A/N: This is the first chapter of a three part story. I know it's about two characters you never see paired together, but I hope you guys give it a chance and enjoy it regardless.

I need to give a couple of massive shout outs to my little helpers:

Smart Owl - If it wasn't for you I would probably have put this story on the back burner because I still be stuck figuring out the layout of the story. I can't thank you enough for your help :-)

Thirteen1208 - This story would have been about maths or something as equally sexy because I don't know any Spanish, so thank you so much for doing all the translations for me :-)

If it wasn't for you two, this story wouldn't be what it is. So I dedicate this chapter to you girls. I hope you like it and I do the story justice.

As usual please leave a review and let me know what you thought, good or bad. If you have any ideas or prompts for one-shots, feel free to send them through PM. Enjoy :-) Jelly

I arrive at the Applerose Grill early, so I find a table and resign myself to wait. Knowing my dinner companion probably won't be here for another 10 or 15 minutes, I pull out my phone and text Hanna to calm my nerves.

-Hey Han, are we still on for going to the mall tomorrow?

-Yep, you know me, never one to turn down retail therapy :-)

-Okay good, I could use the distraction.

-Why what's up?

-Oh nothing, just have a few things on my mind that's all.

-I'm your best friend, you can tell me.

-It's nothing, I just have to figure out a way to deal with it.

A picture of the blonde flashes up on my screen, I sigh and accept the call, "Hey Hanna."

"Hey, now tell me what's wrong." I hear a hint of concern in the blonde's voice.

"I told you, it's nothing." I lie.

"Come on, I know you better than that, so spit it out." I can hear the determination in her voice and I know she won't let it go.

I sigh heavily, "Okay, you win. I like someone, but I don't think that they like me the same way. And to make things worse, I never imagined I would ever like this person, so it's really hard for me to deal with."

"Ooh, who is is it? Maybe I can help you gauge if they like you."

"I can't."

"Yes you can, it's easy, open your mouth and say their name, it couldn't be more simple." Jokes the blonde.

"Sorry Han, gotta go, I will see you tomorrow."

I don't even wait for her response I just end the call as the person I was referring to walks towards me. "Hey. I'm not late am I? I could have sworn we agreed on 7." She says sounding a little flustered as she takes a seat across from me.

I shake my head and smile, "No, I'm just early," I look at my watch, "and so are you actually."

"Oh that's good, I was worried I had gotten the time mixed up." A smile crosses her perfect lips as she looks at me with those beautiful eyes, her hair cascading across her shoulders. Oh my God, stop it. You're here to celebrate her killing it on her Spanish test, not to check her out. With an eyebrow quirked she asks, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You spaced out for a little bit there. We can do this another time if you need to be somewhere else."

"There is nowhere else I'd rather be." Real smooth. "You did really well on your test so we're here to celebrate a job well done," I smile wide and she returns the smile. "I told you you would do fine that day in the library and I was right wasn't I?" I say as I quirk an eyebrow, a hint of cockiness in my voice.

"Yeah only thanks to my awesome tutor. I would have failed that test for sure if it wasn't for you. So thank you, and I owe you more than a dinner." The girl sitting opposite me smirks as she bows her head slightly. Is she flirting with me? No, I doubt it, she is probably just being friendly.

I feel a blush coming on regardless and she definitely noticed and smiles but thankfully her attention is soon drawn to the waitress as she approaches our table to take our drink order. The waitress is probably more her type anyway, I doubt she would even look twice at me.

~~Flashback~~

"Aargh! I'm never going to get this." She grumbles as she slams a pen down onto the table.
I sit in the chair across from the raven haired girl, "Whoa calm down, don't let schoolwork get the best of you. Take a break, maybe fresh eyes and a clear mind might help."
"I know I probably should take a break but I really need to study for this test."
"What class is it for, maybe I could help?"

"Spanish with Mrs Perry." She sighs as she looks down at her textbook.

I begin to pull out my maths textbook, a notebook and a pencil, "I took her class last semester, I could help you study if you like?" The raven haired girl looks up at me and smiles, "Really?" I nod my response, "You're a lifesaver. Are you sure you don't mind?" She inquires.

"Emily if I didn't want to help you I wouldn't have offered. If it makes you feel better you can buy me a coffee as payment. So when is your test?"

