Silent Affections
She held her breath. She always held her breath for the first few seconds Emma would walk into the room. Brown eyes followed the empath as she walked across the room to Brennan. Flashing yellow eyes watched the red head tilt her head back and laugh at something he said as she gave him a playful shove on his arm. Her feelings towards the red head were indefinable. She loved Emma as much as anyone would love their best friend, but deep down in the pit of her stomach Shalimar knew this was more than that. Your heart doesn't skip a beat and then speed up at the sound of a friend's voice. Your cheeks don't flush and your face doesn't burn when a friend smiles your way. Your skin doesn't tingle at the mere brush of a friends hand. Your whole body doesn't go into complete turmoil when just a friend walks into a room. Silently cursing herself for not being in better control of the situation, for allowing just a friend to have this power over her body she quietly slipped out the doorway and walked back to her room.
She closed her bedroom door and leaned against it. Tears welled up in her eyes, but pride kept them from falling. How was it possible to let someone get int your heart like this knowing that this love would never be returned? She could see the way Emma would look at Brennan, it was the same way she would look at Emma. The image of them together made her physically ill. Even when they were quietly talking to each other, their whispers would pierce her ears and cut through her heart.
As the morning sun slowly inched its way further int her bedroom, Shalimar began to wake up. Rubbing her eyes awake she breathed a heavy sigh. It had onlybeen thirty seconds since she awoke and already her head was swimming with thoughts of Emma. She hopped off the bed and padded her way to the kitchen, silently praying that today would be busy enough to keep her mind occupied with something other than her friend. Before she turned the corner to the kitchen she plastered on her fake smile that had become second nature to her by now. Three heads looked up from their breakfast and nodded a morning hello. Shalimar immediately locked eyes with Emma as both boys returned to the food in front of them.
"Morning, Shal." Emma's face beamed as she greeted her friend. Looking into her bright blue eyes, Shalimar's cold heart melted and her fake smile slid into a genuine grin. Only the redhead in front of her could alter her emotions so quickly. It pained her knowing that Emma had this effect on her but looking into her face she had no choice, she just had this way about her. As much as she didn't want to have these feelings for the redhead the second Emma would look at her or speak to her only love consumed her heart.
"Morning, Em." Shalimar purred in response. She was almost a master of disguising her feelings. Most of the time it was easy to look calm and normal on the outside while her body was crying out inside. She knew that Emma would never find out the truth as long as she didn't invade her thoughts, and Shalimar knew that is the one thing the empath would never do.
As Shalimar was sitting down at the table she asked, "What's for breakfast guys?"
"Just cereal and toast." Jesse mumbled with a mouthful, causing bits of food to fly about.
Shalimar scrunched up her face in disgust and gave Emma a look who looked right back at her with the same horrified face.
"Jess, seriously... learn some table manners." Emma said rolling her eyes and trying to suppress a grin.
Instead of verbally responding Jesse grinned right back and began chewing with his mouth open as he looked between the two girls making sure they both got a good look. Ignoring his keen sense of humour Emma leant across the table and placed her hand on top of Shalimar's. The touch of the empath's warm hand on her own snapped Shalimar's gaze from Jesse's mouth to Emma then down to where their hands met and back up to Emma's face again. Shalimar could feel the familiar burning sensation stem from Emma's touch flow throughout the rest of her body. Keeping her usual calm self the feral brightly smiled at her friend and placed her free hand on top of Emma's.
Putting on her classic pout face, Emma heavily sighed, "Do you have time for me today?"
The tingling sensation under her skin was screaming at the sound of those words. Her heart was beating in her throat but keeping her clam Shalimar smiled sweetly and replied, "Sure, I'm not hungry anymore." She gave a low growl as she shot Jesse a dirty look causing Emma to giggle.
"Good, come with me." Emma said as she pushed herself away from the table to stand up. Before both girls left the kitchen they turned around and gave Jesse one last disgusted look.
As they were alone in the hallway Emma suddenlystopped in her tracks. Shalimar stopped just a few steps after and turned to see her friend with her headdown staring into the floor. The tiny hairs on her body tingled as the feral could feel the tension in the air thicken between them. Something was different, something felt different, but Shal wasn't exactly sure what had changed so quickly in the few minutes they were together.
"Em..?" she asked as she cautiously took a step close to the empath.
The sound of Shal's voice brought Emma out of her trance, she looked down into the feral's questioning eyes. All colour had drained from her face causing her blue eyes to intensify in colour. Neither girl moved, not even a breath was taken, their bodies paralyzed in the moment.
Her voice cracking Emma said, "I have to tell you something...and...and I'm not sure how you are gonna take it."
Shalimar's body instantly ran cold, she saw thiscoming for months, Emma was in love with Brennan and there was nothing she could do to change that.
End of Chapter 1
A big thank you to Crimsom Cut for giving me your time and your proof reading skills :) and a big thank you to Huntress, you girls are great ;)