Another one shot.. need a little bit of happy stuff yeah?
The music was blasting as Emily stood off to the back of the gymnasium. There were kids everywhere bopping along to the latest remix of a retro song. Most of them had no rhythm she noted. She looked at the garish decorations hanging from every possible rafter. No matter how many balloons, paper hearts and cherub-like cutouts defaced the usually smelly locale, it was still a gym. She'd arrived later than she'd have preferred but that was Katie's fault. At the last minute, she'd changed outfits and dates. She wasn't sure what the bloke's name was that had given them a ride in his sports car but she knew he was the son of one of the owners of the Bristol Rovers. Katie had traded up from a player to management it seemed. She'd also disappeared to some dark hallway somewhere in the college. No doubt paying dividends on the trade. She shuddered at the thought.
Emily had only come tonight for one reason. Well two reasons. One to get Katie to stop pestering her about being antisocial. Two a certain blue eyed creature that threatened her very need to breathe by merely existing. She'd resolved the one and was hoping to do something about the other. Finally. After two years of pining, she couldn't do it any more. Though not sure how to go about things yet.
The bleachers were open on both sides of the gym. Those not dancing were huddled in pockets of three or four likely contemplating the possibilities of drinking themselves into a stupor while absentminded chaperons patrolled the event. Lighting was either near seizure inducing disco lights or the horror movie creeptastic shadows. The in-between was nonexistent. She kept looking around but hadn't managed to see whom she was looking for. She approached the refreshment table being manned by her classmate JJ.
"Hello Emily." He smiled at her. She remembered that until that past year he'd worn braces. "I'm the designated custodian of the refreshment table. Can I interest you in something?"
"Hey JJ. How's the punch?" She looked at the liquid and couldn't tell if it was red or orange or somehow both but without properly blending the two colors.
"Funny that. Not funny haha but rather funny peculiar. See.."I'm supposed to be the custodian but I'm not sure I'm succeeding." He pointed with a ladle to the clear line in the liquid where the color was displaced. "See that.. right there.. well Cook was here.. earlier.. and he added an unknown substance to the punch though it wasn't biological in nature. At least not his own biology.. it was probably organic in some sense."
"JJ.." She was patient with him but she knew he could go on for a long time if not interrupted.
"Right.. So.. Cook.. he poured alcohol.. likely alcohol.. I protested not enough.. or rather he didn't listen.. cause he doesn't listen..but it refuses to mix properly. And I'm not entirely convinced it's drinkable. Although a couple of people have had some and they don't seem all that much worse for the wear but.."
"I'll give it a go." It was the fastest way to stop him from rambling short of shouting at him again. That and she also needed a bit some kind of courage as hers was disappearing with every blink of light. She looked around more and tried to see if she could pick out Cook in the shadows. It was likely if he was still around then she would be with him. Her second reason for being there. JJ handed her a cup of the punch. Before she had a chance to smell it and be turned off, she took a swallow. "Fuck.. that's..
"Putrid. Yes. I imagined. I've not had the temerity to try it but.. it's well.. yes." Emily put down the cup and wiped at her mouth after making another gagging sound. "She's over there by the way."
"Who?"
"Naomi. You're looking for her.. like always.. "
"Not always looking for her." She frowned after looking over in the direction he'd intimated. "What do you mean like always?"
"Well you walk into a room.. any room.. at least in school obviously you don't do it elsewhere, like at home because she doesn't live with you. Although you might do it in a public place.. on the off chance.."
"JJ!"
"Sorry.. umm.. you make it a point.. to see if she's around." She blushed and thanked her stars that the lighting wouldn't show it. "No one really notices.. At least not your sister.. not really. Well some notice.. but.. they get it.."
"Get what?" She swallowed as she caught sight of her laughing form on the farther end of the gym.
"That you like her."
"You see a lot of things don't you JJ?" He nodded and smiled. He was on the odd side but had a good heart. He rounded out the group – Fred, Cook, Naomi and JJ. They'd grown up together. And while they were all in the same form as of last year, the rest of them had attended an all girls' school. Her, her sister, Effy and Pandora had moved on to Roundview for college. She'd stayed in the background as was her normal but she watched everything. So much that she's forgotten someone might be watching as well. "Right.. well supposed I'd best get on with.." She met JJ's eyes. "Don't drink any of that ok?" He laughed and shook his head.
