She couldn't sleep. She had been tossing and turning the last couple of hours, unable to drift off and have a peaceful dream like her friend in the bed on the other side of the room. She sighed and sat up, burying her hands in her face. She knew what was keeping her up, and ignoring it apparently wasn't going to work, so she decided to let her head fill with her thoughts.
Spencer. Of course, this would be the first thing popping into her mind. She rolled her eyes, slightly irritated with herself. Anyway, something needs to be done about the subject. But what was there to do ? How much can you do about a crush ? She was one of her best friends, if not her best friend, and she was not planning on ruining it all just because she couldn't get her hormones under control.
That last thing was kind of an understatement, and she knew it. It wasn't like she only felt sexually attracted to Spencer, it weren't just the hormones. The raven-haired girl felt attracted to her in every possible way.
And that's where the problem is, Emily figured. It's because part of the feelings she has are being returned by Spencer; only the brunette strictly means it in a friendly way. Try to tell my brain that. She sighed again, there didn't really seem to be a way out of this.
Paige. Suddenly that name popped in her head. The second person that kept her from sleeping that night. It's been a couple of days since the girl kissed her, and she hadn't seen her since. Emily found it hard wrapping her head around the whole event: first she attacks you and then she's suddenly kissing you ? How's that logical ?
she tried recalling what Paige had said to her. Closing her eyes, Emily replayed the event over in her head. Something about that she wasn't just jealous because I became the anchor, but what else could she be jealous about ? And why did she cut me off by kissing me ?
That's when it all started making sense in her head. Maybe she wasn't cutting her off, maybe she was answering the question. "What do you mean ?", that's what Emily was asking her right before she got kissed. Maybe kissing her was what she meant.
All the loose ends suddenly became connected. The only reason to kiss her would be because her teammate had feelings for her, meaning she was gay – or at least not 100% straight. And Paige wasn't out or something, while Emily was. Maybe that's what she's jealous about, that I can be who I am, and she's still stuck in herself.
It was just a guess, but she honestly couldn't find another explanation for the brunette's behaviour.
Emily decided that she needed to have a talk with Paige. If that was what was bothering her so much, maybe she could help her a bit – after all, she had been there too. Tomorrow was swim practice, so she could try and have a chat with her then.
She yawned, it was time to get some sleep now. Although problem Spencer was still not solved, she finally felt tired and closed her eyes. But as she laid down, a thought suddenly struck her like lightening and she was wide awake again.
Maybe there was a way to get over Spencer.
It was not an idea that Emily would normally get – she'd even be disapproving if someone did something like that – but she was getting kind of desperate with finding a solution for the whole thing. She knew that her friend would never return the feelings she had for her, and she had no intention in keeping daydreaming about her and trying to pick up signs that weren't there. It would only leave her heartbroken.
What's a better way to get over your crush than focussing on somebody else ? Emily blinked a few times as her idea slowly grew on her mind. Was she really going to use Paige to forget Spencer ? "It's not using.", she countered herself, "I could maybe really like Paige. I don't know what she's like, except that she might be into girls. And it's not like Rosewood is flooding with lesbians, so why not take a chance with one of the few possibilities ? Besides, if I end up not liking her, I'm not going to pretend either. That's how dating works Emily Fields. You're not doing anything wrong here."
She had convinced herself with that reasoning, and closed her eyes to finally get some sleep. The raven-haired drifted off, content with her thoughts and outright ignoring the fact that she normally would never go on girlfriend-hunt or flirt with random people.
The next day, Emily found herself quite nervous at swim practice. She'd never done anything like this before, and wasn't sure how to approach Paige. After practice would be the best time. She figured to just lure around a bit and ask her teammate if they could talk.
"Emily, you seem a bit distracted today, your times are significantly higher than normally, everything okay ?", her coach asked as the girl was sunken in her own thoughts.
"Oh, yeah coach, it's nothing. I've just been a bit under the weather the last couple of days. Next week will go better, I promise." She smiled reassuringly at the older woman.
"Ah, I thought something like that was up. Just take it easy today then, and make sure to be in great shape next week. Next meet is closer than you expect!", she said friendly, and walked off.
After practice, Emily still wasn't sure what to tell Paige. Her teammates were slowly getting to the locker room, there was not much time anymore, she had to do it now.
"Hey Paige, can I talk to you for a second ?". Emily had no plan, it was just going with the flow from now on.
"Uhm, sure", Paige slowly said as she nervously looked around the empty pool. "Li-listen, I'm really sorry about the other day. I shouldn't have ki-", she was shut up by Emily, who had approached her and was now only a few inches away from her. "Hush.", she smiled at Paige.
At that moment, her head was going blank. She shut her mind off, and just went with it. "There is no need to apologize, Paige.", she said as she looked into the brunette's eyes and gave her a flirtatious smile. The swimmer began feeling that confidence again. Last time she felt it was when she was playing around with Spencer – but she didn't think about that now.
"I just wanted to have a word with you because last time we talked", she saw Paige's eyes widen and noticed a hint of fear. Without hesitation, she continued: "you were saying something about making it up to me. Well now, I was wondering…", she let the words linger for a bit before she finished her sentence, bringing her head to the other girl's ear and whispering: "How were you planning on doing that ?". There was a sexy undertone in her voice that didn't go unnoticed by Paige.
The raven-haired pulled back from her teammate's ear and looked her in the eyes, keeping the small distance between them. She gave her a friendly smile, encouraging her to answer.
"Do-do you have something in mind?", Paige whispered, obviously completely taken aback by Emily's boldness.
