A/N: To those who have asked, no, this isn't a g!p fic. I really appreciate all of the reviews so far, thank you all for being so lovely!
Chapter 10
"Emily?" CeCe looked surprised as she opened the door to her apartment, finding her girlfriend adorned in rather semi-formal attire. Nothing too extravagant, but still a bit much for a simple dinner and movie outing.
"I know, I'm early," Emily said, and CeCe moved out of the doorway to let the younger girl inside. "Would you mind if we changed our plans a bit?"
"Why, no good movies?" CeCe asked, sitting back on the couch to turn off the movie she'd previously been watching.
"No, it's just that.. my mom's back in town," Emily said slowly and CeCe seemed to pick up on what she was asking.
"You want me to meet your mom?" CeCe asked, unable to hide a frown.
"You don't want to?" Emily asked, and CeCe felt bad when she saw the hurt in her girlfriend's eyes.
"It's not that I don't want to, Em," she clarified quickly, and Emily looked at her confusedly. "It's just… I don't always make the best impression with parents. I wasn't exactly the girl you took home in college."
"CeCe," Emily reached out to squeeze the blonde's hand in her own. "I love you, and my mom will too."
"But what if she doesn't?" CeCe asked nervously.
"She will," Emily said firmly. "But, if you're not ready-"
"I am," CeCe cut in, masking her uncertainty with a smile. "I want to meet her, Em."
Emily smiled and CeCe leaned in to peck her briefly on the mouth. Emily deepened the kiss happily before CeCe pulled away, and the blonde grinned at the quiet moan she elicited from her girlfriend when she nibbled on her bottom lip. CeCe finally pulled back, both of them knowing that they didn't have time to go much further.
"What should I wear?" CeCe asked.
"Anything," Emily replied, smiling amusedly. "Except that,"
CeCe glanced down at her own baggy clothing, and rolled her eyes at her girlfriend who was studying the less-than-formal attire, dissatisfied. "It's comfortable," CeCe argued, but went to change.
CeCe pulled her grey hoodie over her head, smirking as she felt her girlfriend's eyes wandering over her bare back. Emily had certainly never been subtle, but CeCe hadn't expected to feel the younger girl's arms wrap around her from behind as she reached for a flowery pink top. Emily nuzzled into the blonde's neck and CeCe put a hand on Emily's, smiling as she turned around in the younger girl's arms, dropping the top back onto the bed.
"We don't have time for this," CeCe murmured softly as she watched Emily's gaze flicker between her eyes and her lips. "Being late isn't exactly the first impression that I want to make."
"You're still worried?" Emily inquired, pulling the irresistible blonde closer.
"She's your mother, Em. I just… I just really want her to like me," CeCe's eyes betrayed her anxiety, and Emily leaned forward to peck her on the lips. CeCe rested her hands on Emily's waist, entranced by the brunette's deep, honest brown eyes.
"Well, if she doesn't, I'll just have to like you enough for the both of us," Emily said playfully, her hands wandering over the soft skin of CeCe's back.
"You know, it's kind of hard to get ready with you distracting me like this," CeCe said, failing to suppress a grin as Emily's hands played with the clasp of the blonde's bra.
"Am I distracting?" Emily asked with mock innocence.
"Very," CeCe said with a smirk, and couldn't resist moving in to press her lips against Emily's, feeling the brunette smile into the kiss when CeCe's tongue brushed over the younger girl's bottom lip before maneuvering into her mouth. Met by Emily's tongue, CeCe continued to dominate the kiss, not that Emily could say she minded. Emily reached for the clasp of CeCe's bra again, this time skillfully undoing it before CeCe pulled out of the kiss, which Emily protested with a low moan as their lips broke apart.
"We have to be at your mom's place in half an hour, Em?" CeCe said reluctantly, unable to tear her eyes away from the slightly swollen lips that she so badly wanted to return to.
"That's more than enough time," Emily said, wondering if she sounded as desperate if she felt for the blonde.
"Is that a challenge?" CeCe cocked an eyebrow playfully, tilting her head in that adorable way, the way she knew Emily found so irresistible.
Emily responded wordlessly, pressing her lips passionately against CeCe's and entangling her hands in older girl's soft, golden locks. CeCe pressed her hips into Emily's, and knew there was little chance the two would be on time for their dinner.