"Make it dinner and it's a deal and the test is next Friday." She groans.
"Okay, we have nearly two weeks to get you up to speed with your Spanish. And how about we go out for that dinner after you ace your test to celebrate."

"Sounds good. Thanks Mona, I really appreciate it. I would normally go to Spencer for help with school work but she isn't taking Spanish, she is taking French. So I have been trying to tough it out on my own, to no real avail." She sighs heavily.

"It's okay, I was the top of my class and aced every test and I'm fluent in Spanish, I'm sure you will ace this test too. Do you have any plans after school today?"

"No, just studying for my English test tomorrow but it's about To Kill a Mockingbird and I have that down pat. So probably just studying for this," she indicates towards her textbook.

"I love that book, it's one of my favourites. So umm, I was thinking, maybe you would like to come over and study at my place after school." Emily doesn't respond straight away, "Or I could come to your place if you're more comfortable with that." I quickly add.

I don't get it. Why am I feeling nervous about organising a study session? I have planned quite a few study sessions with multiple people, so what makes this so different?

"I'm happy to come over to your house. Do you need a ride home?"

"That would be lovely Emily, thank you." I smile.

"I will meet you at your locker after school and I will drive us to your place."

The bell rings to signify our study period is over, so we both gather our things and begin to head off to our next classes.

"Okay, well I will see you after last period at my locker."

Emily beams as she puts her textbook back in her bag, "Sure will, thanks again for offering to help me study."

"It's my pleasure."

Arriving at my house we head inside and my mum calls my name. Emily and I head into the kitchen where we find my mum scouring over her cookbooks. Without looking up she asks, "Would you like lasagne or spaghetti and meatballs for dinner? I can't decide, I just know I feel like Italian." Finally looking up for my response she notices Emily standing beside me, "Oh sorry honey, I didn't realise you had company." She smiles warmly at Emily.

"Mum this is Emily, I offered to help her study for her Spanish test so we are just going to head up and get started."

"Well it was nice to meet you Emily."

"Nice to meet you too Mrs Vanderwaal."

"Come on Emily, I will show you my room." Why did that sound creepy? I shake my head to try and focus. We walk up the stairs and I point out the bathroom before stopping in front of my bedroom door, "Well here it is." I say as I open the door, gesturing for Emily to walk in first, as she walks past me I get a hint of cherry blossom and chlorine, its peculiar how this combination works, but it somehow does.

"I was thinking we would study on the bed, if that's okay with you." Emily nods as she looks at my doll collection.

"Make yourself at home while I grab my notes and stuff," I move towards my bookshelf and I pull out a few folders before I find the one labelled Spanish, "Here we go." I grab a notepad and a pen from my desk before I make my way back to my bed and sit cross legged, "I was thinking maybe I could write up a few exercises for you to practice with and that way I can gauge how you are going and where you need help. Does that sound okay to you?"

Emily puts her bag down and joins me on the bed, "Sounds great Mona. I'm up for anything if it means I will get a decent grade for this test, actually just passing is enough for me."

"You will do more than pass Emily, you will blow this test out of the water, I'm sure of it." I smile, and I feel it growing wider when Emily smiles back.

Emily reads To Kill a Mockingbird while I write up her questions. After about twenty minutes I'm done. I have written up two pages of questions and exercises. Leaving Emily to it, I decide to do some maths homework while she finishes. I don't want her to feel rushed, but I look up every so often and I see her poking the tip of her tongue out or she has her eyebrows furrowed. I shake my head when I realise I was thinking how cute that little indentation above her right eyebrow is when she is concentrating. Why was I just thinking that? "How are you going Em? Not too hard is it?"

Emily looks up and pulls her pen out of her mouth, "No it's fine, I was just trying to treat it as an actual test."

"Do you always poke your tongue out in your tests?" I chuckle.

"What?" Her eyes widen, "I don't do that do I?"

I can't help but laugh, "I'm sorry to tell you but you do, like this." I try to imitate the swimmer's action causing her to laugh.

There is a knock at my door, "Come in." I call out.

My mother opens the door and walks in carrying a tray with a plates of brownies and two glasses of milk, "I hope I'm not interrupting, but I thought you girls might like a little study break to have a snack." She says as she places the tray on the bed between Emily and I.

