Chapter Text
I stepped into the school bathroom, headphones snug over my ears, the music playing at a mellow volume.
The air smelled faintly of soap and old tiles. I caught my reflection in the mirror, noticing my hair sticking out at odd angles.
With a small, lazy smile, I smoothed it down, humming along under my breath to the beat of one of My Chemical Romance songs in my ears.
The lights buzzed quietly above me as I opened the tap. Cool water rushed over my fingers, washing away the smudges of paint and stubborn streaks of glue left from art class.
I worked patiently, dragging my nails over the sticky spots, my mind wandering with the melody.
Between songs, in that fragile, weightless moment of silence, a strange noise floated to me. A sharp, ragged breathing and a slick, wet sound that didn’t quite belong.
I blinked, frowning a little.
Instinctively, I paused my music and let the headphones slip to rest around my neck. The sudden absence of sound made the bathroom feel even bigger.
Following the faint, strained noises, I crept toward the far end of the stalls. There, peeking out from under the door, were a pair of white tennis shoes, looking polished and almost new, and the hem of gray uniform pants.
The shoes shifted slightly, almost trembling.
I stood there, frozen for a second, heart tapping nervously against my ribs, not sure if I should say something... Or just walk away.
I hovered there for a moment, my hand twitching awkwardly at my side. The noises didn’t stop, if anything, they grew shakier, more desperate.
I cleared my throat softly, not wanting to startle whoever was inside.
"Hey... Um," I tried to talk, my voice barely above a whisper, "Are you alright?"
No answer.
I stepped a little closer, the soles of my sneakers squeaking faintly against the damp floor.
I could feel my heart hammering faster now, a weird mixture of worry and the guilt of intruding.
"Seriously," I tried again, a little louder this time. "You good?"
For a beat, all I could hear was that wet, shaky breathing. Then, a choked, muffled sound, like someone trying and failing to say something back.
I pressed my palm lightly against the cool metal of the stall door, not pushing, just... Feeling it, for some reason. The vibrations of whoever was inside trembling against it made my skin prickle.
Maybe they were sick.
Or hurt.
Or having some kind of breakdown.
My brain raced through possibilities, none of them good.
I swallowed, feeling the weight of the silence between us stretch thinner and thinner. "I can get a teacher," I offered quietly. "Or... I can stay… If you want me to."
From the other side of the door, a voice finally answered. Breathless, shaky, and way too familiar.
"‘M fine..." Oliver mumbled, voice cracking halfway through.
Oliver.
Of course.
The teacher’s pet. The golden boy with his perfect notes, his slicked-back hair, and the stupid laugh that made my chest feel like it was collapsing in on itself.
I stood there, blinking like an idiot, my heart doing this ugly, clumsy somersault in my ribs.
Was he... Perhaps, crying?
Sick?
Hurt?
Or... Doing something else.
The realization hit me like a slap, and I felt my face burn all the way to my ears.
My mouth moved before my brain could even think.
"Do you want me to come in?" The second the words left my mouth, I wanted to shove them right back in.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Even the lights seemed to buzz quieter.
I squeezed my eyes shut, mortified, and lightly thunked my forehead against the cold stall door.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" I muttered under my breath, the metal cool and unforgiving against my skin.
I stayed there, forehead pressed to the door like some kind of idiot.
Feeling every stupid heartbeat in my body.
Wishing I could evaporate on the spot.
For a second, there was nothing.
Then, Oliver’s voice reached my ears, it sounded small, confused, and kinda wrecked.
"What?"
One word.
One tiny, fragile syllable that cracked right down the middle like he didn't know if he’d actually heard me right, or if he was hallucinating.
I winced, squeezing my eyes shut even tighter, the shame crawling all the way down my spine.
Great.
Fantastic.
This was it. This was how I died… Being a fucking idiot.
I peeled my forehead off the door, dragging my hand down my face like maybe if I rubbed hard enough I could wipe myself out of existence.
