Chapter 6: First Monday back at School

Simon walked into his house at about 9:55 PM. He cut it extremely close on curfew. His Dad, kid, you cut it close on your school night curfew. I know, Simon said in reply to his Dad's voice. How was dinner? His mom asked. Absolutely excellent, although I am completely overstuffed. Your eyes are biggest than your Stomach again, Simon? Ask his Dad, laughing. No, I figured it would be the case, Dad. Maya Bram's mom made excellent soul food for dinner. Jack and Emily had puzzled looks on their face at the answer? Simon answered the question it's specific to southern black culture. A lot of people know it as comfort food. The kind that sticks to your ribs, Dad replied. For a moment, Simon thought about his Dad's reply and said yeah, Dad, that makes sense. I will head off to bed tonight, Simon said, yawning. Okay, get a good night's sleep, sweetie. It's back to school tomorrow, his mom responded as he had it up to his room. Getting comfortable in his bed in his boxers, he texted Bram Good night, my sweet love you, and I'll see you in the morning. Bram texted back. Sleep well, my love. See you in the morning.

Simon's alarm Clock went off at 6:00 AM. It seemed he had just close his eye, and it was time to get up and ready for school. Still unsure of what today would bring, he heads off to get ready for school, texting Bram as he walks to the bathroom. I'll pick you up at 7:30 AM Love. Okay, Bram texted back. See you soon, my love. On all school days, breakfast was simple, just iced coffee. Emily always complained that Simon never ate anything for breakfast on a school morning. He headed out the door, ignoring her complaint as usual, jumping in his car, throwing the morning playlist on, and heading off first to pick up Nick. Who and his usual morning greeting, I had the craziest dream last his usual, to which Simon gave the standard reply. You have the craziest dream every night. Backing out of Nick's driveway straight into Leah's driveway, has live across the street from each other. Nick starts right in on his dream last. Nick, we have a rule no dream analysis before coffee. Not he follows the rule.

The next stop was the caffeine factory, their favorite coffee shop today was 5 iced coffee, 2 with milk. Abby was next to hop in the car. I am figuratively dying, she said to Nick as he handed her coffee every morning. The last stop was Bram Leah hopped out of the front seat and joined Nick and Abby in the back seat. The Last was now the most important. Bram hops in the car and gives a nice good morning kiss to Simon, passing a shared breath with it. Watching Leah, Nick, and Abby smile show the shared breath and wonder at it. Nick again starts on this crazy dream last. Simon rolled his eyes and looked at Bram's welcome dream analysis. Nick has the craziest dream every night. Bram smiles and laughs at his boyfriend. I get to hear the craziest dream each day now. Yup, and we throw our own analysis of the dream each morning. Add you if you want to. Said Simon, Leah, and Abby together.

Pulling a parking space at school, Simon and Bram take a deep breath. They look at each with love burning intensity within their eyes. Leah, Abby, and Nick hop out of the car, thinking they need a moment alone. Walking up to the school Abby and Nick commented on Simon and Bram being with them in the car, seeing the kissing that morning, and the look was just like, Wow! Leah simply smiled at their wounder. Leah, you know something about their relationship. Nick said, catching the smile. Yes, Nick, I do. Simon and I talked about it on Saturday evening. They are not ready to tell you and Abby. They will, in time, trust that. Abby and Nick nodded and said, Okay, we get it. The thing people don't know about Abby and I. Leah, I know Abby told me. I have told Simon, said Nick. At some point, all the friends need to do a good game of truth or truth. Leah had that thought in her head for a few weeks. In fact, it may make for a good waffle house carb gorge one night.

However, there was something nobody knew about Leah. All the time Martin had been trying to win Abby, they had talked so much, and she and Martin had so much in common. She had started to like him and develop feelings for Martin as they had so much in common. The feeling had become more intense for Martin over the winter break. #This was a problem as Martin had so deeply hurt Simon and Bram.

All of them walk into school together. Many still congratulate Simon and Bram. As well as the vice principal and the drama teacher. The first-period class was different for all of them. The rest of their six classes shared in common. Garrett greeted Bram in the hallway before the first class; the only class together was weightlifting. In an antagonistic voice, he said hello to Bram, giving Simon an egghead fourth-grader look in Simon's mind, which is boyfriend notice. Nick also noticed the very egghead look from Garrett and kind of wanted to punch him right then and there as it was incredibly disrespectful toward his best friend and also his best friend's boyfriend. Simon returns the look of your an idiot, and you know. First-period bell rang each of them headed off to their classes, and Nick mouthed to Simon I'll keep an eye on him Simon nodded his head. Weight class went relatively smoothly except for the antagonistic tone toward Bram from Garrett, which was annoying because they were workout partners in class. Several other students reminded Garrett that Bram could bench more than he could and had always been able to. Garrett didn't appreciate it, but it did lighten up his antagonistic attitude. Cleaning up in the shower was not awkward for anyone. No one cared that Bram was now with Simon. This was relieving for Bram, as he had showered with all guys for years naked. He was self-conscious due to him coming out and being with Simon now.

