Chapter 4: Studying

Last semester, senior year. By this time Alex and Piper were best friends. Everyone knew that if you saw Alex, Piper wasn't far and same went with Piper. They'd walk to class together, shooting the shit about anything and everything, laughing about the professor's bad dye job, or complaining about the massive work load ahead of them.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Piper had a class before Alex did so she was always on campus before Alex. This didn't bother Piper since she was always a morning person. Piper started sitting with the same group of people every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the same spot every week. It apparently had become an unwritten hang out for them. After a few weeks of this, Piper spotted Alex walking by in her black leather jacket and flagged her down.

"Hey! Alex!"

Alex turned. She would recognize that voice anywhere. That voice is the voice that follows her to her dreams.

"Come sit with us." Piper motioned for Alex to join the group. "We all have class right before this and again in an hour or so, so we chill here since there's coffee and cinnamon rolls 50 feet over there." Piper said with a smile. Alex was sold with her smile alone. She could have said that gravity makes things fall up and Alex would have believed it as long as she smiled that way.

Alex nonchalantly walked over to where Piper and her group were sitting, but someone was already planted next to Piper.

"I'll have to make sure I get that seat tomorrow." Alex thought, but sat down next to Bennet since they were mutual friends.

Piper laughed with her friends trying not to completely focus on Alex. With her so close she wanted to talk to her alone, but knew that doing so would completely give her feelings away. She still wasn't sure that Alex was even into chicks, let alone her. Piper had no idea, that while Alex was keeping up small talk, she too had her eye on Piper, watching her move her hands as she spoke, wondering what those hands would feel like against her skin.

Piper knew that Alex was not a morning person, so on her way to class the next morning, she sent a text to Alex.

Piper: Hey. I'm on my way to class. Want me to pick you up a coffee?

Alex: Dude. That would be awesome. Thanks!

Alex didn't know, but Piper had already about the coffees hoping she would say "yes". Piper knew her best friend and knew she had a weakness for coffee. Alex and coffee were like Macaroni and cheese. Piper actually hated coffee before hanging out with Alex. She'd dump so much sugar in it just so that it was tolerable. Slowly, though, she started to like the taste. The smell alone reminded her of Alex, which made her smile. Piper was pretty sure she was way over her head with Alex, however, she wasn't sure she could stop it even if she wanted to. Piper just hoped she felt the same.

Walking to class from the coffee shop, Piper spots the tall brunette sitting on the floor outside of class. Alex looked tired with her head covered in a hoodie laid on her knees. Piper grinned at the sight of her friend.

"Hey. I've brought you caffeine."

"Dude… you're amazing." Alex groaned as she slowly lifted her head, eyes still not wanting to open.

Piper reached out her hand to help Alex up. As soon as their hands touched, Piper was filled with such a heat and intense feeling of connection that it felt like someone turned on every light in her chest and released a million butterflies in her stomach. Alex hoped up and reached for the cup of coffee. Piper snapped back to reality.

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry. I guess I'm more tired than I realized." Piper stumbled to get words out.

"Was that their first physical contact? Was that even real? Did Alex feel anything too? Was that literal electricity? I mean, I know we are in the Chemistry building, but come on, that's some crazy shit!"

"Apparently." Alex laughed. I think you just dozed off for a second there.

Piper felt like an idiot and laughed. "Better drink fast then. Class is going to start." Piper started to walk first into the classroom with Alex behind.

Alex had to gather her bearing before she could take a step. "What the fuck was that? I've never felt something like that before. Heat? When we touch? I want to touch her again, but how?"

Piper and Alex sat in their usual seats next to each other in class. The casual bumps to get each other's attention now had a bit more motive behind them. Piper made it a point to push up her sleeves so that the contact was closer. Alex wanted more. She wanted to touch Piper more.

"Hey, I'm going to study for our Systems exam in the library later. Want to come?" Alex proposed.

"Yeah. I need to study for that. This exam is going to kick my ass if I don't." Piper did need to study, but wasn't sure how much studying she was going to be able to get done. She couldn't get Alex out of her mind.

Library basement. 1:30 am. Alex and Piper are in a study room cramming for the Systems exam. Piper and Alex are both extremely exhausted and had more coffee than either one can remember. They've written problems on the board, they've reviewed Piper's notes, because they both know that Alex's won't be much help, and they've watched more Youtube videos than they probably should have. It was crunch time. They were pulling an all-nighter and the exam was in the morning.

Alex was listening to her music through her headphones.

"Hey, share the wealth." Piper said, nodding her head toward Alex's music.

