by Bella Bennet
Harry smiled as he got up, except Alex was standing right there. He hadn’t run down to the other end. Harry returned Alex’s glare. He wasn’t some dumb submissive omega to be pushed around. Alex turned and ran down to the other basket. Harry followed. Alex stayed on the outside of the pack with his arms up. A teacher on the other team had the ball and passed it to Alex. Harry jumped up in front of him and grabbed the ball out of the air. He stood in shock, then turned and shot at the basket .
The ball went wide but Harry was elated, anyway. He had never expected to grab the ball like that. “Great job, Harry!” He accepted high-fives as they ran down to the other end .
Alex was again near the outside edges of the pack, waiting for the ball so he could shoot. Harry ran in front of him, determined to keep any balls from reaching Alex. He kept pushing back with his ass to keep close to Alex, but that had some unfortunate side effects. Nothing like a hot alpha breathing down your neck with his arms outstretched on both sides. Harry was getting hard which hurt with a jockstrap on .
He was mad at himself for getting so turned on by the jerk. Then Alex pushed him more towards the action. There was no mistaking that bulge against his back. “I didn’t know you wanted me on your back so bad .”
Harry scowled and turned around to glare just as Alex got the ball, jumped and shot it in. Well, Harry was pretty sure he shot it in with the cheers from the crowd. Alex winked at Harry then turned and ran down the court. He clenched his jaw and ran after Alex .
Of all the presumptuous things to do. Harry hadn’t been pushing his ass at Alex to flirt, it was a game! He didn’t know if he was angry because of the wink, what Alex said, or that his jockstrap had gotten even more tight and uncomfortable. He didn’t want to admit that he was turned on by the damn alpha .
Alex was right in the center of things trying to get the ball away from Susan. Harry pushed and got himself in between them. Except he was facing Alex. That wasn’t right, he was supposed to be facing his teammate. Alex suddenly shoved forward pushing Harry back off balance. Alex grabbed his arm just as Harry was about to hit the court .
“Someone pushed me .”
Harry didn’t care what excuse Alex had. He pushed Alex back. He didn’t know what to say to the handsome alpha, the bane of his existence, so he turned and ran down to the other end of the court .
* * *
A lex was speechless. Harry had just pushed him while glaring. Didn’t he hear Alex say he was pushed? It was a physical game there would be pushing. Hell, Harry had even been pushing Alex every time he had guarded him .
Alex jogged to the middle of the court, but the players were now headed his way. Alex raised his arms up for the ball, knowing he was off sides but since this was just a silly game, it didn’t really matter. Some in the crowd were yelling offsides but Alex dribbled and then shot a three pointer right into the basket. He exchanged high-fives and ran backwards down the court keeping an eye on Harry’s team .
Harry was keeping up but was too short to be an effective basketball player. Plus, he didn’t seem to really know what to do. It was comical watching him try to block and guard, but Alex still thought he was adorable. Harry was throwing himself into the game no matter his skill level. Alex admired that about him .
His team scored again, and they ran down to the other side. Susan had the ball and was going to go for a three pointer by the looks of things. Alex ran up blocking her, making it hard for her to dribble anymore. She tried to pass the ball around him, but Alex had long arms and blocked her no matter what she tried .
“Stop blocking me!” Susan laughed .
Alex smiled. It was fun getting out of the classroom environment and playing a game with his coworkers. Susan lost her focus for a second and Alex grabbed the ball. He stepped around Susan to run to the other end but Harry blocked him, grabbing the ball and wrapping his arms around it .
“Hey! You have to get it out of my hands, not just hang onto it .”
Harry glared and didn’t let go. Alex just stared at him, this was ridiculous. “Hey, let go !”
“No, I’ve got the ball.” Alex frowned. What was he trying to do? Didn’t he know you couldn’t—oh. He didn’t .
He opened his mouth but Dr. Stevens blew the whistle. He came over scowling. “Come on, try to act professional. Let go of the ball .”
