disclaimer: i don't own Switched at Birth, if i did Bay and Emmett would be back together by now! ;)
Bay's curled up next to the window in the Carlton High hallway. The deaf students and the occasional hearing one pass by her, not shooting her a friendly or sympathetic glance but instead an insensitive side stare with a continuous fast walk down to their classrooms. They don't care about her; it's not just because she's new or hearing but because deep down they have no desire to get to know her. She wonders why considering the very obvious option of physical appearance and the not so obvious ones like her personal connections, friends, maybe her breath smelled? An idea struck her that maybe she should get up before the principal or even worse, Melody came to find her and drag her back to her 4th period class but something inside told her just to stay.
It amazed Bay how her stress levels rose with the passing days at a deaf school- she finally realized the struggle that Emmett had, had all along and that created a horrible pang in her chest. Never in her life would she wish for the feeling of alienation to be among someone the way she had been feeling it nor did she ever wish the struggle of having so much resentment all because of a sense or lack of one.
Bay turns to a tap on her shoulder; she prays for Emmett but only gets Noah. He was few inches of above her, teeth shining like a pearl and a bronzed complexion that only came from a large amount of outdoor activity. He was toned, and he was sexy, nobody could deny that and even though he came off as a typical hearing kid to the deaf kids, Bay knew a deeper story. That didn't make it easier when he leaned in for a kiss and she disgustedly returned the favor. Once upon a time she had longed for this but lately she had just been longing for the past.
"What's wrong?" He asks; a sad attempt at signing to her and a sad attempt at a sincere smile to go along with it.
Bay smiles and stands up resting her hand on the ledge, "Oh, I was just watching the…" She notes that there isn't anything outside but some worn out bushes with dead leaves dwindling off of them, "Watching the people go by!"
He takes her hand in his and she can't deny that it seems almost surreal being with somebody new, "Well you weren't in class, so I was worried!" His chuckle is killer as he notes that Bay was probably just skipping. That bad girl attitude of hers is what drew him in from the get go anyways, "I should have known you'd be lurking somewhere…"
She drops his hand and pretends to look at her watch, "God! I barely noticed it was time for class! We should probably get back!" She tries to walk past him.
"Bay!" He grabs her wrist and holds on tight, "Where are you going?" That smile again.
She stares until he drops her wrist and she shrugs, "To class! I like class!" She's twitching around anxiously trying to shuffle him along with her down the hallway and Noah awkwardly follows in pursuit. The two were always so damn awkward.
"Alright, well just glad you're okay!" He smiles and follows her down the hallway at the brisk pace she had picked up, "Did you want to go out again tonight, maybe come meet my parents?"
Bay's quick on her feet, a one eighty that puts her right in front of him and a jaw drop that could make anyone regret, "Your parents?"
"Well I just thought… cause I met your mom… and her boyfriend…" He reaches to the back of his neck and pulls at the baby hairs, why did she make him so tense?
"OH! Yeah of course, I get that, it's just…" She looks from left to right, "I can't; just too soon for me!" She feels ready to throw up and quickly stumbles her way into the nearest door she can find closing it quickly and just like clockwork she's greeted familiarly
"Bay?" A strawberry blonde signs from a table in the corner, his eyes sticking out among the dark lighting.
"Emmett!" She almost squeals, more excited then she would ever want to let on.
He stands up from his spot at the desk and stares out the doorway. Emmett was a smart kid and he could only assume Noah and her had just an encounter by her flushed facial features. Emmett too had been through a lot and the on and off situation with Bay wasn't helping his stress levels much. Although he was grateful to see her in a room alone with him, it hurt him just as much knowing that nothing would happen. It never did. And that's when she kissed him.
"Bay!" He pulled away cradling her closely wanting to let go but finding it impossible too.
She managed to find her way out though and was too the door within seconds of the kiss. Her hand reached for the knob but she couldn't pull down, all she could do was weep for Emmett had screwed everything up when he kissed her that day. She turns to face him seeing that he was inching his way towards her.
"Why did you have to do that to me?" She signs, her chest hammering heartbeats throughout the room strong enough for the whole school to feel, "I was happy again…" She wiped at her eyes when she wasn't signing, "And now all I think about is you!" She hits the air pretending that she's hitting his chest.
"I think about you too…" Emmett's nothing but smiles as he moves even closer, wanting to hold her closer, wanting to claim victory but knowing it wasn't close enough to grab yet.
"No! I know you do! And you shouldn't!" Bay's anger ruffles her precise facial features and Emmett can't help but fall in love again and again, "I don't want to be with you Emmett…" She crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"I just want you to want to be…." He looks away knowing the whole situation has went up in flames within seconds, "I just want you." He angrily brushes his hand in the air knowing the bell's going to go off soon.
She catches him before he can walk away, "I do Emmett and that's the problem!"
He's mad now, his eyebrows shifting in and his face reddening, "How come it's always a problem? Everything is a problem for you! I don't want to be your problem!"
Bay feels needy and naked standing in front of him, like a newborn or something, completely helpless. She just wants a hug but she doesn't want to be a victim anymore. He pulls her back to him and tilts her chin up.
"I made a mistake…." He signs, "You've made mistakes."
She nods slowly with everything hand motion he makes, "I know, I know."
"I won't be a mistake…" He's desperate; his mouth is begging for her kisses, his chest longing for her touch, and all he wants is to feel her cuddled up next to him again, "Just let this happen…" He takes both her hands in his and kisses each available finger slowly making his way to her forearm, her neck, and her lips.
She receives each one with true contentment wondering why he always had to feel so damn right even though he was so damn wrong.
Bay closed her eyes and happily groaned even though she knew Emmett couldn't hear it. He was perfect, he was gentle, he was the longest and the best, and he was also the worst and the biggest mistake. Her mind wasn't racing with thoughts of Simone or thoughts of Daphne or thoughts of Noah but more thoughts of maybe she was wrong, maybe he was the best mistake.
She slipped her jacket off and held on tighter to him, never letting the kisses break for more than a second. Her heart didn't pound like a horrible anxiety attack but more of an attack of what was supposed to be but couldn't have been. At the end of the day there was no doubt that he was the only thing that made her feel better.
He was the best.