Okay. These are getting a bit ridiculous in length, but I love high school au's. They make me melt and want to punch something at the same time.
Also normally when I edit I go through multiple times to make sure everything's good... I only did it once because this is a monster and I didn't care enough :)

Mitch may have complained about his job a lot, which wasn't actually a job, but in reality he liked it quite a bit. He was a tutor at the tutoring center at school, one of the best he might add, with a high GPA and nearly all A's. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, he stayed after school and waited in a room connected off the library. It wasn't a very large room, but it housed a few tables and chairs in case more than one student happened to show up. They never did though. Mitch was lucky if even a couple kids showed up at all in a week, and even then it was mostly just kids who were failing out of a required class and forced to come.

He didn't mind it at all. On days where no one showed up, he was able to spend his two hours reading, catching up on his own work, or roaming the library. It was an excuse to not have to go home to his loud house right away. He thought it was a pretty good deal.

School had just started and therefore Mitch's senior year did too. He had spent the summer finding the perfect college, and with his past grades his parents told him he could basically have his pick. Of course, this didn't mean he would slack off at all this year, but he wouldn't have to worry so much.

So here he was, lounging in the back in one of the chairs in the study room, feet propped up on the table and a book in his hand. It was only the third week of school, but Mitch decided it wasn't too early to start some of his english reading. With it being so early in the year, he wasn't really expecting anyone to show up. However, he was proven wrong when he heard a soft knock at the door.

"Come in?" He called out, a little confused.

The door flew open, almost like the person on the other side had kicked it open. When Mitch saw said person, he figured that that's exactly what happened. In the doorway stood Scott Hoying, the school's resident hero, as Mitch liked to call him, star football player, handsome, friendly, and definitely a little full of himself. However, the usual smile Scott wore was gone. Instead it was replaced by a small frown, which Mitch figured was a result of the crutches and cast the boy was sporting.

"Hi, I'm Scott," The injured blonde said, trying to hide the resentment Mitch was sure he had.

""Yeah, I know you," Mitch replied, letting himself stare at Scott's leg.

"Okay, well... I'm here for the tutoring," Scott said a bit more forcefully when he saw Mitch looking at his cast.

"You're at the right place. Take a seat," he answered, gesturing to the chair next to him. Scott made his way over, then unceremoniously fell into the chair, his crutches clattering as they hit the ground.

"Sorry," Scott grunted, not wanting to meet Mitch's eyes.

"It's alright. How'd you hurt it?" Mitch asked, genuinely curious.

Scott shrugged. "It was actually rather stupid. My friend Alex ran over my foot. I'm not getting into details."

Mitch giggled, quickly covering his mouth when Scott glared.

"This isn't funny. I might not be able to play football all year. I could lose my scholarship."

Mitch smirked. "Sorry to hear it. And they sent you to me."

Scott continued to glare. "Listen, I'm not happy to be here either, but if my foot doesn't heal, I'll have to rely on my grades to get into college."

"Okay okay, sorry," Mitch raised his hands up defensively.

"So are you gonna help me or not..."

"Mitch. Mitch Grassi."

"Mitch," Scott drawled slowly as if tasting the name on his tongue. "Do we have any classes together?"

"A few, yeah," Mitch said shortly, thinking of how the teachers praised Scott and their classmates flocked to him.

"Oh. I thought I would remember you," he puzzled.

"Don't sweat it. I'm pretty forgettable," Mitch reassured. Scott looked like he was going to say something, but didn't, keeping his eyes on Mitch.

"Um, okay...so what do you want to start with?" Mitch asked.

"I think I'm behind in math already. I can't do math to save my life. Actually I just suck at everything," Scott said apologetically.

"Then it looks like I have my work cut out for me," Mitch smiled, pulling Scott's math book towards him. For the rest of the time they had, Mitch helped Scott with his math and a little bit of history. Scott was right, he did suck, but at least he tried, focusing on every word Mitch said. And if Mitch thought the way he furrowed his eyebrows when he stumbled over a word he didn't know, or stuck his tongue out when he tried to do a math problem was cute, then he would never admit it to anyone.

He looked at his watch and then back at Scott and said, "It looks like we're done for the day. Are you gonna be here Wednesday?"

Scott began packing his book bag as he replied, "Yeah, I have to. I'm not so great at this school stuff, as you probably saw."

"Well, I guess God doesn't give with both hands." Mitch stated.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, looking up from his bag.

"You can't have the looks and the brains," Mitch explained.

Scott smirked. "You think I'm hot?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Mitch rushed out.

"Alright, Mitch," Scott grinned, slinging his book bag on before hoisting himself up on his crutches. "See you next time."

Scott hobbled his way to the door, leaving Mitch staring at him as he went. Scott turned to wink before he left, giving a small wave. The door closed, leaving him slightly stunned in his seat.

"See ya," he said softly into the empty room. This year, his job was going to be interesting.

-------

"Scott Hoying? The Scott Hoying?"

""Yes, Kirstie. What don't you understand?"

Mitch was walking with Kirstie and Avi, his only two friends and he liked it that way. Kirstie was the girl with the camera, Avi was the choir nerd, and Mitch was the art freak and sometimes nerd who together made a little band of outcasts. They were walking back to Avi's house to hang out, maybe do some homework, but probably not.

"He broke his foot, ya know," Avi added unhelpfully.

"Yes, Avi. That's the whole point of my story," Mitch huffed. "I have to tutor him, because apparently without football he has nothing."

"I don't know, he has his looks," Kirstie added.

Mitch snorted, "Please, he's average at best."

Avi rolled his eyes while Kirstie laughed. "You have to be blind then. He's got those eyes, and that face, and those arms..."

"Kirstie, I'm getting jealous," Avi pouted to his girlfriend.

Kirstie took Avi's hand and said, "Don't worry, it's Mitch who's had a crush on Scott since sophomore year history."

Mitch glared at Kirstie. "I didn't have a crush on him and I never will. He thinks he's so amazing just because he can throw a ball around. Well he's not. He can't even pass history. And so what if everyone wants him, I can see past the muscles."

"Geez, Mitch. I was only joking," Kirstie soothed, but she looked up at Avi and winked. Mitch definitely had a crush.

"Whatever," Mitch grunted as they all filed into Avi's house, "I'll only have to deal with him three days a week. And you better have something salty in this health nut of a house Avi."

"...We have salt?" Avi suggested the same time Kirstie said, "You'll be sucking his dick in six."

They looked at each other and grinned, breaking down into laughter as Mitch groaned and pushed past them to climb the stairs to Avi's room.

"We were teasing!" Kirstie yelled.

"I wasn't. We don't even have chips," Avi said. Kirstie rolled her eyes and leaned up to kiss her boyfriend.

"Stop kissing and bring me food!" came Mitch's muffled scream.

Avi pulled away still smiling and said," You go calm down the drama queen and I'll go find us something somewhat unhealthy."

"Yes sir!" Kirstie exclaimed with one last kiss before bounding up the stairs two at a time. Avi's room was open, and from down the hallway Kirstie could see Mitch laying on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"I don't wanna talk about him," Mitch said as soon as Kirstie walked in, eyes still glued to the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling that Avi put there when he was 7.

"Wasn't even going to mention him,' Kirstie retorted as she laid back next to Mitch. "I'm surprised you were even still thinking about him."

