Chapter 2

Marissa held her breath and walked through the door. Letting her senses adjust to the lack of light and thumping bass she steadied herself on the railing. Scanning the floor and bar area she felt her heart beat speed up, and felt that anticipation building again. Cursing herself silently she began softly mouthing the words under her breath, under the music.

Nothing more.

What she wasn't prepared for was the shiver that ran up on her spine when she heard a familiar voice shouting over the music to her.

"Marissa! Hey, I didn't know you were coming tonight"

The young blonde sauntered up to the railing and leant forward to get a better view of the band, her hair falling forward across her face.

Oh god, nothing more. It's nothing more. I'm not looking at her hair, and it doesn't look so soft that I would give up anything to touch it and feel it on my skin. Don't look in her eyes, not the eyes, you know what happens when you do that. When you feel like your soul is being scrutinised and you forget about time and space and the universe. Nothing. There's nothing.

"Alex."

Marissa stammered, her tongue fumbling the name and choking her.

"I, I didn't know I was coming either really."

Alex threw the stammering girl a questioning look, why was she unable to talk all of a sudden, she couldn't possibly…no. Nothing. There was nothing there. Not on Marissa's side at least.

"Is it because of Ryan? Did you guys have another fight?"

"No, it's not because of him, well yes. I don't know. I..I broke up with him."

Marissa's eyes welled with tears as she said it. She wasn't sure if it was because they had broken up or if it was because of the reason why.

Alex turned towards the brunnette as she said it, all interest in the band lost. Wordlessly she gathered her into a hug. An innocent hug. Or what seemed like an innocent hug. Alex felt her heart pounding at the touch, felt the contact of skin on skin where there arms met like an electric shock.

Oh God, stop. For god's sake, stop, before she feels your heart racing, surely she can hear it. Before she runs away.

Abruptly dropping her arms she stepped back. Marissa swayed forward at the sudden loss of support, gazing questioningly at her. Alex thought she could see dissapointment in those eyes. But it was probably imagined.

"I just thought, um, we should go to my office if you want to talk. The music's kinda loud out here"

Great Alex, she thought to herself, very smooth. Just keep that up and she'll fall for you in no time. The sarcasm felt good to hear. To think. It reminded her how stupid she was being.

At the door to Alex's office Marissa hesitated. Did she really want to do this, of course she did. But did Alex want to, did she not realise what was happening, couldn't she feel it?

Please, make the first move, I can't. It's not..I'm not…oh what am I doing. She doesn't even seem interested. We've known each other over 3 weeks and I haven't got a single hint.

Alex held the door open for her, as she slipped past her she inhaled a deep breath. Full of Alex's perfume and the smell of her shampoo, the scent of her skin. Later, she would think it was that which made up her mind for her.

"Want a drink?"

"Sure" replied Marissa,

"Have you got any JD?"

"No way, that's what I always drink" Exclaimed Alex.

Did you think I didn't know that? Marissa's thoughts echoed in her head.

Alex poured the drinks, concentrating too hard on the act and trying desperately to ignore the figure standing opposite her. Trying so hard, but failing so miserably. Reaching out to hand her the drink, and she felt the other girls hand brush past hers, accepting the glass, but lingering for what seemed a second too long. As Alex's eyebrow shot up Marissa dropped her eyes to the floor, biting her lower lip. Unknowingly driving Alex crazy with the need to taste that lip, to explore it with her own.

Still standing in the same place with her whiskey in one hand and eyes on the floor Marissa took a deep breath and steeled herself.

"Alex, listen, the reason…the reason I broke up with Ryan, was because…say it, tell her, you want her, you only see her, tell her….Because he was too clingy."

The last came out in a rush. She felt like kicking herself for not saying it. Furious at herself she chugged back the whiskey.

The blonde opposite her released a slight sigh, she knew she wasn't going to say it, but, she had hoped. Oh how she had hoped that somehow, she'd give her a sign. A sign that it wasn't Ryan she wanted, but her, Alex.

Alex Kelly. You have never in your life been afraid of this kind of thing, never. Why can't you just take the leap. Trust her. Trust yourself. At least you will have tried.

Listening to her thoughts it was Alex's turn to take a deep breath. Stepping forward she managed to choke out a strangled "Marissa"