"You must be CeCe," Emily's mother's eyes were warm and welcoming, and her tone of voice kind. Along with Emily's hand comfortingly holding her own, CeCe should have felt comfortable meeting the kind woman. So why did she feel like jumping out of her skin?
"So nice to meet you, Mrs. Fields," CeCe managed to say after a hesitation that wasn't too noticeable. She congratulated herself mentally for managing to keep her voice steady, and wondered how she'd manage to do that for the rest of the night. Emily looked at her reassuringly, and CeCe smiled back at her despite the anxiety she felt chewing at her mind.
Emily's mother, who kindly told CeCe to call her Pam politely invited the girls inside and out of the chilly Autumn weather. CeCe glanced around Emily's house, taking in the familiar environment and wondered if Pam knew that CeCe had been here before, and how many times. She was startled from her thoughts when she entered the dining room alongside Emily and came upon a man she didn't recognize sitting at the beautifully set table.
"Dad!" Emily exclaimed upon recognizing him, and broke her hold on CeCe's hand to hug the tall man. CeCe didn't move, feeling awkward but unable to resist a smile at seeing her girlfriend's happy reunion with her father.
"I didn't know you were home," she said, still visibly excited as she pulled out of the hug.
"Well, I wanted to surprise you," he said warmly, before turning his gaze to CeCe, who still hadn't moved.
"You're CeCe, right?" he said, just as kindly as Pam had, and yet CeCe couldn't seem to untie the knot in her stomach.
She nodded, smiling as he reached out to shake her hand. CeCe shook it firmly, and her glanced briefly at Emily, who was still overjoyed.
"Wayne Fields," he introduced himself.
CeCe nodded, letting her hand fall back to her side. "It's great to finally meet you," she said.
"And you. Emily speaks very highly of you, CeCe."
"She does?" CeCe looked surprised, and turned to see Pam entering the room with dishes in hand.
"All the time," Pam said, smiling at Emily who blushed slightly with embarrassment.
Emily pulled out a chair beside her own at the table for CeCe, who smiled at her courteous younger girlfriend. She sat, as did Emily and her father directly across from her, looking down at the empty plate in front of her, decorated with a napkin, spoon, fork, and knife. She suddenly found herself minding her manners, sitting stiffly up straight and holding a slight, polite smile. She knew that Emily's family was, while kind, a bit uptight with this sort of thing, and CeCe was determined not to disappoint. She felt Emily's foot brush against her own under the table and glanced up at her girlfriend at the sudden contact. The brunette wasn't looking back at her, but CeCe noticed the faint beginnings of a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. Turning her gaze away from her girlfriend, who looked exceptionally beautiful even if CeCe had definitely messed up her dark hair before they came, she saw Mr. Fields studying her. His eyes weren't unkind, mostly curious.
"So, CeCe," he said after a bit, clearing his throat. "Where are you working?"
CeCe smiled. "I actually opened up a salon here in Rosewood a few weeks ago," she told him, eyes alight with the pride she always had about her salon. Since its opening night, the one in which she'd gotten to do Emily's hair, the salon had had business far better than CeCe had ever expected, especially in a tiny town like this one.
Wayne nodded, his expression was tough for CeCe to read but he seemed satisfied with the answer. Emily had warned her on the drive that she might get a bit of grilling from her mother, which CeCe had expected, but she'd met parents before and the harsher questioning had always come from the father. It wasn't that she didn't want to meet Emily's father, but she just wasn't sure she'd earn his acceptance, much less, she knew, if he heard her full story. Not yet, she decided. Definitely not yet.
Before anything else was able to be said, Mrs. Fields entered the dining room with the announcement that dinner was ready. Setting the table with more food than CeCe had ever been offered, Mrs. Fields finally sat down beside her husband. CeCe was thankful when Emily asked her father about the time he had recently spent in Texas, allowing the topic of conversation to be off of CeCe as she dug into the deliciously prepared roast in front of her. Ensuring that she praised Pam for the meal only earned her more questions, however, from Emily's inquisitive parents.
"Will you be staying in Rosewood?" Pam asked casually, glancing briefly up at CeCe who was caught off-guard by the question. "Emily tells us you travel a lot."
