Paige was walking through scenic Rosewood, heading to the center of town where a bike shop was conveniently located next to the Rear Window Brew. She felt the buzz in her back pocket. It was her first call from Pru since she'd left home.
"Paige! Is your Dad in town?"
"No. Nor am I, you know?" Paige responded, confused.
"I know. I'm getting to your house," Pru responded, casually. Paige could hear evidence of her garage opening. Pru had been Paige's best friend since babyhood; of course she'd memorized their code.
"What?" Paige asked, mildly surprised.
"I have an interview tomorrow," Pru boasted. She'd been seeking paid summer internships since November. Pru didn't want to spend another break restocking supplements at the local health food store. Paige told her she had to do something difference, especially since Pru avoided telling people about her previous job out of what Paige considered extremely misplaced embarrassment, "I need that Kennedy look..."
Paige smiled.
"A budget Kennedy, so sad," Pru continued. Pru always shopped in Paige's closet first. Paige tended to have outfits that she'd only wear once. Now that her Dad's campaign image consultant was no longer an 80-year-old, Pru knew she'd find a gem. "Wait. You're still on the phone with me," she observed carefully, "which means no Emily."
If it that was meant to make Paige feel guilty, it wasn't going to work, "Yep, no Emily," Paige stated, cheeky.
"Trouble in paradise?" Pru asked, distracted. She was either looking in Paige's closet for an outfit or contemplating Paige's situation.
"She had plans," Paige willed herself to feel casual about being ditched by Emily for a date with Samara. She'd been the one who insisted Emily go, meaning she had no right to feel shitty about it.
"Of course she did. Totally lame. I have no clue what you see in such a girl," Pru responded, still preoccupied.
"Is that so?" Paige asked, defensive. Pru was referring to the night Collin kissed Paige at the big fundraiser. The night Paige ran off and cried. The night Pru found her and they snuck a bottle of grower's champagne out onto the roof and Paige had, at long last, spilled her guts. Pru had been cool about it all so far, so Paige, being Paige, was waiting for the fallout.
"What part, Pru? For Christ's sake, use more words," Paige knew that she could be sharp, but Pru had very selective hearing.
"Why now?" Pause, "That is what I don't get. I mean, right, she's pretty..." Pru stopped, likely tugging at her hair, "beautiful even.. if you like that sort of thing..." Pru was now kicking back, laying on Paige's down comforter, looking Michael Phelps' yummy abs on the adjacent wall.
Paige decided not to make a sound, she was going to make Pru work her way out of this.
"Ugh, Paige! Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm still here," Paige's smile was audible, "What are you asking, exactly, darling?" Paige inquired, smug.
"You know what, MacCullers? I'm pretty, too." Pru paused, "Why wasn't it me?!" Paige finally laughed. Even this, this wildly intimate confession of Paige's, was now going to be about Pru's perpetual need to compare herself to other girls. "We got drunk plenty in high school and you never kissed me!" Pru asserted, simultaneously indignant and teasing.
"Pru, you aren't gay." Pru made a sound in protest, but, Paige cut her off, "To that point, how many times have you looked at Phelps in the last... minute?" Paige asked with a laugh.
"Like, seven. Still. Bisexuality is a thing, Paige. When we're drunk?"
"Even drunk," Paige continued, shaking her head, "Seriously Pru, you're my best friend... ever." It felt so good to laugh, be teased about this stuff by Pru. After not talking to her dad for the last week and a half, Paige was glad to feel accepted, "And I'd never risk losing you for some booze-soaked kiss," she finished off, ideally inflating Pru's ego a bit.
"You shouldn't. You'd literally have no friends. You'd still be that girl who bit people in kindergarten," she tisked dramatically, making Paige laugh.
"I bit one teacher!" Protested Paige, "How do people still remember that?"
"And Jake Santoro..." Pru reminded.
"That fool had it coming..." Paige sighed, their conversation fell into a comfortable silence as Paige walked and Pru pieced together an outfit for her interview.
"I guess I'll accept your explanation. I'm simply too important for you to ruin with your rampant lust," Pru said, offhandedly. "But, Paige? Now that you're gay, you have to flirt with me."
"I already flirt with you," Paige whined, but she knew that her friend loved the validation. Paige could almost hear Pru's pout, so she conceded with a sigh. "Okay, I'll flirt with you more. You hot hot fucking mess," Paige mumbled the last part.
"Huh?"
"I said I'd flirt. I didn't say you'd know," Paige smiled, finally reaching the bike shop.
Emily and Samara's date with Spencer and Wren ('Team Sexyvoice' as Emily had dubbed them in her head), was going swimmingly. Samara was currently demanding everyone's food order so that the bottles of wine they'd agreed to split would be paired properly.