"Thanks Mrs Vanderwaal."

"Thanks Mum."

"Well I'm going to start on dinner. You didn't answer me before so I chose spaghetti and meatballs."

"Oh sorry Mum, that's what I wanted so it's all good."

"I thought you would." My mother says as she turns to leave the room. I lean across the bed and grab a brownie.

After a few minutes I hear a sigh and look up to see Emily meekly smile, "Well I'm done now," Emily passes my her papers, "I just hope I didn't get too many wrong." She says looking down at the quilt cover with a frown. It takes a few minutes for me to look over her answers, so Emily has a snack break. When I'm finished I put the paper down and sigh. "Is it that bad?" Her voice wavering slightly.

I look up to see dark chocolate eyes looking at me, and a sadden expression on her face, "No it's the opposite actually. I don't know what you are so worried about, you will pass no problems."

"Really?" Her voice higher pitched than usual.

"You got almost every question right, about 90% I would say, I'm impressed." Emily is practically beaming.

"But it's a oral exam, so it's one thing to know how to read and write it but another to be able to speak the language."

"It's okay Emily, are you having trouble speaking Spanish?"

"Yeah, sometimes. I have more trouble speaking than reading and writing."

"Well here are some travel phrases, how about you read some out aloud." I hand her a travel phrasebook, "Take a minute or two to skim through first if you want and just pick out random phrases and I will tell you how you go."

"Thanks." Emily scours over the pages and furrows her eyebrows as she flicks through the pages. That indent is just the cutest. I wonder if she knows she does that too. I force myself tolook away. What is going on? Since when do I think Emily is cute? Well I guess I have always thought she was drop dead gorgeous, but that's in a totally platonic 'I can say that another girl is beautiful kind of way.'

"Isn't it?"

Emily looks up from the phrasebook, "Did you say something?"

"Huh?" I look up and blink trying to get my eyes to focus.

"I thought you said something, but I guess I must be hearing things."

I look back down at my maths textbook and I can feel myself blushing, I hope Emily doesn't notice and ask questions because I have absolutely no idea what is going on with me right now. "Sorry, I was thinking if we have time to do anything else before we wrap up today's studying but I think we will just stick to you reading from the phrase book for today seeing as speaking is what your exam is about and you feel it's your weakness."

"Makes sense." Emily smiles before returning her attention to the book in her lap. Phew. She mustn't have noticed. I grab a brownie and a glass of milk and try to calm my nerves.

A few minutes pass before I hear Emily muttering to herself. I look up and see that Emily is running her finger over the page and subtly nodding her head and I chuckle, "You want to share with the rest of the class?" This causes the swimmer to jump slightly, "Sorry I didn't mean to frighten you, it's just that you were talking to yourself."

Emily blushes, "It's okay. I can't believe I'm embarrassing myself so much today. Sticking my tongue out when I was taking that mock test, talking to myself, and just then when I jumped when you spoke."

"No te preocupes por eso, yo creo que es adorable."

Emily's mouth drops open slightly, "What?" Oh no. She heard me. Why did I think saying 'don't worry about it, I think it's cute' was a good idea? Better yet, why did I say it at all? Now how do I get out of this? Do I tell her she heard wrong? "Sorry, you spoke so fast I didn't catch any of that." Thank God.

"That's okay, it wasn't important."

Emily reaches out and puts her hand on my knee, "C'mon, you wouldn't haven't said it if it wasn't important."

For some unknown reason Emily's action spurs me on and I lower my voice and smirk, "Maybe I'll tell you another time." What is coming over me? It's like I've become someone else.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Emily replies with a smile and a twinkle in her eye, "So are you ready?"

"Go ahead." I smile.

"Okay, here we go," Says Emily before she clears her throat, "¿Dónde está la estación de tren más cercana?"

"Okay, you asked where is the nearest train station. Tres manzanas detrás de ti, giras a la izquierda y la verás a tu derecha. So where did I say it was?"

"Umm, you said three blocks behind me and then take a left and it's on the right." Emily started off strong but ends the sentence in a questioning manner.

I chuckle, "Was that a question or a statement?"

