She wasn't a bitch. Really, she wasn't. She sighed heavily into her bowl of cornflakes, causing decent sized ripples across the body of icy cold milk that lay inside. Her spoon twirled idly in between her fingers, the tip of it immersed in the white liquid, spinning round and around and around, just like her thoughts.

She'd barely slept, tossing and turning in her sheets, her body caressed by the summer night's breeze that slipped through the window, her mind tormented, conflicted by her actions. She'd had no choice, she told herself repeatedly, until she thought the phrase would turn her mad. She'd been protecting Paige, not betraying her, she'd had no choice in the matter at all! What would Paige have had her do? Seriously, what would she have done in her position? If Emily hadn't have given in to A's demands then this morning would have been a completely different kettle of fish to the present surface veneer of tranquility. The fact that she'd enjoyed it? What the hell, she wasn't made from stone! She groaned inwardly and dropped the spoon against the side of the bowl with a clatter. She'd completely lost her appetite.

There'd been nothing more from A since the phone had gone dead, no demands or instructions by either computer or phone. Yet A was all around her, in the very air she breathed, in the walls of her house, behind each and every doorway and around every single corner. Her world belonged to A now, the sanctuary of her house shattered beyond compare. She'd spent a good hour or so searching her bedroom after the phone call, searching desperately to find the hidden camera equipment that was so blatantly there. But nothing, not a damn thing had she found. A was so good it was beyond infuriating. In the end she'd slumped miserably on her bed, eyes twitching nervously, wondering if anyone was watching her.

All in all, the perfect storm for a thoroughly shit night's sleep. And now she had to face Paige at training. Fucking great.

•••

"Are you ok?"

Paige put a hand up to Emily's face, her fingers tracing the soft skin around her firm jaw, her eyes checking the other girl's faint pallor and dark rings with concern. Emily smiled at her weakly. It was all she could do right now to meet Paige's gaze. Her eyes were so fucking honest. She took hold of Paige's hand, taking it from her cheek and kissing her fingers softly.

"I'm fine. Just didn't sleep too well. I think it was something I ate last night."

"You poor thing. Maybe you should skip this morning?"

Emily shook her head. "I need to get in the water, stretch out."

Paige nodded in agreement. "I get that." She intertwined her fingers in Emily's. "Let's get changed then."

Five minutes later and then pair of them were gliding swiftly through the water, cutting between the soft waves with effortless ease. Paige nudged further ahead with each stroke, her arms lifting gracefully above the surface, then striking back down to power her body forwards with maximum impact. For once, Emily let her get away from her. Normally she wouldn't give the other girl half a chance to win, a fact that had spurred them both on to their best form yet. Both had set repeated personal bests in the water over the past few months, much to the delight of the coaching staff. Emily thought they'd probably let her fuck Paige right there in front of them if it knocked off another couple of seconds in the water.

The thought of fucking Paige in front of someone else sent a shiver down her body, even as she powered through the pool. Was this some new kink she was discovering, some fetish now unearthed? She'd always enjoyed fucking Paige when they ran the risk of being discovered, when they might be found out, but if she knew that someone was there, that someone was watching? Again the tightening in her stomach, again the violent pulsation deep between her legs. She bit down on her lip hard, her fingers hitting the wall, her body automatically doubling up, hips and shoulders twisting underwater, legs pushing off for yet another lap. Had that been why last night seemed so mindblowing? Was it perhaps nothing to do with the other girl on the end of the phone line, but rather the situation itself? Would she feel the same way if it had been Paige moaning in her ear, A looking on, A listening too?

The thought gave her pause, and slightly, ever so slightly, managed to alleviate the dead brick weight of guilt that sat in her stomach. The water ran a little easier over her back as she mulled the point over, swimming now an absentminded, automatic momentum. It could have been anyone on the end of the phone last night and she would have got off on it. She felt, flexed, twisted, turned and set off again. It wasn't a betrayal of Paige, in fact far from it! She'd done what needed to be done to protect the girl, to protect them both. The fact that she'd enjoyed it hadn't been because she was being unfaithful to her girlfriend, but rather that she'd simply uncovered another facet to her sexuality.

She heard the whistle go far above her head, the sound breaking in and out of the water as the waves lapped around her. Slowing her pace, she turned over onto her back, carving lazily through the pool, letting her breath come thick and heavy as her lungs bought her heart rate back down to rest. Paige's face floated into view. Emily grinned at her.

"Feeling better?"

She pulled herself upright, then slipped under the lane dividers and wrapped her legs around the other girl's hips territorially. "Much."

Paige smiled warmly. "Good."

Now that the guilt was substantially shifting, another feeling took its place, one that Emily thoroughly welcomed. She pressed her body up against Paige's, sliding her hand down between her legs, earning a swift gasp and wide eyes in the process.

"What are you doing after school?"

Paige groaned quietly as Emily's fingers fluttered against the thin material of her swimming costume. "Fuck!" she hissed. "N…nothing!"

Emily pushed herself away, eyes dancing dangerously as she took in the effect her actions had on the girl. Paige's instant need for her never failed to turn her on. "Meet me at mine. Wear something nice." She watched Paige's hand move down to where her fingers had been, her eyes glazed with desire. She suddenly felt much better.