AN: This idea has been floating around in my head for a while. I edited it myself so let me know of any mistakes. Reviews are welcome. I'm almost finished with chapter 2 so if there are any huge problems I need to know sooner rather than later thanks guys!
Emily Fields was standing at her locker, the bell just having rang for the end of the week. She was determining what books she needed to take with her for the weekend and which she could avoid lugging home when the other three of her foursome approached, apparently in a heated discussion.
"How did you get a 97%, Spencer?" Hanna was looking over Spencer's shoulder at a piece of paper.
"Maybe because I actually studied, Han."
"I studied! And I still failed." Hanna pouted.
"Hanna, making out with Caleb with a trig book open in your vicinity doesn't count as studying.." Aria chimed in.
"Whatever.." Hanna rolled her eyes. "Hey, Emily."
"Hey guys." Emily smiled back at her friends, shutting her locker.
"Can you still drive us to Noel's party tonight?" Hanna asked, smiling sweetly at Emily.
"Yea, it shouldn't be a problem. Just meet at my place around 9?"
"Em, don't you ever get tired of being the designated driver?" Aria asked.
"It's not a big deal. Someone's gotta keep their wits about them.." Emily smirked.
The four girls started off toward the doors when a hush fell over the hallway. They all swiveled their heads to see what put a stop to the commotion. At the end of the hallway, head cheerleader Amber Smithson was sauntering through the crowd. But it wasn't just Amber everyone was staring at. It was who she was holding hands with. And it wasn't Brian Young, quarterback of the football team and her boyfriend since sophomore year. It was Paige McCullers.
"Woha…" Hanna was the first to react. A murmuring began to rise up out of the crowd, no one looking away from the display.
Amber was in her blue and white Rosewood High Sharks cheerleading outfit, long blond hair cascading halfway down her torso. Her fingers were intertwined tightly with the tall swimmer's.
Paige stared straight ahead, a smirk playing on her lips. She was wearing a Sharks varsity jacket, her free hand tucked into the pocket.
"I don't even understand how she got that varsity jacket." Spencer spoke quickly, almost breathless.
Emily answered her, "She went to the coach and complained that it was sexist that only guys got the jackets. She said she was a varsity athlete, too, and should be allowed one. Obviously it worked." Emily rolled her eyes.
"How does she do it?" Aria wondered aloud. "Paige has gotten more girls at this school than any guy. And now she's got the head cheerleader? Dayum."
"Pff, she's never hit on me." Hanna said, looking almost upset.
"Han, you don't even like girls.." Emily responded.
"So! It'd be the thought that counts. But, for real. How is Paige such a stud? Does she have magic fingers, or something?"
"Pretty much…" Spencer said under her breath. The other three girls gaped at the tall brunette.
"Spence…you can't be serious. You…and Paige..?" Emily stuttered.
Spencer's eyes widened, realizing what she'd said. "Once!" she huffed, "One time! Before Toby! It was after a particularly satisfying win for the hockey team...we were at the after party and…well…" She trailed off.
"Hoooly shit, Spence…" Aria raised her eyebrows. Spencer was concentrating very hard on her Oxford loafers at the moment.
As Amber and Paige passed by the group of girls, Paige's gaze moved toward them. Emily was staring and her eyes accidentally met Paige's. Paige raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. Emily quickly looked away.
Hanna scoffed. "Fine! I guess I'm the only girl in the whole school Paige isn't interested in!"
It was 8:45 and Emily was standing in front of her closet, trying to decide what to wear to Noel's. Not that it really mattered. There wasn't anyone she was trying to impress, anyway. Despite how easy Paige McCullers made it look, there weren't exactly many lesbians in Rosewood. Sure, Paige had a way of getting girls in bed for one night, maybe a few if she was lucky, but Emily knew Paige had never had a long term relationship. Maybe she didn't want one.
Emily knew she was a catch and could probably rival Paige's 'achievements' but she honestly wasn't interested in meaningless sex. The idea of a strange girl in her bed didn't turn her on. Connection turned her on. Conversation and common interest turned her on. She needed a girl to be more than just a tool for getting off.
