"I love you…"

The water trickled past the like low music. Akiko buried her face into the mess of short red hair in front of her. Her arms were wrapped around the Angel's waist and she snuggled against the warmth that seemed to radiate from her.
There was no answer from the Angel, no sign she was even alive other than the sound of her breathing. Akiko rested her ear against the other girl's back, listening to the comforting sound of her heartbeat.

She sighed happily.

"Akiko! Stop the dreaming!" Her mother snapped her finger in front of her daughter's face. "What's with you lately? All you do is sit an' stare!"

"Ma…"

"Don't look at me that way! Your Auntie Kai is coming here in a few weeks, what I supposed to tell her when she asked if you getting married soon?! Hmmm?"

"Ma! You tell her what you always tell her, you tell her I'll never get married so long as I live."

Akiko's mother began piling food into her daughter's plate until it look like a small mountain.

"I can't tell her that! She go back and tell all her friends I have a worthless daughter! I not facing those women again. No…not 'til you married."

"You must be having a laugh."

"No! You get a boyfriend…or a girlfriend…something! Just get them before your aunt get's here." She sat down with a thump and gave her daughter a cold glare.

It was returned as Akiko tried to find some answer that would justify herself. She gave a moment later and stuffed her mouth full of food, returning her mother's glare.

"I love you…"

Marcia felt her heart speed up at the words. Could she answer that? She wanted to say 'I love you too', yet she had never even seen the girl's face.
She wanted to now…this dream was so much different than the others. Marcia could feel the girl's arms around her waist, her face pressed against her back and her breath sending shivers through her.
The girl sighed, Marcia opened her mouth to speak…

"I love…."

Marcia's eyes went wide at the realization she'd just spoken aloud. She closed her mouth slowly, eyes shifting to look directly at her Teacher.
He was staring at her, arms folded, eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"You love what, Miss Montale? Or should I ask who?"

"I….I…." Marcia found feel her face turning red as she tried to come up with some way to get out of the situation she currently found herself in. "Love …the….subject you …were just …discussing?"

"The Salem Witch Trails?"

"Why…yes…it's a very, uhm, thought provoking subject…"

"I'm sure…why don't you share your particular thoughts with us in a 2,000 word essay on Monday."

Marcia slumped and swallowed the large lump that had formed in her throat. If this didn't stop soon ever teacher would be out for her blood and it wasn't as if she didn't have enough homework as it was. At this moment she could kill that girl if she ever saw her face to face. If she could resist from kissing her first.

Kissing her…that'd be nice. Her lips were so soft on her back, she could only imagine how wonderful they would feel against her on.

She rested her head on her hand, a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Miss Montale."

Marcia started, sitting up straighter, "Yes?"

"Just making sure you were still with us…"

She snarled slightly as he turned back to his desk and started flipping through the textbook.

"What's with you?"

"Nothing." Marcia tried to bury her face into Midsummer Night's Dream and hide from Ginger as she spoke.

"You sure? Somethin' happen with you and your brother? 'Cause if he's beatin' on you or doin' drugs or something you better tell me."

"Gin!" Marcia dropped the book to stare, amazed, at her friend. "You'd love that wouldn't you? Then you could pretend you were in one of those shows on telly you love so much."

Ginger looked slightly offended, "I'm just tryin' ta make sure you're takin' care of!"

"And get a little drama in on the side…"

"Wouldn't hurt."

Marcia laughed slightly and turned back to her book. Ginger fidgeted and began playing with one of the large silver hoop earrings she wore.

"Seriously," Ginger coughed slightly, "What's going on?"

"You can't stand any type of silence can you?" Marcia didn't look up from the book.

"No not really…"

"You wouldn't understand it anyway."

"Yes I would!"

"You'd think I was crazy…"

"When you bit Mrs. Arglow's dog I didn't say you were crazy."

"It bit me first!"

"Not the point…"

Marcia grumbled and slammed the book down on the table, "Tha's what the shrink said too…"

Ginger giggled, raising a thin eyebrow at her friend, "Don't change the subject."

"Too late. I gotta get to the café." She began stuffing her things into the worn messenger in the seat beside her.

Ginger jumped to her feet, the chair threatening to turn over with the force she'd thrown it back.

"Ooooh no you don't!" She grabbed for the back of Marcia's shirt as the taller girl made a mad dash for the door.

"I'll tell Sunday!" Marcia called over her shoulder before the heavy metal door slammed shut behind her.