"As a matter of fact there are a few things", she whispered back; not completely baffled like Paige, but confident and flirtatious. She looked her in the eyes again, and started to lean in, very slowly. Emily placed a lingering kiss on the smaller girl's lips, and could feel her nervousness as their skin touched. She pulled back and gave her a reassuring smile, waiting for her to say something.
"I was thinking, maybe we could, uh, go out sometime ?", Paige asked when she finally found her voice again.
"Sounds great", Emily said sweetly, "when are you free ?"
"I can't this weekend because I'm visiting my grandma, but do you maybe want to go to the movies Monday ?", the brunette asked, a small smile filling her face.
"Yeah that's cool, have fun with your grandma, and I'll see you next week ?"
"Thanks, yeah see you !"
Emily looked at the time, she was quite late for lunch now. Quickly she got dressed, thinking about what she would tell Aria, Hanna and Spencer. Not the truth. They probably won't like it that I have a date with the person that attacked me. I'll just keep it to myself for now.
And with that thought, she went to her friends, feeling happy. On the one hand because it all worked out better than expected, but mostly because she felt like she might actually like Paige.
Friday evening
Spencer and Emily found themselves in the couch, watching a movie and just being lazy. It was the last night that Spencer would be at the Field's house – her parents were coming back in the morning.
"You know Em, I really want to thank you for letting me stay the past 3 days. It sure was a lot better than sitting alone at home with Melissa watching every step I take". She looked at the swimmer and chuckled a bit.
"No problem Spence, my mom says you can always stay over whenever your parents are gone. And besides, I don't mind having countless sleepovers with my best friend", Emily said and she smirked a little.
"Can't argue with that. I mean, who would mind having me over ?", she said, feigning cockiness.
"God, you are so full of yourself", Emily laughed. Spencer couldn't hold her seriousness anymore and joined her. After a few moments there was a comfortable silence again as the girls returned their attention to the television screen.
Spencer was glad that everything seemed to go better with Emily again. She had been kind of distant the last couple of days. Nothing dramatic, but the brunette had noticed a shift in her friend's behaviour. She clearly didn't want to talk about it though, so she hadn't pushed it.
Altogether, she had had a really good the time the past couple of days, staying at Emily's. Spencer thought back of the things they had done: they had given each other a 'make-over', had watched a shitload of movies, had an awesome pillow fight…
She smiled in herself as she re-pictured the pillow fight, it had been really fun and in the moment. How did that start out again ? The brunette recalled the first evening she was staying over. She could feel that something was off about Emily, so she had decided to ask what was bothering her.
No it's nothing, I'm just not feeling very well", she answered. Spencer took a good look at her friend, she indeed looked a bit under the weather. Maybe it was better to let her have a quiet night and just go home. "Oh okay, do you want me to get you something ? Or maybe I just better get home so you can rest ?"
"Noo Spence, stay here please", her eyes widening with – could it be – fear ? What was going on ? A bit confused she looked a Emily, who was now suddenly smiling again.
"I mean, it's not that big of a deal, I don't want to be a bad host to my Spencie, you know". She sent a big wink to her friend as she said that. "She was just messing with ya", Spencer thought as she analysed the swimmer's behaviour. "And she really got me, too !", she started laughing, mostly because she had been worrying for nothing again.
"You wouldn't even be a bad host if you tried girl. You're way too sweet for that."
A grin crept on Emily's face as she crossed her arms. "Oh, is that a challenge ? I can make your life a living hell while you're here, Hastings". Hastings ? She couldn't help but laugh. She's never called me like that before, and hearing it gave her a weird feeling that she couldn't describe. She liked it in some kind of strange way she didn't understand – but at that moment she didn't really care.
"Using my last name now ? I must say that's pretty intimidating". Emily was challenging her, and she was glad to accept the fight. Spencer stepped towards her friend. "Too bad that I'm known for winning all my challenges, Fields".
She wasn't giving in – yet, or so Spencer wanted to believe – because she stood up as well and went to stand right in front of her, with almost an Hastings amount of confidence and cockiness. "Try me, Hastings", she whispered in her ear in the most seductive tone she had ever heard.
Wow that was hot. It crossed her mind before she could do anything about it. Then she felt a tickling sensation between her legs, just very short. What the hell is this ? She needed to process it for a moment. The brunette tried to keep her smirk up, which was fairly difficult because her mind was freaking out over the fact that she actually had thought out loud – if that's a thing – that Emily was being hot. And then that tickly feeling she had had for a moment.
As soon as it all came, it was gone too. Spencer reassured herself that is was nothing – Emily was just playing around – and decided it was time to end this game, with a victory from her side, of course.
"Nice try, but you're too slow, Fields".
And that's when their famous pillow fight begun, she recalled. Thinking back of the whole situation, she felt kind of uncomfortable. Spencer hadn't really given her last reaction to Emily a second thought until now.
She was acting weird too.
Yes, but that has nothing to do with the fact that you thought she was being fucking hot ?
Normally she isn't so sexy around you so – did you just admit she is sexy ?
Well, she is, isn't she ?
Okay, listen here, you don't think that you're friggin' best friend is sexy. They can look sexy or be pretty, but not fucking be sexy. What are you, in love ?
Stop. This is ridiculous. It was just a fucking moment. Get it to-fucking-gether Spencer.
"..You okay ?", the sound of Emily's voice made her snap out of the argument in her head. "Yeah I'm fine, why ?", she tried to sound casual.
"Because you're still staring at the TV screen even though I shut it off 5 minutes ago.", she shot a smile at her friend.
"OH.. I guess I was just sunken in thoughts. I'm gonna go to bed anyways, it's kinda late."
"Yeah you're right, it has been an exhausting week."