Alex let go and backed up, surprised by the sharp put down. He didn’t think the principal was one to make snap judgments like that, but it was an exhibition game. Also, Dr. Stevens hadn’t seen what was going on .
Harry took the ball running down the court managing to dribble. Alex ran slowly behind with his team. He didn’t want to look at them, to see if they thought the same way the principal did. They weren’t fighting like children. Were they ?
Alex spent the rest of the game staying as far away from Harry as possible. The fun and enjoyment had left the game for him. He still had the ball passed to him, and made shots, but without the ability to be close to Harry, it wasn’t fun. He couldn’t understand how that omega had gotten under his skin, but he had .
* * *
T he game was over. His team had won. They high-fived and declared victory over the other teachers. But they sweetened the other team’s defeat by stating they’d buy pizza for the losing team at the local pizza place. Dr. Stevens came into the locker room and went right to Harry. They had about a one second conversation and then the principal came to Alex .
“I’d like to see you in my office as soon as you’re ready before you leave the building.” He turned around and left. The sinking sensation in his stomach didn’t ruin any fun he had been having. He better change fast and see what was going on .
* * *
H arry was already seated in front of Dr. Steven’s desk when Alex got there. It was quiet. They hadn’t been chatting while waiting for Alex. The dread pooling in his stomach got worse .
“The game today was a friendly rivalry game, an exhibition game of teacher versus teacher so the students could have fun cheering and booing their favorite teachers.” Dr. Stevens stared at both Harry and Alex. Alex squirmed in his chair. It was like a child getting a set down from a parent .
“I was expecting professional behavior from the teachers I hired for this school.” The long pause did not make Alex feel any better about things .
“I did not expect two teachers fighting over the basketball like children. What—,” Dr. Stevens paused for a deep breath. “I am very disappointed. Harry, I’ve known you for many years now. I would have never believed you could behave like this if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” He turned to Alex. “Alex, I don’t know you well but from what I’ve seen and have heard, you are a professional, careful teacher .”
Dr. Stevens looked down at his desk and then back up. “I cannot allow behavior like this to go unpunished. You will both be suspended Monday from school. I had better see new and improved behavior from both of you or I will be forced to impose stricter punishment. You have the weekend to become tolerant of each other if not friends. I’m serious. I will not allow two teachers that the students love, that other teachers like and admire, to be fighting with each other. This ends right now. Someone will lose their job if this doesn’t end this weekend. That is all .”
Alex couldn’t move. He had been teaching here not even six months. He supposed he could be mad at Harry for holding onto the ball, but he knew Harry didn’t know the rules of basketball. Plus, Alex should have just let Harry have the ball. As Dr. Stevens said, it was just a fun game. Alex pursed his lips, disappointed with himself .
“I understand.” Alex rose and left the office. He stood in the hallway. Thankfully no one else was there. He wondered if he looked as shook up as he felt .
Harry came out into the hallway and stopped. Alex waited but Harry didn’t say anything. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like heading to the pizza place anymore. How about we head to the nearest bar and work on this .”
“Sounds good. I’ll fol
low you.” Harry walked off to the main doors .
Alex sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He had a feeling this would not be easy. Would it even be possible to get them reconciled to at least be friendly ?
* * *
A lex walked into the bar, noticing the few people there. They had the pick of where to sit. At the bar, at a table or in the little casino room. Maybe they could talk and come to some agreement while focusing on video poker? No, they had to act like grown ups and resolve this .
Alex sighed and went right to the bar. He needed a stiff drink for this. He had a feeling Harry would unleash his anger and Alex didn’t want to be sober for it. “I’ll have Jack Daniels on the rocks.” He rarely drank whiskey. He only did so on emotional occasions. Like now for instance .
He sat on a bar stool, turned and looked back at Harry. Harry was still by the entrance, hands in pockets, frowning and throwing a glare Alex’s way. Well, that would not help get anything resolved. Alex waved Harry over, hoping he’d come over on his own. He didn’t want to feel like a parent dragging a recalcitrant child over, but if he had to do it to keep his new job, he would .
