It had only been hours after the 'fight' as everyone was calling it, and already Jean's phone was blowing up with text message after text message.

After the Phy's-Ed class from hell had ended, and I'd made sure Emma was alright and not sporting a broken nose, I went to find Jean out the front of the school. When I got there she was still surrounded by her girlfriends, but as soon as they saw me it went quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. They all quickly made excuses to leave

"I think that's my Mom's car, gotta go"

"Ugh, yeah, I was going to catch a lift with whatshisface, later"

"...my pet lizard is still sick, sooo...bye"

Then it was just me and Jean and the uncomfortable quiet. I dropped my bag back to the ground and took a seat on the bench she was on.

That's when the text messages started.

"Just got one from Tabitha, she's asking if I really did punch Emma in the face like everyones saying"

"Hm"

"And here's one from Jubilee saying someone told her I knocked her unconscious. I wish"

I still don't say anything.

"Oh and apparently when Theresa told Monet she didn't stop laughing for like ten minutes" Jean smiled as she looked at her phone.

"Can you stop acting so proud of yourself?" I snap at her and her smile falls.

"Scott, what's wrong-"

"You hit her in the face, you physically attacked someone. You really want to brag to your friends about something like that?"

Jean frowns "God, what's your problem, she deserved it"

"Really? How? I'd love to know"

"You should have heard what she said to me!" Jean said defensively.

"Then tell me"

"I don't want to"

"And why not?"

"Because it's beside the point!"

I stare at her incredulously "I would have thought it would have been the main point!"

"Well, it doesn't matter, it was just rude and she's a bitch, and why do you care?" she said with a huff.

I shrug "Because...she's my friend?"

Jean looks like she wants to roll her eyes at me "And I'm your girlfriend. Who's side do you think you should be taking?"

I sigh "I'm not taking sides, but you were the one who threw a dodgeball at her-"

"-and she was the one to provoke me!"

"But you won't even tell me what she said!"

We stare hard at each other for a second before Jean turns back down to her phone.

"Jean" I say softly "This isn't like you. You don't...you don't go around throwing things at people when they make you mad, that's not you"

"You don't know that. Maybe I just haven't met enough people who make me mad"

I can tell that's a joke as the corner of her mouth twitches upwards. She looks up at me for a minute and we sit in silence.

"Ugh, fine. It was about you, ok" she blurts out suddenly.

I pause for a second "About me?"

"Yeah, you" she says in a 'No-duh' voice, flicking me on the shoulder.

My mind races trying to connect any dots, but Jean seem's to need more prompting before she speaks again "Umm...is this because she chose me to be on her team?"

"No...well, kind of. A little bit"

I'm still not following.

My facial expression must've expressed this.

Jean sighs again "she said she was so lucky to have you on her team" she said coldly.

I take this in for a second "I...is that what she said?"

"I know right! I couldn't believe it either. How could she expect me not to retaliate!"

"Jean, ok, wait...just...clarify this for me here. That is all she said?"

Jean stares at me blankly "Yes?"

"She didn't say anything else? Like, she didn't call you a bitch or any other name or something?"

"Why are you even asking that?" she frowns lightly.

I deliberate wether I should stop talking now because what I'm about to say next might be risky.

I decide to risk it.

"It's just that that doesn't seem that bad"

Jean's mouth thins "Excuse me?"

Oh god. I take it back. The risk wasn't worth it.

"I would have just thought that in order for you to act so crazy, she must've said something completely awful. Saying 'I'm so lucky to have Scott on my team' doesn't even sound like...anything" I shrug.

"It's not what she said, its the way she said it!"

Oh, yes, because that makes sense?

"Do you even know what she's doing right now?" Jean asks slowly "She's playing mind games with me .Deliberately stealing you for her team? Sitting with you at every lunch period? Saying something like that to my face? It's like she's trying to move in on you, to get a rise out of me"

I laugh like that's absurd "Jean, I don't think Emma's trying to 'move in' on me"

"Oh really?" she said with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, and anyway, weren't you the one who said that I'm not the kind of guy Emma would go for? That you were sure nothing would happen between us for a million years?" I pointed out.

"Yeah, I know, and I stand by that, but she's not actually interested in you, you know what I mean?"

I think I do, and, ouch.

