Lucas stabbed at his potatoes in frustration. He was more than a bit concerned as to why Professor Cabello wasn't in the Dinning Hall for dinner. He always found her presence rather calming, watching her dab at her mouth delicately with her napkin. She had the table manners of a baby deer. And also she was just so great to look at.

He prayed to the gods above that her absence had nothing to do with his Mother's sudden appearance in the school while he forcefully prodded at the chicken on his plate.

"Alright there, dude?" Gabriel Hansen inquired.

"Hmm?"

"You're a bit moody. You look like your Mom when she's forced to be with my Momma."

Lucas scoffed. "Do not bring up my Mom."

Avia Gomez, a girl in the same year as Lucas and Gabe spoke up. "What about your Mom, Lucas?"

"Nothing."

Avia smirked. "I'd so do her."

Lucas groaned. "So you've said, Avia. Multiple times. As has just about every other girl in our year."

Avia shrugged her shoulders. "She's fucking hot."

Lucas and Gabe rolled their eyes. "I'm in no mood to hear about how hot my Mom is." Lucas spoke.

Another boy, Cody Grande raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Are you ever, Luke?"

"No I'm not ever in the fucking mood to hear how hot my Mom is. That's disgusting. She's my Mom!"

Cody and Avia raised their eyebrows and returned their gaze to their food.

Gabe, who often felt awkwardness in social situations, spoke candidly. "You know, Luke, perhaps I'm absolutely fucking stupid for imagining it, but it seems like you're rather upset about something, I don't know, maybe to do with your Mom. What happened? Did you guys have a fight or something?"

Lucas sighed. "No we didn't fight. We never fight. It's just that, you've never seen my Mom be... I don't know, awkward around a woman before have you?"

"No, that's you. You're the awkward one." Gabe answered.

Lucas rolled his eyes at his friend .

Gabe continued. "Your Mom on the other hand is a master at chatting up the ladies. Has them eating out of her hand. And she never even seems to care." Gabe shook his head in awe. "It's very inspiring."

"Exactly. The ladies like my Mom. She just never seems to like them back."

Gabe squinted his eyes. "And this bothers youuu, why? In the market for a new Mommy? Or maybe she's just gone straight. A Daddy perhaps?" This earned a snigger from Avia.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Don't be a dick, Gabe. My Mom's the biggest lesbian, like ever. In fact, I just saw, I don't know. She showed up here today to talk to Menzel about some total shit thing to do with the armchairs in our Common Room and... I don't know. I saw her with Professor Cabello, and-"

"Hot," Cody interjected.

Lucas scoffed. "Yeah. I know. She's so fucking hot. Just like my Mom apparently." He shoved his food away from him. "Seeing my Mom around her... I don't know. I got the feeling she thinks she's hot too."

Gabe snorted. "Doubt that. They hated each other in school."

"Then why did I see her today outside her office with her hands on her lady lumps?"

Gabe and Cody dropped their forks, their mouths opening into wide O's.

Cody spoke, "You think your Mom is banging Professor Cabello?"

Lucas looked horrified at the thought. "Ugh! Cody that is fucking disturbing! No fucking way is my Mom banging Professor Cabello! Don't ever say that shit again." He shook himself. "She said that she had spilled her tea and was just trying to clean it up or something."

"Total shit, that is." Gabe insisted.

Lucas seethed. "Thank you, Gabe."

"I'm just saying, if you saw her grabbing her boobies, she was probably just... grabbing her boobies."

"Didn't you just say that they hated each other?"

"Emmi hates you. You think she'd let you grab her boobies?"

"No."

"Well then I've made my point."

Lucas sighed. "My Mom did tell me that Professor Cabello was absolutely off limits."

Cody shrugged. "Probably because she's banging her."

Avia rolled her eyes. "You think everybody's banging everybody. And Professor Cabello is off limits because she's a teacher. I don't know why you all think the sun rises and sets out her ass anyway."

Cody gazed off into the distance, a goofy grin on his face. "She does have a great body."

