Paige picked up her phone about a dozen times the morning after the dance, deciding that she needed to call Hanna and figure out why she had kissed her the way she did. She even got dressed and started for Hanna's house, to confront her in person, before she turned around and headed back. It was on Hanna, she concluded. Hanna had kissed her; Hanna was the one who needed to give an explanation.

Just once, Paige didn't want to be the one who had to make the first move; show up on someone's doorstep and lay it all on the line, putting her heart on the chopping block. Just once, she wanted to be the one whom the other person came to talk to.

Paige looked at the time. It was barely 7:00. Her thoughts had kept her awake for most of the night and awakened her early (for a Saturday morning). She was still trying yo make sense of everything - not just the kiss. She understood that Hanna had been on a mission to pull her out of her post-breakup funk; that Hanna wanted to get her out into the social arena again. She could even rationalize a reason that Hanna had blockaded her so possessively when those other girls came around at the formal, reasoning that Hanna was merely trying to build up interest by making her seem like a hot commodity.

The one thing Paige couldn't come up with an explanation for was why Hanna would kiss her that way.

She knew that Hanna hadn't been drinking; she would've tasted it on her breath. With a kiss that intense, Paige was able tell what brand of toothpaste Hanna used: Crest Extra Whitening, with baking soda.

In a small, isolated corner of Paige's brain, she harbored the thought that Hanna might actually have been serious about the kiss; that she had, somehow, developed feelings for her. But that thought was drowned out by images of Hanna and the things that she'd said:

If I were into girls, you'd be my type.
I do like a bit of chest hair.
I always thought I'd be going with Caleb.
Boys have expectations. I want to go with a friend.

Paige cursed herself for even letting herself consider that Hanna could have developed feelings for her. She fell in love to easily, she realized. It was the story - the tragic comedy - of her life.

Paige was fidgety all morning, scowling, pacing in circles around her room, mumbling to herself. Another lonely corner of her brain was occupied by a crippling fear: The fear that all of it had just been a game for Hanna. She had spent weeks pretending to be Paige's friend, earning her trust, making her feel again, lifting her up only so that she could drop her again and break her into a thousand pieces. What better way, Paige's thinking went, to get back on Emily's good side, after the rift that had opened between them. Paige could feel herself getting nauseous at the thought. She felt like such an idiot.

"Fuck it," she decided, a little after nine o'clock. She needed to get out of her head. She changed into her running clothes.

Paige opened the front door and began stretching. Down the sidewalk, on the opposite side of the street, she caught a glimpse of Hanna, walking with Mona. Paige put her hands on her hips and scowled.

"Hey, Paige!" Hanna called out.

So, apparently, I'm not invisible after all, Paige thought to herself, despite every indication that Hanna had given since the kiss.

Mona shot Paige a half-smile and a half-wave. The smile on Hanna's face was welcoming as she asked, "Going for a run?"

Paige scoffed to herself. So this was how Hanna was going to play it: Kiss her like that and then just act as if nothing had happened. Because nothing mattered to Hanna. To her, life was all just one big, carefree game, to be lived for the moment.

Hanna turned to face Mona. They put their hands on each other's shoulders, and Hanna whispered something. Paige just kept on glaring at them. They hugged, briefly, Hanna with her back to Paige, Mona smirking at her over Hanna's shoulder.

Paige resumed her stretches as Hanna jogged lightly up the walk and onto her porch. Paige didn't say a word.

"This is kind of a late start for you, isn't it?" Hanna said brightly. Paige hunched her shoulders and kind of grunted.

"Is everything okay?"

Silence. Paige just stood there like a statue, looking beyond Hanna to a point just over her left shoulder.

"Fine!" Hanna, frustrated with Paige's aloofness, put her hands up in front of her. "You're in the zone, I get it! I'll leave you alone!"

Paige sauntered past her without a word. Hanna stayed on the steps, wondering why Paige was being so cold to her.