"I, uh, nothing." I blurted, voice breaking in the middle like an awkward teenager in a bad coming-of-age movie. "I didn’t… I mean, you sounded like you needed help, and I, um, I wasn’t thinking, and…"
I stopped myself before I could say anything even dumber.
I was rambling.
I was panicking.
I pressed the side of my head against the door this time, closing my eyes and letting out a breath that shook a little at the edges.
There was a long, shaky silence from inside the stall, broken only by the sound of Oliver’s breathing, still too heavy, too rough.
I stayed frozen, heart doing this awful, fluttery thing in my chest, skin burning so hot I was sure I could fry an egg on my face.
Then, Oliver’s voice again.
Quiet.
Tentative.
Almost like he couldn’t believe he was saying it out loud.
"You wanna... Help me?"
The words hit me like a truck. I mean, not just the words themselves, but the way he said them.
Raw.
Like he was dangling over the edge and didn’t know how to pull himself back up.
My mouth fell open, just hanging there like a broken hinge.
My brain was fully fried.
I blinked, every nerve in my body lighting up all at once, a rush of blood flooding my face so hard it made me dizzy.
Was he serious?
Was I hallucinating?
Was this some cruel, horny fever dream?
I slapped my palm over my mouth before something stupid could fall out again.
My entire body felt like it was overheating, like I was a bomb about to go off if someone breathed too hard in my direction.
Oliver must’ve heard the choked little noise I made, because there was a soft, almost broken laugh from behind the door.
It wasn’t mean.
It was shaky.
Nervous.
Like he was just as freaked out as I was.
I leaned my head back against the metal, squeezing my eyes shut, wishing I could just sink into the floor and disappear forever.
"Jesus Christ…" I whispered under my breath, barely audible, my cheeks burning hotter than they'd ever burned in my entire miserable, sick life.
The silence stretched between us, and I just stood there like an absolute moron.
Then, I heard it. Oliver’s voice again, but this time it had that weird little edge to it, the one I’d never heard before.
He laughed.
It was soft. Quiet. But it sounded so... Teasing.
"You’re so red right now, I can practically see it." he said, and I could hear the grin in his voice. "Do you always blush like that, or is this just a special occasion?"
I froze. I actually froze, heart stuttering like I had just been struck by lightning.
My skin was burning, but not in a way that made me want to hide. It was more like a slow, relentless heat that spread through my chest.
"Are you seriously laughing at me right now?" I finally managed, my voice cracking halfway through.
I could feel the words sticking in my throat like I had just swallowed broken glass.
Oliver’s laugh rang out again, this time louder, almost loving in its teasing way. “I mean, you’re adorable, making all those little noises and leaning against the door." he said, a little breathless. "Like, the kind of adorable I want to put in a jar and keep on my shelf.”
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t do anything but stand there, feeling like my body was melting into the floor beneath me.
I wanted to respond, but nothing came out. I was caught, trapped in the warmth of his voice and the soft, unrelenting feeling of my stomach twisting into tight little knots.
"You don’t have to be so shy, you know,” Oliver continued, his voice dipping into something just a little too soft. "It’s just me, after all. I’m not gonna bite... Unless you really want me to."
I didn’t know what to say to that.
Or how to say it.
My heart was practically beating out of my chest, and I was way too aware of how much I had probably just melted into a puddle on the bathroom floor.
I couldn’t even look at him, couldn’t see his face, couldn’t see how serious or joking he was because that stupid metal door was still in the way. But I felt the teasing in his words, and it was enough to make me want to vanish entirely.
"Please, stop…" I finally whispered, voice so small I wasn’t sure I even said it out loud. "I can’t handle this."
Oliver laughed again. This time, it was different. Less teasing, more... playful. Almost like he was enjoying this.
"Too bad, because now I’m really enjoying this."
I wanted to kick the door open.
But instead, I just let my hand rest against the cold metal again, my forehead dropping back into the same position as before, wishing I could just... Fade.
There was a soft, almost hesitant shuffle from behind the door.