Heading back from weightlifting class, Nick and Bram had a quiet conversation. Nick asked why Garrett, his best friend, had been antagonistic this morning. Bram told Nick I am actually very submissive in the bedroom with Simon. Garrett has huge issues with this fact. Bram was a little unsure of saying this to Nick. Nick smiles. That's okay. It is part of you and Simon's relationship. This relieves Bram, and he would tell Simon as they were about to meet up in the AP advanced wing of the school.

Abby's first-morning class was a service class where she worked with High school students who were very intellectually disabled. Most of them were only about five years old. She took this class because it was part of her dream of college.

Leah's first class was not in the AP advanced wing but was the highest AP art class in drawing and graphic design. Her teacher loved her art style, but it didn't always improve as most of her style was slasher psycho, slightly disturbing killer art. She was still the best artist in the class.

Simon's first class of the day was advanced anatomy, solely geared for people interested in going into premed study and on to medical school.

All of them met in the hallway of the advanced AP. Their shared classes are Physics, Chemistry, Statistics/Trigonometry, Calculus, English Composition, and a Data Analyze class for a small local company in the area. Analyze the easiest of their advanced AP classes; however, the rest of them were quite tedious even to them being seniors now and would be overwhelming in its homework to any other student outside of the advanced AP students.

They met in the hallway, and Bram whispered in Simon's ear. Garrett was very antagonistic, and he had told Nick about why and that Nick was completely okay. Simon whispered back then why don't we just tell everybody? No one's going to have a problem anyways. Again in their decision to develop shared breath. Abby cleared her throat. Thinking about it was a little racy, even for their secluded hallway. Simon looked at Abby and said it shared breath, something we discovered yesterday, in a mocking voice. Bram added, by the way, I'm completely submissive and me and Simon's relationship. The reaction was that's what Leah knew about Simon and Bram. Besides that, Nick had only commented that Garrett was antagonistic, which Simon didn't like, and Bram admitted also was very annoying.

Only at lunchtime did they have to deal with Garrett again. He never possessed the intelligence to get into begin or AP classes in freshman year. Leah has debated her feelings about Martin and how to approach it throughout art class. She decided she would just bring it up at lunchtime. It would shock them. Leah knew friends loved her, and they would give her good advice on what to do. After statistics/trigonometry, it was lunchtime. Normally Garrett sat with them. However, today he cold shoulder them in a completely obvious way. In fact, there were whispers at other lunch tables about Garrett's behavior. Most people guessed it was jealousy over his best friend now having a boyfriend, and Garrett had never been able to keep a girl for more than six months. On the cold shoulder, Garrett was antagonistic at Simon in a clipped statement to much homework in your advanced AP classes today, all work and no play. Simon bit his tongue, which surprised everyone. Normally, he would have given a snarky and stinging answer to make anybody else look like an idiot. Everyone knew that was about respecting his boyfriend's best friend no matter how out of character it was for Simon.

Leah cleared her throat and said, " Guys, I have feelings for Martin. There was a little bit of shock from everyone. Simon was the first to speak. To be honest, the whole time Martin blackmailed me trying to win Abby, you were talking to him so much because of everything you have in common this doesn't surprise me. Bram nod in agreement. Nick was more hesitant but also said Leah Simons was right. Abby said everyone's right here. He was so focused on winning me that he missed everything you two commented on. Leah knew there would be a shock; however, good advice to follow. Leah's next question is, what do I want to ask him out? What if he doesn't feel the same about me. As unpleasant as Martin's blackmailing, Simon had to play a bit of a matchmaker and learned something useful. Leah asked him to go to the caffeine factory, bring up everything you and he talked about, and let it unfold naturally, Simon stated. Abby added Simons was right. Also, looking at Simon and you obviously learned a little bit about matchmaking and being blackmailed. Simon nodded his head in agreement. Abby turned and looked at Leah and said he missed how much you guys have in common because he was hyper-fixated on me. Leah said okay, I can do that. Data analysis ends the day. Never homework from it. It was practice analyzing different data sets, numbers, statistics, and what have you. It was more of a vocational class in all advanced AP students' minds.

Martin was at his locker packing his book bag to go home for the day. Martin saw Leah approaching him with a casual smile; however, in his mind, he thought oh shit, she's got something horrible to say to me. Looking back, Leah realized this smile had the resting bitch to it. When she got to Martin, she simply said would you like to go to coffee at the caffeine factory with me. Martin's jaw dropped in complete surprise. Over the winter break, he realized how much he and Leah had in common. He smiled and said that would be great, which relieved Leah. Heading out of the school together, Martin offered to drive, which was fine with her. In the friend's group chat, she texted that she had gone off for coffee with Martin. Everyone said to text us later on about how it goes. In a voice of surprise, Martin asked how your friend's group be supporting us going to coffee given what I did. Leah smiled and said they encouraged me to ask. We have a lot in common. Martin could only nod his head in agreement with that statement.