“…And then I told him if he just wanted me to sit across from him and look pretty he should have taken me to a much nicer restaurant.”

Kelsey nodded enthusiastically at Reva just as she had done the entire walk from Building 2 to the Lambency Boardwalk. She occasionally interjected with an “are you serious?” or a “damn” to make sure her friend knew that she was rapt in her story. Kelsey knew Reva didn’t believe her explanation of what happened to her hands. How did you get rope burn, Kelsey? Who even gets rope burn? And her fumbling description of a rope that had been banging outside her bedroom wall during the storm last night and her trying to secure it was pretty lackluster. So Kelsey needed to distract her and the one, surefire way to keep Reva talking was to ask her about boys.

“Here let me get the door,” Reva said as they approached Perkatory: Coffee and Tea, Lambency’s best (and only) coffee shop. “How did you hurt your hands again?”

Kelsey rolled her eyes as she entered, looking over her shoulder at Reva as she said, “I told you–“ but her words cut off when she saw Reva’s dark eyes dancing, riveted to the back corner of the shop. Kelsey followed her gaze and found Mr. Danvers sitting in the back booth, reading a newspaper with a coffee cup and a half eaten bagel in front of him. Kelsey’s cheeks immediately reddened when he looked up and his eyes met hers. She gave a spastic wave, immediately regretting it but he responded with that tight smile of his and flexed his wrist in an imitation of a wave before going back to his paper.

“You two are getting quite cozy,” Reva teased as she nudged past Kelsey so she was out of the doorway.

“No, we aren’t,” Kelsey insisted and Reva turned to look at her with an eyebrow raised. “That’s how rumors get started, Reva,” she added and Reva snorted

“Please, as if half the senior girls haven’t started one about him themselves.”

“What?” Kelsey said walking forward to get in line behind Brittany Evans who was ordering a Frappuccino. “Aren’t you getting anything?” She asked when Reva didn’t follow.

“I’ll wait,” she chirped, looking around the coffee house expectantly and Kelsey rolled her eyes.

Kelsey didn’t even have to order, just walked up to the counter and handed Jason her money and he handed her a to-go cup. Everybody knowing your business in a small town like Lambency had very few perks but this was one of them. She sidled back over to Reva, holding her cup gingerly between both hands, the warmth through the bandages soothing plus she was having trouble gripping items single-handedly these days.

“Seriously, Kels do you expect anyone to believe that weak ass story about a rope outside your bedroom?” Reva asked as they watched more people file in, every face familiar whether they were town folks or students they went to school with.

“Uh yeah because that’s what happened,” Kelsey replied and Reva gave her a disbelieving look before returning her gaze to the door, which continued to open and close with regularity as the morning coffee crowd shuffled through.

Kelsey checked her watch and while doing so, chanced a look over her shoulder. Mr. Danvers’ eyes flitted back down to his paper the instant her eyes found him. Kelsey faced front again, feeling her cheeks burn and a wide smile tried to pull itself across her face. She smothered it with her hand.

“You’ve always been a terrible liar,” Reva said, tapping her foot now and Kelsey scowled at her, catching movement from the back booth out of the corner of her eye.

“Just how long are we going to wait here anyway?” Kelsey asked and Reva smiled widely as Ryan Shepcut walked in. He smiled back.

“Hey Reva. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” he asked and Reva beamed at him.

“You sure can,” she said, taking Ryan’s arm and walking him up to the counter.

“How often does that work?” A voice from behind her asked. She jumped, finding Mr. Danvers moving to stand beside her, his coffee cup in his hand.

“Uh… you’d be surprised,” Kelsey admitted as she watched Ryan hand Reva a to-go cup and she stood on tip-toes to plant a kiss on his cheek before she sashayed back over to Kelsey.

“Hey Mr. Danvers,” Reva said but the flirty look on her face was quickly replaced by confusion. “What happened to your head?”

Alex reached up to touch the flesh colored bandage on his forehead, the skin dark purple around it and if someone were to look at him in profile they would notice a rather prominent bump.

“I’m growing a horn,” Mr. Danvers replied and Kelsey burst out laughing. Reva merely narrowed her eyes.

“What is with you people and the secrecy around injuries,” Reva exclaimed grabbing Kelsey’s wrist to hold up one of her bandaged hands. “This one has mysterious rope burns and you’ve got a mysterious head wound.”

Mr. Danvers hummed. “Most mysterious. Wouldn’t you agree Miss Charming?” He looked at her expectantly and she mimicked his pompous expression.

“Yes, Mr. Danvers, very mysterious.”

