Wow! I'm overwhelmed with pure joy from how much you guys liked the previous chapter! I mean it every time I say it, you guys are the very best! So this update finally has Homecoming in it! If you want to visualize it better, just watch the homecoming clips on youtube from the show PLL 1x06. It's the clip when Aria walks in by herself that was my inspiration, hopefully I did it justice in describing it bc that's exactly how I imagined it when writing that scene :). This isn't my best chapter as I had written this chapter, but it had gotten deleted so I had to start fresh. So that might be the reason it might seem all over the place, I was trying to remember as much as I could. :/ I really want to reply to each and everyone one of you, but Idk if that bugs you guys? I assume you'd prefer to get to the story? Maybe? Idk hehe …That said, hope you guys enjoy! Thank you all for the reviews and follows, they are always greatly appreciated. :)
Chapter IX
Paige POV
It was only Paige and Hanna left in the car as Paige had already dropped off Caleb, while Spencer and Aria were being taken home by Emily.
"Who knew you could go Kung Fu Panda on someone's ass." Hanna chimes impressed.
"I told you, it was just a reflex, Hanna." Paige sighs with a tinge of sadness laced in her voice.
Hanna surprised by Paige's unusual demeanor, "Hey, what's wrong?"
The fashionable blonde doesn't allow Paige to answer as she assumes for herself, "Paige you did the right thing, I don't know what would of happened if you didn't show up, so thank you…. And for goodness sakes you didn't even hit the girl."
Paige feels a small smile tug at her lips at Hanna's attempt to make her feel better, "It's not that."
"Then what is it?" Hanna poses in confusion.
Paige grips the steering wheel tighter as the anger for allowing herself to do what she did with Emily begins to bubble.
She takes a breath to calm herself before answering her friend, "Don't worry about it, I can handle it." Paige takes her eyes off the road just long enough to give Hanna an honest smile.
Hanna sighs in frustration, "Paige let me be here for you, just like you always have been for me."
"I promise I'll come to you if I need help with it, but for right now I'm okay." Paige soothes calmly.
The truth was, she was not okay. Her mind was racing a million miles a minute. It was pondering hundreds of questions. For example, 'Why am I such an idiot? What does this mean between Emily and I? Why am I such an idiot? Did we just destroy our friendship? Why am I such an idiot?'
She was worried sick with what the repercussions would be. She wanted to berate herself for not having more willpower against her urges towards Emily, but she couldn't help but admit that there was nothing else she could have done to keep herself from the girl.
'I should of just duct taped myself to a tree.' Paige thought as if that was the only effective solution.
Emily's flirtatious smirks and lustful glares ignited a burn in her chest and tingling all over her body. Her mind, body… and even her heart, were completely mesmerized by the girl.
Emily POV
"Em? Are you okay? You've been awfully quiet." Spencer pulls Emily from her thoughts.
"Uh-yeah, fine. Just a little rattled from what happened at the party." Emily confesses honestly.
"Yeah, that fight was crazy. Good thing you guys showed up so quickly." Aria chimes in.
'I was actually referring to Paige almost putting her hand down my pants, but I guess the fight rattled me too.' Emily thought sarcastically.
Spencer pitches after a beat, "Yeah where were you guys? You and Paige both kind of just disappeared earlier."
Emily feels her mouth go dry and her heart beating heavily against her chest as what her and Paige were doing that night, were flashing through her mind.
"Um- we were playing poker." Emily swallows, convincing herself that her answer wasn't a complete lie.
Emily POV
Both girls had successfully dropped off everyone but while Emily had gone home, Paige wanted to make one more stop.
She knew neither, her or Emily would be able to sleep tonight. So she wanted to take the opportunity in the situation.
Please open your window… your squirrels are extra feisty.
Emily crunches her eyebrows, perplexed as she reads the text message Paige had just sent her before glancing up to spot a shadow behind her curtains.
"Are you crazy?! You're going to get yourself killed!" Emily berates the girl with a rather loud whisper as she opens the window for her.
Paige hurries off of the tree and into Emily's bedroom before looking back through the window while she straightens out her shirt, "The only thing that's going to kill me are those nutty squirrels."
"See what I did there?" Paige winks with a playful smirk, trying to lighten the mood.
Emily rolls her eyes but couldn't help but giggle at how adorable the soccer player was.
Paige exhales, composing herself from her little adventure of climbing up into Emily's bedroom.
An honest smile tugs onto her lips after her warm eyes meet Emily's gaze already on her. "Hi."
