brooks & hale ✔️

brooks

thirteen ;
b r o o k s

"I HAVE YOUR MIDTERM results here with me," Mrs Mulligan said, waving the wad of papers in her hand covered in red markings. "We'll spend the entire lesson going over the questions, and feel free to work in groups to see where you went wrong."

A groan passed over the class as she began handing out the exam papers. Brooks was among them, chewing his lip anxiously as he awaited his grade. It didn't mean much really, just a half year progress check, but his parents didn't care how unimportant it was. Anything less than top marks would mean it wasn't good enough. There was even more pressure than usual, because Adam was headboy now and Brooks had to live up to that.

Hale was far less concerned about the imminent results. In fact, he didn't seem concerned at all; his arms were folded across the desk and pillowed his head as he slept soundly. Brooks took advantage of his lack of consciousness to study his face, in the least creepy way possible. It was a very nice face, with long dark lashes brushing against his high cheekbones. Brooks resisted the urge to brush the black hair that fallen into his eyes aside.

A week had passed since the kiss. True to his word, Hale hadn't breathed Brooks being gay to anyone, or even brought it up between them. And Brooks kept his end of the bargain by not telling anyone about what happened, not even Calla or Hassan. Not that he would have told them anyway. They were his best friends but he kind of had to come out to them first, before telling them he'd kissed another guy.

Neither of them had mentioned Saturday night, striking up a strange but nice friendship no one expected, but that didn't mean Brooks hadn't thought about it. He'd thought about it a lot, actually. It was harder to get over now that they were friends and Hale actually talked to him. Before, he'd never thought about Hale beyond the occasional appreciative look because, hey, he was attractive.

But know he had the memory of a kiss to feature in his daydreams. Even now, looking at his peaceful face in slumber, Brooks really wanted to kiss him again.

Mrs Mulligan interrupted his staring-at-Hale session with a loud sigh, and Brooks guiltily looked away from him, as if she could somehow hear his inappropriate thoughts. "Why am I not surprised?" she said, frowning at Hale. "He's the reason I'm thirty and turning grey. Wake him up and remind this is a classroom, not his bedroom."

"No offence, but I don't think he cares."

Mrs Mulligan grimaced. "Just wake him up, Brooks."

Brooks shrugged and gave Hale's shoulder a light shake. His eyelashes fluttered as he stirred with a yawn, cracking an eye open to peer blearily at Brooks. "Yes?" he said sleepily. Brooks' stomach flipped at his low and husky voice. "Is there a reason you interrupted my beauty sleep?"

Mrs Mulligan slapped his paper down by his head and he nearly jumped out of his seat in surprise at the loud sound. "This should wake you up," she said wryly.

Hale stretched his arms behind his head with another yawn and ran a hand through his mussed up hair, taking his sweet time while Mrs Mulligan waited impatiently. "Oh, this?" he drawled, picking up the paper with a large red E scrawled on the front. "Oops. This isn't too bad considering I didn't revise."

"Maybe you should take some tips from Brooks," Mrs Mulligan said, handing over his paper. There was a 96% scribbled on the front. "Good work, Mr Montgomery."

"Shit, ninety-six percent?" Hale exclaimed. "Is that even possible? I thought the teachers rigged it so you couldn't get in the nineties."

"Of course it's possible, Mr Ryves," Mrs Mulligan said, looking at Hale with a hopelessly defeated expression. "You are aware that if you can't bring your grades up to at least a C by the end of year exams you won't be able to continue with chemistry next year, aren't you, Hale? With the way your education is going, you'll be left doing only two a-levels next year."