[
Note: this is an entry in an "
exactly 750-words
" writing exercise.
]
"Thanks for your help, Mr. Benton. I'm sure to graduate this time."
"You'll pass the calculus exam, Jared," Barry Benton agreed, standing and accompanying the hunky black football player to the classroom door, a mistake, as the temptation wasn't there as much when they had the desk between them. "Just try not to think of Saturday's championship game until after you've taken the test."
Their eyes met. The unmistakable attraction between them and temptation was obvious to both. Awkwardness had prevailed since preferences and situations had come to light, but that was after the Cocoa High School math teacher had agreed to help the school's star football player pass his calculus exam.
Jared was pushing twenty and still in high school, having been set back two of his years. Again this year calculus was threatening his graduation. The big, strapping, handsome six-foot-four, 184-pound football player was an all-star. Cocoa was playing in the state finals this Saturday. His calculus final exam was Friday.
Barry, a high school math teacher at twenty-five, knew the rumors about Jaredβthat he was gay. Since he had started tutoring Jared, Barry couldn't help but confirm it was true. Barry could tell because he was gay too. That had been revealed after the elections earlier that month. The man he was living with, Roger, had won the U.S. congressional seat and the newspaper articles following that up had identified Barry as Roger's partner.