Reva crossed her arms over her chest eyeing the two of them. “What’s mysterious is you two both end up injured. Around the same time. That’s mysterious.”

“Not really,” Kelsey responded as Mr. Danvers cleared his throat. “Actually, we did get injured together. I was hoisting him up by the ankle,” she looked from Reva to Mr. Danvers, “You know like in the cartoons.” When she looked back at Reva her friend was scowling. “And I just lost my grip on the rope and well obviously,” she snorted holding up her hands. “And he fell right on his head.”

Alex worked his jaw to the side to mask a grin. “Next time I would suggest studying, Miss Charming. You’re about as good at extortion as Wile E Coyote is at catching the roadrunner.”

“You know it’s sad that Wile E Coyote is remembered only for his multiple failed attempts at murder and not his beautifully realistic paintings of tunnels.” Kelsey added and Mr. Danvers had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Reva snorted. “Well it’s nice to see you’ve grown a sense of humor,” she muttered. Mr. Danvers raised his eyebrows at her, the air turning dangerously solemn. Reva cringed. “Sir.”

Mr. Danvers eyed her warily as he brought his coffee cup to his lips and drained the last. “I better get going,” he said, setting his mug on the bussing station behind them. “Nice seeing you, Miss Sarno.” He nodded at Reva who smiled tartly back. His eyes fell on Kelsey and he nodded as well. “Miss Charming.”

“Mr. Danvers,” she replied, that teasing lilt back in her voice and he gave her a tight lipped smile before he turned and walked out the door.

Reva whirled on her. “Oh my God.”

“What?” Kelsey asked, nearly spilling her coffee when she jumped.

“You were so flirting with him,” Reva said grinning madly and Kelsey scowled.

“No, I wasn’t,” she responded but Reva was looking between her and the door. Kelsey could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

“And he was flirting back with you,” Reva mused, bringing a hand up to tap her chin with a well manicured finger.

“No. He wasn’t.” Kelsey insisted. “You were right before. We are developing a rapport.” Reva’s eye glittered triumphantly. “And this right here,” Kelsey emphasized, jabbing a finger towards the ground, “is why he doesn’t help students. You think he agreed to help me on his own?” Kelsey snorted and Reva’s face went blank. “No, everyone at the Cove bullied him into it. Because poor dumb Kelsey can’t pass English now that her Gram is dead.”

“Kels,” Reva said, her eyes going soft as she reached to touch her arm. Kelsey shrugged her off.

She’d meant it to be a distraction, to merely point out that Reva’s speculation about something torrid was why Mr. Danvers didn’t get close to his students. She’d been around him enough to sense it, even before last night in his condo. He didn’t like being alone with her, insisted on keeping the classroom door open at all times even when the noise in the halls before or after school became a distraction. Then she’d gone and touched on something she’d feared ever since he offered to help her.

“You’re not dumb Kelsey,” Reva said quietly. “You’re a freakin’ math prodigy and the FBI probably has you on a watchlist for your bomb making skills.”

Kelsey rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t a-” she cut herself off deciding not to bother. “Look I just don’t like you making fun of me for needing his help.”

“Kels, I’m not making fun of you,” Reva said alarmed. “Oh my gosh I’m sorry I didn’t realize you thought…” Reva shook her head. “I would never make fun of you like that. Ever.”

Kelsey nodded, still looking a little unconvinced and Reva put her arm around her, turning her towards the door.

“I promise I won’t tease you about Mr. Tall Dark and Literary anymore, okay?”

Kelsey let Reva open the door for her. “Okay,” she grumbled but felt secretly relieved.

“So… what did happen to your hands?” Reva prodded once more as they rounded the corner of Perkatory and stepped off the boardwalk and onto the sidewalk across the street from Lambency High.

Kelsey grinned at her, securing her coffee in one hand while she lifted the other and weakly wiggled her fingers.

“Stigmata.”

* * *

Alex nudged open the heavy wooden doors at the main entrance of Lambency High, looking both ways in case a wayward student were to be running by. The hall was silent however and Alex let himself all the way in, trying not to spill the drink in one hand or drop the small brown box that contained Ezio’s Pizzeria’s lunch special, 2 slices 2 dollars, in the other. There was something eerie about silence in a place that was usually a cacophony of sound. He could hear his shoes squeak as he turned left, moving away from his classroom towards the teachers’ lounge.