Emily bores into Paige's kind orbs, which triggered a smile of her own, "Hi."
They were both surprisingly calm despite what they were doing to each other's bodies only a couple of hours ago.
After a beat, Emily tears herself from the daze she was in, "You know… the front door is usually the most efficient way in and out of a house." Emily giggles from imagining Paige fight off the apparently feisty squirrels as she climbed up the tree to her window.
Paige chuckles, "Really? I was unaware…I actually just didn't want to wake your mom."
Emily couldn't keep herself from smiling at the taller athlete, she was completely smitten with her.
She didn't know how or why, but for some reason Emily knew if she didn't put space between her and Paige right this second, they would be making the same mistake as earlier that evening.
"So what are you doing here?" Emily questions while she makes it back to her bed, grabbing the novel she was reading before Paige showed up, from her nightstand.
Paige massages the back of her neck with her hand while looking nowhere in particular, "I uh-"
'I missed you.' Paige's mind involuntarily thought.
"I just wanted to clear up what happened earlier… at uh- Shana's party." Paige wavers slightly.
Emily knew what was coming…. She knew Paige was going to tell her that it was a mistake…that it was alcohol fueled, that they were caught in the moment. She knew the soccer player was going to say everything except what she wanted to hear, just like Paige had after their kiss at the carnival at the top of the Farris wheel…and she knew for a fact that she couldn't bear to hear it from Paige again…so instead, she said it herself.
"There's nothing to clear up, Paige. It didn't mean anything. The combination of being buzzed from the alcohol and being all over each other from pretending to be together in front of everyone got us… 'frustrated'… we were bound to get caught up in the moment." Emily explains.
Paige's heart fell, "Oh."
" 'Oh?' " Emily poses puzzled.
Paige's insides were screaming at her to just open up to Emily and tell her how she felt but instead she swiftly recuperates with a lie as she forces a smile, " 'Oh', as in- Oh great…I'm glad we agree."
"Good." After a beat Emily chirps coldly.
The soccer player nods shyly, "Good."
"So that's it then? Everything's back to normal? Just like that?" Paige questions after an awkward silence, internally unconvinced.
Emily agreed with herself that she couldn't stop pretending to date Paige, at least not right away. Because she knew Paige would figure out that tonight had gotten to her, that she wasn't just caught in the moment. She would figure out that she's been wanting it to happen since they met. Emily had to let some time pass before she would give way to the fake relationship until she could finally break it off.
She'd be damned if she admitted she fell under the athletic brunette's spell. There was no way she would let herself be just another notch in Paige's belt. She understood she couldn't change Paige into a one-woman kind of girl. She understood that there couldn't be a future with someone who wanted different things.
As much as her body craved her, as much as her heart ached for her, Emily knew being with Paige wouldn't go anywhere seriously, it would just end in heartbreak. So she decided she couldn't remain hung up on her feelings for the soccer player any longer. She decided she had to move on.
"Yep, that's it." Emily answers, feeling her throat constrict as she flits her eyes on the now open novel in her hand.
Paige couldn't confirm if she had heard a faint break in Emily's voice, "Emily-"
"It's late Paige. We have to help Spencer with setting up for Homecoming tomorrow. You should probably get home." Emily asserts confidently as she meets the athletic girl's gaze. This sureness in her voice extinguishes any of Paige's presumptions.
Paige nods in defeat with a tight smile, "Sure... Don't forget to lock the window behind me."
"I won't." Emily forces a tight smile.
As Emily moves to lock the window, the sound marinates with the sound of Emily's heart locking out Paige.
Emily POV
"Are you and Paige okay?" Spencer asks casually as she pops up next to Emily who was hanging stuffed animal prizes for one of the carnival booths.
It was Saturday afternoon and Spencer and other students of the volunteering committee were helping prepare for Homecoming next week.
"Yeah, of course. Why?" Emily lies in the same casual tone as Spencer had asked her the question.
Spencer starts to help Emily pin the prizes on the booth wall, "I don't know, there's just this weird vibe around you two. Plus you guys are usually a lot more touchy-feely, but today you've been acting like she has cooties or something."
"Oh...no we're good." Emily forces a smile as she goes back to pinning up the stuffed prizes.
Two hearty laughs shift Emily and Spencer's attention to where Paige and Nina were laughing at how Paige had gotten paint on the side of her lower cheek.
Spencer sincerely smiles at the sight, "They would actually make a really cute couple."
