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Melissa had a general rule of thumb when it came to life.
Stay in your own lane and mind your own business.
This rule has saved her from drama and fights, so she stuck by it.
Melissa was also well aware that any of her rules went out the window when it came to pretty girls, which was pretty much how she found herself intertwined with Shauna Shipman.
Melissa had been minding her business, the training session had been grueling so she was taking a minute in the empty locker room before the rest of the girls appeared.
She heard Shauna before she seen her.
“Look, Jackie, I don't want to go out with Randy fucking Walsh.” Shauna said as she and Jackie rounded the corner and headed for their lockers, less than three feet from where Melissa was sitting.
Jackie didn't even look at her but Shauna did, her eyes briefly skimming over Melissa before Jackie was demanding her attention again.
“Why not, he's nice?” Jackie said, and Melissa couldn't stopped the scoff that escaped her lips. The two best friends turned to look at Melissa, who stared down at her hands sheepishly. “Do you not think so, Hat?”
“Melissa,” Shauna cut in, pulling Melissa's eyes up to Shauna, the girl staring intently at her. “She was probably scoffing because you're trying to set me up with someone, and I've already agreed to go out with Melissa at the weekend.”
Melissa's head shot up to the best friends, panicked eyes jumping between Jackie and Shauna; Jackie looking a little surprised while Shauna gave Melissa a look that very much told her to play along.
“Melissa looks just as surprised about this as I do,” Jackie said, turning to glare at Shauna, who deflated a little.
“I just didn't think she'd wanna tell anyone,” Melissa quickly said. “Ya know, she's a senior, and cool, and I'm just a junior.”
The barest hint of a smile appeared on Shauna's lips then, telling Melissa that she had done a good job lying right to her captains face.
“When did this all happen?” Jackie glanced between Shauna and Melissa.
“After the game yesterday,” Shauna answered easily, a little grin pulling on her lips. “I guess Mel was feeling brave after that goal she scored.”
“Yeah,” Melissa chuckled nervously. “Without that adrenaline I wouldn't have had the guts to ask her.”
Jackie looked suspicious but decided to accept it. “I guess she's better than Randy.”
“Uh, thanks?” Melissa frowned at Shauna, who had her lips pressed together, suppressing a smile.
Jackie nodded, turning on her heels and heading for her locker.
“Thanks for that, Mel.” Shauna moved toward her to speak quietly.
“Yeah, sure.” Melissa nodded. “Randy is a dick, anyway.”
“Mm,” Shauna gave her bicep a little squeeze. “Pick me up at seven? I'll send you my address.”
“Uh,” Melissa frowned as Shauna smirked at her before turning to follow her best friend.
Melissa just watched them go, Shauna glancing over her shoulder as they turned the corner, throwing Melissa a little wink before leaving.
“What the fuck?” Melissa breathed quietly.
“What the fuck what?” Gen finally appeared, having missed that whole exchange.
“I think I have a date with Shauna, kind of.” Melissa frowned up at Gen. “I don't– I was kind of just told I do.”
“You were told?”
“Yeah, Shauna just kinda told me to pick her up at seven.”
“When?” Gen asked, and Melissa frowned.
“I don't know,”
“Where?” Melissa shrugged, and Gen gave her an incredulous look. “Where are you taking her?”
“I don't know, Gen.” Melissa groaned as she sat back down on the bench. “She told Jackie she was going out with me so she would get off her back about Randy, but I thought she was just saying that, then she told me to pick her up at seven.”
“My god,” Gen laughed at Melissa's panic. “Hey, this might be your chance to get on her radar.”
“Yeah, right.” Melissa snored. “There's no way Shauna Shipman is gonna like me.”
“You're charming,” Gen disagreed. “In that weird, ADHD kinda way.”
“You are so unhelpful,” Melissa grumbled, batting Gen's hand away when she ruffled Melissa's hat.
“What is she moping for?” Mari asked, eyeing the two best friends.
