Page 91 of Mr. Naughty List
“A few days ago I was wrong.” Lauren took hold of his hand. “Your mom has always scared you, and I hated seeing you like that. Like a whipped dog. But this is different. You’re different. You’reangry, and I’ve never seen that fire in you before. If that’s because of RJ Blitz, our weird emo goth student of yore, then I can only say good on him, and good for you.” She squeezed his fingers. “And go for it. If you want him enough to have grown a spine to have him? Then who am I to stand in the way over a little bit of ‘that’s my former student ick’?”
Aaron snorted. “I don’t know if this is because of him, or if I’m just finally done with her.” He licked his lips, considering. “I guess, in a way, itishim. Because for the first time ever, I’ve had a glimpse of what I could have if I’d just allow myself to open up to it. I probably can’t have it with RJ. Though he’s starting to act like he wants to see where this might go too…” Aaron met his best friend’s gaze, certainty in his gut. “But I could have it with someone. I deserve to have it with someone.”
“You do deserve that, honey.” She kissed his fingers. “I’m proud of you for figuring that out. Really damn proud.” She glanced at her watch. “Now I need to get home. My mom’sDays of Our Livesupdate will be coming in t-minus thirty-six minutes and counting.”
“Ah, and they must have started with the Christmas episodes by now. Who knows what Sami is getting her new lover for Christmas?”
“Speaking of, what are you getting yours?”
Aaron choked. “Fuck me. I don’t know.”
Lauren laughed as they pulled away from the park and headed home.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“What’s going on?”Carter asked defensively as Mom and Doug ushered him into the living room. The little kids were still over at the neighbor’s house. “Why are you here?” he asked RJ with narrowed eyes.
Mom said, “RJ is here because he’s part of this family and apparently part of the problem.”
Carter’s eyes went wide. “There isn’t a problem. I don’t have a problem.”
“But you did on Monday,” Doug said. “When you went to the principal to talk about RJ and your teacher?”
Carter sputtered and looked ready to run out of the room, but Doug put an arm around him and guided him to the sofa, sitting beside him. RJ sat with his mom in the lounge chairs.
Doug assured Carter, “No one’s angry with you, buddy. We just want to know what’s going on. If you’d rather talk to just me and Betsy, we can send RJ upstairs for a while. But we get the impression that maybe clearing the air with RJ would be good for you too.”
Carter stared at RJ, eyes wide and a little terrified.
RJ had no idea why he seemed to spark so much fear in the kid. “Look, I’m not mad at you. And neither is Aaron, er, Mr. Danvers.”
It felt weird using that name outside of the bedroom now, but he plowed on ahead. “Aaron is a good guy, and he understands that discovering we’re…dating…” He winced, and his mom shot him a dagger-filled glance. “Yes, dating,” he said again, more securely. “That had to be awkward for you. Maybe it worried you? About your grades? Or maybe the kids at school finding out? Teasing you?”
“I don’t know,” Carter whispered, still gaping at RJ.
Doug shot Betsy a confused look, and she leaned forward to ask, “What did you say to the principal, honey?”
“I told her that Mr. Danvers was seeing RJ,” he whispered, his eyes sinking from RJ’s face down to the carpet. His cheeks stained red. He looked so young in that moment that RJ’s heart hurt for him. He was just a kid, even if he was broader than Aaron.
“That’s all?” Doug prompted.
“I said it didn’t seem right,” he whispered.
“Because they’re gay?” Mom asked, almost making it sound like it would be all right if he gave that as his answer.
Carter shook his head.
“Then why?” Doug asked, squeezing him securely.
“Because he’s my teacher and RJ is…” Carter swallowed hard.
“RJ is?”
“He’s…” Carter looked up at RJ with shiny eyes and licked his lips. RJ braced himself for something awful. “I don’t know! What do you want me to say?” His voice cracked, and he looked so miserable that RJ went hot and cold all over.
“Hey, it’s okay,” RJ said quietly. “Look, I get it. You don’t know me and yet here I am in your house. Maybe I make you feel awkward or—”
“Stop!” Carter yelled, and Doug looked like he was about to scold him for it, but then Carter went on to say, “It’s embarrassing. I don’t want to talk about it. Stop making me talk about it.”