"She's doing this to get at me. To annoy me. I see that now"

I shake my head and try not to laugh "I really don't think that's what she's doing"

Its funny since Jean doesn't know that Emma is, in fact, the one who offered to help our relationship and that just tomorrow she would be out helping me buy a present for her.

Yeah, sure Jean, she's totally out to get you.

"Anyway, I don't think you should really hang out with her anymore, and I know I said I wanted you to find out all that stuff about her getting expelled and whatever, but at this point I don't even care. I know what kind of girl she is now, so there's no way I'd let her hang out with us regardless" she says, absentmindedly going back to texting.

I was about to say something in defence of Emma before Jean had started talking again but now I'd froze up.

"Um...don't you think that's a bit of over-reaction? You don't even know if that's actually what she meant when she said that to you. You don't know what's going on in her head-" I start but I'm cut off.

"Scott, trust me, I do. And I don't like her or what she's doing-"

"- what you think she's doing" I cut her off this time.

Jean looked at me with what I thought was pity "Scott, seriously, don't be so naive"

I start to get annoyed but I don't want it to show

"I'm not naive, and you can't tell me who I can and can't be friend's with"

I brace myself for Jean to get angry at me for saying that, even an icy toned comeback, but nothing. She just kind of looks at me.

"Fine" she says, calmly "Just... watch out I guess"

She goes back to her phone and I sit there.

This response seemed a little scarier than anger or yelling or anything. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, maybe I should have just agreed to stop hanging out with Emma.

Then I think about all our free period classes together, our stupid lunch time conversations with Hank and Bobby, all her sarcasm and wit, even just sitting and watching a dumb pirate movie with her...

No, I'm glad I said something. I have a friend who's funny and smart and charming, and who I get on with so effortlessly. I don't want to give that up.

Jean is important to me, and she has been for a long time, but the more I think about it, I realise maybe Emma is becoming important to me too.

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Even before first period Thursday, the gossip was already out of control.

"Did you hear Jean got into a fight with Emma over her boyfriend?"

"Oh my god, Scott Summers? I wondered why him and that Emma chick had been hanging out so much. She sits at his lunch table, like, everyday"

"Yeah, I heard from Theresa that they showed up and left together at her party"

"Plus they're always up the back talking together in free period"

"Figures, she looks like a total skank. You can just tell what kind of girl she is"

"Poor Jean, she's been with him for ages"

"I don't know much about the guy, but Scott always seemed like a good boyfriend at least"

"Well, I was on skype to Betsy last night, and she told me that Jean had texted her, saying that Scott had totally sided with Emma and told Jean off for punching her!"

"Oh my god, that's so low"

"What an asshole..."

I stand up from the drink fountain I'd been bending down at and turned around. The three girls talking were Amara, Tabitha and Jubilee.

When they caught sight of me their faces paled, and of course they wen't immediately silent.

I glared, wanting to say something. Tell them how it really was. Nothing had happened, nothing was going to happen and to shut their mouth about Emma and just keep out of other people business.

But I don't.

I just stalk past them as they look down awkwardly at their feet.

I try to think like Emma, and not care what people think of me.

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I get through to physics class without any more blatant trash talking. At least any that I hear.

I keep getting a few looks though. People side eyeing me, Hank and Emma as we sit up the back of the class. As soon as any of us would look up, they'd just snap back to the black board.

I didn't understand how Emma could be so calm about the whole thing.

I gave her my own side eye'd look.

You could see a slight tinge of a bruise around her cheek from yesterday, but her makeup managed to cover most of it. I'd already seen her check it in her compact and re-apply her foundation at break. Bobby had asked if it hurt but she didn't seem to want to talk about it.

She hadn't mentioned anything about Jean either.

But if she was happy enough to ignore the drama, I was more than happy with that.

As we studied our text books and copied out more physics notes, like we did most classes, our teacher cleared her throat and tapped her knuckles on the blackboard.

"Before I forgot, class, I have these sheets I need to hand out to you before the end of the period" Miss. Rao said with a smile as we all looked up "Its a note from the career counsellor about your academic plans after the end of this year. We want you all to book appointments with her to talk about what you plan to do once you leave school, what kind of careers you want to go onto, and what universities and courses would be best for your future" she said as she walked around the class and handed out the sheet of paper, with contact details and appointment times on it.