Even though Paige and Nina were probably just laughing at each other as teammates, Emily couldn't keep her blood from boiling with jealousy. She didn't realize how bad she had it for Paige until she had decided she had to move on from her hung up feelings on the alluring girl.
Spencer transfers her attention back to pinning up the stuffed prizes, "Too bad Paige can't open up her heart the way she gets girls to open up their legs." Spencer scoffs jokingly.
'If only.' Emily thought while she felt an intense heat crawl up her neck as she remembered just how good Paige was at getting in between her legs.
'This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.' Emily internally sighs.
Emily POV
"Here let me help you." Emily offers sweetly as she sees Samara struggling with her crutches to hand in her essay on their way out History class.
"Thanks." Samara said politely, but Emily didn't miss the tinge of sadness laced in her voice.
The girl's tone influences her to scan her ex-girlfriend's face, "Is everything okay?"
Samara sighs from frustration, "It's just my stupid ankle is taking forever to heal…not to mention I got kicked off the soccer team, or that I have no homecoming date, and frankly I think anyone is scared to ask anybody after what you girlfriend pulled."
Emily's heart flutters as her mind flashes back to how Paige asked her to Homecoming. Just knowing Paige had come up with the idea made her so weak in the knees, she was tempted to steal Samara's crutches and use them herself.
As her mind flitted back to Samara, regardless of the blonde being her ex, she still felt bad about her injury and how nothing was going her way.
"I'm so sorry to hear that Samara. How about you join us for lunch?" Emily asks before immediately regretting it.
Samara was caught off guard by the question, but it didn't keep her from answering it with a beaming smile, "Sure, I'd love to."
Emily cursed herself once Samara had agreed. She meant it as more of a polite gesture, the stunning swimmer didn't think her ex would actually accept the offer.
"Great." Emily feigned being excited before forcing a smile.
Paige POV
Hanna was casually eating her serving of fruit until she choked at the sight before her eyes.
Paige was engrossed in her cell phone before she heard Hanna's faint coughing.
Paige chuckles as her fashionable friend recuperates quickly. "Slow down there Han, no one's going to steal your fruit."
Paige's amused grin from watching Hanna rebel against her piece of pineapple, quickly faded after following Hanna's persistent gaze.
"Hey guys, Samara is joining us for lunch today." Emily's announcement transfers the four girls already sat at the table's attention to where her and her ex were standing at the edge of their lunch table.
"Oh hey Samara, have a seat." Aria offers politely before meeting Spencer's questioning stare, as she shrugs in response.
"Thanks girls. It's been too long since I've talked to all of you." Samara smiles sweetly as Emily pulls out her chair for her sit.
Since there were no other chairs left, the bronzed beauty reluctantly went to make her way to Paige's lap.
Before Emily could sit on her lap, Paige stood from her seat offering it to her faux girlfriend, "You can have my seat, Nurse Ronaldo has to check on my stitches."
What Paige had said was true, Nurse Ronaldo did have to check on her stitches but she hadn't planned on going to see the Portuguese-speaking woman until after school.
Paige quickly kisses her on the cheek before making her way to the exit of the cafeteria, "I'll see you later."
Emily crunches her eyebrows together in confusion as to why Paige was leaving in such a hurry when she just got there.
"Em?" Aria coaxes as she gently clutches her wrist, motioning her to sit down.
Lunch didn't go nearly as badly as all the girls thought it would. Samara had a way of speaking that engaged people. Seeing the way she interacted with all her friends reminded Emily of how she grew to love the blonde girl. She was outgoing and charismatic…. a lot like Paige was.
"Knock Knock." Paige smiles in time with knocking on the already open physical therapy room door.
"Minha querida! Como você estáfazendo hoje?" The older lady beamed once her eyes met the soccer star.
"Wait, don't tell me... you're asking how I'm doing today, right?" Paige smirks while quirking her eyebrow as she enters the room.
"Lucky guess." Nurse Ronaldo rolls her eyes playfully.
Paige chuckles in defense before plopping herself on the padded bench, "Hey, I'm getting there."
"How's the booboo?" Nurse Ronaldo poses with her Portuguese accent while distractedly walking across the room to grab the first aid kit.
"It feels healed, I haven't taken off the gauze to check though." Paige smiles, her insides warmed at how much Nurse Ronaldo took a liking to her.
Nurse Ronaldo had been treating Paige as if she was her own daughter. She was always so loving and nurturing with her. It forced Paige to ponder if having a mother in life felt this comforting.
The older nurse quickly glances over her shoulder, eyeing down to Paige's ankle before returning her attention to washing her hands at the sink, "How about the other one?"
