-Emily's POV-
Eventually I had to explain to Mrs. Marin why Hanna left. She asked me why I didn't know and why Hanna promptly went home yesterday and was so eager to be with her dad. I ended up spilling all my feelings to Hanna to Mrs. Marin. All the things I should've been telling my girl, I said it to her mom.
"I'm so sorry Emily" she said after all my crazy confession
"I'm sorry too Mrs. Marin. I'm sorry for hurting your daughter though I didn't intend to" She pulled me in for a hug. She was surprisingly accepting.
Days went by and I haven't heard anything from Hanna. I called her phone but it went directly to voicemail. I even tried the home number Mrs. Marin gave me but they said she wouldn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't push it further. Maybe she still needed space and time to cool down. I didn't give up though. Every day I patiently write to her and leave it on her room. One for each passing day that she's not around. Basically all its content is just me telling her how much I love her.
They've been telling me to go after her but I don't. I respect that she wants to be alone. I used up that time to fix my issues too…in my own way. It doesn't mean it doesn't kill me. Each day without her kills me inside until one day I woke up and decided to stop. I went to her house and left one last message, well it was a recorder actually, what happens to us after this, I'm leaving it all to fate.
"Emily what are you doing here?" Alison broke through my door.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" I retorted
"It's the first day of class and you weren't around so I came here to check up on you" she said
"I'm fine Alison so could you now please go?" I rudely replied. We weren't 'okay'. I still gave her the cold shoulder. Hanna hasn't come back yet and it bothers me a lot. Vacation's over but she isn't home yet. What if she's never coming back? I couldn't stand up with that. I spent New Year's Eve inside my room. My friends haven't seen me. They visited but I didn't let them in. Mona blamed me for Hanna leaving. Apparently the two of them talk. Good for her.
"Come on Em you can't stay here forever" She tried to pull the covers of me but I pulled it back.
"Get lost Alison" I covered my face with the pillow.
"You chose not to follow her to Maryland yet here you are making a prisoner of yourself." I rolled my eyes. So what?
"Is this your way to wash away your guilt?" Alison sighed dramatically. She sat at the edge of the bed and so I changed my position and sat down with my back on the headboard.
"I want to show you that I'm here for you Em. I love you Emily and seeing you hurt like this hurts me too. I know I haven't been showing it before but I really do care about you. I don't want to see you in pain" She moved an inch space closer and laid her hand on top of mine. "If you would just let me I'll make it up to you. I know it's inappropriate at this point in time but Emily if you just give me one last chance I'll make it all better…please" Months ago I wanted this, a chance to be with Alison but now…there's Hanna.
"I want to give you a chance Ali but then that would be a lie. I want to be with you…as my best friend. We've had so many instances, so many chances but I guess our lovestory isn't just meant to be. Not all love stories are meant to last forever. Some are just glimpse of a short lived love. Our timings don't exactly match up. We're both each other's day late friend." I wiped away the tears running on her cheeks. "Someone else will come along, your own male or female version of Hanna, but I can't be that person Al. I'm sorry. What we are it's all part of the past but with Hanna…I see a future with her, my future." I bring her into my arms for comfort.
"Can I be in that future? As your friend at least?" I nodded and kissed the top of her head.
-Hanna's POV-
I don't know how long I'm planning to stay here with my dad and his family. It's a breather to be away from Rosewood and all its drama but I hate to admit it that's what I missed. I miss my mom, Spencer, Aria, Mona…and Emily the most. Yeah maybe Alison too. I finally talked to Mona and I told her that I just need time for myself. I told her everything from the beginning to the very end. She got mad at Emily but to no surprise I defended Em. Don't blame me I love that girl. Despite the hurt she had brought to me I still love her. One of the reasons that I don't want to go back to Rosewood just yet is that I'm scared. I'm scared that when I go back Emily had totally moved on from me to Alison. I can't really take that against her, I broke up with her. See? This is what she does to me. I heard her say that it's still Alison and that I'm just the rebound yet here I am wanting her back even to the point of wanting to apologize for breaking up with her. Ugh!
There wasn't actually much fun here in Maryland except for those father-daughter moments my dad and I had. I found out that my evil step sister wasn't that much of a bitch at all. We managed to make amends and bond but it was different in Rosewood. Maybe it's time to go back Han? I asked myself but then I shook my head no.
Just an hour before dinner while Isabel was cooking the home phone rang.
"Marin residence. Hello." I answered in my jolly tone.
"Hanna you need to come home" my mom said in a dead serious dull tone
"Mom?" Her voice brought thousands and thousands of bad thoughts on my head
"Something happened to Emily" Yep it's definitely time to go back home.
It was almost late when I arrived to Rosewood. My dad insisted to drive for me. My mom filled me in on what happened to Emily. Since visiting hours were over I chose to rest for the night and visit her early morning. I retreated to my room and saw that nothing changed since the night I left. The only ones they caught my eyes were stacks of folded colored papers on my desk. I opened one and recognized the familiar hand writing, it was from Emily.
'Dear Hanna,
I blame myself that you left but you should've stayed and listened to me explain. There was more to that than what you heard Han. It was pure sarcasm. It was a lie. I want to be with you and no one else. I said I haven't figured it out yet but I did. Alison's my first love and she'd be always that. She'd always hold a special place in my heart but not as much as you.
