A/N:
Thanks to readers of my other story. I will be updating that soon. But this story has been nagging at my brain. Hope you enjoy both
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Emily stared, hard. She wondered if the other girl could actually feel her stare. It was penetrating, but Emily couldn't look away, she was so beautiful.
"Miss Fields, perhaps you'd like to answer?" The teacher calling her name brought Emily's attention back to her English class.
"Um, what?"
"Can you answer the question?"
"Um, Holden Caufield was.. crazy?"
The class snickered softly. "That might be the answer to some question, but it's not the answer to the one I asked. Maybe pay a little more attention from now on?" the teacher suggested gently.
Emily blushed and sunk down lower in her seat, her gaze quickly returning to the girl sitting in front of her. She wanted to touch her hair, and wondered briefly how she could get away with just reaching out and touching it.
The bell signaling the end of class rang before Emily had the chance to come up with a plan. The girl in front of her turned around, a smile on her face.
"Don't feel bad, I was totally zoned out too," she said to Emily. "I can only discuss 'The Catcher in the Rye' for so many days before I start to nod off," she let out a small laugh as she packed up her bag.
"Um, yeah. Totally. What a boring book."
"You doing anything fun this weekend?"
Emily cursed herself. Her crush was being sweet and trying to make conversation, and Emily could barely form a sentence.
"No, probably just swimming and homework. You?"
The other girl's smile grew. "My mom's getting married, actually. Just a small thing at home, but it'll be fun."
"Oh, wow, well have fun."
"Thanks, you too."
"Christen, come on!"
Both girls turned their attention to the door of the classroom, where a tall blonde girl was yelling over.
"That's my cue. Have a nice weekend!"
"Yeah, you too," Emily waved as Christen slung her backpack on her shoulder and walked out of class. She watched her until she was out of sight before she started packing up her own stuff.
Out in the hallway, she caught up with her friends by her locker.
"Em, saw you talking to Christen in class. How'd it go?" Hanna asked as Emily approached. The petite blond was using a mirror in her adjacent locker to freshen up her eyeliner and lip gloss.
"Well I got called out in class by the teacher, who caught me staring at her. Then when she talked to me, I could barely form a complete sentence without stuttering. So..." Emily leaned heavily on a locker in a frustration.
"Well, you talked to her!" Aria chirped happily. "That counts!"
"Yeah, I am sure it wasn't as bad as you think," Spencer reassured.
"Maybe," Emily huffed. Her head replayed the conversation with her crush 100 times, trying to find truth in Spencer's words.
Emily was normally calm and well-spoken, but for some reason, when she was around Christen, her nerves got the better of her. They had been school mates for years, and she and Emily had at least one class together all through out high school. Emily should be used to Christen. But still, every time the other girls striking tanned skin, perfect brunette hair and bright green eyes caught her off guard. Emily was always reminded of that Afghan girl from the cover of National Geographic. They both had the same amazing eyes, but Christen looked much kinder and gentler. Emily swooned just thinking about her.
"Have you found out if she's into girls?" Hanna asked, once again distracted by fixing her make up in the mirror.
"I heard she dated a chick from Edgewood High," Spencer offered. "But she might be bi. I also heard she dated that guy from the baseball team last year."
None of this was news to Emily. It truly didn't matter if Christen was into girls if Emily couldn't form complete sentences around the other girl.
Emily's crush dates back years. It was pathetic. Loving someone from afar was for the birds as far as Emily was concerned.
The following Monday before classes started, the four friends sat in the cafeteria. Hanna leaned in with a determined look in her eye.
"Em, I've been thinking about your Christen problem. I think I've got a solution."
Emily's eyebrows raised eagerly in anticipation.
"Yeah?"
"I think you need to make her jealous," Hanna offered. "You date another chick. Christen notices you, gets jealous, you dump the girl and make out with Christen."
"I think that's called using someone, Han," Spencer responded with an eyeroll.
"What? There's no downside. You either make Christen jealous and she realizes she has feelings for you, or she doesn't and you get to go on some dates with another girl."
"Someone's feelings will get hurt, guaranteed."
"Jesus, Spence. I'm not suggesting Emily marry this other girl. Just a few dates to see how Christen reacts."
"I don't think it's a good idea," Spencer weighed in.
"Aria, you are the tie breaking vote. What do you think?" Hanna asked.
The tiny brunette shrugged and gave a sympathetic look to Emily. "Couldn't hurt, Em. At least you'll be able to see if Christen has a reaction."
Emily exhaled loudly, torn about what to do.
"Who would I even date?" Emily asked, as if it were so simple to just find a girl to date.
"Maya?" Aria suggested.
Emily shook her head vehemently. "No way. We made out once at a party and she got super clingy, remember?"
"Besides, Maya isn't girlfriend material," Hanna added. "She's more 'make out material'."
"Samara?" Aria said after a beat.
Emily grimaced at the thought. "She's cute, but she's so boring. I don't think I could sell being interested in her."
