Emily pulled away from the hug and held my hands tightly.
"Do you want me to stay here tonight?" She asked, almost whispering. I thought about her question for a second. Of course I didn't want her to leave, but after my talk with Paige I just couldn't help but feel different around Emily. I had finally admitted that I still had feelings for her to myself. I didn't really know what I was supposed to do next.
"You sure you don't mind?" I answered, making sure she wasn't just staying out of obligation.
"Of course, I don't wanna leave you alone right now, Ali. But if you want me to go-"
I cut her off, "No, please, stay." I decided.
A smile came across her face as she got up and held out her hand. "Come on. I'll make us something to eat."
I grabbed her and let her help me up off the floor. "Em, while I think you're an amazing person, I heard about your empanadas, and I don't know if I trust you cooking for me." I teased.
"Okay, listen, empanadas are a hard food to cook! It's not something easy like a stir fry." Em insisted as we both made our way to the kitchen, our hands still connected, not like I was complaining about that or anything.
"Well, if you're one hundred per cent sure you are very much capable of making a stir fry, I will just have to trust you." I let go of her hand and sat down at the kitchen counter. Emily began to open cupboards and draws getting everything she needed to make the food. She got everything she needed in a matter of minutes. It kind of scared me how easily she was able to make her way around my kitchen, but then again it was the perfect domesticity I needed right now. Em started to hum and she prepared the food. "You want me to help, Em?" I asked after a minute of watching her.
"No. Because I am going to prove to you that I can cook." She answered, a determined look in her eyes.
"We'll see about that." I laughed, enjoying the easy banter. It felt like, in this moment, that nothing bad would happen. Even if it was just for a little bit, and it was the best feeling in the world. The last time I felt like not everything was terrible was a few weeks ago, just before I got put into Welby, when I made dinner for Emily and we sat at this counter and just talked. I almost laughed at the thought.
"How are you feeling?" Em asked after her cooking silently for about ten minutes, facing away from me as she placed the wok on the counter.
"Like maybe this could work, like maybe this baby could be happy, maybe I could be happy." I confessed, wanting to tell Emily the truth.
"That's all I really want." Em revealed, serving up both of our meals.
"What do you mean?" I questioned, curious to know if she was thinking the same as me.
"I just- I just think that after all this time of you not being happy and not getting to be allowed to be happy, that it would be amazing for you to get a happy ending. And I'll do whatever I have to do to be a part of your happy ending." I didn't really know where all this was coming from, but I decided to carry on the conversation as we ate.
"We all know about you and your happy endings." I said, remembering that day, when we were just fourteen, in the library.
Em immediately knew what I was talking about, "That was one of the happiest moments of my life."
I suddenly felt even happier, and I wanted to push her even further, desperate to know the truth. "Why?"
"Because you let me kiss you," She answered, "Because you told me you loved me." A sad smile took over her face in that moment and I grabbed her hand from the other side of the counter. "Did you?"
I got confused, "Did I what?"
"Did you love me?" Em asked, her voice raw as she looked at me with those beautiful chocolate brown eyes.
I decided on the truth, "Of course I did."
"Do you still?"
"Yes."
She took a deep breath and asked one more question, "Are you in love with me?"
"What would make you think that?" I said, maybe with a slightly harsher tone than I meant to use.
"You kissed me, Ali. You said that it wasn't just because you were vulnerable, you promised. And I know you remember our conversation the other day. Have you thought about it?"
"Em-" I began.
"No, Alison, please, just let me know what you're thinking."
"I'm not gonna lie and tell you I still don't know how I feel, because I do. But I don't want it to get in the way."
"Get in the way of what?"
"Our friendship." I replied.
She looked me deep in the eyes and tightened the grip she had on my hand. "Nothing will ruin our friendship, I only think things can get better from no on."
"Why would you say that?" Suddenly confused again.
Emily's answer was short, but it really was all I had ever wanted to hear since I returned to Rosewood six years ago.
"Because I'm in love with you."