Carter's Army - 14. Chapter 14

December 6th

Greenwood calmly set a hand on Will's shoulder, staring him squarely in the eye "Mister Carter?" He inquired calmly, "Are you going to be ok?"

Will stared at the kindly old gentleman's face, feeling himself still shaking from the shock of the situation, "I don't know." He replied with total honesty. He was beginning to recover from the surprise of being caught; beginning to think again, and his thoughts terrified him.

Greenwood nodded, "Come with me Mister Carter." He led the young man up through the heart of the school, winding through the halls till he led the way into a cramped lounge that was officially a teacher's lounge but seldom, if ever, used. It was the one Lisa often raided for coffee.

Greenwood pointed to one of the couches, a gaudy faux leather thing that had been donated sometime in the eighties and flatly refused to die. Will sat on it, feeling a sense of dread sweeping over him. He wanted to be in class, he wanted... he wanted to be anywhere else than right there at that time.

Greenwood poured a couple of cups of coffee, and returned, pushing one into Will's hands he sat down in a rather comfortable looking chair. "I think, under the circumstances we should have a talk." He said sternly.

Will swallowed, stirring some sugar into his coffee and adjusting his position on the couch, "I guess..."

Greenwood stroked his Vandyke beard with aged fingers. Studying Will with a careful eye, there was silence between them and Will wondered what the old man was thinking about. He was growing a bit self-conscious sitting there cradling a mug of coffee. So he decided to take a hesitant step forward.

"I... I'm sorry about that."

Greenwood arched an eyebrow resting simply in his chair, "I'm not concerned about the fact you were kissing in the halls." He said with a tight smile, "I am more concerned about you." He set his coffee down on the coffee table and steepled his fingers in front of him, "It sounds like you are going through a lot right now, and I was wondering if you needed to talk about any of it."

Will sat quietly looking at the swirls the cream had made in his coffee, "I...don't know." He said again.

"That's not like the young Will Carter I've heard so much about." Greenwood observed, "I was under the impression you were quite an opinionated young man. Your English teacher seems to think you have strong opinions on most things. I've read some of your Essays; I tend to agree with her."

"I guess..." Will said still feeling nervous, but a thought crept in, Greenwood had read his essays?

"You're conclusions were all wrong." Greenwood said with a dry chuckle, "But considering you're still in high school you still presented a strong argument." He sat forward a bit changing the subject, "How long have you and Andrew...?"

Will winced again, "N... not long." There was no point in denying anything Greenwood wasn't blind.

The teacher nodded his head. "He's a good young man, a good head on his shoulders."

"Y-yeah." Will agreed.

"This is awkward to ask," Greenwood said still studying Will carefully, "Are you comfortable with his advances?"

Will was startled, something on his face must have given that a way because Greenwood nodded, "I just wanted to make sure. He was very protective of you earlier today."

"I-I heard." Will felt his cheeks turning red, embarrassed that he had been the subject of debate, that his life discussed in open forum.

Greenwood nodded, "Yes, I wanted to apologize for that, I do not normally allow such a discussion in my class. But you should know Mister Highmore was... very forceful in his defence of you." He paused, "Now in hindsight I can see why."

Will's cheeks reddened even further.

Greenwood nodded, "Well I just wanted to make sure that you were alright and that Mister Highmore wasn't..." he choose his words carefully, "taking advantage of your current state..."

Will shook his head adamantly, "Sir, it's not like that, Andrew wouldn't..." the thought was abhorrent.

Greenwood nodded, "Yes, I can see he feels for you quite strongly, and you for him." He almost smiled, then caught it and buried it under a look of concern, "I will give you the same lecture I give to the young ladies I...find in similar situations. Mister Highmore is a very popular young man and you may feel pressure to... act on emotions." He gave Will a meaningful look, "Just be certain you're ready, alright?"

Will nodded again, feeling mildly reassured.

Greenwood nodded, "Then you can go back to class Mister Carter." He watched as Will got up to leave, "Oh and I meant what I said, I saw nothing. Just don't do it in the halls again."

Will nodded thankfully, "We won't Mister Greenwood."

After he had left, Greenwood remained in his chair rubbing his temples chuckling to himself. That was definitely a first for him.

* * *

Andrew caught up with Will just after the final bell, he was carrying his equipment bag and a pair of taped up hockey sticks that he endeavoured to wrestle around to keep from dropping everything. He looked at Will with a sheepish grin as he set the bag down and propped the sticks up against a locker.

