Greetings to you all! I'm tossing this out to see if y'all would be interested in it being continued. I don't like to give much upfront information. I prefer throwing readers into the deep end and revealing everything along the way. I will say that this takes place many years after the PLL5 graduate from high school. No A, no Alison disappearance. It's a slow burn Emison centric story.
One thing I should say upfront. The issue I've chosen for Emily and Alison will in no way reflect the right or wrong way to deal with or talk about a real-life struggle with alcoholism. It's about the characters and their journey—not a social message.
Rated T for language and suggestive situations if I continue. Probably M when all is said and done.
"Well, if it isn't the infamous Alison DiLaurentis."
Hearing her name, a blonde woman spun on her heel to face the owner of the self-important voice. Oddly enough, it actually reminded her of her own. Her quick movement upset her styrofoam coffee cup causing a small river of brown liquid to trickle down her hand. Her blue eyes bounced between the puddle on the floor, her stinging hand and a tall smirking brunette. Deciding to tackle the inconvenience of the stranger first, she replied, "Do I know you?"
"Apparently not," the other woman chuckled. She glanced down at the coffee and said, "I think you spilled something."
"I noticed that," Alison growled through gritted teeth. She was habitually inclined to think the worst of people and this woman was pouring and setting perfectly in her pre-constructed "bitch mold".
"It's a shame to ruin this immaculate gym floor that hundreds of kids run and sweat on every day," the other woman baited.
Her temper about to whistle with the sharp scream of a kettle, Alison snatched a wad of napkins off a cheap metal table. She didn't dare make eye contact with her unwelcome companion. This wasn't the place for a verbal beheading.
Before she could bend down, the brunette grabbed the napkins from the blonde's hand, dropped them carelessly on the floor and swiveled them in a small circle with the toe of her right boot. "Problem solved," she declared.
"Thank you," Alison replied for the sake of common courtesy. Her every impulse begged her to whittle the slim, cocky brunette down to size, but she didn't have the energy. Hence, why she had a warm caffeinated beverage in her hand. These meetings usually exhausted her. Either that or irritated her.
"Exchanging one addiction for another?"
"Excuse me?" Alison snapped.
"Your coffee," the brunette pointed at the white cup. "Alcohol for caffeine?"
"I know what you meant," the blonde sneered. "Was it supposed to be funny?"
"Oh, you're one of those touchy alcoholics?"
"I'm sorry. Who the hell are you?" the blonde threw out. This was escalating far too quickly. She was on the verge of using the coffee as a liquid projectile.
"Emily Fields," the other woman stated simply. "We went to the same high school. You passed me millions of times in the hallways." Emily picked the soaked napkins off the ground and tossed them into a used styrofoam cup.
"Should I remember you?" the blonde snipped.
"Probably not. You just didn't notice me. Don't worry, my heart is intact despite the absence of you," Emily joked.
Not finding any part of this dreadful conversation to be funny, Alison asked knowingly, "But you noticed me?"
With her arms tucked across her chest, the brunette snickered, "You owned those halls. Everyone noticed you." She added with a hint of disdain, "I mostly noticed you when you were ripping people to pieces with your insufferable snark."
"Did you come over here to tell me what a horrible person I was in high school?!" Alison sputtered. Blood boiling, she stared down the defiant woman apparently hellbent on getting a rise out of her. She succeeded. Alison's brain rumbled with insults and snide remarks. She was sure that her blue eyes now glowed red.
Aware of Alison's outward response to her insult, Emily carefully slipped the coffee cup from the infuriated woman's shaking hand. "Let's not dirty up the floor I just painstakingly cleaned. Plus, I don't want you to ruin that white dress."
Flabbergasted at the gesture, the other woman barked, "Am I being punked? Or are you really capable of being exceptionably rude and thoughtful at the same time?"
"I have been told that I'm multitalented."
Shaking her head back and forth as if to clear it, Alison noted, "You just called me insufferable."
"No. I called your snark insufferable." Emily smirked, "There's a difference."
Astounded by the sudden stillness of her fury, Alison brushed her hands down her dress to smooth any wrinkles. Unwilling to let all of Emily's discourteous comments slide, she reminded, "You also insinuated that I have a problem with addiction."
"Alison, you're at an AA meeting in a school gym. I didn't have to jump very far to land on that conclusion," Emily spun her arms around motioning to their surroundings.
Alison detested the puke green walls and the ripe smell of sweaty teenage bodies hanging in the air. There were at least fifty metal chairs organized in rows with a small, rickey wooden podium front and center. She responded defensively, "I mean, you made it sound like I'm basically cheating in my recovery."
"I was joking. That joke usually kills at these meetings."
"Why do I think you're exaggerating?" the blonde rolled her eyes at Emily's bloated confidence.
"Fine," Emily sighed with sarcasm, "It's hit or miss."
"I wonder why."
"Well, I think I'm hilarious." A wide grin engulfed the brunette's face. Although the woman's compulsive rudeness still tainted Alison's view, her entrancing smile conjoined with her sparkling brown eyes threatened to overshadow her words. "It's quite alright if you're still on the fence about my humor," Emily graciously added.
"I wouldn't say that I'm on the fence," Alison declared finding the woman's attitude slightly entertaining.
With a chuckle, Emily returned the white cup to its owner. "Well, I don't want to keep you from your replacement addiction. I just wanted to say 'hello'."