"Umm," Emily seems to be searching my eyes for the answer, and I raise an eyebrow, "A statement."

I smile, "You're absolutely correct. You got another ready?"

Emily quickly flicks a few pages, "¿Cuánto cuesta éste collar?"

"How much does this necklace cost?" Emily nods and smiles wide.

Turning a few pages Emily speaks again, "Hola, soy Emily, encantada de conocerte. ¿Cómo te llamas?"

"Hola, soy Mona, encantada de conocerte también."I don't know what you're worried about, you have pronounced everything perfectly so far. If I hadn't walked in on you freaking out in the library I would think you only accepted my offer because you wanted to spend time with me," Emily looks away and blushes. Does that mean she did?

Looking back up at me she smiles sheepishly, "Not that I haven't liked studying with you so far but I was really worried about this exam. I still am, so thank you for taking the time to help me. You didn't have to offer to help me study but you did and I really appreciate it. Now let's get back to it."

"Querría una habitación con baño por favor."

"You want a room with a bathroom huh? Getting all fancy on me are you?" I chuckle.

"¿Cuánto falta hasta que llegue el siguiente autobús?"

I look at my watch, "Are you planning on running away to Philly are you?"

"It depends."

"On what exactly?"

"On if you will come with me." I blush and Emily realises what she has implied, "Crap, sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I was thinking of taking you to Philly for that dinner."

"You don't have to take me to Philly for dinner. Why don't you leave that for your next date, I'm sure whoever the lucky girl is she will enjoy it."

"Oh okay, umm sure." The swimmer looks down at her hands, the silence between us become very uncomfortable. It's not like she was asking me out or anything. Or was she?

"Emily."

"Yeah?" She almost whispers, not taking her eyes off her hands.

"I just meant that I'm totally fine with going to the Grill. I was actually happy with just grabbing a coffee. I hope I didn't make things awkward between us now. It's not like you were asking me out on a date or anything were you?"

I watch Emily closely for her response, I see her cheeks flush a little and her breath hitches. Oh no, maybe she was. Now I've gone and embarrassed her. I feel so crappy. "No, of course not. I just thought that you have been so nice in helping me study and on the way here we planned to study a few more times before my test, so I was thinking you would deserve to go somewhere nicer than the Applerose Grill for dinner, that's all." Emily still can't look me in the eye, but I let it go.

"Okay, well I guess we better get back to it, if that's alright with you?"

"Yeah sure," Emily flicks through the book, "Necesito ir al médico."

"You need to see a doctor."Emily smiles and nods.

"¿Puedo por favor tomar una ensalada?"

"You want to order a salad."

We continue to read out of the phrasebook for the next 40 minutes before there is another knock at me door, "Sorry to interrupt but could I speak to you for a moment please sweetie?" Calls my mother through the door.

I look at Emily and I shrug my shoulders, "I will be there in a second." I slowly get off my bed and turn to look at Emily, "I will be back soon, take a break, eat a brownie or something, you deserve it. You have done so well today." We exchange smiles as I walk out the door and find my mother further up the hallway. "How is the studying going?"

"Great actually. I don't think she really needs help, but it's always good to have someone to study with. So what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Well I was wondering if Emily would like to stay for dinner, but I didn't want to ask without talking to you first. I don't know if you're friends or not so I didn't want to make things awkward for you or Emily."

"I appreciate that. Are you sure it would be okay if she did stay?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want her to stay. Now run along and ask her."

"Okay thanks Mum. I will let you know either way soon."

"I will be down in the kitchen when you know. Dinner will be ready in about an hour."

I walk back into my room and find Emily laying on her back with her eyes closed, "I didn't work you too hard today did I?"

Emily smirks and slowly opens her eyes, "No, I was just relaxing," sitting up she looks at me, "Everything okay with your mum?"

I smile as I take my previous spot on the bed, "Yeah it's fine, she was just wondering if you would like to stay for dinner. It will be ready in about an hour."

"Why didn't she just ask when she was at the door?"

"She didn't want to make things awkward if I didn't want you to stay or if we weren't getting along."

"So do you want me to stay? For dinner, I mean." Emily looks nervous as she asks. Yes.

"Only if you want to but I don't want you to feel pressured."