Finally, Emily settled for a gray, off the shoulder sweater, a pair of tight black jeans and black combat boots. She stared at herself in the mirror for a second, tugging at the sweater. "Not bad, Fields." She said to the empty room.
Emily stood in the middle of Noel Kahn's living room, sipping on a coke, watching the party move around her. The music thumped in her ears. The other three girls had dispersed, saying various hellos, sharing gossip and filling solo cups with alcohol.
There was an uproar from across the room, people cheering a clapping and hollering. Emily took a few steps, peering over. She could see a couple guys holding someone upside down over the keg and counting. Some idiot football player doing a keg stand. Emily rolled her eyes. Why were guys such douche bags? Finally, after 58 seconds, the person motioned to be let down. That's when Emily saw it wasn't a football player at all. It was Paige, once again, the center of attention. Paige wiped some beer off her mouth and stuck both arms into the air, cheering. Her eyes flicked over to Emily, catching her staring for the second time that day. This time, though, she made her way toward Emily. She swaggered across the room.
"Hey Emily." Paige flashed her a smirk again.
Emily averted her eyes. "Uh..hi, Paige."
"You wanna do a keg stand?" Paige had her hands jammed into her jean pockets.
Emily knitted her eyebrows together at the request. "No…I'm, uh, the DD tonight." She said, lifting her coke can into the air.
Paige cracked the top off a bottle of Budweiser, chuckling. "How sweet of you." She took a long drink.
Emily didn't know how to respond and she shifted against the uncomfortable silence. She ran her fingers through her hair, searching for something to say. Even though they were co-captains of the swim team, Emily and Paige rarely had to speak one on one. It usually involved the coach or the rest of the team.
"Did, uh, Amber come with you tonight?" Emily finally asked.
Paige just smiled a bit and pointed to the kitchen. Emily looked and saw Amber passionately making out with quarterback Brian.
"Oh…I'm sorry.." Emily felt awkward.
Paige shrugged. "Nothing to be sorry about."
"But..I thought…I mean…you guys were holding hands today…it just seemed like-"
Paige cut her off with a laugh. "What it seemed like was Amber had a big blowout with Brian and was looking for a way to get back at him. That's where I came in."
Emily quickly looked at Paige trying to determine the tone of her voice. Did that upset her? Did she mind being used like that? Or did she like it because made her look like a stud? But Paige just shrugged, an unreadable look on her face.
Paige pushed off from leaning against the table. "Alright, Fields. Have a good time tonight. I'm gonna get back to drinking." She held her beer bottle out and tapped it against Emily's coke can and they both took a sip of their drinks. "I've always liked that sweater on you, by the way." Then Paige actually winked at her and walked off toward the keg, presumably to assist in more asinine behavior.
Emily went off to look for the rest of her girls, but couldn't shake Paige's comment. 'She's always liked me in this sweater? Like she notices when I wear it?' Emily didn't know how she felt about that.
Around two o'clock in the morning, Emily was attempting to corral Aria, Hanna and Spencer to the car. Hanna was completely shitfaced, Spencer was fairly drunk and Aria was mildly tipsy. 'Yea…this seems about right..' Emily thought as Hanna leaned into her. Emily was trying to unlock her car, the other girls slumping against their doors when she heard someone talking, "Ahh fuck, come onnn..urghh.." Emily looked up the drive way to see Paige. Paige was standing at the driver's side of her Prius, obviously trying to get the key in the lock, but hardly able to keep her balance.
Emily rolled her eyes. "Okay, girls, hang on. I'll be right back." The only answer she got back was three groans. Emily was already striding back toward the house, though.
"Paige!"
Paige looked left and right before finally turning around to see Emily. "Emilyyyy!" she had a dopey grin and her eyes were glazed.
"Paige, you're not actually trying to drive home right now are you?" She had her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at the drunken swimmer.
Paige slowly blinked. "Well….trying but failing!" She slurred, giggling, and indicating the fact that she couldn't seem to fit the key into the hole.
Emily quickly snatched the keys out of Paige's hand. "Look, I'll take you home if you don't want to stay here tonight but you're sure as hell not getting behind the wheel like this. What's your address?" Emily dug her phone out, ready to map quest it.
