"This," he said, gesturing between them and then at the closed door. "The hiding. The sneaking around. It's starting to feel... wrong."
Her face fell. "Are you... are you saying you want to stop?"
"No!" The word came out too loud, too sharp. He took a deep breath, reaching for her hands across the desk littered with essays and fries. "God, no. That's the last thing I want. I'm saying I don't want to hide anymore."
She stared at him, her eyes searching his. "What are you saying, Ben?"
"I'm saying I'm tired of pretending you're just my colleague across the hall. I'm tired of not being able to hold your hand at a staff meeting. I'm tired of driving separately to things." His voice was low, fervent. "I love you. And I don't want it to be a secret anymore."
The silence in the room was absolute. He could see the conflict in her eyes—the fear of gossip, the potential professional complications, the sanctity of the private world they'd built.
"Ben," she said softly. "The gossip... my probationary period isn't over... what if—"
"What if we're happy?" he interrupted. "What if we set a precedent that two professionals can be in a respectful, loving relationship and still be damn good at their jobs? What if we just... live our lives?"
He stood up, coming around the desk to kneel beside her chair. It was a dramatic, un-Ben-like gesture, but he didn't care. "Ichoose you, Maya. Publicly. Openly. I want everyone to know that the best thing that ever happened to me at Northwood High wasn't a new curriculum or a promotion. It was you."
Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over onto her cheeks. She cupped his face in her hands, her thumbs stroking his jaw.
"You and your perfectly timed, incredibly romantic speeches," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She took a shaky breath. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay." A brilliant, tearful smile broke through. "Let's tell the world. Or at least, let's stop hiding from it."
He surged up and kissed her, right there in his classroom, surrounded by the ghosts of essays past and the greasy remains of their dinner. It wasn't a stolen kiss in a dark corner. It was a declaration.
The next day, he walked into the staff room, and instead of taking his usual solitary seat, he walked straight to where Maya was pouring coffee. He took the cup from her, took a sip, and handed it back.
"Morning," he said, his voice clear and calm.
Her eyes widened for a split second before a slow, dazzling smile spread across her face. "Morning, Ben."
A hush fell over the room for a brief, electric moment. Cynthia Briggs stared, her yogurt spoon frozen mid-air. Then, the chatter resumed, a little louder, a little more knowing.
They hadn't made an announcement. They had simply opened the door. And as Ben stood there, his shoulder brushing Maya's, he knew it was the best lesson plan he'd ever devised.
Chapter 15:
The Lesson Plan
The first day of the new semester dawned bright and clear. Ben stood in front of his classroom, not with the nervous energy of a man guarding a secret, but with the quiet confidence of someone who was exactly where he was meant to be. On his desk, next to his attendance sheet, was a single, vibrant mug—a gift from Maya, glazed in swirling blues and golds. It was a far cry from his old, standard-issue ceramic one.
The gossip had run its course, as gossip does. There were a few raised eyebrows in the staff lounge, a knowing smirk or two from students who thought they were clever. But to Ben's immense relief, the world did not end. The principal, Mr. Davies, had simply given them a nod and said, "Just keep it professional during school hours," which they had always done.
The real change was in the hallway. Now, when their paths crossed between periods, he didn't offer a stiff nod. He'd stop.
"Need help carrying that?" he asked, seeing her struggling with a box of new acrylics.
"I've got it," she'd say, but she'd let him take it anyway, her fingers brushing his during the handoff, a small, public smile passing between them.
They didn't flaunt it. They were just… themselves. Ben Carter, History, and Maya Alvarez, Art. Who also happened to be in love.
One afternoon, he was in her classroom, helping her rearrange tables for a new collaborative project. Leo Martinez poked his head in.
"Hey, Mr. Carter. Ms. Alvarez. I finished the reading for tomorrow. The stuff on propaganda posters in WWI." He looked at the two of them, standing side-by-side, and a slow grin spread across his face. "You know, for two people who used to argue all the time, you guys work pretty good together now."
Ben looked at Maya, who was trying and failing to hide her own smile.
