Waiting Game (tags Sloane)

[Maysan Paghishetsi]

May usually threw on a t-shirt and shorts over her leotard when she went to dance class, but today was different; today she had a date. She'd never been on a date before, and she wasn't sure if she was more nervous or excited. She wasn't even sure what she thought of Sloane, except that the other girl was far more extroverted and courageous. She would never have dared classify an outing as a date, but Sloane had just outright stated that's what she wanted. In any event, May had felt the need to bring a mid-length skirt and long-sleeved blouse and pumps to dance with her, and as soon as class was over she had rushed to change and had returned to the classroom to borrow the mirrors to fix hair and make up as quickly as she could before the next class began.

There was a hole-in-the-wall burger joint within walking distance of the studio, which was where she had suggested to Sloane -- via text before school got out -- and she made her way briskly over, clutching her purse to her like a lifeline. Even if she wasn't sure how she felt about Sloane, she still wanted to make a good impression! She didn't want to screw up her first date; there weren't that many other lesbians around, after all. At least, she didn't know of any. A tiny voice in the back of her head told her that she did not have to date another girl just because she was the only other lesbian she knew, but she told that voice to shut up, she wanted to go on a date at least once in her life, and as much as she tried to be selfless and progressive she was still a teenager with a sense that all of life ended when one graduated high school, and that if she hadn't had a date by the time she left for college she would die an old maid. How depressing.

She stepped into Burger Bill's, scanning the tiny room for any indication that Sloane had arrived before her. Her heart was hammering furiously in her chest; she couldn't believe she was so nervous over a date with someone she barely knew! The host asked how many, and she nervously squeaked out that she was meeting someone and wasn't sure if her friend had arrived yet. "I'd like to wait for her here..." She added, glancing towards the door.

[Sloane Taylor]

Choosing what to wear carefully so she wouldn't be overdressed for a burger joint nor would she be underdressed for Nolan, Sloane settled for a pair of white ballet flats that came with attached lace ribbons, a black lace trimmed spaghetti strap tank top with a soft pink tiered skirt that swished nicely everytime she moved. Complimenting the outfit with a black half cardigan, she exited her house with a few final brushes of her half ponytail. Driving the Lincoln to where May texted her to go, Sloane was pretty much in a good mood. And with good reason. Jayson Michaels had been exceptionally flirtatious, reminding her of why she had loved being single, Nolan was finally halfway passed through - she only needed to seal the deal, which won't take long if she dealt her cards right - and now she was going to have a date with a beautifully exotic dancer. Nothing could really top this. Not by a long shot.

Parking near Burger Bill's, Sloane checked her hair and make-up and smiled when everything seemed to be in perfect order. As she got out of the car, she spotted May looking prettier than she remembered in school. A smile flitted across her face and she locked the door. Checking the road for cars, Sloane crossed and waved at May to get her attention. "Hey, sorry if I'm late. Wardrobe malfunction." She chuckled when she finally stepped up to the curb. She placed a hand on May's arm before pressing their cheeks against each other on both sides, lingering a bit on the last press. "So glad you decided to come. You look great by the way. Shall we get in?" Sloane pressed a hand on the small of May's back before ushering her in. The place was quaint and tiny but it was perfect for a burger. And she wanted a burger real badly. This afternoon's with Nolan wasn't so bad but somehow it didn't satisfy her craving.

After being seated, Sloane beat the urge to run her fingers through her hair as per habit. She looked at May with a smile. "How was class?" she asked, mildly interested. She had to start the conversation since she didn't think May was much of a talker. She looked too shy for her own good. Which was a shame since if she had just enough courage, she could give Sloane a run for her money. She already had the looks and the body. She was even a cheerleader for Heaven's sake. She should have been able to get her pick of guys. But Sloane supposed it was for the best. Because now she was the one having dinner with May. So all was good.