"Not to mention what exams you'll have to focus on to get where you want to go in life"

I took three of the sheets as she came round and passed them down to Hank and Emma. The class broke into light chatter as we read.

Hank immediately slipped the piece of paper into his file with barely a second glance.

"Not interested, Henry?" Emma asked, absentmindedly.

"Already know what I want to do, is all. Geneticist. Or a BioChemist. Maybe both" he waved it off "Either way it's not like I'll have any trouble getting into the school of my choice. Or any"

The corners of Emma's mouth twitched "Just a tad Boastful"

"I can't boast about my looks or social standing, might as well boast about how much smarter I am than everybody else" Hank joked. Emma laughed.

"And what about you Scott? What noble profession are you going to take up?"

I shrugged, unsurely.

"Um, well...I had been thinking about, you know, engineering"

Emma raised an eyebrow "Said with such passion. Why engineering?"

I only shrug again "I dunno. Seems like a good option. I've already got the grades for it, my Dad did engineering before he went to the army...good pay, lots of jobs in the field..."

"Boring answers to justify a boring career" Emma says dismissively.

I manage to look at least a little offended "What's wrong with being an engineer?"

"Nothing darling, and call it intuition, but I can tell you don't exactly seem too interested in it yourself, and ultimately if you don't care about what you do, what's the point?"

"And how many people actually like their job? Its a job. Its meant to pay bills and put food on the table. Plus I am good with numbers and planning things and that...general business"

"You know he used to want to be in the army? When we were kids. Fly a jet like is Dad did" Hank cut over me "And then a police officer"

"Ooh, officer Summers, I love it. It suits you" Emma smiled teasingly.

"He only gave up that idea a couple years ago, too"

"And why was that?" Emma directs the question at me.

I shuffle in my seat. I don't think the answer is going to come out well.

"First off, New York's a dangerous city to be a police officer in...Mom was always a little against it because of that. And in our second year of going out...me and Jean...well we just made plans to make sure we went to university together"

Emma blinked at me, her face unreadable.

"You know, since Jean was planning on going to Yale, she wants to be a councillor, so she'd probably do a full psych course. If I did a four year engineering course it would fit in well, we'd fly out there together, won't have to live at home anymore...plus cops have to work really bad hours and don't get paid that well, and-"

Emma held up a hand to stop me rambling "So let me understand this. You basically decided your entire future and career...on the basis that you would get to stay together with your girlfriend?"

"...and all those other reasons I mentioned before, that you said were boring-"

"But mainly it's because you made some sappy love struck promise to each other when you were both sixteen and stupid?"

I glare at her a little "There's no need to be harsh"

"And there's no need to be stupid either, but here you are, being exactly that" she gives me a pointed look "Honestly, within the last minute of you talking I can tell you don't really want to be an engineer, you're just convincing yourself it's somehow the right thing to do"

"Plenty of people don't have a clear cut idea about what they want for their future..." I say calmly.

"Yes, but better to take a year off and figure it out, instead of wasting years and money on a degree you don't actually care about" Emma felt no need to speak politely "And it's all fine and dandy if Jeans happy moving across the country to her dream university, but don't just follow her like some lost puppy. Make your own decisions, the ones that are best for you"

I sniff and try not to feel annoyed.

Mostly because I felt like I'd just been lectured, but also because deep down I knew she had a point. Even if it was delivered like a sharp blow to the knee.

But I didn't really want to think about it.

"So what are you going to be then? What's your smart plan?" I say, just a little snidely.

Emma's voice is back to it's usual, cool, tone "A teacher" she says clearly, without pausing.

I let out an involuntary laugh.

"A teacher?" Hank repeats, eyebrows raised.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Emma smiles, like she knows the reactions she usually gets from saying this. Maybe this is a joke she tells a lot of people, just to see them confused.

"I dunno...I guess I can see it. I do feel like I just got told off by a strict teacher" I joke.

Hank is still pulling a face "So you're not kidding at all?" he asks, thinking along the same lines as me.

"Not one bit. I've wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl. My father wants me to do a business degree so I can work at his company, family legacy and all that, but I'll be damned if I end up living any kind of life that man has planned for me" she scoffs.

Me and Hank exchange glances.

"Mmm. Well...if that's what you want to do" Hank shrugged "But personally I always saw you as some sort of jet setting model, or the esteemed wife of a russian count or something glamorous like that" he laughed.