Hanna's biggest fear was that Emily was the reason. Not Emily herself, but, as Mona had pointed out, Emily's girlfriend, who would never allow Paige to be happy. She had somehow done something to convince Paige that Emily wanted her back, and Paige's choice had been an easy one. Hanna didn't know whether to feel angry or disappointed. Mostly, she felt sad. She stood on the porch with her arms folded in front of her, planning to wait it out until Paige jogged off. Whatever was going on with Paige, Hanna decided it was better just to let her be. She knew a little something about Paige and her moods, so she decided not to push it.

After a few paces, Paige turned around. She was tired of holding things in; pretending that she didn't care; waiting for the other person to offer an explanation.

"What the hell was with that kiss last night?" she barked accusingly, without any kind of warning.

Hanna's face contorted in confusion tinged with anger. "The kiss? That's what all this is about?" she yelled.

"What was it, Hanna?" Paige sniped. "What, an experiment? A joke? Did you just forget yourself and the fact that you out were with a girl?"

"Paige…" Hanna, remembering Paige's insecurities, was trying to calm things down.

Paige's voice broke. "I mean, I thought we were friends. That we were really becoming friends. So why would you decide to mess with me like that?"

"What?" That last bit set Hanna off.

Paige shook her head, looking at the ground. "If you thought that…"

"Really, Paige? Really? That's really what you think?" Hanna's arms were flailing like crazy. "After everything that's happened between you and me, you think that I kissed you just to mess with you?"

"Then why?" Paige raised her arms and let them flop down against her thighs again. "Just tell me. Why?"

"Ooh!" Hanna stormed off the porch. "You know what, Paige? Fuck it." She walked right past Paige, waving her hand dismissively. Everything with Paige had been meaningless; a chasing after the wind. "I don't even know why I kissed you anymore," she muttered bitterly.

Paige could feel herself starting to close up into her self-protective shell; hardening her heart as she had learned to do, to save it from further damage. Her face was reddening and her hands had curled into tight, angry fists. But, this time, something within her started to resist. She reached out and grabbed Hanna's shoulder from behind. "Wait," she asked, keeping her tone as even as she could manage.

Hanna turned around, the rage still evident on her face. "I kissed you," she seethed, "because…"

And time stood still.

Paige counted each beat of her heart between that word and the one that followed; between Hanna's last word and Paige's next breath. It felt as if her whole life were hanging in the balance; her future to be determined by whatever was about to come out of Hanna's mouth. The pounding of her heart grew louder and her breathing felt labored. It felt as if she had already come back from the five-mile run that she had been stretching for.

Hanna took Paige by the shoulder, suddenly gentle. "I kissed you like that... because I wanted to," she said in a soft, deep voice, and she leaned in. This time, though, she paused, waiting for Paige to give her approval.

Paige closed her eyes and parted her lips. That was all that Hanna needed.

The kiss, though just as intense as the one from the night before, was softer, somehow. Paige felt herself melting into it. Her hands dropped to Hanna's waist, moving up and down slowly, in rhythm with the kiss. Hanna tilted her head and pursued the kiss more insistently, her hands on either side of Paige's neck, being tickled by Paige's ponytail whenever her head moved. Hanna's thumbs were lightly caressing Paige's cheek as she pulled Paige closer and closer.

Hanna felt that her lips had been made just for this; just for Paige's lips; just for that moment. She could hear herself moaning in contentment and desire as the kiss took on a life of its own. It was different, kissing a girl. It wasn't just a matter of the lips and the hands feeling softer against her skin than a boy's; it was a different energy. There had always seemed to be an element of selfishness in the boys' kisses, as if they were kissing her to make themselves feel good, or to prove to her that they were good at kissing (and, by implication, good at other things). But kissing Paige felt like a communion; an almost sacred offering of themselves, with a simultaneous acceptance of the other.

When it was over and their lips parted for good, Hanna backed away slightly, moving her hands away from Paige's neck and leaning back into Paige's arms, which were around her waist. She put her index finger on the exposed skin above the neckline of Paige's racerback shirt. "That was our first kiss," she proclaimed with a nod, smiling slightly as her eyes followed the slight movement of her finger against Paige's skin. "Last night's kiss, that was for me. But this kiss was ours." Hanna raised her eyes, staring into Paige's eyes, hoping for agreement.