[Maysan Paghishetsi]

May folded her hands in her lap, trying to look as though she had more confidence than she really felt. "Class went well," She replied quietly, "Our teacher is a little crazy, though, if not enough people remember the choreography then he'll completely change it. It's so difficult to remember what it's supposed to be when he does that, especially if you miss a week. I don't know how he thinks we're going to be able to perform this for recital." She explained. Not all the teachers were as insane as Mr. Paulk; May knew some of the parents had complained about some of the risque moves he was trying to teach the elementary level classes. She doubted he would last beyond this year and she didn't think anyone would be too sorry to see the back of him. He was a great dancer, to be sure, but his people skills were lacking.

She scanned the menu, trying to decide what she ought to order. She wasn't normally a hamburger type of gal, but it was what Sloane had requested so she had obligingly found a hamburger joint. She wondered how the salads were, but somehow she doubted that Burger Bill was known for having the freshest vegetables. Ah, well, she could always just try the grilled chicken sandwich and hope for the best.

"How was your evening?" She returned once she had settled on her order. She didn't know what Sloane had been up to while she was at class, so it was only polite to ask. "Do anything fun? Catch up on homework?" That was what she planned on doing after dinner; she couldn't stand waiting until the morning to finish, which she knew was the habit of many of her peers.

[Sloane Taylor]

Hearing May's description of her dance teacher made Sloane smile a little. So the girl can say a lot more than Sloane expected. Which is good. Very good.

"I should come by one of your recitals. I have never seen you dance before...apart from cheers but even then, I have to say I'm not really paying attention." Sloane chuckled before signaling the waitress.

"I'll have the double cheeseburger with extra cheese and pickles, hold the onions and tomato sauce. Add a bit more mustard. And one strawberry milkshake." She waited for May to order her own food and smiled. The girl obviously watched her weight, unlike Sloane. No wonder May's body was rock solid. Then again, Sloane never had any problems with bingeing because she knew she had enough willpower to shed those excessive weight off with her cardio exercising and running.

May's question brought up a smirk in replacement of her smile. Her evening was interesting, at least to her it was. But she wasn't going to divulge any information obviously. Who would want to listen to her explicit flirtation with Jayson Michaels? Well...maybe Tyler would. He does appreciate a bit of conniving and deceit. And of course the sexual tension. But this was May. Sloane had a feeling the dancer couldn't even think about another girl in any sexual way without blushing and trying to get the image out of her head. Then again, she was with Sloane...so hopefully it meant something good.

"My evening started out quite dull," apart from that encounter. "But I'm starting to find it a lot more fascinating." She purposely looked at May, adjusting her smirk into a soft smile. She was tempted to throw in a cheesy line like "Maybe it's because I'm with you." but she knew it wouldn't go over quite as well with May than with any other girl or boy.
"Homework? I don't...do homework at home." Sloane's grades were mediocre at best. She only kept it up so she could continue on with track. So homework was never on top of her list. She usually did it the morning before she was supposed to hand it in. And most of the time, she scraped by just fine. "And I hardly think fun and homework should ever be in the same sentence." She chuckled slightly.

"So, May...tell me about yourself. You're not...originally from LA, are you?"

[Maysan Paghishetsi]

"If you want to come, sure, recital isn't until June. I'll remind you when it's closer to the date," May offered, excited to have anyone other than her family in the audience this year. Generally her fellow cheerleaders also took dance classes, so if they were at the same studio they were certainly not going to be in the audience, and if they weren't at the same studio they were too busy preparing for their own recitals to attend one somewhere else.

She tried unsuccessfully to mask her disappointment at learning of Sloane's slackerdom, but she only managed to muster a small, "Oh." in response. She had expected more of the other girl; after all, she was friends with Bree so she ought to have tried at least a little bit. Fortunately, her attention was diverted from Sloane's sad lack by the question of her origins.

"You can tell?" She sighed; she'd tried so hard to assimilate, and she'd been an American citizen for ten years already, surely she should have done a good job blending in? "My family's from Armenia." She explained, deciding not to go into the whole Nagorno-Karabakh Republic debacle. Nobody except the NKR recognized the NKR as an entity seperate from Armenia, and she didn't feel like explaining that. "We moved here when I was seven."

