A/N: These characters do not belong to me. I do not own Pretty Little Liars. Blah, blah, blah. You've heard it all before...

Ch. 1: The Catch Between Us

I think every life has at least one of those moments. Those moments that make you realize that, before them, you weren't really living your life. You existed within your life, but you did so with no purpose or direction. No enjoyment. Then you're suddenly in the moment and you know that everything is about to change. You know it so strongly that you can almost feel a physical shift taking place within yourself. Everything is new. Everything is just beginning. Tonight held one of those moments for me…

I wasn't happy about going to the party. My aunt Veronica told me that I should go. I should make friends with the kids who would be my classmates for my last year of high school. She was kind enough about it but still left no doubt that her 'suggestions' were final and not to be argued with. I was going to let my cousin Spencer take me to the party and I was going to make an effort to make friends. My cousin seemed about as pleased at the prospect of having me as company at the party as I was about going at all. The car ride there was filled with tense silence. I tried to contain my nervous energy while Spencer drove, glowering the entire way and ignoring me as if any of this was my idea.

Truth is, none of this was my idea. In fact, it seemed like so long since I had been given a choice in what happened in my life. Things would definitely be different if I had. I wouldn't be going to this stupid end of the summer party. I wouldn't be in this car with my cousin. I wouldn't be living with my aunt and uncle. And I sure as hell wouldn't be doing all of the above in some tiny hick town in South Dakota. I stared out the window, trying to come to terms with the fact that everything in my life was out of my control…

The party was being held in a large repurposed barn. I could tell that it hadn't been used to house animals or whatever other things barns were normally used for in quite some time. It looked more like a club on the inside. There were lights and a stage and probably over 100 people in attendance. There was a "bar" area that was actually just a keg and a bunch of barrels with drinks sitting on top of them. There were hay bales spread throughout and used as seating, and the ground was covered in fresh straw, which I assumed was what I was smelling. Basically, the barn was like a club, but the club's theme was "barn."

After we stepped into the party but before I had made all my assessments, Spencer, unsurprisingly, ditched me to go look for her friends in the large, tightly-packed crowd. I couldn't have felt more out of place as I watched the only person I knew here disappear into a sea of cowboy boots and belt buckles. I was sure I more than stood out in my black combat boots and leather jacket. I breathed out a sigh and went to go find myself a drink that would, hopefully, make this night not drag on forever.

About an hour later, I was standing with my back to the wall opposite the stage. Most of the people at the party were huddled together in a mob just in front of the stage, jumping, pushing, drinking, and listening to the band play. A few curious glances were tossed my way, but, for the most part, people left me alone to observe the scene in front of me. The people around me seemed to be getting drunker by the minute, and I was vaguely aware of a girl standing and dancing on a barrel to my immediate left when my attention focused on the band. There were three members: a guy on lead guitar and vocals, another guy on bass, and a girl in the back on drums. They were mostly playing covers of rock songs, but there were a few songs I didn't recognize that could have been their own. They were surprisingly good, and I found myself enjoying the music but not quite as much as I was enjoying the view. I was mesmerized by the girl on drums. She had caramel skin and straight black hair that fell around her face and shook with every beat she hit out. She was grinning a sly and mischievous smile that was half-told through her dark eyes. Her body was lean and she had long arms that looked both strong and soft; both capable of carrying a heavy beat and gently caressing…wherever one should want a gentle caress. I cleared my throat and looked away before my mind could wander any further.

Suddenly, the drunk girl dancing on the barrel to my left lost her balance and fell towards me. I reacted quickly and held out my arms as her body crashed into them. Besides the new and unfamiliar weight on my arms, the first feeling I registered was annoyance with this girl who obviously couldn't hold her liquor. I held onto that annoyance for all of two seconds before I actually got a good look at her. She was beautiful. Beyond beautiful. She put the word 'beautiful' to shame. Her skin was darker but not so dark as to hide the blush in her cheeks either from being drunk or from the embarrassment of falling into the arms of a stranger. Probably a little of both. Her eyes were dark brown and…complicated. There was a brightness on the surface, but there was something oddly familiar behind that gleam that I couldn't quite figure out but desperately wanted to. Her hair was black and smooth, flowing down past her shoulders and onto my arm that was holding onto her back. It looked like silky black waves crashing onto a pale beach.

