EMILY'S POV:

I can't breathe. Being at this place again is taking my breath away. Not in a good way though. I used to come out here with Maya at night, we would light candles and just talk. It was somewhat like a sacred place to me. I can't believe I brought Nate or Lyndon or whatever his name is out here. I dishonored our sacred place. I don't even know why I came out here tonight. Well, that's not true, I do know why I'm here. I need time to think.

I was fighting with Paige about Shana. God, Shana. I don't like her attitude, I don't like that she dated Paige….who am I kidding I don't like her in general. After what happened in the Halloween shop I just had to talk to Paige. That didn't go so well.

FLASHBACK

"Wanna explain to me what the hell that just was?" I asked her with a worried expression.

"Shana is jealous….of you." She said and my eyes widened in shock.

"What?"

"The summer after Maya died. The summer you were gone I kinda hooked up with her" She mumbled the last part hoping I wouldn't hear it.

"What exactly does 'we hooked up' mean?" I asked her crossing my arms over my chest.

"We dated okay? Happy now?"

"Not really, no"

"What else do you wanna know Emily?"

"Why is she jealous of me?" I asked her still lightly confused.

"Because I broke up with her because of you"

"What?"

"The night you came over, you were drunk, you kissed me? I realized that I don't want anybody else but you. Even if you couldn't remember the kiss, it still meant something to me. The next day I ended it with Shana, telling her why."

"Because of me" It was more a statement than a question.

"Because of you, yes" She looked down. She clears her throat and continues.

"She said that she loved me, that she wanted me but I couldn't be with her. I walked away but I had to contact her again because of the costume. She thought I broke up with you. I never corrected her on this. I know exactly that she can tell me who bought that costume, she just doesn't want to tell me. Unless I give her something."

"And what would that be?" I asked. Afraid that I might already know the answer.

She took a deep breath before she spoke again "Me."

"But I'm not gonna give her that" She added hurriedly. I looked away from her. I couldn't face her right now.

I was so mad at Shana. But I was more mad at myself. Paige had a healthy relationship with someone who loved her and I ruined it. I fucked it up. God, I'm such a bad person.

"Paige" She looked at me and her facial expression changed. She looked into my eyes and new what was about to come. I need to let her go.

"We're done"

As soon as those words left my mouth I turned around and ran as fast as I could.

"EMILY" I could hear the tears in her voice but I needed to go through with this. I hoped into my car and drove to the only place I could really think: The Boathouse.

END OF FLASHBACK

I was deep in my thoughts when I heard a noise coming from behind me. I turned around and so Paige standing there with puffy cheeks and red eyes. I turned around again and she approached me. She was standing beside me now.

"You know I was always afraid of the dark. I still am actually. I couldn't go into the woods at night. I still can't sleep without at least one light on."

I looked at her but she looked straight forward with a distance look on her face. I looked away again and she continued.

"But as soon as someone was with me…I wasn't afraid anymore. It almost seemed like this person was my light."

"How did you know I was here?" I asked her.

She let out a sarcastic chuckle and turned in my direction.

"Remember that night when you were looking at Maya's website. I was comforting you and you talked about her. You mention this place and told me that you still come out here to think. You also told me you brought Nate out here."

"Yeah, that was a mistake."

"We all make mistakes Em. They make us who we are. We learn from them. You trusted him at the them. You felt connected to him. It wasn't a mistake back then."

"But it is a mistake now."

I took a deep breath. I was scared. I wanted to say something but she spoke again.

"You know….Shana was great but…she wasn't you. Even if you wouldn't have come over that night and kissed me…I would've broken up with her, the moment I would've seen you in school or some place else. It has always been you Emily. Always. And that's probably never gonna change."

"Maybe I overreacted a little bit it's just that…I'm jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Yeah. I know I friend-zoned you at the time. I wasn't even here at the time but…..I just can't help to feel jealous. You always say that you wish you would have fought harder for me but I wish I would've done the same. I shouldn't have let you down when you needed me the most. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, absolutely nothing."

"I do Paige I do" I said raising my voice. "You don't understand Paige you just don't"

I was yelling at her. "I love you" I yelled the words at her and I regretting it. I knew I loved her but I didn't wanna yell at her while saying it. She looked at me with wide eyes. She was shocked. I started to cry. I broke down. I felt strong arms wrapping around me. She was holding me like she did that all the nights I was crying over Maya.

"I love you too" She whispered the words but I understood perfectly. She loved me. Paige McCullers loved me. I always saw it in her eyes when she looked at me but actually hearing the words coming out of her mouth was overwhelming. I looked at her with my puffy cheeks and leaned forward to kiss her. I poured all the emotions I have for her into that kiss and so did see. It wasn't a passionate kiss but it was a kiss full of love and promises. Promises that she's gonna stay with me until the day I die. I pulled away and looked at her. I rested my forehead against hers and breathed her in.

I took her hand and led her into the boathouse. I sat down on the edge of the couch in the house and pulled her on top of me so she was straddling my lap. We both knew what was about to happen and we both knew no one of us is gonna stop.

I pulled her head down and kissed her gently. She deepened the kiss and I pulled her t-shirt up and lifted it over her head. She did the same with my shirt. I laid down on the couch and pulled her on top of me. It was gonna happen. My first time with Paige and I knew it was gonna be a night I'll always gonna remember.