Four letter word

38. "I think I like you"

After the whole conversation between Lindsey and AJ outside, things were a little awkward once Dana decide it was time for their study session to begin. They sat on pillows around the small coffee table with their heads buried in books and notes. From time to time Dana would look up to eye Lindsey and AJ, she could sense some kind of an awkward tension between the two. The only person who was oblivious to the whole thing was Riley, who was too busy listening to music in her headphones and scribbling down some new notes and underlining the old ones.

"Hey, can you quiz me on this?" Dana asked and handed AJ her notebook, AJ slightly jumped from surprise and gave Lin an awkward glance.

Dana frowned looking at the two and dropped the notebook on the table, making enough noise for Riley to look up confused and pull down her headphones, "okay, are you two in a fight or something?" Dana spoke in her strict, authoritative tone which demanded an answer.

Lindsey and AJ looked at each other with surprise, "no, why would we be in a fight? We just got back together" Lindsey shrugged.

"What did you need me to quiz you on?" AJ asked and picked up Dana's notebook.

"No, put that down!" Dana snapped and AJ quickly let go of the notebook, "clearly there's something going on between you two and it's interfering with my studies!"

"I don't know what you're talking about" Lindsey said.

"Oh?" Dana raised an eyebrow, almost in a challenging way, daring Lindsey to lie again.

The blonde nervously looked away.

Then Dana turned her cold eyes over to AJ, who was pretty much already wishing she was a ghost or a spirit or an invisible woman or really any being that could easily get out of dangerous, life-threatening situations because this is what that was.

"Well? You don't know what I'm talking about either? So I'm just imagining this whole tension between you two?" She asked, her tone slightly softer, but no less demanding. Then she looked at Riley, "Riles, back me up here. You sense the tension too, right?"

Riley shrugged, "maybe it's sexual tension. Do you guys need us to leave you alone?" She chuckled.

"You're gross" Lindsey rolled her eyes. Although Riley wasn't too far off from the truth, some of it really was sexual tension.

"That's not helping!" Dana huffed, "I refuse to let anyone or anything get in the way of me getting the highest damned scores on the exams. Understood?" Dana said, looking fiercely at the three of them. Lin and AJ quickly nodded.

"Good. So whatever it is, get it off your chest, here's your chance, because it's clearly bothering you" she said, gesturing at the table for them to spill whatever it was.

AJ looked at Lindsey and sighed, "maybe we could talk about this..."

Lindsey had a panicked look in her eye. Was she ready? How did you even start a conversation like that?!???

Both Dana and Riley looked at the blonde with curiosity and confusion. They waited, although Dana was impatiently tapping her fingers on the table.

"God, I didn't wanna do it like this..." Lindsey sighed and looked down on her notes, then she looked up at Riley, "can we go into the other room for a second?"

Riley raised her eyebrows in surprise, but quickly nodded and got up, "sure"

Dana watched then go into AJ and Lin'd bedroom and then turned back to AJ, "what was that about?"

"Oh... well you know how Lin and I took a break to figure out some stuff? Well..." AJ shrugged and Dana nodded with understanding.

"Ohhh! So she finally realized she's in love with her best friend, huh?" Dana chuckled, "wow... so is she like... about to confess?" She asked a bit nervously.