"Please say something."
Paige hesitated for a moment.
"I love you too, Emily Fields."
After two months of studying for final exams, it was finally summer break. Emily had waited patiently for these upcoming three weeks to go to Laguna Beach. Alone. Laguna was the one place where she could completely be herself. Away for her three best friends, even though she loves them with all her heart. Still, Emily needed these three weeks before Senior Year and the sunbeams and salty water just made the whole trip more exciting. Packing up her last duffle bag, Emily took a quick glace at her room and sighed.
Nicely done Fields. Everything in place. All ready to go!
Emily bent over to reach for her bags and started walking towards her door.
Oh… one more thing…
Emily picked up her phone, a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
Just three weeks. Three weeks with no distraction.
She turned off her phone and threw it on her bed. She went downstairs and opened the door. When she locked the door, she hid the keys under a mat where her mom would find it after her mom returns from Texas. Emily then headed towards the subway; the first step onto her vacation.
She arrived at the airport about 20 minuets later and went straight to customs. When she was taking off her shoes, a familiar pair of shoes caught her attention in the next aisle.
Paige…
Emily looked up and saw the familiar tall, lean girl standing there, facing her back to Emily. Paige was taking off her jacket, revealing two toned arms and hard abs under a neon green running top.
Paige…
7 months ago
The lunch bell ran and the empty hallway of Rosewood High was suddenly filled with students. Emily was standing beside her locker getting ready for lunch when she gasped as someone grabbed her by the wrist.
"Whoa… what the h…"
"Shhh… it's me, Em." Paige whispered in Emily's ear.
"Oh… you scared me stranger." Emily let out a nervous laugh.
"Sorry… I just wanted to talk to you about what happened last night" Paige whispered.
"Last night… I had a lot of fun… thanks to you stranger," Emily stared into Paige's warm brown eyes and held them there at a moment.
"Yeah, me too Em. I had fun as well. I was just…" Paige didn't finish when someone tapped her on her shoulders.
Kate stood over Paige's shoulder, waiting for an answer from Paige. She raised an eyebrow when Paige stood there, speechless.
"McCullers… you had a moment there." Kate asked, trying to get Paige's attention.
"Sorry Kate… I was talking to Emily and you totally made me forget what I was going to say to her."
"Well, I'm just here to remind you that there is a basketball meeting right now. Being co-captain, it's probably a good idea for you to show up. You would want to be captain next year as well right?"
"Of course Kate. I'll catch up in a sec." Paige said hurriedly.
As Kate turned and walked away, Paige looked at Emily with an apologetically smile.
"Sorry, gotta go. Can I meet you today after school?" Paige asked.
"Sure, I start working at 6:30 so we will have lots of time to talk about last night" Emily said, emphasizing the last two words.
Paige let out a nervous laugh before she said she would see Emily at the Brew and sprinted to the gym for her meeting.
"Hey Paige!" Emily called when she saw Paige enter the Brew.
"Hey Em." Paige replied softly.
"You okay? You don't look very good." Emily asked worriedly.
"Just tired I guess."
"Tired huh… I'll make you a green tea latte. How does that sound?" Emily smiled and started leaning closer to Paige until their lips were about three inches away.
Emily's attempt for a kiss startled a Paige a little and Paige backed up immediately as soon as she realized what was going to happen.
"Em… there are people." Paige looked around to make sure no one saw what happened.
"Ok… so you want that latte?" Emily asked, a little hurt.
"No its fine. My dad is coming to get me soon. I just wanted to talk to you about what happened last night. About… about the kiss."
"What do you mean? Do you regret it?" Emily asked. Confused.
"No. That's not what I am trying to say. I was just hoping that next time, you could kiss me somewhere else…"
"You mean somewhere not on the lips?" Emily interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
Paige laughed, "No, some place else. Not in front of my house where my parents could easily see us."
"Oh… you still haven't told them about me yet." Emily said softly, more as a statement than it is a question.
"No. I haven't even told them about the fact that I like girls." Paige said.
"Well, when are you going to tell them?" Emily asked.
"Not anytime soon I hope. Maybe when I go to college." Paige said.
"Paige… you know this isn't going to work right? You… you can't just hide yourself and expect no one to find out. You are who you are and people are going to know eventually." Emily said softly.
"I know Em. I'm just… scared of the things that are going to happen if I tell my parents. I… I don't know what to do." Paige said, tears forming.
Emily reached for Paige's right hand and when Paige looked up, Emily gave Paige a comforting smile.
"I know Paige. I've been there. But I want you to know that I really really care about you; which is why I am going to help you through this."
"How? How can you help me through something that I am not ready to face myself?" Paige asked.
"Well, you said that your dad is coming to pick you up right? We can just tell him then. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner you will be free."
"I don't think that is a good idea Em. You don't know my dad. If he finds out that I am gay… the whole world is going to change."
Before Emily opened her mouth to say something, Nick McCullers walked into the Brew.
"Paige?" Nick called out, making Paige jump at the sound of her dad's voice. Paige turned and saw her dad looking at her and Emily holding hands. Paige quickly wiped her tears away and went wan.
Paige froze and did the first thing that popped up in her mind.
"What the hell is wrong with you Emily Fields? How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not like you? I don't like girls ok? Have I made that clear enough?"