"Ready to run?" Emily asked as she stepped out onto the Montgomery's front porch.

Aria nodded. "Yep."

The girls trotted down the driveway and took off down Aria's street, their ponytails bouncing as they headed toward town.

"She's worried about you." Emily said as they passed Hanna's house, waving at Mrs. Marin as she climbed into her car. "So is Spencer. And Caleb. And Toby. And Ali."

"I know, Em." Aria said, a slight edge in her voice. "I know everyone's worried about me. I know it's been a month, but it's only been a month."

"Don't snap at me." Emily chided. "I was just reminding you that I'm not your only friend."

Aria didn't respond and they ran a few blocks in silence.

"I know these last few weeks have kind of been all about me, but how are you?" Aria finally asked. "With all the Ali and Paige stuff."

"I don't know." Emily admitted. "Paige and I are over. I still love her."

"And Ali?"

"Ali is…Ali."

"So she hasn't changed as much as we'd thought?"

"She has changed." Emily corrected. "She's not the same girl we were friends with, but she's still the same girl I fell in love with."

Aria easily detected the struggle in her friend's voice. "And you don't know what to do about that."

Emily shook her head as they reached the main part of town and paused to rest on a sidewalk bench. "She's having a hard time fitting back in."

"Understandable."

"I'm having a hard time with her being back."

"Also understandable." Aria said, leaning down to retie her shoe. "What do you want from her? Friendship or a relationship?"

Emily was quiet for a moment. "I think I want a clean slate. I think we need to start over as friends and see what happens."

It sounded like a good idea to Aria, but she didn't have a chance to say so.

"Can I tell you something?" Emily asked suddenly.

"Em, you can tell me anything." Aria said. "You know that."

"Ali was my first love. When she disappeared, I was broken." Emily explained. "For a long time. Our group fell apart, and I was just sort of…lost.

"I had all these emotions and feelings toward Ali, but I didn't have anyone I could talk about them with." She paused for a moment and looked at Aria with a somewhat bashful expression. "And then you came home, and we were sort of instant friends again. And I realized something."

"What?" Aria asked, uncertain of whether or not she wanted Emily to tell her.

"I loved Ali, but I sort of had a crush on you too."

"Really?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah. Is that weird?"

Aria shook her head hard enough to make her ponytail whip out. "No. Em, that's not weird at all. I'm kind of flattered actually. Do you still…have a crush on me?"

"I did for a while after you got back." Emily admitted. "And then when you told us about Ezra it started to fade. Now I just love you."

Aria smiled.

"As a friend." Emily added quickly.

Aria's smile widened and she leaned over and hugged Emily. "I love you too, Em. As a friend."