Paige managed to articulate her address and Emily sighed, seeing it was about 20 minutes out of her way. "Okay, come on McCullers. My car's over here." Paige stumbled a bit as they set off and Emily reached over and grabbed her around the waist to stop her inevitable face plant. Paige wrapped both of her arms around Emily at that point, her hands holding onto fistfuls of Emily's sweater.
"Mmm, this sweater is as soft as it looks.." Paige whispered, almost directly into Emily's ear. "I've been wondering.."
Emily frowned a bit as they approached her car. Now it was obvious Paige was hitting on her. At least, Drunk Paige was.
Hanna was sitting on the ground when they got back. Emily sighed. "Aria, can you get Hanna up?" she asked, thankful that the small girl hadn't overindulged. Emily used her free hand to open the back door and helped Paige lower into the backseat.
"Thank you, Emilyyy.." Paige said, sounding a lot like a kid. Spencer had gotten in on the other side and Aria and Emily slid Hanna in next to Paige. Aria rode shot gun. Emily got in the driver's seat and looked at the three girls in the back. Paige was in the middle, looking content. Spencer was scooted as close to the door and as far away from Paige as she could get, a slight blush on her cheeks. Hanna, on the other hand, had rested her head on Paige's shoulder and put her hands in her lap.
"Hi Paige.." Hanna breathed. She moved her hands up higher on Paige's thighs.
"Hey, Hanna." Paige had that dumb smirk on again.
"Hey! You two can bang later if you want, but it's not gonna be in the back seat of my car." Emily said sarcastically. Hanna, at least, stilled her hands. Emily pulled out of the Kahn's driveway, peeking at the map to Paige's house on her phone.
After about five minutes, Spencer spoke up. "Uhhhnn…Hey Em? Not feeling so good back here.." Emily knew what that meant and immediately pulled off the road. Spencer spilled out of the back seat, barely making it around to the back of the car before the other girls heard her retching.
"Anyone else need to puke? Better do it now." Emily announced to the car.
"Nope! I'm good, Em!" Hanna answered as if she had asked if anyone wanted the rest of her fries. After a few minutes, Spencer returned to the car, looking pale.
"Get it all out, Spencer?" Emily eyed her in the rearview mirror.
"Ughh, yea I think.."
Emily frowned at the uncertainty. "Hmm..okay, guys. Since my house is right around the corner, how about I just drop you guys off to get settled in and then I'll take Paige home. Okay?" Paige met her eyes in the rearview mirror and nodded.
"Fiiine with me.." Paige mumbled.
In less than a minute, Emily was pulling up to her own house, giving the other three instructions. "You can set up in the living room and my parents aren't home so feel free to turn on the Tv or whatever. Aria? Make sure you put a trashcan next to Spencer, just in case." Aria nodded, grimacing under the weight of Hanna. "I won't be long."
Emily noticed that although Paige was the only other passenger at this point, she hadn't gotten in the passenger seat. "Uhh, are you gonna ride in the back still?" Emily asked her.
"I like feeling like I'm being chauffeured around." Paige said simply. "Especially by a beautiful girl." That damn dopey grin.
Emily rolled her eyes and groaned. "You're not as smooth as you think you are, McCullers. That kind of stuff might work on straight girls who are mad at their boyfriends but it won't work on me."
"Yeaaa…" Paige laid her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. "You're different, Em."
Emily was struck by the nickname. To Paige she was always Emily or Fields. Never Em.
They rode in silence, Emily checking her map every once in a while. She looked in the rearview mirror to check on Paige who was still sitting with her eyes closed and head back. Despite herself, Emily noticed that Paige was actually quite beautiful. Asleep, with her mouth shut, that is. She looked peaceful. Not like the cocky girl who roams the halls of Rosewood High hitting on everything with a vagina.
Emily made a few more turns, slowing down to try and determine what house number she was at. Finally she pulled up at the address Paige had given her. When the car stopped, Paige cracked her eyes open and whispered "We made itttt!"
"Yes we did." Emily couldn't help but smile. Paige was kind of a cute drunk. "Hang on, let me help you." She said, getting out and going around to collect Paige. Once again, Paige clung to Emily's sweater as they slowly made their way to the front door. The three steps up onto the porch proved to be difficult, though.
