The glance was enough to make her melt. The cutest girl in class seemed so far beyond her reach except in the fantasies she clung to between the sheets of her pink bedspread. Thoughts of gentle kisses and the girl's soft smile had filled many an evening, and now that look had been pointed in her direction.

As she sat down to lunch at her usual solitary table, she allowed her thoughts to wander into and out of her daily fantasies, all the while desperately hoping that no one would notice the glow emanating from her flushed cheeks. The fork in her hand twirled through the food in front of her, one hunger being replaced with another a little lower on her curvy torso.

The cacophony of the large room masked the approaching footsteps behind her, making her jump when a second tray clattered onto the table next to her own. One long, slender, smooth leg stepped over the bench, the girl's lustful eyes uncontrollably following it's path. When her gaze finally lifted up past the hemmed skirt and graphic tee, she noticed a wry grin on the cutest face on the class, making her already red cheeks even more crimson with a thick blush.

While the volume and chaos of the room did not change, all she could hear was the pounding of her own heartbeat and the silence that hung between them. She opened her mouth, the dryness making her tongue feel sluggish and uncoordinated as she attempted to say something, anything.

As if reading her mind, the other girl brushed aside one of her long red bangs and gave another knowing smile. She knew what the awkwardness meant and had known since the moment the shy girl had first returned her glance. This was one of the fun parts she had learned to enjoy, slowly drawing another out of the shackles of the cave of societally imprinted heteronormativity and into the light of possibility.

As her shy gaze travelled back down the cute girl's body, her eyes fell upon one slender hand slowly shifting away from the table and across the gap to hold her own trembling hand. Their eyes locked once more, fear in one pair of eyes and calm confidence in the other. The moment seemed to last an eternity, all thoughts of food or other people in the room fading into the background.

With an effort akin to wrestling an elephant, she swallowed her shyness and spoke the first word that she hoped would lead to so much more: "Hello." Her hope turned to surprise when the hand holding hers squeezed gently, words gentle and soft accompanying them. "I have been waiting to hear you say that to me. It's about time."

(shoutouts to @Droidgirl for the idea and for being so welcoming. thank you :3 )