"Oh, yeah, ok. My bad. Here, I'll put on a playlist." Alex moves her mouse over to her Spotify playlists and scrolls down to the chosen one.

They both sit listening to the music, studying. Alex had chosen a playlist that would covertly let Piper know that she was into her. Would Piper pick up on this? If she was, she wasn't showing any signs that she was. The stress was driving her mad.

"I'm going to run to the restroom." Alex stood up, probably faster than she should have. "Be right back."

"Sure." Piper casually responded, not taking her eyes off the book.

Piper was having a very hard time concentrating on anything. Her mind was on Alex and only Alex. She had been sitting next to her for hours now, just the two of them, alone in a room that no one comes in and out of, and Alex hadn't shown any interest in her at all. All Piper could think of was all the scenarios playing out in her head.

Piper and Alex sitting at the computers, reading and studying their own notes, Piper turns, faces Alex, turns Alex around to face her, their eyes meet, and they are both so overwhelmed with passion for one another that their lips meet and Piper finally knows what those lips feel like against hers.

…or

Alex comes back in the room from her bathroom break, walks straight up to Piper, presses her up against the wall that she's sitting next to, and fiercely kisses her.

Alas… none of those happen. Alex comes back in and sits down at her seat preparing to study again. Alex gets up again, forgetting to close the door behind her and Piper sees an opportunity of playfulness appear – a chance to distract her over active sex drive at the moment.

"Guess what." Piper says with a smile.

"What?" Alex responds as she comes back to sit down.

"Floor." Piper says as she slowly slides the chair out from under Alex. Alex sees the chair slide out from under her, almost catches herself on it, but is too tired to respond fast enough, and falls straight on the floor.

Piper immediately regrets the decision as soon as it happened. She didn't want her to actually fall. Piper honestly thought she'd catch herself. Piper is beginning to apologize profusely, but Alex is laughing. Damn, that laugh. It steals Piper's heart every time. Piper was in love and there was nothing to do about it now.

Piper stuck out her hand to help Alex. Alex reached up and again, they felt that warmth between the two of them, but neither acknowledged it. When Alex was getting up, they laughed.

"I'm so sorry." Piper stutters out.

"It's no big deal. I don't even know why I fell. I saw it going, but didn't catch myself." Alex laughed.

Piper and Alex laughed it off and went back to studying. Well, Piper tried to study. She couldn't stop thinking about Alex. Her touch. Her mouth. Her hands. Everything about her. Piper wanted to know more.

Piper and Alex had a game that they'd use to pass time. It was similar to 20 questions, but didn't stop at 20. Nothing was off limits in their questions. Piper decided to ask a few more.

"What's your favorite feature about yourself?"

"My eyes." Alex responds without hesitation.

"Yeah? I don't think I've ever really looked at your eyes." Piper said casually. She knew she hadn't. She knew that if she did, she'd get lost in them. She knew that looking into the eyes of Alex would send her heart into a spiral that she would never be able to escape.

"Yeah. They're a pretty cool color."

"Here, look at me. Let me see."

Alex turned and Piper looked into the beautiful orbs or Alex's eyes. God, they were gorgeous. She wasn't lying. They were the most stunning eyes Piper had ever seen. Alex looked into Pipers eyes as Piper looked into hers. Alex had stolen glances at Piper's eyes in the past. She knew they were blue and beautiful, but now, looking directly into them, Alex couldn't imagine looking into anything more beautiful. Alex and Piper looked into each other's souls when they looked at each other. The connection was complete.

Piper was official drowning in a pool of Alex and she was completely ok with it as long as Alex felt the same. How the hell was she ever going to find out if Alex felt the same!?

Piper broke the intense look first.

"I'm going to go for a walk around the library. Like. Now." She didn't even try to hide the fact that she was shaken up. She couldn't. She knew she was in love with Alex. She just had to learn how to manage it and be friends with a straight girl.

Walking around the mostly empty library, Piper pulled out her phone. A gif. She had to send a gif. It had to be a good one. One that said I love you without actually saying those exact words. After searching for a minute, Piper knew exactly what she should send.

Piper: "Never fall in love with a straight girl. They'll fuck you up every time."

Read receipt from the text message… Alex read the message…

Author's notes:

Hey, the feedback on this story has blown me away. Thank you to everyone for your positive feedback and favorites. I had no idea that people would like the story when I posted it. I actually posted it for someone specifically, but I don't actually know if they'll ever read it. I'm glad others are liking it though. I'm not a writer, so there will be typos and grammar mistakes, but bear with it if you like the story. Enjoy the ride