Rapidly tapping his pencil against his notebook, chewing his lower lip out of nerves, Chris debates with himself if this is a smart idea. He weighs the pros and cons of what he's about to do.

There are many pros to this. The big one being that it gets this weight he's been carrying around for the past year and a half off his chest.

The con, of course, being he is more than likely going to make a big fool of himself in front of the one person he desires.

But, in the end, he's been set on doing this for some time now. And he's going to follow through. He's gathering his courage and he's doing this. Nothing is going to stop him. He's fighting through all the nerves he is currently feeling to do this. Hell, he might faint or end up puking, but that won't stop him from saying what he needs to.

Hearing the ring of the bell overhead-officially announcing the end of the school year-Chris smiles at his friend, Linden, before she walks off after he tells her he has something to do. Seeing her eagerness to leave and be done with school for the next two and a half months, he doesn't want to hold her back for longer than need be.

Stuffing his notebook in his backpack and standing up, he places the straps on his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, and clearing his mind, he walks to the front of the room.

Being hopelessly in love with a teacher wasn't something he planned. He's only seventeen and has yet to experience the world. But from the first moment he laid eyes on Mr. Criss all those many months ago, he's been a goner.

The curly hair, the green eyes, the smile that makes him lose all train of thoughts when he smiles towards him. It's a combination of many things, and it all resulted in him falling in love. He knows Darren is almost eleven years older than him; that he might have a boyfriend. Hell, he could be engaged! But Chris doesn't care. He still loves him.

"Hey, Chris," Darren excitedly greets him as he continues to stack and arrange papers in a neat pile. "What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be off with your fellow classmates celebrating the start of summer?"

"I should be. God knows Linden is ecstatic summer is here." He nervously laughs. Twirling a piece of loose thread from his shirt around his finger, he digs up the courage to say what he needs to. "I actually wanted to tell you goodbye. I know you're leaving for New York next week to start your new job."

Chris remembers his heart dropping when Darren informed them a little over a month ago that he was leaving this job for New York. He wanted him here; wanted him where he could see him every day during school. But, be it as it may, it's not his choice to get what he wants.

The only good thing with Darren leaving is that he can confess his feelings without worry of having to see him again.

"Thanks." Darren beams at him, stopping his paper shuffling and giving him all his attention. "I am. I'm excited."

"You were a wonderful teacher, Mr. Criss," Chris tells him.

"Thank you. And call me Darren. I'm not your teacher anymore." Darren places his hands on his hips, tilting his head a bit to the side.

"Well, since you're no longer my teacher, I figure it's safe for me to say this." Chris nervously smiles at Darren as he shuffles his feet.

"Say what?"

"I'm in love with you," Chris just blurts, not wanting to wait another second at keeping his secret. Instantly, he sees the grin fall from Darren's face as he drops his hands from his hips. In his eyes, Chris makes out a mixture of fear, and what he thinks is hope. But he can't be all too sure on that.

"Chris?" Darren says in low, soft voice, sounding like he's unsure of what to say. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, I think I do."

"No, you don't." Darren shakes his head.

"Why, because I'm seventeen? I might be young, but I know how I feel towards you is real."

"What do you expect me to say to that, Chris? Oh, I've harbored feelings for you all this time, as well. I hope you don't expect to hear that."

"I don't expect you to say anything," Chris spits out, anger starting to swim through his veins. This is not how he thought this would go. Yeah, he didn't expect Darren to return his feelings. But, he also didn't expect him to be an asshole about it. "I did this for me. To get this off my chest. I never wanted to hear you say you felt the same."

"Well, good, because I'm not gonna go along with your school-boy crush."

"I'm gonna go. I don't know what I was thinking. Goodbye, Mr. Criss," Chris says in anger and frustration.

Turning and bolting out of the room, he runs down the hall to the door.

"Chris, wait!" he hears Darren yell from behind him.

Ignoring Darren, and forcing himself not to cry, Chris runs outside and stops. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he spots Linden leaning against her car parked next to his. Going over, he does everything to forget what happened; he pushes away the feelings of heartache so Linden doesn't ask what's wrong.

"You ready to leave this all behind for the next two and a half months?" Linden asks when he stops in front of his car.

"Yes." Unlocking his car, he climbs behind the wheel and starts the car. Chris feels as a single tear rolls down his face. In front of him, walking outside, he sees as Darren spots him. But refusing to acknowledge him, he drives away. "Yes," he whispers to himself as he drives away from the person who just broke his heart.