Emma gave him a sharp look though "A glorified clothes hanger trawling around Paris and Milan or some rich old mans trophy wife? Is that really what comes to mind when you think of me?"

Hank seemed to immediately regret what he had said "No, no, of course not. Nothing like that, no offence intended-"

"Well, offence taken. I actually have plans to base my life around a lot more than my looks, thank you very much" she said, snappishly.

"Emma, come on. You know I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, really" Hank said, genuinely.

"Oh, don't grovel.." she said, her voice softer "Apology accepted. But you just have to imagine how often I hear people dismissing everything I am, or what I want to do, based on the stupid ideas they've already conceived about me"

Hank nodded "I imagine it must get annoying"

Emma let out a small laugh,like he had no idea.

Then I put in my two cents.

"I guess it just sounds strange at first to most people, that you'd want to be a teacher of all things when you could be something like a model, or actress or millionaires wife. Not many people have those options"

Emma is looking at me warily, like any of my next words could be cause for another lecture. I tread carefully.

"And then when you say you could also potentially become the head of Frost international, simply because of your family...I guess people wonder why you wouldn't just take such a great opportunity that's basically just being handed to you"

I look at Emma and shrug.

"And if I had to sum it up...you're just about the least mundane person I think I've ever met, and yet you want to go after the most mundane job I can think of" I smile, and surprisingly, Emma smiles back.

She seems to like this answer.

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So Thursday classes end and I still didn't actually get around to telling Jean about the date, like I was supposed too. The opportunity just didn't seem to present itself. It was actually a little worrying that I was finding it harder and harder to talk to her these days.

But still, I had the plan to go along with. So here I was at the mall with the un-mundane Emma, to go on the shopping trip that was part of her, um, our... master plan.

Me and Hank had managed to get off the hook in physics class and were no less out of her good books, thank god, so she was still aiming to help me buy a great gift, some chocolates and some flowers.

Date stuff.

Buying-your-girlfriends-affections stuff.

"Why is that all these overweight mall-crawlers wear sweat pants when they've most likely never actually exercised in their lives?"

Emma has her nose turned up as we both step up onto the escalators of the busy mall.

I try not to laugh, I'll feel mean.

"So do you have any of your own idea's for gifts?" Emma asked me

I shrugged "I was kind of thinking, maybe, a Teddy bear or something?"

Emma gave me an unimpressed look.

"...a nice Teddy Bear?...One that says 'I love you' or something when you squeeze it?"

Emma looked slightly disgusted.

"So that's a no on that idea?"

"A Teddy bear is something you win for your thirteen year old date at some tacky carnival at the shooting range. You're eighteen and so is Jean, and I won't allow you to buy something so disgustingly cute. Any other ideas?"

I open my mouth to speak.

"And do not say a gift certificate"

I shut my mouth again.

Emma rolls her eyes as we reach the top of the escalators and get off at the second floor.

"Well, I suppose we'll just go with my idea then"

I throw up my hands in submission.

"Whatever you think Is best"

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"Yeah, I'm not going in there" I say flatly as I start to walk away.

Emma scoffs and grabs onto my arm so I cant escape.

"Oh, don't be such a baby. Come on, were going in"

She tries to pull me with her but I resist.

"No, Emma! It's...it's inappropriate!" I say in all seriousness but she seems to think it's funny.

"It's only knickers, darling. Don't be such a prude" Emma smirks as she stood in front of the lingerie shop window, Scantily clad mannequins in frilly, fancy...things, behind her.

"Yeah, girl...knickers"

That word sounds stupid when I say it. I made myself cringe.

The mannequins are looking at us. Looking at me. They know I don't belong here.

"I really think we should re-visit the gift certificate option" I say stiffly.

Emma sighs in impatience "Lord, you're sheltered"

"No, i'm not!" I defend myself "I just don't...this isn't...Jean probably wouldn't even like it if I got her under wear...and what's wrong with a fifty dollar Barnes and Noble card?!"

"Darling, you just have to trust me. It's a great gift. Sexy lingerie just inspires passion doesn't it? At least more than a goddamn Barnes and Noble card..."

"You don't know that. Books can be passionate"

But I'm ignored.