Paige smiles in response, "Feels perfect. You've done the best job nursing it back to health, Nurse Ronaldo."
"I'll be honest, you're a pleasant patient, so you make it easier." The loving nurse smiles over her shoulder while drying off her hands with a paper towel.
Paige went quiet before her thoughts brought her to a pondering question, "How's Samara's ankle doing?"
"She's good. Her injury wasn't as bad as we thought, so she never needed the crutches." Nurse Ronaldo replies absentmindedly before making her way to Paige.
Paige raises her eyebrows before muttering to herself, "Huh, interesting."
"Okay meu amor, I have good news… your stitches have dissolved and healed. You can take off the bandage before the dance tonight." The nurse smiles as she soothes the area with a disinfectant wipe.
Paige smiles from relief, "That's great."
"I heard what you did for that pretty swimmer." Nurse Ronaldo raises her eyebrows keenly before she reaches for a clean and much smaller gauze to plaster over the still sensitive skin.
Paige's eyes instantly brighten with a profound smile tugging onto her lips as her mind flitted to the pretty swimmer, "Emily."
"Her name is Emily…Emily Fields." Paige explains after the nurse gave her a questioning expression.
"Uh oh I know that look… I think someone is in love." Nurse Ronaldo teases as she saw the beaming smile engraved on Paige's face.
Paige brushes off the elder lady's comment with a chuckle, "You wish."
"You're right, I do wish it for you, minha querida. Finding someone you can feel yourself fall in love for is quite rare. Most people these days settle for companionship. Not like back in my days." The nurse punctuates with a wink.
Paige smiles at the adorable prospect, "So you've been in love before?"
"Oh yes, meu amor." The petite nurse replies with a knowing smile.
Paige chuckles after realizing that was all the nurturing lady was going to say, "Well come on! Give me details!"
"Next visit. I have to keep something to have you come back and see me." Nurse Ronaldo smiles teasingly while tapping Paige's thigh signifying she was done with her check-up.
Paige shoots the woman a warm smile that reaches her eyes, "Deal."
Paige POV
Paige felt guilty for leaving Emily with her ex at lunch so abruptly, while she was supposed to be acting as her girlfriend. She didn't understand why, but being around Samara made her insides twist with anger and jealousy. She would of preferred to poke her eyes out before she sat next to the blonde for the entire lunch period.
To make up ditching Emily, she decided to surprise the bronzed beauty with some take out before the dance.
Paige finally parks into Emily's driveway before making her way to knock on the front door.
"Hey-" Paige smiles brightly before her beam falters from the sight in front of her.
"Samara...hi." Paige was caught off guard, as the blonde beauty was the last person she expected to see answering Emily's door.
Samara assuming what Paige was at the door for, chirps, "Hey, Emily's just-"
Paige quickly tries to get herself out of the awkward situation, "It's alright I'll just come back later-"
"Paige. Hey, what are you doing here?" Emily shows up behind the tall blonde surprised to see the stunning soccer star.
Paige swiftly yet discreetly moves the brown paper bag behind her back, "I...I uh, I just came by to ask you...what time I'd be picking you up for the dance? It slipped my mind." Paige punctuates with a tight smile after coming up with a lie on the spot.
"I think we agreed at 8:00pm." Emily confirms as she walks to where Samara was previously standing before she went back inside the house.
Paige glances down before glancing back up to meet Emily's perplexed gaze, "Oh okay… sounds good. I better get going."
Emily didn't fail to notice a particular glint in Paige's eye. She perceived it as hurt, but she wasn't sure since the look had vanished as quickly as it came.
Paige starts to make her way back to her car before Emily could close the door behind her.
"Paige! ...Paige." Emily calls out as she runs after the girl.
Paige swallows harshly trying to keep her throat from constricting as she shuts her eyes trying to rid of the stinging sensation. As soon as she had control over her emotions she turned to face the girl behind her. "Yeah?" Paige blurts casually.
Emily scrunched her eyebrows together sincerely concerned, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't be?" Paige asks nonchalantly, as if her heart wasn't just shattering into a million pieces for reasons she couldn't explain.
"I don't know, I just thought you looked-"
Paige doesn't allow Emily to continue, "Nope, everything's great." She punctuates with a forced smile.
"I really have to get going." Paige emphasizes by pointing her thumb over her shoulder before making her way to her car.
"What's in the bag?" Emily pulls Paige's attention back to her, knowing Paige didn't come over only to ask her what she had.
