DISCLAIMER: Pretty Little Liars and all its characters are the intellectual property of others. Some characters used in the writing of this fic belong to PLL. Events that transpire, will transpire, and have transpired in this story are of my own creation.
Hey, everyone!
Little life update: I finally graduated last June and am currently reviewing for the board exam next year.
BUT… I got bored studying so I decided to post an update.
Anyway, thanks for the reviews. And for still reading this fic.
To my girlfriend, EyeOpener16, belated happy 7th. ;*
PART FOUR: "De Integro"
~ Again, a second time. ~
CHAPTER ONE
Paige focused on the rhythmic pounding of her feet on the pavement. She made sure she was inhaling and exhaling alternately on each foot. To say she was exhausted is a gross understatement. The last three months went by so fast, and now she was here in the final leg of the tournament. She and Reese traveled to eight countries and raced from Abu Dhabi to Stockholm before getting here in Rotterdam, and Paige felt so lucky to have been part of this event. Her years of hard work and training finally paid off.
More than anything, Paige wanted to win this tournament. But competing against all these seasoned triathletes made her realize she was nowhere near their caliber. The thought that has been gnawing at her since Abu Dhabi made her lose her concentration. She almost stumbled if not for the sight of the finish line and the cheering crowd behind it. Paige regained her rhythm and put on an extra burst of speed as she focused on Reese's beaming face. The girl's energy was contagious, even from a distance. And before Paige knew it, she was across the finish line, exchanging high fives with her friend.
"Alright! You did it!" Reese exclaimed above the noise of the cheering crowd.
"No, we did it." Paige corrected between gasps. "Time?"
"Two hours, forty-six minutes, seventeen seconds," Reese reported as she placed one hand on the girl's back.
"Ah. Paige McCullough a finalement terminé la course." A girl with pixie cut strawberry blonde hair announced as she walked over and handed Reese a bottle of Gatorade. "Ça t'a pris suffisamment longtemps."
"Really, Celine? It's McCullers. Not McCullough. How hard is that to remember?" Paige asked, her temper immediately flaring. She didn't have to understand French to know she was just insulted.
"Thanks for this." Reese hurriedly interjected before Celine could respond. A small part of her was relieved that the tournament was finally over because there were days that these two girls drove her crazy. "Mais je pense que Paige a besoin de ça plus que moi." She continued, twisting the bottle cap open before handing it to her friend. "Here. Don't mind her. You did great!"
Paige accepted the bottle and drank the cold beverage before giving Celine a smug look. "Mmm. Lemon-lime. My favorite." She taunted and gleefully watched the other girl turn green with envy.
"Je te parlerai plus tard." Celine told Reese and turned her back to leave but not before glaring at Paige.
"That's right! Run to your friends!" Paige called out before drinking from the bottle again. "What?" She asked when Reese gave her a disapproving look. "She started it with the whole French thing!"
"And you just had to have the last word?" Reese shot back wryly.
Paige sighed. "I'm sorry. I just can't understand why, out of hundreds of people in this competition, you had to catch the eye of the girl with the lousiest attitude. She's annoying and thinks she's better than the rest of us!"
"Come on. Celine's not that bad. She's just trying to rile you up." Reese said to appease her friend.
"Well, the competition is over, but she's still being a bitch." Paige pointed out.
"Newbie, please. Will you let it go?" Reese asked. "We won't be seeing her for a while after tonight."
"And thank god for that!" Paige declared jubilantly. "I swear I'm going to lose it if I find out that— wait. Why are we seeing her tonight?" She asked, confused.
"Because I might've said yes to a farewell party in her hotel room?" Reese answered sheepishly.
"You what?!" Paige exclaimed, eyes growing wide. "Why would you do that?! The last thing I want to do is spend my last night in the Netherlands being in the same room with Celine."
"But it's not just her! Most of the people we bonded with these past three months will be there!" Reese hurriedly explained. "It's a party. I'm sure you won't even notice she's around."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Paige asked wryly.
"Come on. Please? It's our last night of freedom before we have to go home. I really want to go. Please?" Reese implored.
Paige took a deep breath and sighed. "Fine. But promise me we're going to leave before midnight. I want to get some serious shuteye before our flight tomorrow afternoon." She told her friend with a warning look.
"Yes! I promise!" Reese exclaimed. "Thank you! IcouldkissyoubutthatwouldbeweirdsoI'mjustgonnagotellCelinewe'rein!" She rambled before leaving.
