High School Darlings

Headcanon= 'High school AU where person B is the school outcast/loner and person A is popular. Person A gets dared to ask person B to the school dance, and does it thinking that person B will say no. But person B says yes, and they have the time of their lives. What happens at school the next day?'



Fic= Marléne le Tallec was sitting at her usual table, being surrounded by many people. Most were the football team and the cheerleaders, though. They were wasting time by playing Truth or Dare. Although it seemed childish, but it was basically one, not the clean version, and two, daring people to ask others out to the dance. The ball was that Friday and Mar had yet to find a date.

Emily Beilschmidt sat in her corner again, with her book in her lap. Of course, being the loner wasn't all rosy, but at least it meant nobody bothered her all too much and she didn't have company. It also meant that she never had to worry about going to that stupid Ball with anyone at all. Friday was going to be a normal night of studying yet again, and she was fine with that.

The football captain looked at Marley with a smirk. "le Tallec, truth or dare?" Being the usual daring person she is, she went for the latter. Smirking, he spoke. "I dare you to ask Beilschmidt to the dance." Marley's eyes widened. She glanced behind him to Emily, who as usual was reading a book. She'd peobably say no. "Fine."

Emily glanced up from her book, hearing the incoherent yelling of her yearmates she rolled her eyes, running her hand through her red hair, eyes scanning the same sentence for about the fifth time. After a while it had sunk in; Chemistry was by far her best subject and she absolutely understood it. She keeps reading, even though she hears her name she assumes it's just another insult.

Deciding to get it over with, Marley stood up. She confidently walked over to Emily, her usual smirk on her lips. "Beilschmidt! Do you have a date to the dance yet?"

Emily closed the book as calmly as she could, her fingernail holding the page, and she kept her voice cool if a little aloof as she answered. "Why are you even asking me when you know the answer is no?" Emily requested with a raised eyebrow. "Sure you do, though, about 50 people," She returns her eye to her book.

"Don't be so sour, Beilschmidt." Marley looked down at her, her grey eyes focused on her. "To make it formal, will you, Emily Beilschmidt, go to the ball with me?" Expecting the no, she was ready to fakingly sigh defeatedly and walk away.

Faintly surprised, Emily's eyes flicked up again. "Er, yeah, if you're asking," Emily replied slowly - to turn down an invitation from Marlene le Tallec was even deeper social murder than she was already in.

Now that, shocked her. Blinking, she spoke. "Good. I'll see you on Friday, then." Turning around, she walked back to the table that was filled with cheering teenagers.

Emily was exasperated by the cheering, so she headed to the lab to continue her project. "Hey, you might want to know you're not allowed to go to the ball unless you finish your project," she said to the table, knowing none of them had.

Marley waved it off, already having paid a few nerds to do it for her. Her cheeks were a light color, and for some reason, she felt nervous about this dance. She didn't quite understand it, so she just placed it as self-pity.

Emily sang a little fragment as she passed by the table, not even acknowledging them again. Emily Beilschmidt, known as the only one not starstruck by popularity, and definitely the brains of the year because of it. "I hate the homecoming queen, I'm pretty damn sure that she can't stand me,"

She couldn't help but look at Emily's retreating figure, half dreading the upcoming Dance, half excited for it. What was to come? Hell, why did she say yes to the dare?!

Emily rolled her eyes - what a stupid dare, and why was le Tallec risking social murder herself to actually accept the dare? The girl has spent years climbing the ladder, so why...? She saved one of the people Marlene had apparently hired from messing up her project. She leaves a note. ''Hey. Had to finish your project, don't hire people trying to get a higher grade than you, especially when the person dislikes you. Just ask me next time. -Emily.'' She proceeds to finish her own project.

Marlene, who was still oblivious to the project situation, spent the rest of the lunch break at the table. Why had Emily said yes? That was something she couldn't quite figure out. Although it'd be practically a huge blow to her already gone social life, she always stuck up to her beliefs, so why did she say yes? Marley hated not knowing something. It made her feel inferior to those who knew what she didn't. A bit frustrated, she headed to Drama Class once the bell rang.

