"You're being such a party pooper," Meg complained to Rosie, folding her arms over her chest. "You promised..."
"I promised I'd come, I said nothing about having fun," Rosie countered with her sullen expression firmly in place.
Meg pouted. "Come on," she whined. "Just one dance?"
"No," she said firmly. "I don't feel like dancing."
Meg's patience was quickly running out. "For fuck's sake, Ro! Can't you ignore her for one night to have fun with me? I don't think I'm asking a lot here..."
Rosie glanced over her shoulder at Alex who was one of the teachers chaperoning the dance. She wore a simple black dress that clung to every curve and all Rosie could think about was what she was wearing underneath it...
Meg was well acquainted with the expression she wore. She audibly scoffed, stamping her foot in frustration. "Rosie, for fuck's sake! You are ruining this night by pathetically mooning over her!"
"I didn't even want to come tonight, you're the one who begged me to show up and I did. I told you you'd have more fun without me, so if you're not enjoying it, that's a you problem."
"You know what?" Meg said with a huff. "Why don't you just leave? Stop ruining everyone's good mood and go home!"
Rosie glowered. "Well, I would, but I'm your ride home and I'm too good a friend to leave you here," she said snidely, implying quite heavily that Meg was being a bad friend at the moment.
Meg huffed again, looking close to tears in her anger. "Rosie, I am asking you as your friend," she said through gritted teeth to keep her voice from quavering, "Get the pole out of your ass and have fun for once!"
"Fuck off," Rosie snapped. She stood suddenly and, grabbing her clutch off the table, she marched out of the gymnasium turned ballroom. She made it down the hallway and nearly to her locker before she broke down in tears. She collapsed back against the wall, burying her face in her hands, sobbing noisily.
Which is why she didn't hear the approaching click of heels, only looking up when she heard Alex murmur, "Are you alright, Rosie?" Her voice was so full of compassion and tenderness that it nearly made Rosie swoon.
She opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a little hiccup, a sniffle.
"You and Miss Callahan are having a disagreement?" she guessed.
Rosie nodded. "Kinda," she said with a little shrug.
Alex nodded. "You don't seem to be having a very good time tonight," she observed. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Before she knew she was going to speak, Rosie blurted out, "I have a crush on someone and we couldn't be seen together tonight... I just...really wanted to spend the night with her."
Alex raised a brow at the unexpected admission. "The school is more progressive than you might think," she said.
"What?" Rosie asked incredulously, not sure she'd heard correctly.
"Of same gender relationships," she clarified. "I know how hard it is to be in high school, but your generation is much more accepting of alternative relationships."
Rosie blinked in surprise. Was Alex implying what she thought she was?
Alex reached up as if to cup her cheek and Rosie felt her heart hammering in chest so hard it was surely audible. This was it! She was going to kiss her!
Then, Alex tucked her hair behind her ear and Rosie felt her racing thoughts come to a screeching halt.
"Thank you, Rosie," she murmured.
"F-for what?"
"For trusting me enough to tell me," she explained. "Your secret is safe with me."
Rosie attempted a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks, Ms. Miller," she said weakly.
Alex rested a gentle hand on her upper arm in comfort. "Why don't you get back in there and try to enjoy yourself a little, okay?"
Rosie shrugged, but nodded anyway. She was pretty sure there was no way she was going to enjoy herself after the roller coaster of hope and disappointment Alex had just sent her on, but she could hardly say that out loud, so she mumbled a sullen thank you and made her way back the gym feeling, if possible, worse than before.
As Rosie stalked back to the gym, Alex felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. When she opened the text, it said, "Meet me in the parking lot."
When Alex emerged from the school into the teacher's parking lot, it was to find Emily leaning against her car, looking so fucking sexy in her suit that Alex had to bite her lip to keep from moaning. "What are you doing here?" she asked, glancing back over her shoulder to ensure that no one had followed her.
Emily grinned, pushing off the car to cross the parking lot, so she could reach for her hands. When Alex interlaced their fingers, Emily pulled her into her body and stole a kiss. "I figured I owe you a dance."
Alex raised a brow. "Do you now?" She was trying very hard not to smile too brightly over the fact that Emily had dressed up and come all this way just so they could share a few stolen moments of tenderness.
"Mm-hmm. I think it's kind of cheesy and romantic, you know: the two of us out here under the moonlight dancing together..."
"Who says I like cheesy and romantic?" Alex countered playfully.
Emily laughed as she wrapped an arm around her hips and started swaying to music spilling from the car stereo through the open window. "I figured it out from the way you cry every time we watch the episode of The Office where Pam and Jim get married."
"Okay, fine," she conceded, "I may be a little soft-hearted, but it's just because I love you so much." She wrapped an arm around Emily's neck, swaying with her. "But what if someone sees us?"
Emily tenderly brushed her nose against Alex's before kissing her. "Let them see."