A quiet clink of metal, a sigh, and then…
The door creaked open, just enough for me to see Oliver’s face.
He looked... Perfect.
But also, absolutely wrecked.
His blond hair was sticking up in all directions, like he’d been running his hands through it a hundred times in frustration.
His glasses were crooked, slightly askew, and the thin frame bent just enough to make him look sexy. His school-logo-embroidered shirt was rumpled, buttons in the wrong holes like he didn’t care enough to fix them. His tie was a complete disaster, hanging loosely around his neck like he didn’t even notice.
He wasn’t even wearing the mandatory ring with the cross. He was holding it in his hand, like he couldn’t be bothered to put it on properly.
Yet, standing there, smiling at me, I swear he looked like he belonged in some indie movie about messy, misunderstood geniuses.
He caught my eye, and that soft, innocent smile of his melted me into a puddle right there on the bathroom floor.
"Hey…" he said, voice warm, but with a nervous chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck. "Guess wanking in the bathroom wasn’t the brightest idea I’ve ever had."
My throat went dry. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
"Seems like I’m not that great at thinking when I’m... Horny." he added, his eyes glinting with that mischievous little spark I hated so much.
His eyes were too soft.
Too real.
Too much.
I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to say something, anything, but my brain was still stuck on the fact that Oliver had just admitted something... so weird for a teacher’s pet, I didn’t know how to handle it.
I just stood there, mouth slightly open, feeling my face turn as red as the sun.
My body was frozen, but my mind was racing, completely lost in the fact that Oliver, perfect, put-together, untouchable Oliver, had just bared himself.
"Do... Um, do you always have to make me feel like this?" I finally choked out, voice barely above a whisper.
Oliver’s grin only widened, and he took a slow step forward, his eyes never leaving mine. "Don’t blame me, it’s not my fault being so sexy."
"Shut up." I muttered, my voice betraying me, the words barely escaping my lips in a whisper. But I couldn’t back out now, not when Oliver was standing right there, looking like that.
I couldn’t let him see how badly I was blushing. I couldn’t let him know how badly my heart was thundering in my chest like it was trying to break free.
I stepped closer to him, my hand shaking just a little as I reached up, gently tugging on the collar of his shirt.
It was stupid, he was already so close, I shouldn’t be this nervous. But here I was, untying his tie like I’d done it a thousand times before.
Oliver didn’t move, didn’t say a word. He just watched me, his eyes soft, almost trusting, even though we both knew I was probably just as clueless as he was.
When I finally pulled the tie loose, I held it in my hand, not sure what to do with it. I glanced at his shirt, and I swear, my stomach did a little flip. His white shirt, hanging loosely around his body, was still half-buttoned, some of the holes off by a few notches.
With a soft, almost instinctive pull, I started working on the buttons, trying to fix them as quickly as I could, but the way my fingers brushed against his skin, I couldn’t ignore how warm it felt, how alive he felt under my touch.
And then, my eyes caught something I hadn’t planned on looking at… His abs.
They were... Defined as shit.
My breath hitched in my throat as I noticed how toned his body was. He had a lean, athletic build.
I tried not to stare, but I couldn’t help it. There was something about the way his body moved with every shift, every small breath, that made me feel a little dizzy.
I quickly looked away, my cheeks burning hotter than ever. I had to focus, had to finish what I started before I completely lost my mind.
I buttoned his shirt properly this time, making sure each one was in the right hole. My fingers lingered on his chest for just a second too long, and I could feel my pulse quicken.
When I finished, I glanced up at him, heart still pounding in my chest. His face was a little flushed, his eyes still locked on me. He looked like he didn’t mind my touch.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry as I stared at the mess of Oliver’s shirt.
With a deep breath, I reached out and carefully tucked one side of the hem of his white shirt into his waistband, my fingers brushing against his sides.
I could feel the heat of his skin underneath the fabric, the way his body moved with each slight shift.
