HEY ALL!

Sorry it's been a couple of days since I updated. Class started and I've been going CRAZY! Hopefully I can update every couple of days. I'm going to be going back and forth between this story and Burn My Skin – whichever one the muse hits me with is the one I'm going to write! I know, I've teased posting nearly daily! SORRY! This one isn't super super long, but I wanted to get it posted. REVIEW and let me know what you think!

OMG – aww yay! Well you didn't have to wait THAT long. Here it is! Hope you like!

Apl85 – HA! I bet it did!

Pamy – HAHA I'm working on it! Promise. School started so chapters aren't going to be updated daily, but I'll do it as soon as possible! I don't think Paige will break Emily's heart. I'm actually using writing fan fic in first person as practice… I want to write my own book in first person about a girl struggling with coming out. So let me know how you think I'd do! I'm SO glad you love Burn my Skin! It's my fun-piece!

Gloria – YES! There will be more paily scenes but I had to get some more Paige story in there. Just hang tight! I hope this helps quench a little.

Caylin – well, soon wasn't "now" but it is NOW! LOL I hope you enjoy! So glad you love the story! If you haven't, check out Burn My Skin!

Del – AWWW what do you think happened? I'm glad you can feel the anger – that's what I wanted. It killed me writing it!

Shawster – Yes…apparently, she punched Maya. LOL I wasn't originally going to have that - I was originally thinking of having her just yell, but this seemed more appropriate.

Fieke1993 – I'm glad you laughed! THAT'S AWESOME! I guess we'll see Em's reaction. AWWW I think that's one of the best compliments I've gotten so far! THANK YOU

Writing27 – I wasn't expecting it either. I was originally going to have Paige just go confront her, but as I was writing…well, it just sorta happened. I was surprised myself. I don't think Paige will do another violent thing unless its protecting Emily. But we'll see.

Psyro - me too, honestly! But as I wrote, it came out, so I guess my muse wanted Paige to hit Maya. LOL I'm glad you like how its going slow. I know its painfully slow for some people, but its realistic and that's what I want…realism. THANK YOU!

Rainsmistress- isn't she? I LOVE furious paige…just damn! LOL I don't think Nate is going to be in this, but maybe I could! We shall see! THANKS

Artisall – well, I updated as soon as possible! Hope you like! Let me know!

Okay ya'll, so I'm posting this just as I'm getting ready for bed! I'm going to go crash and I hope to see like 1000 reviews in my email when I wake up! If you haven't, check out BURN MY SKIN and let me know what you think of that!

GOODNIGHT!


"Paige?" She called out as she began searching the room.

"I'm here."

She shifted on the bed to turn to face me. I could tell she was slightly disoriented and wasn't quite sure where she was. As a few moments passed, I saw realization cross her features. She reached for the piece of paper that was resting on the nightstand and before I could stop her, she had read the note. After she put the note back down, she scooted towards me and rested her head on my stomach, letting her arms wrap around my waist. My hands naturally began to comb through her silken strands. They were beyond soft even though I could still smell the rain that had drenched her before I brought her inside several hours ago.

Once I had gotten back from Maya's, I wasn't able to shake the anger that had festered inside of me. I had figured that running the 2 miles back to my house would have dissolved some of the adrenaline but in reality it didn't seem to faze it. After exhausting my body, I grabbed Emily's bag and made my way upstairs, but as I lay down in the bed, I couldn't to get to sleep. After about 20 minutes of staring up at the ceiling, I settled for sitting against the headboard and reading a book on my phone. I preferred hard copies of books but given the circumstance, I didn't want to chance waking the sleeping girl by turning on the small bedside lamp to read from the pages. My phone's LED light was enough to make me worry – so I kept the phone kinda close to my face and shielded the light with the palm of my hand.

"Why did you leave?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm?"

"Your note. You said you left. Why did you leave?"

I took a breath – I was scared to death to tell her the truth. I wasn't planning on cold-cocking Maya in the face… yelling – yes, hitting – no. Yet the cockiness of her voice, the arrogant way she stood and how she appeared to have no emotion or knowledge of 'why I was there' was enough for my instincts to completely take over and my fist connect with the flesh of her face. It was just like what the psychology teacher taught the previous week - Freud claimed we are animals driven by needs and instincts. When we feel threatened or have a need, our instincts will automatically kick in to survival mode. I guessed my instinct at that particular moment was to knock the hell out of Maya.

"Yea, I left for a few…" I trailed off.

She sat up slightly. "That doesn't sound good. What's wrong, Paige?"

"Nothing's wrong. I went for a run."

"And?" Dammit she knew there was more.

"And…don't be mad, okay?"

"Paige, what happened?" she asked softly. I could tell she was concerned but I was more afraid that concern was going to turn to 'pissed'.

"I saw Maya…"

"Oh," She interjected as she let her head tilt downwards.

"And..ummm…."

"What?" She lifted her head slightly and looked me in the eye. I could see the tears starting to form at her eyelids.

"Ikindapunchedher," I mumbled incoherently.

"Didn't catch that…"

"I kinda…um…hit her"

"Paige!" She yelled as she shot straight up and gaped at me.

We sat on the bed for a while…neither of us speaking. I couldn't tell whether she was angry or surprised or…what. I watched her intently but regardless of how much I tried to analyze her body language I still couldn't determine what emotions appeared on her face. She kept shaking her head like she was trying to rid her head of thoughts. I pressed a button on my phone forcing it to light up so I could check the time. It was just after 4am. She hadn't been asleep long and I knew that she needed more. I finally decided to speak up – I knew that she wasn't going to get any sleep with us just sitting like silent children.

"Emily…are you mad?"

I saw her peer at me through the curtain of hair that fell around her face. She appeared mad.

