She took a deep breath and felt the weight of Gail’s stare, ”But I said we were having fun because I was afraid to tell you the whole truth…”

She closed her eyes briefly to collect her courage before reaching out to touch the side of Gail’s face.

”I have missed you so much!” She whispered, ”And I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

”You don’t?” Gail asked softly.

”No. I don’t.” Holly could feel herself shaking. ”I don’t because… well… because I’m afraid I’ve fallen in love with you.” She had to look away, to look anywhere but at Gail.

”You have?” Came the barely audible reply.

”Yeah. I have.” Holly could feel the tears starting to form as an aching pressure behind her eyes.

Suddenly Gail’s hands were cradling her face, and Gail’s lips were crashing into hers in a desperate, searing kiss, which stopped as abruptly as it began. Gail pulled away blushing.

”I’m sorry.” Gail said shyly, ”We shouldn’t be doing that.”

Holly felt her heart start to sink again.

”I mean, I don’t want to make you sick too!” She added quickly as she saw the disappointment on Holly’s face.

”Oh.” A grin began to spread across Holly’s lips.

”Holly.” Her eyes were soft, and vulnerable, and the color of the blue sky at dawn.

”Yes Gail.”

”I’m sorry I ran. I wanted to tell you, and then I overheard you talking with your friends. And it made me sad because, you see, I never thought you thought I was unintelligent, I never thought you only liked me because of the way I look, I never thought I was falling in love by myself… until then.” Gail sighed and closed her eyes against the pain, ” Until then I thought I could see a better version of myself reflected in your eyes, and it made me want to be that person for you Holly.”

”You were falling in love?” Holly gaped.

”Yes.”

”With me?” She whispered, overwhelmed by emotion at the thought that Gail might be as serious about her as she was about Gail.

”Yes.” Gail said softly.

”And you still love me?” Holly’s heart was beating wildly against her ribs.

”Yes.”

”Good.” Holly whispered back, her fingertips ghosting along the underside of Gail’s jaw, their foreheads barely touching.