Alex could not believe this was happening. He had barely started this job, and the principal chewed him out. That’s what he got for not thinking with his brain. He took a healthy drink of his whiskey, closing his eyes feeling the burn down his throat. He was jostled from his right side. He looked over and let out a relieved sigh. It was Harry .
“I’ll buy the first round.” Harry glared and then looked away. Alex rolled his eyes. This would be like pulling teeth. Without Novocain. By someone who wasn’t a dentist. Alex drank again .
“I’m going to apologize again, for how I behaved that year we were in the same middle school. I was an ass. I was more than an ass, I was a horrible little cretin.” Harry wasn’t facing him. Alex sighed. He took another drink, but his glass was empty. He signaled for another one .
“I know this is too little, too late but I am truly, deeply sorry for how I behaved in middle school. I am also sorry for how I’ve behaved now. I didn’t intend to be mean to you. I just—,” He wanted to tell Harry that he wanted to get to know Harry better, to date him, to have him in his bed but he was sure that wouldn’t go over well right now. Especially since Harry was still facing forward. Was Harry not listening? Alex leaned towards him trying to find evidence of earbuds. He didn’t see any. “I want you to know I don’t feel that way towards you. I don’t hate you, I don’t wish you harm or a miserable existence.” Unlike the one he’s living right now. Alex drank again .
Harry drank his beer but continued to face forward. Alex turned away to the bar. What was he going to do? Harry was like the Great Wall of China. If only he was a Mongolian warlord. He had read that the majority of the world were descendants of Genghis Khan, so maybe he was a Mongolian warlord. What would Genghis Khan do ?
Alex took another drink and realized that if he was wondering what Genghis Khan would do, WWGKD, he was more inebriated than he had thought. He snorted and smiled just thinking of merchandise with WWGKD, fake Fu Manchu mustaches and big hairy eyebrows you could stick on your face. He laughed. His brain was a weird thing sometimes .
“What are you laughing at? None of this is funny .”
Alex turned to face Harry, who was glaring at Alex. Nothing new there. But at least he was speaking to Alex now. “No it’s not. But comparing you to the Great Wall of China and then envisioning Genghis Khan merchandise was .”
Harry didn’t laugh but at least he dropped the glare. Only to give Alex the hairy eyeball. Alex laughed, raised his whiskey glass in a toast and took another drink. “So tell me about yourself. How did you end up teaching at Seaport Prep?” Alex hoped if he could keep Harry talking, Harry would lower his anger and they might resolve this issue .
“I applied. Same as you.” Harry turned to face the front again. Alex rolled his eyes. What a stubborn omega. If only Harry had been butt ugly. Then he wouldn’t have antagonized him in middle school and wouldn’t be in this spot now. What? Alex stared at himself in the mirrored backdrop of the bar. He just had a breakthrough. Shit. He lowered his head onto his hand and closed his eyes .
Chapter 8
H arry glanced over at Alex whose head was resting on his hands. Harry looked at his glass and wondered how much whiskey Alex had drank. It was at least two or three glasses. No wonder the guy wasn’t doing well. He hadn’t seemed drunk though .
Harry turned back to his shandy and drank the last of it. He signaled for another beer. He would need it to get through this. Harry was embarrassed, humiliated and ashamed that Dr. Stevens had to lecture him on his behavior. He had worked there seven years and had never had an issue. Until today. Thanks to the same ass that made his life hell in middle school. While he was in the Hamptons. While his family was away as missionaries. While he was —
“You know what I’m the most angry at you for? It’s that you made a year that was scary enough for me, you made it a living hell.” Alex opened his eyes to focus on Harry. He didn’t move or say anything, so Harry continued. “I was all by myself, no family, at a young age, living with relatives I saw maybe once every four years. A new location, a lifestyle I was not familiar with, a new school, new classmates living far beyond what I had never seen in my life. And I came from lower middle class money. We weren’t trash, we were good people, we just didn’t have much money.” Harry stopped to take a drink. He had never really let go on someone before .
