"Read her boobs. The girl loves Christmas." Hanna said sarcastically up at Caleb.
An eyebrow raise from Caleb and they went back to work trying to untangle the lights they were working on when Emily had walked over to offer help.
A couple minutes went by and a car pulled up. Emily knew exactly whose car it was. Paige had just pulled up. As she pretended to go back to work Emily was failing at the smile she had on her face.
"Hey" Paige walked up behind Emily and tried to hide her own smile when Emily turned around and she read the shirt.
Emily smiled like a dork when she saw Paige's scarf. "Hey. What's up?" Emily was secretly hoping that she could get Paige to help with the decorations they were putting up. Anything to spend time with her again.
Paige, as it happens, was thinking the exact thing at the same time. "I wanted to see if you wanted any help. Your mom called and asked if I wanted to come to dinner tonight and mentioned that you were doing decorations." Paige didn't hide the happiness in her voice as she told Emily what had transpired just a little while ago on the phone. "So, do you mind if I help or…"
Emily gave a wide smile, "Of course you can help! I'd love it." Emily mentally thanked her mom for this. Her good mood just tripled seeing Paige walking up to her front lawn.
Emily walked them both into the house and told her mom that Paige was going to be coming in and out to help with the decorations. Going to the second floor of the house and pulling down the ladder that led to the attic, Emily led the way to the balcony that the lifesize snowman light was on. When she opened the windows that acted as doors Emily tried to stand aside as Paige went first. They brushed past each other front to front and stopped to look into each other's eyes before Paige broke the eye contact by dipping her head and moving past.
"I'm sorry…." Paige said as she stood center on the balcony and watched Emily turn and walk out in front of her.
Emily gave a weak smile, "It's okay." she said as she put an arm on the side of the snowman. "So, this is where I would like you to be so I can throw you up lights and stuff. The brackets are already on the railing." Emily turned and leaned over the side followed by Paige as she showed her where the brackets were on the rail.
Paige and Emily leaned back up as Paige turned to look at Emily, "So that seems easy." The smile on Paige's face was unmistakable. She was happy to be with Emily and she could feel that Emily was just as happy to be with her as well. "I'll wait here then while you go down and get the lights from Hanna and Caleb I guess."
There was a quick lasting smile from Emily as she nodded and headed down the ladder to the front of her house. After saying a quick thank you and a hug for her mom she went outside and headed to where Hanna and Caleb had set up. "Hey. You ready with the lights?"
Hanna rolled her eyes in Caleb's direction before turning in her seat and handing Emily a string of the lights they had worked on. "Here. Everything works. We checked while you were up there flirting with Paige." Hanna gave a giggle and a smile up at Emily.
"Was it that obvious?" Emily inquired of her best friend.
Caleb entered the conversation now, "Yeah. It was." he chuckled.
Emily blushed hard and didn't know what to say to that. Instead she turned around with the lights and went over to the front of the house to toss the end up to Paige. "Hey, ready to catch this?" Em called up to get Paige's attention as she goofed around with the snowman.
Laughing and looking down at Emily, "Yeah, I'm ready I just wanted to pose with your snowman. He's so handsome." Paige put one folded arm on the snowmans shoulder and put her chin on her fist and smiled cute for Emily as she was watching.
"You're such a goof." Emily laughed as she held the end of the lights up to signal she was ready to throw it up.
Paige stood back up, still laughing and smiling, and nodded and held out her hands over the rail for Emily to throw the end. As Paige caught the end of the lights Emily cheered. She loved watching Paige do anything athletic really. "I'm going to come up and help you. If that's alright." She called up to Paige. Without waiting for an answer Emily was already heading into the house to go up and help Paige.
About ten minutes later they were done hanging the lights and everything was plugged in. Emily asked Paige if she wanted a drink or anything and Paige said yes. As they tried to go back into the attic they bumped into each other again. This time Emily took Paige's hand and swung her around to face her.
"I made a mistake, Paige. You were right. You've always been right. I wish you knew how sorry I was." Emily started to ramble now.
Paige understood what Emily was trying to say but she wasn't sure what she wanted. Would Emily doubt her again just because of some old feelings she may have had for an old friend? "Emily, stop." Paige searched Emily's eyes for the truth. For what Emily was trying to say without having to say it out loud. It was a gift Paige had with Emily. Knowing what she wanted to say almost always before she said it. "I love you, too."
Both girls smiled wide with what felt like relief before Emily couldn't hold back any longer. One hand slid to Paige's neck and pulled her close, breath mixing just before Emily kissed Paige. She kissed Paige like it was the first time all over again.
Breathless when they parted Emily wanted to ask what this meant for them but it was clear from Paige's expression that it meant they were back together.
Putting their foreheads together to catch their breath Emily broke the silence first, "I missed you."
Paige leaned up just a little to look into Emily's eyes again, "I missed you too, Em"