“She has a date with Shauna,”
“Gen!” Melissa huffed but it was drowned out by Mari and Akilah asking her all kinds of questions.
–
Melissa was playing the switch with her brothers when she got a text from an unknown number.
(609)-467-8935: 75 Pine Oak Av
Saturday?
Mel: Yeah, sure
Did u have plans or?
Shauna: surprise me 😉
And thank you
For playing along with it
Jackie is relentless with this Randy thing
Mel: Happy to help
I think I have an idea of something we can do
But it closes just after eight
So if ur not busy I can pick you up at 5?
Shauna: You've got me interest
5 sounds good
What should a wear
Mel: just what you would usually wear
It's nothing fancy or anything
“Who are you texting?” Her twin, Frankie, asked, leaning over to peek at her phone.
“No one,” Melissa huffed, attempting to move her phone from Frankie only for her oldest brother, Josh, to snatch it out of her hand.
“Someone called Shauna,”
Both Frankie and Nate's heads whipped to Melissa, they both knew Shauna, with Frankie being the same year as Melissa and Nate being the same year Shauna.
“Shipman?” Frankie asked.
“No,” Melissa tried to grab her phone but Josh held it out of her grasp. “Give it back, Josh!”
“They've got a date on Saturday.”
And that was it, no matter how much Melissa tried to tell them it wasn't a real date, that it was a way of deflecting Jackie off of Randy, but they didn't listen.
It got so rowdy that their mom came down to Melissa's room to figure out what was happening, only to join in with the teasing.
By the time she got her phone back a bunch of random letters and words had been sent to Shauna.
Shauna: Are you having a stroke?
Mel: Sorry!
My brothers stole my phone
They're insufferable
Sorry
Shauna: you have two brothers, right?
Mel: Three, Josh is the oldest
Shauna: Jackie had a thing for your twin for a while
Until she started dating Jeff
She had a thing for blond jocks
Though your brother is actually good at his sport
Mel: better not tell Frankie that
He will be upset he's dumb and missed his chance
Shauna: he would be an upgrade from Jeff
Maybe we can conspire to get them together
Mel: Double date?
Shauna: Not on Saturday
I want you all to myself
Melissa could feel her cheeks heat up at that.
Mel: Next time then
Shauna: if you play your cards right
Melissa's thumbs hovered over her phone, this was technically fake, a way of getting Jackie off Shauna's back, but Shauna was very much flirting with her.
So Melissa decided she would play along with this too.
Mel: okay
Next time we can go out of town, go to the city or something
Shauna: you're pretty sure of yourself
Mel: call it confidence
Shauna: I like it
It's also unexpected
Mel: did u think I was meek or something
Shauna: not at all
I've seen you play, I know you're not meek
Nervous, yes
Not meek
Mel: Pretty girls make me nervous
It's a real issue
Shauna: oh, I bet
That doesn't seem to hold you back though
You're pretty popular around that school
That wasn't a lie, she wasn't unpopular with women, she was pretty, athletic, and had this boyfriend vibe about her that girls seemed to love, especially straight girls who were experimenting.
But those other girls she had dated didn't make Melissa nervous like Shauna did.
It had been like that since Melissa's freshman year and she joined the team, whenever Shauna so much as looked at her Melissa crumbled.
Mel: Have people been talking about me?
Shauna: All good things, I promise
I gtg
But I will see you tomorrow
Mel: Night
“I can't believe you have a date with Shauna Shipman,” Frankie said as he shook his head.
“Well, you could have had a date with Jackie Taylor if you weren't a moron.” Melissa smirked when Frankie's head whipped around to her.
“What?”
“Yeah, Jackie had a thing for you apparently.” Melissa smirked smugly. “You just took too long to notice.”
“Fuck,” Frankie groaned, his head falling back against the sofa.
“Language,” their mom's voice carried from upstairs.
“Yeah, watching your fucking mouth.” Josh said with a smirk.
