Once again, it ain't mine, save for the unfamiliar characters and the situations! I would love to own Young Wizards, but I don't think my name is Diane Duane!

Chapter 4: Surprise

The next week or so was surprisingly uneventful—that is, as uneventful as a teenaged wizard's life could get. Tom was beginning to come out of the shell he'd built at school. He talked with people a little more, he smiled more in class; really, he wasn't trying to hide behind silence and his books anymore. His friendship with Carl had strengthened him. The mind-touching communication had also helped. It had gotten more refined. Now both partners could send thoughts to each other and understand the general ideas behind them. They still hadn't figured out how to only send thoughts intentionally, but that would come with time.

Now he was sitting in physics class yet again, listening fondly to the teacher's confident explanation of the kinematics equations. It was comforting, in a way. He knew the material backwards and forwards; all he had to do was let the information wash over him. Tom even closed his eyes and smiled a little.

"Tom, I know you know everything in this lecture, but it's generally polite to stay awake in class," came the dry Mr. Kolibri's voice, interrupting his calm. It did not sound stern or harsh, but the titters from his classmates were unwelcome and embarrassing.

The boy's dark eyes flew open and his brow furrowed the slightest bit. "Yessir," he said resignedly, not bothering to point out that he had been awake and even paying attention. He sank the slightest bit further into his chair.

Mr. Kolibri nodded and continued. Tom sighed. Then he began to feel frustration that wasn't his.

Now is really not the time, he thought to himself, a bit exasperated. But then he realized that he could use this to see if he could look like he was paying attention in class and communicate with Carl at the same time. What is it? he asked, focusing the thoughts like a laser beam in the hopes that the words themselves would get across.

Surprise, a little bit of confusion, apology.

Tom smiled. I'll describe it later, and it's fine. History getting to you again?

Affirmative. A tinge of hope.

He would've burst out laughing if it wouldn't have gotten him in trouble. Instead he twirled his pencil and looked at the board. No, Carl, I can't help you. You have to learn how to be specific.

Intense frustration.

Tom could imagine Carl banging his head on the desk, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep his face still. Later. Pay attention in class. Take what notes you can. This narrow-focus mind-touching was mentally tiring, so he stopped using it and sent vague reassurance instead.

The bell rang suddenly, making him jump in his seat. The students behind him snickered as they packed their bookbags and filed out of the room. Tom was about to do the same, but Mr. Kolibri's voice stopped him: "Stay a minute, Tom."

The boy felt confusion and momentary panic, along with the same thumping heart any adolescent feels when asked to stay behind after class. But he covered it up well and nodded, then realized that the teacher's back was turned towards him, as he was erasing the blackboard. So he murmured a quick "Yes, Mr. Kolibri" instead.

The seconds stretched impossibly. To busy himself he set his bookbag on the desk behind him, then leaned against it. Finally he fidgeted. What was the matter? What had he done?

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Swale," came the physics teacher's voice, louder now that he was facing his student.

Tom studied him to keep his nerves at bay. The man was fairly tall and trim, with light brown hair just starting to turn silver at the temples. Kind and clear brown eyes peered through rounded glasses perched on a fine-boned nose. The lines in his face seemed relatively deep, but it didn't mar his youthful appearance. All in all rather ordinary-looking (and decently attractive, added the more hormonally active area of Tom's brain helpfully). Except for his hands. The hands were long, slender, and expressive, a creator's hands; they were currently smudged with white chalk dust.

"Now, I know this is far from standard school procedure," the man said, breaking his student's concentration and causing him to pause in his observations. "A pity, too; it's a cruel, vicious world in high school. As I'm sure you've found out." A sympathetic half-smile twitched on his lips. Tom nodded in response, mentally wincing at the beating he'd taken earlier that year. "I'm concerned about you. I know how heartless people can be. You're different, Tom, and you've suffered for it. Yes?"

Another nod. Tom could feel his nerves drifting out of him, replaced by more confusion. What was he getting at?

"You remind me of myself when I was your age. Eager to learn, but different. We're more similar than you know." The teacher held his gaze for a moment, then walked to the sink and began to clean the chalk from his hands.

The words caught Tom by surprise, and before he could stop himself... "You're gay?"

Mr. Kolibri looked mildly amused. "Not in the sense you're thinking of, Tom, though I don't blame you for jumping to that conclusion." The boy's ears flushed with embarrassment. The teacher finished washing his hands and pretended not to notice. "I just wanted to offer a willing ear, if you need to talk about anything. Anything at all, cousin."

