Closed Say What You Mean

[Sydney Townsend]

If she thought about, Sydney couldn't exactly say that Emily had been sending her mixed messages this year. It was more that Sydney just refused to believe it. She'd been the butt of enough jokes before, fake roses, gossip, idiotic Gryffindor heckling, that she was on her guard the minute anyone even inferred they might have feelings for her. Even people she was arguably friends with. But Emily had sent her a pink rose. Sydney couldn't pretend she was joking anymore, not really. And if it was a joke, then the sooner Sydney was sure, the sooner she could burn the stupid rose and get back to focusing on more important things than pretty Ravenclaws with macabre taste in books.

"You sent me this?" Sydney said, dropping the rose on the table in front of Emily. It had meant to be an accusation, but it came out more as a question as Sydney tried to read Emily's face before she responded, wondering if she was actually afraid about what the other girl would say before dismissing the idea as silly.

 

[Emily Hastings]

Emily was in the middle of reading a new horror novel she had found when a rose appeared in the pages. She raised a brow and looked up, smiling a bit. She propped her chin in her hand and looked up to Sydney. "I did. I suppose it was my last attempt. I haven't been exactly subtle." She replied easily. "The next question would probably be what you think of it." She countered, trying to ignore the nervousness that crept up her spine or the way her heart twisted.

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Sydney scrunched up her face, annoyed when Emily kept saying weird things. Surely she was being obtuse on purpose now. "Subtle about what?" Sydney asked, agitated. Emily kept making it seem like she might be... Infatuated with her somehow, but the idea seemed so far-fetched that Sydney refused to believe unless she had concrete proof. She still wasn't totally convinced the pink rose was a mistake. Or a joke. "I don't know what to think," she said huffily, crossing her arms. "People don't send me pink roses. Not unless they're making fun of me. As if anyone in this school has any sense of humour," she muttered, thinking of the red rose from Michael.

 

[Emily Hastings]

Emily quirked a brow, and stood. "I suppose we have different ideas of subtle," Emily leaned both hands on the table and gave Sydney a smile. "I like you, Sydney. You're intelligent, you're beautiful, and you're strong." She ran a hand through her hair, feeling oddly nervous and trying to hide it. "I would like to date you." She told Sydney with an almost shy smile.

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Sydney was already on guard when Emily stood up, willing herself not to flinch while she waited for Emily to explain herself. It was a testament to her higher opinion of Emily that Sydney didn't immediately bristle at Emily's little comment about subtly, though Sydney wouldn't deny the slew of compliments that followed it helped. Even if it also succeeded in making Sydney feel more suspicious, despite the heat rushing to her face.

Sydney's eyes dropped back to the pink rose when Emily asked her out, annoyed that for once she felt lost for words. She'd refused to allow herself to believe that was what Emily had been hinting at all year, and now it was in front of her Sydney was still struggling to believe it. "I'm not a good girlfriend," she blurted out. It wasn't a warning. More a statement of fact. "I don't do dances or date nights or- couple-y stuff. But. If you want to read together or complain about idiots in class or.. Kiss and stuff," Sydney furrowed her brow, wishing her usual verbosity hadn't abandoned her in her time of need. "That might be.. Nice." She finally looked back up at Emily, taking a deep breath and uncrossing her arms.

 

[Emily Hastings]

Emily smiled softly. Sydney wasn't rejecting the idea, at least. "Correction. You aren't the typical girlfriend." She reached out for Sydney's hand. "Dances and typical couple-y things aren't that appealing. Reading and talking is most definitely a good idea," She chuckled, leaning in a bit. She placed both hands on the table. "You haven't told me how you feel, though. I would very much like to kiss you now. Would you like that, too?" She asked, looking up to Sydney through her lashes.

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Sydney opened her mouth to argue, the knee jerk reaction to Emily correcting her, before she processed what she had said and closed it with a click. She shrugged a few times instead, trying ignore the warm feeing in her face while Emily breezed through all Sydney's warnings, sure she was scowling with the intensity of how hard she was listening.

"I-" Sydney started, frowning even harder at Emily's question. She didn't know how she felt, honestly. But she didn't want Emily to know that. Emily was pretty, she was clever, she didn't care about what other idiots thought about her. All things Sydney liked. She'd just never put it together in that way. Or never allowed herself to. "Okay," she settled on finally, straightening her shoulders and leaning forward to kiss Emily gently. She felt oddly exposed, doing this here in the library, even though she knew 99% of the student body was down in the Great Hall right now. She tried to remember what Nell had said, about kissing not being such a big deal, but it felt different this time. Sydney liked Emily. She liked spending time with Emily. And just leaning forward to kiss her felt like she was stepping across some great gap she'd been ignoring for so long. "That was.. Alright," she said gruffly, pulling back somewhat reluctantly, her face burning. "Right? That was okay?"

 

[Emily Hastings]

Emily smiled, amused by Sydney's skepticism. She leaned forward when the other girl did, kissing her gently in return. Her heart fluttered in her chest. She sighed softly, smiling a bit dreamily as Sydney pulled back. "Well, it's my first kiss," she admitted slowly. "But I very much enjoyed it." She took in a breath before looking back up to Sydney. Without thinking, she reached out to brush Sydney's hair back. "So... we've kissed. Would you be interested in being girlfriends?" She asked, just jumping right to the point. She was realizing Sydney was a very straight forward person.

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Sydney didn't quite know what to say to Emily, just nodding vaguely. She'd asked Emily to say what she meant, but she herself wasn't really ready for this level of honestly. It wasn't like she expected Emily to suddenly turn around and laugh at her or reveal it was all a joke, but Sydney still couldn't shake the fear that it still might happen anyway. "Good," she eventually said instead, clearing her throat and hoping her face wasn't as red as it felt.

Emily's next question was just as direct, and she appreciated it even if it made her stomach swoop. Dating was something Sydney always just assumed other people did. She'd told herself she didn't have time for it. And that everyone else was too stupid or vapid anyway. But Emily wasn't either of those things. So maybe it would be okay. "If you're sure you want to," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Then yes. But I'm still not going to the dance tonight," she added hastily, trying to regain her usual composure to hide behind.

 

[Emily Hastings]

Emily gave Sydney a warm smile. "Absolutely sure," she promised. She actually laughed as Sydney said she wasn't going to the dance. "I wasn't planning to ask," she reassured the other girl. "I actually have a better idea. I've got a new book and some snacks. Wanna find somewhere comfy to curl up and read with me for a bit?" She asked, giving Emily her best smile.