'Almost.' Paige sighs in defeat.
She turns around to face Emily again before making her way to the raven-haired girl.
Paige playfully scoffs while handing the girl the paper bag, "I bought you some food as a peace offering for running out on you at lunch today. I just really needed to get these stitches checked out."
"You mean kind of like what you're doing right now?" Emily eyes the taller athlete teasingly.
Paige smirks, "I guess I'll have to bring you ice cream next trip over."
Paige makes a move to walk back to her car, but Emily clutches her wrist, "Paige-"
"Why is she at your house?" Paige finally quips with a question that's been nagging at her lips to come out.
Emily bores into Paige's eyes before she looks away.
"Last time I checked, I was doing you a favor Em…to make her jealous. But if you want to be with her, then why are you still dragging me along?" Paige voices with slight irritation hoping that it would instead conceal the hurt in her voice.
Emily defends swiftly, "I'm not dragging you along. She's just been having a hard time moving to a new school. I'm only being human, Paige."
Paige stares into Emily's eyes as she recognizes an unfamiliar glint in them. Every time Emily would look at her, it would make her heart flutter and her insides warm…but now… it made her feel like she couldn't be any further from the girl. Like there was this frigid thick brick wall in between them.
Paige silently digests Emily's answer since she didn't want them to fight before they had to go to Homecoming.
Paige finally breaks the silence not even bothering to force a smile, "…I'll pick you up at 8:00."
Her voice had no malice or sadness, not even the hurt she was feeling, she had just said it as if she was talking to a stranger…which is what Emily was quickly beginning to feel like.
Emily remained where she was standing as she watched Paige leave. Even though it was what she needed to do, she couldn't help but feel her throat constrict as she could feel the distance slowly grow between the two of them.
Paige POV
"Hi Mrs. Fields." Paige smiles sincerely as she greets the woman.
Emily's mother smiles brightly as she takes in what Paige was wearing. "Paige! Honey you look amazing, so elegant." The woman dots with a wink.
She was wearing an impeccably tailored women's jet black tuxedo suit that framed her lean physique immaculately. Her slimming tuxedo pants hemmed at her ankles with pointed black patent leather heals on her feet that elongated her already long legs.
She had a tucked in crisp white button-down collared shirt with the top three black buttons left open, underneath a matching black tuxedo suit jacket that sleeked over her lean shoulders. Her hair was styled loose around her shoulders that framed her made up smoky eyes.
"Thank you Mrs. Fields." Paige accepts her compliment charmingly.
"Oh call me, Pam." Emily's mother smiles brightly as she rests her hand on the soccer player's shoulder, "That was some way to ask my daughter out to Homecoming. I sent Emily's father the video I took of you two. He was ecstatic, he's dying to meet you." Pam gushes.
Paige smiles politely, "Oh wow, thank you Mrs. Fiel- Pam, I can't wait to meet him."
"Do you know what time the others are showing up?" Pam questions distractedly getting her camera.
Paige glances down at her watch, "Maybe another 10 minutes."
"Oh by the way, about dinner-"
"Mom you can stop pestering my girlfriend now." Emily interrupts the conversing ladies downstairs from the top of the staircase.
The soccer player's heart flutters while feeling a smile etch on her face at how good it felt hearing Emily call her as her girlfriend.
Paige was instantly thrown into a blissful trance as she shifted her attention to the dazzling goddess descending the stairs.
Emily was wearing a tight strapless deep purple dress that hugged her curves in the most delicious ways. The dress ended mid thigh, exposing her seemingly endless legs as they were doted by a pair of black pumps. Her hair was blown out into loose waves as it framed her flawless face.
Paige swallows at the exquisite sight in front of her while feeling the tension with Emily from earlier today dissipate each time the stunning swimmer descended a stair.
"Oh shoot, I forgot the memory card! Don't you two even think of moving a muscle, I'll be right back." Pam demands as she ascends the stairs Emily had just descended from.
"Don't move!" She muffles as she disappears in the hallway upstairs.
Paige chuckles at Emily rolling her eyes playfully at her mother's antics as the swimmer finally made to stand in front of Paige.
The soccer player smiles sincerely, "She's cute... not as cute as you though."
Emily lightly dips her head with a forlorn smile Paige couldn't see. She could already feel the sadness build inside her as she wouldn't allow herself to relish in Paige's compliment.
"If it isn't obvious… you look beautiful." Paige smiles charmingly breaking the tense silence.