Emily reaches over and places her hand on my knee, "Mona it's okay, I would love to stay for dinner. I will just have to ask my Mum first though, she is working tonight so I'm sure it will be fine." Emily takes her hand back and quickly shoots off a text to her mum and I instantly miss the contact. Within a minute we hear a ding, indicating Emily received a text. Emily reads it and smiles, "She said yes. So it looks like you're going to have to put up with for a couple of hours longer."

"Oh I don't mind, you would have to be one of the most polite dinner guests we have ever had. So my mother will be happy about that."

"Oh yeah parents love me." I chuckle as she sits up straight and puffs out her chest.

"Hanna has told me that all of the parents think you're this innocent little girl, but really you're far from it."

I burst into a fit of laughter when I see Emily's face, "What did she say? Did she tell you about that weekend with Paige? I'm going to kill Hanna." Her voice becoming angry.

I stop laughing enough to shake my head, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I was just joking Em. Hanna didn't tell me anything, but you just did." I fall back onto my back when I feel something hit me in the chest. I open my eyes to see Emily laughing and holding one of my pillows, "Oh so it's like that is it?" I grab the pillow off my chest and swing it at Emily. I hit her square in the face, "Oh crap!" I jump up and see Emily cupping her cheek, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you in the face. Did I hurt you?" You're meant to be helping her study not beating her up. Hanna is going to kick my arse if I hurt Emily.

Emily slowly moves her hand away from her cheek so I can get a closer look, then when I least expect it, she hits me with her pillow. "Gotcha!" She cries out.

"Okay I'll give you that, you got me good. I thought I actually hurt you. I didn't did I?"

"Nah, I'm okay." She smiles wide to get her point across.

I chuckle, "So that's why everyone thinks you're so innocent and sweet. You should look into acting, you really had me fooled. I felt like I kicked a puppy. No scratch that, a bag of puppies." Emily bursts out laughing, "It's not funny. I seriously thought I had hurt you," I put the pillow back on my bed and pick up the tray and gather the now empty glasses, "We should probably go tell my Mum that you are staying for dinner."

Emily smiles wide before jumping up from the bed, "So spaghetti and meatballs huh?"

"Yeah, pretty good too, I just hope my mother's cooking is as good as yours. Hanna has told me how good of a cook your mum is multiple times."

We find my mother in the kitchen, she just looks up at us expectingly, "Emily's mum said she could stay for tea." I say with a smile on my face, my mother returning the smile.

"Wonderful," looking at the empty plate and glasses on the tray, "I see you girls enjoyed the brownies I made."

"Yes they were delicious Mrs Vanderwaal."

"Thank you Emily," says my mother before directing her attention back to me, "So what do you girls have planned while I make dinner?"

I look at Emily who shrugs, "I was thinking grab a drink then go and listen to music or something in my room. Is that okay with you Emily?"

Emily smiles wide, "Sounds like a plan."

I return the smile as I place the tray on the table and move to open the fridge, "We have bottles of water, orange or apple juice and soda." I say looking to Emily for her reply.

"A bottle of water is fine thanks Mona." I grab a bottle of water and orange juice and close the door.

"I will come and get you when dinner is nearly ready okay girls?"

Emily and I both nod, "Yes Mum. Come on Emily let's go."

When we get back to my room I ask Emily if she wanted to plug her phone into my dock for music, "I'm happy just to listen to whatever you want."

"Okay." I put on one of the many playlists Hanna has created on my phone and walk back to my bed where I lay on my stomach. Emily is still standing looking a little uncomfortable, "You can lay on the bed too you know, I don't bite, well not usually." I chuckle as Emily slowly gets on the bed. "Is something wrong?" I ask when I notice Emily seems all tensed up.

Emily looks at me and smiles weakly, "No, it's just that we have never just hung out before. Actually before today I have hardly had anything to do with you at all."

"It's okay Emily, I understand completely, Hanna is both of our best friends, but we hang out with her separately. So I get why you might think this is weird."

"Weird? I never said it was weird, I'm just saying its all new to me. So I'm sorry if I have been awkward."

I laugh, "If you have been awkward today, I would hate to see you completely comfortable. So just make yourself at home, just for a moment pretend I'm one of the girls, how would you act and what would you be doing?"