Emily had to brace herself against the railing with one hand while practically lifting Paige up the stairs with the other. They eventually made it up to the porch when Emily tilted her head up, taking in the McCullers estate…both stories of it. Emily groaned. "Paige…is your bedroom upstairs..?"
Paige just started giggling. Emily sighed. She had gotten Paige to her front door and that should be enough, right? But she looked over at the taller girl, her head rolling from side to side and knew she had to do the right thing. She didn't need the guilt of leaving Paige McCullers to break her neck falling down an entire flight of stairs on her conscious.
Emily hoisted Paige up again. "Let's do this." She turned the handle on the front door, thanking the universe that it was unlocked. They stepped inside and Emily spotted the stairs…about 20 of them. She huffed. This was going to be difficult. "Okay, Paige if you can help me at all that would be great." She whispered, assuming Paige's parents were sleeping upstairs. Paige just nuzzled her face into Emily's neck in response. "Just…at least hang on to me." She sighed, attempting the first step. Paige was supporting some of her own body weight at this point but Emily was silently relieved she spent so much time weight training out of the pool.
About ten stairs up, Emily needed a breather. She pushed Paige off of her a little bit, forcing her onto her own feet. She rotated her shoulders and stretched out a bit before grabbing onto Paige who was swaying dangerously. Paige leaned harder into Emily, pushing her up against the bannister. Emily held Paige tight around the waist, anchoring them. Paige kept her arms wrapped around Emily's torso, her head resting in the crook of her neck. Emily was glad for the respite and relaxed herself against Paige. She slid her hands up Paige's back into more of an embrace than a support. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes until Emily decided to conquer the rest of the stairs. She whispered "Ready, Paige?" Paige raised her head and Emily reached up and tucked her hair back before she could stop herself. Paige smiled, actually smiled, not her usual smirk and answered, "Yea, Em."
After what seemed like hours, the girls were at the top of the stairs. "Which door is yours?"
Paige motioned to the second door on the left. Hauling Paige over level terrain felt like nothing after the incline of the stairs. She swung the door open and headed for the bed, sitting Paige down gently and taking a deep breath.
"Well, McCullers, here you are. Home safe and sound. All thanks to me." Emily couldn't help the snarky comment. She took a quick look around Paige's room. Mostly decorated with swimming trophies and memorabilia. However, a large book case took up almost one whole wall and was crammed with books. 'Wouldn't have taken Paige for an avid reader..' Emily thought to herself. She looked back down at the brunette seated on the bed, looking bleary eyed and half asleep. "Are you okay if I leave now? The girls are still waiting for me."
"Mhm.." She bobbed her head slightly. Emily smiled at her and turned to leave. "Heyy Emily?"
"Yea?"
Paige just held her arms out, presumably for a hug. Emily shook her head slightly and grinned, moving toward Paige and leaning down to receive her thanks. Paige held her tight. "Thank you for looking out for me." She said, her words sounding closer to sober than they had all night.
Emily pulled back to look at Paige. "Of course; you would do the same for me." A look of determination crossed Paige's face, her eyes clearing. She leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them by half. She looked into Emily's eyes for a second before leaning in all the way, her lips gently pressing into the dark skinned girl's own. It was quick, Paige pulled back after only a few seconds of contact. But, Emily was left frozen, her eyes closed, lips in a slight pucker. She felt Paige's hand move up to her cheek and slowly opened her eyes. But the moment passed and Emily pulled back quickly, standing up straight. She opened and shut her mouth a couple times before finding her voice.
"Paige…I, uh…well, I should go, okay? You're tired and you're drunk." And with that, she turned and hustled down the stairs. She crossed the yard out to her car, taking deep breaths of the crisp autumn air and trying to calm herself. Had Paige McCullers really just kissed her? Cocky Paige, who liked to do keg stands and sleep with any girl who comes her way? Sweet Paige, who liked Emily's sweater and had a bookshelf full of books? Emily's head was swimming now, feeling practically drunk herself. She held onto the steering wheel, trying to stop her hands from shaking before she started the engine and headed back to her house.