"What?! I don't even know what you said just now, but I guess you're welcome!" Paige called out. She shook her head wryly and watched as the girl made a beeline for Celine. The latter looked like she was in the middle of telling a story to a group she recognized as some of the people she and Reese became friends with during the tournament. What the heck. It's just one more night. What could go wrong?
"I'm not complaining!" Jai insisted as she followed Emily inside the latter's room in Harrison College House. "All I'm saying is I was really looking forward to getting that job as a medical data entry clerk. I know I said I didn't want to be a doctor anymore, but I used to do some data entry work for my dad. I have the skills."
"But not the degree." Emily reminded the girl before sitting on her bed. "Beggars can't be choosers."
"I know, I know. And after eight job interviews, a cater-waiter job is better than nothing. Thanks again for coming with me today." Jai added gratefully.
Emily shrugged. "I don't mind. My class isn't until four anyway. Where are you headed now?" She asked.
"Ocean City with Ria and Cesca," Jai answered as she checked the time on her watch. "We're going to catch some waves then have dinner at Hamburger Construction Company."
"I still can't believe you're a surfer," Emily commented with a wry smile.
Jai laughed. "Me neither. But I'm hardly a surfer." She corrected. "I'm nowhere near as good as Ria, but that one trip to Ocean City last summer made me realize I liked the thrill of riding the waves. Wanna come with? I'm treating them to dinner to celebrate my getting a job. I have to warn you, though, it'll be just hotdogs and fries."
"As much as I miss HCC, I'm gonna have to pass. I have a class, remember?" Emily pointed out. "Rain check?"
Jai nodded. "Of course." She answered, then gestured to the door. "I should probably go before your roommate arrives. I don't want to give your friend more reason to hate me."
"Spence doesn't hate you. She's just… protective." Emily finished. "They all are."
"I appreciate you trying to put it nicely." Jai quipped. "I'm glad you have great friends, Em. I just hope they'll be able to forgive me someday." She said as she took out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans when she felt it vibrate. "Hey," Jai uttered in greeting and mouthed Paige's name to Emily. "No. No. I'm not doing anything. Just… hanging out with Em. How did the race go?"
"Really? That's awesome! Congratulations. You did it." Jai said, her smile growing wide as she listened to her friend. "So, what are you up to now?" She asked. "A party, huh? Well, it is your last night there. Reese has a point." Jai commented. "Huh. Okay. Well, what time does your flight arrive? I'll see if I can borrow Cesca's car and pick you up instead."
Jai nodded thoughtfully. "Okay. I'll ask Cesca then get back to you. I'm on my way to meet her and Ria anyway." She said as she rechecked the time. "Yeah. See you tomorrow. 'Bye."
"Sounds like she's having a blast," Emily nonchalantly commented after Jai ended the call. "I mean, she didn't even bother staying in touch with me all summer."
"That goes both ways, Em." Jai reminded the girl. "And Paige calling me is her way of checking up on you. She thinks we're still together. Remember?" She added, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice. "I have to go. I'm meeting Cesca—"
"So, she's coming home tomorrow?" Emily interjected before the girl could leave. "And you're picking her up?"
Jai nodded. "Yeah. Unfortunately, Nick said he won't be able to make it since he's still in California, so I offered to pick her up instead. Want to come?" She asked as an afterthought. "Her flight arrives at eight in the morning."
"Oh. Um… I don't know. I'm sure the two of you have a lot of catching up to do." Emily hedged. "I wouldn't want to impose."
Jai sighed. She knew it was useless to argue with the girl, and she was already running late. She didn't have time to twist Emily's arm. "Well, if you change your mind, you know how to reach me." She told the girl before leaving.
Paige pocketed her phone after ending her call to Jai and went back inside the hotel room, where the party was already in full swing. She stood on her toes as she looked around the place to find Reese and frowned when she finally spotted her friend near one of the windows. With Celine. Why she keeps talking to that girl, I will never understand. Paige thought as she walked over.
"Paige. Je tenais juste Reese compagnie. Elle avait l'air solitaire par elle-même." Celine said as she touched Reese's arm affectionately and gave the other girl a smug look.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you." Paige told her friend, pointedly ignoring Celine.
Reese exhaled loudly and gave the two girls a tight-lipped smile. "Well, you found me. What's up?" She asked.