Mitch turned to his side and pushed kirstie off the bed, but the sad part was that Mitch was still thinking about Scott. Somehow he made Mitch lose his cool. He had gone three years without a single crush, keeping his eyes set on the big world of college, but in walks Scott Hoying after years of ignoring him, he flashes one cocky smile and Mitch's heart flies out of his chest. That must be why Kirstie and Avi are making such a big deal, Mitch never gets worked up over anything, preferring to remain indifferent.

Fuck that, Mitch thinks, Scott does not deserve me. What has he done for me?

When Kirstie responds with a "Hell yeah" from her position on the floor, Mitch realizes he said this out loud.

"Why is Kirstie on the floor?" Avi asks, handing Mitch a bowl of popcorn. "If anyone belongs on my bed it's her."

Avi smirks when Mitch scrunches his nose in disgust, but Kirstie comes to his defense. "Don't worry about it, Avi, He was busy brooding and contemplating his loveless life."

"Very true, Kirstie. I can practically see the gloomy gray cloud over his head," Avi teased as he took Kirstie's hands to pull up his girlfriend. The blonde had made it halfway up before Avi was tipping forward, losing his balance, and falling ungracefully on top of Kirstie. After a moment of making sure they were okay, they broke into a fit of laughter, Kirstie wrapping her arms around Avi.

Mitch watched this all happen, but instead of laughing along, he frowned and said, "Don't you see. This is what love does. It makes you so weak at the knees you can barely stand and soon enough you become a mess, fall in love, then hurt each other."

Avi and Kirstie exchanged a look and then turned to Mitch. "That's the thing, Mitch," Avi explained. "Love isn't supposed to be easy or painless. I mean sure, I'm going to have a bruise tomorrow, maybe, but in the end it's worth it. Look where I am now, In the arms of the girl I love."

"I guess the thing is, Mitch," Kirstie added while adjusting herself to be in Avi's lap, "You have to be willing to take a chance. It's like that thing Shakespeare wrote that you said to me after me and Avi had our first fight: 'the course of true love fucking sucks.' Or something like that."

"The course of true love never did run smooth," Mitch corrected, finding himself smiling.

"Yeah, that's the one. We don't want you to be alone forever, Mitchy."

Mitch sighed and rested his chin in his hands. "When did my dumb best friends get so smart?" He marveled.

"Probably at the same time you were getting dumb," Avi teased. Mitch threw a handful of popcorn in retaliation, but Avi just laughed and opened his mouth. As Kirstie fed some pieces to her boyfriend, Mitch looked on, warming up to the idea that maybe love was something he wanted.

-------

Monday seemed to stretch on for ages for Mitch, not only because he was tired from a late night of reading, but it was also the first time Mitch was going to see Scott since their first tutoring session. He was torn between anxious and excited, making him extra jumpy. One time he saw Scott in the hallway and nearly had a heart attack, so he ducked into an open classroom before Scott had a chance to spot him. He wasn't sure Scott would even say hi, but it wasn't worth the risk.

At lunch, Mitch's leg bounced up and down and he tapped his pencil against the table as he tried to focus on some of the work he was doing. Avi and Kirstie caught on quickly to Mitch's mood, confused by the way he was acting. They had never seen Mitch like this.

"What's with you today?" Kirstie demanded, grabbing the pencil from Mitch while Avi reached over and pressed down firmly on Mitch's leg to keep it from bouncing. "You're making us nervous and we don't even know what you're so worked up about."

"It's just...I'm seeing...I don't know...It's Scott," Mitch stuttered, his mind moving a million miles per second. He wove both hands through his dark hair, resting his elbows on the table and restarting his leg shaking.

"Did Scott do something to you? I'll go fuck him up. Where is he?" Kirstie blurted, already moving to stand up. Avi pushed Kirsite back down and then rubbed circles into her back.

"I doubt Scott did anything to Mitch other than make him crazy." Avi explained.

Mitch groaned. "I don't know what it is about him. Like whenever I think about him I can't focus. And when I see him I feel like I can't breathe."

"It's just a crush, You'll survive this, okay?"

Mitch nodded and Avi continued. "I know you don't like talking to people. And I know it makes you anxious, but that's okay. Remember how Scott listened to you and how he was nice? Sure he  might be a little cocky, but I think underneath he's just a puppy. So you're going to tutor him today and charm the pants off of him. Okay, Mitch?"

"Yeah, okay," Mitch replied softly, eyes still looking down at the table but his breathing returning to a normal rate. Once again, he was thankful for his friend's ability to calm him down.

"You can always call us if you need us to come rescue you or something," Kirstie offered.

"Thanks guys, but I think I'll be okay," Mitch declared, more for himself than his friends. He was beginning to feel a little stupid for freaking out so much, especially over a boy, but it's just something that happened sometimes. People kinda made him nervous. What was so special about Scott anyways?

Mitch remembered exactly what made Scott so special about 3 hours later when he was sitting in the study room and heard a knock, the door swinging open to reveal a smiling Scott. He was still on crutches, the only thing that really changed was that now there was a scattering of signatures on his cast.

"Surprised to see me?" Scott asked, moving to the same seat he sat in last time,

"I forgot you were supposed to come," Mitch said, feigning indifference.

"Liar," Scott smirked. "I bet you couldn't stop thinking about me."

Mitch rolled his eyes, but inside his heart skipped a beat. If only Scott knew how right he was. "So what are we working on today?" He wondered, trying to distract the boy.

"Oh, um, I have an essay due at the end of the week," Scott answered. He moved to pull out a book and notebook.

"Oh," Mitch started. "English is my favorite. What book did you read?"

Scott blushed, looking ashamed as he said, "It's a Shakespeare play. But I actually haven't read it yet..."

"Scott," Mitch sighed, taking a copy of the play, which turned out to be The Tempest, from Scott's hands.

"I know, I know," Scott snapped. "But I can't understand what it's saying and it's so boring. Like, I can't stay focused."

"It's alright, Scott," Mitch assured, seeing how defensive Scott got. "Shakespeare is really hard, but we'll get through it. You might actually like it. There's magic, a ship wreck, an exiled king, and true love."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Scott reluctantly agreed. "But I still don't think I can read it.

"I can read it to you," Mitch blurted out, blushing when Scott looked at him surprised.

"Really? You would do that for me?"

Of course, Mitch thought, but instead he said, "Sure, I mean, I'm not gonna write your essay for you though."

Scott grinned, face lighting up as if Mitch had just told him he won a million dollars. Mitch smiled back, he couldn't help himself. Somehow Scott's smile had wormed its way into his brain, telling him that this smile was worth seeing again and again and again, no matter the price. Mitch moved his chair up against Scott's, so close that their forearms pressed together. He opened the book to the first page and gripped it tight as he turn to Scott. And fuck, his face was so close Mitch could almost feel Scott breathing.

"I'll read it out loud and you follow along. And make sure to stop me if you don't get something, Okay?" Mitch said barely louder than a whisper. Scott nodded, holding the smaller boy's gaze until Mitch looked away quickly down to the page, chasing the stutters of his heart away with the forcefulness in his voice. At first he was nervous, he'd never really read aloud to someone before, but Scott sat silently, following the words diligently as Mitch said them. Eventually Scott rested his head on his crossed arms, peering at the play over Mitch's arm. Mitch tried to go slowly, understanding that Scott struggled with this. He also paid attention to Scott's reactions, glancing at him after a long block of text, and if his forehead was more furrowed than usual, he would give a quick explanation. Every time he did, Scott gave a grateful smile that left him breathless. When Mitch finished the last line, he closed the book with finality and looked down at Scott. He gave a small laugh when he saw that Scott's eyes were fluttering closed.

