Author's Note: I thought that I would come away from last week's episode and Paige's return with a fluffy one-shot about their time living together in California. Or maybe an angsty one about the demise of their relationship. Instead, I've had this scene floating around in my head for the past few days. I'm not sure where it's heading, but I'm curious to see how it pans out.
Synopsis Paige gets the position at Rosewood High, and has an unexpected ally in adjusting to the transition from former student to teacher.
Chapter One
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Paige had never really understood that expression until this very moment, as she stood on the steps of Rosewood High School working up the courage to head inside, just as she had stood in front of these same steps nearly ten years ago as a nervous freshman. She was a far cry from her troubled fourteen year old self. No longer closeted, she had accepted her feelings for other women. Once could even say she had even embraced them, having dated both casually and seriously in the intervening years. She was a college graduate. An Olympic calibre swimmer. If not for the knee injury that sidelined her career, she would have been in Rio this summer. She was a grown as woman, comfortable and confident in her own skin.
And yet, here she was staring up at the school's facade feeling overwhelmed and out of place, just as she had so many years ago. Groups of students milled around her, laughing, joking and calling out to each other, the cacaphony of sounds making her anxious, setting her on edge. She still felt uneasy around large group of people, Somehow conviced that whey they whispered, they were whispering about her. When they laughed, they were laughing at her. She was still a bit of an outsider in this small, insular town.
So really, how much had changed?
As if the day day were actually on repeat, she caught side of a flash of blond hair out of the corner of her eye and when she glanced up, sure enough, Alison DiLaurentis was striding up the school walkway towards her, looking as cool and confident as ever in a flowing blue skirt that swirled and shimmied around her ankles and a white, peasant style blouse that hung perfectly off her frame. Sun glasses perched atop her head, and her purse dangled casually from the crook of her elbow. Her stride was easy, her posture sure. Her ever present poise firmly in place. The only thing missing was her band of not-so-admiring followers. Seeing Alison alone was unusual to the point of being jarring.
She slowed up as she approached, coming to a stop a foot or so away.
"Paige."
"Ali." She gave a polite nod of her head, nearly laughing at the irony of it all.
"Em said that you got the coaching job. I didn't realize you were starting today."
Paige tried not to wince at the way Alison caressed Emily's name. Or at the reminder that the two of them communicated readily. She wasn't sure exactly what her expectations had been upon returning to Rosewood. Although, she would have been lying if she said that a part of her hadn't been hoping she and Emily would be able to pick up where they left off, before things had gone sour. Their reunion had been bittersweet. A few really good memories mixed in with even more bad ones. The attraction was definitely still there, but their connection was tinged with nostalgia, and maybe a bit of sadness. As much as it pained her, Paige was coming to realize that many failed attempts at happiness might be a sign that things just weren't meant to be.
Realizing that Alison was still standing in front of her, expecting some kind of response, Paige nodded. "Yeah. All of the paperwork finally came through. Hackett requested a police check, can you believe that?" She had been a nearly model student, excelling in both academic and athletics. She got a full ride to Stanford. She had been an Olympic hopeful up until about a year ago.
Ali chuckled along with her. "So are you ready for this?"
Paige shrugged, and Alison nodded sagely.
"There's still time to change your mind. Hop the next plane back to California."
"Don't tempt me."
They were both quiet for a moment, and Paige realized that Ali had turned so she was standing beside her, also staring up at the school. She cast a sidelong glance over at her. Alison had always been self-possessed, and that had not changed. But, there was something different about her now. She seemed softer, somehow.
The crowd around them had mostly dispersed, only a few students lingered on the walkway or hovered at the top of the stone steps, the five minute warning bell would be ringing any minute now, and those last few would rush off to their homeroom classes.
Paige didn't have a class first period. As well as coaching she would also be teaching civics and history. She even had her own classroom on the third floor, as well as an office assigned to her as a member of the phys ed department. She had set up her classroom and her office over the weekend, when it was quiet, and there were no students milling about. She knew she should be heading up to the third floor for some last minute prep for the second period class that she did have, but at the moment she was rooted to the spot.
"Have you been into the teacher's lounge yet?"
Paige shook her head, embarrassed to admit that she had been unable to bring herself to step foot inside. The room had always held an aura of mystery back when she was a student. Even though she held a bachelor's degree in education she didn't have much actual experience in the classroom. Training had taken up too much of her time to even put herself on the sub list, let alone take on a full courseload. And after her accident, her energies had been devoted to her recovery.