J'adore prendre l'avion. CeCe flashed back briefly to her time in Paris under the name Vivian Darkbloom, the identity she'd stolen from her late best friend. She'd thought that she could get away from A by just running away to Paris, back when she was still new to the game and unaware of the reach the monster who had been plaguing this town had.
"I won't be leaving anytime soon," CeCe affirmed, and it was true. Though she'd never felt much for Rosewood in the past, she now had one very good reason to stay.
"What about when Emily leaves for college?" Wayne cut in. Here it was, CeCe realized. Emily's parents were ready to start the real questioning. At least they were less hostile than the parents she'd met in the past. But then, CeCe had never met the parents of anyone that she really cared about. Before now, the pressure to impress the parents had never been so nerve-wracking. CeCe realized that she'd hesitated too long when Wayne continued. "Do you plan on accompanying Emily?"
CeCe wasn't sure how to respond because, honestly, she'd never really thought of that. She loved Emily, she knew, and she couldn't just watch the brunette leave for college without her, but, she also couldn't just abandon her business. Not when it was doing so well, after all of the work she'd put into it. CeCe berated herself for not having put any thought into her future, and then found herself wondering what Emily pictured for her future, and if CeCe was a part of that. The blonde didn't want a future without Emily, that much she knew, but perhaps with all that was going on and the anonymous assailant that had been stalking them all for years, she'd never been sure that she would have a future. That was the prize of winning the A game. A future. A life. Anything-but-death.
"CeCe and I are waiting until I figure out where I'll be going to college before we start planning," Emily answered tentatively, casting a glance at her anxious girlfriend, whose mind was racing with thoughts, hopes, and fears of the future.
Wayne nodded, his expression unreadable. CeCe resumed eating, looking up at Emily when she felt the brunette's foot brush against her's again. Emily cast her a small smile, which CeCe returned. They both knew that there was a lot of talking to be had after this dinner.
"They hated me," CeCe said as they entered her apartment, tossing her purse on to the couch before plopping tiredly down beside it.
"They did not," Emily argued softly, sitting down beside the blonde, who immediately leaned into her.
"I was a nervous wreck the whole time, Em," CeCe gazed up at her girlfriend, who ran a gentle hand through her wavy blonde hair, moving a lock of it away from CeCe's worried eyes.
"You know what my mom said to me right before we left?" Emily asked.
CeCe looked at her curiously, shaking her head slightly as she allowed her nerves to be calmed by her girlfriend's warm tone and tender eyes.
"She said she was glad I found someone who loves me so much," Emily said with a smile, and CeCe couldn't help but smile back, because she did love Emily. So, so much, and she couldn't be happier that her parents had seen that.
"She did?" CeCe's breathed, grinning as Emily leaned forwards to plant a kiss on CeCe's cherry-tasting lips.
"Mm," Emily affirmed, reluctant to pull away, though it was CeCe who broke the kiss first.
"Em, maybe we do need to start talking about the… future," CeCe said, her eyes widening as she processed her own words. "Unless you don't want me to be a part of that," she added quickly. "Then I guess we don't have to talk at all which is totally fine, it's up to you after all-"
"CeCe," Emily cut off CeCe's rambling gently. "I don't want to imagine my future without you in it," she said, allowing herself to become entranced by the pools of blue that were her girlfriend's eyes.
"I don't want to, either," she said with a gentle smile, taking Emily's hand in her own and brushing her thumb over her girlfriend's.
"I could always just go to Hollis," Emily shrugged. "Then we wouldn't have to leave Rosewood."
Emily's expression was neutral as she made the suggestion, but CeCe could tell that her girlfriend wasn't entirely impressed by her own suggestion. "No, Em," CeCe said firmly. "When all this is over, I think you should just put this town behind you."
"What about you? You deserve a life outside of this too, CeCe. A home where you're not scared all the time"
"I'm not scared when I'm with you," CeCe said shyly, gazing up at her taller girlfriend.
Emily didn't say anything, just pulled the smaller girl into her, hugging her tightly as she felt the blonde's arms wrap around her waist, burying her face in long, dark hair. Emily rested her head on top of CeCe's as she held her, and was a bit annoyed when her phone vibrating in her pocket forced her to pull away. Opening the text, she saw that it was from Spencer.
Police are looking for you. You need to get to my house now.