"Are you falling asleep on me?" Mitch giggled, nudging Scott with his body.

"Of course not," Scott responded, rising up and arching his back in a stretch, arms out wide. Mitch opened his mouth but became distracted by the way Scott's biceps flexed and how his shirt rode up, offering Mitch a glimpse at Scott's toned stomach. When his eyes met Scott's again, he found the other boy smirking knowingly, keeping his arms up with his hands locked together behind his head so his chest puffed out more than usual. Mitch cleared his throat and looked away quickly, announcing a little too loudly that they would work on the paper on Wednesday.

"Looking forward to it!" Scott confirmed so earnestly that Mitch almost believed him. Maybe he did want to be here.

When Scott was all packed up and back on his crutches, the pair moved to the door, Mitch opening it and stepping back so Scott could pass. They walked to the front of the school in silence until Scott asked suddenly, "Hey, do you need a ride home or something? My friend Alex is picking me up."

Mitch looked at Scott like he was joking. "The same Alex that ran over your foot?"

Scott laughed, but his face still got a little pink as he answered. "Yeah, but he's a good driver, I swear. He doesn't hurt you when you're in the car, at least."

Mitch chuckled, but answered in the negative. "I'm good, thanks though. My house isn't too far."

Okay, so maybe it was, but there was no way Mitch was getting into a car with some jock, and especially not Alex Kirk. He had quite the reputation. When they reached the parking lot, Mitch spotted Alex's car so he mumbled a quick goodbye, not sure it Scott wanted to be seen with him.

But Scott called out, "Wait!" Reaching out to gently touch Mitch's shoulder. Mitch turned, and once again he was inches away from Scott's face.

"I just want to thank you for helping me," he explained softly. "Not many people take the time, ya know? They think I'm too dumb for this kind of stuff."

Mitch shook his head, staring up at Scott through his eyelashes and said just as quietly, "Don't say that Scott. I think you're quite smart actually, and we're gonna rock that essay."

Scott smiled so wide the corners of his eyes crinkled. "Yeah, okay! I'll see you around, okay?"

Mitch nodded, not trusting his voice. Scott hobbled to the car, and Mitch stood there watching, waiting to see if Scott made it okay. When Alex got out of the car to open the door and help his friend with his stuff, Mitch turned to leave. But even though his back was to the two boys, he still heard Alex's voice across the lot, "Finally, Hoying. I can't believe coach and your parents are making you do this. Who cares about school anyways? Plus, it must suck hanging around with some nerd after school."

Mitch felt sick, his stomach churned as he picked up the pace. He just wanted to get home and forget about Scott and his jock friends. However, he didn't move quite fast enough because he still heard Scott respond with a, "Yeah, it's pretty lame."

It was then the tears started coming. He couldn't believe that he actually thought Scott was more than just a pretty face. Those jocks are all the same, and he couldn't fucking believe that he thought Scott actually liked him. He was so fucking stupid. He finally opened up to someone and this was what happened.

While Mitch was beating himself up for trusting Scott and fighting back the sobs that threatened to escape him, he didn't catch the way Scott looked back at Mitch before getting into the car, eyes searching for him as if he could sense that he just broke Mitch's heart.

-------

"Mitch, I know you're a dramatic bitch, but this is an extreme even for you."

Kirstie was banging on the closed door that led to Mitch's room, the sound of her fist hitting the wood sometimes overpowering the yells. Underneath the noise, Mitch could make out Avi's deep voice, choosing to use more gentle words to try and coax his friend out.

After a good fifteen minutes of that, Mitch figured he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep so he rolled out of bed and stumbled around until he felt the cool metal of the doorknob. As soon as he turned it, Kirstie pushed open the door, sending Mitch backwards towards his bed, an arm thrown over his eyes to block the harsh light from the hallway.

"Mitch, you're going to school whether you like it or not," Kirstie commanded. "Scott is not allowed to keep you from school. You love school for some fucked up reason and he can't take that away from you."

Avi nodded as he pulled some clothes out of the closet and threw them at Mitch. It really wasn't worth the fight because together Kirstie and Avi were a force to be reckoned with. A force filled with smiles and kisses, but still.

"I hope I never see his big, dumb face again," Mitch grumbled, forcefully buttoning up his shirt. Avi hummed in agreement and placed an arm gently around Mitch's shoulders when the boy was dressed, guiding him out of the room, down the steps, and into his car.

"It's just like...ugh!" Mitch tried to explain, letting out a muffled scream of frustration into his sweatshirt that he shoved into his face. Kirstie and Avi shared a concerned look from the front seat of the car.

"We'll go to the head of tutoring and get them to switch you and Scott," Avi assured. Mitch didn't respond, but he knew Avi was right. Part of him didn't want Scott to find a new tutor, because then someone else would get to see the way he fumbled adorably over big words, or the way his face turned into the sun when he finally got a hard problem right. In a weird way, Mitch felt like that side of Scott belonged to him, like no one else cared enough to deserve it.

The day wasn't as bad as Mitch thought it would be. In fact, it seemed to help him to not think about Scott. If he was at home, all his thoughts would be directed towards the boy who let him down, but in class, all he focuses on is his work. This was all working out pretty well and Mitch felt himself begin to relax, no longer worrying about Scott and his douchebag friends. However,, right between classes, Mitch ran into Scott. Actually, Mitch didn't see Scott at first, but the other boy called out his name excitedly, clearly trying to get Mitch's attention.

"Mitch!" Scott tried again when Mitch ignored him. Mitch sighed and looked up, meeting Scott's eyes. But instead of mirroring Scott's smile, he narrowed his eyes into a glare. He held it until the smile completely disappeared from Scott's face, and pointedly turned into the other direction. Mitch's first instinct was to turn around and comfort Scott, telling him he was sorry, but the words Scott said yesterday echoed in his mind again, a perfect reminder of why Mitch was so upset in the first place.

The encounter left Mitch shaken for the rest of the day, his mind no longer fully focused on his school work. Even though he and Avi spoke to the teacher in charge of tutoring to get him and Scott switched, he was still nervous for that afternoon.

And apparently he had every right to be nervous because a few minutes after he settles into his study room, there was a firm knock on the door. Mitch called out a hesitant 'come in,' a little surprised that he already had a new student to tutor. Scott opened the door looking half angry and half awkward standing there.

"Can I help you?" Mitch spat, barely looking up from his book.

"They told me you wanted someone else to tutor me," Scott explained uncertainly, like he was hoping Mitch would speak up and tell him that it's not true. Mitch didn't even look up, prompting Scott to continue.

"It's just that...I was wondering why?"

"None of your business, Scott." Mitch stated, stressing the other boy's name.

"Mitch."

No response.

"Mitch, look at me!" Scott shouted, desperation mixed with anger. Mitch's face whipped up, glaring at Scott. He pushed his seat back and stood up so forcefully he knocked it over. The anger on Scott's face changed to fear and worry as Mitch appeared inches from his face.

"What, Scott? What else can you say to me that can make me feel any worse?" The dark haired boy hissed.

"I don't understand why you're so upset with me...?"