"Uh…" Paige uttered as she tried to come up with a plausible reason. "Just want to see if you want to… get some chips with me." She finished lamely.
"Um… sure?" Reese answered, giving the girl a weird look. "Sorry." She told Celine apologetically.
"Ne t'en fais pas. Je t'attraperai plus tard." Celine answered and affectionately touched Reese's arm one more time before leaving.
"Show off," Paige muttered under her breath as she watched the girl saunter away.
"I heard that," Reese said wryly.
Paige scowled. "I hate her. She knows how to speak perfect English! I heard her talking to Manuel and Julia when we were in Germany. She just wants to make me look stupid in front of you." She complained. "I can speak French. Oui. Merci. Bonjour… Fabergé. Quiche. Crêpe. Pffft."
Reese laughed. "Wait. Are you jealous?" She asked, amused.
"What?! Of Celine?! Of course not!" Paige answered vehemently. "I just don't like the fact that she acts so familiar around you."
"Alright! Don't get so defensive. All I'm saying is… you've been wearing that scowl ever since Celine introduced herself." Reese pointed out.
"No, I haven't!" Paige exclaimed. "Not always! Just when she rubs me the wrong way."
"Which is all the time." Reese shot back.
Paige rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Go find your French admirer. I'll just find someone else to talk to." She said, annoyed.
Reese hurriedly reached for the girl's hand before Paige could leave. "Newbie, come on. It's our last night here. Can you please just ignore Celine and try to enjoy the party? Please?" She repeated.
Paige sighed. "How am I supposed to do that?" She asked.
"Well… for starters, there's a kissing game that's about to start," Reese revealed with a mischievous grin. "They needed two more players so…"
Paige groaned. "Why? Why do you keep saying yes to things when I'm not around?!" She exasperatedly asked.
"Sorry," Reese told the girl sheepishly. "It's just that… it's our first WTS, so I want us to have good memories to remember it by. Come on. It'll be fun." She promised and began pulling her friend toward a closed door that led to the bedroom.
"Maybe for you. You just want to be kissed." Paige grumbled as she reluctantly followed the girl.
"Hell yeah!" Reese answered with a grin.
Paige smiled at the people seated in a circle before sitting between Manuel and Julia. In contrast, her friend sat on the empty spot opposite her. It was their last night, and she and Reese made friends with most of the people in the group. There was no reason to keep staying beside her friend. Just then, Paige caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, which made her tense up.
"What are we playing?" Celine asked as she settled on the other side of Manuel.
"Seven minutes in heaven!" Someone from the circle shouted enthusiastically.
"Ooh! Fantastique!" Celine exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. "I'm good at this game." She said, throwing Reese a flirtatious look.
"Ugh. Gross. I think I just threw up in my mouth." Paige muttered under her breath.
"Everyone's here?" Julia asked, looking around the circle eagerly. "The rules are simple. We each take turns spinning the bottle. The two people selected will go into that closet and do whatever they like for seven minutes." She explained as she pointed behind Reese. "It's a little tight, so it should be fun," Julia added, eliciting nervous laughter and excited whistles from the group. "We spin according to our times at the last race. So, Meghan, do the honors." She told a girl with curly brown hair as she placed the bottle at the center.
Paige watched each person take turns spinning the bottle and eventually found herself laughing and cheering with the others as different pairs made their way to the closet. She even almost forgot that Celine was part of the group until it was the girl's turn to spin.
Holding her breath with trepidation, Paige watched as the bottle spun around them several times before coming to a stop. The sound of the crowd cheering was drowned out by the pounding of her heart when she dared look up and realized that the bottle was pointing at Reese.
"Must be my lucky night," Celine commented nonchalantly, throwing Paige a smug look before getting up to walk over to Reese.
Paige held her breath as she watched her friend and Celine disappear inside the closet. Time seemed to move ever so slowly, and she nervously rocked back and forth without taking her eyes off the closed door. When the timer finally elicited a shrill beeping sound, Paige exhaled in relief. She watched the two girls step out of the closet, looking flushed. Paige tried catching her friend's eyes, but Reese just sat back in her place and laughed with the rest of the group as they teased her.
"Who's next?" Manuel asked when everybody finally settled down.
"I think it's Reese. Again!" Julia added, joining everyone else as they hooted and teased the girl.
