This is an old fic, which can be found on the CC website, that I have gone back to and rewritten. Hopefully, it will get me back on track for writing some new stuff soon. Xx

TEACH ME

"I'm sorry? What?" I grimaced at how high pitched my voice sounded. I blame the shock. I couldn't believe that I had heard her right.

"Er…tutoring?" Sian asked fiddling with the bag slung over her shoulder. "He…Mr Bromley…said that you tutor people sometimes, who need help with history?" She glanced quickly along the hallway. "Well I definitely need the help…" Sian looked back at me with a small grin and gestured to herself. "…and the last time I checked, I'm people."

Of course she was.

I didn't have a problem with that. I had a problem with her being a Sian Powers person. All blonde hair, blue eyes, and a sexy smile.

Sian Powers was the most popular, most beautiful girl in school…and I'd had a crush on her since forever. Now here she was asking me to tutor her? There must have been an apocalypse while I was at lunch, it was the only plausible explanation really. I mean, with the toxic slush they served in the canteen and had the bare faced cheek to call Lasagne, how would I know the difference?

"I…erm…I...I." I stuttered, unable to form a sentence. 'That's great Webster, now try some words to go with the stutter. Just tell her no. Be polite…but tell her no.'

"Um, sure." I heard myself say quietly.

'Okay, that was definitely not no.' My internal voice was practically whining now.

Sian smiled brilliantly. "Great! Er, should I come to yours?"

'Oh good God, no.' The last thing I needed was her in my house, or heaven forbid, my room. How the hell would I be able to sleep in there ever again? Knowing that she'd touched my door handle, sat at my desk, seen the colour of my bedsheets? No! It would be too much.

Okay, okay! Maybe I underplayed it when I said I had a crush on her. Who was I kidding? I was crazy about her. And not in a sixth form boy, just want to get into her pants, kind of way.

'Oh Jesus! Stop thinking about her pants! She's standing right there!' I shook my head quickly, blushing furiously at the direction my thoughts had taken. I sneaked a peek up at Sian to see if she had noticed anything unusual in my behavior, but she simply smiled sweetly at me, setting my heart jittering in my chest once again.

"I…I'll come to you. If that's ok?" I asked quietly when I was sure my voice wasn't going to break.

"That's fine." Sian said, rummaging around in her bag. "Here, let me give you the address." After a few more seconds she pulled out a pen and notepad, scribbled on it quickly, and handed it to me with a flourish. "See ya around six then?" She looked at me expectantly.

At my dazed nod, she gave me a lopsided smile and turned to leave.

Sian took a few steps before pausing to look back over her shoulder slightly. "Oh, and Sophie?"

'Holy shit, Sian Powers knows my name.'

"Thanks." She winked before spinning back around and pushing through the double doors that led outside.

I looked around the school corridor in daze, holding Sian's address in my hand and wondering what the fuck just happened?

...

Number 26…Number 28…Number 30.

'What the buggery hell am I doing here?' I thought wearily as I looked up at Sian's house. I glanced around to see if anyone was watching. I was early. Nerves had driven me from the house a full half an hour before I needed to. Thankfully, the coast looked clear; I could still make a break for it. I would just call Sian and tell her that I didn't have the time.

I hitched my bag further onto my shoulder and turned to leave.

Like she would believe that…

'Oh yeah, sorry Sian, but I can't tutor you after all. My social life is just manic at the moment!'

Please…I don't think watching 'Next top model' with Rosie counts as a social life. I swung back around and put my hand on the gate, half opening it.

Nope, can't do it.

I twisted back into the street again, trying to remember the bus times home.

"Sophie?"

Sian stood in the doorway of her house looking at me curiously.

"You weren't leaving, were ya?" She asked with a frown, stepping out.

"As fast as my feet could carry me." I muttered under my breath, feeling stupid at being caught. "Umm no." I croaked out loud, walking up the path. "Just wasn't sure it was the right house."

"Oh, well it is." Sian smiled warmly and waved her arm to beckon me closer. "Come on in."

I gave one last, longing look to the bus stop down the street, my would be escape route, before dragging myself up the path to the front door.

'Okay, so this is happening. Just hold it together. Go in, history history blah blah, get out! Don't make an idiot of yourself!'

Sian took my coat and hung it over the banister before showing me upstairs to her room, which wasn't very big but it was warm and inviting. It suited her.

"Can I get you a drink or something?" Sian questioned as I set my bag down on the desk, carefully avoiding the bed.

"I'm fine...thanks." I answered quickly, I didn't want to drag this out too much. The more time I spent with her, the more chances there were of me making a total prat of myself. Or you know, finally succumbing to years of secret romantic frustration and just laying one on the poor girl. Either way, it wouldn't be pretty.

"Umm, so where do you want me?" I asked, taking my history books out. I froze as I realized what I had said.