Emily skipped Drama and went to the library. She was never going to be any kind of actress anyway, so the redhead decided to sit in the niche with a book instead, and debated how unbothered she was about being unpopular. Excellent with the written word, an avid reader and a high IQ, she knew she'd be more successful than all of the popular kids. She'd look down on them one day and they'd regret casting her out.

Barely five minutes after class started, she noticed Emily's absence to the class. ''Weird. She never skips any class.'' She looked down at her quite expensive watch and waited for ten more minutes, wondering if she was just late or was cutting. As the ten minutes passed, she tapped her fingers against the desk.

Emily finished the sheet on chemical formulae and the periodic table quickly enough before moving on to the book on Quantum Physics she had in her left hand, spending a long time nodding and smiling. Once a half hour has passed she sat in the front, talking for half an hour to her teacher about what she'd just read.

Well, at least she knew Emily was cutting. Impatient for the class to finish, she jumped up as soon as the bell rang. She grabbed her bag and rushed out the classroom, not bothering to wait for the teacher's dismissal.

Emily chuckled at a Physics joke, running a hand through her hair she listened intently to the talking about the test, and then Kinetic Theory. It was far more interesting to her than acting, her eyes alive with new information. And then the Physics teacher asks her a question and her cheeks darken. "Y-yes, she did,"

Marlene rubbed her temples as she hopped on her car, wanting to get home. Going nearly ten over the limit, she sped back home. She wasn't on the mood for last period. Hell no.

Emily leaned over to the person next to her and asked for Marlene's number, laughing away she texted, Interesting to see you skipped Physics. Getting in her car once the lesson was over, she drew up in front of her apartment block.

Marlene was looking through her closet, when the text arrived. She raised her eyebrows as she read it. ''Emily? How did you get my number?''

Ask anyone. Emily responded, laughing to herself as she unlocked her apartment and walked up the stairs.

At that, Marlene couldn't help but roll her eyes. Did you need anything?

Well, just to tell you you owe me one, Emily wrote back, grinning because it was true.

''Acascuse me? I owe you nothing, darling.'' She frowned.

I think you'll find you do, Emily sent a photo of the note, rolling her eyes at the reference.

Marléne blinked, frowning. ''Okay.. Fine. Maybe I do. But hey.. I'm resurrecting your social life, babe.''

''Resurrecting my social life? I'm not stupid, everyone's daring everyone. I'm the last person you'd go with normally. Let's face it, you aren't going with me because you want to.'' Emily was matter-of-fact.

Marlene was not surprised at that. She knew Emily was smart enought to figure it out rather quickly. ''Maybe, but that isn't the point. I'm resurrecting it, am I not?''

''You go to a ball with me once, and then we go back to our normal lives. What the fuck is that going to look like?'' Emily retorts scathingly, putting on her more comfortable clothes and getting out the biology paper and her headphones.

Point taken. She turned her phone off after sending the text, and continued her search for something decent. Finding nothing, she decided to go shopping. Fucking dare... With that thought, she left her house.

Emily buys a dress, purely because she'd never cared to buy one. The dance was in three days, so she crashes on her bed as soon as her work is done, a little sleepy from the events of that day.

At the end of the day, Marléne changed once again. She had been invited to what was supposed to be the party of the year. Turning her phone on, she hesitantly sent Emily a text. ''Look Good on Friday. Will we meet at the local or will I pick you up?''

I'll meet you, She texted back quickly, smiling to herself. See you Friday, I have study leave for a work experience at an Astrophysics Lab.

''Okay. See you then. x'' After putting her phone on vibrate, she changed her mind. It'd be better to just sleep everything off. With a small smile, she flopped down on the bed.

That Friday, Emily shows up.

Marléne showed up not more than five minutes later. Seeing Emily, she half-smiled. "Nice dress, Beilschimdt."

Emily smiled. "Thanks, I guess, yours is better though,"

"Thanks." She grinned, "Let's go in."

Emily stepped inside the school dance daintily, walking past the football captain and a load of Marlene's friends, expecting them to make comments.

She shot her friends a dark look, putting an end to their comments and whistles. "Screw off," She spoke curtly, following Emily.

Emily automatically takes a seat by the bar, crossing one leg over the other there's a can of beer in her hand, and the bartender seemed to know her. Thing was, nobody knew Emily did alcohol, and that was the first speck of rebellion in the Erudite girl.

