Steve snickered as he watched his sister leave the check-out line in favour of looking over the movies, this had been going on for the past month and the gorgeous brunette behind the counter was one hundred and ten percent the reason. The brunette, Holly as her name tag provided, had started working evening and nights instead of the mornings and days like she did during the summer. During the summer Gail could avoid her almost entirely, the blonde refused to make the trip from the AC in the car to the AC in the store, -and that was when she got up before noon- but now that the weather was cooling down, there weren't any excuse. As big brother Steve would practically drag her to the store whenever there needed to be a run, but Gail always found a way to escape before it was their turn.

"Ooo, are we having people over?" Holly teased as she scanned and bagged the bag of snap peas.

"How do you know they aren't for me?" Steve smiled back.

"Because I have it on good authority that neither of you buy green things, especially on movie night."

"Rude. Maybe I should use another counter, the service over here is terrible." he mocked offence with a hand over his chest.

Holly laughed. "And yet you keep coming back."

Steve went to open his mouth but closed it quickly.

"That's what I thought" the brunette smirked. "That will be 30 bucks even."

He pulled out his card, "how much crap did Gail put in the cart?"

"Gail's here?" Holly's change in demeanor at the drop of his sisters name didn't go unnoticed and he smirked as an idea hit him.

It wasn't a one sided crush as Gail insisted it was, he'd seen them interact -the very few times he'd gotten the blonde to stay- and it would be embarrassing if it wasn't heart wrenchingly adorable. Gail would get all quiet and blushy and defensive, Holly would stuttered and avoided eye contact as much as possible. And the thing got got him the most was that neither of them could see it, so he decided to change it.

"Yeah she pulled out of the line to stare at the same movie title instead of making a fool of herself in front of you." Steve smiled at the deer-caught-in-headlights thing the brunette had going on.

"W-why would she do that?" she asked as she watched the receipt print.
"How about I give you her number and you can ask her" he didn't wait for an answer and just slid a piece of paper onto the conveyor belt and walked to the awkward blonde, bags in hand.

Holly stood there dumbfounded as she watched the siblings push each other with their shoulders, the smaller blonde looked angry. Gail probably saw the number he gave her and was upset, maybe she shouldn't text her. Yeah I probably shouldn't.

~
It'd been a week since he had given the number to the med student and he still hadn't gotten any excited Gail calls or texts. And Steve was certain he would have gotten something if Holly had talked to her. He normally would have brought it up with the blonde but knew if he did she'd break something of his, -whether that be a body part or a possession- especially if she wasn't floating in the air about talking to Holly. So it'd have to be the brunette he'd have to approach, which has brought him back at the store for movie night snacks.

"Dr. Stewart, how have you been feeling?" Steve asked in his best concerned doctor voice.

Holly smiled upon hearing the familiar voice. "I've been pretty well, thanks for asking Officer Peck. How've you been? It's been awhile since you last stocked up, I'm a tad concerned for your health."

"Well I figured if I didn't come in here that Gail would make the run but apparently she has friends scared enough to do it for her." He casually answered, peering up to see her reaction. Holly must have been working on controlling herself, she had a really good poker face going, and if he wasn't raised to be aware of these things he would have missed the split second of hesitation.

"Scared of her?"

"Oh man I totally forgot, you haven't seen the Gail everyone knows and fears"

Holly corked an eye brow. Steve straightened out his shirt, puffed out his chest and as if he was introducing boxers into a ring he stated. "My baby sister is known as the Ice Queen among her friends, she is not one to mess with, she can murder anyone with just one glare."

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Gail?"

Steve laughed and rolled his sleeve up higher, revealing a monstrous bruise. Holly's eyes bugged out a bit causing another round of laughter from the strawberry blond. "And that was only because I didn't pass her the cheese puffs the second she asked."

"The Gail you know would blow her friends minds. I honestly don't think they'd believe me if I told them the effect you have on her" he continued as he rifled through his wallet.

"And what affect would that be?"

"That you turn her into a regular teen girl. Nothing but a blushing fool who crushes from afar." he stated as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Which is why I've got to ask, why haven't I gotten an over the moon text from teen Gail?"

"I, uh. I just" she struggled to find words, the news of Gail blushing because of her had taken melted brain cell.

"I know, you two are very oblivious to what's happening, which is why I'm making the push because it's getting ridiculous." Steve winked. "So since her number did nothing and she's never coming in here to ask you out I will give you her work hours. Ok?"

Holly nodded.

"And you'll buck up and ask her out right?"

Another nod. As he gathered the bags of junk food Steve told her when and where Gail worked, only leaving when Holly promised she have talked to Gail sometime within the week. Otherwise she'd be paying for the next movie night and he'd be dragging the brunette over to join.