“Joshua Stewart Baker!” their mom called, appearing at the door at the top of the basement stairs. “I don't care if you're twenty two or sixty two, I will smack you upside the head.”
“Sorry, Ma!” he called while the rest of the siblings laughed at him.
–
Melissa was dead on her feet the following day at school, dragging her feet to her locker and unloading her bag into it.
“So,” Melissa managed to stop herself from startling at the sudden voice, looking off to the left to see Shauna, leaning against the locker beside her own, the barest hint of a smile on her lips. “Give me a clue about Saturday.”
“A clue?” Melissa hummed, grabbing her biology book before closing her locker, leaning against it, facing Shauna. “I think it is right up your street.”
“That's not much of a clue,” Shauna tilted her head, and Melissa could see people watching them, whispering about something.
“Well, that's all you're getting.” Melissa tilted her chin up a little, Shauna's eyes lazily running across her face and down the length of her. “You told me to surprise you, that's what I plan on doing.”
“Alright, keep your secrets.” Shauna grinned slightly. “Do you wanna pair up at practice tonight?”
“Won't Jackie want to kill me if we do?” Melissa joked, pulling a little chuckle from Shauna.
“Don't worry about Jackie,” Shauna said, placing a hand on Melissa's upper arm and giving it a little squeeze. “See you at practice.”
“Uh,” Shauna walked past Melissa, and after a second Melissa turned to fall into step with her.
“Your class is the opposite direction,” Shauna pointed out, side eyeing Melissa.
“I'm walking you to class,” Melissa shrugged.
Shauna chuckled, her eyes dropping to her feet, and for the first time she looked a little bashful.
“It will make you late,”
“I'm fast,” Melissa said. “Not as fast as you, but normal fast.”
“Not a surprise, with legs like yours.” Shauna said, a ghost of a smile on her lips when Melissa's cheeks heated up.
They turned the corner, Melissa immediately spotting her older brother walking toward them, his head tilting curiously at the sight of the two of them, a mischievous smile pulling on his lips.
“You better not be late for class, kid.” He said as he walked by, flicking the bill of Melissa's cap.
“Fuck off, Nate.” Melissa scowled, Nate cackling as he walked away. “He's a nightmare, sorry.”
“Is he the middle child?” Shauna asked.
“Yeah, ” Melissa nodded. “My ma waited four years between Josh and Nate, but Frankie, Nate and I are the same age for two days.”
“Irish twins,” Shauna hummed. “Triplets, I suppose.”
“Yeah, my ma must've been at her wits end with three toddlers and a five year old running around.” Melissa snorted. “She's still at her wits end.”
Shauna laughed, turning to Melissa when they reached her class. “Thanks, for walking me to class.”
Melissa nodded, spotting Jackie watching them with rapt attention from inside the classroom. “Anytime.”
“I might just hold you to that,” Shauna gave her a little smile before heading inside.
Melissa watched her for for a few seconds before the bell sounded, startling Melissa.
“Shit,” She muttered as she turned to took off toward her own classroom.
–
Her brothers spent the week teasing her, but when Saturday rolled around they were there to help calm her nerves.
They helped her settle on an outfit; a pair of green combat trousers, a brown sweatshirt with a green hat and brown boots.
“You've got this,” Josh said as they walked her to the car.
“And remember, no sex on the first date.” Nate added, gaining a punch from Frankie. “What? I'm teaching her to be a gentleman. Gentlewoman.”
Melissa jumped into the jeep, her brothers lingering beside the window.
“Here,” Josh handed her his credit card. “No more than a hundred bucks, understand?”
“Thanks, Jay.” Melissa hugged him with one arm, waving at her brothers as she peeled away.
Shauna's house wasn't far, so Melissa only had ten minutes to calm her nerves.
Shauna was waiting outside when Melissa pulled, Melissa's heart rattling when Shauna seemed to perk up at the sight of her.
