to be a long year.
Reviews are greatly appreciated, and do encourage me to write.