After revealing to Darren how he felt about him, and subsequently fleeing out of his classroom after their...fight (he figures that's the best word for it), Chris spends his summer vacation forgetting it ever happened.

He hangs out with Linden most of the time.

They do typical things like go to the movies, hang out at the mall, stay nights at each other's homes, and all other stuff. It's a summer of being teenagers and having fun.

It's what he needs. He needed time to get over what happened. He needed away from the pain he felt. Spending that first week of summer locked away in his room crying into his pillow was relieving, but he didn't want to spend his summer feeling pathetic. So after that week, all he gave himself to get over the pain, he pulled himself together and moved on.

If Linden ever wondered what went on that first week, she never questions him on it. He's grateful to her about that. Grateful she gave him the space he needed without having to ask her.

Afterwards, they spend the rest of summer practically glued to the other's hip. And he has fun. He's carefree.

But the end of summer comes too fast; and before he knows it the first day of his last year of high school sneaks up on him.

He hates first days of school. Body still set on summer vacation time, and wanting to go back home and sleep, he groans as he drops his forehead to his new locker; hearing a small bang ring out at the contact.

"Hey, Lin," he softly gripes, wondering who she bribed to get their lockers next to each other. "Do me a favor and shoot me. Spare me the misery of another school year."

"No can do, Chris," Linden says with a voice too bubbly for eight o'clock in the morning. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her apply some chapstick. "It's our senior year. Time to have fun."

"Fun? We have fun," he replies, turning to her. "We have lots of fun."

"I mean besides talk shit about other students." Linden arches an eyebrow at him.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Chris cheekily responds, grinning at her. He lifts his head from the locker. "So, what does fun...mean? Include?"

"I'm not entirely sure about that, yet. But when I figure it out, I'll tell you." Seeing Linden close her locker and lift her bag strap over her shoulder, Chris loops his arm through her offered one. "Come on, we'll be late for English."

Walking down the crowded hallway, ignoring the glares and comments thrown his way, he counts the days until the end of the school year. "How did you manage to get us in three classes together?" he asks as they turn a corner and walk down the hall to their classroom.

"I have my ways," Linden replies with a grin.

"Whatever you say." Chris chuckles. Walking into his English class, not really in the mood for the start of classes, he stops dead in his tracks at who stands at the front of the room. His laughter immediately dies on his lips.

Looking cute as ever, Darren wears jeans and a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Glasses sitting perched on his nose make him even sexier.

This is like a nightmare come to life. This can't be happening to him. Never in a million years did he think he would see Darren again. He doesn't get it. Doesn't understand why he's here when he should be in New York.

Why?

"Linden? You know how I jokingly asked you to shoot me?" As Chris talks, he keeps his attention on Darren as he continues to read the papers in his hand. He hears Linden reply with a yeah. "This time I'm not joking. Shoot me."

"What?" Linden asks confused.

Quickly taking a seat at the back of the class; and sitting behind a guy much bigger than him so he can be hidden. Dropping his forehead to the top of the desk, realizing he needs to stop doing that if he doesn't want a headache, he wonders who he pissed off to have this happen to him.

"Alright, class," Darren says with a voice loud enough to be heard over the students talking after the bell rings. "I'll take attendance and then talk about the elephant in the room."

Chris cowers and hides, listening as Darren calls the names before him. Hearing him call Linden's name, then John's, he knows his name is next.

"Ch-" He hears Darren clear his throat. "Chris?"

Maybe if he shuts his eyes and wishes hard enough, he'll wake up from this terrible nightmare. Maybe this will all go away.

"Chris?" Darren calls again.

He opens his eyes. "Damn, still here," he mutters under his breath. Linden gives him a confused look. "Here." He raises his arm to show where he is.

After that, Darren finishes taking attendance. "Okay," he says. "You're all probably wondering the same thing."

A collective of "Yeahs" ring out in the room.

"Well, New York was a bust. Turns out that wasn't for me. What I wanted is here."

Chris rolls his eyes at where his head is still on the desk. He doesn't understand why Darren just doesn't say he was fired or something? Not that it wasn't for him. New York is for everybody looking to get out of here. So, it most definitely was for him.

Staying hidden behind the boy that sits in front of him, Chris spends the rest of the class with his head on his desk avoiding looking up at Darren.

When the bell rings signaling the end of class, he's bolting up and quickly exiting the room as fast as he can.

