For Geek Pride on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Forum.
"You know, Alex isn't very bright," Haley said, grinning. "You might have to ask him out using actual words. I don't think he'll get the hint if you just stare at him all night."
Emily snapped to attention. "I'm not staring."
"Sure you aren't." Haley nibbled at her fruit salad. "You are absolutely not staring at the new girl buying him some mead."
"It's a pale ale."
The blonde pumped her fist in the air, triumphant. "See! You are watching."
"I..." Emily trailed off, her lips pursed in frustration. "Fine. I'm watching. But it doesn't matter, because he's never watching me. Honestly. Even when I'm pouring him a drink, it's like he looking right through me."
Haley's joyful demeanor faltered. Her sister's crush on her best friend had long been a source of both frustration and entertainment. But looking at Emily now, her usual smile slipped into a frown, Haley couldn't find any amusement in it at all.
"Well, you just need to up the ante," she said carefully. "Flirt a little. He's thick as bricks, you know. He doesn't look at anyone unless they're practically throwing themselves at him."
"I can't do that," Emily replied, her tone clipped. "I'm not... I'm not like you, Hales. I don't know how to flirt. I'm not good at that kind of thing."
"I can help with that."
But Emily's attention had already been redirected. Pam, desperate for a drink and hiding from her daughter, had entered the Saloon and immediately began to wave her down. It was several minutes of small talk and pouring pints before Emily returned to her sister.
"I know you're just being nice," Emily said. "But you need to stop. Alex doesn't like me, and I'm okay with that. It's just gonna take me a little time to get over it."
"But—"
"Leave it."
Haley fell silent. But in the corner of her eye, she had seen something that Emily hadn't. For just a moment—such a short moment that Haley might have even thought she'd imagined it—Alex's eyes had left the gifted pale ale in his hands and landed on Emily.
Haley couldn't be sure that there was anything to it. Maybe his gaze had wandered there by mistake. Maybe he was looking at something behind her. Maybe she'd conjured the moment in her mind. But she had a feeling that Emily was wrong—that Alex did watch her in the same way she watched him. She just hadn't realised it yet.