"Well I guess I would be lounging all over the bed, probably reading a magazine while gossiping about celebrities or something."

I smile, "Good, well lounge away then, and I have heaps of magazines," I jump off the bed a grab a stack of magazines off my desk, "Here's some magazines. So now all we need is something to talk about," I tap my finger on my chin, "I got it, Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds?"

"I like Ryan Reynolds, he is hilarious and he is married to Blake Lively."

"Oh sorry, I forgot, let me go again, Jennifer Lawrence or Scarlett Johansson?" I so didn't forget.

"Can't I pick both." Emily and I both laugh.

Emily asks, "One Direction or 5 Seconds of Summer, as a whole?"

"Oh that's hard, umm, I'm gonna say One Direction, Louis is such a hottie. Now back to you, Little Mix or Fifth Harmony?"

"Well that's a no brainer, Fifth Harmony all the way."

I quirk an eyebrow, "More ladies for the lovin'." I smirk.

Emily's eyes widen, "Not because of that, Lauren is gorgeous, those eyes, damn." I see Emily blush a little. Aww how cute. Again with the cuteness? Pull it together Mona. "Do you watch Vampire Diaries?" I nod, "Stefan or Damon?"

"Damon, I like that he is really a good guy deep down and he is hot."

"Elena or Catherine?"

"They are played by the same person. But Catherine for sure."

"I know that, I'm curious, why Catherine?"

"She is so sure of herself, so confident. I was once told I like my women 'ballsy'."

I laugh, "I see that." Emily smiles and laughs too, "So you have a type then?"

Emily shrugs her shoulders, "Apparently I do."

"Spencer or Hanna?"

"What?" Emily asks with a look of utter confusion.

"Sorry, Spencer and Hanna are both ballsy but in totally different ways, so I was curious as to which kind of ballsy you look for. You don't have to answer, I shouldn't have asked."

A few seconds pass before Emily speaks, "It's okay. I'm not sure, maybe a mixture of both. I admire Spencer's determination and intelligence but she can be wound up pretty tight sometimes, and I like how Hanna can just be so mellow and loyal but won't take your shit and will call you out on it. It's hard to look at my friends in that way, especially after Ali."

"What happened with Alison?"

Emily tenses up and looks away, "I was in love with Ali and she knew it and she toyed with me. One minute I thought she liked me back and kissing me but then the next she would be pushing me away making me feel like what I felt was wrong. She really messed me up. As if figuring out my sexuality wasn't enough I had to fall for one of my best friends."

I place my hand on Emily's back and begin rubbing in circles, hopefully soothingly. "I'm sorry Alison treated you like that Emily, you didn't deserve that. Coming to terms with your own sexuality would be difficult enough without Alison messing with your head. If she hadn't moved to the other side of the country I would wring her neck for hurting you like that. No one deserves to be treated like that." Especially not you. I see Emily looking at my hands, her face full of worry. I look down to see that I had balled my hands into fists, "I'm so sorry Emily, I don't know what came over me." Why did I feel the strongest urge to protect Emily?

"It's because I'm just so sweet and innocent, I'm like a bag of puppies remember?" Emily gets the biggest puppy dog eyes and pout, I chuckle and roll my eyes.

"Eres muy adorable."

"I try." Emily says her voice low. Oh she just gave me goosebumps. What is it about this girl that has me acting like this? I can't like her can I? No, I'm not into girls. So then why am I acting like I'm around my crush. Oh my God, I like Emily. I just want to curl up under my covers and freak out but I can't. Emily is staying for dinner. How am I meant to deal with this if she is right next to me all night?

"Mona!" I shake my head to clear the fog from my mind and see a concerned Emily beside me and feel her hand on my arm.

"Sorry, did you say something?" I smile weakly.

"Yeah, your mum just knocked on the door and said tea will be ready in 10 and that we should wash up," again I smile weakly, "Mona are you okay? You were really zoned out for a good minute there." How am I meant to act normal? What even is normal?

"Yeah I'm fine, I was just got lost in my own thoughts. Come on, let's go get washed up." Emily eyes me like she doesn't quite believe me, but doesn't say anything, she just follows me to the bathroom.

A/N: I hope you guys liked the first instalment. As always please leave a review and let me know what you think. :-) Jelly