"Imagine it, she opens her gift, marvels at how exquisite the lace on her new panties are, and then you casually suggest she slips them on for you. Voila, your night is full of wild animal sex, courtesy of moi" Emma says with a flourish

"Sshhhh, Keep your voice down" I hush at her.

"What, Why?"

"You don't just throw the word's 'panties' and...'wild animal sex' around in public!People are listening" I glance around nervously as I spot a Women who's overheard looking disapprovingly at us.

God I hate looking like a delinquent kid.

I don't even listen to my I-pod on public transport just in case I annoy other passengers.

Emma gives me a dull smile "Oh. You're so quaint"

And before I know it I've been pulled into the lingerie store.

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"How about this one?"

I stare at the piece of thin black material, trying not to shift uncomfortably.

"...it's a G-string, Darling"

"I know what it is!" I snap at Emma as she puts it back on the display table.

"Just checking. Ooh, what about this set?"

She holds up a hanger with a pair of leopard print underwear and matching bra.

"I don't think Jean is a leopard print kind of girl..."

"Well, what type does she usually wear then? Cotton, Satin, lace? Give me something to work with" Emma says as she scans her eyes over the walls literally covered in underwear.

I shrug "I dunno, normal type ones?"

I spot a green and white spotted bra "Like...something like that I guess" .

Picking it up and checking the price makes me reel.

Eighty dollars?! How the hell does that work. I discretely put it back.

"Maybe they have a sale section?"

Emma instantly looks appalled "Scott, you can't buy a present on sale?"

I may as well have suggested wrapping up a dead bird and giving her that as a gift, like a dog.

"Alright, fine...I'm just saying, for something no one ever see's you wearing, its a lot of money"

"You'll be seeing her wear it" Emma says suggestively "So just keep that in mind while browsing. Try to think about what you'd like to see her in"

I keep this in mind as we move our way slowly around the shop. I try to stick close to Emma at all times. In my head I still feel like if I'm seen on my own in here people will get the wrong impression. Either i'm a creep, or a perv, or some kind of cross dresser.

Ok, that last ones probably a bit of a stretch. Despite my girlish hips.

While Emma was busy checking out some of the displays, my eyes fell on a pair of blue panties on a hanger right next to my face. I frown.

"These ones...they have a hole in them. Like...right in the crotch. Someone should probably tell management about that"

Emma looks at the panties. Then at me.

She smiles and puts a comforting hand on my arm.

"Oh. Scott..."

And then she walks off, still smiling.

"What? I don't get it...Emma?"

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So, I've done it. I finally found a pair that seemed decent.

They were red and sexy, but not too sexy, and just a normal cut. No G-string, or V-string or...whatever strings. Plus the matching bra had a nice bit of lace at the top and the material was all..sheeny.

Wait. Satin.

Satiny.

Yeah, I totally know the right word and everything.

Twenty minutes in this store with Emma and I am an underwear pro. I barely feel awkward at all anymore.

The shop assistant walks past me and we make eye contact. I turn away quickly to look at a spot on the wall.

Ok, so I'm still a little awkward.

"So you're definitely getting those ones? Good. Do you know Jean's size?" Emma asks.

I blank.

Crap. I forgot boobs had different sizes.

My eyes almost automatically land on Emma's chest, as if I can somehow compare them with Jean's mentally as some sort of measuring guide.

Emma rolls her eyes.

"Isn't it a good thing that I guessed this would happen? Useless. Jean is a 36C"

I stare at her "How in the hell do you know that?"

Do women have some kind of sense? Can they just tell other girls breast sizes from looking? Is there some kind of formula for it?

"I rifled through her spare clothes in her gym locker yesterday. Since I knew I'd be taking you here for her present. It would be a disaster if you got the wrong size" she said casually, like it was no big deal.

"You broke into her locker?" I ask in disbelief.

"Broke into is such an ugly term...but yes. That is what I did"

I was about to argue but I was shushed.

"No harm done, darling, and really you should be thanking me. It came in handy after all. Now if you could just wait for me by the change rooms for about five seconds, because i've just spotted an adorable white bustier over there and it's just begging for me to try it on" she said with a curt smile as she hopped off to grab it off the racks.

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I'm sitting here waiting on the designated male-dragged-along-on-a-shopping-trip chair just inside the change rooms, where there was about four different stalls covered in lush red curtains. The whole inside of the shop was designed to look like some kind of Moulin Rouge style burlesque house. All dark purple walls and red velvet seats.