“So there I am, used to kind people looking out for each other and there’s you. Picking on me the very first day. I had no idea why. I even tried to find out so I could make amends like any good kid.” A snort came from next to him .
Harry turned on his stool so fast he might have fallen over. But he caught himself on the back of Alex’s stool. “You think that’s funny ?”
Alex nodded his head, still leaning on his hand. “A middle schooler making amends? What kind of talk is that? No one does that at that age .”
“Just because you were raised without morals doesn’t mean everyone else wasn’t.” Finally Alex lifted his head from his hand. He fixed a hard stare on Harry .
“You’re acting like a sanctimonious prick. You’re assuming no one in the entire world is as good as you are. I’ve got a lesson for you. You’re not. My family went to church, had us volunteer several times a year, and I was still a dick. When I cheated in college, they finally had it and cut me off. I was on my own for the first time in my life with no money and no idea how to get any without selling drugs. They cared about me that much to give me the only smack upside the head that would work. And it did. So don’t give me any of your my family was better than yours bullshit .”
Alex turned around to face the bar and took a healthy drink from his glass. Harry felt a blush rise on his face. How was he any different than Alex had been in middle school? Harry took one look at Alex this year and ignored his overtures of friendship, his apologies, the fact that he was a coworker, a person who according to Alex had worked to change himself from who he used to be. Harry’s stomach dropped to his feet. He didn’t feel good about how he had been acting .
He couldn’t quite bring himself to apologize yet. “You mentioned that you had changed. Tell me about it .”
Alex balefully looked at Harry and then down at his glass. Then Alex talked. Harry was shocked at Alex’s story of what a lazy rich entitled dick he had been. Then he heard about Alex’s fall from grace with his parents. How Alex learned that his personality wasn’t working and refined it, but didn’t fix the problems. Not until his previous job. Harry was angry on Alex’s behalf with how his omega had acted. That the police or DEA had never arrested Alex, made him think the school didn’t have proof or knew Alex wasn’t involved. It was just a handy excuse to get rid of him. Now Harry felt even worse for how he had been treating Alex .
“I don’t know what to say. Other than I’m just… blown away. Impressed. I’m in awe of how you could realize you weren’t hap
py with how you were and worked so hard to change. I feel like an ass. A horrible jerk for how I’ve been treating you. I’m so sorry .”
Alex turned to look at Harry. Studying him, trying to figure out if Harry really meant it. “I mean it. That’s a hell of personal struggle. And you did it. You achieved the impossible. From what I’ve heard—,” Here Alex looked wary. “The students love you even though you’re strict with safety. The teachers admire your dedication. And you’re fun. You’re not just a strict teacher, but you have fun with it as well.” Harry swallowed. This would be hard to admit. “I admire you. I really wish now I hadn’t been such a dick. I’m sorry .”
A smile slowly crept up Alex’s face. His still ridiculously good looking face. “Thank you. That means a lot. I’ve admired you as well.” Harry stiffened. He did? “You have a knack with the students. They come to you with problems and concerns but they still respect you. You have a passion for literature which most students find boring, you have to admit that, but you bring it to life and find new ways to keep the students entertained while learning. It’s a talent.” At that Alex raised his glass and toasted Harry .
Well, that was unexpected. Harry had heard positive compliments before, but this one meant more to him. Not just because it was from someone that used to bully him. But that it was from someone that Harry also admired .
“Cheers.” They both drank heartily. Who would have thought the day would end like this? Harry sure wouldn’t have expected it in a million years. He turned to look at Alex while signaling for another beer .
Alex would be at home on any catwalk with any modeling agency. And he was sitting next to Harry. A tingling warmth flushed through his body. Harry shook his head. That was crazy. He couldn’t go from hating to lusting over the same man in the same day. What the hell was wrong with him? He nodded to the bartender and drank a healthy amount of his beer. Sure, he thought Alex was hot back in middle school, which was why the bullying was even more destructive than ‘normal’ bullying. If any bullying was even normal. Harry sighed .
