Her Revelation [open tag]

[Sloane Taylor]

Letting Bree handle the situation for now, Sloane sat back and made sure she didn't stare at Hannah too much and actually succeeded as she finished her sandwich and buggered Bree for her salad. She knew she wasn't doing Bree any favours by finishing her food but Sloane was hungry. And she needed a distraction.

When suggested that Tyler and Bree were to hook up, Sloane hid a chuckle behind a cough and a smile by shoveling spoonfuls of pasta into her mouth. And at the new information about the school merging, Sloane coughed for real and looked at Bree in disbelief. "You're kidding me. Silver and Gould are joining?" Sloane cursed under her breath before jamming the cover on to the plastic container and grabbed the chain. "I can't...uhm Hannah. Just because you don't date much doesn't mean you're not good at it. But don't be yourself too much around the boy. I mean...don't show how neurotic or dumb you are. Emphasise on your good qualities. If you think you're smart, drop hints that you won't be taken for granted. Show what you know. Make sure you let him know that there's a brain under that pretty head of yours. And don't under any circumstances make him think that you can't do anything."

"You might think chivalry is cute and all in this day and age but it actually goes both ways. Offer to split the bill, it doesn't mean he's gonna accept but make a show that you're not the type to take advantage of a good guy." Now she was seriously shooting bull from her ass. She was a pro at taking advantage of good guys...Nolan was exhibit A, wasn't he?

"Don't stress too much about the friend. Only strike if and only if she shows signs of not liking you and always boxing you out when it comes to him." Sloane said. "Otherwise, be nice to her. You might have an ally in her, who knows? To me, if girls are best friends with guys, it's more likely that you could get a LOT of dirt on the boy. Use it to your advantage. And relax about the whole Romeo and Juliet thing. I doubt you'd take poison for the guy so...enjoy what you have with him. You're not going to marry him, are you?"

[Hannah Bell]

Bree's attempt to reassure Hannah did not help her very much. “But I was at your party. You were... umm, 'with' Tyler for a little while, weren't you?” The young Southerner didn't want to say it out loud, but she sort of assumed that any girl with Tyler Durnham had done at least something with him. Not that it was bad to, but that was just his reputation. At the very least, Hannah saw the two kiss, and just the thought of Gage and Genny kissing twisted Hannah's insides all about.

She was, however, quite surprised to hear about the merging. “Serious?” she replied, the shock quite evident in her voice. That brought up so many questions. “Oh my God, what will happen to all the teams, then? Will they have to merge? And will teachers lose their jobs? That would be so sad!” With all the new cheerleaders that would come onto the team, Hannah would really have to fight to make it on the varsity squad. She didn't want to have to go back to cheering for the b-teams like she did last year.

Hannah wasn't sure if Sloane meant to call her neurotic or dumb, but it still hurt her feelings and brought the insecurity of her mental health to the fore. “I'm not...” She quietly tried to argue, but Sloane simply kept talking. When she finally paused for a breath, Hannah stepped in. “And I'm not trying to take advantage of anyone, I just, I mean I don't want him to get bored or anything cause I do something wrong.” Some of the things Sloane said made sense, but it also seemed a lot pushier than Hannah could ever be. And part of her did want Gage to dote on her. Just a little bit! Was that to wrong to ask? Maybe it was just her Southern upbringing, but she wanted a guy who would open doors for her, and pay for meals, and win her stuffed monkeys!

When Sloane brought up marriage, Hannah got flushed and giggled. “Well I don't know that! God, marriage is so far away, it would be so weird to even think about that now!” But she didn't want to hurt Genny at all, she just didn't want Gage and Genny to get together. “And I was nice to her. And she seemed nice to me. I don't want to attack her, and I don't want any dirt, I just don't want her to do anything with Gage!” Hannah's hands flew to her mouth when she said Gage's name. She hadn't meant to say it! Now Bree knew who she was dating and no doubt she would be scorned off the cheerleading squad for dating a Silver jock!

[Bree Marcus]

"Well we did kiss," Bree admitted with a blush, for she had liked it much more than she wanted to. She tried not to think about it as she knew there wasn't any hope for them. She wasn't sure she could ever be with someone serious about her, let alone Tyler who she was still amazed that he had dated Maggy more than once. He would never get serious about her, especially now he knew that she was completely soiled.

"Well it is in discussion, a decision hasn't been made. I am sure they will keep the teachers as there are mandates about the number of students per teacher. I am sure that the teams will merge though. I think in the long run that would be good though, competition will keep people sharp and spur on creativity. But you're one of the better young cheerleaders, Hannah. I wouldn't worry about it," Bree said with a warm smile.

