I'm blown away by the response to the first chapter. Y'all are seriously amazing! Thank you to everyone who favorited/followed/reviewed/PM'd. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the first one :)

-x-x-x-

I walk into history class with Spencer. It's the start of my third week here in Rosewood and everything has been pretty good. Well, except for Emily hitting on me and flaunting girl after girl right in front of my face. It's getting really annoying, but she knows it's getting to me and that's why she keeps doing it.

Emily comes into class right after us and takes her seat next to me.

"Well hello, gorgeous. You miss me over the weekend?" Emily winks at me. I roll my eyes and ignore her. "C'mon, you're not even gonna acknowledge me?"

"Why? All you do is hit on me, and honestly it's getting really fucking annoying," I growl lowly. Emily gapes at me, but before she can say anything the teacher comes in.

"Alright class, today, we will be starting the semester project," Mrs. Morris announces. The class starts to chatter and ask their friends to partner up. I grin and look over to one of my new friends, Mona, silently asking if she wants to be partners. "Everyone calm down. Instead of choosing partners, you will be working with the person next to you at your table."

I hang my head in frustration and disappointment, while Emily leans back with a smirk and props her hands up behind her head. Just fucking great. Mrs. Morris passes out the packets with the information about the project. When everyone has one, she lets us discuss project ideas with our partner for the rest of the class period.

"So, partner, what should we do our project on?" Emily asks.

"What? No sleezy comment to make at the fact that I'm stuck with you?"

"Look, I get it okay, you're not into me. As much as that sucks, cause you're a dime, like seriously, you're really fucking hot, can we at least try to get along for this project? I need to pass this class or I won't graduate and I really don't want to spend another year in this hell hole."

Oh, if only she knew that I really am attracted to her until she opens her stupid mouth. "Yeah, whatever. What do you want to do the project on? We have to pick a battle from the Civil War and do a presentation and a paper on it."

"Um, what about the Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries?"

"Is that a legit thing?" I inquire.

"Yeah, it was in North Carolina, the Outer Banks part to be exact," Emily says smugly.

"I'm impressed, and here I thought you were just another pretty face. How'd you know that?" Shit, did I really just tell her I thought she was pretty? No way, I'm getting out of this one.

"Um, thanks?" she laughs lightly. "My parents and I used to vacation in the Outer Banks all the time. I remember them taking me to a museum and there was an exhibit on it. My dad is a history nerd, so whether I like it or not, I'm full of useless historical facts."

"But didn't you say you weren't going to graduate if you didn't pass this class? If you're so good with History why wouldn't you pass?"

"History will be the only class that saves my GPA. I'm not so good in other subjects, well except for P.E. but that doesn't count."

"I could tutor you," I blurt out. Emily looks at me kind of shocked. Looks like she was expecting that just as much as I was. "I-I mean if you want. Actually forget I said that."

"No, I would really appreciate that. I just didn't expect you to want to spend any more time with me than you had to," she replies.

"What other classes are you taking? Maybe I should know what I'm up against before we actually agree on this though. I don't want to make you fail even worse by trying to help you in a subject I'm terrible at," I laugh.

"English, Trigonometry, Physics, and Advanced Physical Conditioning," she answers.

"Okay well, I can help with everything but the conditioning thing. The only sport I take part in is shopping."

That gets a laugh out of Emily.

"And in exchange you have to tutor me in this class because History will definitely be my downfall," I add.

She agrees and we set up a schedule for when we are free for tutoring sessions. At this point we are going to have them in the library, figuring neutral territory would be the best thing (for me anyway, it's going to be hard enough being alone with her, never mind being alone in a private setting).

-x-x-x-

Emily and I have been having tutoring sessions for a couple weeks now. It's really not anywhere near what I expected. Emily is actually a really great person when she doesn't have her player persona thing going on. We've actually started becoming pretty good friends. There's still the occasional pick-up line and flirtation coming from her, but they are far less crude and annoying than they were before.

Emily has let me in a lot. She's told me about her family, coming out, her love for being outside and keeping fit, among other things. Her dad, on top of being a history nerd, is in the Army. She hasn't seen him since he was stationed in Texas four months ago (June, the beginning of this past summer) and before that she hadn't seen him in a year because he was overseas. She told me how her mom is always flying back and forth between here and Texas to see him, and when her mom is here she is always working so she never even really gets to see her. She is an only child. No pets, even though she'd love to have a dog. Emily told me how she was really scared to come out. Despite not being able to see him a lot, Emily and her dad have a great relationship and that's why he was the first person she came out to. She was scared of what her mom would say, but her dad convinced her it would be okay. Then she went on to talk about what she does in her free time; running, boxing, the occasional trip to the gym to work out. I could already guess that Emily loved working out, so that was no surprise. Her body is amazing.

"Alright, I guess we're done for the day," I tell her. Emily lets out a grateful sigh and mumbles thank you under her breath. We pack up our things and leave the library. After leaving to walk home after our first study session we discovered that we live on the same street, just a few houses apart, and so we have been walking home together after every session, occasionally stopping at The Brew for a coffee. We get halfway home before I ask the question that's been bugging me for weeks.

"Hey, Em?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so guarded around everyone but me? Like at school and everything? You put on this mask and just act like a total douche... but you're different around me, well now at least, why?"

"You're different," is all she answers with.

"How?"

"I don't know. I just feel comfortable around you. It's weird," she shrugs, "and scary" she adds quietly.

"Why is that scary?"

"It's just... I haven't felt this comfortable around anyone in years."

"Why?" I ask again. I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I truly want to know this girl. The real her. The funny and surprisingly nice girl that I've come to know.

"I can't answer that. Not right now anyway."

"Emily-"

"I gotta go," she says quickly before rushing away.

I sigh and watch Emily disappear down the street. I pull out my cell and scroll through my contacts, selecting the only person I know that could help in this situation.

"Hey, can you come over?"

-x-x-x-

Aaaaaand cliffhanger.

So, there was a little time jump. Emily and Hanna are friends now (thank God). Emily has opened up a lot to Hanna, but suddenly shuts down after one particular question... any guesses as to why? You'll find out in Chapter 4, so... not too long of a wait for that explanation (; You'll also find out who Hanna is calling and what they talk about next chapter, and of course more Hannily is on the way!