Sian gave a sharp laugh and waggled her eyebrows at me. "Anywhere ya like, Soph." She moved around me, looping her fingers through the strap of my bag and swinging it from her fingers. "Bed okay?" She smiled and tilted her head.

'Ugh God! I'm not going to survive this.'

…

I watched Sian discreetly as she worked on an essay question, while I pretended to flick through the text book.

These last two hours with her had been both the best, and worst, of my life.

Sian was amazing.

She was smart, funny, nice…not to mention breathtakingly beautiful. And that was the problem. The girl of your dreams is not actually supposed to turn out to be the girl of your dreams. She's supposed to be a bitch. That way, when none of your fantasies about her falling madly in love with you come true, you don't want to randomly stab things into your eye.

'Dammit!'

How was I supposed to go back to my boring life after this?

I looked up to find Sian staring at me, chewing on her pen thoughtfully.

"Sorry." I murmured, leaning closer to her to grab another book. "Spaced out there for a second."

I'm not sure what happened next, maybe I overreached, but I found myself sprawling forward, bracing my hands on Sian's shoulders for support. One minute I was looking up into crystal blue eyes, and the next, my mouth was on hers. And for the briefest moment, it was perfect. Sian's lips were soft under mine as I deepened the kiss slightly, pressing a little closer, pushing my hand into her hair. Sian made a muffled noise against my lips and my whole body stilled at the sound. My mouth still pressed against hers.

'Oh fuck!'

I jerked backwards on the bed, breathing heavily, trying to put as much space between us as I could. When I finally found the courage to look at Sian, her startled blue eyes gazed back and she had one hand touched to her lips.

What have I done?

"I…I have to go." I whispered, standing hastily and grabbing my bag from the bed.

'Oh God!' I can't believe I did that. What was I thinking? Now she's going to tell everyone, the whole school, and my life will be a nightmare!

"Sophie…wait." As I turned towards the door, Sian placed her hand on my arm to stop me from leaving. "Please?" She stood slowly, keeping her hand where it was, as if she was frightened that if she let me go I'd make a run for it.

Sian's fingers tightened briefly, before she released my arm and took a step backwards.

"I'm so sorry." Sian whispered shakily, wrapping her arms around herself. "Please just let me explain?"

'Explain what?'

"Sian…I don't.."

Sian shook her head, holding up her hand to stop me. "Please, Sophie. Just let me talk. Please?"

I frowned and nodded slowly, staying quiet. My mouth just gets me into trouble anyway. Always saying silly things, or I don't know, randomly kissing people. Stupid mouth!

"I didn't mean to jump on you like that." Sian said quietly. "This wasn't how I planned it."

Ok, now I'm confused. I kissed her. Didn't I? And what did she mean, 'planned it'?

"Wait…planned what exactly?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Sian coughed and darted her eyes around the room nervously.

"Umm…" She suddenly became fascinated by her feet, scuffing one leg back and forth across the carpet and mumbling something I couldn't hear.

I leaned forward slightly. "I'm sorry, I'm gonna need actual words this time."

Sian glanced up at me shyly from beneath her hair. "I said, Mr Bromley didn't tell me that you tutored people."

"Ok, now I'm totally confused." I muttered, closing my eyes and rubbing absently at my forehead. "What's going on, Sian?"

Sian opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again. She took a deep breath, as if summoning the courage to talk, focusing her clear blue eyes on mine.

"Alright, here goes." Sian threw up her hands. "Mr Bromley didn't tell me to come to you for tutoring. I…I actually don't need tutoring in history at all."

"You don't need tutoring?" I repeated slowly, my confusion obvious.

"Nope…not even a little bit." Sian gave me a hesitant smile. "I'm sorry, that I lied to you. But, I just…I just wanted to get you here. Away from school."

I raised my eyebrow suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because…" Sian sighed. "I like you, Sophie."

My mouth opened in shock. "Huh?"

Sian grinned slightly at the stunned expression on my face. "I said…that I like you. And I just thought that if I could get you alone, that maybe...maybe I could actually get you to talk to me. Or you know, even look me in the eye...which would be more than you do at school."

"You wanted me to talk to you?"

Sian rubbed one hand over the back of her neck and took a few steps back. "We've been in the same classes since we were eleven, Sophie, and do you know how many times you've spoken to me?"

I was hoping the question was rhetorical, because I wasn't sure my memory was up to tasks right this second. It seemed I was in luck as Sian sat carefully on the edge of the bed, casually gesturing for me to do the same, and held up her fingers. "Three."

"Three?" I repeated slowly, sitting down heavily. I could feel the tips of my ears burning with embarrassment when I realised that for the past few minutes, all I'd really been doing was repeating whatever Sian had said back to her. It was a good job she hadn't really invited me here to tutor her, I was seriously doubting my own mental capacity at the moment.