"It's kind of a trip," Alison said, offering a conspiratoral smile. "Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
Paige followed automatically as Alison started towards the door, then took a few hurried steps to catch up, bristling at the idea of having Alison lead her anywhere. They mounted the steps and both reached for the door. Paige's longer arms got her there first and she pulled it open, stepping aside to let Alison pass through first. The action more one of habit than a desire to be polite. Though she didn't fail to notice Alison's half-smile. Or maybe with a smirk. Sometimes it was one and the same with her. She stepped through behind her and caught up easily in two long strides.
The halls were empty, their foosteps echoing loudly off the metal lockers, and Paige kept half-expecting a teacher to come out and yell at them. As they rounded the corner, Mr. Krekowsky, her former Calculus teacher, stepped out of his classroom. He glanced up at the two of them as they passed and Paige's hand drifted, almost unconsciously, to her pocket. It was only after patting it that she remembered she didn't need a hall pass anymore. Mr Krekowsky nodded absently at them, distracted by the sheaf of paper in his hand. Beside her, Alison chuckled softly.
"Shut up," Paige muttured, though there was no malice in her words and she found herself fighting of a smile herself.
Alison hummed lightly in the back of her throat but said no more as they reached the door of the teacher's lounge. Paige pulled to a stop in front of it, staring at the simple wooden door like it held the secrets of the universe or some such nonsense. It was just a door, to a room. She didn't understand why she seemed incapable of opening it. After a long moment of almost reverent silence, Alison chuckled softly again and reached out with one hand, closing her fingers around the handle and giving the door a light tug. With the other hand she gave Paige a gentle push, sending her stumbling into the room. It was only Alison's hand fisting in the back of Paige's shirt that stopped her from falling flat on her face on the worn grey carpet.
There were a dozen or so teachers scattered around the room, spread out across the battered couch and arm chairs in the center, feet up on the coffee table in between, papers or computers open on their laps. A few eyes turned their way at the scuffle. Paige's cheeks heated in a blush and she dipped her head, avoiding eye contact. From beneath her lashes she surveyed the room. About the size of an average classroom, the space was unremarkable and not quite what she was expecting. The couch and chairs were the centerpiece of the room. A small kitchenette ran along the back wall, a long white counter with cupboards above and below played host to a coffee pot, microwave, and toaster oven. There was a sink and strainer to one side, and a fridge wedged into the corner of the other. A rectangle table took up most of the floor space to the left and a handful of desks, just like the kinds the students used, were arranged in a haphazard line to the right. A couple of them were occupied with teachers bent over laptops or papers. All told, it was sort of a let-down. Paige had heard rumors of a pool table, pinball and numerous other amenities that were not evident. She hovered in the doorway, waiting for one of the teachers to demand her out, but aside from the initial glance, none of them paid her any attention.
Alison used the hand on Paige's back to propel her forward, prodding her across the room to the coffee maker. It was only as they reached it that Paige realized one of the teachers was Aria's mom. Mrs Montgomery had been one of her favorites. But she was never quite sure how Mrs. Montgomery felt about her, considering her rocky past with Emily.
She was relieved when the older woman smiled warmly at her as she rose from her seat and approached.
"Paige McCullers," she said, holding her arms out for a hug. "Hacket said he was hiring a new swim coach, but imagne my surprise when it turned out to be you."
Paige stepped into her embrace. "Mrs. Montgomery. Nice to see you."
"Please, call me Ella. We're colleagues now."
"Ella," Paige corrected herself.
"Welcome to Rosewood. Or I guess, welcome back would be more appropriate."
Paige nodded. "Thank you."
"Are you settling in okay?"
"It's a little weird," she admitted, but was interrupted from continuing as Ali appeared at her elbow with a coffee mug in each hand. She handed one to Paige.
She accepted it with a smile and took an eager sip, needing the comfort and boost of the caffeing, and was suprised to realize it was exactly to her tastes. Black, but with a bit of sugar.
"Mmm, thank you." She glanced at Alison, who squeezed her arm before wrapping both hands around her own mug, not drinking it but lifting it to her face and seeming to soak up the steam.
Ella watched the exchange curiously, but did not comment. After a moment of uneasy silence she excused herself, saying she had to prep for class, but not before making Paige promise to join her for lunch sometime soon. Paige accepted the invitation, and another hug, before Ella pat Alison on the should and slipped away, leaving the two of them cradling their coffee mugs in silence.
"Come on, let's sit." Alison grabbed her hand and guided her across the room to the table, which was empty. Paige followed blindly, eyes drawn to the strong, pale fingers wrapped around her own, taken aback by the warmth they emanated. And how she kind of missed it when they pulled away.
So, a little WTF right? But, is anyone interested in me persuing this unusual pairing?