Today was Friday which meant several things, the first week of senior year is officially over for the girls, Emily had her first swim meet and Noel Kahn is having his annual beginning of the school year party.
Emily stood at her locker at the beginning of the day, glancing down at the blonde that stood a few lockers down. Alison wore jeans, a black tank top and wedges to match. Emily couldn't help but to stare.
Moments later Aria approached Alison's locker, "Hey Ali, is that what you are planning on wearing to Noel's? I can't decide on an outfit."
"This?" Alison looked down at what she was wearing, "No, I'm thinking about wearing a lot less" The girls laughed and started walking in the direction of Mr. Fitz's classroom.
Emily immediately remembered what Alison and her saw just the night before. If Aria and Mr. Fitz were a thing, was she going to tell the others? If they are a thing how would they make it work, it isn't exactly legal?
Emily interrupted her thoughts and grabbed her Chemistry books from her locker and leaned against it, waiting for Hanna.
When Hanna finally approached, she wasn't alone. Standing beside her was Paige. "Good morning Captain" Paige says with a smile.
Emily glanced at the floor, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Morning, and you don't have to call me Captain every time you see me now" Emily laughed.
"Anyway" Hanna jumped in "I come with some good news. I explained everything to Paige and she is one hundred percent on board." Hanna clapped her hands together and smiled.
"Wait really?" Emily questioned, as if she would be the last person anyone would want to fake a romance with.
"Please, if flirting with you a little is all it will take for Ali to get jealous, I am so in." Paige says and leans against the lockers.
"So first things first, Paige you have to come to Noel's party tonight after the swim meet" Hanna says like she is in charge of things.
Emily smirks, "Yes, I am going and Ali is going to be there."
Paige nods in agreement, and the plan is set.
...
At the end of the day Emily headed to her locker to grab her swim bag. Today was the first meet of the season and she needed to stay focused. She didn't want to think about anything but swimming, that was kind of hard though when Alison approached her locker.
Alison held her books against her chest as she spoke, "Big meet, in two hours. Are you ready?"
Emily slammed her locker shut, "Definitely, and I'm not going to let anything distract me right now, especially not our 'non exclusive' relationship. If you even want to call it that."
Alison looked down at the ground, "Well good luck, I'll be watching."
Emily gave a side smile, when the sound of her voice caught her attention, "Hey Emily!" It was Paige, "Ready to warm up?"
"See you you later then" Emily turned away from Alison and joined Paige. As the two swimmers entered the locker room, they laughed together,
"Excellent timing" Emily said as she threw her swim bag on the bench.
"Yeah, I could tell you needed an escape route. I can tell you really like her though. The way you look at her is the way everyone wants to be looked at."
Emily sat and started taking off her shoes, "Too bad she doesn't realize it"
"Yet" Paige whispered. "But she will, now lets get ready to kick some ass!"
After some warm up stretches and drills, the team all huddled on the team's bleacher. The fan bleachers were already beginning to fill up, and the meet didn't start for another half hour. Emily grabbed a water and sat next to Paige and a few other girls. She grabbed her swim cap from the bench and attempted to put it on with one hand.
"I've always hated these things" Emily says, and all the girls laugh with agreement. She finally succeeds, but then she glances up and sees Alison entering the gym. "Shit" Emily mumbled and quickly removes her swim cap from her head. Although she usually didn't care what she looked like, she knew the one piece bathing suit didn't do much for her and adding the swim cap to the look didn't help at all.
She let her long, dark hair fall back down resting messily on her back. Her eyes followed Alison as she sat beside Aria, Spencer, and Hanna. She decided she should walk over and get some words of encouragement before she had to take her place in line.
"Hey Em!" Spencer and pats the spot next to her, for her to sit. When she sits down she lets out a sigh. "I'm so nervous you guys" Emily admits.
"Em, why? You're going to do great!" Aria says with a smile, "And even if you don't, you have all season to make up for it."
"I just, I don't have time for screw ups this season"
"Em, don't worry, you have a whole crowd supporting you" Alison says and suddenly the nerves begin to calm within Emily. She looks around at the full stadium, nerves leave and motivation fills her body.
Emily smiled, "Thank you all for coming by the way"
"Puh-lease, we wouldn't miss a meet, you're talking to the fans who haven't missed a swim meet in three years" Hanna says and grabs her cow bell from her bag, and everyone rolled their eyes.
"Damnit Hanna, you are always the loudest fan at these things." Spencer mumbled.
Hanna giggled, "I know."
Emily smiled, "Well I should probably head back over, they will be calling for captains soon."
"Good luck!" All four girls yelled in unison.
Emily made her way back over to the team's bleachers and she took her seat next to Paige. "We ready to do this?"
"What, win this thing, or make Ali jealous?"
"Both" Emily whispered.
"Then a hell yes to both" Paige nudged Emily with a smile.
A referee blew his whistle signaling the beginner races. Rosewood had a junior team that would go first round then the varsity team would go second round.
As the junior girls lined up, Emily stood to the side, gave them some words of encouragement, and then the whistle blew to begin.
Emily patted each girl on the back as they finished their heat. Lucky enough the junior tam came in first.
Varsity time. The relay team went up and stood by the side of the pool. There were ten other schools their to compete. Paige started, then a girl named Madi, then a girl named Helen and then Emily would finish. The girls all gathered around each other, "Let's do this okay? We got this, coach believes in us and so do I." Emily said as they take off their jackets and put on their swim caps.
The whistle blew and Paige, along with the other starters, dove in the pool. Paige was definitely making good time. She made her round and on her way back Madi dove in, not as fast as Paige, but still making good time. Madi made her round and then Helen dives in, with Helen slacking on time just a little, Emily shouts, "You got this Helen, focus!"
Emily gets up on the platform, she sees that they are currently in third place for their heat. Emily puts her goggles on when she sees Helen making her way back. Emily glances up at the bleachers and sees all of her friends staring at the intensely. She could hear Hanna's cowbell as Helen was finishing and Emily dove in.
Emily tried her best to block out the noise. Water splashing up on her face didn't distract her and she knew she was making good time. As her face alternates in the air and in the water she made time to glance at the other lanes, she caught up to the second place team, but she wasn't done yet. On her way back she could hear the screaming more than anything, "You got her Emily!" She could hear Alison shout over everyone. The edge of the pool was getting closer, and then whistle blew signaling the first place winning team.
Rosewood.
Emily jumped out of the pool, yanked her swim cap off and the team swarmed her shouting her name. A smile formed on her face so big people on the other side of town could probably see it.
...
After the meet Emily got changed into what she was wearing to Noel's party. She let her chlorine damaged hair in a messy ponytail, she applied a little more make up than usual, and she got dressed in a pair of black leggings, a black crop top that showed a little of her toned stomach, a forest green flannel and black vans to finish the look.
She exited the locker good, getting many "great jobs" from complete strangers. She approached her group of friends, but only one was missing. Alison.
"Where's Ali?" She asked
"Uh, she just left with Noel, they were gonna 'pre game'" Aria says, and looks around like she was looking for someone. The thought of Mr. Fitz being there crossed Emily's mind.
"Congratulations Em!" Hanna said and hugged her, "Could you hear me? Spencer yelled at me and made me stop shaking my cow bell." Hanna glared jokingly toward Spencer.
"Uh, I think everyone in the gym could hear you, Han" Emily chuckled.
"So, to Noel's now?" Spencer asked and the three others agreed and started walking to their cars.