Paige nodded and pulled Hanna in for another series of kisses, delighted that they had a first kiss to look back on.

As they stood staring into each other's eyes, their foreheads together, Paige's hands clasped behind Hanna's back and Hanna's hands on Paige's shoulders, Hanna started to speak, softly and haltingly. "I wasn't expecting to fall for you. But these feelings have been growing for a while. And yesterday, the whole time I was getting ready for the dance, and all through the dance itself, I promised myself that I would tell you how I was feeling. The timing seemed right - the night was..." Hanna closed her eyes and smiled, remembering. "... perfect. And it seemed that you were could feel it, too." Paige opened her mouth, but Hanna put a hand on her chest to silence her for a moment, needing to get through what she had to say.

"But, as much as I tried, I couldn't get the words out. So, when we were at my front door, and you leaned in for the kiss, I said to myself, 'Well, this is it, Marin! It's now or never!' I knew I would never get another chance like that. I know it wasn't... I should've..." Hanna bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders. Paige kissed her again, softly.

"It's fine," Paige assured her. "I get it." Paige tightened her grip around Hanna's waist momentarily, to make the point that she wasn't upset. Still, there was something she didn't understand. "But why didn't you say anything after the kiss? How could you just run away?"

"Because I was scared, Paige!" Hanna dropped her shoulders. "I had used up all my courage in that kiss." Paige rubbed Hanna's back. She remembered the first time she had kissed Emily; how she had run away afterwards - and then avoided Emily for days. "And then, today, when I didn't hear anything, I figured - 'Well, I blew it! I must've read it wrong. But maybe we can still be friends.' But, then you were so cold this morning..."

"I'm so sorry, Hanna."

"No, I get it," Hanna assured her. "But, Paige," - Hanna moved her right hand to Paige's chest - "I swear, I would never mess with your head. I'm not like that."

Paige held Hanna tighter. "I know you're not," she said softly.

"Especially not after your breakup, and all the emotions you were working through."

"God." Paige shook her head. "I was so stupid."

"It's okay." Hanna smoothed her hand over Paige's hair. "You didn't know."

Paige breathed heavily. "No. I didn't know. And, you're right, Hanna. I've been having feelings for you, too. I just never thought in a million years that you... that I..." Paige paused, taking a breath to reset herself. "I never thought that you might like me."

Hanna lifted her forehead off of Paige's and looked into her eyes. "Paige, you're the kindest, sweetest, most loving..."

"Girl." Paige raised an eyebrow as she confronted Hanna with that reality.

"Girl," Hanna confirmed, shrugging her shoulders. "So, I fell for a girl. I've heard that happens to people." She bumped Paige with her shoulder and they shared a laugh, relieved that their fears about what the other one was thinking had been misguided.

They stood there for a moment, not knowing what the next step was, until Hanna's soft voice broke the deadlock. "I'd better let you get to your run," she said, nodding her chin towards the road as her finger took one last trail from the base of Paige's neck to the top of her shirt's collar. She played with the material there, untwisting it and patting it down, before she stepped away. Paige nodded sadly. "Call me later?"

"I will." As Paige started to turn around, Hanna pulled her back for one more kiss. She couldn't help herself. After playfully running her thumb over Paige's lips, she let her go.

"See ya."

"See ya," Paige echoed, with a contented smile. This was happening.

Hanna reached for her phone from her back pocket as she watched Paige trot away. She started walking towards The Brew and her brunch date as she punched in Mona's number.

"You were right!" she squealed excitedly into the phone.

"I was right?"

"She kissed me back," Hanna announced, letting out a small scream to release the tension before repeating, "She kissed me back!"

"See? What did I tell you?" Mona's voice was flat; almost clinical. She would never give away how excited she was, and how happy she was for Hanna. That wasn't her style."The way she followed you around like a Labrador all night, and the whole amateur gynecologist routine she was giving you when you guys were on the dance floor..."

Hanna sighed happily. "I know," she said simply. In reality, it had been she who had led Paige around all night, rather than Paige following her. Plus, she had been much more flirtatious and handsy than Paige had, and Paige had just been trying to keep up. But Hanna didn't feel like arguing those points. The only point that mattered was that she and Paige had cleared everything up, and Hanna wanted to celebrate that.