"I didn't know you drank." Marlene sat next to her, surprise evident in her eyes. It wasn't something you normally saw in the Erudite.

"Yeah, well, you don't know much about me, do you?" She drinks the can of beer in a way that could only have been done so quickly with practice, and is visibly unaffected. "I do a lot of things that you don't know I do, that's why I keep myself to myself."

"But now you won't be keeping yourself to yourself. Now you're keeping yourself to me, as well." She shot back, running a hand through her hair.

"I am right now, but who says anything about later?" It was true, Emily was most likely going to retract to being a recluse - finish her homework, get in her car and drive to the takeout she frequented.

"Probably because nobody resists my charms." She shrugged. "To me, you're a puzzle. Every girl in school either likes me, or envies me. You.. you don't do neither of those. You're like a challenge. And being honest, I like challenges. A girl like me barely gets those."

"I like not being a part of anyone's group. Unbound by loyalties, or friendships, a girl like me can do whatever she wants and nobody really gives a fuck. You kind of feel free, and I've stuck by it. I'm no challenge, I'm merely an enigma searching for a freer life." Emily sighed, running her hand through her hair. "And them," she says, gesturing her hand to the football captain, "to me they're all superficial. I could never stay around them."

"Yet you said yes when I asked you to be my date to, well, this." She motioned around her, raising her eyebrows in wonder. "Although it would have been a social life killer to say no, it also would have made you the first and only girl who resisted Marlene le Tallec's charms."

"I've been the winner of that title four years running, it gets rather boring," she says, shrugging. "It's always a choice, you've got the wolf, and the pack. I stay away from the pack because I want to. People are staring, wondering why you're wasting your time with me," she says, motioning to the group. "I'm wondering that, too."

Marlene glanced behind her and shot them a glare, hoping they'd look away. Facing Emily again, she spoke. This time, her tone was softer. "I'm not doing this just because its a dare. I'm doing this because out of everyone, you're the only one here that actually speaks to me instead of gaping because I am speaking to you."

Emily smiled slightly. "You'd better avoid me at school, though, if you want to keep your reputation. But I'm not playing the kicked puppy act, that is never going to happen." Emily looks at the group again. "Social standard means little to me. I treat everyone in the same way, which is usually to ignore them. I ignore them, they ignore me, it's a peaceful existence."

"I am not avoiding you at school. Better get used to me. I have a feeling you'll be forced into social interaction for at least the following month or two." Marlene couldn't help but smirk as she took a swig of her own beer.

"Not around them." She replied, as quickly as Marlene had said it, glancing at the group. "I need people that alternate between taking shots and debating the meaning of life, not superficial kids who think playing Truth or Dare is still fun at sixteen,"

A small smile broke on Marlene's lips. "Okay then. I'm going to make sure you aren't this antisocial person at the end of the year, by the way."

Emily rolled her eyes. "That could be up for White House debate," she replies, "The headmaster wants me to go and do those experiments with Kyarah again." She pauses. "But the mote it happens, the more I feel out of place and like I've forgotten something, you know?"

Marlene nodded. "I get that feeling a lot, too. Maybe its normal at this age." Marlene shrugged. She had never really given it much thought, but if Emily has also felt it...

Emily frowned. "I don't know - maybe I haven't slept enough or something," She muses, before grinning. "You know how to dance?" she asked, watching the couples with wary eyes, her heart racing, and it felt as though her heart was in her throat.

Marley couldn't help but laugh. "Hell yes."

Emily smiled a little more, and she tossed the empty can deftly into the bin. "Well then, shall we?" she asked, "I didn't put this dress on for nothing in particular, I don't know about you..."

Marlene smirked. "I put it on so I didn't have to come naked. Although I'm sure you wouldn't mind that." She spoke a bit too cockily as she stood up.

Emily punches her in the arm playfully and lightly, getting to her feet easily she's graceful as she moves down the stairs. Staring down a guy whose glance seems provocative, she yells, "I'm taken!" suddenly, and then blushed as the silence fell. Shit.

Marlene's smirk widened. "By me." She added, looking over to the blushing Emily. To make it a tad more believable, she throws her arm over Emily's shoulder.