"The Sauv. Blanc seems like a safe bet, high acidity to highlight the lemon-sauce on the fish," Spencer chimed in, even though Emily had yet to decide on what she wanted from the four-item menu. Wren raised his eyebrows, knowing he was supposed to look impressed. Emily enjoyed that Wren was a little funny, a good contrast to Spencer's demanding intensity, Emily thought.
Emily shifted to try to quell her stomach from rumbling. This was going to be her first non-snack after her intense morning swim with Paige. Emily muscles ached, her stomach practically cried out for something hearty. When she closed her eyes, she could see a burger. With a fried egg on top. And avocado. Her mouth watered at the thought.
Everyone else was ordering things with names like veta la palma, Emily realized with a sigh.
"Good point, Spence," Samara seemed to be having a good time. Her and Spencer were already on nickname terms, something that should have made Emily happier. They ended up ordering the expensive one from New Zealand, and their waiter looked pleased that he'd been assigned to their table.
Once everyone's orders had been placed (Emily begrudgingly went with the sashimi), they settled into comfortable conversation.
Wren talked about his psych rotations, and getting punched out by a woman who thought he was a werewolf. "It was a full moon," he explained, as if that was perfectly logical.
"They call them lunatics for a reason," Spencer smirked, clearly having heard the story before and beaming at her guy.
As the chuckles died down, Emily's stomach grumbled so loudly that Spencer and Samara to looked over surprised, and Wren to outright laugh. "Very lady-like, Emily," he chided. She blushed.
"Did I mention how much I've worked out today? And how long the food is taking?" She asked, tapping her leg, antsy.
"Yeah, at least seven times now, Emily," Spencer responded dryly.
"I'm going to ache all over later," Emily said, ignoring Spencer, rolling her neck. It dawned on her, the second after she said it, that there were... implications along with those words.
"Good thing you have a girlfriend to take care of all that," Samara chimed in predictably. She put a hand on the back of Emily's neck and running her nails through her hair seductively. Emily shivered and blushed at the contact. This wasn't the grip of a helpful hand so her muscles tensed further under Samara.
"It would be an even better thing if you didn't have to get past the troll staying at Emily's house," Spencer asserted, catching an already uneasy Emily off-guard. Apparently, Spencer wasn't over the fact that Paige was visiting. And apparently, she felt compelled to bring it up again. Emily felt herself flush with anger even before she'd fully processed the statement.
Wren looked curious and eager, ready to be initiated into an in-joke among friends. "A troll?" he asked, adorably, before noticing Emily's state.
"Lay off, Spencer," Emily warned, voice even, her fists balling up. Had Emily been even remotely capable of self awareness at that moment, she'd be surprised by how angry she was getting. Emily Fields was not prone to physically manifesting rage. She hadn't been for years. But one too many insult laid at Paige and she was practically shaking. Of course, Spencer wasn't going to pick up on her physical or emotional edginess.
"Just Emily's nasty leech of a college roommate who, for some insane reason, Em is hosting in her home," Spencer explained. Emily stood up abruptly, sloshing a bit of wine onto the table cloth. She managed an "excuse me" before taking off.
Spencer looked over at Wren in outrage. Samara was starting to get up to go after Emily, but Wren interjected. "You should go after your friend," he said, looking at Spencer, who was already thinking of a hundred reasons to stay and be stubborn instead. Spencer rolled her eyes and stood up.
"He's right," Spencer motioned Samara to sit and went after Emily.
After loading up on bike supplies, Paige got off the phone with Pru and settled in at the coffee shop. She purchased an impossibly large scone and something called a Dirty Hippie that the barista insisted would wake her up. She took a moment to decide which of Emily's book to read, eagerly picking Still Life.
Sipping and reading, Paige easily drifted into a zone wherein nothing else mattered but this story and Emily's amazingly cute margin notes. Paige had to stop herself from laughing on occasion, but she couldn't stop from excessive smiling.
"How is every cute girl in town is reading that book?" Asked a melodious female voice. It took Paige a few seconds to realize it was talking at her. When she looked up, she saw that she was being scrutinized by an attractive couple.
The guy was handsome, with dark hair, and intense eyes. Something about him looked unbelievably smug and Paige's first thought was d-bag. The girl... well, Paige recognized her immediately.
"I'm Maya, this is Noel Kahn," she said, after a few beats of Paige staring in disbelief, "I feel like I know you from somewhere," Maya tilted her head and bit her lip. She was now holding out a hand to shake.
"You do... uh don't, Um. We haven't met. I know you, kind of," Paige stuttered, it took her a second to find her bearings. The combination of the coffee and an abrupt departure from her book made her so jittery that she felt like her body would start convulsing. "Paige McCullers... " Paige managed to make her own self introduction sound like a question, biting her lip and shaking Maya's hand.
After the shake, Maya slipped her arm back around Noel's as though that was its natural resting place. "I'm friends with Emily, which is why I know of you," Paige was finally coherent enough to explain.
