They enjoy a loved up summer together taking day trips to the water park, camping with their friends, having movie marathons, listening to their favourite songs on repeat in the car, going to outdoor concerts and finally, taking their first cross-country roadtrip to California to move Paige into her new apartment.
Along the way, they stop at nearly every coffee shop and diner they see - to stretch their legs and do some taste-testing.
"Em, really, we're stopping again?" Paige asks from the passenger's seat. "You just went to the bathroom like half an hour ago."
Emily laughs and reaches over to place a reassuring hand on Paige's lap. "Not a bathroom break. I'm a little hungry and besides, I have to find the best coffee in each state. After all, I'm going to be making this drive a few times over the next 4 years."
Paige grins and lifts Emily's hand to kiss her softly on her knuckles. "I love you so much."
After a quick pit-stop, the two are back on the road again and headed for sunny California.
While Emily drives, Paige traces outlines of tiny hearts with her fingertips onto the back of Emily's hand and arm. "You sure you can't just stay until the end of the week? What if I need someone to help me find the library, or make me smile while I get my picture taken for my student ID?" Paige says, jokingly but half serious.
Emily glances over quickly at Paige and sees the subtle glimmer of teardrops forming in the corners of each of her eyes. She squeezes Paige's hand in her own and lifts it to kiss her hand and across her wrist.
"Babe, you know I'd love to but I've already given up 6 of my shifts at The Brew to come down. And I'll be giving up more when I come here for Christmas."
Paige swallows the growing lump in her throat. "You're seriously coming here to spend Christmas with me? What about your family? Em, you can't."
"I can. And I will. You're my family now, Paige." Emily releases Paige's hand for a moment to turn on her signal light, exiting at right as they enter the city of Stanford. "My parents are going to be out of town anyway and Rosewood is so depressing that time of year."
Paige nods, agreeing, and signals Emily to turn onto the next street. "It should be just up he- whoa..." Paige says, stunned by the immense size of the university's campus. She can't even begin to count how many academic buildings there are let alone dorm halls. Her eyes are immediately drawn to a large building in the centre of campus, the recreation wing. She had seen photos on Stanford's website but seeing it upclose and in person sent chills up and down her spine.
Emily parks her car on the street outside of the student housing complex Paige would be moving into. She had opted for her own one-bedroom unit in a shared complex instead of sharing dorm commons with a fellow student. She would have plenty of time for socializing and making friends during school hours but her time alone with Emily when she visited was important to her.
The two begin carrying boxes of Paige's things up and down the stairs to the second floor and into Paige's furnished unit. It doesn't take long before the car is empty and the apartment looks like a mess of cardboard and muddy footprints. Emily locks her SUV and joins Paige on the couch after grabbing two cool bottles of beer from the fridge.
"Want one?" she asks Paige. Paige nods as Emily twists off both caps with one hand. Paige looks at her impressed.
Emily leans back on the couch with Paige's arm around her shoulders. Paige leans over and presses her lips against Emily's cheek. They linger there as she takes a moment to fully appreciate this moment.
"Thanks for all of your help, babe," she says, lifting Emily's chin with her fingertips. "I couldn't have done this without you." She kisses Emily softly at first but after spending countless hours in the car together, both girls have pent up their desire for one another. Emily leans over to climb onto Paige's lap but fumbles with her beer bottle. Paige gasps and begins to laugh, the temperature of the liquid feeling colder in her lap than it did as she drank it.
"Oh my god, Paige. I'm so so sorry. I can't believe I'm so clumsy."
Paige shakes her head, smiling, and carefully brushes the excess liquid from her pants onto the hardwood floor. Immediately, she unbuttons her jeans and slides them off, tossing them into a pile of clothes on the floor. Emily grins and her eyes fixate on the perfect shape of Paige's behind in a pair of bright green boyshorts. She hadn't spilled the beer on purpose but she loved it when Paige just let loose and allowed herself to be just that - herself - in Emily's presence.
Paige grabbed a towel from one of the boxes and drapes it onto the couch before sitting back down. She raises an eyebrow mischievously, looking directly at Emily. "I've got an idea," she says.
"Oh?" Emily asks, her lips turning into an adorable, curious smirk.
"Ever played a game called Truth or Dare?" Paige asked.
Emily laughed and shoved Paige playfully. "Of course, you idiot. That game is so high school."
Paige reached forward and tugged on the bottom of Emily's shirt, lifting it slightly to reveal a small amount of her midriff. "Well, high school is over now. We're going to play University style. If you chicken out on a dare, I get to choose a piece of your clothing to take from you and vice versa. If I chicken out, the same rules apply. The last person still wearing a piece of clothing gets to choose the other's dare - one which they cannot refuse!"
Emily gasps but smiles at the same time.
"You in?" Paige asks, her voice deep and raspy.
Emily nods, leans forward and plants a passionate kiss on Paige. "I pick truth."