"Why do you even care? I'm just some lame nerd you're forced to hang out with after school. I figured you'd be happy you don't have to spend any more time with me."

Scott's forehead creased in confusion as he listened to Mitch talk. Mitch kept their eyes locked until Scott was hit with a sudden realization of where those words came from.

Mitch snorted in false amusement, pulling away from Scott. But the taller boy reached out and placed a hand on Mitch's shoulder to keep him close.

"Mitch, I'm so sorry. It's just Alex is a real asshole sometimes and I never cared about school before because everyone's seen me as this dumb kid who's only good at throwing a ball around. And I think I'm scared everyone's going to laugh at me if I say I like coming here, like I know it's not much of an excuse, but I'm sorry. Please don't switch me for someone else."

They stood there for a few seconds, Scott breathing heavy after his rushed and rambled explanation and Mitch staring back, eyes wide. He let out a sigh, moving beside Scott and gently placing a hand on his lower back and guided him into the room. Scott gave him a surprised  look, but let Mitch take his crutches and maneuver him into the seat next to his.

"I want to be mad at you," Mitch admitted, sliding into his chair after he propped Scott's crutches and closed the door. Scott wrung his hands in his lap, afraid to meet Mitch's eyes.

"But I can't." Mitch whines out after moments of silence, like it almost hurt him to keep the statement inside. "Like I know we're not friends but it still fucking hurt what you said to Alex. And you're so smart Scott. If your friends and teammates can't see that, then I don't think they really know you."

Scott looked up, giving Mitch a cautious smile. "We're friends."

Mitch smiled back at that and said," Good, I'm glad we're friends."

This seemed to give Scott his old confidence back, his small smile spreading into a self assured grin. "Maybe next time you see me in the hallways you won't look at me like you're trying to kill me."

Mitch scoffed. "You can't blame me for that. Plus," he added, "I have a reputation to uphold. Can't be seen with jocks. It might make it seem like I actually care about this school."

Scott chuckled, leaning over to nudge Mitch with his shoulder. "Oh you care about some things, Grassi. I'm on to you."

"Me?" Mitch asked in mock surprise.

"You cared enough to get mad at me. There must be something deep down in you that's pining for me."

Mitch felt his heartbeat speed up and under Scott's playful gaze he had a hard time keeping his cool. "In your dreams, Hoying," Mitch tried to say casually, but he knew that it came out breathless. "Don't we have an essay due Friday that we need to work on?" He asked, trying to change the subject from his secret desires.

Scott let out a little laugh, amused by his flustered friend. "Yeah, we do. I guess we should get to work."

"Have any ideas for it?" Mitch asked, pulling the play and a notebook from Scott's book bag. The silence and blush on Scott's cheeks were answer enough.

"Alright, well, you talk about what some of your favorite things were about the story, and I'll write down some of your thoughts that could be a potential essay."

Scott nodded and began to recount the bits he liked and some ideas he had of themes. Mitch was impressed by how much Scott remembered and the thoughts that he formed about it, but didn't say anything, letting Scott ramble on while he listed some points.

"I think that's enough," Mitch said after a few minutes. "You have some pretty good ideas here, Scott."

"Wow, I said all that? It makes me look pretty smart."

Mitch laughed a little at the incredulous tone. "You sure did. You need to stop putting yourself down."

They shared a smile before Scott looked at the page again, nose scrunching in distaste as he said, "You have terrible handwriting. But I can say that because I have great handwriting."

Mitch rolled his eyes as he turned in his chair to face Scott, playfully asking, "You do, do you? Maybe I'm the one who needs a tutor."

"Maybe you're right," Scott agreed, inching over his seat so their sides were touching. He moved his body so it was mostly behind Mitch's, his hand reaching out to slide over Mitch's, which still gripped the pen. His large hand fit over Mitch's smaller one easily, and he guided it over the paper spelling out a phrase.

"Scott is awesome," Mitch repeated.

"Pretty impressive, right?" Scott smirked.

"Maybe a bit more if you spelled awesome with two e's," Mitch replied, too busy enjoying the way Scott kept his hand on his own to care that Scott was a terrible speller. He twisted to try to tease Scott some more, but he was met with the other boy staring down at him, blue eyes wide and mouth slightly agape like he just realized something. Mitch's cheeky smile slipped off his face the longer they sat there, Scott pressed up against him. Slowly but surely, Scott started to close the space between their lips, and Mitch's eyes fluttered closed and lips parted in anticipation. However, there was a sudden loud chime and buzzing noise from the table, causing Scott to jump, almost falling from the chair. Mitch's eyes flew open in surprise.

Scott scrambled for his phone, reading the message he just received. "My ride's here," he explained. "I have to go."

Mitch nodded, a little stunned, before getting up to help Scott with his bag and crutches. They stood awkwardly in the doorway, both unsure of what to say until Scott spoke up.

"You...you need a ride?"

"No, I'm good."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, definitely. And work on that paper tonight so I can read over it tomorrow."

Scott nodded, then paused, giving Mitch a strange look before leaning down clumsily and pressing a kiss to Mitch's cheek. He quickly limped away before either one of them could say anything else, leaving Mitch stunned and staring after the injured boy, his hand pressed lightly to his cheek and wondering what the fuck just happened.

-------

The news of the almost kiss and then the sort of kiss, as Mitch put it, left Kirstie and Avi surprised and a bit skeptical. They mostly distrusted Scott because they didn't want Mitch to get hurt, 'again' Avi added, but they weren't opposed to the idea of Mitch finally finding someone he liked. Mitch put this in the back of his mind during the next few weeks, telling himself that he needed to introduce his friends to Scott, who he had grown quite close too. There, unfortunately, had been no more kissing during the tutoring sessions, just a lot of flirting, which Mitch was still okay with, but he also sort of wished it would move past that. Of course he liked getting to know Scott. He was funny, always trying to make Mitch laugh, and very sweet. Nothing like the image Mitch originally had of the star football player. But one of Mitch's favorite things he discovered about Scott was that he was just as geeky as Mitch was. One time, a comic book fell out of Scott's book bag, causing him to blush, embarrassed by the fact that he was caught with such a nerdy item. Mitch couldn't stop laughing, but assured Scott that superheroes were definitely cool.

Mitch was at his locker, putting some unneeded books away, smiling at the memory, when he was pulled abruptly from his thoughts by something hitting the locker next to him. Startled, Mitch jumped a little and turned to see what it was. He was greeted with none other than the smiling face of Alexander Kirk.

"Hello...?" Mitch questioned, still slightly surprised that Alex was there.

"Alex Kirk," he said with a smile, sticking out his hand. "I don't believe we've met face to face before."

"No, we haven't," Mitch responded slowly, gently taking Alex's hand.

Alex look confused for a second, smile flickering as he shook Mitch's hand. "Well, I know you. Scott doesn't shut up about you, Mitch Grassi, so I thought it was time I changed that."

"Um...okay," Mitch closed his locker and began walking in the direction of the library. He chewed his lip in thought, why did Alex decide to talk to him?

"Hey, wait up!" Alex called from behind him. Mitch turned his head, but didn't stop walking. He watched Alex jog to catch up and when they fell in step he asked, "Where are you going?"

"The library. I usually tutor Scott, but he said he had a doctor's appointment, so I'm helping another kid today."