Emily didn't look at anyone, suitably embarrassed, she tries to murmur a "Sorry," in Marlene's general direction so that nobody else could hear it. At the touch she blushed even further, if such a thing was possible, looking at her shoes.

As they walked, Marlene leaned down and whispered in her ear, "No worries. To be honest, I feel quite proud to be dating Emily Beilschmidt."

Emily smiled just slightly more. "You wanna say that louder?" she whispered back, finding this amusing - so far this was the night of her life.

Marléne shot her a curious look and shrugged, before calling out rather loudly. "I'm fucking proud to be dating Emily Beilschmidt." She grinned down at her.

Emily smirked a little at the sudden silence, especially from 'the pack', and she chuckled, not bothering to lower her voice. "Wanna get fucking drunk?"

A smirk formed on Marléne's lips. Mainly because of the sudden silence, but a small part because of her question. "I was wondering when you'd ask that."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Well, your wonderings are now answered, are they not? But first, let's show these tongue-tied lot what dancing really is, huh?" There were mutterings as Emily's slightly cocky side finally came out, for the first time.

"Hm.. Beilschmidt being cocky. What an unusual sight." She smirked slightly at her, "Being so cocky, I'm sure you'll be glad to lead the way."

Emily made a little gesture with her head, slightly cheeky. "Surely you're far better at this than me,"

"The cocky Emily is gone now, aye?" She laughed a bit, running a hand through her hair as she moved towards the dancefloor.

"That depends on the way you look at it, but in hindsight I'd say nay," Emily replied, laughing and glancing at the Pack. "I'm rather confident she's still here, what about you?"

She glanced back at 'The Pack' and shot them a smirk. She was quite amused seeing their oblivious looks. Leaning in, she pressed her lips to Em's cheek.

Emily took Marlene's arm once she pulled back and spun her with a light smirk. "Cocky Emily is most certainly still around, and I'm sure she's got an appointment free," she says jokingly. "I can get you in - let's see, right now."

"I think I'd like that." She spoke, smirking back at her. "Its amusing to see my girlfriend go all cocky."

"Amusing?" Emily questions, raising an eyebrow. "I, personally, think you're enjoying it. In my esteemed and accurate opinion."

"Maybe you're not that wrong. It'll be fun seeing you..." She trailed off, noticing one of her friends was walking towards them. Oh lord...

"Maybe'?" Emily brushes her hair behind her ear, turning to Marlene's friend. "Speak and make it quick, vodka's calling and I won't make it wait."

Marley raised her eyebrows. "Dana, what do you want?" Dana glanced at Emily, a look of disgust flashing on her face. "Who knew the nerd drank?"

Emily smirked at Dana. "Just because you can't resist gossiping about which guy you last f*cked behind the shed, Dana, doesn't mean I can't keep my secrets to myself."

Marléne stiffled a laugh at Emily's comment. Dana glared at Mar, expecting to shut her up, which Marlene obviously didn't do. Her glare shifted onto Emily. "Oh I'm the whore? Look in a mirror." Marlene furrowed her eyebrows. ''That doesn't make sense. Emily is, or used to be, an outcast. "God knows how many twats you've slept with while you're drunk."

"At least I can look in a mirror," Emily shot back, "because if you tried you'd smash it. Everyone already knows you're cheating with Erlend." Seeing Dana's expression change, she smirked. "Oh? They didn't? Nobody else saw you kissing in the girls' bathroom?"

She raised her eyebrows and shot a questioning look at Dana. "How come I didn't know that?" Dana growled, completely ignoring Marlene, and spoke furiously. "How about you leave Marlene alone and leave this party? Go to a bar and fuck as much girls as your slutty self can manage." Marlene didn't care if Emily was about to speak. She had something to say. "Dana, okay, stop. I'm dating Emily. She's my girlfriend. If she's fucking anyone tonight, its me." She snapped, her arms slipping around Emily's waist and pulling her close. "Go fuck Erlend. Its the only thing you could do." She spoke curtly.

Emily raised an eyebrow. "I could handle more liquor than you anyway, and if you really want to test that I'll put you in a fucking hangover until next Tuesday."