[Sloane Taylor]

Sloane smiled and nodded at the mention of a later encounter. She wasn't much of a planner but she had to make an effort. She wanted to blame Nolan for changing that part of her. Making plans just wasn't her thing until Nolan practically forced it down her throat. Then again, Sloane knew she was being unfair to the boy. She could have said no the first time but she didn't. She supposed she was changing on her own accord. "I'll be sure to come. You have my number." Sloane reminded May.

May's disappointment didn't go unnoticed by Sloane even with the arrival of their food. She didn't understand why people struggled with homework since she found them easily done at the last minute. But May was probably like Bree, doing things the moment they were assigned. She didn't mind being nagged by Bree about it since the girl knew all her mutterings fell on deaf ears. She smiled up at the waitress before turning to her burger. "Holy beef..." Sloane grinned and looked at May. "Bon apetite." She said before picking her burger and biting into it, a small moan of pleasure escaped her throat as she chewed.

As she chewed, she mulled over May's question. As far as she could tell, not a lot of girls she knew had the same exotically enticing look May had. Although she acted and dressed exactly like the other girls in cheer, there was no doubt she looked very different from them. And true enough, May was from Armenia. So obviously her parents were not white. "I could only tell from your looks. They're exquisite, I have to say. Unbelievable cheekbones, facial structure... You just don't look like a Yank." Sloane grinned before biting into her burger once more, again giving out the same moan of pleasure from before. "Damn this is one good burger."

[Maysan Paghishetsi]

May wasn't sure if not looking like a yank were a compliment or not. Exquisite was certainly a compliment, but she so much wished she could be one of those willowy blonde types that seemed to make up so much of the school. She didn't want that badly enough to dye her hair -- she had tried on a blonde wig once, and it had looked nothing short of abominal -- but she was still envious of the appearances of her peers. "Thank you," She responded, picking up her sandwich and staring at it. "If you say it's exquisite...you're much prettier." She shrugged, taking a bite from her own sandwich. "Ooh, this is pretty good!" She agreed. She hoped Sloane's burger were as tasty as her own chicken sandwich was -- it really ought to be, considering this was a burger joint.

"So," She began, wondering what else they could talk about. Maybe the fact that she'd been asked out on a date, by another girl. She didn't think she was so out that should be apparent, but maybe the whole lack of dating anyone at all was a tip off. "Do you normally ask people on dates right after you've met them?" She wondered, deciding against asking just how obvious it was that she preferred other girls. Ah, maybe it wasn't obvious and Sloane was just bold enough to ask anyone she was interested in? Considering the outfit she'd worn to Bree's party that seemed highly probable. May had no difficulties performing the sometimes suggestive choreography in cheerleading and dance, but she felt much more covered when she was in tights and a leotard than she would have felt in lingerie. She skewed towards a rather conservative style of dress, a style that was classy and nice without drawing much attention to herself; she wasn't comfortable being in the spotlight off the stage. If she was onstage, she was performing as someone else, but off stage...off stage people could judge her for her and not the character she was portraying, or the dance she was performing because that was what the teacher had decided on.

"Umm. I mean, I'm glad, this is nice!" She added quickly, in case Sloane thought she didn't appreciate their date. Huh. That was such a strange thing to be thinking, that she was on a date. She wished Sloane hadn't pointed that out earlier, because she would have had an easier time with this if she'd been able to pretend this was a just friends get together and that she didn't find Sloane (or any other girl) attractive.

[Sloane Taylor]

At the compliment, Sloane smiled not entirely smugly. So yes, she was very much aware of her looks and she always used it to good use...or bad. It really depends on who saw it and how that person saw it. For Sloane, she saw it as a blessing. She got what she wanted most of the time because of it. Smiling as well at May's enthusiasm for her chicken sandwich. "I'm glad you're enjoying it." She said before taking a bite out of her own burger.

The question brought forth a torrent of other questions in her head. Usually people asked HER out instead of the other way around. But May seemed a bit lonely when they were talking earlier. Even though she looked like she was paying attention to what Sloane said, there was this faraway gaze she took on that Sloane couldn't shake off. But Sloane didn't think that was an appropriate answer. May might take it as an insult and that wouldn't do. Sloane liked to keep her dates happy. No matter who they were.

