"Can you guys believe it? Senior year.. It's the beginning of the end of hell!" Hanna giggles as her and her 3 best friends make their way into Rosewood High.

"Guys, we have to make the best of this year."

"Oh trust, I will make sure that this year is anything but boring." Hanna says with a devious smile on her face.

"Oh no… We are guaranteed to be drunk for at least two thirds of each semester."

The bell rings for the start of first period.

"Bye guys. We'll meet up for lunch for an update on the day?" Emily asks.

"Don't we always?"

They al say in unison before heading in the directions of their respective classrooms. Emily walks into her first class. The desks are set in pairs. She takes the first seat she sees.

"Okay, class," Mr. Gordon exclaims as the tardy bell finishes ringing, "Don't get too comfortable because….. You have assigned seats! The person you sit with is going to be your lab partner for the remainder of the year.

Emily couldn't help but roll her eyes. She zones out as the teacher starts rambling of names.

"Emily Fields and… Alison DiLaurentis.." Mr. Gordon calls out, but Emily's attention is preoccupied outside.

"Hey.. Emily," Mona nudges her.

"Yeah?"

"Your seat… It's back there."

Emily stands up and moves to the empty set towards the back of the room. Class progress relatively slowly as the chem teacher rambles on and on and on about lab safety until he is interrupted when someone walks into the classroom, but it goes unnoticed by Emily. Seconds later the girls makes her way to the vacant seat. Emily is broken from her trans when she feels and elbow gently graze her side.

"Hi, I'm your lab partner, Emi…" Emily is lost for words as she turns and realises that her lab partner is Alison DiLaurentis.

Alison looks up to meet Emily's unreadable stare. Several uncomfortable seconds go by before Alison looks back down at the desk to break the awkward stare.

"Uh.. Hi… A-Alison." is all Emily can say.

Alison fiddles with the binding of her spiral notebook for a short while before she finally acknowledges Emily. "Hey… Emily." she says with a nod in Emily's direction.

"Now, to get acquainted with your lab partners, we're doing a getting to know you activity." Emily can't help but groan at the assignment. "I need one person from each pairing to come get the question sheet."

"I'll get them." Emily jumps up as fast as she can and rushes to the front of the classroom. While she's waiting her turn in line she fidgets with the zipper on her jacket as she tries to think about the situation.

What the hell am I gonna do? I can't work with her. She hates me. We haven't talked in over 2 years! I can't do this. I need a new partner.

When she reaches Mr. Gordon's desk she wastes no time. "Can I have another partner please?"

"Uh… you haven't even been working with her for 5 minutes. What did she do?" he questions slightly agitated.

"I-I… Nothing I guess… I just want.. a new partner.."

"Sorry, Ms. Fields, but no. You should get to know her. She's nice. She's quiet. I've never really seen her with people. Try to make it work." he says handing her two worksheets.

I do know her. That's the problem. That's why nobody's ever around her. She's anything, but nice and quiet.

Emily huffs as she makes her way back to her seat. She tries to fake a smile as she places Alison's worksheet on her desk before sitting.

"So.. how've you been?" Emily fumbles nervously as she avoids eye contact with Alison.

"D-don't.. you don't need to do that… Let's just get our work done… please." Alison says in almost a whisper.

"Oh… okay." Emily says giving a slight nod before she begins filling out her worksheet.

"Wow, Hanna. You managed to almost get detention on the first day?" Spencer laughs as she crunches on a cracker.

"The kid shouldn't have sat on me. It was totally uncalled for."

The lunch table falls into a comfortable silence only being interrupted by crunches on crackers and pizza crusts. Emily slams her trey down on the table as she joins the others.

"Oh wow… Bad day already?" Aria asks with much concern.

"Yes. I got partnered with Alison DiLaurentis in chemistry."

"Oh dear god, you poor soul. Can't you get another partner?" Spencer questions.

"No. She's nice and quiet. Mr. Gordon thinks it'll be nice for me to make friends with her." Emily mimics her chemistry teacher's voice.

The table erupts with laughter.

"Nice? He obviously doesn't know the real Alison." Aria laughs trying not to choke on her lunch.

A loud crash across the courtyard draws the girl's attention away from there moment.

"Oh.. It's just Noel and his Neanderthal buddies.." Spencer rolls her eyes as she goes back to her lunch.

Before Emily turns away from the spectacle l, she notices Alison sitting alone at a table. She looks unsettled, almost nervous. She winces at another loud crash coming from the boys behind her before she picks up her trey and goes back into the lunchroom.

"Em," Hanna snaps her out of her daze, "You okay?"

"Yeah. Most definitely." Emily offers a close lipped smile before reengaging herself in the group discussion.

Emily walks into her front door to be greeted by her mom coming out of the kitchen.

"So… how did it go?" the shorter Fields woman asks with a smile on her face.

"Exhausting… Strange…"

Pam's expression false. "What was so exhausting and strange?"

"Well… for starters, I got partnered with Alison DiLaurentis in chemistry.." Emily exhales agitatedly.

"Oh… Well. I don't know how to help you…"

There's a brief moment of silence before Pam speaks again.

"You know.. You never told me why you guys stopped talking to her." Mrs. Fields pauses awaiting a response.

The conversation isn't going in any direction that Emily wants it to, so she puts a stop to it quickly.

"Umm.. yeah, like I've told you a million times, we just grew apart from her. We were interested in different things. Things that Alison didn't like." Emily urges while a cookie from her mom's plate and offering a smile. "I have homework to do so, I'm going upstairs now."

Emily bounds up the stairs with her cookie in between her teeth. She plops down on her bed, laying her head on her pillow. She stares at the ceiling while thinking for what feels like hours. She grunts as she rolls over towards her night stand before she opens the drawer. She reaches inside and pulls out a little photo album. She flips through the book of photos, all of them either Alison or her and Alison together.

"I miss you so much." She whispers as she wipes a tear from her cheek.

Hope you enjoyed the first real chapter of Shattered :) Leave a review to let me know what you think. It'd be much appreciated!