Dana remained silent, glaring darkly at both Emily and Marlene, before turning around and walked away. "Is this how we always were with you?" Markene questioned, wrinkling her nose as she looked down at Em.

"Thought you wouldn't have the guts!" she yelled afterwards, and a few people catcalled. "Yeah, pretty much," she replies.

"Sorry about that." Marlene mumbled, "Do you wanna skip the dancing and get drunk?"

Emily nodded, grinning. "Yeah, I think that's a wonderful idea. But I think I won that sassmatch."

Marlene chuckled and led her back up the stairs. "You owned her, babe."

Crossing one leg over the other on the same stool at the bar, she said, "Vodka's calling, don't you think?"

"You have no clue." She muttered under her breath, sitting next to her.

Emily knocks back the shot efficiently, smirking at Dana, who was staring. "Well, someone needs to stay sober enough to drive and it won't be me,"

Marlene groaned. "Emily," She whined, not wanting to stay sober. AT ALL. "could've let me know that before my need for alcohol rose."

"Or we could just not and stay at a B and B instead," she suggested, shrugging. "We could always start a drinking game."

She blinked, sitting straighter. "You do know you'll lose, right?"

"No, I won't, I've got -" She stopped at what she was saying, racking her brains. Was it true? And then, something clicked. Realisation dawned, and it was a lot for her to take in. "I think I'm going mad," she muttered.

"And why is that?" She raised her eyebrows.

It was an old tongue, definitely, by now. But instinct, instinct that had been masked and manipulated for years, kicked in. "Es ist mir klar, jetzt, warum ich das Gefühl, fehl am Platz."

Marlene blinked, looking weirdly at Emily. "What the hell was that?" Only one logical explanation popped up. "Is that a code you made?"

Emily frowned, for a few moments. "Um, no," she says, reminding herself she should speak English. "It's German."

"As if I knew what that was.." She mumbled. I'm so fucking glad I'm not the only one to speak another language besides English.

"German - Germany? Near France and Spain..." Emily looked contemplative. "I think I've found my answer to this deja vu I was having in History."

Listening to Emily speak German triggered Marlene's French. "What answer? You don't think you're from there, right?" She was speaking French without even realizing it.

Hearing Marlene's French she frowned. "What language is that?" she asked quietly, carefully taking a History textbook from her bag and setting it on the table.

Then, she noticed she was speaking another language, making her turn pink. "Uh.. French, I think. Near Germany?" Noticing the textbook, Marlene rolled her eyes. "Old habits die hard."

Emily shook her head and indicated the title. "I had to steal this from the library, students aren't allowed it." Berlin: The Lost Experiment. She traced it with a finger. "They thought the guy was a cynic, but I don't think he is."

Marlene raised her eyebrows at the title. "Experiment? Berlin? Isn't that in Germany?"

Emily shrugged. "I don't know what Experiment means yet, I haven't read the whole book, and yeah, it's in Germany. But if you look at page 10..." She pointed to the picture of a family, one of whom bore a striking resemblance to Emily. The caption began, A typical Berlin family, and one of the most established of the time, headed by Manuel Beilschmidt, age 31.

"They look a whole lot like you." She spoke, stating the obvious. Reading the caption, her jaw dropped. "Beilschmidt?! You're a.. your last name... German... Germany.. family... Do you think..?" She trailed off, knowing Emily would catch on.

"I think so..." She pauses and then shakes her head. "No. I know so. I...remember a whole lot of things now," she says, continuing to read the caption. "Manuel, Emilia, Lucia and Friedrich Beilschmidt were all named casualties, but oldest daughter Emily's body was never detected..."

"Well that's a push-over." Marlene mumbled. She was probably being rude, but she needed a drink. Receiving a shot of vodka, she muttered a quick "Bottom's up" and drank it. "How can you deal with it?"

Emily shrugs again. "I haven't quite processed it all yet." She read another line. "The English 'Divergence Experiment' in London took action on Berlin once its Divergent numbers were over seventy-five prevent of the population. A similar thing was occurring in Paris at this time, and there was a very similar case to that of the Beilschmidt family."

Marlene took her second shot after Emily mentioned Paris. A frown was etched on her lips. "I just spoke French. Do you think we've been lied to our whole lives? That these are fake identities?" For being popular, Marley was sure as fuck smart.