Melissa got out of the truck as Shauna made her way toward her, dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a black and red striped tee and a red plaid shirt on top.
Melissa opened the door for her, Shauna giving her a curious smile. “You look nice.”
“Thank you,” Shauna hummed, eyeing Melissa up and down. “So do you.”
“Thanks,” Melissa grinned, closing the door behind Shauna before hopping back into the driver's seat, handing Shauna her phone. “It's not far, you can put whatever you want on.”
Shauna accepted the phone and began scrolling through Melissa's Spotify. “You're a big country fan, huh?”
“Mostly, yeah.” Melissa nodded, one hand on the wheel, the over resting on the centre console.
“What's your favourite right now?” Shauna asked, lifting her eyes to Melissa, taking a few seconds to check Melissa out before looking her in the eyes.
“Lasso, by Jake Benfield.”
Shauna nodded, putting that song on.
They reached the pop-up store after ten minutes, Shauna eyeing the inconspicuous outside as they walked in.
“What is this place?” Shauna asked as she looked around at the rare and vintage books littered around the room on pop-up shelves.
“It's a vintage book fair,” Melissa answered nervously, trying her best to read Shauna but she was giving her nothing, just staring at Melissa with those stupidly pretty doe eyes. “My ma told me about it last week, she said it had some cool stuff. But that's my ma version of cool so it might be lame, if you wanna leave we ca-”
“Melissa,” Shauna sounded amused as she cut her off, which wasn't usually the reaction she got to her rambling, Shauna's hand landing on her upper arm. “It's perfect, thank you.”
Melissa nodded, “And after, if you aren't bored of me, we could go get food.”
Shauna smiled, something sweet and crooked, a smile that Melissa had never seen Shauna wear, much less direct it at her.
“Okay,” She agreed, moving to stroll through the rows of books. “I've heard around school you're a good date but I didn't expect this.”
“You have?” Melissa frowned, trailing behind Shauna.
“Yeah, you went out with Lucy from my calc class.” Shauna glanced back at her, a little smile pulling on Melissa's lips.
Lucy had been nice, and a great kisser, just a little too clingy for Melissa.
“She was going on and on about it in class.” Shauna grinned cheekily at Melissa. “She also mentioned a few… other things.”
“Other things?”
“Mm,” Shauna hummed, picking up one of the books and turning it over in her hand.
“Are you not going to elaborate?”
“Absolutely not,” Shauna teased, pointing to the books. “What kind of stuff do you read?”
“I like sci fi stuff,” Melissa watched as Shauna put the book back and picked up another.
“What's your favourite?” Shauna lifted her eyes from the book in her hand to Melissa.
“Twenty thousand leagues under the sea,” Melissa answered easily, making Shauna smile a little.
“I haven't read it,”
“How about I try and find that book, you find your favourite and we can swap at the end?”
That made Shauna smile again, her head tilting like she was both surprised by Melissa and really seeing her for the first time.
“Deal,” Shauna held a hand out to Melissa, who tentatively wrapped her larger hand around Shauna's and shook it. “Meet you at the register in ten.”
Melissa nodded once, her hand slipping away from Shauna's as she turned to walk away.
They bypassed each other a few times, Shauna throwing Melissa a little smile or a wink, smirking smugly when Melissa blushed.
There was even one time Shauna shuffled behind her, one hand sliding across Melissa's hip, the other holding three books.
Nelissa fixed her hat nervously as Shauna moved closer to her ear. “I think the hat is cute, by the way.”
Then she walked away, leaving a blushing Melissa in her wake.
Shauna was already at the register by the time Melissa found an old version of the book.
Shauna put her books down, a pile of five, Melissa adding her own to the top, quickly paying before Shauna could argue.
“It's a myth that the person who organises the date has to pay, ya know?” Shauna said as they left the store. “Thank you, though.”
“You can pay next time,” Melissa said.
Shauna smiled at her. “Deal,” she took one of the books from her pile and handed it to Melissa.