They were playing some Christina Aguilera song over the intercom.

I know this because I went to see that movie she was in with Jean when it came out.

Hm, does Emma look a little bit like Christina Aguilera?

Eh, not really. Same hair colour I guess.

She's not as pretty as Emma though.

Crap, no, scratch that. I didn't think that. That was bad. Nope.

To be honest I've been trying really hard up till now not to think of Emma as anything but a good natured friend helping me buy things for my loving girlfriend.

Even if said girlfriend mentioned she didn't really want me hanging out with this good natured friend at all.

And I happened to be be in a lingerie shop with this friend.

A sexy, low lit, lingerie shop that plays Christina Aguilera music.

Dammnit.

I try to think of the most un-sexy and non suggestive things I possibly can.

My history homework.

Giving Cable his flea medicine.

That guy from the Subway commercials.

Rosie O'Donnell.

Just then the shop assistant lady ambles into the room with a smile on her face as she calls out to Emma.

"Need any help in there, dear? Is the sizing good for you?"

"Yes, I'm fine thankyo-" Emma begins to say, but before she can finish, the shop assistant had already whipped the curtain wide open, exposing Emma.

My eyes widen as Emma turns in surprise. She's in the bustier and matching bottoms...and nothing else.

I cant help but stare for a second at, well... her everything.

Her bust, her toned stomach, her hips...all the way down to her legs...

Then I realise I'm staring. Blatantly. I might have even been gaping.

I quickly snap my mouth shut and turn my head to look at the opposite wall. I was way too slow though.

How could she have not seen me staring?

"Ooh, I think your boyfriend approves" The shop lady giggled at us both.

If I wasn't bright red before, I was now.

"I'm...she's...were not-" I rambled off nervously, my words caught in my throat.

"Yes, that's always the reaction I like to get" Emma said smoothly over me, a smile on her face as she still kept that curtain wide open.

"So, does it suit me?"

I look up. She was asking me that direct question.

She looked amused, a smirk almost on her lips. She was standing so confidently, back straight, hands on hips, waiting to see my reaction...like it was funny that we'd been mistaken as a couple. Like she wanted me to play along.

I try and keep my voice steady "Yeah...yeah. Looks fine" I say stiffly.

I steal one more gracious look at her before finally ripping my eyes away again.

The shop assistant claps her hands together happily knowing she'd just made an expensive sale "Great! I'll meet you at the register then once you're done changing"

As I heard the curtain shut again I look back up, just in time for the assistant to walk by and shoot me a wink.

"Lucky boy" she joked playfully under her breath, nodding back to Emma.

I sunk down in my chair, screwed my eyes shut and thought of Rosie O'Donnel.

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It was after dinner and I was sitting on my bed, doing not much at all on my laptop. Checking my consistently dead facebook page. Playing minesweeper. Looking up the cast list of CSI:Miami on IMDB to see if one of the actors had been in a soft drink commercial i saw the other day, because they totally looked similar The red underwear was stowed safely away under my bed, gift wrapped, along with a box of swiss chocolates, from the shopping trip.

I'd been irritable all afternoon up until now.

Hours ago, I'd been casually walking along the mall with Emma, looking for chocolate shops, then all of a sudden: boom. My mind flashed to the image of sexy, half naked Emma. The way the curtain had been drawn back, how she'd turned her head and her hair fanned over her shoulders, that slight look of surprise on her face, blue eyes wide, her pink lips parted ever so slightly...

And this image had been stuck in my head all day.

Got in the car to ride home, stop at the red light: Boom. Sexy Emma flashes across my brain.

Get home, change into my track pants: Boom. There's sexy Emma again.

Mom tells me to take out the trash: Boom.

Passing the Potato's to Gabriel at Dinner: Boom.

Watching Law and Order re-runs after dinner: Boom.

Every time I tried to force that image down in my mind, it would just spring back up again, completely un-provoked. It was relentlessly engrained in my mind.

And as I flopped back onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling, a horrible realisation dawned on me.

Emma was really sexually attractive.

And this is the point where I can practically feel you yell "No shit" at me, but let me explain you a thing.

Guys who are in a relationship are allowed to have female friends.

Wait for it, I'm getting there, I have a point.