"And a huge ass."Gabe contributed.

All three boys nodded.

Avia rolled her eyes and grimaced. "Isn't she like...your godmother or something, Gabe?"

Gabe shrugged. "Yeah, but she never really seemed to like me much."

Avia narrowed her eyes. "Probably because you're always perving on her."

Gabe put his hand on his chest in a gesture of false offense. "I beg your pardon. Lucas is the one writing her dirty letters." The three sniggered.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "She's nice to me. It's not my fault I misread the signs."

Cody shook his head and grinned. "Dude, she's a professor. She's nice to everyone. You just misinterpreted it because you're a dick head whose Mom's banging the bird you like." More sniggers.

Lucas grimaced and stood up from the table. "You lot are the actual worst."

As Lucas made his way to his dormitory, he wondered if his friends were right. Was his Mother banging the woman he, Lucas, loved?

Surely not. He would know if his Mom were involved with someone. They never kept things from each other. No. His Mom was just embarrassed around Professor Cabello because her son had a crush on her.

But then where had Professor Cabello been that evening?

...

"You're actually lying." Camila narrowed her eyes and took a sip of her wine.

Lauren laughed. "Why would I do something like that? I promised to be nice tonight, did I not?"

"You cannot sit there and tell me that Dinah gave you a poly beat down as soon as she found out Lucas and Gabe were best friends."

Lauren raised a hand up to her heart. "It still traumatizes me to this day."

Camila raised her eyebrows, laughing to herself. "I wish Dinah would've told me this! That's hilarious. She actually gave you a poly beat down!"

Lauren laughed. "I was tempted too when I found out who Gabe's Mom was. I still don't know how you cope being his godmother, I can only manage a certain amount of time with him."

"I'm godmother to all three of the kids and I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have a favorite."

Lauren smirked. "I'd bet my Tesla that young Gabriel Hansen isn't the favorite."

Camila bit her lip, making Lauren shifted in her seat. Jesus I won't be able to keep up this nice girl act very long if she keeps doing that.

"Gabe has his moments. But overall, he's a bit..."

"Weird? Inappropriate? Too smart for his own good?"

Camila grinned. "I forgot that you're well acquainted with him."

Lauren nodded, smirking. "He and Lucas are quite close. And Gabe is really not so bad once you spend some time with him. He's quite funny actually... in an odd, almost unbearably awkward sort of way."

Camila giggled. "He is definitely Dinah's son, just like Lucas is definitely yours."

Lauren scoffed in a mockery of offense. "You're so kind, I'll give him better advice next time."

Camila laughed. "Lucas has been a perfect gentleman since the incident. His Mother, on the other hand..." she tsked and took a sip of her wine.

Lauren grimaced in embarrassment. "Yes, I'm aware it's customary for most people to at least wait until after the first date before making it to second base."

Camila bit her lip. "So... that's what this is then? A date?"

Lauren almost didn't hear the question. Her attention was rather fixed upon Camila's bottom lip caught in her teeth. Stop staring at her like one of your son's snot-nosed little buddies.

Lauren collected herself. "Was that not obvious? Perhaps I'm more out of practice in asking a woman out than I thought."

Camila grinned and dabbed her mouth with her napkin and Lauren amusedly watched her. She's quite cute when she eats.

"Just checking. A part of me isn't entirely convinced that this is a good idea."

Lauren scrunched her eyebrows. "Because my son is one of your students or because it's... you and me?"

"The former. Also considering the recent... incident."

Lauren chuckled softly. "I'm certain my son will forgive me for trying to 'steal his woman' so to speak. And as for this," she motioned between them, "there's no rule against it."

Camila quirked an eyebrow. "How did you kn-"

"I asked Dinah's permission... That's how much of an idiot I am."

Camila smiled bashfully. And Lauren grinned at her.

"She did threaten me, but I'd risk it for you. And if you somehow agree to go out with me again after tonight... we can be discreet."

Camila grinned. "I can do discreet."