Emma Tolly daydreamed that she was with Tancred Torsson almost everyday. She knew it would be impossible for him to even have a tiny thought of her the way she did of him.
Anyway, according to Lysander, he liked someone else. He'd never told Emma what her name was, but he said Tancred liked someone else.
Mindlessly, Emma stared at the blond boy in awe. He just had a shine to him that no one else she knew had.
Tancred looked up then, right at Emma, who quickly looked away, blushing.
"Em, you have to tell the boy you like him," Olivia Vertigo whispered into Emma's ear. "And FYI, he's still looking at you."
"Olivia, I don't like him," Emma said with exasperation.
"Just admit it, Em, you like Tancred." Olivia said a little too loudly. There were people listening and everyone knew that was how rumors began.
..............................................
He remembered the first time he'd seen her, really seen her. Not as some boring, lifeless, girl, bas as a proud, happy, young lady. She was beautiful to him. Tancred had to admit, he wouldn't make it through the days at Bloor's without the promise of seeing her face.
"Tancred," Lysander Sage caught his best friends attention. "She's looking at you,"
Tancred looked up, and, sure enough, Emma was looking at him. She quickly looked away and started talking with Olivia.
"I kind of wish you just told her I liked her. You had to make it sound like I like some other girl, didn't you?" Tancred hissed at Lysander.
"I didn't mean to. I thought she got the hint." Lysander shrugged.
"Well, I think you should have made it clearer to her."
They started walking until they went past Dorcas Loom and Joshua Tilpin.
"Did you hear?" Dorcas said loudly. "Emma has a crush on Tancred."
Lysander and Tancred both turned to face her.
"What did you day?" Tancred demanded.
"I said," Dorcas cleared her throat, "That Emma Tolly has a crush on Tancred Torsson."
"How would you know?" Tancred wondered.
"Olivia asked her if she did and Emma blushed redder than a tomato." Joshua jumped into the conversation, clearly feeling important.
"Buzz off," Tancred shoved him aside and glared at Dorcas. "Is this true? Did Emma really do that?"
Dorcas nodded, a smug smile on her face. "But we probably saw wrong. I heard her one day in art talking to someone saying she wasn't even comfortable with you as a friend."
Tancred shook his head. Which one should he believe?
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Charlie Bone was talking with Billy Raven and Fidelio Gunn when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
He turned to see Olivia and Emma. He blushed at Olivia's warm, comforting smile. "Yes?"
"I just wanted to know if we are meeting at the Pet's Cafe this weekend?" Olivia told him.
Charlie nodded, "Yes, we are."
"Great, I'll see you around, Charlie!" Olivia skipped off as the hunting horn sounded with Emma at her heels.
"Charlie and Olivia, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Fidelio sang, teasing Charlie.
"Shut up," Charlie crossed his arms and trudged off to class. He didn't like Olivia, or at least he wasn't going to admit it. It was hi secret. Charlie enjoyed having at least one, and it wasn't that important. Olivia would never return the feeling.