Bree was a bit taken aback by some of Sloane's comments and gave her a little frown. "I don't think Sloane meant you specifically, just some of the things we see in some relationships. Guys actually prefer strong women and so many girls act like idiots or they are handicapped to make them believe they are helpless and in need of protection. I don't mean arm wrestle them, but if they don't open a door, don't make a big deal of it and don't go the opposite way and berate them like a radical feminist if they do open it. Show you appreciate that they care enough to treat you with courtesy," Bree advised, hoping that clarified what Sloane meant.

*Gage*, she thought a moment and remembered a rather good looking basketball player at Silver. "I have met Gage, he's a nice boy and I can't imagine him leading you on, Hannah. I also can't imagine him hurting his friend by dating you, if there were feelings between them. Try not to worry too much, if you do you will end up pushing him away with imaginary feelings. Insecurity can be a real turn off. Even if you are insecure, don't show it. Trust him or at least pretend to. If there ever is real reason then you can go after him."

[Sloane Taylor]

Bree's answer to Hannah's wonderment of her and Tyler was vague and not what Sloane expected from Bree but she respected her best friend's decision not to reveal anything else. And as the other red-haired junior clarified what Sloane meant about the whole 'neurotic and stupid' comment, she was glad Bree was there to filter through what Sloane meant. Sloane wasn't the most tactful of people when it came to giving advice. Talking even. She just never had any practice on being subtle. Or even common decency. But that was not to say her parents never taught her. They probably did and it was her that didn't listen.

"And Hannah, if this boy you're into should ever get bored of you so easily, he's just not worth your time. I don't know you that well but I know that you've got a lot to offer so show that to him."

At the flustered look Hannah gave when she gave the marriage comment, Sloane his the smirk that was forcing itself out on to her lips. No doubt this girl subconsciously had thought of her name sounding with the boy's last name. She didn't blame the younger girl. She used to put her first name with Jason Isaacs' last name all the time when she was younger.

When Hannah gave up the name to the boy she liked, Sloane tried to recall who Gage was. She had never been good with names but that name was so familiar and after a few seconds of racking her brain, she finally knew why. Gage Foster. The good boy she couldn't quite corrupt. Maybe he wasn't much of a bad news than she originally thought when Hannah came to them.

"Gage Foster's more than a nice boy, Bree." Sloane smiled at her best friend before looking at Hannah. "That boy has the makings of a heartbreaker if only he had the confidence to do it. Not that he has the heart to though. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to Gage, Hannah. I have to admit that if anyone's breaking hearts in this relationship you have, it's either an outsider or you." Sloane shrugged, adjusting herself in her seat. She looked back up at Hannah. "Not that I'm suggesting you will which I don't think you will. Because you'll regret hurting someone like Gage, you know." Sloane didn't know about Gage that much but what she knew, she liked. And his elder brothers were examplary students from Silver and Gould so usually the youngest would want to follow their footsteps.

"You have nothing to worry about, Hannah. Trust us."

[Hannah Bell]

Though she didn't know what to think about the advice she was given, Hannah did feel better. The one thing she took away was that she just needed to be confident. She didn't want to play mind games and act like she was super independent like they were suggesting. Really, she just wanted to be herself. If she could focus on that, and be confident about it, she should be okay. She was a Gould Cheerleader, how could Genny beat that? And if Gage, super cute and sweet and good kisser Gage, didn't want Hannah, then it was his loss. And she could just drown her sorrows in ice cream. At least, that's what she'd heard girls did after break-ups. Hannah had never been through one, so she really didn't know.

“Thanks, girls. It's so sweet of y'all to help me.” Hannah smiled, trying to be friendly. Bree was nice enough, but she still wasn't quite sure what she thought of Sloane. There was just something about her that made Hannah uncomfortable. And the thought of her trying to get with Gage was something Hannah didn't want to picture. However, knowing Gage turned her down earned the boy a lot of points. Hannah had to admit that Sloane was very pretty, and with her reputation it had to be hard for guys not to go for it. That just showed that Gage was a gentleman. The kind of guy Sloane could never get.

Hannah smiled again at that thought, and stood getting ready to go. “I'll leave you two to your conversation, sorry for interrupting. And thanks again!” Hannah started to walk away, but turned back one last time before leaving. “Oh, and Sloane, you better keep your hands of my boy now!” she joked, hoping Sloane wasn't offended. Hannah sometimes just really wanted to feel like one of the girls, since she didn't have a lot of close friends. She turned and began skipping quickly away before Sloane could reply. But her thoughts were already off the other girl and back to her own, and her boy.

HER BOY!

(Wrap for Hannah)

[Bree Marcus]

Bree smiled warmly at Hannah as she thanked them. She wished she had as much energy as the southern girl, though the truth was she had a lot of energy, she just moved slowly to avoid drawing attraction to herself. Lately she was loosening up some and she didn't realize she was no longer in the shadows but rather was attracting quite a bit of attention she just didn't notice.