"Please don't be mad. I didn't mean to punch her…it just happened."

"Why did you go see her?" she asked – her head still tilted down. She had a hint of bitterness in her voice – or maybe it was annoyance…at that point I couldn't honestly determine the difference.

"I wanted to try to talk some sense into her. Try to figure out what is going on and tell her how angry I was with her for hurting you. Just when she came outside she seemed to have… I don't know… she didn't seem to think I had any reason for being there and didn't know why I would have showed up at her house after midnight. She was just cocky and before I even realized what had happened… I punched her." I took a deep breath as I saw Emily's head rise slightly. "And…and then I just sprinted back here. I did about 200 push-ups and after I exhausted myself, I came back into the room and just sat here while you slept."

"You are angry with her?" She sounded surprised.

Why would she be surprised that I'm angry with Maya? Of course I'm angry with Maya. So angry I want to do more than punch her. I want her to regret hurting Emily with every fiber in her tiny ass body.

"You don't want to open that flood gate, Em…" I could feel the tension in my stomach start again as my thoughts went into overdrive. I wanted to give her a small opportunity to just leave it because if I started talking I knew I wouldn't be able to stop.

"Just answer me."

"Yes, okay? I'm thoroughly pissed at her!" I yelled as I rose off the bed and began pacing in front of the foot board. She shifted her body so that she could watch my every move.

"She has this…this… amazing girl who would seriously do anything for her – okay? She's beautiful and smart and funny… and so because of a little obstacle…well, it's a large obstacle, but an obstacle is an obstacle… she just decides to withdrawal herself and be done. I've watched her for the past 3 weeks slowly pull away from you and it's been so hard not to just…kick her teeth. She's hurting you and you haven't done anything wrong!"

I stood directly in front of the bed and looked at her. "If I was so lucky to have someone like you, I'd never let them go!" I stopped to catch my breath. I knew I was yelling and I didn't mean to, but the situation just pissed me off. "So…yea… I'm a little mad," I chuckled having released all of my pent up tension.

Her eyes were so open and inviting. I could look into them forever. She slowly extracted herself from the bed and walked towards me. My heart was pounding out of my chest – so hard I thought my ribs would break. I pretty much had just told her I liked her, but I hoped she didn't catch on. That was the last thing she needed at this moment. She stood directly in front of me…I could see all the pain, all the concern, all the love in her eyes. Our friendship had grown and I knew she felt for me as a friend – and that was fine. That is how I felt for her…that is how I made myself feel for her, anyhow.

"What did I do to deserve such a good friend? One who cares about me so much?"

"Emily…Spencer, Hanna and Aria would have done the same thing."

"No… I don't think they would. I trust those girls with my life. They are like my sisters. But they are all kinds wrapped up in their own thing right now. I couldn't have just shown up at their door and knew they'd be home. If I called them, they would come running- but they wouldn't be home if I just knocked on the door. You were. Why?"

"I was just home," I lied.

"But why were you home, Paige?"

"I knew that you were seeing Maya and I wanted to make sure I was here…ya know… just in case you needed me," I admitted.

"You stayed home on a Friday night…in case I needed you?" She asked confirming what I had just said.

All of my shields immediately tumbled down at the way her eyes pierced through me. "Yes," I breathed.

I felt her arms wrap around my waist and she pulled me towards her – my arms naturally engulfing her. Everything felt right when she was here – in my arms. I felt that I could protect her from everything that could possible hurt her and in a strange way I felt safe myself. I clenched my eyes shut, reminding myself to breathe. Even though feeling her in my arms was so natural and comforting, it was also tortuous. It reminded me of what never could be. What I never could allow to be.

Several moments passed before she eased the embrace. I nearly thought she had fallen asleep standing up. Her eyes caught mine and I could see they were flooded with exhaustion. She had only slept a few hours before waking up to find out that I had just put a right hook into her ex-girlfriend's face.

"Let's get you back to bed, okay?"

"Yea… I'm really really tired."

"Go figure…" I said, my eyebrows rising slightly.

"Oh, shush."

I walked behind her and tossed the blankets down so she could easily get in. She side stepped back towards the mattress but ended up tripping over her boot that was next to the foot of the bed. I reached out my arms and caught her mid-fall. As my arms cradled her, our eyes met. Our faces were a hairs breadth apart. I could feel her breath on my lips. The merciless pounding in my chest resumed as she gazed into me. My knees began trembling. I worked so hard to be straight…to be the perfect heterosexual daughter my father always told me I was – or would be if I valued my life – but here I was… catching the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and all I could think about was kissing her.

I quickly pulled her up so she was vertical. "Careful," I whispered. I lightly held her wrist so I could guide her to the bed – and make sure that she was steady. I swear I could feel an increased pulse from her wrist's pulse point. It confused me. If she was so in love with Maya, then why would her heart rate quicken because of me? I figured it was perhaps a rebound feeling… she knew that I cared about her – deeply – and she probably was just jarred from the near-fall.

After ensuring she was in bed safely, I climbed into my side of the bed and lay on my side facing her. I felt her eyes upon me – so after I finished pulling up the covers I looked in her direction. Some of her hair had fallen into her face, so I took my outside hand and gingerly pushed the stray strands behind her ear.

"You doing okay?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"Not really, but this helps."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not really."

"Em… I'm sorry I punched Maya…"

I heard her inhale deeply. "I don't like the idea of you hitting her… but… at the moment I am just too tired to be angry. Maybe tomorrow I will scold you."

I swore I saw a small smile graze her lips. "Deal."

"Seriously, Paige… I still love her. Please… don't hit her again."

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"Promise Promise."

"Promise Promise?" She asked confused.

"It's a promise so great that it has to be said twice."

That time, I knew I saw her smile.