Chapter Text
You decided to ask to spend time with Flynn today because Louis was ill at home.
You felt bad, you didn't know who else he hung out with, but it looks like the only friend you see is Louis.
You were friends with him for a while, but you've never gotten the opportunity to come over to his you found it quite awkward to ask either way since his father was your teacher.
You walked up to him, you saw him sitting alone at the cafeteria table, having lunch in his bag.
"Hey Flynn" you smiled at him gently, he looked up right away and smiled at you.
"Oh, hi Y/N" you sat beside him when he looked at you, "Is it all right if I hang out with you? -” You tried to make up an excuse so he doesn't think you're a weirdo -” I saw that Louis was away today and I wanted to hang out with you since we barely do often”.
He nodded to keep smiling brightly, "Yes, of course, why not your other friends?"
You looked at him for a while, still trying to come up with an excuse. “Oh, oh they're doing something in drama class, I wasn't interested and I saw you”.
You watched him grab his lunch out as he began to eat a sandwich while nodding, he began to speak with his mouth full “Oh, that's okay, did you want to come to my house because we should hang out more also my mum would love you”
You snickered at him and turned to face him, “I don't want to sound rude, but your dad is my chemistry teacher, the way I act towards him in class and you are different I would think it's awkward”.
He swallowed the sandwich and looked at you with concern “Are you bad in my dad’s class or something?” you quickly rejected him “No, no, the opposite I'm really quiet in that class always zoning out, I just chose chemistry as another subject to do and not really as a career path”
He grabbed some chips and gave you one as you ate it.
“Oh, that's okay, I think it'll be okay since you are quiet trust me, he's very nice, but he acts like he's out of it sometimes”
You teased him, "Really? In class, he is always chatty and even though the class is calm, he finds a way to keep talking".
"I didn't know that, I never see him teaching and Louis doesn't have any classes with him"
You made an O shape with your mouth as he laughed at you, and you quickly changed the subject as you were speaking about his dad.
“Hey, I have a question about your dad, this might sound personal but he sometimes gets coughing fits usually in class and leaves and he’s usually away, is he sick?”
He looked at you and sighed as you watched with concern, immediately regretting the questions.
"No, um, well... I still haven't told Louis, but he's more than sick"
You looked at him with shock and felt your heart drop letting him continue his sentence “He’s.. got cancer, don’t worry, he’s getting treatment and all but you’re right, he does cough a lot and it gets sometimes worrying”
You laid your hand on his back and gently rubbed it, "I'm sorry Flynn I didn't know, I hope your father soon gets better for your good and his"
He smiled and looked out of your sight.
"Thank you so much"
You tried to lighten the mood "Hey, I'll come to your place this afternoon, go to the front, okay? We can do anything you choose"
You saw him not look gloomy anymore and saw his eyes light up "Really? that would be amazing”.
Just as you were going to say something the bell rang as you stood up.
"Hey, I'll see you at the next lunch, all right? I'll meet you here"
He nodded while grasping his crutches and walking slowly towards his classroom.
You mentally sighed as you saw you had his dad's class next.
You went into his class while you spoke to your friend while waiting for Mr White to come into the class.
He came along as he unlocked the door and let everybody in, you sat near the back with your friend as the two of you continued chatting.
“Okay everyone” just as he said that the class went quiet and all the attention was on him as he cleared his throat, he grabbed some chalk and wrote down what we were learning he turned away as he showed us. “We are learning about... Carbon, now I'm sure you've all heard about the chemical, but I bet when I ask you what that means, your mind goes empty. Open up your book on page 120 and read the paragraph about carbon, and answer the questions. Now, these questions are vital to your essay, so make sure you answer them to the best of your ability, okay? ”
You mindlessly grabbed your book open, smelling the pages as you tried not to dry reach because you hated the smell of books, you pretended to read the questions as you quickly zoned out seeing your friend and others doing the work that made you nervously sigh as you fiddled with your pen.
You looked up to see Mr White walking around the front looking like he was nervous as he watched all the students read, you began to zone out without thinking and when he started to cough it caught you off guard making you flinch slightly and go back to reality.
You looked around to see if anyone noticed you jumping while you felt the warmth rushing slowly towards your cheeks. You ignored it as he continued to cough soon enough, it caught everybody's attention as you saw everybody just stare at him, your friend whispering to you about it.
You nodded your head as you kept your attention on him feeling your eyes furrow in worry, soon enough the coughing started to get worse as you could physically feel your throat and lungs hurting imagining the pain. He quickly rushed out of the classroom while everybody was exchanging looks and worrying.
You once again rose out of your seat without thinking, seeing some classmates stare, you rushed out of the classroom thinking this was a bad idea and going back but it would be too late now.
