𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

ACT XLIII

Scott rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, there's no way she won't say yes," he said. "She talks about you all the goddamn time."

"Language."

"She's in love with you, Mr. Harding."

Mr. Harding sighed for the umpteenth time. "If you say so."

Scott poked the teacher on the arm. "I don't just say so, she says so."

"Go back to your homework, kid," Mr. Harding said lightheartedly, rolling his eyes with a smile. He shook his head when Scott broke out into a fit of giggles.

Grian burst back into the room, Ms. Gold right behind him and looking confused.

"She's here!" he shouted, then pointed to Jimmy. "Start playing!"

Jimmy nodded and started strumming, staring intently at the tabs in front of him.

Ms. Gold laughed. "What's going on in here?" she asked, eyeing Grian and Jimmy almost suspiciously. She paused for a moment to listen. "Is that John Legend?"

"Amanda," Mr. Harding said softly as he took Ms. Gold's hand in his own.

Ms. Gold giggled. "Calling me by my first name in front of the students now?" she teased, smiling just as brightly as usual.

Mr. Harding let out a breathy little laugh. "Maybe." He took a deep breath, and glanced toward Grian, who looked happier than the both of them as he gave two thumbs up. "Amanda, we've been together for a while now," he started, "and I've been thinking..."

Ms. Gold tilted her head at him. "Where are you going with- Oh!" She gasped as Mr. Harding lowered himself to one knee and reached into his pocket to pull out a small, velvet box. "Nathan-" She covered her mouth with her hands, tears building in her eyes as he opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

"I think I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he continued. "So, uh..." Mr. Harding spared one last glance at Grian, who was nodding frantically, and looked up at Ms. Gold. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Ms. Gold squealed. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

Mr. Harding's shoulders relaxed as he slid the ring on her finger and hugged her tightly.

"Told you," Scott whispered with a wink.

Ms. Gold pulled away enough from the hug to kiss her new fiance, her face wet with joyful tears. "Is my mascara running?" she asked jokingly.

Mr. Harding wiped away a thin streak of black from her cheek. "A little bit."

Grian was jumping up and down, clapping his hands together, meanwhile Joel was laughing up on the stage at the younger.

"That's my kid right there."

*   *   *

"Hm, can you move that bush over to the right a little bit?" Ms. Gold asked, motioning to her right. She giggled when the two students moved to her left. "No, no, my right, guys. There we go, thank you!" She turned to Mr. Harding. "What do you think?"

He blinked and turned to her. "Hm?"

She laughed. "The set, darling," she said.

"Oh, uh... It looks good," he said. "That bush over there looks like it could be moved to the left a bit."

She huffed and elbowed him playfully. "Jerk."

"What?!" he gasped.

"Kidding, I'm kidding!"