Scoffing, the blonde responded, "Your version of 'hello' is about as welcome as my 'insufferable snark' in high school."
"I get that a lot. I keep hoping I'll get a different reaction."
"Well, you know what they say about insanity? Doing the same—"
"Thing over and over again and expecting different results," Emily interrupted good-naturedly. "Thank you, Albert Einstein." She pointed at herself and then Alison as she spoke, "So, I'm insane and you're insufferable." The grin appeared again.
The beginnings of a smile tugged at the corner of Alison's lips. "It appears so."
"Match made in heaven," the brunette claimed flippantly.
"Too bad god forgot to keep me single," the blonde quipped. An unexpected shock of nervousness shot up her spine. The response tumbled from her lips without reason.
"Oh please," Emily waved off the comment, "I eat significant others for breakfast."
"'Significant others'?" Alison found herself amused by the term. "I didn't take you for the politically correct type."
Snorting humorously, the brunette assured the woman, "I'm definitely not. I'm just all inclusive."
"That's considerate of you," the blonde returned. She was still wrestling with the fact that two minutes ago she wanted to rip this woman's throat out with her teeth. Now, she really didn't want the conversation to end any time soon.
Emily took her phone from her pocket and groaned when she saw the time, "I hate to break up my attempt to weasel my way into your good graces, but I've got a date to get to."
"Don't sound so enthusiastic," Alison replied trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.
"It's a blind date. I'm not really good on blind dates."
"Just try saying 'hello' in a less offensive way."
"After a few drinks, I'm sure I'll be just fine," Emily replied with a straight face. When she saw Alison's jaw slacken, she followed up smiling, "Are you really one of those sensitive alcoholics? Because then I'm actually going to feel bad for making light of all this."
"No! I just—" the blonde stammered. "I just don't know you so…"
"Ah, yes. I could just come here for the stale cookies and coffee," the other woman agreed.
"Or to spill the coffee on other people," a fully formed smile danced across Alison's mouth.
"Wow," Emily's eyebrows shot up as she studied the glowing features before her. "You're stunning. Like staggeringly beautiful." She spoke as if the words were kicked out of her. "I couldn't see it under the angry face."
Two fires blazed on either side of Alison's face. Instantly, her mouth dried out and her vocal chords wavered. She couldn't remember the last time someone had so forwardly complimented her.
"Say 'thank you'," Emily urged comically.
"Thank you!" the blonde squeaked in response. In an attempt to recover, she said as the blood left her cheeks, "I'm sorry. I'm completely wiped. It's been a long day."
"And then some bitch made you spill your coffee."
Unable to wipe the goofy expression off her face, Alison corrected, "Well, she did clean it up."
"And then she completely embarrassed you by blatantly pointing out how gorgeous you are." Alison's cheeks quickly blazed red once again as Emily concluded. "She's kinda sorry."
The blonde cleared her throat multiple times before she managed, "Sorry for what?"
"That I didn't get to you before your 'significant other' did." Actually shocked by her comments rendering Alison unable to speak, she asked, "What happened to the queen bee with a response to everything and reaction to nothing?"
Suddenly snapping back to the woman Emily spoke of, Alison replied, "She's right here. This place just throws me off a bit."
Nodding, Emily agreed, "This place does strip you of any power, but still manages to empower you. It's ridiculous. I kinda hate it."
"We all kinda hate it." Alison stared at the podium as she spoke. That podium was the most terrifying place in the world. In fact, she'd never plucked up the courage to share. In all aspects of her life, she dominated attention and wielded control over entire groups of people, but here, she was just a face in the crowd. However, this was her safe place, her haven in the storm of her life.
"Shit," Emily exclaimed, "I'm going to be late for that date I'm so eager to get to."
"Well then," Alison shoved her hand outward, "It was nice to meet you, Emily Fields."
"And it was nice to be noticed by you, Alison DiLaurentis," Emily took a few steps past Alison after shaking her hand, then turned back to ask, "Out of curiosity, what is your 'significant other'?"
"He's my fiancé."
Scrunching her eyebrows together, the brunette replied, "I never liked that word, it's kinda weird. Oh and congrats on your almost marriage."
"Thank you," Alison replied robotically. She'd heard that more times than she could count. For some reason, she didn't like that Emily said it. What did she expect her to say? "Will I see you again?" Alison asked.
"Sure," Emily replied. "We'll run into each other again. Oh, I almost forgot to ask. Do you still live in Rosewood?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Is there a reason you drive all the way to Philadelphia for these meetings?"
"I'm trying to keep the 'anonymous' in 'Alcoholics Anonymous'."
"Good point. That place is a like a fish bowl. Alright. I really am going to leave now."
"Bye," Alison called after her. With the swiftness of Emily's exit, the blonde wasn't even sure if her farewell had been heard. She kicked herself for leaving their next possible meeting so open-ended. Glancing down at her white gold watch, she gasped, "Shit." After setting her coffee on the table beside her, she fumbled through her purse searching for her phone. As she unlocked the phone with a swipe of her thumb and four digit code, she waved to a few acquaintances as she stomped out of the building in her noisy high heels. Moments later, she spoke into her phone, "Spence, hey. Are we still having dinner? I know I'm a little late." She paused and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm a five minute drive away. I'll see you soon." She pulled the phone away to hang up, but suddenly changed her mind and asked, "Wait, hang on a sec! Do you know anything about an Emily Fields?"
So what's the verdict? To continue or not to continue? Make your opinion known!