He was probably going to be late getting to practice, but he didn't seem in a hurry. Will was shrugging on his coat and stuffing books into his backpack getting ready to go home.

"Look I'm sorry about earlier..." Andrew started nervously, again pushing his hands into his pockets. Will picked up on the nervous gesture; it was something Andrew did subconsciously, and Will couldn't help but grin.

"It's okay, Mister Greenwood just wanted to make sure you weren't taking advantage of me." He put on an innocent look, "Big bad Hockey player stealing my virtue..."

Andrew's eyes widened in surprise, "He said what?"

Will was enjoying the scandalized look far too much, and he closed his locker door, "he gave me the same lecture he gives all the cheer leaders."

Andrew leaned on his hockey sticks, "So," he seemed to consider it a moment, "You're a cheerleader?"

Will gave Andrew a flat look, "Don't you start." He shrugged, "Though I'll walk you to your car, you have practice tonight right?"

Andrew nodded as he recovered his equipment bag, and the two of them walked through the school towards the student parking lot. It was quiet, most of the students already gone, and thankfully the snow had finally stopped falling. It was quite a pleasant evening in fact.

A quick glance showed Brody had waited for him, the French Canadian sitting on the hood of his truck smoking a cigarette and staring off at nothing in particular. It was kind of him to wait, and Will felt grateful for such a small gesture.

"Look's like your ride is waiting for you," Andrew observed as he opened the door to his own car, the smile on his face became a little unsteady, "Look...I'm sorry about today I shouldn't... not at school."

Will stuck his hands in his pocket in a mimic of Andrew's gesture, "I'm not as fragile as you think I am." He said with a shrug, "Though it just seems every time you kiss me we get caught."

Andrew nodded in concern, "And that bothers you."

Will patted the roof of Andrew's car, "You're late for practice," he offered a small smile, "good luck."

Andrew glanced about him and gently rubbed Will's tummy, "For luck," he explained as he got in and shut the door.

Brody was still smoking when Will crossed the parking lot, and Will moved to hop up on the hood of the truck beside him. The two young men sat quietly for a while as Brody stared peacefully at the school. Will didn't say anything, not wanting to disturb the warrior's quiet contemplation.

It was a strange way to look at Brody, but that is what he reminded Will of. A young man so angry at the world that he felt he had to pull against the system, push the limits of what he could do. One of those people that steadfastly refused to live within the sterile boundaries of society, he had to chart his own course no matter how many people told him the world was flat, he had to see it for himself.

"We're waiting for Lisa," Brody said after a minute of silence, as if answering Will's unasked question as to why they were still waiting.

As if summoned by the very mention of her name, she pushed out of the doors to the school and walked over to the truck. She looked tired as she got into the cab, and the two guys exchanged worried looks as they got in as well.

She sighed expressively as she hugged Brody before he started the truck, "Thanks for giving me a ride, I have to get my hair done tonight..." she shook her head, "so much to do."

Brody nodded as he drove the truck down from the school, taking a turn that brought him onto the small main street of Merrickville, he came to a stop outside the small stylists that Will always felt was outrageously over priced.

As she got out she locked onto Will's arm, "You're coming with me." She said firmly, and she threw a sweet smile over at Brody, "See you in an hour, ok?"

Will began to protest as she pushed him through the doors into the small salon, each time he formulated some clear argument for him to not be there, she countered it. I can't afford it, I'm paying. I normally go to barbers, this is a stylists it's better... and so on. Till finally he was sitting in the chair, an overtly enthusiastic hairdresser happily clipping away at his hair, sculpting it for the first time in his life.

He had been so used to the same haircut, a pair of buzz clippers that just shaved everything off when it grew too long that when asked he really had no idea what to ask for. The stylist had looked over at Lisa for direction, and the young woman, hair soaking with highlight treatments offered her advice.

After a half hour of cutting, clipping and styling he was looking at a person he barely recognized in the mirror. His hair had been brought in close at the sides, but had been left a little long on top, the stylist had used a little wax to let the hair stay upright, and she ruffled her fingers through it to give it a more natural look.

"Very James Dean," she said with a smile.

Will frowned that was the second time someone had made that comparison, and he still had no idea who that was. The name was familiar, and he was an actor, Will knew that much, but beyond that he had no clue. He smiled when he was finally permitted out of the chair and he sat down on a chair waiting for Lisa to finish.