"Thanks." Emily chirps shyly as she looks back up meeting Paige's eyes before seeing the warmth dissipate from them as the striking brunette heard the aloofness in her voice.
Paige quickly remembers the flowers she had in hand behind her back. "I uh- I got you these, I know they're your favorite." Paige tries once more, hoping she could get to the Emily she knew before the incident at Shana's party.
"Thanks, I'll go put them in some water." Emily couldn't walk faster to the kitchen, as she hadn't even made eye contact while accepting the flowers from Paige.
Paige glances down in front of her while mentally trying to keep the hurt from entering her system. Thankfully, the doorbell pulled her from her thoughts.
She went to get the door as she knew it was the rest of the group.
"Paige! Holy dapper! You look hot!" Hanna instantly yells, impressed by the striking girl in front of her.
Paige's face promptly brightens as she appreciated the much needed positive lift in vibes around her.
"Han, you look stunning." Paige smiled in the most sincere way possible before returning the tight hug from her blue-eyed friend.
"How about me?" Caleb pouts teasingly as he and Paige fist bumped in greeting.
Paige laughs, "To sexy for words, Mr. Rivers."
Caleb was wearing a traditional men's tuxedo that wasn't quite as exquisitely tailored as Paige's but he was nothing short dashing.
Hanna was also wearing a short silver dress that emphasized her usual look of edgy and fashion forward with her hair styled up.
"Found it!" Pam yells from the top of the staircase before she hurriedly descends it.
"You two look adorable! Let me take a few pictures of you two." Pam gushes at Hanna and Caleb.
Paige smoothly scoots out of the away as she watched the happy couple take pictures. Paige couldn't have had a brighter smile as she watched the Hanna and Caleb hold each other so lovingly.
All in the while Emily was watching them from the kitchen down the hallway. She noticed how Paige had deflated when she had been so cold with her. It wrenched her heart, but she couldn't let herself get involved because in the end it would only pain her intensely more than it already did now.
As Emily entered the entryway, it took only a beat before Hanna noticed that there was something off with her best friend.
"Oh Emily, there you are. Come on we're taking pictures honey." Pam motioned for Emily and Paige to get in frame with Hanna and Caleb.
They took a few group photos before Pam motioned Emily and Paige to take couples' pictures.
"Oh come on you two, scoot closer to together." Pam laughs at the awkward stances of the two athletes.
"Yeah McCullers, give her a kiss." Caleb teases from behind Pam before Hanna nudges him a little to forcefully.
Paige and Emily ignore Caleb's suggestion as they continue to stand awkwardly before Pam agreed with the teenager.
The two girls each wrap an arm from behind each other's waist only to timidly peck each other's lips.
"Wow, my grandparents have more passion than you two." Caleb teases monotonously unimpressed.
Paige fed up with the teasing, tenderly grabs Emily's chin with the pad of her thumb and the side of her index finger coaxing Emily's face towards her as Paige kisses her softly.
It took only a second before Emily was lost within the kiss. She fought to resist the feelings it was eliciting, but she couldn't help but let herself feel everything. From Paige's plump lips gently pressed against hers to the heavy pounding of her heart, the tingling sensation Paige's lips left throughout her entire body.
As they pulled back from the kiss, they were equally internally shocked from what they had just experienced. It was like the kiss they shared in the locker room, everything around them completely vanished.
Their stress about school, their anxieties about their future, the frustration they were feeling towards each other and everything else didn't exist in those five seconds. It was only when they pulled away that everything came rushing back.
Before the tension in the room could get anymore taut, Aria and her date Noel Kahn, and Spencer with her boyfriend Toby had rung the doorbell, successfully taking the attention off the faux couple.
All the dates took a few more group photos before they all finally left for the school dance.
Emily POV
As the group of dates sauntered into the dance room, they were in awe of how different the school appeared. Between the blue and yellow-orange rotating disco lights, the hanging light bulb fixtures attached across adjacent antique French street lamps, and the several carnival booths, they felt as if they had just shown up to the hippest carnival in town.
The mixture of lights cascaded a bluish-purple tint, almost as if the sunset was taking place, leaving a mysterious yet pleasurable tone in the large room. The pop music playing from the live band was fun and upbeat. As most of the high school students had already arrived, the dance floor was packed, as well as the carnival games.
"Wow Spence! This is amazing!" Aria gasps awestruck.
Hanna smiles just as captivated as her friends, "Seriously Spencer, this is so cool!"
"It turned out great Spence, props to you." Paige shoots her friend a beaming smile.
