"Do we really have to tell them this way?" I ask my new American boyfriend as we walk into school
"Come on, they're gonna find out sooner or later. We might as well get it over with. And you said you wanted me to take you further out of your shell."
"Yes, but-"
"If you don't want to do this, I won't force you, but I think it would be best. Think of it like ripping off a band-aid. Better to do it as quickly as you can."
"...Alright. But if this doesn't go well, I'm blaming you."
"Understood."
We start holding hands as we approach our classroom
The students are all there, but the teacher is (as usual) not yet there
Perfect opportunity
We walk to the front, just in front of the teacher's desk
"Good morning, we have an announcement to make," my boyfriend says. "She and I..."
He trails off and glances at me, wanting to see if I'll go through with it
In answer, I take his hand and lift it up
"We're together now. Not as friends, or as tutor and tutee, as boyfriend and girlfriend," I say
Not sure what reactions I was expecting
My eccentric friend smiles and cheers
"I knew you could do it!" she shouts with a whoop
Then one of my other friends points to a third and says "alright, pay up"
The third friend walks over to the second and hands her some money
Someone else says "well, it's about damn time you two stopped dancing around your feelings for each other. Glad you could finally admit what was obvious to the rest of us."
That gets a few laughs
There are a few other reactions
Surprise
Joy
Satisfaction
As far as I can tell, nobody is upset or jealous
Or at least they're not letting it show
That... that wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be
"See? Was that so hard?"
I turn to see my boyfriend, a proud smile on his face
"No," I admit
...I did it
I told my entire class about my boyfriend
Without completely humiliating myself
Kami, I probably have the biggest, dopiest grin on my face right now
But I don't care
I've come so far thanks to him