"Maya, Samara... I think we've basically tapped the out-lesbian dating pool at Rosewood High," Spencer said, satisfied that Hanna's idea wouldn't come to fruition.
"Her, then," Hanna said, pointing to the cafeteria's entrance.
The three other girls turned their heads to follow Hanna's stare. They all appraised the girl in front of them. Brown hair that hung loosely around her shoulders. Slightly tanned features. Broad, powerful shoulders attached to long, toned arms. Her clothes fit perfectly on her thin, yet athletic, frame. What caught Emily's attention most was her large, expressive brown eyes.
"Who is she?" Aria asked. "I've never seen her before."
Hanna shrugged. "Maybe she's new? All the better."
"How do we even know she's into girls? Or single, for that matter?"
"God, Emily. Just find out. You want Christen right? Well, this girl could help you. If she's new, it's even easier because she probably doesn't know anyone else."
"One good thing," Aria grinned. "She's definitely gay. Rainbow patch on her backpack."
Emily craned her head to get a look at the girl's bag. Definitely a rainbow patch, the universal symbol of gay pride.
"Go ask her if you can help her find her class. You don't have to ask her to marry you," Hanna egged Emily on, hoping the girl would work up the nerve.
"For Christen," Emily reiterated to her friends.
Emily got up and made her way to this new girl, plastering a gentle smile on her face. Emily noticed the girl had what looked like a school schedule in her hands.
"Hey," Emily said, getting the girl's attention.
The brunette turned her attention towards Emily, a crooked smile on her face. "Hi."
"You look a little lost," Emily supplied, turning her smile up a notch. "I'm Emily, by the way." She held out her hand for the other girl to shake.
"Paige," she said, meeting Emily's eyes and taking her hand to shake. "And I am. First day. I have no idea where I am going."
"Maybe I can help?" Emily asked, holding her hand out for Paige's schedule.
The other girl handed over her schedule with a quiet 'thanks'.
"Yeah, ok," Emily nodded to herself as she read the paper. "You're actually in my first period class. I can walk you, if you want?"
Paige tilted her head and smiled in a way Emily could only describe as adorable. "Yeah, that would be great, Emily. Thank you."
The two made their way out of the cafeteria, and Emily had to stop herself from rolling her eyes when Hanna offered her a discrete thumbs up of encouragement.
"So where did you transfer from?" Emily asked as they made their way down the hall.
"A private school upstate," Paige answered.
"Oh cool," Emily nodded, "Hey, that's where your second period class is," she pointed to one of the doors as they walked past.
"Thanks, Emily. And thanks for talking to me. It always sucks being the new kid."
"Of course," Emily smiled in a way that she hoped was flirty. "So, uh, were you dating anyone at your old school?"
"What?" Paige asked, almost laughing, taken aback by the question.
"Oh, it's just... it would suck to leave someone behind if you were dating someone and had to move schools," Emily tried to recover, but ended up sounding a little desperate.
Paige chuckled a little and shook her head slightly. "I guess you're right. I dated someone while I was at school, but it ended way before I transferred."
"Oh," Emily said with a smile. It seemed like the stars were really aligning for Hanna's plan to work. Paige seemed nice enough, she was certainly pretty enough, she was gay, single and new.
"If you aren't doing anything after school, I can show you around town a little. Where people hang out and stuff..." Emily offered as evenly as she could.
"Are you seriously asking me out?" Paige asked, with a lightness in her voice that Emily couldn't place.
"No, no... I mean, not if you don't want to. We can... just as friends..." Emily backtracked a little, pretty clearly embarrassed. She put her hands over her face.
"Relax," Paige said, grabbing Emily's wrists to pull her hands down. "I'm flattered and I'd like to go out with you. I was just surprised."
"Oh, ok. Great," Emily smiled a little.
"Was that your first time asking someone out?" Paige asked.
"Yeah, how'd I do?"
Paige laughed a little and held the classroom door open for Emily once they arrived to class. "I'd say 9 out of 10 stars. Pretty good for your first try," Paige gave her a wink as Emily walked through the threshold.
"Wow, that high? Ok, maybe I should consider going into it professionally?"
"Asking people on dates professionally? I think that might only be legal in Vegas," Paige chuckled and Emily's jaw dropped at what Paige implied. Soon they were both giggling as they sat down next to one another.
Emily got pretty lost in conversation with Paige that she didn't notice when Christen made her way into the classroom. Usually, that would be the only thing she'd notice.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Paige said, addressing Emily's crush, who sat down in front of Emily.
"Sorry, Paige. I had to meet with my counselor before school," Christen replied, an apologetic look on her face.
"Yeah, yeah," Paige rolled her eyes, brushing the other girl off.
"You guys know each other?" Emily asked, confused since Paige had only just started at Rosewood High.
"Christen is my step-sister. My dad married her mom this weekend. That's why I transferred," Paige answered.
"Oh," Emily mumbled, sinking low into her desk chair. 'Shit,' she thought to herself.