I never thought loving me would hurt you that much. If only I could take away the pain I caused you I would. For every tear the fell from your eye two fell from mine because I'm the reason behind those tears. I love you Hanna. Please come back to me…please
Emily'
The next few letters were almost the same. She told me why she loved me, why we should be together. She kept apologizing too. I cried and I cried as I read it. On one letter she even listed down 365 reasons why she loves me and said in the end that she has those 365 reasons but the most important reason why she loves me…she can't explain. By midnight I finished reading everything.
"I see you saw what she left here" My mom entered my room
"Yeah. Have you read this?" I was wondering if my mom knew about us
"No. Whatever you and Emily fought about always remember that at the end of the day you're each other's rock" I hugged my mother. She was absolutely right. Emily was my rock and I am hers.
"I'm going to sleep now. You should too." She gave me a kiss on my forehead and left.
I changed to my sleeping clothes and lay on my bed. Just as I was about to turn off my pink lamp I saw an unfamiliar gadget beside it. What's this? Below the gadget was another small piece of paper.
"You must be wondering why I didn't go after you. I wanted to babe but I knew you wanted to clear up your mind. It sucks without you around. Really suck. I spent the New Year alone. I wish I spent it with you. I love you Hanna. I wanted to tell you that. You know I thought things over and I…I realized that if you really love someone you don't force yourself to them. That's what you did. You didn't force yourself to me but Hanna I want to be with you but if you don't want to be with me anymore I'd understand. I love you so much baby."
After reading the note I picked up the gadget. There was a button on it so I pressed it. A sound came out of it, not just a sound but the sound of the best voice in the world. Emily's.
So here's a song that a friend of mine that I met in Austin wrote. Pardon my voice but here it goes:
'I wrote this really nice song
To see if I can make things right
I know you've been avoiding me
But I just wanna end this fight
I didn't mean to hurt you
I didn't know what to say
But I don't wanna lose you
I'm hoping that this will save the day
Cause you're the salt to my pepper
You're the moon to my sun
We're like Batman and Robin
When we're out having fun
And we're gonna be together
Till we're old and grey
So all I ask of you is please don't pull away
Please don't pull away
Please don't pull away
So all I ask of you is please don't pull away'
It honestly lifted up my heart. Emily did love me it's clear on all her efforts. It was more worth than if she went after. Though it doesn't mean I'm getting back together with her.
The first thing I did during the morning was to visit her. I was nervous to see her. Again I felt scared of all my what ifs. I finally reached the room the receptionist told me. I opened the knob and saw a sleeping Emily…with a sleeping Alison on a chair beside her bed with Ali's hand holding Emily's. My jaw clenched and my breathing hitched. This is what I was scared about. I don't know how long I was staring at them before Mrs. Fields called me out and I turned around.
"When did you get back honey?" she gave me a very smile close enough to remind me of her daughter's.
"Late last night. I heard about Emily. How is she?" We both looked at the sleeping beauty
"She's fine. Injured but fine." I nodded
"I better get going. It's nice to see you Mrs. Fields" I gave her a hug
"Wouldn't you wait for them to wake up?" she asked
"I think I won't" she bid me goodbye and I left.
-Emily's POV-
I was finally allowed to go home after 2 nights at the hospital. My mom told me that Hanna paid me a visit, too bad I was asleep. What's worse is that she might probably saw Alison in my hospital room too. Aria and Spencer told me they haven't seen her around yet.
After a long debate with my mom she allowed me to get out of the house to go to Hanna's. Nervous? I'm not. Terrified? That's more like it. Mrs. Marin let me in and pointed upstairs. Slowly I take one step at a time to Hanna's bedroom. I'm finally going to face her after she walked out on me.
"Welcome home" I greeted her and came in without knocking. She looked like she was reading a book which was very unusual.
"Hey. Come in I guess?" There was tad awkwardness in the room.
"How are-" "How was-" We spoke together and fell silent both of us smiling slyly.
"You go first" I suggested
"How are you?" she pointed at the bandage on my head
"Better now…especially that you're back." I saw her cheeks turn red. It's a good sign maybe. "I just had a little mishaps that's all"
"A little mishaps? You landed at the hospital Em. Ex-Anchor and Assistant Coach slipped by the poolside" she let out a laugh and so did I.
"How would I know that I'd slip? I've been in that place for years and it was the only time it happened" I defended myself. It was really embarrassing and painful I might add. "My mom told me you dropped by"
"I did. You were asleep…and Alison too" Her head ducked down. I know what it meant.
"She was just there as a friend." She nodded. I looked around and saw that my letters and the recorder was nowhere around. "Did you get my messages?"
"Yeah" I gave her a look that says 'and?' "I really appreciate your effort Em and for the record your voice wasn't that horrible." It was my turn to duck my head. We fell silent again. Longer this time. I reached out for her hand and put my hand on top of hers and squeezed it.
"I love you" I declared randomly. She just smiled. I missed that smile. I thought about it for a few seconds. What would she do if I kissed her? I wouldn't know if I wouldn't try would I? I slowly leaned in to her to the point that our lips met. I kissed her and she kissed me back. I cupped her cheeks and her hand tangled to my hair. From sitting on the side of the bed I moved myself and straddled her.
"This…doesn't change…anything" she said in between kisses.
"I know" I captured her lips again biting on her lower lip before pulling away.
"Did you come home because of me?" she shook her head but smiled goofily
"Just shut up and kiss me" she pulled me back and kissed me again
"Tell me" I begged her
"Maybe" she smirked before grabbing me by the neck and running her arms on my back that sent tingling feelings on my spine. I guess maybe will be our okay.