The interview went well. At least I hoped it did. I decided to stroll down the hallway of the high school wing for old time’s sake afterward, just to see what looked familiar. The place was nearly deserted. School didn’t reopen for another week. I wouldn’t have to wait long for word on the job. That was a good thing. Like falling in love, once I got the idea of something in my head, I hated waiting. I wanted immediate results. I stopped in my tracks halfway through that thought at a rainbow triangle on the outside of Mr. Darcy’s door. I touched it. I wasn’t sure why.

“Hey.”

I jumped, startled.

“Sorry.”

I turned. It was him.

“Juan! My God. How are you?” He opened his arms as if about to give me a hug. Then he held out his hand instead.

“Mr. Darcy.” I took it. “Hey.”

“Call me Malcom,” he said. “We’re both adults now.”

The years between us seemed so much fewer now than they had before I graduated. Barely. “I’m good,” I said. “I just applied for the aide position.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. I’m a few credits short of my teaching degree.”

“No kidding.” He seemed dubious. “What subject?”

“Math,” I lied. “Geometry ... trig ...”

“Cool.” It was funny how kind he was trying to be, how it was obvious he wanted to believe me, but couldn’t.

“Music.” I let him off the hook. “I barely got through math in college too,” I confessed.

“You should have called. I’d have gladly tutored you.”

“Would you have?” I took a step closer. I was flirting with my teacher, and suddenly -- and not just because I was far more relaxed after the meeting with the principal -- I was horny again. Malcom wasn’t apparently. He backed away. “So, um…what’s with the triangle?” I tried to compose myself.

“Safe room. For gay kids. If they ever find themselves bullied, they just burst right in.”

“Cool. I could have used that once or twice back in the day.”

“We had them then. Maybe not so ... I don’t know. It kind of hurts me you didn’t know.”

“Oh. No, Mr. Darcy ... Malcom. Really. I knew I could come to you for anything, even without the triangle.”

“You want to come in now? Catch up?” He opened the door. “I’m just prepping some stuff for next week.”

There were a million triangles of every size and -- well, not shape. They were all triangles, but different sorts. Some were isosceles, some were equilateral, and some were ... whatever other kinds there are. I couldn’t remember. Malcom stood back so I could enter first, and then said, “Take the teacher chair. You’ve earned it.”

I sat behind the big desk and he smiled at me. “Cup of coffee? Iced tea?”

I wanted a root beer, but I had to pretend to be a grown up. “Tea is good. Thanks.”

“I’ll be right back.” I watched him walk out the door. He was wearing shorts and an untucked polo shirt, just like back in the day when I was trying to learn from him. I spent far too long wondering if he went commando, like Paco. I could hear the ice in the plastic cup before I heard the footsteps warning of his return. I’d gone beyond picturing him nude and had us doing it on his desk. I knew I should have stood again, but I didn’t dare. My gray dress pants were tight but stretchy. A deadly combination when it came to hiding wood. I willed my boner away, and considered pouring the cold tea onto it as he handed it over.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Mr. Darcy -- Malcom, damn it -- rested one hip against the side of his desk. “So you’re back in town? Last I’d heard you were about as far away from here as a person could get without leaving the country.”

“Yeah. I guess I’ve had my fill of warm winters.”

“Mmm,” he said wistfully. “Tell me what that’s like.”

“Are you gay?” So I wasn’t totally grown up, and my bold, inquisitive nature might cost me my new job.

He stood. “Yes.”

“I had such a crush on you.”

“Did you?”

“Yeah. You ever have a crush on a student?”