He’d been spending a lot of his lunch periods with Kelsey since he began tutoring her, observing while she took practice tests and going over her writing assignments which while perfectly satisfactory still had no nuance or creative thought. He’d tried to appeal to her strengths, asking how she expected to have her research published in scientific journals if she couldn’t grab the editor’s attention. She’d tried not to laugh when she asked him if he’d ever read a scientific research paper. When he admitted he hadn’t, she pulled one out of her bag and handed it to him. He read a single paragraph of Sources of Orbital Debris and the Projected Environment for Future Spacecraft, cleared his throat and admitted that perhaps her straightforward style was suited for her area of study. She couldn’t contain her laughter then.

He actually really liked her laugh. It was high and staccato, a pealing sound that he thought he’d find obnoxious, but for some reason it never failed to make him smile. He felt uneasy at this realization, a hot flash of anxiety burning through his veins and down to his fingertips. He warred with himself often over their growing familiarity, noticing a distinct difference in how she spoke to him in class and how she addressed him when they were alone. It was almost as if she too worried someone would find their banter inappropriate, although that’s all it was. Gentle ribbing at her rigid logic and his frustration at it. Still it was as if they were keeping some kind of secret that was not known to even him. It was both frightening and exhilarating and the exhilaration only made him more uneasy about their situation.

Alex shook his head and took a soothing breath before fumbling with the door of the teacher’s lounge, eventually getting it open and struggling through the door.

“I’m sorry sir if you’re looking for the front office it’s down the opposite hallway,” Fitz said upon seeing him and Alex gave him a withered look. Fitz’s face shifted into the very caricature of surprise. “Oh… Alex! It’s you!” Hilary snorted and shook her head, forking more of her Lean Cuisine into her mouth.

“Long time no see, brosef,” Fitz said, leaning back in his chair, which creaked ominously under his weight.

“Ha, Ha,” Alex replied setting his food down on the table opposite Hilary and Fitz nudged his chair out for him with his foot.

“How’s the tutoring been going?” Fitz asked, reaching into a small bag of chips, shoving a few in his mouth and chewing noisily.

Alex shrugged one shoulder. “Okay I guess. She’s just so damn literal.”

“It’s nice of you to give up your lunch period to help her, Lex,” Hilary said, nodding at him sympathetically and he took a bite of pizza to distract himself from the discomfort of the moment. “See, there was nothing to be paranoid about.”

“I’m not paranoid,” Alex responded, taking a drink of his soda. “I’m cautious.”

“Gotta be when you’re Lambency High’s Official Staff Hottie,” Fitz teased and Alex gave him a sardonic smirk.

“Still bitter about being number two huh Fitz?” Alex teased picking up his pizza and taking a bite to hide his smirk. Fitz put his hands up in surrender.

“I’m fine with the young ones going goo goo eyed for the scrawny, poet types as long as the real women still love the big guns,” Fitz said, raising his arms to flex and Alex and Hilary both laughed.

“Hey, what really happened to your head?” Hilary asked, gesturing to his bandage with her fork. “I’ve heard a bunch of wild stories.”

“Yeah, my favorite was Kelsey Charming had turned one of her rentals into a sex dungeon and had you strung you up by your ankles before dropping you on your head,” Fitz said with a chuckle and Alex’s eyes widened nearly choking on his pizza.

“Teenagers” Hilary said rolling her eyes and forking another noodle into her mouth.

“I can’t see Kelsey having a sex dungeon,” Alex muttered taking a drink of his soda and Hilary blinked at him.

“You really are getting close to her, aren’t you? That’s so great Lex. It’s the best part of teaching. It really is,” Hilary gushed and Fitz gave Alex a look. Alex began to protest, but his mouth still full of soda so he had to compensate by waving his arms. Fitz chuckled, slapping him on the back as he coughed in his haste to swallow.

“Spill it. How’d you hurt your noggin,” Fitz said as he grabbed Alex’s chin and forced his head in a few different directions so he could get a good look at the bandage from all angles. Alex reached out and slapped his hand away.

“I was trying to pull in my awning during the storm and got whacked in the head,” Alex said, gesturing towards his bandage before taking another bite of his food.

Hilary and Fitz hissed in sympathy. “Did you need stitches?” Hilary asked.

“Nah, it just split the skin,” he replied.

“Nice bump you got going though. Getting a lot of sympathy from the students?”

“Yeah,” Alex said with a laugh. “I overheard Logan Key telling someone that all of the hell I was putting him through was finally causing me to grow horns.”

Fitz nearly spit out his water. “Oh shit. Man, I love that kid. Never gives me any lip about calisthenics.”

“I thought all the football players took Coach Ford’s weight lifting class instead of PE,” Hilary said, scraping at the bottom of her dish trying to get to every last bit of food from the tiny portion.