Spencer beams at her group of friends, "Thanks guys, but it really couldn't have been done without everyone of you that helped me."
"Alright let's have some fun!" Caleb chants from behind the girls before dragging Hanna to the dance floor.
While to everyone else the carnival themed school dance seemed charming and enchanting, to Emily it had only reminded her of the night of her first kiss with Paige. Soliciting the feelings for the girl she kept trying to suppress.
"I'm going to get some punch." Emily mumbles before quickly making her way to the refreshments before she could give Paige the chance to ask her to dance.
'This is going to be a long night.' Paige sighs before going after her supposed date.
"Care to dance?" Paige purrs charmingly into Emily's ear from behind as she places her hands on the bronzed beauty's hips.
Despite Emily feeling an intense attraction towards Paige's body she forced herself to resist, "Not really." She chirps nonchalantly before taking a sip of punch from her cup.
In one fluid motion, Paige determinedly takes the plastic cup from Emily's hand only to set it on the table before she clutches the stunning swimmer's hand and pulls her onto the dance floor with her.
"Paige what are you doing?" Emily asks trying to release her hand from Paige's.
Before Emily could get her hand free Paige turns around only to purposely spin Emily's back into her front.
"I'm dancing. What're you doing?" Paige smiles confidently into Emily's ear.
Emily scoffs before turning around in Paige's hold so she was now facing her, "Leaving."
Emily makes to move, only to feel Paige's left arm pull her closer from behind. All the while Paige's right hand takes Emily's left, pulling it up and away from their bodies pressed together, allowing them to dance to the melodic music.
"What's going on with you? You've been treating me like crap, and all I've been trying to do is make your night special." Paige confides rather calmly as she tries to capture Emily's wandering gaze.
Emily knew the striking soccer star was right as she felt her heart twist with guilt.
Emily finally relents as she snakes her right arm across Paige's sleek shoulders, relaxing into Paige's hold.
To the innocent by-stander they appeared as a dashing couple rhythmically swaying to the fun beat hand in hand.
"I'm sorry." She quickly meets Paige's eyes before she flits them anywhere else but at the girl she was slow dancing with.
Paige lightly chuckles in disbelief, "That's it? That's all you're giving me?"
'You already have my heart, what more do you want?!' Emily's inside were screaming at her but she chose to ignore it.
"Were you expecting anything else?" Emily poses with irritation laced in her voice while looking off to her side.
Paige shrugs her eyebrows, "From the way you've been acting lately, I guess not."
"How do you expect me to go back to acting completely normal, after what happened at Shana's party?" Emily finally shifts her gaze to Paige, the frustration in her voice causes the soccer player's eyes to meet hers.
Paige scrunches her eyebrows in disbelief, "You're the one who said it didn't mean anything. Not-"
"I was stating the inevitable, Paige. You would've just said the same thing." Emily declares firmly with irritation in her voice.
"Emily, if you'd just let me speak -" Paige attempts to defend herself until that familiar sickly sweet voice interrupts her.
"Mind if I cut in?"
Both athletes' attention swiftly transfer to Samara next to them, who was conveniently standing without her crutches.
Between Emily giving her a hard time and now Emily's ex interrupting the conversation, Paige was on the verge of snapping,
Paige wanted a chance to continue her discussion with Emily…she wanted to tell the swimmer that her assumptions were wrong. She began to brush off Samara's request, "Actually I-"
"She doesn't. Right baby?" Emily feigns sweetly yet Paige instantly picks up the malice in her voice.
Paige's attention flits back to Emily's eyes, trying to decipher them.
'Is she serious right now?' Paige internally scoffs, feeling deceived.
After a beat, Paige alters her betrayed stare into a cold one as she pierces into Emily's eyes, "No…I don't." Her tone just as frosty as her gaze.
The soccer player shoots a tight smile to Samara before glancing back to Emily with the same icy gaze, "She's all yours."
In one fluid motion she releases her hold on the swimmer before making it off the dance floor.
Emily noticing the glint of hurt in Paige's orbs, forced her to regret what she had just done almost instantly.
She was frustrated with Paige. For that one split second, she wanted Paige to hurt just as she was hurting, hoping it would make the playing ground even, thinking it would make herself feel better. Although, Emily had only felt a million times worse.
For the past minute, Emily hadn't been listening to a thing Samara was babbling about while they had been slow dancing. Instead her focus was on scanning the sea of high school students for Paige.
As Emily began feeling random eyes shift onto her and Samara dancing. She was about to excuse herself, but before she could, her ex pecks her on the cheek.