After the initial shock on her face wore off, she transitioned into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. I smiled at her ease to laugh at this new, somewhat awkward, situation and instantly felt more at ease myself. I exhaled the breath I was holding in partly because of the tension I felt trying to make sure I didn't drop this girl and partly because of how gorgeous this girl was. When I took in a breath, I smelled the most glorious mixture of vanilla and, well, obviously alcohol, and I noted it as one of the best things I'd ever smelled.

As I was busy trying to soak in the entirety of this girl, she was busy composing herself and, before long, she spoke. "Hey. I don't believe we've met before. My name's Emily."

She looked at me, expecting a response, probably one that contained my name, but the only response she got from me was my goofy grin growing wider. As the seconds ticked by, she kept the smile on her face but she narrowed her eyes at me playfully and questioningly. Say something, you idiot! She thinks you're a weirdo just staring at her like that! I moved my mouth to speak, but nothing was coming out. I couldn't help it. I was speechless. I couldn't focus on words. I was too busy focusing on this girl—Emily—who I was holding. How she looked. How she felt as I held her. Kind of like how a bride would be held as she was carried into a honeymoon suite, I told myself before I could rein in the rogue thought. How she sounded. How she smelled. I couldn't help but think that this beautiful assault on all my senses could be complete if only I could taste her—

"PAIGE!"

I was snapped out of my thoughts by Spencer yelling my name and briskly walking over to us. I quickly dropped Emily's legs, which she didn't seem to be expecting because she was off-balance for a second, but I still had my arm around her back and she had hers around my neck, so she regained her footing quickly. I removed my arm from her just as Spencer stopped in front of us. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she looked back and forth between Emily and me for a while before speaking. "What's going on here?" she asked almost accusingly and I noticed she looked pointedly at me.

She thinks this is my fault? Relax, cuz. When I pick up girls, I generally don't literally pick them up.

I was in the middle of rolling my eyes when Emily spoke up. "Spencer, it's okay. I was just dancing and I slipped and she caught me."

Spencer looked at me for confirmation and I just stuck my hands in my jacket pockets. I didn't owe her an explanation. She shook her head, looked at me and said, "Just try not to cause any problems for another 15 minutes. Then we'll leave."

She turned to walk away, but Emily grabbed her arm. "Wait. You know her?"

Spencer sighed. "Emily, this is my cousin Paige. Paige, this is Emily. Now come on. Hannah and Aria are waiting for us," Spencer said to Emily and headed back into the crowd.

Emily started to follow until turning back around with a big smile on her face. "It was nice to meet you, Paige. Thanks for catching me."

"Anytime," I replied as my goofy grin turned into a smirk. Are you flirting with your cousin's friend?

"Ah, so you can speak."

I shrugged. "The ability comes and goes." Okay. Why are you flirting with your cousin's friend?

She laughed at the same time that I decided that making her laugh was my new most favorite thing.

"I'll see you around, Paige."

Apparently, hearing Emily say my name was also my new most favorite thing.

"Yes. You will," I said with a wink. You're winking at her now?! Seriously, get ahold of yourself! Either close both your damn eyes at her or neither!

Right before she turned back towards the crowd, I saw a shy smile cross her lips and her blush deepen. I reveled in the fact that I had made her blush. Is it possible to have three new most favorite things?

I watched Emily disappear into the crowd, sighed, and leaned/fell into the wall behind me, thinking that maybe this new situation I found myself in wasn't going to be so bad after all. Maybe it was going to be great.