Moving Mountains - Scomiche Student/Teacher

82.

"I- ...is it something to do with Scott?"

Mr Hoying tilts his head a little, "well, yes. Has he not told you?"

Fear strikes through my heart at what it could be, what Scott has been keeping from me.

"Huh..." Mr Hoying shrugs a little, before sighing and flickering his eyes around the room.

"Well, as i'm sure you're aware, Scott and I haven't been the best of friends lately. No doubt you've heard us argue, and I just assumed Scott would've told you what was going on."

"No, Scott hasn't told me anything, Sir. Please, what's happened?"

Mr Hoying looks at me over his glasses for a few seconds, before sighing and fiddling with a pen between his fingers.

"He told me about your concerns surrounding the fact that you can never come to us for dinner or spend family time with us. I apologise if I have made you feel pushed out or disregarded, but as I'm sure you're aware, there are valid reasons behind my standoffish behaviour"

I frown with a shake of my head, "No, I mean, it's fine, Sir, I don't want there to be any pressure around me becoming a part of the family, I understand if you need time to adjust, it's... It's, yeah... uh. The valid reasons, just, uh... could you remind me?"

"A few weeks ago, I overheard a student talking about Scott and you. I didn't hear the whole conversation, but from what I could gather, they suspected something more was occurring between the two of you, more than just a civil teacher and student relationship."

My heart begins to race, "Sir? Who was it?"

"I don't think that is important, Mitch. What is important is that if this person were to report this to another teacher, there could be serious consequences for you and Scott."

"But... Sir, with all due respect, I don't understand why there would be serious consequences. Scott is barely any older than me, he's not even a qualified teacher he just helps you out in class. We aren't breaking the law."

"No, you're not breaking the law but Scott is crossing boundaries. I have tried to accept your relationship, but you have to understand that what Scott is doing is not seen as acceptable in a professional setting."

I nod my head slowly, "no, I do understand that. So what shall we do?"

"Well, that's why Scott has been so annoyed at me lately. He isn't listening to me, he can't understand where I'm coming from when I say this, which is why i've chosen to speak to you instead."

I look Mr Hoying dead in the eye, worried about what he could possibly say to me.

"I think, perhaps, that you and Scott should end things here."

There is a moment of silence. I bite back a laugh, knowing that this is a joke or a prank or something.

"Sir..."

"I'm not sure why you're smirking, Mitch. I didn't know how you'd react but of all possible outcomes the last one that I ever expected to happen was for you to laugh at me."

"No Sir, I'm not. I'm not."

I try my absolute hardest to keep myself calm and ensure my voice doesn't shake. Trying to sound confident is hard when you're not only nervous, but also extremely confused and taken aback. It's hard enough meeting your other half's parents; it's a mission in itself to try and get them to like and approve of you, but when they are a teacher at your school, and clearly have a complex about you already, it's near to impossible to even feel accepted by them. Now with Mr Hoying telling me that Scott and I shouldn't be together, I have no idea what I should be thinking.