"Three." Sian confirmed with a small smile. "Once, when we were paired up in French in the second year. Which, actually doesn't really count..because you only spoke to me in French and then practically ran back to your desk when we were done." Sian held up one finger as she spoke, making me think that I was probably going to get the whole list before she was finished and really, that was fine with me, it gave me more time to recover from the shock.

Sian held up another finger. "Once, when you bumped into me coming out of the Science block. And again, it doesn't count, because you started off by apologising as you picked up my bag from the floor, but when you looked up and saw it was me...whoosh! You were off like a shot." She grinned as I blushed...again.

"This ringing any bells?" Sian asked, her smile growing even wider as I nodded mutely. She held up the third finger. "And then today. When I ambushed you into coming here. But, don't think I couldn't see you trying to scramble for a way to get out of it."

I winced at that. Apparently I'd been far more transparent than I'd hoped.

Sian turned more toward me on the bed and pulled one leg up underneath her, her knee brushing slowly against my thigh as she moved.

"You know, seeing as you went sooo far out of your way to avoid me all this time, I might actually have believed that you really didn't like me." Sian said, sounding mildly affronted. All of a sudden, I wanted to reassure her, wanted to tell her just how wrong she was.

Sian wasn't finished. "But, then..."

I hardly dared to ask, but I had to know. "Then?" I murmured, twisting my fingers into Sian's bedspread, hoping it would anchor me somehow.

Sian dropped her eyes, her voice becoming much softer, more intimate than I'd ever heard it. "Then sometimes...in class, across the dinner hall, the library...it's like I could feel you looking at me." She let her hand fall next to mine on the bed so that our little fingers were just barely touching, and my grip on the covers tightened reflexively as my gaze dropped to the floor, unable to hold hers any longer. "The more often it happened, the more I waited for it. I started look forward to it, because...because I liked the way it felt."

I glanced up at her, startled. "You did?"

"Yeah." Sian nodded, her eyes serious. "It's weird. Do you know what it's like to be surrounded by people all day, lots of people, friends...and then feel like the only person who really sees you, is a girl who runs in the opposite direction every time you talk to her?"

When I didn't answer her right away, Sian sighed and carried on. "I know I shouldn't have lied to get you here..."

"No. You shouldn't." I snapped, the words coming out a little more harshly than I intended. I was still so confused, about everything, and apparently the frustration I was battling internally had decided to rear its ugly head in the form of misdirected anger. I felt Sian stiffen beside me and I instantly regretted it. "Sorry. That wasn't..."

"No, it's okay. I deserve that." Sian brushed off my apology gracefully. "But if I had just walked up to you this morning and said, 'Hiya, Sophie. I know we've never really spoken, like ever, but would you like to come over to mine later? Because, I think you're beautiful, and smart..." Sian's eyes dropped slowly to my mouth. "...and I can't stop thinking about how soft your lips would be.'"

Her eyes met mine once more and my breathing hitched at the intensity suddenly sparking between us.

"Would you have come?" She almost whispered, her hand covering mine on the bedspread.

"I..I..I don't know." I looked away, breaking the connection. I stood up slowly and moved away from the bed, unable to stay so close to her and think clearly.

"I just thought...I wanted a chance to get to know you." Sian said softly from behind me.

"Get to know me?" I twirled back around, raising my eyebrows at that. "You...you kissed me."

"I know." Sian nodded, running one hand through her hair as she stood up too.

Sian watched me silently for a few seconds, like she was contemplating her next move, and then crossed the room quickly, apparently having come to a decision.

"And just so you know, if you decide to stay, I'm probably gonna to do it again." Sian tilted her head and arched her eyebrow defiantly.

I wanted to laugh out loud at that, but I held it in. I didn't want Sian to think that I was laughing at her. I wasn't entirely sure what the hell had happened to my quiet little life in the last ten minutes, but I wasn't stupid. When someone like Sian Powers tells you that they like you, there's really only one thing to do.

I took a deep breath, gathered my courage and said the only sensible thing. "Okay."

Sian took the last small step towards me, running her hand down my arm before lacing her fingers through mine. "So...are you?" She asked, sounding a little nervous.

"Am I what?" I asked dumbly, still feeling like I had almost from the beginning, like I was one step behind the conversation.

Sian laughed indulgently. "Going to stay?"

"Yeah." I laughed softly, tightening my fingers around hers. "I'm staying."

Sians smile was brilliant.

We stood like that for a few moments, just grinning at each other and holding hands, before Sian broke the silence.

"Sooo….do you want to study some more?" She asked looking over at the books strewn across the bed.

I tugged on her hand until she was pulled flush up against me and brought my other hand up to gently cradle her cheek.

"It's history, Sian." I said quietly, resting my forehead against hers. "It's not going anywhere."

I saw Sian smirk a little as I leaned in, bringing our mouths together once more, leaving me wondering for the second time that day…

What the fuck just happened?

The End