Tom Swale couldn't help it; once his quick mind had connected the dots that his teacher had set out for him, his jaw dropped. Then he chided himself for looking like a fish and closed his mouth. "Cousin. You're a wizard. I should've known."

In a voice as dry as Tom himself had used on so many occasions, Mr. Kolibri replied, "I'm actually glad you didn't. I'm a physics teacher; I should hope I don't broadcast the fact that I'm a wizard to my students. That could prove problematic." Tom nodded thoughtfully, smiling at the understatement. "But anyway. I just wanted to make sure you were well. I know it's been hard for you, and you have a lot on your mind because there's just a lot in your life. But Grogan seems to be leaving you alone now that you have Carl as a friend."

"How'd you know?"

That got a genuine laugh in response. "Please, Tom, I may be over twice your age, but I'm not blind. I do actually pay attention to what goes on in the halls. If it had gotten any worse I would've interfered," he continued in a more sober tone, "but the school policy is pretty much a 'once they fight it out everyone will know their place and it'll calm down'."

Tom nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Kolibri." He turned to leave at the teacher's nod of permission, then looked over his shoulder. "Oh, sorry about not paying attention in class today. Carl was trying to coerce me into helping him with history from afar."

"You didn't, did you? Not that I could prove he cheated if you did, but..."

The boy chuckled. "Of course not. I'll help him with it later. It's just...mind-touching that specifically is tiring."

Kolibri's eyebrows rose. "You're partners, then?"

"Yeah."

"That's interesting."

"What's interesting about it?"

"Thought he was straight."

It took Tom a moment to figure out what he meant by that, then he spluttered, "No! Wizarding partners!" His face turned red as he remembered making the exact same mistake.

The physics teacher held up a hand, finally free of chalk, and led them to a pair of desks. They sat. "Listen a minute, please. When a wizarding partnership develops, it forms a very close, very loving bond between the two people. Sometimes—not always, mind you, but on occasion—the two members of this partnership end up becoming partners in a more conventional sense." He looked far away, as if he was gazing miles beyond the cinderblock walls.

"Sir?"

"It's a wizarding conversation, call me Rick." The brown eyes were unreadable.

"Um, okay, Rick...can I ask what you're thinking about?"

"It's not a pleasant story."

"I'd like to hear it."

The man shook himself and looked at his left hand. On the ring finger was a slim platinum band set with a tiny emerald. Tom followed his gaze and frowned. His mother had told him that platinum and emeralds were traditional symbols of 20-year anniversaries; however, Mr. Kolibri—Rick, he reminded himself—wore no other rings, and definitely did not look even close to forty years old. Surely he hadn't been married for twenty years? And if so, where was his wedding band?

Rick took a deep, shuddering breath and strove to keep a steady voice. It ended up sounding flat and monotone. It was the same one Tom had used to keep from crying on so many occasions, and he winced. "Mary was my partner. I met her when I was twelve. She was my best friend. We fell in love two years later. The next year, she died."

"Over twenty years ago," Tom whispered, feeling a rush of compassion for his teacher. "Shit...I'm sorry."

"Language, Swale," Kolibri corrected automatically. Then Rick took off the ring and studied it. "You recognized the significance. I'm impressed." A pained expression crossed his face. "I shouldn't have told you that. I apologize. But you would have figured it out anyway."

"What happened?"

There was a painful pause, then Rick looked down at his hands. Instead of answering, he said simply, "You should go. Some other time I might tell you, but not...not now. And Tom—I will not ask you to keep this a secret, but merely use your discretion? Please?"

The boy nodded and rose to his feet, then tentatively put a hand on his fellow wizard's shoulder. When the man did nothing but continue to stare stonily at the band, Tom whispered another "I'm sorry" before exiting the classroom and closing the door silently behind him.

Only then did Rick Kolibri allow his mask to slip. He put his face into those long-fingered, elegant hands, that had last made music or drawn or brushed his beloved girlfriend's hair from her eyes so many years ago, and wept.

I'm so sorry I took so long to update this, everyone. I got stuck somewhere with the situation and didn't know what was going to happen. Then Mr. Kolibri told me that he had to have a tragic past! Go figure, huh?

Well, anyway. As a thank-you for being so patient with me, I am uploading two chapters today. Thank you to my readers and reviewers, your comments really mean a lot to me!