The Brothers Karamazov, Melissa hadn't even heard of it, much less read it.
“You'll need to tell me what you think,” Shauna motioned to the book, accepting the one Melissa held out to her.
“I will,” Melissa nodded, turning the book over to read the back. “Do you want to get dinner at the diner around the corner? If you aren't bored of me yet.”
Shauna chuckled, shaking her head at Melissa. “No, I'm not bored of you, Mel.”
Melissa's nervous energy was replaced by nervous excitement, which Melissa was usually good at reining in, but something about Shauna made Melissa feel a little out of control.
But Shauna didn't seem put off or embarrassed by the excited talking about whatever topic Melissa's brain was jumping between.
She had had people tell her she spoke too much, that she jumped between top many topics too quickly, that people couldn't keep up.
But Shauna seemed to be doing fine, her chin on her knuckles as she stared at Melissa with soft, dark eyes, nodding and humming in all the right places, making Melissa think she was actually listening to her.
Melissa apologised for talking too much once but Shauna waved her off and told her she liked it.
Melissa dropped Shauna off at her place just after ten, not wanting to have Shauna home late and have to deal with the wrath of Mr Shipman.
“Thank you for tonight,” Shauna said, the two of them standing by Melissa's truck, at the end of Shauna's dark driveway.
“Yeah, of course.” Melissa nodded, rocking slightly on her toes. “So, do we just tell Jackie it didn't work out or?”
Shauna gave her a look, something mixed this disbelief and amusement.
“Or,” Shauna started as she stepped closer to Melissa, her fingers slipping around Melissa's. “You let me take you out next time?”
“Oh,” Melissa sounded surprised, even to her own ears. “Yeah, okay.”
“Lucy wasn't lying, by the way.” Shauna had Melissa wrapped around her finger, and Melissa knew she knew that. “About the date thing. But I want to test out the other thing she was talking about.”
“What oth-” Melissa didn't get the chance to finish because Shauna was kissing her, pressing Melissa back against her truck, using the hand still wrapped around Melissa's to move Melissa's hand to a spot quite low on Shauna's back, before moving her hands to Melissa's neck.
Then she nibbled on Melissa's lower lip, which zapped Melissa back to reality, finally kissing Shauna back.
“Mm,” Shauna grinned against her lips. “There it is.”
Melissa barely heard her, the blood pumping in her ears as her instincts took over, the hands on Shauna's hips gripping on tight, turning them around and pressing Shauna against the cool metal of her gladiator, the little huff that left Shauna's lungs telling Melissa she surprised her.
Melissa wasn't even thinking as she moved, her hand moving to Shauna's jaw, gripping slightly as she tilted her head up, her tongue tentatively bumping off of Shauna’s, pulling a little groan from her before her jaw dropped open slightly.
Shauna only pulled away when a porch light clicked on a few houses down, her cheeks flushed and her chest heaving, and Melissa couldn't look away.
Shauna had never looked so beautiful, and Melissa was the reason she had that look in her dark eyes, the reason she was breathless.
“I guess Lucy isn't a liar.” Shauna huffed out with a little laugh, her head falling back against the window of Melissa's truck.
“Huh?”
Shauna grinned at her, pressing another lingering kiss to Melissa's lips before gently guiding her backwards and away from Shauna. “Goodnight, Mel.”
“Yeah, night, Shauna.” Melissa knew how dumb she sounded, her head still spinning, still a little light headed.
Shauna walked a few feet away, Melissa turning to watch her walk away.
“Gen was right, by the way.” Shauna said, turning back to Melissa, back peddling toward her house.
Melissa frowned, tilting her head in confusion. “About what?”
“You are charming, in a totally disarming, ADHD kinda way.” Shauna grinned, spinning on the balls of her feet and heading into her house.
Melissa was giddy the whole drive back home, not even her brother's merciless teasing couldn't dampen her mood.