This is a story of a developing gay relationship. If this is against your beliefs or illegal where you live then leave. If you are underage leave until you are old enough to understand such stories. It is fiction, the work of the author and protected by copyrite. It may not be used without his permission. If you enjoy the story please consider making an ongoing contribution to nifthy.org to keep it going
Teacher's Pet
cajun boi
Rob had been teaching for over twenty years in a series of inner city schools. His career, from all outward appearances, had stalled. But he was happy in the classroom rather than in an administrator's offfice. He enjoyed the energy and challenge of the classroom. Now, he'd managed to secure a tenured position in a local coomunity college. Most of the students were similar to those he'd taught in the city schools. The difference was quite striking. Now he had more time to work with the students, teaching only 3 classes a week. His office door was always open to the students.
The student body was a group of mixed ages ranging from recent high school graduates to adults coming back for late in life degrees. Over the past two years he'd seen many go through his classes. A number of them would be successful. The school had contracted with the local military base to provide education to the service men seeking degrees on the government's tab. One of those classes was his. It consisted of 15 young soldiers mixed in with 10 other students. It was an easy class to teach because the students were eager. He took on an additional assignment, managing a young writers seminar. This class had only 12 students, limited by its very nature. Among the 12 were three soldiers,a surprise to him. The seminar required, aside from the normal 3 hour class time, an additional 2 hours of individual student work on their projects. He enjoyed the interaction with those creative minds.
One of the students in particular was bright and Rob encouraged him. He was no stranger to Rob, having been in his English composition class the revious semester. Bill was 19 and a very good student athlete on both the swim and baseball teams. He felt some attraction to his teacher. He didn't understand it but he enjoyed being in the classroom with him. Outside of class they'd both talked of their lives. Rob confided that his partner had died just before he started at the college. Bill told him of his own disruptive home life with his single mother, a lawyer in a large, local firm. Unlike many, he'd learned to accept his fate as a latch key kid at an early age. Rob encouraged him to write of that time, to find a deeper understanding of his inner self. This is what led to his enrolling in the writing seminar. The two felt a bond had built up between them. Rob would go out to the swim meets and ball games to cheer Bill on. He noticed that some of the soldiers even showed up.Often Bill would notice Rob in the stands and wave.
One day the swim team coach came to Rob's office. He had a problem and wanted to have a private talk with him. Over coffee the two men sat for a few minutes discussing college politics. The coach finally decided to bring up the problem, Bill. The coach suspected that Bill had a strong attachment to males. It was not that unusual for young men in the boy's situation. He knew that Rob had encouraged the boy to seek into his inner self to find topics for his work. Now he wanted to know if Rob had any ideas about Bill. Thinking for a few minutes, Rob had to admit to the coach that there were certain signs in the boy's writing. But he'd just thought it was due to his background. The coach thanked him for his imput before leaving.
After that day Rob began to notice Bill more. His smile would light up the classroom when Rob began. His eagerness encouraged other students to share and dig deep into their own lives to find things to write about. The quality of their work began to move to a different, higher level. Rob accreditied this to the nature of the classroom experience. Bill would often consult Rob during his office hours, mainly about his latest assignment. They'd meet for coffee to talk and began to enjoy the expereince. Bill encouraged Rob to practice with him and some team mates at the local pool. Rob soon found himself acting as an assistant coach to the delight of the coach. The team appreciated this English teacher's involvement with their sport. The walls very quickly broke down between student and teacher.
At one swim meet a number of parents were attending. Rob was introduced by the eager team to their parents and friends. He noticed that Bill's mother was someone he recogniized but coudn't place. He also noticed the Bill did not seem to have a girl friend, unlike his team mates. After the meet the coach and team would usually go out to a local pizza place to celebrate a win or commiserate a loss. Rob was always included. After one such outing Bill stood alone away from the others. Rob, remembering his meeting with the coach decided to join Bill. He offered him a ride home, which was accepted. They rode was in uncomfortable silence for a while. Finally, Bill spoke up "Let's stop for coffee, someplace quiet. I'd like to talk."
Rob stopped at an off campus coffee house. After getting their coffees the pair found a quiet, corner talk in the near empty place. "OK," Rob started,"What's on your mind?" Again silence engulfed the pair. Rob felt that he knew what was going to come but hesitated, waiting for Bill to start. Bill looked up from his coffee, his eyes looked watered. "I have something to say and something to ask you." he whispered. Rob nodded for him to continue. Sipping his coffee and not looking up from the table, he whispered again, "I think that I'm gay!" Rob thought a minutes before speaking "Have you acted on this?" Bill shook his head from side to side. "Why do you think that you're gay?" Gaining confidence Bill continued "I look at guys in the locker room, see their cocks, admire their bodies in the same way that they admire girls. I wante to feel their bodies and have them feel mine." Again silence, Rob smiled, remembering his own moment od discovery in his twenties. He spoke softly, "Perhaps it is normal to compare your own body to theirs. Most guys do at some point. How long have you noticed this?" Now eager to have someone to talk to about his desires, he whispered "For the past year, I've noticed the soldiers in our classes and my team mates in the showers. I get hard thinking about them at night. I want to reach out to touch them." It was his own private confession.