"Oh yeah! Scott said they're seeing if his foot is healed or not. I really hope it is or I'll feel so fucking bad, ya know."

Mitch nodded. He hoped Scott's foot would let him play again, but at the same time...no cast meant no tutoring...

Alex stopped, turning to Mitch and placing a hand on his shoulder, stopping the other boy from walking on.. Alex's signature grin disappeared, replaced by a look of seriousness. He took a breath before looking Mitch in the eyes. "Just, look, I don't really know how to say this, but thanks for what you're doing. I haven't seen Scott this happy or this confident in a long time," Mitch rolled his eyes in disbelief, but Alex shook his head and continued. "I mean it. I don't know what you're saying to him but it's working. He was so upset after he hurt his foot that he wouldn't smile. But after spending time with you I think he sees that there's more to life than football and making other people happy."

When Alex finished, Mitch just stood there in shock, unsure of what to do. "Thanks. I really like Scott, I think he's a really great guy. I'm glad I could help."Mitch responded a little awkwardly, not used to getting praise from a stranger.

Alex seemed to sense Mitch's discomfort and the smile returned as he said, "I hope you decide to stick around. You're a good guy, Grassi, no matter what I hear."

Mitch smirked when Alex winked as he turned to walk away, giving a small wave. Smiling to himself and shaking his head, he entered the library, still in disbelief at what just happened. Kirstie and Avi wouldn't believe this.

The kid Mitch had to tutor was a freshman, meaning the work was really easy, meaning it was mind numbing, giving Mitch more time to think about what Alex said to him, especially the fact that Scott's foot could be healed. However, he pushed through, deciding resolutely that he would not think about Scott anymore that day. Unfortunately for Mitch, this was not meant to be. Midway through the student's math homework, the door flew open and in walked Scott.

Wait, walked?

"It's a miracle!" Scott yelled, his smile threatening to break his face in half. He kicked his leg so it was on the table and looked straight at Mitch as he exclaimed, "I'm healed! I swear, step on my foot! Honestly, I'm fine!"

Mitch frowned at Scott and said, "That's great, Scott, but I'm kind of busy." He gestured to the student next to him, "We're in the middle of his math homework."

The smile didn't disappear from his face when he looked at the freshman. "You're gonna smash it!" He turned back to Mitch as he continued with the same excitement. "You know who else is gonna smash it? Me! When I play in the homecoming game next Friday!"

Mitch rolled his eyes. "You're really going to play in that game? Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"Uh, yeah," Scott said, now sounding a little annoyed. "It's not just a game. It's homecoming of my last year here. Which is why I need to start missing a few of our meetings. I have to practice."

"Great idea," Mitch said sarcastically. "Skip studying so you can go knock other guys over. That sounds like a good plan," before he could stop himself, Mitch was adding, "You know what? Let's just cancel tutoring all together."

Scott gave Mitch a hurt look, but quickly covered it with one of anger. "You should tutor people on how to ruin a great moment. Clearly you're good at it."

Mitch sighed. "I'm sorry if this isn't going exactly how you expected it to. I really don't know what you want me to say."

Scott pointed angrily at him. "This isn't a normal response. Friends are happy for each other when something great happens for them. I'm happy for you, Scott! Good luck, Scott! That is what you should be saying."

"Good bye, Scott," Mitch said shortly, looking at the book on the table so he couldn't see Scott's face, knowing it was something he couldn't bear to know he caused.

-------

Scott and Mitch's big blow up quickly reached the ears of their respective best friends. Kirstie and Avi couldn't say they were exactly surprised. Mitch hasn't had a great track record with making friends. But after talking about it between the two of them, they decided that the relationship Mitch had with Scott was too special to end over something like this. With that in mind, they approached Scott at the end of football practice a few days later.

The football player was sitting on a bench on the sideline of the field, stuffing his equipment into a bag, so he didn't see the couple approaching him from across the field, who were receiving some odd looks from the straggling players that made their way back to the school. When they stopped in front of Scott, he mirrored the expressions of his teammates.

"Kirstie and  Avi, right?" He asked, attention refocusing on the job he was just doing.

"Yeah...how'd you know?" Avi asked confused, but a smile appearing on his face.

Scott shrugged, still not looking up as he said, "He used to talk about you all the time. Plus you're always with him."

Kirstie and Avi exchanged a look at the avoidance of even saying Mitch's name. "We're actually here to talk about it, if you'd let us." Avi said carefully.

"I'm not interested," Scott responded gruffly. "He made it abundantly clear that we're not friends." He stood up, slinging the bag over his shoulder and making a move to pass the pair who were stood in front of him.

"Scott! Hold on a minute!" Kirstie exclaimed, placing her hands on Scott's chest to stop him, but immediately dropping them back to her sides when she felt Scott tense up. "I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "It's just that I think you really want to hear what we have to say."

Scott looked between the couple, surprised to see that they were both smiling at him...Avi with a calm smile, waiting patiently for Scott' responds, and Kirstie with a more nervous smile, like she had offended him. It was pretty clear that they didn't want to yell at him or anything, so he raised his eyebrows as permission to continue. Kirstie quickly caught on and began to speak.

"We heard about you and Mitch, so we just wanted to come by and see how you were doing."

Scott shrugged again. "I'm okay."

"Are you really, Scott?" Avi questioned in his deep voice, drawing out Scott's name like Mitch used to do. Scott knew that Kirstie and Avi were practically strangers, but it seemed that they did care about him, so he couldn't help but reveal what he was actually feeling.

"No, not really," he answers dejectedly. "Mitch was a dick and he really hurt me. Like, he was the only one who told me I was smart and told me I was worth more than just how well I can throw a ball. And when he couldn't be happy for me...it just made me so mad."

Avi reached out to place a comforting hand on Scott's shoulder. Kirstie nodded along, pausing before saying, "Now, I really think you and Mitch should talk, but let me ask you something really quick. Do you think that maybe you're being a little stupid by not looking at Mitch's side of the story?"

Avi and Scott both glared at Kirstie, who shook her head and waved her hands. "Not saying you're dumb, Scott," she explained. "But look at how Mitch must be feeling. The only reason you two became friends was because he had to tutor you, and now you chose to stop that, the one connection he had to you. Maybe he feels like you're going to leave him."

Scott hung his head, staring at the turf as he mumble, "I never thought of that."

"We know," Avi said, "Which is why we're here, to let you know that Mitch isn't mad, he's just upset."

All this new information swirled in Scott's head, making him a little dizzy. He looked at Kirstie and Avi with wide eyes. "I really like him, but what if he doesn't want to talk to me? I'm nervous," he choked.

Avi gazed seriously at Scott and advised, "Don't ever let fear stop you from going after what you want. A football scholarship, a boy, it doesn't matter. You're a great guy, you're driven, you can get whatever you set your mind to."

Scott's mouth opened and closed, taking in Avi's words. Kirstie was similarly shocked, wondering how Avi always gave such good advice. The pair hugged Scott then walked away, leaving him to his thoughts. But after Avi's words of not letting fear control you, he knew exactly what he needed to do and set off, hoping Mitch was still up at the school.

-------

At the same time Kirstie and Avi were talking to Scott, Alex paid a visit to Mitch. He spotted Mitch sitting on top of the hill that overlooked the football field, eyes searching the turf. Alex smiled knowingly as he walked over to Mitch, sinking into the grass next to him.

