The Night My Student Told Me the Whole Truth

I felt his body trembling against mine, a restrained, uneven shiver that had nothing to do with the cold on the seafront. The November breeze cut across our faces and small sobs slipped out of him, which he tried to stifle against my jacket.

—I’m sorry… —I murmured into his hair.

He shook his head without letting go of me.

—No —he answered softly—. You don’t have to apologize.

Even so, he didn’t pull away right away. He stayed clinging to me a few seconds longer, breathing in short, broken gasps, as if he’d been holding something inside for too long and it no longer fit.

When he finally pulled back, he did it slowly, keeping his hands on my arms, as if he needed to make sure I was still there. His eyes were red, swollen, his face exhausted. He wasn’t the same boy I’d seen days before in the classroom, sure, contained, even provocative.

—I was looking for you —he said at last.

There was a brief, awkward silence, full of things neither of us knew how to begin saying. He was the first to break it.

—Why didn’t you tell me you had a girlfriend?

The question landed straight on target, no beating around the bush. I sat down on the bench and he did the same beside me, leaving a hand’s width of distance between us.

—Because… —I began, but stopped. I needed to choose my words carefully—. Because for a long time I thought I could live like that. Pretending.

—Pretending what?

I sighed. I looked ahead, toward the sea, even though I could barely see anything. The harbor lights trembled on the black water.

—Pretending everything was fine —I replied—. That I could lead a… normal life.

—And what was I, then? —his tone wasn’t aggressive. It was worse: it was hurt.

—You weren’t part of the lie —I answered—. You were… the person who forced me to see it.

Iker looked at me without blinking.

—That doesn’t answer the question.

—Marta… —I continued with difficulty— was a way of hiding.

—And do you love her?

—I loved her —I answered.

—And now?

I shook my head.

—Now we’re not together anymore.

He looked up sharply.

—What?

—It’s over —I said in a low voice.

—Why?

I felt a knot in my stomach.

—Because she saw something she shouldn’t have seen.

Iker went perfectly still.

—What did she see?

His tone had changed.

—An argument —I lied.

The silence that followed was long. Iker didn’t answer right away. He didn’t believe what I said either.

—It wasn’t just an argument —he said at last.

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.

—It was… complicated —I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

He looked at me hard.

—My father went to the academy, didn’t he? My father was there.

The question went through me like a knife. I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. The silence was enough. His expression changed. First confusion. Then something darker.

—Was… my father there? —he repeated, now in a lower voice.

—Yes.

—What were Marta and he doing there at the same time? —he asked.

—He came to talk to me —I said at last.

—To talk… about what?

Another direct question. I felt suspicion slowly growing between us. For the first time since he’d appeared on the seafront, I understood that this conversation wasn’t going to be easy.

—To talk to you about what? —he repeated.

—About you —I finally answered.

Iker frowned.

—About me?

—He was worried —I added, trying to make it sound convincing—. He said you hadn’t gone to class, that you were doing badly, that you were crying constantly.

It wasn’t a lie. But it wasn’t the whole truth either. And that showed.

Iker let out a small, humorless laugh.

—That sounds way too nice to be him. What else happened? —he asked after a moment. His tone had changed again.

—Nothing —I said too quickly.

He tilted his head slightly.

—I don’t believe you.

I felt my stomach tighten.

—It was an uncomfortable conversation —I added, trying to soften it—. He got angry. That’s all.

—My father doesn’t get angry and leave —he said—. My father pushes. My father never leaves anything half done. What did he do?

I didn’t answer. I looked toward the sea. The waves broke against the rocks with constant, repetitive violence, as if they wanted to bore through the shore.

—What did he do? —he insisted.

—I don’t want to talk about it.

—Well, I do, because this affects me —he continued—. And because I know my father better than you do. When you say he came to talk to you and you make that face, something happened. Did he threaten you?

The question made me turn to him sharply.

—What?

—Did he threaten you? —he repeated.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

Iker pressed his lips together.

—I knew it.

I felt a chill run down my back.

—What did he say to you? —he went on.

—It doesn’t matter.

—Of course it matters.

—He just… wants to scare me —I muttered.

Iker watched me for several seconds. Then he asked:

—With what?

—With… reporting me —I said finally.

—Reporting you for what?

—Your father read our messages. He threatened to report me for sleeping with you, for you being underage. That he could ruin me and everyone would know things they shouldn’t know.

—I know he read them —he replied calmly.

I looked at him in surprise.

—You knew?

He nodded slowly.