"Hey, Chris," Darren says to catch his attention as he hurriedly leaves.

"Bye, Mr. Criss," Chris mumbles over his shoulder.

Going to his locker, and throwing it open a bit more forcefully than he means to, Chris shoves his book in his locker.

"You know Mr. Criss kept looking at you," Linden says next to him as she grabs her Physics text book.

"What?!" Chris looks at her like she just something in a different language.

"Yeah." She nods her head and zips up her backpack. "He kept looking at you. Like...a lot. It looked like he wanted to tell you something. Why would he be doing that?" Linden is quiet for a few seconds, Chris noticing as she thinks something over. "What happened that last day of school a few months ago? I remember you staying after, and I'm assuming you talked to him. What did you two say?"

Chris freezes as Linden's question. He knows he can't tell her the truth. So, he decides it's best to not tell her anything. "Trust me," he mumbles as he slams his locker shut. "You don't want to know." Seeing the look of curiosity on Linden's face, Chris knows it's best if just walked away right now. "Look. I gotta go. Don't want to be late for Calculus. See you at lunch?"

"Definitely," Linden replies, nodding her head.

"Okay."

Walking away, Chris hopes with Darren back it doesn't create an unneeded tension between them. He hopes this year can go smoothly without problems.

For the first few days, he believes that's what's going to happen.

He manages to avoid Darren at all costs. Always arriving to class a few seconds before the bell rings, and always one of the first ones out of the room at the end of class, he manages to go the first two weeks of barely muttering a few words to him. And when he does talk it's because Darren calls on him during class for an answer.

That is, until, Darren changes things.

"Okay, class," Darren calls out after the bell rings Monday morning, leaning back against his desk. "I need an assistant for the year. I did this last year, as well. I'm asking you guys because you are seniors, just like my assistant last year. You'll just be helping me out by grading papers and nothing much else."

Chris remembers that. Recalls the girl, Kelsey, he thinks her name was, sitting with Darren the one day out of the week grading papers. He remembers being jealous of her. She got to be alone with Darren. It was all he ever wanted, and he found himself wishing it was him sitting in his classroom grading papers.

But now...He's not so sure. Writing a ten thousand page paper on a subject he hates sounds more appealing than that.

Around him, though, he hears as other students get excited at getting the chance to be Darren's assistant. He notices a few girls get a bit too excited at the idea. It's then he remembers that he's not the only one with a crush on teacher.

He's noticed over the years the way some of the girls have looked at Darren. It was almost like he was a bowl of milk and they were the hungry cats. He knows the look because he's positive he sported it a few times. But not anymore. He's keeping that under control. Darren is just another teacher to him. Nothing more.

"So, if you like to help me out," Darren says as he picks up a stack of papers from his desk, "grab one of these and fill it out. I'll announce who I've picked on Friday. Also, whomever I choose, know I will be giving them extra credit for this."

When the bell rings forty minutes later, Chris lingers long enough to see pretty much every girl grab a form to fill out, hopeful smiles on their faces. He also sees a few guys grab one. Rolling his eyes, he slings the strap of his bag across his chest and starts to walk out of the class. It's none of his business who grabs a form; he's not going to get jealous over the person who gets picked.

"Chris?" Darren suddenly calls his name.

Turning around, he lets out an annoyed sigh as he looks at Darren. "Yes?" he uninterestedly asks.

"You're not going to grab a form?" Darren stands up and grabs a single paper from the stack on his desk, stepping towards him.

"Do I have to?" Chris watches as Darren holds out the paper to him.

"No." Darren shakes his head. "But you might change your mind."

"I'm positive I won't."

"Take it. Just in case." Darren holds out his hand more.

Taking the piece of paper Chris turns on his heel and heads for the door. Stopping and looking over his shoulder, seeing Darren watching him, he crumples up the paper and drops it in the trash. Walking away, he lets out a small, frustrated sigh; he kind of wished he didn't just do that.

Dropping his last night's homework on top of the pile on Darren's desk, Chris ignores the smile he gives him. Even though he does his best to ignore him, he can't ignore how his heart flutters in his chest at the small, simple gesture.

Walking to his desk, he sits down and smiles at Linden, letting out a small laugh when he finds her reading Atonement.

"Nice book choice," he comments.

Linden looks at him and shrugs her shoulders. "It's good. The whole tragic love story is sad. But I'm enjoying it."

"Fucking Briony," Chris says.

"Fucking Briony," Linden repeats.

