"Emily!" a loud high pitch voice echoing the hallway. I recognize it instantly. And I'm walking as fast as my legs could carry me.

"Oh Emiily!" Urgh. Why is she extra annoying today? Did she notice the vodka I stole on my way out of her party? Crap.

I quickly stop on my tracks. Hoping she'll crash into something solid and get a head concussion. Amnesia will help her forget my name.

But that failed.

So I feigned the most innocent smile I can muster.

"Hi Paige" I clutch on to my books tightly, as if they can save me from drowning in my temporary misery.

"So where'd you run off to last night? The birthday girl, as in me, needed her co-captain to show these juniors how to party and you just bailed!"

Lie

"I had to get home. To get ready for tests and stuff." Aaand that sounded better in my head.

"Uhuh yeah sure! That totally makes sense coz it's only the first day of school and you're lying to me." She states bluntly with her brow arching higher by the second. It's a scary sight.

So I Panic

"It's a Ben thing." I blurted out.

An uncomfortable silence fell, and a glint in her eye that I couldn't place.

"Are you guys back together?"

"No. I just … returned his stuff." Relief seems to paint her face this time.

"Well you missed a hell of a party!" I know she'll start telling stories soon about people I could care less and the juvenile events I didn't witness. So I give her a pained smile and start paddling my steps towards the opposite direction.

"Sorry, but I gotta go Paige. See you at practice!" before she could object I left in speeds that I can normally just do in the pool.

The sprint walk away from Paige got me inside the classroom early.

I decide to take the seat next to the window at the back of the room. Quite a departure from where I was sitting last year.

Last year… I shouldn't go there again. Its weird enough to get an eerie text message, I don't think I can handle any more retrospection for now. Focus on the future Em, my new mantra.

More people are finally filling the empty seats. Grateful for the distraction, I take out my book.

A picture is sticking out.

It's the five of us. Aria, with her quirky smile, Hannah's beaming face bright as sunshine, Ali with a mischievous grin and Spencer exuding confidence in a sexy smirk. And there I am, smiling with a secret.

A secret I vowed to keep. A secret Ali somehow figured out before I could. But who put this-

"Hello class! My name is Ezra Fitz, your new English teacher" his voice forced me out of my thoughts.

Suddenly I notice some familiar figures.

"Holy Crap!" Mr. Fitz, looking shock at his unanticipated outburst is staring at Aria who's also mirroring his wide eye, jaw dropping reaction.

Okay, what just happened? And when did Aria come back?

He loudly clears his throat as if it could erase whatever awkward scene just happened. He then starts his lecture with a collected but shaky voice, like a boy going through puberty again.

Interesting.

Hanna sitting next to a talking Mona is less interested with what just happened, immersed in a conversation that most likely consist of boys and fashion.

While on the front of my row, I see an irate looking Spencer shooting sharp glances at Mona to shut up.

Great.

Close your eyes, deep breath! I ordered myself.

Exhale.

That seems to slow down the pounding in my chest.

I kept my head down until the bell rang, hoping this is the only time I get to see them. But alas, as the cruel universe would have it three of them are all in my classes!

So I stayed out of sight, refusing to acknowledge their existence. Until on my way to practice, I bumped into someone I dreaded to encounter the most.

BAM! And there goes her books scattered on the floor. My graceful ways just gets thrown out of the window when I'm around her.

"Fuck!" she muttered in annoyance.

" I..I… I'm sorry Spence" I stand there like an idiot who can't breathe and immobile, afraid to do more damage. But I force myself to bend my knees and help her pick up the books. Her face softens after she heard my apology, slowly tilting her head to look at me. Realizing it was me.

"Hi" her voice so small and her face displaying all kinds of expression at once that I can't decipher. Then suddenly, everything seems to move in a slower pace, like we have all the time in the world to bask in each other's presence.

And so for a moment I let myself bask by pretending we're not holding the same book, that her thumb was not on top of mine and that it didn't give me goose bumps, because I know my heart wont be able to take it. We're just frozen in time, staring at each other, living in a space without the bewildering complexities of our feelings.

The edge of her lips starts to purse into a smile, but a loud noise of a locker being slammed somewhere snapped me out of my haze.

What am I doing? I need to get out of here.

So I left, not looking back at the mess I made.