Emily shook her head. "No. These are just fake memories, and I think something in Kyarah's experiment must have counteracted it."

Her frown only deepened. Many questions were forming, but she kept the held down. "How about this: we forget about this for tonight and figure it out tomorrow, and enjoy of what's left of the dance?"

Emily slips the book back into her bag. "Ja, maybe we should," she says, taking another shot. "What do you want to do?" she asked, and then her blush darkens, "So, um, are we officially dating now?"

Marlene looked over to her and smirked. "Yes, we're officially dating, Madame Beilschmidt."

"Fräulein, now," she says, looking at the group, she's not too eager to go over there again, and they're looking over again. She holds their gaze but isn't entirely comfortable with it.

"Keep in mind I don't speak German, babe." She chuckled. Noticing she was looking at something, she followed her gaze, which ended up in the small group of her friends. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. "You shouldn't worry about them."

Emily frowns. "It's kind of hard, though. Try being in my shoes for a week or so. Just because I pretended to not hear you doesn't mean I didn't."

"They can be real pains in the ass, but once you get to know them, they get more bearable." She shrugged, moving her gaze from them to her.

Emily thinks about it and gets another can of beer, watching them for a few moments more before pulling her eyes away. She has a sudden idea, but her antisocial side kicks in and she remains seated, it passing through her mind briefly.

"You okay?" She raised her eyebrows, taking her third shot of vodka. So far, it seemed like she'd be the one getting drunk and not Emily.

This was because Emily was excellent at holding her liquor, but also a decent liar. "Yeah," she replied, even though her thoughts still bugged her significantly.

She nodded and looked down at her hands, a million thoughts running through her brain.

Emily sighed, finishing the can of beer again but not speaking.

"Being truthful, I thought you'd be the one getting drunk as fuck." She grinned, looking over at Emily.

"Nowhere near, love," she replied, not actually lying. "I don't get 'drunk as fuck' easily."

"I thought Germans liked to drink." She spoke, looking a bit thoughtful.

"Precisely, which is why we hold it so much better than you. Hence why I don't get drunk easily." Emily told her, smirking slightly. "Missing cocky Emily yet?"

"Although smartass Emily is cute, she's also annoying, so yes, I do miss cocky Emily." She chuckled, running a hand through her hair.

"Annoying?" Emily repeated the gesture from before, folding her arms. "Just because you've never had the pleasure of my undivided attention before," she hmphed.

"My bad, mademoiselle." She spoke, smiling as she threw her arm over her shoulder.

"Indeed so, fräulein," Emily replied, returning the favour with a chuckle. "You know, I usually make it a point to be the first to leave a party."

"I know. Don't you think we'd observe you? By we I mean me and my... friends." She spoke, not looking one bit sheepish. "The question is why not the same for this dance?"

"Nobody has left yet, I could still be," Emily says, only half teasing.

She stuck her tongue out. "Do you wanna leave?"

"I could ask you the same," Emily answered lightly, eyeing the door for a moment.

"We could always ditch and go somewhere else."

"Wonderful idea," Emily stood up quickly, walking down the stairs with ease and past Marlene's friends.

Marlene was right behind Emily. Her speed slightly increasing, she ended up by her side. Cheekily, she snaked her arm around Emily's waist. Might as well give her friends something to talk about.

Emily, not to be outdone, spun Marlene round quickly and kissed her.

Marlene was initially shocked, but soon kissed her back. Her heart's pace had quickened, a million thoughts on her head.

Emily's eyebrow raised as she put her hands on Marlene's shoulders, whispering, "Was it everything you thought it would be?"

"Pretty much." She spoke idly, slowly nodding. "Not bad, Beilschmidt. Not bad at all."

"Good enough to want a replay?" Emily pressed, and there was a hushed silence as a long restrained part of Emily showed itself.

"I'd say yes, good enough to want a replay."

"Replay it is," She smirked, and it played across her lips as she kissed Marlene again. "Shall we take our leave, fräulein?"

"Still don't know what the fuck that means, but yes." She laughed lightly, throwing a smirk at her too-silenced-friends in the corner.

"Exactly the same as mademoiselle, liebe. But heck, from the silence in here, you'd think people announced they were dating," she joked as she stepped through the door. "Where to, then?"