She giggled as Hannah skipped away. "Good luck, Hannah!!!" she called after the blonde, wishing her well in her pursuit of the dark-haired basketball player she had decided was her shining knight. "Really Sloane you could learn some subtlety, you almost scared her into peeing her pants and running away. She is pretty, but she obviously likes boys," she said, turning her head to look at her friend with a grin of amusement.

Bree crossed her leg over the other and gave her friend her panini and nibbled on some apple pieces. "Now... where were we? Oh yes, you were going to tell me about your love life... and Nolan."

[Sloane Taylor]

Hannah's warning was made in a joking manner and Sloane knew that so she wasn't offended at all. Rather, she was more amused than anything else. Boys like Gage had more self respect than Abraham Lincoln and Sloane admired that in people. She had to chuckle when Hannah's sprightly form came back as she pranced off, probably to find her gentleman caller.

Bree's words made Sloane laugh openly. "Oh I know. Obviously. But you know how much I love making people uncomfortable around me. And you know subtlety has never been my strongest suit. And I like it that way." She took the panini gratefully and dug in.

"Well, I have no love life to begin with. I'm not in love with anyone." Sloane answered after chewing slowly and swallowing her bread. "But it's not just Nolan I'm involved with...I had dinner with May last night. Before I went over to Nolan. We hit it off, I sent her home and...I kissed her and it was...well...it was great." Sloane chuckled, putting her sandwich down for a bit. "You don't know what a kiss is until you've kissed a girl." And to not make her friend any more uncomfortable than she already was, Sloane continued. "And then when I went to Nolan's house, he had this whole dinner thing planned at his house. It was romantic, Bree. A three course dinner, salad and carbonara and then sundae. I thought that was it." She paused for a moment to gather her breath before continuing. "But he had another surprise for me. He wanted to give me his letterman jacket and this class ring chain."

Sloane looked at Bree to gage her reaction and when she saw the neutrality of her expression, the track runner proceeded. "We had a small argument over it and he told me that he'd even wear our colours if it meant we could be together. And then I told him that I'll wear it. The chain at least and then we uh...went to third base that night. I left almost immediately after and I haven't seen him since." Finishing, she turned away from Bree and went back to her panini. Was she feeling guilty now? She supposed she did. It was a slightly foreign concept for her. She wondered what her best friend thought of her now.

[Bree Marcus]

Bree listened and did her best not to judge or seem like she was judging her best friend. She might not ever have acted the way Sloane did, but it was because of her fears far more than some moral high ground.

"Oh... that's what you meant. I thought you had all three dated together. That kind of threw me because May hardly ever dates and then going to a menage au troi so quickly was rather shocking. I am glad, because my faith in Nolan as a good guy was rather shaken. The dates sound lovely though, Bree said with a slightly shaky laugh. She could hide her expressions well, but she had been silent most of her life for a reason. Her breathing was always affected by her emotions and when she spoke they would be revealed.

"I never really understood that base system, there are so many variations to sexual encounters, how can four bases cover all that?" Bree asked, trying to keep it light, not wanting to heap any guilt or condemnation on Sloane, for she felt that wasn't her place. She only wanted to be supportive and what Sloane did with her body was her own business.

[Sloane Taylor]

Sloane knew what Bree was doing and she was grateful her best friend was doing her the favour. "I think May needs more time to adjust to the fact that she likes girls because yesterday was sufficiently awkward for her. Don't say anything to her just yet. She might want to share this little tidbit with you on her own. Just act as though you don't know anything." She shrugged.

She had suddenly lost her appetite but she continued eating the panini until it was gone. Uncharacteristically quiet, she looked around the quad until Bree made the joke about the bases in sexual encounters. She turned and gave a small smile to Bree before returning to her sandwich. It was a long time before Sloane finally spoke. "Thanks for not making such a big deal out of it. I mean I know you've got stuff to say and I appreciate that you won't tell Tyler..." She said in a low tone of voice.

When her sandwich was gone and she had nothing else to distract herself with, she turned to Bree. "What should I do now? Be honest with them?" She asked seriously. Funnily enough, she wondered what Tyler would do.

[Bree Marcus]

Bree nodded. "I am good at lying, I've had to be," she said, with a leap of her heart when she remembered she didn't have to do that for survival anymore. "I hope May will talk to me, but then she never told me she liked girls and we have known each other a very long time. I think it is likely that I will never hear anything about it from her lips." Bree was saddened by it, seeing it as a lack of trust. She had never told May her own secrets either so she couldn't be angry.

"I won't tell Tyler, but I think that you should. He will have insights that none of us would be able to. He juggles relationships more than anyone I know and he wouldn't judge you. How could he?"she grinned at the thought of Tyler going all holy on Sloane. "I would advise honesty, otherwise they will find out somewhere else and it will hurt everyone."

Bree ate her last apple slice and then pulled out her bottle of water, hoping her stomach wouldn't rebel later and make her run to the girl's room.