Running was a phenomenal feeling. Not quite as incredible as swimming, nothing was, but the next best thing for sure. Nothing to hear but the adrenaline-pumping music in your ears and nothing to feel but the wind on your face. It was like a trance, a trance that Emily was quickly thrown out of when she crashed into someone she hadn't even noticed.
Emily caught herself before stumbling forwards. She was in a rush and only cared to mumble a small apology, knowing she had to get home if she planned on making it to Paige's by five.
"In a rush, Americano?" a familiar voice asked. Emily glanced up in surprise, recognizing CeCe Drake, whom she hadn't seen in months.
The tall blonde was carrying a stack of four or five colourful boxes, one of which had fallen upon impact. Emily bent over to pick it up, placing it delicately on top of the stack which looked awfully unsteady in the other girl's hands.
"It's been a while," Emily commented.
"Oh, I know! Starting up a business is not an easy task," CeCe replied. "But what about you? What's got you in such a rush that you needed to run straight through me?"
"I have a date," Emily said sheepishly.
"You're still with pi-" CeCe seemed to catch herself, hastily correcting her slip-up, "Paige, right?"
Emily nodded, ignoring the mistake but still somewhat annoyed by what sounded like disapproval in the blonde's tone. "Yeah, I am," Emily realized too late the hardness of her tone.
"Whoa, didn't mean to step on your toes," CeCe replied, smirking a bit at the brunette's defensiveness. "I hope she treats you well, Emily. You deserve it," CeCe winked at Emily from behind the boxes, flashing a small smile that felt oddly sweet. It wouldn't have felt odd at all on anyone else, but no one was oblivious to the fact that CeCe was the spitting image of Emily's late best friend, and first love, Alison Dilaurentis. Yet, while Ali had always been manipulative, playing Emily's love like it was but a game to her and hiding behind masks of sweet smiles and innocent expressions, CeCe's smile was honest, something foreign to the face of Alison.
"She does," Emily said, letting down her defenses a bit.
"Good," CeCe nodded. "Well then you'd better get going, it's not polite to leave a girl
waiting."
"Right," Emily was a bit annoyed with herself about engaging in the conversation and
almost forgetting about her date.
"But, before you go," CeCe set down the boxes, pulled a bit of paper and a pen from her pocket, and scribbled something down before handing it to Emily.
"What's this for?" Emily asked, looking down at the phone number messily written, but still relatively legible.
"Future reference,"
"She's bad news, Em," Paige stated.
Emily leaned against her girlfriend, barely paying attention to the old movie they were watching. Aria had gushed about it, but Emily decided she prefered her films in colour.
"What do you mean?" Emily asked, looking up at Paige.
"She's practically Alison herself. The first time I saw her, I almost turned and ran thinking Alison had risen from the grave," this was supposed to be humourous, but Emily didn't laugh.
"She's not Alison," Emily replied coolly.
"I just think it's best you stay away from her," Paige said.
"And I think I can talk to whoever I want," Emily countered, sitting up to steadily meet her girlfriend's gaze.
"I just don't want to see you get hurt again," Paige tried to reassure her, reaching to touch Emily's hand, which she quickly moved away.
"By who? Alison? Because last time I checked, Paige, Ali's dead,"
"And yet her carbon copy's still walking," Paige muttered.
Emily began to wonder why she was defending CeCe at all. They were barely friends, while Paige and Emily had exchanged 'I love you's' numerous times. She wondered if she should just respect her girlfriend's wishes, yet she couldn't stop herself.
"You can't keep me on a leash, Paige!" she had more to say, but with terrible timing, her phone vibrated to reveal a text from CeCe.
Hey! My salon opens tomorrow, care to come over and give it a review before the big day?
Paige managed to grab the phone before Emily, eyeing the text suspiciously.
"She has your number?" Paige asked skeptically.
"Yeah, Paige, that's what friends do."
"Friends with salon benefits, apparently,"
"Seriously, Paige?" Emily shook her head, grabbing her coat off of the couch and standing up.