“They do but he got special permission to be in my class.” Fitz leaned in conspiratorially. “Apparently Reva Sarno and Kelsey Charming couldn’t get in the same PE class so Elliot Braum and LoKey had to split guard duty.”

Alex’s brow creased. “Guard duty?”

“Yeah, the past three years Braum, Sarno and Charming were all in the same class. Braum would make sure he teamed up with one or both of them so they wouldn’t take as hard a hit to their grade. Sarno’s just lazy but Kelsey is dangerously uncoordinated.” Fitz fished an apple out of the brown paper bag in front of him and took a bite. Hilary eyed it with longing.

“Why’d he team up with Kelsey though? LoKey and Reva have been ‘not dating’ since middle school,” Hilary said making air quotes. “And everybody knows Elliot is in love with Kelsey. I mean, except her, of course.”

“Maybe Kelsey wants Logan,” Fitz said with a shrug. Hilary and Alex both made a face which Fitz laughed at. “What! I’ve never heard of her dating anybody. And she’s friend-zoned Braum so hard he’s practically a Ken doll.” Fitz turned to Alex. “You got intel?”

Alex snorted. “I don’t know anything about her personal life,” he said, his voice jumping an octave in derision.

“Come on you’re her best buddy now!” Fitz said leaning back in his chair again. “She got anybody waiting for her when she finishes up her tutoring sessions?” Fitz took another bite of his apple.

“I don’t know,” Alex said looking at him as if he were ridiculous but actually no one had ever been waiting for Kelsey. Maybe she wasn’t dating anyone.

“Agh,” Fitz said waving a hand at him as he chewed his apple obnoxiously. “You’re useless.” He took another bite of his apple and Alex scoffed.

“I don’t know why you’re so interested in who’s dating who anyway,” Alex grumbled and Fitz quit chewing to give him a withering look.

“What else are we gonna do to entertain ourselves in this job?” Fitz asked and Hilary laughed.

“Yeah, plus it’s cute,” Hilary said then hit Fitz on the arm with the back of her hand.

“Seriously, don’t you think it’s a little weird to be so involved with teenage romance?” Alex asked, an edge to his voice and Fitz flopped back in his chair with a sigh.

“Alex,” he said, banging a hand on the table. “Why do you have such a huge stick up your ass about this? It’s all harmless, small town intrigue, man. Stop being so paranoid.”

Alex glared at him. “I am not paranoid,” Alex grumbled nudging his other piece of pizza in the box. “I just don’t think it’s right to be so involved is all.”

“This from the guy who spends all his lunches and after school hours with Kelsey Charming,” Fitz said with a good-natured laugh. Hilary winced. Alex’s face went blank.

“That sounded a little like an accusation, Fitz,” Alex said narrowing his eyes.

“Guys,” Hilary said lowly and Fitz shrugged his shoulders looking at Hilary with a “what?” expression.

“He does! That’s not considered ‘being involved’” Fitz made air quotes.

Alex sat for a moment, trying to cull his temper. He knew Fitz was just being Fitz, but something about the implication got under his skin. He shook his head, grabbed his half eaten lunch and tossed it in the trash with more force than necessary. “You know, that is how rumors get started.” Alex said, jabbing a finger at Fitz who rolled his eyes and waved a dismissive hand at him. Hilary looked helplessly between the two of them.

“Alex, come on, we know you would never do anything like that,” Hilary said, her voice laced with humor, Alex looked uneasy, still scowling. Hilary narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t about what happened at your other school is it?”

“I’m going back to my room. I’ve got to set up for my next class,” Alex said cutting her off and turning abruptly towards the door so they couldn’t see his burning face.

“Alex…” Hilary called, astonished as he strode to the door. “I’m sorry I didn’t–“

But he’d already let it fall closed behind him, cutting off her apology.

Fitz flopped back in his chair and took the last bite of his apple. “Jesus what crawled up his ass?” He chewed for a moment, “What happened at his other school?”

Hilary cut her eyes at him and pursed her lips as if she didn’t want to say. “I thought you knew,” she said with a sigh. “A student told everyone that they were dating,” Hilary said and Fitz’s eyebrows drew. “An underage student.” Fitz grimaced. “They did all of the fact checking and due diligence and found that, of course, the girl was lying-”

“But, his rep was fucked,” Fitz deduced and Hilary nodded. “Man, that sucks.”

Hilary nodded. “Look, no more poking him about Kelsey okay? Agreed?”

Fitz looked at her for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah alright.” He sighed and tossed the apple core in the trash. “But I’m telling you this right now if he beats me for Staff Hottie again this year I’m not letting him ever live it down.”