Black And White

Ninety

"It's... It's 200, Scott..."

Scott shook his head quickly, now driving the two of them to school. "Mitch, that's way too much. You have to take it home and give it back to her."

"She's not gonna take it... I mean, I can try. But she's gonna drive it over to your house herself."

Scott exhaled loudly, a sympathetic look on his face that Mitch had difficulty reading. "She can't just... Why would she do that? Why would she give that to me?"

Mitch half shrugged. "I... I don't know, babe. She's worried about you."

"Why?"

"Listen... I know you don't get this, because people are terrible toward you. But.. It's just a parent thing."

Scott frowned a little. "How about... You keep it? You should have it. You... You could use that money."

"Seems counterproductive, considering I'd spend all of it on you."

*

Alex was quickly scribbling information down onto his paper, when Mitch finally couldn't take it anymore (thoroughly regretting all the coffee he'd had that morning) and stood from his seat to use the restroom. 

Alex gave him a smile as he went by, promising to take good notes while Mitch was away so Mitch could copy them. 

Mitch tried to hurry, rushing into the bathroom to do what he needed to do, and then he rushed back out to scurry back down the hall. 

As soon as he passed the janitors closet on the side of the hallway, he could practically feel Scott behind him seconds before Scott grabbed him around the waist with familiar strong arms and pulled him into the closet. 

The first sign that it wasn't Scott, was his smell. The instant Mitch was in the enclosed space with whomever this was, he knew the cologne wasn't Scott's. 

Mitch backed up quickly, but the other student held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm not here to be mean, I swear."

"Then what do you want? And why couldn't you just say hi like a normal person?"

"Sorry, I was worried you wouldn't talk to me... Anyway... Uh. You don't know me, but... I'm on Alex Kirk's soccer team? I know he hangs out with you..."

"Okay..? I still don't see why--"

"I wasn't done with the explanation. So... Hi. I'm David. Uh... I have a favor to ask of you."

Mitch exhaled loudly, trying to relax a little now that he realized David was totally harmless. "Well, you seem to know who I am, so I'll skip the intro. What can I do for you? Homework..? Or you need me to tell Alex something..?"

"Two things, uh... First of all... Do you know what happened between Alex and our coach?"

"Yes. You don't?"

"No, I... I know the general idea. I was just curious if you knew... What really happened?"

"Yes, I know. And no I'm not going to share it with you, because it's none of our business. Next question."

"But I--"

"Next question." He repeated. 

"Uh... Okay. Um... This is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be... Um. So I know you and Alex are gay, and--"

"No. Absolutely not. I'm not gonna set you and Alex up. He's... Busy with someone else."

"No, no, I wasn't asking about Alex."