She took a deep breath and walked to the other side of the gym. Her nerves weren't exactly steeled but she was determined. Especially after hearing JJ talk. She'd been dragging on too long. Years now. She was biting her lip. Emily could see Cook, Fred and Naomi sitting on the bleachers. She could see her head tilting back as she laughed. Her own heart skipping a beat. She almost stopped moving. Come on Emily.. get it together...
As she got much closer, she did stop moving when Cook saw her. More so because she could see him saying something and motioning to both Fred and Naomi. She for her part looked over at her and gave her a smile. She nodded to herself and kept moving until she was less than a meter away. The three of them shared another laugh and she considered running off but Naomi stood up and came to her.
"You alright Ems?" Emily smiled at that. She wasn't even sure when Naomi had learned her nickname but it didn't matter. It was always a welcome sound. Their conversations had generally been limited to school topics or group activities.
"Hi." The blonde smiled at her. Emily could feel her temperature rising and hoped she wouldn't start sweating.
"Hi.. You alright?" She asked again expecting an answer.
"Uh yeah.. yeah I'm alright.. How are you?"
"I'm alright." She smiled at her. Emily couldn't take her eyes off her lips, her eyes. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. The twin's brain having a complete freeze over what she'd meant to say. "You look nice."
"Thanks.. umm.. you too." She heard herself and wished she'd not come at all. "Sorry.. just.. I don't think I'm that good at this.."
"Good at what?" She tilted her head at her and gave her a beautiful smile. The boys behind her, mostly Cook, were almost audibly teasing the twin. She shook her head and gave them a look over her shoulder, silencing them. "So.. what aren't you that good at Ems? Dressing up? Cause the dress is perfect." Emily looked down not remembering what she was wearing. A simple blue dress that flared out a little past the waist. She noticed that Naomi was wearing a black pantsuit that made her butterflies do flips.
"Thanks.. um.. this one is actually mine.. Katie.. she dresses.. well you know how she dresses.. But I.. anyway.." She took a breath and wondered if JJ was contagious. "I'm not good at this... talking.. asking you.."
"Asking me huh?" She closed the distance. "What are you asking me?" She could smell her breath. Like she'd had cinnamon disks but she was sure it was some kind of liquer if she knew the boys.
"Do you.. would you like to..I don't know.. dance?"
"Hmm.. no." She watched as Emily's face fell for a second. Then she leaned in and kissed her lips. The kiss was light. Wholly unexpected by the twin. But she kissed back after a second. The feel of the soft lipss"I don't want to dance.. to this song anyway."
"Oh." She blinked and stared at the too close blue eyes staring at hers. She turned you down. Yeah.. But you kissed.. you kissed her.. She kissed you.. Holy shit.. "Right.. not this song.. Different song then?"
"Yeah.. a different song.." She smiled and kissed her again. She lifted her hand and cupped Emily's face. "While we wait.. can I keep kissing you?"
"Uh yeah.." They actually stepped even closer. Emily could feel their clothes rubbing together in places as their bodies touched. The boys were rudely making comments behind them but Emily was beyond hearing them and Naomi simply flipped them off behind her back.
"Took you long enough you know." She whispered against the shorter girl's lips.
"What did?" She was out of breath and not totally sure she wasn't asleep in bed dreaming.
"Getting the nerve to talk to me." When the words made sense, she pulled back.
"You knew?" Naomi nodded. "How long?" There was a knowing smile and a caress of her cheek. "This whole time? Why didn't you... why not say anything?" She was trying to figure out if maybe the blonde was having a piss at her.
"I wanted you to figure it out.. No sense in pushing you.." She pushed Emily's hair behind her ear. "Wanted you to make up your own mind." She smiled down at her and even in the shit lighting she could see the taller girl, the object of her affection and daydreams, blushing down at her.
"Oh."
Over by the refreshment table, JJ looked on as Effy came up next to him. She smirked and looked at him. He smiled and nodded. "About fucking time."