The conversation was silent for a minutes. Rob finally asked "Have you gone to any of the meetings of the gay student groups on campus?" Bill shook his head "I went to one but they were more interested in demonstrations and political action than anything else." Rob understood very well. Many of those groups were not helpful to those people just discovering themselves in a gay world. Most of them had come out of the closet much earlier and forgotten how painful it was. He thought to suggest the gay bar scene but realized it might be too much for a new comer. He also knew from his own experience that there were some men out there who would take advantage of a young man like Bill. It was not a good choice for him to face.
Silence again filled the void until Rob spoke up. "What type of guy are you interested in?" he asked. Bill didn't hesitate, "Someone who will love me, teach me how to love a man and how to be loved by a man. I want an older man, a kind, thoughtful man." By now Rob knew what he had to say "Have you seen such a man?" Without thinking Bill said "Yes. you!" Taken aback by this revelation, Rob sat in stunned silence for a few minutes. "I think that you might just be a bit young to make that kind of statement. Don't you want to find someone with whom you can build a life?" Bill replied instantly "But you are the one, the only one I can trust. I've thought about those my age but many of them are not serious, immature at best."
Switching the conversation slightly Rob asked "Have you talked to your mother? father?" Bill had a look of fear and disgust on his face. "My mother has her own problems to deal with at work and I've never met my dad. She won't even talk about him." Hoping to keep on this same track and away from Bill's attraction to him, Rob asked " You've never met your father? Do you even know who he is?" "No, she won't even tell me his name." he whispered in a voice choked with emotion. I'm afraid now to tell her that I like men rather than girls. I've known that girls do not attract me for years now. I've listened to the other guys talk about their conquests and girlfriends. I do not have the slightest interest in girls." Rob thought for a few minutes before speaking, "Ok, I understand where you're coming from now. I went through something similar. But your feeling now might just be hero worship, not love. One must learn to recognize the difference. Also, as your teacher, I have a professional interest to consider. Yes, you are a very attractive young man. I'm sure that many your own age would find you attractive. I'm 45 and you're only 19. Perhaps we should find a way to talk to your mother about this." Bill bristled at the suggestion. "You don't understand. do you? " he asked. "I do and to be honest some others have worried that this might be the case. Would you'd like to sit down with a few other men to talk about this? It is a burden for me to be the only one who knows and at the same time the object of your affection. We needa third person to sort through this. It is not path that I fear we can tread alone."
Bill was silent over his now cold coffee. Finally, he spoke "I will agree as long as you agree not to shut me out, give it a possibility. But it has to be someone we can both trust." Rob took that in and said "I think that I might know the perfect person. Let me talk to him and arrange a meeting at my place this weekend." Bill nodded his agreement. We finished and left the cafe. I drove him home, following his directions. There were lights on in the house and a slick sports car in the driveway. Before dropping Bill off I gave him a hug and promised to talk to him the next day.
Confused and frustrated Rob drove straight to the coach's place. He knew that the coach was single and that they'd have the privacy to talk. Knocking on the door, he waited, thinking how he would put the situation to his friend. The door opened to reveal the coach in a pair of cut off sweat pants and a well worn t-shirt. He looked surprised to see Rob and immediately sensed his distress. He ushered Rob into his living room. "Want a beer? Then let's talk. From the way you look I know that there is something on your mind." Rob looked up an said "Maybe something stronger for this conversation." The coach went to his kitchen and fixed then two bourbons. Returning to Rob he gave him his drink and sat in the chair facing him. After a few minutes of silence and a few sips of their drinks, Rob spoke "You were right about Bill. We had a long talk tonight over coffee. He told me that he thought he was gay but never acted on it. Cutting to the chase, he told me that I am the object of his gay feelings. This is very dangerous and likely to end in disaster. What can I do?" His co-worker and friend sat in stunned silence to gather his thoughts. Finally speaking he leaned forward to offer advice. "You could claim to be in a happy relationship. That might disappoint him. But it would offer both of you a face saving out." Rob blurted out " He already knows that my last partner died a few years ago and that I'm alone."
The coach moved to sit next to Rob. He put his arm around the sobbing man's shoulders. "How do you feel about him?" he asked. Rob had never thought about his own feelings. He never admitted any attraction other than the professional one. He thought for long minutes before speaking "I guess that there are some feelings but i can't understand them." A thought came to the coach instantly " Have you ever felt them before" he asked. Rob realized that he hadn't not even with his dead lover. That had all been passion that grew into quiet companionship over the years. He spoke slowly "No, not that way. Ted and I were very sexual and drifted into friendship over the years. Deep love was never there, not this kind anyway."
The coach pulled Rob tight against his body, " Maybe you should come out of your shell and experience it. You never know who you'll find could really love you." They stared at each other with tears in their eyes. Rob sobbed and spoke "But I don't even know how!" The coach pulled Rob away,staring at him " It's not knowing, it's feeling. You know that deep inside of you." he whispered. Rob was even more confused than ever. But there was a more immediate problem- dealing with Bill! He returned to the reason he'd come to the coach's place. " I think that we need a third person to help Bill and I sort through this whole thing. Would you be willing to help?"
The coach was thoughtful for a few minutes. He knew that for a long time he'd had his own feeling toward Rob. Now he was being asked to mediate between Rob and a young man who might end up being Rob's lover. Could he do this? Did he have the strength to put his own feelings aside? Would he be willing to hurt both of them for his own selfish needs?
Ok, that's it for now let me know if it should continue at jaskejr@hotmail.com