They both start laughing, ignoring the snide remarks the other students tell them.

"All right, class," Darren announces after the bell rings. "I'm guess you want to know who I've chosen."

A reply of yeahs is heard from the students.

Lying his head down on his folded arms on the table, Chris closes his eyes and starts to feel himself drift off to sleep. He couldn't care less about the person that was picked. All he cares about right now is this school day ending.

"Alright. Congrats, Chris," Darren announces. "You're my new assistant for the year."

Chris throws his eyes open and sits there in shock for a second. For awhile he can't think of anything. And when he does, all he can think is "That asshole!" and "Yes!" at the same time; although the yes is drowned out more by the other thought.

He can't believe he did this.

Thinking about it, now, he figures the whole thing was rigged from the beginning. He assumes Darren just wanted to appear to be giving the other students the hope of getting picked. It was never going to happen. He had him picked from even before he announced this to the class. It's probably the main reason he wanted him to fill out a form, so he could choose him.

But he doesn't understand why.

"Hey, Chris, congrats." Linden gives him a playful shove on his shoulder when he sits up.

Ignoring the glares some of the girls throw him, Chris looks at Darren standing proud in the front of the classroom.

"Thanks." He finally manages to mumble to Linden after dropping his head to his desk with a small thunk.

Pissed for the rest of the class period, wanting the class to be over and gone for the weekend, he is relieved when the bell rings forty-five minutes later.

Grabbing his stuff, he starts to head out of the room. But he's stopped by Darren calling his name. "What?" he says angered and annoyed.

He can't believe Darren is doing this to him. Putting him through the embarrassment of being alone with him after what happened. It sucks. Right now, he wants nothing more than to go on avoiding Darren like he's been doing. And being alone with him for thirty minutes is something that he is going to dread.

"I'll see you Wednesday during lunch. Okay?" Darren tries to say in a comforting voice.

"Whatever." Chris turns and walks away, biting his lower lip to hold in the scream of frustration he wants to release.

Sitting half-way up the bleachers, half-heartedly eating his fries, Chris pays little attention as Linden ogles and talks about Matthew Avery down on the football field. He watches him for a few seconds; watches as he tosses a football back and forth between guys on the football team with him.

Watching him, Chris gets it. He's hot. Fit body, short, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a smile to knock them dead, he understands why Linden could find him attractive. Besides being the quarterback, he's mister popular around school. He's, personally, never talked to the dude-sees no reason why he should. But looking at the look of pure want in Linden's eyes, he figures he should give her a little nudge.

"You should go talk to him." He sets his fries down, no longer hungry.

"You're crazy." Linden snorts as she eats a fry. "He has no clue who I am."

"That doesn't mean anything. You never know, you two could hit it off." Chris tries to sound encouraging, giving Linden a small nudge to her shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure we wouldn't," Linden replies in a defeated sigh. "Besides, I think he has his eye on Johanna Staceson."

"That bimbo!" Chris exclaims. "You're so much better than her. And way prettier."

"Thanks. But, let's drop it." Linden leans back on the row of bleachers behind her, and lifting her legs and crossing her ankles on the row in front of her. "Besides, we should be talking about the fact that you're here when you should be in Mr. Criss' room right now."

"I'd rather not, thank you very much." Chris lets out a huff of breath, not in the mood to talk about the fact that he's here and not there.

"Why don't you want to be there?" Linden drops her feet and sits up, facing him.

"I just don't want to," Chris gripes. "He's not my favorite person in the world right now."

"What happened the last day of school?" Linden seriously asks again.

"Nothing." Standing up, Chris grabs his bag and places the strap over his shoulder. "I'm going. Bell is about to ring."

"Why won't you tell me, Chris?" Linden says as she follows him down the bleachers.

"Because there is nothing to tell," Chris replies, turning to face Linden when he reaches the bottom of the bleachers. "Nothing happened. Not a damn thing!"

"Why are you mad and yelling at me?" Chris sees the slight hurt filling Linden's chocolate colored eyes, and he feels like an asshole.

"Because," he sighs, "it's embarrassing what did happen."

"What happened?"

Linden is his best friend; he trusts her more than anything. That's why he decides to tell her what happened.

Plopping down on the first row of the bleachers, Linden sitting down next to him, he tells her everything. He tells her about how he feels, telling Darren, and how he reacted. He even tells her about being picked to be his helper when he didn't sign up for it.

"Wow!" It's the only thing Linden says after he finishes talking.

