It's by complete happenstance that Emma's pencil case starts hemorrhaging when Lily passes. She wishes she was that smooth.

Being the sweetheart she is, Lily sets her lunch aside to help staunch the river of pens, harmonizing Emma's flustered laugh and apologies with her own laughter and kind rebuttals. Her hair dye's fading into blonde highlights in her dark brown hair, and her pink lipstick glitters.

She is. So damn pretty, inside and out. Having her as a classmate always feels like a privilege. Ugh, Emma's such a mess.

Shit, she's about to walk away! Um. Um―

"Do we have to read anything for Frawley's class? Uh, the bearded one."

They only have the one Frawley brother for their shared class. Who is in a completely different department from Dr. Jacob Frawley's magiobiology. And she could have just said Professor Frawley instead.

Mess, mess, mess.

"Oh, we just have to finish the book and do the discussion board," Lily replies. She's wearing a leather jacket over a floral blouse. Her skinny jeans highlight her legs.

Can legs be attractive? Emma's sure she's heard that somewhere.

"Okay, thanks," she says lamely.

Lily smiles beatifically and says goodbye.

Emma sighs, taking out her assignment book. Professor Frawley's assignment smirks at her.

She doesn't love Lily. That's way too hasty. But if they were on an elementary school playground, she'd say she like-likes her. Beyond Lily's whiskey brown eyes and lovely laugh, there's a poetic soul that shines sensually when she reads aloud in class. With that is an inherent goodness, bonded with humor and nerdy stickers. She's shaped by dark circles under her eyes and scars on her arms, but Emma doesn't believe they wholly define her―that is, Lily doesn't give the impression that she lets them. Maybe she does, secretly. But Emma's not close enough to guess.

She wants to be close enough. Is that creepy? Sounds creepy in her head. Point is, Lily isn't perfect, and Emma is far from perfect for her. But damn if Emma doesn't want to remind her every day that she deserves to be cared for, to be treated right.

Emma sighs again. Glances around the cafeteria, finding Lily easily. She's on her laptop, alone at a small table. A tiny splash of color in a chaotic canvas of rainbows, but a glimmering one.

Emma's romanticizing her. That's what you do when you have a crush. She wants to see her, though, wants to see Lily Craft as she is. But she probably won't.

Emma bites her lip, wrinkles her nose. Her dad cautions her over and over about her defeatist attitude.

It's Valentine's Day. Her meds are working well, lifting her depression just enough for her to peek at other possibilities. In the front pocket of her backpack is a blushing Hershey's bar bought with shifting feet and a pounding heart. Emma sucks in a breath and huffs it out. If nothing else, it'll brighten Lily's day, even though she'll most likely see it as a platonic gift. It's as Emma said: she deserves to be reminded of how awesome she is.

Fuck it, Emma thinks, snatching the candy.

Fuck it, Emma thinks, bolting from her seat.

Fuck. It, Emma thinks, marching to Lily's table.

"Hey," she says hurriedly, "Uh."

Lily's smiling at her.

"Um. Here!" Emma presents her pathetic offering. "Ha―" clearing her throat, "Happy Valentine's Day!"

Lily blinks, shaking her head minutely in surprise. "Oh my gosh, thank you!"

She takes the chocolate, smile returning twice as bright. She's so beautiful.

Emma's mouth opens, overriding her brain. "I just think you're an amazing person, and you probably already have an s-o, but you're just―really awesome, as like, a person, and I just―I just think you should know that you have a beautiful face and a beautiful soul, and your analyses on Star Wars are always really spot on."

Ho. Ly. Fuck.

Lily's gaping. "Oh my gosh. Wow. Thank you so much."

Emma barks a nervous laugh and squeaks, "See you in class!"

"Wait!"

Emma's cheeks are pulsing, her heart is beating so hard. "Mhm?"

Lily stands, holding the candy over her stomach.

She kisses Emma's cheek and takes a Reese's from her pocket.

Emma mutters a hoarse "guh?"

"I honestly wasn't sure if I could give this to you," Lily says quietly, eyes averted. "You're, uh, pretty awesome yourself. And I don't have a partner."

Is Emma in a book or something? Because this doesn't happen. Willing her hands to stop shaking, she takes the candy like a thief with a gold ingot.

Does this mean―can she―?

Well. Fuck it again.

Emma gives Lily's cheek a stuttering kiss back. Lily giggles.

When they kiss properly, a nearby table cheers.