"How do you feel about sneaking into Fervor HQ?" She asked, looking to her left, where a bright light could be seen in the distance. Looking to her right, it wasn't as bright, but it was still bright. "Or Erduite HQ?"

"I don't see the fun in sneaking into Erudite when we live there," Emily pointed out, "and you think we could pass as Fervor."

"I would." She spoke with confidence, ignoring Emily's comment. "I'm not so sure about you. Most of the Fervor girls are probably sluts."

Emily kind of felt like going to the gym but kept quiet.

"You never did answer. Where do you wanna go?"

"Somewhere far away, if I'm honest," Emily ran a hand through her hair, which hid a tattoo she'd gotten, mostly to hide a scar...she'd always had it. Had she gotten it from...

"Let's go for a walk through the forest, then?" She suggested, playing with her ring.

Emily nodded, touching the back of her neck, where it was, for a moment. Playing it off well, she looked at the forest with a light smile.

Marléne remained oblivious to that move. She began walking, not bothering to wait for Emily, as she was sure she's keep up. "I wonder if we'll be the talk of the week next week."

"Not as much talk as there would be if they found this picture of something that would commonly have been found in a German magazine," she replied, as she remembered that one time she'd cut her hair. Of course, scientific advances in Berlin meant it grew back, but still, if anyone...

"Point taken." She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest as it got chillier. "Truthfully, there isn't much to talk about. Besides the fact we only got together and kissed in front of practically everyone." Her usual smirk took place in her lips.

"I looked a lot better, but still recognisable," she admits, stepping carefully over the tree roots so she wouldn't fall. The pine-scent is so familiar it almost hurts.

Marlene slowly nodded, pulling a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You never really look bad."

Emily sighed and took out the photo.

Marlene raised her eyebrows. Looking over to Emily, her smirk widened a bit. "What I previously said still stands. You didn't look bad at all. Quite on the contrary, actually."

Emily raised an eyebrow also. "Most people would be asking me what the hell I thought I was doing."

"But I'm not like most people, and besides, most people aren't going out with you." She commented, her words having a matter of fact tone.

She sighed at how much she'd forgotten from there. "I suppose you're right," she admits, finding it refreshing to walk yet albeit difficult in these heels.

She couldn't help but smile. "I always am, Beilschmidt. Have you forgotten that, as well?"

"I must have forgotten it in the shadow of my correctness," she smirked.

"You should have come in flats, like me." She noted, seeing how she was struggling to walk in the woods in heels. "Although, I suppose neither of us knew we'd be ending up walking in the woods."

Emily frowned. "No, I most certainly did not."

The corner of her lips curled up in a small smile. "Emily the all-seer."

"Oh no. No. Don't pull that one on me," Emily laughed, her blush barely visible in the dim light.

"Too late," she hummed, crossing her arms over her chest as they walked.

Emily rolled her eyes, delicately stepping over a tree root and very nearly stumbling.

"Careful there, amour," she warned, pulling a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Rather not have you get hurt."

"Wow, liebling." She sighed, "Like I haven't injured myself to high heaven already. You should be more careful in Chemistry class though. You're lucky I stopped you mixing some of that shit or -" She winced - "let's say you wouldn't have that pretty face,"

"What does Chemistry class have to do with any of this?" she asked, unsuccessfully withholding laughter. "We're in the woods, having just left prom, and you're talking about Chemistry?"

Emily raises her eyebrows. "Have you even met me le Tallec?"

"No," Because you've always been the outcast, and I've been popular my entire life. "at least not my whole life."

"Come on. You know me well enough to know I'm enough of a nerd for this."

"Drop the nerdiness for a night, will you Beilschmidt?" Marlene nearly pleaded, turning her head slightly to give her girlfriend, or whatever she was to her at that point, an exasperated look.

"...Two minutes tops," Emily shrugged, brushing her hair back. "It comes with the territory liebe. You have to cope with the nerd at least."

"You'll drop it eventually... hopefully," she sighed. "Though as long as you speak English and not in your native nerd language..."

"Meine Muttersprache ist ein 'Nerd sprache?'" Emily began to laugh. "Und französische ist besser?! Tch..."