*** I do not own anything PLL related; I just love Paily***
Quick Notes: Some chapters will have back and forth POVs but mainly a Paige-minded story. Advice always welcome: this is my second fanfic ever and my first fanfic chaptered story!
Devastation, humiliation, betrayal, and most importantly: Pain. A ripping pain that tore away at her chest as if she were some lowly prey getting mauled by a more powerful predator. She never expected to be so young when she experienced the worst moment of her existence, yet, here she was watching the love of her life kissing and cuddling with the devil. There she was, Paige Mccullers- captain of the Rosewood swim team and a highly respected senior student- walking along towards her 5th period English class when she passed by the study hall room. As chance would have it Paige turned her head at the most inopportune moment: instead of looking at her fellow students she ended up witnessing an Emily and Alison kiss that occurred while Ms. Carp (the study hall teacher) had her back turned. As Alison ended the lip lock, the huge grin that was plastered on Emily's face was unmistakeable. Emily quickly wrapped her arm around Alison, scooting closer in case Alison wanted to initiate more kisses. She looked happy. This was the moment Paige's world stopped.
After emptying the contents of her stomach in the nearest trash can, not caring who saw her, Paige made the immediate decision to skip the rest of her classes. Aside from the few instances where Paige had to pull over and clear her eyes of the tears she made it home in record time. Without even bothering to remove her shoes or jacket, Paige collapsed face first into her bed (where she remained until the following morning), thinking about absolutely nothing and absolutely everything Emily related all at the same time. She couldn't do it anymore. She was done trying to be cordial with Em. How was she ever suppose to be around Emily again if Emily willingly went and dated the girl that tortured Paige for two years? How could Emily betray her like that? And how could Emily do it so quicky...they broke up mere weeks ago for damn sakes! It was that night where Paige decided it was over. No more playing friendly whenever Emily approached her. No more showing up at Emily's door to warn her about Mona's various plans. Hell, no more interactions with Emily at all. If Emily wanted Alison so badly and so soon, then she most certainly was not going to be able to have Paige's frienship too. It wasn't fair.
Starting the next day at school, and continuing for every day after that Paige had successfully given Emily the cold shoulder. There were moments, when Paige was missing Emily so terribly that she wanted to just forget that anything had happened and go approach Em. But, as soon as Paige was almost about to relapse, her momentary vulnerability was immediately replaced by the anger and hurt that surged whenever she saw Emily and Alison walking hand-in-hand down the hall. Alison acting as Queen, and Emily acting as her loyal toy. At the beginning it amazed Paige that Emily still have the nerve to approach her. But Paige remained strong. For the rest of senior year Paige refused to acknowledge Emily. Emily texted her every holiday; Paige did not respond- subsequently deleting Emily's number after that. Paige avoided any of Emily's congratulations after Paige took the Sharks to the state championships. When Prom rolled around, Paige only hugged her date closer when Emily tapped Paige on the shoulder to ask for a 'friend' dance. Emily wanted one of Paige's senior photos; Paige shut her locker and walked away. All of Emily's texts were ignored; anytime Emily tried to make eye contact Paige looked away; and when Emily showed up at Paige's to ask her what was going on, Paige slipped outside from the back door to go on a run.
That was the hardest year of her life. Paige had been through bullying and kidnapping and Emily's infidelity and the A drama...but watching Emily and Alison as a couple was easily the most difficult situation. So when mid-July rolled around and it was time for freshmen athletes at Stanford to move into their dorms, Paige welcomed the change like an old friend. She had heard that Emily had gotten into Penn State...with Ali; she had heard that Emily was going to be rooming with Ali. Ali was living Paige's dream, and it crushed her all over again like rocks falling ontop of her head. But it was time for Stanford, it was time for California, it was time for a fresh start. Paige boarded her plane with a smile filtering through her face. Her mind accidentally drifted, just for a moment, to the previous night's events when Emily had shown up, trying to talk to Paige, trying to wish her luck. Paige dismissed her coldly. Emily yelled, trying to understand why Paige just gave up on them being friends. Emily did not realize the irony in her question, for if she could not realize where Paige''s pain came from-even when she had earlier walked around Rosewood holding Ali by her waist-then she did not deserve Paige's explanation. The final thought Paige had before settling into her seat on the plane was the last thing she had said to Emily…"Goodbye."
The California sun shone brightly through the open window, filtering all around Paige's now empty dorm room. It was the end of her freshman year, and it was time to pack, and time to return to Rosewood for the summer. Paige had loved every second of school, and for all it was worth she truly blossomed in college. She made an enormous amount of friends, many of who were athletes like herself, she became heavily involved in LGBTQ organizations, she led the Lady Cardinals to their first NCAA swimming national championship, and she was beginning a lovely romance with a pretty little dirty-blonde soccer player named Lily. As much as she wished to just stay and enjoy the California beaches, Paige was excited to go home and see her family. What she did not know was that this summer back in Rosewood would have permanent impacts on her life. Specifically, the flawless-looking, dark-skinned brunette whom had never given Paige's thoughts a moments rest for the past year would be the one to create these impacts..
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