—My phone stopped being just mine years ago. He always finds a way. Always. Did he say anything else?

I shook my head.

—Don’t lie to me —he said.

—I’m not lying to you —I answered.

Iker drew a deep breath.

—I’m getting to know you. And you’re hiding something.

—I don’t want to drag you into this —I murmured.

—I’m already in it. Did he do anything to you?

—No —I lied.

—That didn’t sound right —he said—. Did he do anything to you?

—No… —I started to say.

But the word died halfway out. Lying again no longer made sense.

—It wasn’t like that at first —I said at last.

Iker frowned.

—What do you mean?

—There was… a first encounter —I continued with difficulty.

I felt his gaze fixed on me.

—With my father? —he asked in disbelief—. Consensual?

—Yes —I replied in a whisper—. I was scared. He’d threatened to tell things, to make me lose my job… and at that moment I thought I could handle it. I have to admit the situation also turned me on; I’m not going to lie about that. I thought that if I gave in once, it would all end there. It was a mistake.

I looked up then. I saw his expression, disappointment mixed with pain, but there was no rejection. Only a deep sadness that seemed to have no bottom.

—And after that? —he asked.

—After that the blackmail started. He told me that if I didn’t see him again, he’d show the messages. That he’d make them public.

—I knew he’d do something like that… —he murmured—. He always does the same thing.

I looked at him.

—What do you mean?

He didn’t answer right away. He took a deep breath. When he spoke, his voice had gone small, almost childlike.

—My father didn’t start with you —he said at last—. When I was little, he started with small things. At first it was games I didn’t understand. He’d tell me it was normal, that all fathers did things like that. I trusted him. He was my father. But he kept going further each time. I didn’t know how to say no. I didn’t even know I could say no.

I felt rage rise inside me. A deep, dark rage I had never felt for anyone before.

—He used to tell me that if I talked, no one would believe me —he continued—. That it was my fault. And now —he added in a trembling voice— he’s doing the same thing to you. I knew sooner or later he’d do it again.

I stared at him, trying to take in what he had just said.

—That son of a bitch… —I muttered at last.

—I don’t want you to keep carrying this —I said, with a steadier voice than I felt.

—It’s not that easy.

—It has to be —I replied—. This can’t go on like this.

—You know what pisses me off the most? —he asked—. That you still think he has control over you.

—He does —I replied—. He has the messages.

—No. He doesn’t. He’s using fear.

—Iker… —I began.

—Listen to me —he interrupted firmly—. I’m seventeen. At my age I can consent to relationships with whoever the hell I want.

—But it isn’t ethical…

—You know what he is doing? Blackmailing you. That is a crime.

—But if he shows the messages… —I murmured.

—So what? That two adults talked? That one tried to manipulate the other?

I slowly shook my head.

—It isn’t that simple.

—No —he admitted—. It isn’t. But it’s not what he’s making you believe either. You know what he’s really afraid of? That I’ll talk. That I’ll tell what he did to me. What he’s been doing for years. And that jealousy was the only reason that led him to do to you what he’s doing now. But if I talk, everything changes. And if you talk, it changes too.

—I don’t know if I have that strength —I murmured at last.

—I didn’t have it for years either. But I don’t want to keep silent anymore.

I looked up at him. In that moment I understood it wasn’t only about me.

—For how long…? —I asked with difficulty.

—Since I was very little.

—I’m not going to let him hurt you again —I said—. Not you. We have to report him.

—Are you serious? —he asked.

I nodded slowly.

—Yes. I’m scared. Very scared.

Iker let out a sad smile.

—Me too. Then we do it together. But I don’t want you to do it just for me.

—I’m not doing it just for you. I’m doing it for both of us. Because if we keep silent, he wins.

—When you hugged me earlier —he said— I thought you were going to pull away.

—Why would I do that?

He shrugged.

—Because all of this is too much.

—Yes —I answered—. It is too much. But that’s not why I’m going to let you go. Look at me.

Iker lifted his head. Our eyes met. I leaned toward him and kissed him. It was a brief, sweet, wet kiss, unlike all the previous ones.

—We’re in public —he murmured.

I looked around. There were barely three people fishing on the side of the promenade, oblivious to us.

I stood up from the bench.

—Come on.

—Where to?

—My place.

I looked at him seriously.

—Are you sure?

I nodded.

—Yes.

We started walking together along the promenade, in silence, side by side. We weren’t touching, but the distance between us was minimal. As we walked toward my house, I knew what came next would be just as difficult, but also possible.