I couldn’t focus on that, though. Not when I was this close to him, not when everything felt so alive and full of electricity.
Oliver didn’t pull away. He just stood there, his eyes flicking down to my hands, then back to my face. He was so close now, just a few inches away, and I could smell the faint scent of his cologne, mixed with the fresh, almost clean scent of his skin. It was intoxicating.
Once I had tucked his shirt in place, I looked up at him, heart thumping so loud I thought it might drown out everything else. "You’re... Good now." I mumbled, not sure if it even sounded right. “Look decent enough.”
But Oliver just gave me this small, almost shy smile. And then, to my surprise, he took a step closer, his body brushing against mine as he stood there, waiting.
"You gonna put the tie on, or what?" he asked, his voice low, like he was almost teasing.
I blinked. He was so close now, his warm breath brushing against my cheek, and my hand was still holding the tie, soft and blue in my fingers.
Without thinking, I stepped even closer, my heart racing so fast I was sure it would burst. My hands trembled slightly as I took the tie and gently placed it around his neck. I could feel the warmth of his skin under my fingers as I adjusted the fabric, carefully making sure it sat just right.
I wasn’t sure what I was doing. My fingers were shaking as I tightened the tie, the motion so familiar and yet so... Personal.
I could feel Oliver’s eyes on me, his gaze soft, waiting.
When I finished, I let out a shaky breath, my hand lingering on the tie for just a second too long. "There," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "All set."
I was still standing there, trying to steady my breathing, my fingers lingering on the blue tie. I hadn’t meant for it to be this intense, but the air between us had thickened, pulled tight like a spring, ready to snap.
And then, before I could even think to pull away, I felt Oliver’s hand on my chin.
His fingers were gentle, but there was something decisive in the way he held my face. I froze, caught in the feeling of his touch, the warmth of his hand sending a wave of heat through me.
His eyes met mine, searching, soft, yet... Intent. He was so close, just inches away, and I could feel his breath against my skin.
Every inch of me was aware of him, of this moment. It was like everything else faded away, and it was just the two of us.
I opened my mouth to say something, but the words never came.
Instead, Oliver closed the distance between us, his lips pressing gently, almost tentatively against mine.
It was a soft, tender kiss, like he was waiting for me to react, to feel it too. The world around us felt like it had slowed, like it was just the two of us in this tiny bathroom, completely caught in the intimacy of the moment.
But then, just as quickly, Oliver deepened the kiss, his hand moving from my chin to tangle in my messy dark hair.
His lips were no longer soft, they were insistent, pulling me closer, pushing me against him, hungry for more.
I gasped softly as he tugged on my hair, the sudden change in his kiss sending a shockwave of electricity through me. I felt like I was losing control, like I couldn’t catch my breath fast enough as his lips moved with purpose, his hands almost frantic now, messing up my hair with every tug.
The kiss was erratic now, his breath coming fast and uneven, his body pressing against mine with a sense of urgency I couldn’t ignore. My heart was racing, my chest tight, as I tried to keep up with the intensity of the moment.
The sudden, jarring ring of the bell broke through the air, and before I even had time to react, Oliver pulled back, his hand dropping from my hair. I blinked, trying to catch my breath, my lips still tingling from the kiss.
Oliver’s eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and a little bit of guilt. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, looking at me like he wasn’t quite sure what to do next.
“Sorry about your hair.” he mumbled, his voice low, but there was a playful glint in his eyes. “Got a little carried away there, didn’t I?”
I raised a hand to my hair, feeling the mess he’d made. It was completely tousled, all the effort I’d put into it earlier now completely undone. I probably looked like I had just rolled out of bed.
But then, to my shock, Oliver smiled softly, that innocent charm of his returning in full force.
“Honestly,” he said, his smile widening a little, “It looks kinda good like this. Messy, but... Hot.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could get a word out, he stepped back, a little smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
“I’ve gotta go,” he said, glancing toward the door. “But, um... Talk to you later, yeah?”
And just like that, he was gone.