You saw him walk down the hall as you rushed back to catch your water bottle.
You figured cold water would be better than the warm yucky water from the taps and you doubted that the staff bathrooms are any better than the student ones.
He left the building as you tried to catch up to him a water bottle in hand as you felt your breath hitching quickly.
You saw him sitting down on a bench, his coughing getting worse than before as you saw him shaking with his hand over his mouth trying to be quiet as possible, you tried to stay silent as you watched him.
You approached him and just gave him the water bottle and said nothing, he quickly looked at you and took it.
“Are you okay?” You slowly sat next to him looking at him with worry “I, uh, thought it would be a good idea to give you my cold water because the school water is crappy”
He nodded as if he had been drinking while watching you already.
"I'm OK Y/N thank you...", He tried to reassure you, but you didn't have it.
"Listen, no offence, sir, but you keep coughing and it seems wrong, I am friends with your son." I know he would be more concerned about that cough than I am."
He sighed at you and smiled softly, "Thank you very much... That means a lot, I didn't know that Junior had any friends other than Louis."
You shook your head as you looked at the ground, kicking the dirt.
“No, I've known him for a while, it's just, uh... since you're my teacher, I thought it would be weird to come over so he sometimes comes to mine instead”.
He nodded “You might be my student” He cut himself off with his cough drinking more of your water “But you're juniors friend, don't let me be your teacher uh.. keep you from coming, plus you're a great student"
You smiled at him "Well, I was deciding to come today with Flynn he said your wife would like me or something"
He laughed a little while trying not to cough anymore, "Well, I'm sure she'll love you"
You nodded as it became silent and more comfortable, though, as you looked at him with worry, once again as he was facing the ground like he was thinking harshly about something.
You put your hands together fiddling with them as you continued to look at him, you analyzed every feature on his face, everything going on at that moment you suddenly looked away as you felt yourself blush as you felt disgusted with yourself.
Of course, you may find the elderly appealing, but God, not your friend's father who is also your teacher.
You began to feel your hands feel sweaty as you separated them as you rocked back and forth on the chair still not facing him too embarrassed.
He coughed as he looked at you “Now I'm wondering if you're okay?”, you quickly looked at him with wide eyes as all he did was ask you a question feeling more blush on your cheeks and your heart racing fast. “Your cheeks are red, here have the water”
You shook your head without saying anything, you just took the water bottle without drinking it and tossed it in your hands.
You were thinking, maybe this isn't a crush you're sure you can find somebody attractive and who treats you with basic human respect but you know you don't want to spend the rest of your life with them, who were thinking who this was associated with maybe like a celebrity crush that's it.
You questioned yourself as you were thinking too much about it trying to stop, but Walter's cough stopped your thought process anyway. You shakily handed him the water bottle again now tracing yourself back into the thought, that's it maybe like every relationship in this school. Puppy love, wait no they are usually with them because of the attention you have convinced yourself they are actually in love if they are together more than a year.
You wailed a bit about having a crush on Flynn is better than this situation.
You got up tired of yourself and as Mr White looked great, he gave you back the water bottle and thanked you again.
“I'm going back inside... I hope you're all right, sir.”
You rushed back inside of the building once again feeling blush on your cheeks you went inside of the class seeing everybody stare at you, having your face red you pretended you were out of breath and ran back here.
You sat back down the atmosphere of the classroom suddenly not so nerve-wracking anymore, your friend staring at you with concern and with a slight grin.
"Why do you have a red face?"
You watched them quickly, and then you watched them on the sly.
"No, nothing happened and I won't tell you"
You watched the jaws of your friends fall, "Impossible, do you have a crush on Mr White?!"
They shouted it as everyone watched you feel like a tomato at this point
“Be quiet! No, I don't know, I just have a red face"
"I don't buy it"
You looked around and came closer to them
"Okay, maybe a little -- look, I prefer Flynn to him!"
You tried to play it off as something rude, Flynn was a sweet kid, but if your friends knew you were hanging out with him, they would drop him because apparently to them he's a dumbass just because he has crutches.
They looked at you with stupefaction and with a face that says I'm not surprised.
"I knew it, is this why you have always rushed to help a damsel in distress?"
“No for Christ's sake, I just don't like the class and I was the only decent person here who helped him with his damn 50th coughing fit this week!”
Just before they could say anything the bell rang you checked the clock not excepting the period to be that quick as Mr White still hasn't come back to class again as you felt worried in your gut.
You wanted to shake off what happened and just see Flynn again, without saying goodbye to your friend you rushed to the cafeteria and sat down looking around for Flynn.