Hanna stayed on the phone with Mona until she caught up with her at The Brew. Talking with Mona helped her to calm down. As great as it had felt to kiss Paige, it had taken a lot of courage, especially given how upset and skeptical Paige had been at first. But Hanna had risked it, and the reward was greater than she could have imagined. Her adrenaline levels still peaking, she couldn't wait to see what happened next.

Hanna dropped by Paige's house after brunch. There was only one reason for the visit: She wanted to make out. Once she had crossed over into the territory where it was okay to kiss Paige, she wanted more. It was like a guilty pleasure; - not the taboo of kissing her best friend's ex, or the naughtiness of kissing a girl, but the fact that she was kissing Paige McCullers. Paige, who could turn a steaming cup of coffee into a frozen latte with her ice-cold stare, had somehow become Hanna's soft, cuddly teddy bear.

They were giddy with delight as they kissed the afternoon away. It was something that they both needed; not just a release, but a way to cement their budding relationship with each other.

Somewhere along the line, it hit Hanna that she was kissing a girl; that she had spent the better part of the afternoon making out with a girl. There was something about that realization, but Hanna couldn't quite put her finger on it. When Emily had told her that she thought she liked girls, Hanna just accepted it as a fact. She obviously didn't have any qualms about women kissing women. It was just not something that had ever appealed to her before. She had never had feelings for or even thoughts about Emily - or Paige - or, for that matter, anyone who played for the other team. What Hanna was feeling as she hit "pause" on their make-out session wasn't anything negative or weird. It was just different.

Paige rubbed Hanna's shoulder. "Are you okay? Hanna nodded with a gentle smile. "It just felt as if you went somewhere all of a sudden."

"I was just thinking about things. About this; us. Nothing bad, just... different."

Paige dipped her head. "Sorry. I know that this is..."

Hanna took her firmly by the chin and kissed her. "This is what I want, Paige. You're what I want."

"Mmm," Hanna moaned as their lips parted an hour or so into their kiss-a-thon. She smiled and cocked her head.

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing, I just..." Hanna giggled defensively. "I just always thought that girl-on-girl kisses would be softer."

Paige kissed her softly. "They can be." She gave her another soft kiss. "Sometimes. But sometimes..." Paige kissed her hard. "They're harder." She backed away with a sympathetic crinkle of her nose. "Are you disappointed?"

"Oh, not at all," Hanna answered quickly. "I actually like hard kisses. I just thought that they were something that I would have to give up, being with a girl." She chuckled to herself at how silly that sounded, now that she had some experience kissing Paige. "Shit..." She started with a laugh, but it ended up as a sigh. "I've got a lot to learn, don't I, Paige?"

Paige put her hand on Hanna's neck, stroking her thumb against Hanna's cheek. "Well, I'm here to help you on your journey," she teased in an overly serious tone.

Hanna kissed Paige again, moaning into her parted lips. "Teach me, Paigey! Teach me!"

Hanna dolefully swept her legs off of Paige's lap and planted them on the floor. She smoothed her hair back into place and gave Paige a sad smile. "I should probably..." She pointed her index fingers like pistols at the front door.

Paige sighed as she stood to her feet, bending down to help Hanna off of the couch and giving her another kiss as she did.

"I can't believe we've been making out on this tiny couch all morning when you have that huge bed upstairs!" Hanna shook out her legs and stretched her back.

"Kind of pathetic that we couldn't even make it up the stairs," Paige noted with a grin.

Hanna shrugged her shoulders. "Or kind of romantic."

Paige smiled, nodding in agreement. "It's too bad you already had lunch with Mona."

"Yeah..." Hanna seductively drew out the syllable. "But I haven't had dinner..."

"You haven't?" Paige asked coyly.

Hanna shook her head. "You offering?"

"7:30?"

Hanna nodded. "Pick me up?"

"7:30," Paige confirmed.

Hanna raised her shoulders, excited, and gave Paige one final kiss. "It's a date!"