So, yeah, guys in relationships are allowed to have female friends, but they need to disregard any kind of idea or suggestion that their female friend is in anyway a sexual being.

That female friend has to be A-sexual. Like an amoeba, or a piece of coral.

You can appreciate them for their brains, or their sense of humor, or the fact that they like all the same weird obscure movies as you, or you share a passion for model trains, or whatever the hell butters your biscuits, I don't care...

...But in no way can you start to realise that they have a fully working vagina and a goddamn beautiful face.

Because that's dangerous territory.

All of a sudden you start thinking things. Imaging things. It gets awkward. You have a the shame. Cue the guilt.

And until now I'd been doing such a great job. I was vaguely aware that Emma was attractive but I still managed to suppress those thought, Push them down, forget you had them the second after they occur in the back parts of your dirty mind.

But then that goddamn shop assistant had to pull back the damn curtain.

Boom: there she was again.

I close my eyes and groan.

I wanted to just forget about Emma and her un-mundaneness and her lovely british accent and her perfect boobs.

"So who was that hot chick that came over the other day?"

"Alex, don't come in my room" I open my eyes with a grimace, not even bothering to look up at him as he stepped in.

One day...one day, I will have locks on my doors and it will be a glorious day.

Of course Alex ignored me and took a seat on my desk chair, rolling across the wood floors.

"No but seriously. She was hot. Why was she hanging out with you?"

I look up at him, annoyed.

"Can't you go bug Gabriel?"

"I could, but he doesn't know any hot chicks"

"You're with Lorna" I sighed, irritated.

"So? I'm not asking because I'm interested in her. I'm asking because it's weird. Was she forced to be you'r study partner?" Alex kicked my leg with his foot. I closed my laptop

"She's just my friend"

"Called?"

"Emma"

"How'd you meet?"

"She's in some of my classes"

"What did you do when she came over?"

"Watched a movie..."

"And I heard Mom mention you went to the mall after school today, was it with her?"

"...yes" I say, getting more and more annoyed.

"What did you do together?"

"Shopped"

Alex looked me up and down very seriously, leaning forward in the chair.

" ...are you her new gay BFF?"

I roll over off the bed to stand up and forcibly pull him up from my chair.

"Hey, hey! Easy, kidding, KIDDING!" he yells as he struggles against me as I move him towards the door, dragging him by the back of his hoodie.

"I just thought it was weird, are you even still with Jean? She hasn't even been over lately" Alex tired to explain himself through gritted teeth as he grabbed onto my door frame as I tried pushing him out "Even though you're a fucking dork and all and that girl was a total ten out of ten , I just thought that they're might've been a slight, 1%, chance that maybe you were boning her, thats all I was really gonna ask, I know you're not queer man!"

"Get out of my room!" I yell as I prise off his hands and successfully slam the door on him.

I hear him kick hard against the door before stomping down the hall "DRAMA QUEEN!" he yells back at me.

I hate little brothers.

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I'm sitting eating my sandwich at our usual table in the cafeteria, with Hank sitting across from me.

"So I think I really like Abigail" he says suddenly, out of nowhere.

I look up "That green haired chick?"

He nods.

"Oh cool. So...do you think she likes you back?" I ask

Hank shrugs "I think so. At least more than Jean likes you"

I frown "What? What do you mean by that?"

All of a sudden Kitty appears next to me.

"You know what he means" she says, a purple lizard sitting on her shoulder "Jean totally hates you. Just face it. It's starting to get pathetic"

The lizard nods up and down in agreement.

Then I feel something collide with my head. A mac and cheese box.

"Scott" a gruff voice calls.

I look across the now empty cafeteria , where I see cable. One of his dog eyes glowing as he speaks to me.

"You have to come with me. I'm from the future. We need to correct the past. Follow me if you want to save the world"

"But what's the point...Jean doesn't love me anymore" I mutter.

All of a sudden were in a plane. Im at the controls.

"Quick, there he is, shoot him!" Cable says, strapped into the seat next to me.

Up ahead out of the window I see Warren. He's flying in front of the plane, with huge metal wings.

All I have to do is blink in his direction and a red blast of light shoots from my eyes.

I do it again and again, but each time he dodges me, zigzagging across in the sky. He's escaping.

"Full throttle, engines at maximum capacity!" I yell as I press buttons on the dashboard and continue to fire my eye blasts.

