They met for the first time when the principal came by the staff room with the new teacher. Most of the teachers were curious from the get-go. They knew the newcomer would be teaching Home-Ec and gym. It was a curious combination, Ami had to admit, though she was not as interested as the others were. Until she met the woman in question.

The new teacher was tall, even taller than some of the male teachers. That day when she stood in front of everyone and introduced herself with a friendly smile she wore a gray pencil skirt and a crisp black collared shirt with the first couple of buttons undone. Tiny pink roses adorned her ear lobes giving her ears a girlish hint of color. The first thing to draw her in was the smile which appeared very much at home on the woman's face. Clearly the brunette was accustomed to smiling. Inexplicably her gaze was drawn lower to the woman's ample chest before Ami caught herself. Apparently, the brunette caught her too; the genial smile morphed into a slight smirk as Ami's eyes met Makoto Kino's.

Her heartbeat quickened as heat spread up her neck and blossomed into her cheeks. She needed to get out of there before she made a further fool of herself. But she couldn't leave until the introductions were over. Throughout the meeting Ami could feel the weight of the tall woman's stare even when interacting with others. When it was her turn Ami offered her hand hesitantly. Their hands touched and electricity zapped her deep down in the pit of her stomach; she almost felt nauseous of the result of their contact.

The woman's smile had dimmed just a shade in response. Ami quickly introduced herself, making sure to retrieve her hand without appearing rude and mumbled an excuse before leaving the staff room. Her footsteps were impetuous as she walked down the hallway and turned the corner. Even now she couldn't seem to catch her breath. And it wasn't until she walked into the empty classroom with its beakers and test tubes and an underlying hint of chemicals did she begin to relax.

This is where she expected chemistry to happen; compounds forming, electrons reacting. She surely did not expect it grasping the hand of a woman who wore a wedding ring.