#4x13

do y'all think that, at one of his many high schools, dean shocked one of his teachers because he's the bad boy, the one who calls teachers "sweetheart", and doesn't make friends with anyone, but he signed up for Home Ec? and he's absolutely shit at it. his skills are limited to boxed pasta and dolling up microwave dinners, but he's determined? he shows up to every class, something no other teacher can say for his attendance in their class, and he doesn't snark once? he's focused in a way he isn't in any other class, asking questions, stuff about nutrition and what foods are good for little kids, and that teacher is so confused. it's like a switch is flipped. dean is their best student, he pays more attention than any girl in that primarily-girls class, and he leaves with the most improvement. and the teacher doesn't realize WHY until they see Dean leaving one day, arm over the shoulder of a boy from the middle school. and they think---there's more to that boy than he will ever let anyone know.