Then theres a loud siren sound. A high pitched emergency warning.

"We have to evacuate, the planes going down!" I yell as I grab Cable and make a run for the back of the plane, grabbing a jet pack.

We jump out just as the plane explodes into a massive fire ball, and we fall through the air.

"Scott!" I hear my name called again. I look to my left.

"Emma! Are you ok?"

Emma is free falling through the air next to me as we hurtle towards the ground. Cable isn't in my arms anymore. I don't have the jet pack anymore either.

"I'm fine!" she yells back "Just make sure you land on the soft cushions, darling!"

I look down in time to land with a thud on a bed. A large, luxurious bed, surrounded by candles.

"Such a fucking dork.." I hear someone scoff.

Alex is standing in the doorway, smirking.

"I told you to get out of my room, Alex!" I yell angrily as I throw one of the pillows at him. He disappears laughing.

"Be careful, don't hurt the pillows! I only rented them"

I turn around as I hear Jean's voice. She's sitting on the bed, wearing the red satin underwear.

I move towards her and were kissing. A deep long kiss.

"But I thought you hated me, Kitty said-" I say as I draw back, but I stop as I see a flash of blonde hair.

Pearl blonde hair.

I'm not kissing Jean anymore, I'm kissing Emma. She's still wearing the same underwear.

She smiles lazily at me as she runs her hands over my chest.

"So, does it suit me?"

"Yes" I say without hesitating.

She leans in even closer to me and whispers in my ear.

"You be Scott...and I'll be Jean"

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My eyes snap open.

Cable gives off a little whine at the end of my bed from where he's sleeping, his tail flicking against my leg as he takes up too much space.

I rub at my eyes as I roll over to check my alarm clock.

It's 3AM

Letting out a sigh, I grab my other pillow and throw it over my face.

Fuck my dreams are weird.

Goddamn subconscious.

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A/N: Sorry that it's been awhile since I updated! I was just stuck on this chapter for some reason...I swear it's scenes and sequence got changed around so much, I have about four different versions of how all this played out. Urgh, writing process haha.

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with it! The Emma and Scott shopping part was ridiculously fun to write. I get way too much happiness out of sexually frustrated and awkward Scott and naughty Emma. These parts of their personalities is part of the reason I like them together. The good guy with the bad girl. So classic.

I also like writing Scott and Alex as brothers that annoy the ever loving shit out of each other.

I hope the idea of Scott wanting to be a Police officer sits well. I know in the comics scott himself mentions that if he was born human instead of mutant, he would probably have had a career in the military, and I agree with that, but it just seemed a little heavy for the story. If that makes sense. War and all. Police officer is more general and I can still see him in it. He'd be a hell straight cop, shirt all tucked in, super serious all the time. On his little motor bike on the highway chasing down people for speeding tickets like it was a matter of life and death. He'd be a good cop. Like...the Leslie Knope of cops (For anyone who's seen parks and recreation) Not to mention looking damn good in a New York's finest uniform. MmmHmm.

I also think Jean would make a good councillor. Not a psychologist. I feel like a councillor is more open and focused on helping people, especially kids. It just seems to fit with Jean's personality more.

Most importantly, I wanna know what you all thought of the dream sequence? Stupid? Clever? Funny? None of the above? I had so much fun writing it.

I know dream sequences are a little tacky and overdone but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to make it as weird, nonsensical and disjointed as real dreams are. How you just go along with whatever weird shit your brain plays out. Talking dog? Don't question it. My jet pack disappeared? Ok then. Rented pillow? Sure, why not.

Playlist time!:

One week of danger: The virgins:

You talk about like you own me baby
That's not fair
I told you that I had somebody else
You did not care
And now you want to make me out to be some kind of square

Buy my love: Wynter Gordon:

There's a million ways to show your devotion,
So many ways to sway my emotions
Ooh, ooh.
Don't you hesitate to buy my love

Who do you love now: Dannii Minogue:

A moment of coldness
Cuts through me
I've tried to remember
Why I don't leave
And you're the cause of my confusion
Closing down the way I feel
How come I don't see so clearly

No buses:Arctic Moneys:

Lady, where has your love gone?
I was looking but can't find it anywhere~

But now she's there, you're there, everybody's there
He's in turmoil, as puzzled as can be