"Wait! You're the roommate!" Maya said, in a way that sounded friendly, but made Paige feel embarrassed. "You are all over her Facebook," Maya explained, then turned to Noel, "I thought this was Em's new girlfriend; instead of that other girl," Maya, paused, still looking pleasant and light and at Noel, "You know? The cheater I was telling you about?" she said with a hand wave. Paige's jaw dropped. She just stared at Maya.
Noel also seemed surprised, but truly delighted, like it was his lucky day to get the front row seat for drama.
"Excuse me?" Paige demanded, eyes narrowing in on Maya.
"The blond. She's a total player on the lesbian club scene," Maya explained, like it was nothing, "not that its any of our business," she was referring to herself and Paige.
"They haven't been exclusive for very long," Paige asserted, eyes narrowed in on Maya.
"You mean, like, within the last couple night?" Maya asked with a laugh, exaggerate-checking her wrist for a non-existant watch. Noel beamed at the gesture.
Maya sighed, looking at Paige with pity, "Don't worry, they probably have some sort of agreement about these things."This girl was fucking with Paige, and even though Paige couldn't peg why, all three of them knew it was working. "Had I known Emily could be so cool..." Maya continued with a shrug, letting the thought trail off.
Paige stood up abruptly. Noel now looked like a kid on Christmas morning. "It was a pleasure to meet you," Paige asserted the end of the conversation, cold, sharp and so full of rage. She started gathering her things.
"Oh, okay," Maya replied politely, as if she was surprised by Paige's rudeness. As Paige brushing past, Maya stopped her, put her fingers lightly on Paige's wrist and asked, "How long have you wanted her?" Paige looked at her, threateningly angry and Maya just stared back, fire dancing behind her eyes, followed by a victorious little smile, as she removed her hand from Paige's wrist, permitting her to pass. Paige slammed the door of the coffee shop as she left.
Spencer found Emily in the bathroom, pacing frantically. "What the hell, Em?" She exclaimed. Spencer expected these kinds of dramatics from Hannah and even Aria, occasionally, but never Emily.
"I told you to lay off Paige, Spencer. I don't get why you have to keep bringing it up," Emily explained, aggravated.
"God, Em. The way she acted... It was and remains unacceptable."
"She apologized!" Emily exclaimed.
"Not. Good. Enough," Spencer stood firm, arms crossed at her chest, "I don't get it, Em. I don't like plenty of people. There is no reason for you to be freaking out over my warranted-"
"Spencer. For the love of-"
"Why, Emily? Is she threatening you?" For the first time, Spencer was grateful Paige was in town, just so she was close enough to pummel.
"No, geez! It's just..." Emily was still so mad, she couldn't think, let alone articulate reasoning to Spencer. Emily was clearly becoming more distraught.
"What? Just what? You can tell me, Em. I knew something was up. I won't do anyth-"
"I love her." Emily said in a voice that was somewhere between a whisper and a breath. It was still enough to stop Spencer. It probably could have stopped an oncoming train. She was about to re-phrase...
"YOU LOVE HER?!" Spencer yelled, regaining her wits. She was being much too loud for their setting.
"What I mean is," Emily stuttered. "I just.."
"I know exactly what you mean, Em. You love her!" Spencer exclaimed, outraged. Of course this was happening, Spencer thought. This was some Stockholm Syndrome bullshit that she could smell from a mile away. Spencer shook her head, "I don't understand what the fuck you think you're doing, Em."
Emily flinched, the words were hitting hard and Emily knew Spencer had more.
"And Samara is just sitting out there," Spencer gestured, "She is a goddamn treasure, Em. And you barely even look at her!"
Emily couldn't look at Spencer either right now. She knew what she'd been doing to Samara was wrong. Insisting they be girlfriends when Emily was cheating, if not physically, emotionally at every turn. She trained her eyes on the checkered floor tiles, "I know," she admitted, closing her eyes to hold in the tears, "I need to break up with her," she responded quietly.
"No. Damnit. No no no. You're a jerk, but you shouldn't break up with her. Not for freaking Paige," Spencer was starting to lose her edge, seeing Emily sad. But, Emily had to hear this, especially after whatever Paige was doing to manipulate her friend. "It's because you guys are so close all the time. It blurs things. The same thing happened with me and Toby in high school. We were together all the time for A and I lost sight of what I need. I'm into doctors, not carpenters. See?"
Now, the fire was back in Emily's eyes, "Paige isn't a carpenter, and even if she was one, I'd be totally charmed by that. She comforted me after Maya, she makes me laugh. I feel safe and happy and..." Spencer sighed, with enough emphasis to cut Emily off. "Plus, it's not about Paige... she doesn't even know. This is about me."
"Em... I'd like to believe that..." It was almost impossible for Spencer to resist comforting Emily when she was sad. Almost. Spencer shook her head and strengthened her resolve. "Get yourself together. They've been waiting out there for too long." Spencer left Emily in the bathroom.