The Last Bell On Friday (Quintis AU)

Last Bell On Friday

It’s the last period of the day and Toby swipes at the sweat beading down his forehead, dreading about what is sure to be discussed in the next hour before the bell rang. It happens everyday, without a doubt, no ‘maybe’ or ‘perhaps’ about it.

His students file in like they usually do and sit at their assigned seats, preparing to start their Biology lesson. It seems calm and peaceful at first glance, but from Toby’s standpoint, they were all a bunch of devils, spawned from the demon himself. Anyone would say it was an overreaction, but he knows better. He’s taught this class for half a year or so and as the days went on they seemed to get more comfortable around him. He viewed it as a good thing at first, but that was before they started feeling comfortable enough to discuss his personal life with him. He didn’t want to discuss his life with them, or anyone for that matter.

The last couple of students rush in and the tardy bell rings. He takes a few deep breaths before glancing up from his computer to take roll. Everyone was there, whoopdeedoo for him. Maybe, just maybe they would realize how much of a nuisance they were and maybe they wouldn’t bring up what he knew they were eventually going to bring up.

***

“So when the chloroplasts convert the light energy from the Sun into food-” he pauses and frowns when he sees Michelle waving her hand frantically above her head. He just looks at her with an unamused frown as she continues to wave at him. It wasn’t going to be about the lesson, it was just a simple fact and he didn’t have to be a mind reader to figure that out.

“What do you want Michelle?” He knew what was coming, he didn’t even have to ask. ‘Why did he even address her? Maybe he could have ignored her and continued with the lesson, why was he such an idiot?’

“Have you asked out Ms. Quinn yet?” She asked, letting her arm fall back to her side with little grace.

“No I haven’t, now let’s-” he’s interrupted again, this time by a series of whines and complaints from the entire class. ‘Of course’.

“Why not?” Michelle whines, looking as if she were about to cry. She did it almost everyday, they all did it everyday. They had the same exact conversation. Every. Day. ‘Why did they expect a different answer? Why do they insist on it?’

“Because I didn’t want to,” he answers bluntly. Hoping it would end the conversation, but knowing good and well otherwise.

“That’s a lie!” Josh accuses, standing up abruptly from his chair at the back of the class, “you totally have a thing for her!” Everyone voices their agreement and nods along while Toby simply tries to stutter out an answer. This was not something they pointed out very often and he still wasn’t quite used to it.

“I most definitely do not!” He insists, as his cheeks turn a shade of pink none of them ever knew he could make.

“Curtis and Quinn sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G” Michele sings, making ridiculous kissy faces and noises with her lips.

“Stop it,” he groans.

“First comes love, then comes marriage-”

“Please stop,” he almost begs.

“Then comes a baby in a baby carriage-”

“Please no.” ‘Why him’.

“Team Quintis! Yay!” The whole class joins in for the last bit, singing happily at the top of their lungs and a few cheers could be heard from the back of the class. Toby hangs his head in his hands, leaning against the wall behind his desk, then slowly speaks with a shaky voice.

“Ms. Quinn… is to never hear about this. Ever!”

***OOO***

“What do you mean by ‘shipping’?” Sylvester asks, raising his eyebrows while taking a bite out of his organic turkey and cheese sandwich; his usual.