"Dov, I'm not doing that."

The lanky man groaned something that she didn't quite catch and Gail replied with a swift smack across the side of his head. Holly stifled a laugh, -Steve was right about her not knowing Gail- the blonde hadn't noticed her yet and she wanted to keep it that way, well at least until she was closer to the counter. She was sure she wouldn't be able to move if Gail paid any attention to her before it was her turn.

It'd been three days since she had seen Steve, five minutes since she'd last talk to him, and the pep talk he gave her was starting to wear off. Holly mentally cursed this Dov guy, he was holding up the line and she was loosing the little confidence she had. A man yelled next and with a quick glance she found he was looking right at her.

Holly stumbled over to the balding man, who welcomed her with a warm fatherly smile. "What can I get ya, darlin?"

She glanced at Gail quickly. "I, um, I haven't decided yet" it came out more like a question than a statement and Holly cringed.

"Here to see Gail?" Oliver gave her a knowing smile.

Holly hesitated but nodded, looking to her feet to hide the heat on her cheeks.
"I'll tell you what, how about I take your order, tell her I'm going to the bathroom and she'll have to fill it out." Oliver -as the tag on his shirt said- winked.

"You don't have to, it's reall-" but she was cut off by a roar of laughter coming from her right -Dov and a few others- that was cut short by an icy glare from the blonde.
"There's no use in trying to change my mind, Steve asked me to make sure this happens and I am fully behind it. So what would you like Holly?"

She was stunned for all of two seconds, of course Steve would have backup. So she ordered a coffee and doughnut and stood off to the side to wait. And as discussed Oliver leaned over to Gail, said something that caused her to frown and he disappeared into the back. Holly kept her head down, telling herself she was super interested in the pastries on display and not at all starting to freak out.

The soft mumbled voice she'd come to know called out her order in a more commanding I'm-so-done-with-this-day voice, it was interesting to say the least.
Holly took one last deep breath and stepped forward, catching the blue eyes she'd been dreaming about for months and everything she'd prepared to say dissipated as pink stained Gail's fair skin.

"Holly, h-hey"

"Hey"

Gail set the coffee on the counter close to the brunette. "Hey."

Holly smiled, "you said that already."

She looked down, almost like she was berating herself. "You know it sounded familiar."

They were silent for a minute, both avoiding eye contact but neither making a move to leave. Holly noticed the table closest to the counter, the one Dov and presumably the rest of Gail's friends sat, was quiet. Some were looking and the others leaned in as close as they could, all waiting in anticipation for the unknown.

"Your friends aren't very subtle are they?" Holly smirked.

Gail stood straight up, glancing at Holly before turning around and pointing to the table of subject. "How any of you think you are going to be detectives, let alone cops is beyond me." she snarled. Then added a growled 'butt out' and turned back to the brunette.

"What else did you order?"

"A doughnut. Surprise me with whatever kind." Holly smiled. She was starting to feel a bit more confident, this was the first time she'd seen the blonde since Steve told her about the 'Holly affect' -as he put it- and she could see what he was talking about. It quelled -most of- her fears. Holly watched as Gail raked over the doughnut selection, and she was not checking her out while doing so. Definitely not, what so ever.

"So did Steven send you or is this a coincidence?"

"He didn't send me per se." Holly started rocking from her heels to the tip on her toes.

Gail looked her over questionably. "Per se?"

"This was the only way I could talk to you"

"You, you wanted to talk to me?" Gail's cheeks set ablaze as she wrapped the chosen doughnut.

Well there goes the confidence.

"Yes… I wanted-um, I was wondering i-if you wanted to go out.. sometime."Holly stuttered. At this point she was happy she even got the words out, her palms felt like they were dripping sweat and all she could hear was her heartbeat. And by the look in Gail's beautiful face she was going through the same motions.
"Does Thursday work for you?"

Holly nodded quickly, she was supposed to work that night but that didn't matter, right now all she could think about was how she was going on a date with Gail.

Gail giggled, "I have to get back to work. This has put a huge dent in my rep, and I'm probably never going to hear the end of this" Holly dropped her gaze to her shoes.

Holly's chin was lifted by a single pale finger and was faced with a grin the took her breath away. "But,I'm really glad you dropped by."

With her hands planted firmly on the counter between them and nothing but desire driving her, Holly leaned in and brushed her lips against Gail's ever so slightly. "I'll see you later lover girl."

And as quick as the kiss lasted, she was gone, leaving behind a paralyzed -with every nerve on fire- blonde and her howling friends.