She was so caught off guard by the gesture, all she could do was move to make her way off of the dance floor.
"Emily, wait." Samara calls out as she watches her ex walk away from her.
Paige POV
As Paige made her way off the dance floor, she joined Spencer at the booth the intelligent brunette was stationed at.
"Hey." Paige greets her friend with a half smile.
"What's going on over there?" Spencer poses astounded, as she darts her gaze in the direction Emily and Samara are dancing.
Paige makes a quick glance over her shoulder before she gazes back at Spencer. The soccer player sighs, drained from her situation with Emily, "It's been decided that my services are no longer needed."
"Wait what? You mean Emily's going back to Samara?" Spencer questions disbelievingly.
"I don't know Spencer. I'm just happy I don't have to fake being her girlfriend anymore." Paige replies as Spencer comes from behind the booth so she could stand next to the soccer player. They both turn to face the more interesting view of the dance floor while leaning back on the carnival booth.
Spencer shrugs her eyebrows before chuckling, "Well, Homecoming's a great place to celebrate your freedom."
Paige chuckles half-heartedly, "You're right….but I don't know… I just -"
The view before the two best friends causes both of their jaws to go slack and their eyes to widen.
Not only did Paige's jaw drop, but so did her heart. Not only was she torn that Emily was getting involved with someone else, but to everyone it appeared like she was, while she was still dating Paige.
The soccer player promptly recuperates before looking away, not wanting to witness if Emily and Samara were going to upgrade from a peck on the cheek to anything further.
Spencer raises her eyebrows from surprise, "I guess that answers my question."
The soccer player mutters more to herself, "I guess it does."
"Well if she's happy then I'm happy…. I still think she should of waited a little. No one thinks or knows you guys have even broken up yet. Not the smartest move on Em's part."
"My thoughts exactly." Paige mutters.
After a beat Paige straightens her posture, "You know what, I think I will go celebrate."
Emily POV
"What the hell was that, Em?" Hanna abruptly stops Emily from walking past her as she was frantically looking for Paige.
Emily sighs in frustration, "Not now Hanna."
Hanna shakes her head in disbelief, "How could you disrespect Paige like that? Especially after she's put a part of her life on hold for you."
Emily rolls her eyes at her friend trying to give her a lecture in the middle of a school dance…even though she knew she was right.
"Hanna, now is not the time. I have to go find Paige." Emily asserts firmly, not giving her best friend the chance to respond as she went to continue searching for Paige.
Emily finally spots Paige at the balloon-popping booth with her unapologetically gorgeous teammate, Nina. Her guilt swiftly turns into anger at the sight.
She feels her insides wrench with jealousy as she walks with purpose to the two laughing girls together.
A tap on her shoulder influences Paige to turn around, only to see the stunning swimmer.
"Hey-"
"Can I talk to you please?" Emily affirms more than questions while locking her eyes on Paige trying not to eye the beautiful girl that she was just having a good time with.
Paige raises her eyebrows before returning her attention to the carnival game as she picks up a dart to pop a balloon with, "I'm kind of b-"
Paige doesn't get the chance to finish her sentence as Emily drags her by the wrist away from Nina.
Emily turns to face Paige before she crosses her arms as she feels a surge of anger and jealousy run through her bloodstream, "That was quick." She marks with a nod in the direction of the girl Paige was with.
Paige shrugs her eyebrows with a sly smirk as she glances away, "I could say the same to you." She punctuates by meeting Emily's burning stare.
Emily with hurt in her eyes faintly shoves Paige with one of her hands, "Don't talk to me like that. You know it's not like that."
Paige confides surprisingly calm with no malice in her voice, "Then what's it like Emily? Like you didn't just disrespect me in front of everyone we go to school with?"
Emily feels her guilt take over again, "I didn't mean for it to be that way…"
"Then how did you mean it?" Paige rasps.
Emily silently bores into the soccer player's orbs while her vision begins to blur from the tears threatening to spill from her eyes, knowing she hurt Paige.
The truth was she really didn't mean it that way. She had simply forgotten that the entire school thought her and Paige were dating. Her intentions were only to make the soccer player jealous, although she only realized now, in order for that to be accomplished, Paige had to care for her in such a way, which Paige didn't…or so she believed.
Paige gathers Emily's silence as her answer, "That's what I thought." Paige husks distantly, as she walks away.
P.S.- Don't hate me too much. :P I had to keep the story going…I'd love to know your thoughts on the chapter! Thank you so much for reading!
