Chapter 4- Integration

"They're going to hate me," Alison whispers to Emily as they spot Spencer, Aria and Hanna sitting around a table in the courtyard, animatedly discussing something they can't quite hear.

Emily slaps her arm lightly. "Don't be silly. They're not the type of people to judge. Trust me."

Alison nods, but she isn't quite sure.

For the past four days while she's been at Rosewood, all she's had are weird stares and some of the braver students approaching her and asking her why she did what she did. She ignores them, obviously, but she also knows how they feel about her. Nobody has tried to become her friend and part of her doesn't blame them. The other part of her really wants them to try. She wants Emily's friends to see the real side of her, not the televised one. Because Emily's important to her already, for reasons she can't quite put her finger on. But she knows that Emily is something worth keeping around. Because Emily didn't judge her, not even once, even though she knows about the incident. And if she has to fake a smile and cosy up to her friends to keep her, then so be it. Alison DiLaurentis does not mess around.

Emily leads Alison over the table and takes a seat next to Aria. Alison perches next to Emily and smiles kindly at the group. "Guys, this is Alison DiLaurentis. She just moved in across the road from my house. It's her first day, so I thought she could sit with us. Ali, this is everyone."

"Hi, I'm Aria," Aria smiles and Emily is glad to see that she genuinely means it. Spencer and Hanna give less warm welcomes, but they're still at least trying to be nice. That's a big step for the two of them.

"It's nice to meet you all," Alison replies, giving a shy wave to them. Emily notes Alison's nerves and tries to defuse the tension.

"So Ali and I were talking about the bake sale that the school asked us to tell our parents about and how my mom's gonna go overboard yet again and try to outdo everyone…again."

"We were?" Alison falters for a moment. "Right. We were. My mom isn't the baking kind, she prefers savoury. Though she does a mean buy a cake from a store and embellish it so that everybody thinks it's homemade." Alison's chuckle makes Emily's heart dance just a little bit. The reaction doesn't go unnoticed by Hanna, who winks at her.

Spencer grins. "I do that too. I don't have time for baking."

Emily rolls her eyes fondly. "Spencer should have a Time-Turner, that's how much she takes on. Academics, sports, drama, music, you name it and Spencer is probably doing it."

"I resent your tone," Spencer jokes. "Although a Time-Turner would come in handy for those days that I need some downtime. And maybe I would have had time to study for the Physics test. At this rate, I'm going to get a B."

"Is that…is that bad?"

"Of course it is! Sorry, I've been trying not to do this as much. I should probably tell you, my parents are huge overachievers and expect the same from their children. My sister is at Wharton business school and does well at everything. There's just added pressure on me to do better. A B just won't cut it."

"I thought my mom was bad."

"Is that why you faked your own disappearance?" Hanna asks.

"Hanna!" Emily grits her teeth.

"What? We have to talk about it, right?"

"No!"

Alison sighs softly. "It's okay, Em. It was bound to come up at some point. It's probably better it comes up earlier on rather than later. And this way, I get a chance to tell my side of the story."

A shrill ring of the bell stops the discussion.

"I guess I won't be doing that today," Alison chuckles. "Another time, then. Thank you girls for letting me sit with you. I need to get to class early to introduce myself to the teacher."

Hanna wants to reply with "honey, she already knows who you are" but refrains given the glare that Emily shoots her way.

"Bye, Alison," is chorused throughout the table.

"Want me to walk you there?"

"I should be okay. Plus your next class is all the way across campus. I'll see you at the end of the day, Em."

"Okay, what the fuck was that?"

Hanna's eyes widen at Emily's language.

"I ask you guys for one thing. To give her a chance."

"And we did."

"What, I might ask, did she do that make you go back on that deal?"

Aria sighs. "Nothing. She was nice, I like her."

"I was talking to Hanna and you know it. Don't try and defuse this situation."

"I just wanted to know."

"Oh you just…no. You don't get to know. You don't have a right to know what happened. I haven't asked and neither should you. It's hard enough for her trying to get away from past without people bringing it up during what should have been a friendly lunch. It's okay, I won't bring her over here anymore."

"Em, wait—."

"No."

She storms away from her friends, mind too mixed up with thoughts of Alison and her dreams and the threat of –A to deal with this right now.

After her next class, she agrees to meet Alison at her locker, but finds Spencer there instead. Emily sidles up next to her and folds her arms.

"So?"

"Hanna cut class with Mona so she won't be around to say it, but she's sorry. She actually likes Alison, she just wanted to know, you know how she is."

"But—."

Spencer holds up a hand. "It doesn't excuse her rudeness, we both know that, but you we also know that it wasn't done with malicious intent. Bring Alison over to my house tomorrow night. It's game night and my house and Melissa's bringing her new boyfriend. Mom says the more the merrier."

Emily softens at the invitation and Spencer's firm face. She knows how much she's trying on Hanna's behalf. "Okay, I'll check with Alison, but Hanna had better apologise to her."

"Done and done," Spencer smiles. "Thanks, Em."

"I hate confrontation. I just wish Hanna would've been nicer to her. She's already had people asking her about it, people she doesn't even know. Her brother's been getting much of the same."

"I didn't realise it'd be that hard for her."

"This is Rosewood, Spence. Everything that strays even a little bit from the norm is watched like a hawk."

"You make a solid point. Coming to Bio?"

Emily shakes her head. "I said I'd wait for Ali, but I'll see you in there?"

Spencer nods quickly and walks away, adjusting her book bag as she does. Emily thanks her lucky stars that she's friends with Spencer. Spencer knows how to start a fight, sure, but she also knows how to end one without causing major damage to a friendship. Aria is too much like Emily herself and wants to keep the peace and won't acknowledge it. Spencer doesn't like to linger on the awkwardness. Emily knows that it'll be awkward at the Hasting family game night, but it's something to look forward to, at least.

At this point, Emily's ready to count every blessing she can.

Emily flops onto her bed, sighing. She and Alison had parted ways at her car and she had been so close to saying something, to doing something. Alison had been right there in front of her and Emily's thoughts were making her mind spin. Her brain is dizzy from the thinking and analysing and the worrying.

As if on cue, her phone bleeps loudly.

Praying it'll be Alison, she peers at the screen slowly.

Hey Em! I hear Spencer's got a date with the club's ball boy tonight. It's up to you to ruin it! If you don't, Mommy's going to find out exactly what you're hiding. Don't believe me? Call my bluff. But I'd be very careful if I were you, Emily...

Before she can adjust herself, another text comes through.

Ruin the date and Pam will be none the wiser to who you really are.

It's a simple choice, really.

Your favourite, -A

Emily bit her lip. She couldn't possibly ruin Spencer's date, but if she didn't it meant bad things for her. Pam would know everything and –A was right. She wasn't in a position to be calling anybody's bluff.

She saw the cursor flashing and furrowed her eyebrows, thumbs moving across the screen.

How do I know that I can trust you?

Seconds later, a vibration.

I guess you'll just have to try. -A