"Thanks for the support," Chris jokes, letting out a forced laugh.

"I'm sorry." Linden wraps an arm around his waist and gives him a comforting squeeze. "It's just that...It's all so crazy."

"I know." Chris nods his head in agreement. A few yards in front of them, Matthew catches the football one of his friends throws him. He's not sure if he's noticing things, but he swears he sees him look to Linden and smile. "Anyways," he says, going back to the subject on hand, "I'm not really up to being alone with him right now."

"Why do you think he picked you?" Linden questions with curiosity. "Maybe he does like you. Oh, my God! Could you imagine if that were the case and you two hooked up? Scandalous!"

"Aren't you supposed to talk me out of possibly ruining a man's life if that were to happen?" Chris chuckles; not all surprised by Linden's thoughts. "Besides, he made it pretty clear he doesn't see me as nothing more than his student."

"If it were to happen, though, hypothetically, let's just say...I'd pay to see the two of you make out."

"I'm not sure how I should take that," Chris says slightly confused.

"Hot," Linden whispers to herself with a far off look in her eyes; Chris knows she's imaging Darren and him making out.

Letting out a chuckle, he wishes Linden's imagination was his reality. But, as it, it's not.

Standing up, taking Linden with him, he links his arm through hers as they walk back to class.

"Seriously...Hot!" Linden grins at him and arches an eyebrow.

It's the first time he's early to class.

Walking into the room, finding only Darren inside sitting at his desk, Chris goes over to his desk. Dropping his bag to the floor and sitting down, he pulls out his phone and slumps some in his seat. Opening a game on his phone, he plays to avoid Darren.

Looking up when someone clears their throat, Chris finds Darren standing over him.

He might not like him very much at the moment, but that doesn't stop Chris from coming up short of breath when he looks at him. He's gorgeous, and Chris knows he'll always see him as that.

"Yes?" Chris says, managing to sound annoyed.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Darren asks as he sits down in the desk in front of Chris, twisting to face him, arms crossed over the back of the seat.

"I guess so." Chris closes the game he was playing and places his phone on his desk.

"Where were you yesterday during lunch?"

"Eating lunch," Chris replies with snark.

"Why didn't you come to my classroom?"

"Was I supposed to?" Chris picks up his phone when Linden sends him a text saying she has something exciting to tell him; he acts like he doesn't know what Darren was talking about.

"You know you were supposed to come." As Darren talks, Chris sees as students start to trickle into the room.

"I didn't think it was mandatory," Chris tells him. "So I didn't come."

"It's not mandatory. But I would appreciate it if you showed up. So, I expect to see you during lunch next Wednesday," Darren says in a bit of a stern voice.

"Whatever." Chris rolls his eyes and watches him stand up and walk away when the kid whose desk he sits at walks into the room.

Noticing Linden walk into the room looking a little too happy, cup of coffee in her hand, Chris can see she has a bit of a bounce in her step.

"So, what's the great news?" he asks when she sits down.

"Guess who talked to me?" Linden giddily says.

"Who?"

"Matthew," Linden says with a bit of a squeal, wide grin on her face.

"Bullshit!" Chris is just as shocked as Linden. "What'd he say?"

Listening to Linden as she tells him about running into Matthew while getting coffee, he ignores Darren as he starts to teach. He smiles as she goes on and on about them just talking about nothing. But she sounds upset when she tells him he had to leave because Johanna was waiting for him in his car.

"Are they even together?" Chris questions.

"I don't know. I think so." Linden lets out a defeated sounding sigh, shrugging her shoulders. "At least he talked to me."

"Yeah." Chris nods his head.

Walking out at the end of class, Chris goes back when Darren calls his name. Stopping in front of his desk, he places his hands on his hips and arches his eyebrow. "Yes?" he says sounding annoyed.

"I'd really appreciate it if you paid attention in class," Darren chastises him. "Talking to Linden and playing games on your phone is not something you should be doing. I've asked around to your other teachers, and they tell me you are a perfect student. I'd like it if you were like that in my classroom."

"Fine, Mr. Criss," Chris sees the little jerk that goes through Darren at the name, "I'll be a perfect student. I'll be whatever you want." Forcing a fake smile, he turns on his heel and walks out of the room.

Gripping the strap of his bag so tight his knuckles turn white, he thinks about how he still wishes to be so much more than Darren's student.