"Where are you going?" Paige asked, getting up as well.
"Out." Emily retorted dryly. "Or do I have to run that by you now?" Emily turned around without waiting for a response and left.
Slumping irritably into the driver's seat of her car, Emily mulled over the argument she'd just had. She cared about Paige, she really did, but Emily was never the girl who could be watched over at times, the one comfortable with someone looking over her shoulder all the time. That was exactly what Paige was trying to do, and though Emily knew her intentions were good, she wasn't going to have it.
Checking her phone, she noticed that she'd received a second text from CeCe, the address of her new salon. Because it wasn't too far from Paige's, or maybe just to spite her girlfriend, she started up her car and drove in the direction of the setting sun.
Emily heard a small chime as she pushed open the glass door. The salon was cozy in appearance, with a modern appearance that was detracted from slightly by the scattered boxes and supplies.
"It's a mess, huh?" a voice said from behind her, the door eliciting another chime as CeCe followed Emily in, carrying only a single box this time.
"It's not so bad," Emily replied gently.
"Whatever," CeCe laughed, setting her box down on a comfortable-looking black chair and beginning to unpack various hair supplies.
"Do you need any help?" Emily offered kindly.
"Well, I know you're just being polite and all, but honestly, I could really use the help," the blonde smiled up at her, somewhat apologetic. Emily just nodded and moved to a nearby box, beginning to unpack some of it.
They worked in silence for a bit, though CeCe eventually tried to strike up a conversation. "How'd that hot date go?" she asked, smiling at Emily.
"Fine," Emily replied quietly.
"Just fine?" CeCe pressed, and Emily just nodded.
Emily straightened up, a few curling irons in hand and turned to see CeCe standing behind her. "Everything alright, Americano?" she asked, moving aside to let Emily pass with the supplies. "You're pretty quiet."
"Paige and I got into a bit of a fight," she admitted. CeCe noticed that the brunette seemed unsure of where to put the curling irons, so she reached for them herself. "Here," she suggested, allowing Emily to hand them off and putting them each in their stations.
"What was the fight about?"
"She's just too.. Controlling," Emily selected her words carefully, gazing at the floor as she spoke.
"Ugh, I know what that's like," CeCe replied. "Let's take a break," she suggested, seeing Emily about to reach for another box. "My office's over here, and I swear it's not as bad as the rest of this place.
Emily nodded, following the slightly shorter blonde into a small, comfortable room. Emily took a seat in the chair nearest the wall, and CeCe sat beside her.
"Do you want me to call Paige? Tell her off a bit for you?" CeCe offered jokingly.
Emily smiled a bit for the first time since her fight earlier that night. "After your call to Jenna? No thanks,"
CeCe laughed at that, gazing at the pretty brunette next to her. "Don't let her control you, Emily, you don't deserve that."
"For someone I hardly know, you seem pretty well-versed in what I deserve," Emily's tone was quiet, but the words sounded harsher than she'd intended. She considered an apology, but thankfully, CeCe seemed to ignore it.
"You're a good person, I know that much. You're sweet, loyal, kind… Alison spoke very highly of you," This CeCe was rather different. She was never cruel like Ali, but Emily had always seen CeCe as cocky and overconfident. Yet the girl sitting in front of her portrayed neither of these attributes. Rather, she almost seemed nervous as she complimented Emily, her gaze honest and reassuring. Blushing a bit, she turned away from CeCe's blue-grey eyes and gazed at her feet.
"Hey," she said gently, reaching out to put a tentative, reassuring hand on Emily's when she noticed Emily's blushing. "It's all gonna work out," she promised.
Emily didn't move her hand away this time, instead revelling at CeCe's thumb slowly brushing over Emily's. Turning her gaze upwards, Emily met CeCe's, returning the blonde's warm, gentle smile.
"I'm glad you're back in Rosewood," Emily told her, surprised at how fragile her voice sounded when she spoke.
"So am I, Americano." CeCe replied, not moving her hand. "I forgot how much I love this place."