"What do you want today Allie?" Mitch asked.

Alex smirked. "Allie? I don't recall us becoming friends."

"Don't worry, we're not," Mitch assured, glancing over at Alex before returning his eyes to the field.

A few more seconds passed in silence before Alex said," I think you know why I'm here."

Mitch rolled his eyes. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"That's fine, I wanted to do the talking anyways," Alex paused to see if Mitch would object, but when he got no response, just Mitch sighing, he continued. "Scott showed up at my house the other night right after you two had your fight, rambling on about you and football and how upset he was. I actually haven't seen him that upset since the doctor told him he might not be able to play again."

He glanced at Mitch to try and gauge a reaction, but Mitch was keeping a straight face. "So when he finally calmed down, we sat on the back steps not talking because I wasn't sure if he still wanted to talk. But I thought, 'Scott sucks at emotions so you're gonna have to pull it from him,' so I asked him what he was really upset about, football or Mitch. And he kinda looked at me for a second, I could see him really thinking for a minute. It all just clicked for him.

"I don't think he realized I knew though because he said, 'The studying thing is working out for me. I think I might stick with it.' 'Studying? Okay Scott,' I said, but come on, we both know Scott's not the smartest."

Mitch's head snapped in Alex's direction, finally breaking his gaze with the football players below. "Why do you talk about Scott like that?" He questioned angrily. "He's your best friend and you should be supporting him."

Alex sighed. "I know that, Mitch. And fuck you for thinking that I don't think a lot of Scott. I've been his friend longer than you."

"Alright, sorry." Mitch mumbled.

"Anyway, you didn't let me finish the story," Alex brushed off. "I'm not a total shit friend, so I said, 'Scott, you know this isn't about the school work, you hate school. This is about the person who teaches you said work.' When I said this Scott was finally willing to talk about it. This is what I've been leading up to, so listen closely, Grassi.

"He said, ' With Mitch, everything is so easy, ya know? Being with him is easy, like he gets me. And he makes me feel so good about myself too. All he has to do is smile and I feel like I could fly or take a hundred math tests or...I don't know. Seeing him so mad just broke me. Not seeing the way his nose scrunches up when he smiles made it seem like playing the homecoming game isn't that important.' So. That's why I'm here Mitch. To show you that you made a mark on Scott that he can't get rid of. I don't really give a damn what you do with this information, but as his best friend, I felt like i should do something."

With that, Alex gave Mitch's shoulder a pat, then pushed himself up, leaving the other boy alone. Mitch glanced up at Alex as he left, but didn't say anything. Partly because he didn't know what to say. He knew that he and Scott were more than friends, but he had no clue just how much Scott cared for him. It kind of scared him how much of those feelings he felt too. Talking with Scott was one of the easiest things for him, which is saying a lot because he isn't the most social type. He also loved the way Scott smiled, but his favorite thing was Scott's eyes, the way they were so expressive. They were soft and warm and Mitch wanted to drown in them.

The air was getting cooler as it was mid-October, leaving Mitch wishing he had something more than his t-shirt. The sound of a whistle pierced the air, and Mitch watched as the football players scattered, running to the sidelines or already walking back to the school. Number 77 hadn't left Mitch's gaze for the past hour of practice, because even with that helmet and those pads, he could tell it was Scott just by the way he moved. As the field grew more empty, Mitch stood up, not really sure where he needed to go, but he needed to clear his head, something that was impossible to do with Scott around.

After a few minutes, he had wandered to the parking lot, half his mind wondering where the hell Kirstie and Avi were, the other still thinking about Scott. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do yet. Should he go find Scott or not do anything?

Luckily, or maybe unluckily, this question was answered for him. There was the sound of heavy footsteps quickly approaching him, and he heard his name being called.

"Mitch!"

Mitch whipped around and was greeted by the image of Scott running up to him, still in his football pants and cleats, but removed his jersey, which means he was left in a white tank top.

"Mitch!" He yelled again. "I have to talk to you."

Mitch waited for Scott to reach him, and upon closer inspection he saw the sweat that covered Scott's body, meaning he came straight from practice. Scott confirmed this when he said breathlessly, "I'm sorry I'm gross and stuff but I needed to come find you. I have something I want to say."

His eyes were pleading, begging Mitch to hear him out. Mitch gave a small nod and Scott took a breath before saying, "Mitch, I like you. I never really saw myself with someone like you before. You know, I usually just go for the hot dude. Not that you're not hot, it's just that you're just hot in a different way. Beautiful even. Um, anyways, you use words I don't even understand, like 'truncated', which is just an awesome word for 'short', but I never knew that till I met you. And that's only one thing you showed me out of like, a million. I have so many things to say to you, but I'll try to keep it truncated.

"Hanging out with you is one of my favorite things. I think it's cool that you read comics like me, and you can speak a different language which you sometimes mutter in when you're thinking. But my favorite thing is that you think I can be smart. My whole life I've loved football, like it was the only thing that mattered to me, but now that you don't like it, it doesn't seem that important. Everyone's going to the homecoming game on Friday, but it doesn't matter to me because the only person I want to be there, won't be. I guess what I'm trying to say is will you go to homecoming with me? And maybe I screwed all this up, but I like you a lot and I think you should go out with me."

Just as quickly as Scott's confidence came, it left, leaving him shifting from leg to leg as he dropped his eyes, avoiding Mitch's. The other boy stood there stunned, overwhelmed by the sudden declaration.

"Wow, Scott," he said after a moment. "This is a lot. It's all really nice things, but I don't know. I've never been to homecoming, and dances freak me out with all the people."

Mitch wanted to kick himself as he said the words, hating how Scott's whole body slumped at them, but hating himself more because he didn't really mean what he said. Yeah, what he said was true, he didn't really like homecoming, but he liked Scott and he wanted to go with him, but his head told him that they would never work out. Scott was homecoming king while he was a nobody.

Now it was Mitch's turn to hang his head because looking into Scott's puppy eyes would be too painful. Suddenly, Scott looked up, and when he saw that Mitch was close to tears, he gently lifted the boy's chin so their eyes met. His hands reached for Mitch's, holding them in his own. Something Mitch had said set him off. Set off sparks inside of him. He realized that there was no way he could just let Mitch go.

"I'm not giving up on you, Mitch," He declared, surprising even himself with the way he said that with such intensity. "I'm going to look for you in those stands, because right now that game means nothing if you're not there. I'll wait for you at the dance, or we don't have to go, we can do something else."

"Scott, you have to go," Mitch interrupted. "Everyone in school will be expecting you. I can't let you let them all down because you wanted to be with me."

Mitch's hands fell limply at his sides when Scott dropped them, but their eyes remained locked on each other. "Alright, if that's what you want," Scott said. "But I'll still be looking."

For a moment, Mitch swore that Scott was going to kiss him. Half of him wanted that, but the other didn't, knowing that if Scott did kiss him, there was no way he could refuse the boy anything. But instead, Scott whispered, "I'll see you around, Mitch."

Mitch only nodded, not trusting his voice. Tears threatened to escape as he watched Scott walk away, back to the school and his teammates. He blinked them away, once again refusing to let himself cry over that boy, as he turned to head home.

