A/Note: My thanks to all of you who have been posting reviews. I'm glad to see you care about what happens to my characters, I must have done something right. :) In that vein, sorry for all the anxiety. Sorry for the shortish chapter tonight.

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24. The question of J

'Sherlock?'

Sherlock closed his eyes and sighed. He was not in the right mood today after yesterday's fight with John. But once he opened his eyes, he saw Sebastian turning onto the corridor he was in. He was talking to someone and was just about to face forward.

Sherlock turned around with a warm smile.

'Janine, how are you?'

'Um, fine. You?'

'Better now,' he winked for good measure.

She giggled, twirling a strand of hair, 'I was wondering, I know you're very good at Chemistry. That's the only subject I struggle with, my grades haven't been stelar. Could you-' she touched his arm, 'would you help me with that?'

'I'd be delighted. What do you have in mind?'

'Meet me after class perhaps? Maybe we can go to the Library and study?'

Sebastian just walked by, staring at them. He had a strange look on his face, as their eyes met. Sherlock felt that sense of dread again. Suppressing a shiver, he quickly looked back at Janine, smiling.

'Sure. When would be a good time for you?'

'Um. Today?'

Sherlock's heart sank a bit, he had plans with John. But Sebastian had stopped to "tie up his shoe".

'Today would be perfect.'

She smiled and touched his arm again. 'Thanks!'

'You're very welcome.'

...

'Can't meet today,' Sherlock whispered.

'Why not?'

'Later.'

'Oh, stop sulking.'

'Not sulking.'

'You're still mad at me over that?'

Sherlock stared straight ahead as the class started.

...

Well, that wasn't so bad. Janine was smart and had actually asked real questions regarding the different experiments they had performed in class. In the end, it was almost like talking to a fellow chemist. She did not struggle with Chemistry at all.

'So "J" was for Janine?' Sebastian stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

Sherlock sighed. 'I would've thought once you figured it out you would at least have the decency of leaving me alone.'

'I'm disappointed, Sherlock. I thought we could work things out between us.'

'There is nothing that can be worked out between us. Now that you know who J is, please stop trying.'

'Not sure I believe you, though,' he narrowed his eyes. 'She might be after you, but I'm not sure you're into her.'

'Believe whatever you want, Sebastian,' he repeated and walked away.

Sherlock was yanked back by the arm and before he could react Sebastian's face was very close to his. 'I should warn you Sherlock: if you ever try to tell anybody about what happened between us, I will tell the whole school that you and John are shagging.'

'That's not even remotely true.'

'But John wouldn't like that, would he?'

Sherlock kept his mouth shut.

Sebastian smirked. 'Didn't think so.'

...

They met on the following Saturday and everything finally went back to normal between them.

'You should know by now I only have eyes for you, Sherlock. Everybody else fell into a distant past.'

'You're being overly and annoyingly sentimental.'

'Yet, you love hearing it.'

Sherlock inhaled to reply but was silenced by John's lips.

...

A couple of weeks went by. Now and then he talked to Janine and she had asked for his number, so they could "coordinate Chemistry studies". He asked her to sign her texts with "J", so he'd know at a glance when they were from her. She was pleased.

Sebastian did leave him alone, but now and then Sherlock would catch him staring, especially whenever he talked to Janine, and that was more disturbing than being beat up.

...

After the Easter break Sebastian was back to being annoying. Whenever Sherlock was on his own, he would stand on his way and challenge his sexuality again, while his mates laughed and jeered. There was a definite air of defiance about him, in what was clearly a show of how much control he held over Sherlock.

He tried to ignore it, but Sebastian would tease him in a more physical way now. He'd smack or pinch his behind as he walked by, hold his arm and throw insults very close to his face, grab the front of his shirt and rub Sherlock's chin with his thick thumb, or grab him by the nape. He knew what Sebastian was doing and it was disgusting. But he should not react, he had to protect John.

I'll be changing schools next term. Only a few more weeks left.