Hey all my lovies! I hope you all had an AMAZING weekend. I know most of ya'll are sleeping and getting ready to wake up here soon. I wrote this over the weekend but I didn't want to post it until I figured a good chunk of people got to read chapter 10. So This is chapter 11 and…a good start to your Monday!

There IS homework. I get like 400+ visitors a day. SOOOO All Ya'll that are normally silent – this is your chance! ALL I want – what should Paige wear to homecoming? A tux mirroring what she did at the Season 2 Finale ORRRR a dress? If you want to elaborate – please do. This is YOUR time to have a chance to see what YOU want. So please post a review and let me know! YOU decide! Also, you could decide what happens at homecoming – all you have to do is let me know your thoughts and opinons!

Dayabieberxo - I'm SOOOO glad that you loved chapter 10! I hope you like this one too!

Insomatic-studios – YAY! Well, here you go! Enjoy!

Kale – well, I did have it written but I knew I wouldn't be writing much today and I wanted to give everyone something for their Monday! I hope you have a great day!

Rain'smistress – You may have to wait a few for chapter 12, but I try to post a decent bit on my days off. I hope you love!

Lumu – YAY! I think this chapter – chapter 11 is my personal favorite so far. There's a lot in it. I hope you enjoy!

Hopeandpray – AWWW thanks! You have no idea what "I'm addicted" means to me! And I'm glad that you think I've got the character's spot on! That means a lot coming from my readers! If you haven't, check out my other story – Burn My Skin. Let me know what you think of that!

Psyro – I know! Right? I was soooo scared for her as I was writing! LOL

Okay ya'll READ REVIEW! Tell someone about it! I LOVE YOU ALL!

"Wow," I breathed - my chest heaving up and down slightly. My eyes were still closed but I could tell that her lips mirrored the smile that was plastered on my face. My brain was swarming with a million different thoughts – all revolving around Emily and that kiss. It was barely there but it made my breath stop and my heart break out of my chest.

I felt her lips press against mine for a second time – a little firmer than before. She first took my bottom lip between hers and held it for a moment before releasing it and repeating the same captive hold to my upper lip. Her hand moved from my chin to hold the side of my face gently. As she moved to recapture my bottom lip, I parted them slightly and let her top lip rest between mine. She gently sucked on the sensitive flesh that she held captive. My hands moved from her shoulders to the sides of her hair as hers found their way to the back of my head – securing my lips to hers for a brief moment before parting our lips and letting her hands trail down my neck to rest on my bare upper arms.

I had to force myself to breathe but I still wouldn't open my eyes. I was afraid if I opened them then everything would disappear and it would solely be a dream – like it had been for weeks. The trembling sensation that had yet to leave my body transferred in reasoning for being there – I was no longer scared or overwhelmed because of admitting something that could change my entire life but rather I was nervous of what that kiss meant and completely overtaken by how powerful a simple kiss was.

"Paige? Are you okay?"

I licked my lips before forcing myself to speak. "I'm afraid if I open my eyes, it'll all be a dream."

Three delicate finger tips trailed along the side of my face. "I promise I will still be here if you open your eyes."

I took a deep breath and let my eyes flutter open. I saw her sitting before me – her dark orbs focused in on me and a slight smile gracing her perfect face. My cheeks flushed profusely and I broke our gaze by moving my head down. Massive butterflies took up a permanent residence in my gut.

"What did I tell you about hiding your face from me?"

I clenched my eyes tightly for a brief moment before recapturing her gaze. I felt as if for the first time someone was actually looking into me. As if it was the first time someone saw me - not the athlete, not the perfect daughter or the perfect student, not the lies that I had repeatedly told myself and other around me….just me…Paige McCullers. My fingers left her hair and they moved up to my lips. I still felt the tingle of the kiss on the nimble flesh. We sat there simply gazing into each other's eyes for several moments while my breathing returned to normal.

In all the time I was consumed with how the kiss affected me, I didn't notice how it affected her until I noticed my breathing had returned to normal and hers had not. I could see a flush spread across her chest and her face. Her eyes were intensely looking straight into me and I couldn't avert her piercing stare. She licked her lips before parting them to speak.

"That was amazing."

I slowly nodded my head to agree. Words could not express what that kiss felt like to me – it was beyond amazing, beyond eye-opening, beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. It was also very confusing and very intimidating. I had no idea where to go from here or what to do about it. What did it mean about Emily's and my friendship?

"What's wrong?" she asked as if she had read my mind - more accurately she probably read my facial expressions.

"I just… What does this mean?" I asked.

"It means whatever you want it to mean," she assured.

"I don't even know…" I trailed off.

"Listen to me. I'm here. However you need me to be. You're my friend first and foremost and you won't lose that, okay?"

"O…okay. It's just…"

"A lot to take in?"

"Yea…"

"I've been there, remember?"

I nodded.

"Am I gay?" I asked her almost fearfully.

"I can't answer that. Only you can," she replied. "And you don't have to decide that right now, Paige. This is all so huge. I mean, three hours ago I thought you were the straightest person on Earth and then I come to find out that you…may be a little 'less straight'."

"That's a good way to put it…'less straight'," I added chuckling a tad.