-------

The days leading up to homecoming were stressful for both Mitch and Scott. Everyone was talking about the game and the dance that followed, it was all anyone could talk about, providing both boys with reminders that Mitch would not be in attendance. Scott flinched every time one of his friends asked who he was going with, brushing it off with a grin and an excuse. He was also constantly being pestered by his parents, teachers, and coaches about his impending performance, showering him with praise and expectations. Suddenly, homecoming was not as exciting as he thought it would be.

All Mitch wanted to do was forget about homecoming, because if it didn't exist, then Scott asking him out would've never happened. He would have never had to say  no to the boy of his dreams. Kirstie and Avi faithfully said they wouldn't go either, but Mitch insisted they did, knowing that they both wanted too, because what normal high school senior didn't dream about their final homecoming dance?

During these days, Scott had made an effort to talk to Mitch, coming up to him in the hallways or trying to make conversation with him after school, but eventually this died down as Mitch brushed Scott off more and more. Mitch didn't really know why he did it, because he still liked Scott a lot, needing Scott's presence like he needed air. But something caused him to push the other boy away.

Eventually, the long awaited Friday rolled around and the school and the town were filled with excitement. Mitch went through the school day in a haze, eagerly awaiting the comfort of his own room. But even when he was finally laying in bed, something felt wrong. The twisting in his stomach was still there. The clock reached the hour of kick off, and when he watched the seconds tick by, he knew what he had to do.

"Fuck!" He yelled into the darkness of his room. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck!"

He climbed out of bed and grabbed his phone. He brought up Kirstie's number and pressed call. After a few rings he heard Kirstie's voice answer, "Mitch! Is everything okay?"

Her voice was muffled, drowned out by the sounds of cheering and cowbells and music. "Come get me," he demanded, stumbling around his dark room, pulling on his leather jacket and stuffing a beanie on his head.

"But the game's just started!" Kirstie replied. Mitch was about to protest but he heard Avi's voice in the background. Though he couldn't make out the words, he could hear Kirstie's replies.

'But the game Avi!'
'We're gonna lose our seats, babe!'
'Alright. Mitch? Mitch, we're coming.'

Mitch grunted in affirmation then hung up. He couldn't believe he was doing this. There was a honk from outside signaling Kirstie and Avi's arrival. He flew down the stairs, out the door, and into the back seat.

"Mitchell Grassi, you owe us one!" Kirstie yelled, not wasting a second before speeding off back to the school.

"I'm sorry," he replied.

Kirstie grunted as Avi answered, "Don't be sorry, I think this is incredibly romantic."

"Geez Avi, I'm just going to a football game."

"Yeah, but remember what Scott said to you. He's going to look for you. And he has all night. He's gonna be so happy!"

"That makes one of us," Mitch mumbled, too quiet for Avi to hear. But truthfully, he was excited too. His stomach twisted out of nerves, but Mitch could tell they were good ones. He was doing the right thing.

When they arrived at the school, Kirstie did the worst parking job known to man, and the three of them ran to the stands. The bleachers were packed, filled with onlookers decked out in school colors. They filed into the back, which was the only free space they could find.

"We missed a touchdown!" Kirstie whined, before a unanimous cheer erupted and she looked around. Mitch would admit that the atmosphere was contagious and he found himself being swept away by the emotions, even though he didn't know the first thing about football.

"There he is!" Avi said, leaning close to Mitch so he could be heard. He pointed a finger into the field, directly at Scott. He was standing in a huddle with his teammates, probably discussing a strategy for the second half. All at once, the lights didn't seem so bright and the cheers didn't seem so loud. As if Scott could sense Mitch's presence, his eyes began to scan the crowd, hand raking through his sweaty hair nervously. He paused in the place Kirstie and Avi were sitting at before, but moved on quickly. Finally, he spotted Mitch, who stuck out like a sore thumb in his black jacket. It took a moment for it to click with Scott, like he couldn't believe Mitch was actually there, but Mitch smiled and gave a small wave, and holy shit, Mitch thought, the smile that appeared on Scott's face could outshine all the lights on the field. Mitch's own smile couldn't help but to spread on his face the longer they stared at each other, both having disappeared into their own little world.

Unfortunately, Scott was called back by his coach, but before he put his helmet back on, he blew Mitch a kiss. His heart stopped in that instance, not believing that Scott could be that cheesy and adorable. The people that witnessed it awed, even though they didn't know who it was directed to, and Kirstie nudged Mitch playfully with a wink. The rest of the game seemed to pass quickly, and while Mitch didn't understand any of the rules, he enjoyed watching Scott do what he loved. He was really good, Mitch thought, as he screamed when Scott got another touchdown. The only time time seemed to slow down was whenever Scott got tackled, the sound of bodies hitting bodies causing Mitch to wince and peek out from his fingers over his eyes.

"You're adorable," Kirstie smiled, wrapping one arm around Mitch. "You better get ready to cheer for your boyfriend. Ten seconds left and were up by three touchdowns.

Under normal circumstances, Mitch would ask how Kirstie knew so much about football and probably hit her for calling Scott his boyfriend, but right now he was too preoccupied, eyes darting between Scott and the clock. When it reached zero, the crowd went wild, many of the students running to storm the field.

"You wanna go?" Avi called to him. Mitch shook his head. He wanted to, obviously, but the idea of being crushed by strangers was not appealing, whether Scott was in there or not.

"It's okay, you'll see him in a couple hours at the dance anyways," Kirstie said, taking both Mitch and Avi's hands and leading them to the parking lot.

"Dance?" Mitch said confused. "No one said anything about the dance."

"Don't be ridiculous, Mitch. You can't only go to the game, and Scott will definitely want to see you now."

"I don't have anything to wear!" He tried to protest, but Kirstie waved him off.

"Don't worry, Mitchy. We'll find something that'll make your boy's heart melt."

-------

Kirstie was right of course, which is why Mitch finds himself standing in front of the gym doors. He didn't own a suit, so they stuck with his black skinny jeans and black leather jacket. It may not have been 'dance appropriate,' but it was exactly Mitch's style so he felt a bit more comfortable. He wore a deep red button up underneath the jacket that he had for special occasions that his parents dragged him to. He felt a little self conscious, thinking he might stand out too much with his laid back style, but Kirstie insisted he looked perfect. "The outfit has character and so do you."

Kirstie and Avi already entered the dance, probably dancing like idiots or making out in the corner. Mitch had told them he would only be a minute more. Kirstie looked at him disapprovingly, but didn't say anything, not wanting to fight. Mitch could understand her view, but there was no fucking way he was going to be able to step foot in there without calming his nerves first somehow.

"Come on, you idiot," Mitch muttered to himself as he paced in front of the doors. "Get your ass in there."

With a deep breath he pushed through the doors and into the gym, suddenly overwhelmed with the throbbing music and laughter. The DJ was set up on the stage with the dance floor in the middle of the floor right in front of it, with tables bordering the sides. It was dark, but not enough to where you couldn't see anyone else. Mitch's excited classmates were dancing the night away or gossiping at the tables. Mitch was only looking for one person in particular. Luckily for him, said person had already seen him.

"Mitch!" He heard, before actually seeing Scott, but was soon confronted with everything that was Scott. The smell of his cologne, the strong arms wrapping around him, and the smile against his cheek.

"I knew you'd come," he whispered into the smaller boy's ear. Before Mitch knew it, his arms were returning Scott's hug.

"I think I knew it all along too," he murmured back, pressing his mouth against Scott's ear, earning a giggle. They pulled apart and Scott looked Mitch up and down.

