**Disclaimer I do not own PLL**

Paige had to admit when she read the letter it seemed too good to be true. She should have known better. She should have known, how could she be so stupid? Paige knew it was wrong. How could she let her competitive side get the best of her? She should have never messed with Alison, now she was in for it.

It actually started when playing field hockey. Spencer and Alison were out on the field and Paige accidently hurt Alison.

She was sure Alison would cry to her friends. Maybe Spencer would pretend like she did not notice? She was still trying to score a point and really did not fully focused and Paige hoped that one day that distraction would help. She did not mean to hurt Alison, it really was an accident. When playing the game, Paige did not notice what she would do. This through, she noticed. It was not able to be ignored.

She had hurt Alison, the Alison, and she knew she would pay. The thing is that she had not expected it to be so cruel.

The letter was a fake. It was a ploy. It was used to draw Paige out.

In that moment Paige felt the earth crumble beneath her. She was eaten alive. Gravity made her feet feel like cinder blocks.

"Ali- Alison?" She had just taped her response to what Emily had written to her where she said to. It spoke of want, fear, and Paige dared to think, love. "What are you doing here?"

She then saw Alison go towards her letter.

"No! NO! NO!" Paige felt everything drop to her gut. She felt every feeling of dread. She played with the lion being dead meat and now she would hear its mighty roar.

"Oh Paige Paige Paige. Do you have a little crush on my friend Em? How sad. You actually thought you stood a chance did you? She'll always pick me over you. Get that through your head now. It's A little creepy to, I'd say you are obsessed. She's out of your league, you have to learn how to pleasure yourself in, other ways." Alison rolled her eyes.

"It's a skin condition!" It was random, Paige was not thinking obviously, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. "Please just, give-give it back! Give it back Now!" Paige continued trying to act confidently but her own voice betrayed her.

"I wonder if you daddy or mom would enjoy this little written word produced by their own daughter. They'd be so proud. Of course, at first, only because they would believe it was an essay of some sort but then they'd read it! How fun and delightful! Is your daddy still a deacon at that big church?"

She heard a car honk calling for Alison's return. She could not make out the driver. One of her friends she was sure, maybe even Emily, her
Emily, no not HER Emily, that would never happen.

"You're mine now Pig Skin! I own you! If you so as even breathe in my direction, well, I have ammunition."

Paige was tired of it. She became brave only for a moment but that was enough. She looked Alison dead in the eyes. She saw the other flinch when the convertible came up again.

Neither would let the other have anything over their head.

Paige lost her bravery. She rode her bike back to her home.

"Paige! Are you alright?"

Paige's mother could see how distraught her daughter was and wanted to help.

"I don't want to talk about it mom!"

She went upstairs and slammed close the door. The walls that made her feel free confined her once more. The white walls were prison. She had always asked her mother to let her decorate. She wanted to be a normal teen, put up posters, blast loud music, surf the internet, and she could not even do that. Her parents would monitor her. Even if she did, she would not get their approval on the types of things she wanted.
She was an Edgar Allan Poe kind of girl, and that says a lot. They would not understand what went on in her head half of the time, and even if they tried they would be too disgusted with her to learn more.

She was tired of letting other people control her. She felt her life was in chaos. There was no control.

She heard a knock on her door.

"Let me in Paige."

"Just go away."

"Paige, I can't, I can't help you if you do not tell me what is going on."

She opened the door.

"Is- Is this what you wanted to see mom? Me crying? Me feeling completely worthless?"

"Honey."

"I- I can't…"

"You don't have to tell me." Paige's mom sighed. "You are going through a stage right now. You are emotional. It's normal. You are changing. It's normal to feel…"

"God mom stop!" Paige said.

"Well it's true. I went through it too, we all did. Even boys do, they just, mature more slowly.

"I feel so out of pace."

Paige's mom sighed. "Paige we have to talk."

Suddenly Paige was nervous.

"What- What about?"

Had Ali already gotten to her somehow? No that was impossible.

Her mother took out a typed folded note from her pocket.

You should tell them. If you don't I will.-A

"Do you know who this is?"

"NO!"

"Paige, don't lie to me. Lying is a sin remember that?"

"I'm not lying!"

"What does this, -A person, think you should say? To who?"

"To you."

The silence filled the room to full capacity.

"What do you need to tell me and your father Paige? I'm assuming that is what they meant by them."

Paige just nodded.

"Mom- I- I'm-"Paige could not even say it so she came up with the next best thing. "I'm quitting field hockey after next year."

It was truth enough, she wanted out of it.

"Paige, your trainer that we PAY for will not be happy about this."

"Well I will still be into sports. Maybe I can take up swimming or something."
Just then Paige wanted to kick herself. She forgot that Emily was captain. Maybe somewhere in the back of her mind there was just some part of her that just wanted to be near her. They could be friends. She did not care what Alison said. Paige needed more friends. She was tired most of all.

"Swimming?"

"Um, yeah mom, why not?"

"That might be good, a new outlet. You must get bored doing the same thing every year."

Paige simply nodded.

"I suppose I could talk to your father and try to convince him of it. It would be a better pull for you at least when it comes to athletic scholarships as there are not many swimmers. You could go to the top easily, especially with your already athletic physique."

"Well I have to try out first, before the next school year begins. It'll probably be sometime after this summer."

That thought alone made Paige a little more at ease. She would not have to deal with anyone from school the next few months. She could focus on her work and enjoy herself.