"No," She answered truthfully. "You're the first one. I don't make it a habit to ask people out on dates. Unless they're interesting. And you, May...you're a cheerleader and a dancer and you've got amazingly good looks yet you're shying away from everything." Sloane shook her head in amusement. "You're studious and I have to say if you didn't look the way you did, people would have pegged you for a geek. You're breaking boundaries as far as high school cliches go. Why wouldn't I be interested?"

"I'm glad you think this is nice. I'm quite enjoying myself as well. I have to point out that you don't seem very comfortable around me though... Don't tell me you've never been on a date before?" Sloane put her burger down and started on her fries. "Or maybe you've never been on a date with a girl before? I hope you don't think this is just a girls night out, May. I fully intend to see this date through until I send you to your doorstep." The thought of kissing the girl made Sloane's smile almost predatory. If this was really May's first date with a girl, Sloane intended to make full use of it and make sure May's first experience will be one to remember.

[Maysan Paghishetsi]

May sucked in her lower lip when Sloane commented on her nearness to Geekiness. She had certainly absorbed a great deal of the geek subculture thanks to Tavit. He was the one who had cultivated her appreciation for epic fantasy cycles, and for manga, neither of which she was going to deny. However, she also enjoyed more traditionally feminine pursuits, such as make up and manicures and, as Sloane had pointed out, cheerleading and dance.

"I'm not expecting my life to end with high school," She pointed out, "I can't rely on cheerleading and dance to earn money, I'd like something more reliable." And unlike some girls she knew, she wasn't interested in finding a husband to support her, either. If that made her interesting, well, so be it. She would much prefer very normal and unobtrusive, but then, she had to admit that having a girl like Sloane consider her interesting was rather nice.

She shook her head quickly when the other girl inquired into her past dating habits. "No, this is....this is the first date I've been on...." She admitted, feeling her face flush. "I don't have much time for dating, really!" She added, then realized that probably sounded stupid since she was on a date. "I guess I usually decline." That much was true! She'd done her share of rejecting, which was rather uncomfortable, but she would rather reject now than lead some poor boy on into thinking he had any sort of chance.

She put her own sandwich down, wiping her fingers on her napkin -- and then twisting it nervously. "Is it that obvious I like girls?" She whispered, finally voicing her concerns, "I didn't even tell Bree."

[Sloane Taylor]

May's answer was something Sloane expected and as much as she felt that her life would end at high school, she was actually hoping the pending scholarship for Berkeley would fall through. She knew she had nothing to offer except her track record so she was ready to face the inevitable. Besides, she knew her parents would never let her suffer in any way. Sloane knew that mindset was potentially destructive but she didn't really mind since her fall back was a pretty solid one. Working for her father at his company would have its perks. She had a feeling her father would be proud of her if she did. They had already settled on the fact that if she was to work there, she would start from the bottom and work her way up with no interference from her father even if she fails. And Sloane trusted her father to stay true to his words.

"Of course. I understand completely." Sloane nodded as she continue eating her burger. When May spoke of her past dating habits, a slow smile crept up her lips before she hid it behind a rather generic one. So Sloane had guessed right. Why was she glad about this?

"Well, that makes this a special occasion, don't you think?" She smirked slightly before putting her burger down and wrapping one hand around her milkshake glass and raising it up for a toast. "To future endeavours. And I'm very glad you didn't decline my invitation." Sloane made sure May saw the warm smile she potrayed as their glasses chinked against each other. She put her glass down and continued to eat.

Sloane's smile turned into a surprised one when May asked the question. "Obvious? May, I'm openly bisexual and I've had my fair share of girls who either throw themselves at me or I have to crack it out of them. I can spot a kindred spirit a mile away." She shrugged, quite proud of her sexuality radar. "But if you hadn't talked to me this morning, I wouldn't have known you were inclined at all. I thought it a bit odd that you've never fawned over boys before but I assumed you were the same as Bree in that aspect."

"You're...are you scared people would say something if they found out you were gay?" Sloane dropped her voice low so no one could hear.