***

Fifteen minutes later we entered the house in silence. I closed the door slowly, as if that gesture marked a boundary between the outside and everything we’d left behind on the promenade. For a few seconds we stood still in the entryway, not looking at each other, listening only to the distant sound of traffic.

—Come in —I said at last.

Iker moved forward slowly, studying the living room with almost shy attention, as if he wanted to memorize every detail.

—Do you want water? —I asked.

He nodded without speaking. I went to the kitchen and filled two glasses, trying to keep my hands busy so I wouldn’t think too much. I handed him the glass.

—Thanks —he murmured.

He sat on the sofa carefully, resting his elbows on his knees, holding the glass with both hands as if he needed something to keep him anchored to reality.

—Has it always been like this? —I asked.

—How?

—Your father.

—Yes —he said after a few seconds—. When I was little I didn’t understand anything. I thought it was normal for him to ask me strange things, to tell me not to tell anyone.

—And your mother…?

He shook his head.

—She acts like she doesn’t want to know what’s happening, but she knows. I tried to avoid being alone with him, make excuses, spend hours out in the street. But he always found a way. When I got older it stopped being so frequent, but it never disappeared completely. He turned it into control: checking my phone, deciding who I could talk to, telling me what to do. That’s how he knew he’d read the messages.

—You should have told me this before so we could report him —I murmured.

—I didn’t know if anyone would believe me. Until now.

He looked up at me. And at that moment I lunged at him, kissing him before I could resist.

The caresses turned daring within seconds. He started licking my neck while his hands slid down my thighs, slow and firm at the same time. Without breaking the kiss for even a second, Iker began to unbutton my pants and slipped his hand inside my underwear. He grabbed my cock hard and started jerking me off at a pace that left no room for doubt.

He stood up from the sofa and, with calm sensuality, finished stripping me completely amid kisses in which our tongues moved in perfect rhythm, as if they had never been apart. Then he took off everything except his boxers too, came closer, and placed his crotch in front of my face.

I took off his boxers and there it was before me, the cock I’d wanted so badly for weeks. My heart was burning when I opened my mouth and Iker began to tease, rubbing the head against my lips, sliding in and out, moaning with every movement. In the end he pushed it all the way in, triggering my first gag reflex and making me tear up and smile at the same time.

Iker climbed onto the sofa and spread his legs so I could suck him in that position. I kept sucking him with pleasure, alternating with his balls, licking them slowly, listening to his breathing speed up. Then he turned onto his stomach, propped himself on the arm of the sofa, spread his ass cheeks and sweetly asked me to lick him.

That pink hole between his white, completely hairless ass cheeks was incredible. A pleasant sensation began building when I pushed my tongue into his little star, listening to him sigh as he clutched a cushion in both hands.

Then it was my turn. Iker lay me on my back and licked and sucked my hole with the same sweetness, forcing his tongue in hard and then following with his fingers. He spent a good while working me with his index finger until I was ready. Then he put on a condom, moistened his fingers with saliva and smeared me with it. He brought his cock close to my hole and pressed firmly.

The feeling when someone is pushing inside you is indescribable, and even more so if it’s a person you want beyond the purely physical. He was fucking me with a tenderness I’d never known. While he was fucking me he kissed my mouth, my neck, and stroked my cock. In less than two minutes I came. Iker took longer, but it was wonderful. My body was completely relaxed, but my ass clenched at the orgasm, squeezing his cock and giving him a pleasure that sent him to seventh heaven.

After a while I noticed his face change and I begged him to cum on me. He pulled his cock out without losing his grip on it, removed the condom and jerked himself firmly, making his thick, hot seed slide down my chest and stomach.

We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms on the sofa for a good while, trading slow kisses, tracing each other with our fingers as if we had to learn one another by heart.

***

Afterward we went into the kitchen to snack on something and continue the conversation we still had pending.

—If we don’t report him —Iker said— he’ll keep doing the same thing to you, to me, or to someone else.

—Will they believe us? —I asked, now the one who was doubting.

—Yes —he said firmly.

I frowned.

—I have messages —he added—. Things saved.

—Then… tomorrow we go to the police station —I murmured.

Iker held my gaze.

—Really?

I nodded slowly.

—Yes. Tomorrow.

—Can I stay the night? —he asked in a voice that was almost childlike—. I don’t want to go back to my house. Not today, not ever.

I didn’t answer with words. I held out my hand and took him to the bedroom. That night we would sleep in each other’s arms, quietly, waiting for the world to wake up different.