"You look amazing," Scott sighed. "The most beautiful person here."

"You don't look so bad yourself," Mitch smirked. It was true though. Scott looked incredible in his tight fitting suit, crisp white button up, and shiny black dress shoes. His blonde hair looked better than usual in his own quiff. It wasn't until a few second later that Mitch noticed Scott's tie.

"Your tie? How did you know?"

Scott looked down at his red tie, almost the exact shade of Mitch's shirt. "I might have had a little help," he blushed, gesturing to the table. Kirstie, Avi, and Alex were sitting there, all smiling at the couple. "I might have definitely known you were coming, but that was only an hour ago."

Mitch smiled tenderly, reaching a hand up to smooth Scott's tie, Scott following behind him and placing his hand over Mitch's. "I'm sorry," Mitch said. "Sorry about all those things I said to you. I was a dick. I was afraid of losing you, but that doesn't make up for anything."

"You were a dick, but I forgive you. We both said some dumb things, but let's not worry about it anymore. We're both here now."

Mitch nodded, so happy that Scott understood and was willing to put all those things behind him. A slow song came on, causing the noise from the students to die down, only couples remaining on the dance floor.

"So will you dance with me, Mitch Grassi?" Scott questioned, taking Mitch's hand in his.

"I don't normally dance, like ever," Mitch started. Scott looked a little upset and was about to say something, but Mitch continued. "So you're going to have to lead, Scott Hoying."

Scott grinned and led Mitch to the dance floor, sticking close to the edge so Mitch wouldn't feel so crowded and more comfortable. He placed his hands on Mitch's slender waist and Mitch wound his arms around Scott's neck, resting his head on his shoulder.

"I can't see your face like that, you goof," Scott scolded playfully.

"I can't help it," Mitch giggled. "You smell really good."

"You smell like candy," Scott teased as he buried his nose into Mitch's hair. "I like it."

Mitch did smell like candy and he did like it, because it wasn't just the sweetness he was smelling. There was something so Mitch about it. Mitch hummed and continued resting his head on Scott's shoulder, letting him sway or turn their bodies. They didn't talk for the rest of the song apart from Scott singing the sappy love song lyrics in a hushed voice. Out of the corner of his eye, Mitch could see Kirstie and Avi dancing. They were wrapped up in each other, moving rather gracefully. He caught Kirstie's eye, and the blonde made a face at Mitch, causing them both to laugh softly.

"What is it?" Scott wondered.

"Nothing, Scott. I'm just happy."

Scott nodded like he understood, continuing to sing. When the song ended, it was immediately replaced by one with a much faster pace. It shook Scott and Mitch out of their moment of peace when dancing bodies pressed up against them. Mitch gripped onto Scott, letting the larger boy push their way out of the crowd.

"Do you wanna get out of here? Get some fresh air or something?" Scott asked, frowning at the way Mitch went from blissful to anxious. Mitch gave a shaky nod, and Scott took his hand and led them out of the gym and outside.

"I'm sorry I freaked out," Mitch said as soon as they got into the cool night air. "You can go back in and keep dancing if you want, I'll be fine."

"Not uh, no way," Scott said firmly. "I'm not leaving."

"It's okay, I don't care."

"Are you becoming pouty again? What happened to the Mitch that was just cuddling me on the dance floor?"

"Please, Scott," Mitch scoffed. "I'm usually a bitch. I guess just not around you."

Scott rolled his eyes fondly. "Come on, let's take a walk."

"Are you sure? They're going to announce the homecoming king and queen soon, and I know you're nominated, Mr. Popular," Mitch protested, but let Scott take his hand anyways and pull him along.

"Whatever," Scott shrugged. "If I win then they're just gonna make me dance with some girl that I don't even want to dance with. I'd rather be here with you a million times more than I want to be homecoming king."

Mitch stopped scowling at that, already feeling his guarded, sarcastic persona slipping away. They fell into step, but it was clear that Scott was the one who know where they were going.

"Where are we going Scotty? It's cold out here," Mitch whined.

Scott laughed, untangling their hands so he could put his arm around Mitch's shoulder and pull him closer. "I'm taking you somewhere I'm sure I'll never get you to go again."

"The football field?" Mitch question incredulously as they stepped onto the turf and walked to the 50  yard line.

"I just wanted you to see it from my perspective. You were able to get me to see books and stuff like you do, so I thought I'd give it a try."

They turned to face the bleachers, Scott's arm still around Mitch, who pressed himself into Scott's side for both warmth and comfort. Though empty, the shiny metal seats were still intimidating, and Mitch remembered how full they could be.

"I'm impressed that you found me when I was all the way up there." Mitch admitted.

"I'll always find you, Mitch." Scott insisted, placing a kiss on top on Mitch's head that made his heart flutter.

"What's it like down here when you play?"

"Exhilarating," Scott sighed happily. "When I'm playing it's like no one can touch me. The people in the crowd don't matter because it's just me and my team, but at the same time they do, because if I can score then I'm able to make them all happy. Sort of like a superhero who is saving the day one touchdown at a time."

Scott chuckled to himself. "That seems crazy, I bet. It's just a game."

"It's not," Mitch countered, trying to stop Scott from putting himself down again, because this was definitely not a crazy thought. It was clear that football meant a lot to Scott, and the way he described made Mitch question all the things he ever thought about the sport.

"I'm gonna start coming to every game if you want me to," Mitch continued. "I want to see you save the world, because even if I don't like football, I like you."

Scott looked down at Mitch, eyes threatening to close because of how intense his smile was. "It's like me and books," he explained. "I hate reading, but you love it. I can tell because you always smile when you read. I could care less about the themes of a play, but you do. Plus the way you read is almost sinful, I swear to god."

Mitch smirked, "Almost as delicious as you look in those football pants?"

Scott blushed but didn't respond, so Mitch continued. "Does this mean you're gonna come back to tutoring?"

The other boy shrugged, "I don't know. I'm not sure how they'll feel about me having my boyfriend tutor me."

Mitch was about to try to convince Scott otherwise, but suddenly realized what Scott had said. "Your boyfriend?" He asked shyly, a smile playing at it lips.

"Does this answer that?" Scott whispered, turning their bodies so they were face to face. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against Mitch's. One of Scott's hands rested on Mitch's hip to keep the other boy steady, and the other hand cradled the back of his neck. Mitch's own arms found their way back around Scott's neck like when they were dancing. He sighed into the kiss, enjoying the way Scott's warm, soft lips felt against his. His lips parted slightly, allowing Scott's tongue to slide against his. Scott worked his lips against Mitch's some more before he pulled back, leaving both of them breathless and flushed.

"You taste sweet, too," Scott giggled. "You're going to get me addicted to the way you kiss."

Mitch smiled and dragged his hands through Scott's hair, kissing him again just because he could. "Maybe tutoring you is a bad idea after all," Mitch said.

"And why is that?" Scott questioned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Because I'm going to want to do this all the time," he grinned before leaping into Scott's arms, pulling him into another heated kiss. Scott laughed against Mitch's mouth as he struggled to hold on to his boyfriend, who had wrapped his legs around his waist. They kissed like that in the middle of the football field until Scott's arms burned, and even then he refused to put Mitch down.

"Scott," Mitch sighed.

"Mitch," Scott replied.

They didn't need to say anything else because they both finally knew what the other was thinking, that this could be love.