She came out looking almost exactly the same as she had going in, just a little neater. But naturally a fuss had to be made over how good she looked. Will never quite understood the need to constantly comment on new haircuts or clothes, but then he had never really had to. Growing up in the Major's house had meant a very strict, disciplined upbringing, a very masculine upbringing. This was the way boys were supposed to act, and so that was the way he acted.

As they waited idly for Brody to return sitting on the steps of the salon Will looked at her over the rims of Brody's aviator sunglasses, she was a beautiful woman, fine auburn hair spiralling down into ringlets gave her the appearance of a true Celtic beauty, delicate and waify she moved with a grace that so many other girls in the town were jealous of. And rightly so, Charlene was a lumbered when she walked alongside Lisa. Lisa had the potential to be the most beautiful girl in school, but she was also the most real. Too many years pretending to be a boy when she was younger Will guessed.

"What?" Lisa asked self-consciously as she noticed Will was staring at her.

"I was just thinking how beautiful you were." He said honestly, glancing back down at the slush filled roads where a couple of children were splashing about in puddles.

She gave him a warm smile. "Flirt," She accused with a playful look, "Now at least I know why you don't have a girlfriend."

Will shifted uncomfortably, "I..."

She reached out and squeezed his knee, "It's okay, and I don't blame you Andrew's well he's a great guy even if he is a meat head jock."

Will nodded, suddenly craving a cigarette, not that he smoked, but he had heard they did wonders for the nerves. He looked over at Lisa again and shrugged, "Greenwood caught us kissing in the halls today..."

"No!" she said incredulously looking at him with wide luminous eyes, "What is it with you and getting caught all the time?"

Will chuckled, "I don't know." He gave a slight shrug, "But Greenwood's not going to tell anyone. Though he did give me a lecture about..."

"Let me guess," Lisa said doing her best Greenwood Impression complete with the stroking motion of the beard, "you may feel pressure to... act on emotions..." She flashed her dazzling smile;"I got the same lecture last year when I was dating one of the Condor's."

Will nodded, "Apparently he says it to all the girls..."

Lisa snorted, "He thinks you are the girl?" She shook her head as she laughed, "Boy he doesn't know you that well, your about as stereo-typically masculine as I am feminine..."

"Not that much then." Will replied as he ducked under her attempt to cuff the back of his head.

She stopped laughing and turned to him, "But it's true though, I'd have never though you were gay. You're quiet, a little shy at times... but you're not effeminate."

"I know, it's confusing, because Andrew is certainly a masculine guy..." Will said having difficulty trying to express what was running through his head, "I just can't explain it, I just feel safe when he touches me..." his voice trailed off as he stared absently at the kids playing.

She studied his face in concern, and relaxed. She knew him too well and she could read him clearly. "It'll be okay," she said reassuringly, "you'll figure it out."

He gave a ragged breath as he leaned back on the steps, "Yeah, it's strange if you'd have told me a month ago I'd be..." his voice dipped conspiratorially, "dating a guy, I'd have laughed so hard..."

She looked at him again, reading his expressions and nodding, "You must like him a lot."

Will thought about Andrew juggling all of his hockey equipment, deliberately late for practice just to spend a few more minutes with him. Those blue eyes that sparkled whenever they looked at him. The nervous kisses and timid way he said I love you. The way he parted his hair just off from the centre. The way he stuck his hands in his pockets and sauntered.

Will blushed, "Yeah I think I do..."

Lisa beamed, "Good, because you deserve to be happy, and you look good too."

"I'm da schiznit." He said with a smirk.

She winced turning up her nose at his attempt to be American Ghetto, "Don't do that again, it sounds so wrong when you say it."

He nodded sobering up slightly, "Do you think I'm gay?" he said, startling her.

She took his hand and felt him cling to it for a while waiting for her to reply, eventually she just shook her head, "I think you are in love Will, and really that's all that matters. You're just luck enough to have him feel the same way. Just enjoy it and see where it takes you."

Brody's truck rumbled to a stop at the curb and they both reluctantly got up, and out of instinct Lisa threw her arms around Will and hugged him. He stood there looking down at her quizzically, stiff and uncomfortable with the sudden display of affection. She rubbed his back once and stepped back. "One of these day's Carter, you are going to actually hug me back."

"Yes," he said thoughtfully as he walked to the truck and opened it to let her in.