"You can figure out the details later. Right now, the only thing that matters, is how you feel," she placed her hand on my heart and continued, "in here."

I covered her hand with mine and curled my fingers around hers. "I feel so much…"

She tilted her head and smiled in understanding. "So tell me. Talking helps…. Wait…. Hang on."

I looked at her curiously but she just smiled and held up her index finger indicating 'just one moment'. She moved the pillows at the top of the bed from lying flat to lying against the headboard and she scooted into the center of the bed but leaned against the dark wood. She spread her legs somewhat and patted the space between them.

"Come here," she instructed.

I crawled over towards her and turned around so that my back was pressed against her – my head lying against her chest. Her arms wrapped around me - her hands finding mine. She began lightly stroking the insides of my palm with her fingers.

"Better?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Okay…so now talk," she said giving the top of my head a light kiss.

"I'm afraid that everything will change."

"It will. But that doesn't mean it will be for the worse."

"Can I tell you something without you hating me?

"I could never hate you, Paige."

"You know what I mean…"

"Tell me anything. I'm not going anywhere," she reassured me.

"When Kat and I were best friends and after….the accident I…I…I used to hurt myself because I felt so alone and I felt so fake," I admitted breathing deeply.

"Used?"

"Yea…I haven't in a while…"

"When did you stop?" she asked tightening her hold around my middle.

"When I met you. It was… it was the first time I felt like I wasn't alone. When I found out about you and…her, it brought up all of these feelings that I had had when Kat was alive but I never acknowledged or acted upon. You made me feel so comfortable just being who I was."

She stayed silent and just listened to me intently as she continued to toy with my palm or the skin of my wrists.

"When I asked you how you came out, I was searching for something…maybe answers…reassurance… that if I ever did decide that I wanted to…come out…that I wouldn't completely lose everything I had built. You were the first person that I had ever met that could even possibly relate to how I was feeling. Kat's parents were so liberal it wouldn't have mattered to them if she was gay. Hell, it wouldn't have mattered to them if she dated a purple elephant – they would have thought she was making some big political statement."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Where did you…?" she trailed off.

I took a deep breath and removed my hands from hers. I gingerly held the ends of my tank top – being sure to grasp the swim tank as well and I lifted them both up about four inches. I guided her hand to my stomach where the scars could still be felt. I used a lot of scar-cream so that the red lines vanished quickly, but it didn't actually take away the scar tissue. Her fingertips traced every line along my toned stomach before easing my shirt back down and securing her arms around my middle – pulling me even more tightly into her.

"No more," she commanded.

"No more."

"You have me now, you don't need this."

"I know. I haven't since coming here and meeting you. I've…I've thought about it…but I haven't done anything."

I felt her relax after I told her that I hadn't harmed myself recently.

"I don't know what I want…but I know what I don't want…"

"What don't you want?"

"I...I don't want to lose my family. I don't want to continue to be someone I'm not. And…most importantly, I don't want to go back to being 'just friends' with you..." I admitted. "It's been so torturous knowing that I couldn't touch you or kiss you… every time you would come close to me I nearly fainted. But…I also know I can't give you anything right now. I don't have anything to offer you. I can't come out to my parents yet. I just am barely coming out to myself…and the person I trust the most. And…and that's not fair to you. It's not fair of me to ask you to hide or be isolated."

"Why don't you let me decide what's fair for me?"

"Fair enough… "

"Paige, listen to me…"

I shifted in her arms so that I could look up at her.

"I'm not asking you to announce to the world that you kiss girls. I'm not even asking you to announce it to the neighborhood. All I'm asking you is to not hide from me. We can take everything else one step at a time. I'm not ashamed of who I am, but I used to be. I am afraid that if I hide for too long, I may start to feel that way again. But, I am willing to try if you are. I'll be here while you figure some things out but eventually, I'm going to need you to make some steps in coming out – even if it's just at school with our friends."

I nodded in understanding.

"I'm not saying it has to be tomorrow…just eventually."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yea… okay. Will you hold my hand? I'm scared, Emily."

She leaned down and captured my lips for a brief moment in a tender, promising kiss that left me completely breathless. Even when she pulled away my eyes remained closed for a moment as I cherished the kiss that was left on my lips. I opened my eyes to see her smiling down at me.

"I'm not going anywhere, Paige," she confirmed kissing my forehead.

I reveled in the feeling of her lips pressed against me as I shifted to my previous position. I turned the tables and began letting my fingers trace the insides of her palm. I loved the feeling of her skin beneath my fingertips.

"So what now?" I asked. I literally had no idea what the next step was.

"What do you mean?"

"Are we friends? Are we something more? How do I know what I'm allowed to do and what I'm not? Do we need to sleep in separate beds now?"

"I should hope not."

I blushed.

"We are Emily and Paige. Just what we've always been. No titles, no commitments. I'm not going anywhere but I know you need time and to be honest, I'm still getting over Maya. It still hurts…what she did."

"Emily and Paige… can it be Paige and Emily? I like how that sounds better…," I smiled.

I felt her laugh and her hands flew to my sides and began tickling me relentlessly. I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time.

"Okay…okay…okay…" I yelled trying to catch my breath. "Emily and Paige."