Plopping down in his desk he sits at when he's in this class, noticing Darren isn't here he places his backpack on the desk and uses it as a pillow. Eyes starting to close, thinking he might get in some sleep, he groans when he hears the door close. Without lifting his head, Chris knows who it is.

"Come sit by my desk, Chris," Darren tells him in a calm, neutral voice.

Chris hears the drag of the chair against the floor as Darren pulls it out. Not moving, he ponders how much trouble he would get in if he just bolted right now.

He doesn't want to be here alone in this room with Darren. The only reason he puts up going to his class every morning is because he has to. If he had it his way, he would never step foot in this classroom, or see Darren, again.

Over the summer months, instead of being heartbroken over Darren leaving, which he was, don't get him wrong, he also started to loath the man he loves. After how he treated him after the confrontation in which he told him the truth, he wanted nothing more to do with him. He was glad he was out of his life for good.

But even that, how Darren acted and what he said to him, didn't stop him from having these feelings for him. He tried to stop. Tried to tell himself it was nothing. It was just a "stupid school-boy crush" as Darren called it. But he knew the truth. Knew it in the way he still came up short of breath at just the mere sight of Darren. How his heart would stop at that one half-smile he would wear that drives him crazy. How he couldn't hate him even though he should.

He might be seventeen, but he's pretty positive he is most definitely head over heels in love with his English teacher, and there is no changing that no matter how hard he tries.

"Chris!" Darren says a bit more sternly. "I told you something."

"And I heard you." Chris keeps his head on his backpack.

"How about you listen to me."

Letting out an annoyed groan and lifting his head, Chris stands up and grabs his bag. Walking to Darren's desk, he plops down in the chair next to it that faces the board. Holding his backpack in his lap, arms tightly wrapped around it, he keeps his eyes trained on the dry-erase board. Still written on it are lessons from previous classes. Out of his peripheral vision, he can see as Darren starts to pull out stacks of paper.

"Why am I here?" he grumpily asks as he drops his head back, now staring at the ceiling.

"You know why you're here."

"No, I don't. I have no clue why I'm here, considering I never even signed up to be your little assistant." Chris lifts his head and stares straight into Darren's eyes. "So, tell me why you choose me for something I didn't sign up for?"

Darren lets out a small huff of breath. "It's the only way I could think to get you alone," he admits.

"Why'd you need to do that?"

"I need to apologize for how I acted the last time we were alone." Darren carefully nudges the orange he sat down on his desk. Watching as it rolls up an inch and back to him, Chris can feel a fresh wave of embarrassment take over him at Darren bringing up their last time together. "I was rude, and out of line in some of the things I said. I shouldn't have treated you like that after you bravely did that. So, I'm sorry."

Chris sits there a bit dumbstruck. Is Darren being for real right now? There is no possible way this is happening. He never expected to have his teacher apologizing to him; but he has to admit it feels good to have Darren saying what he said. "Why do you think what I did was brave?" he asks as he drops his bag to the floor.

"Do you accept my apology?"

"Yeah," he nods his head; he figures it's time to forgive and forget, "but why do you think I was brave? I made a big fool out of myself."

"Not many people would have the courage to do what you did, Chris." Chris finds a cool shiver running through him at the way Darren says his name; voice sounding like how soft silk skimming over bare skin feels. "God knows I wouldn't have been brave enough."

Seeing a hint of regret quickly flash across Darren's eyes, Chris wonders what that is in relation to. "Who didn't you tell?" He knows there has to be someone Darren kept from telling his true feelings if he said that.

"That," Darren says, "is none of your business."

"What was his name? Can I ask that?" Chris sees Darren look at him with wide eyes filled with shock and surprise. He figures Darren wants to know how he knows about his secret he keeps from people at school. "I heard you talking, quite angrily and loudly, I might add, with who I can safely assume is your ex."

"How do you know it wasn't a girl?"

"Because I'm pretty sure she would have changed her name from Jacob." Chris holds Darren's stare. A few seconds later he starts to laugh when Darren lets out a loud chuckle.

"You caught me," Darren admits with a small laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't tell."

"Thanks."

"So, you gonna tell me his name? The name of the guy you didn't tell how you felt."

"That's still none of your business," Darren informs him.

"Don't worry. I'll get you to tell me. I love a challenge." Chris grins at him to show him he is being serious.

"Well, while you do that," Darren starts off, pushing a pile of papers toward him. "Help me grade these."

"Yes, sir," Chris says in a fake serious voice, laughing when Darren shakes his head in amusement.