Paige watched intently as her friend leaned forward to spin the bottle. Her heart stopped when the bottle slowed down and stopped spinning in front of her.
"Back-to-back girl on girl action! Alright!" Someone commented from the group, and Paige thought her friend's cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
Paige nervously got up and managed to smile at some of their friends as she followed Reese inside the closet. The space was cramped, just like Julia said, so she had no choice but to move closer to her friend.
"We didn't kiss." Reese finally said after a few seconds of silence passed. "In case you were wondering. We spent seven minutes just talking."
"I wasn't. But, whatever." Paige said offhandedly. "You were both flushed when you stepped out."
"Yeah. 'Cos it's like an oven in here." Reese pointed out. "You're seriously being jealous right now." She teased.
"No, I'm not," Paige argued. "Will you stop moving so much?" She chided when the girl's hand brushed against hers.
"You're cute when you're jealous. Did you know that?" Reese asked teasingly. "Your brows crease and you wear this scowl—"
"I'm not jealous." Paige insisted.
"Admit it." Reese coaxed. "Just admit it." She chucklingly said. "Say you're jealous. I promise I won't get mad."
"Shut up," Paige muttered before leaning forward to kiss the girl. She only wanted to make Reese stop talking. But the girl's soft lips against hers sent shivers down her spine, and the kiss went on longer than she expected. I'm kissing Reese. Paige thought, her heart pounding.
"What are you doing?" Reese asked hoarsely just as the shrill beeping of the timer sounded from outside.
Paige struggled to catch her breath as she tried to come up with an explanation. "You said you wanted to be kissed. I was just playing along." She finally said, telling herself as she exited the closet that the thin air around them was the reason why she was so breathless.
"I really want to learn that kickboard flipping thing." Jai lamented as she settled on her bed opposite Ria's. The two of them just got back from Ocean City with Cesca, having spent the entire afternoon surfing. "Maybe we could go again tomorrow?"
Ria let out a tired laugh, her eyes glued to the ceiling as she lay on her bed. "You mean the kickflip?" She corrected without looking at the girl. "I love your enthusiasm, but we can't. I have classes the whole day, remember? So does Cesca."
"Right," Jai uttered. "Prioritizing your studies. I never thought I'd see the day." She quipped.
"I know. But I have to, or my brother will stop giving me my allowance." Ria explained wryly. "And don't you have that cater-waiter gig tomorrow? You can't not show up on your first day." She reminded her friend.
Jai hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Crap. I almost forgot. I still need to call Emily to ask if she can pick up Paige instead." She said as she moved to retrieve her phone from her backpack. "And technically it's not my first day. I was supposed to start this weekend, but they're short-staffed so…"
Ria turned to her side and rested her head on her hand. "How are things with her?" She asked, studying the girl. "You barely said anything about your job-hunting adventure with her today."
Jai sighed. "Because there's nothing to tell." She answered as she rummaged inside her bag. "We're not together, so it's still hard to be around her. Especially when she's being nice." Jai lamented. "And even if she doesn't talk about Paige constantly, it's obvious she's thinking about her all the time."
"I told you to keep your distance." Ria admonished.
"I know, I know. Believe me, I'm trying. But it's hard." Jai whined. "It's not like we had a falling out. I mean, we did. But she somehow found it in her heart to forgive me. I want to be a part of her life."
"Paige is coming back tomorrow." Ria reminded her friend. "Emily's going to pick her up from the airport, she's going to tell her how she feels, and they're going to ride off into the sunset. What are you gonna do then?"
"I don't know," Jai answered, toying with her phone. "Avoid them at all costs?"
"Well…" Ria started as she got up from her bed. "Whatever happens, you don't have to spend every second with them. You know that, right? Cesca and I are still here."
Jai nodded. "Yeah. I'm lucky to have you both as my friends." She said with a grateful smile.
"Right. Friends." Ria uttered; her disappointment gone unnoticed. "Well, I'm gonna go take a shower. Wash the salt off my hair before going to bed." She said as she walked past the girl to leave.
"Don't use up all the hot water!" Jai called out as she dialed Emily's number. "Hey." She said in greeting when the girl finally picked up. "Sorry for calling so late, but I need a really huge favor…"
Paige sighed in frustration and turned on her side again, eyes closed as she willed sleep to come, but her brain won't let her. Her mind kept going back to the moment she planted a kiss on her friend. She couldn't get out of her head the image of Reese's flushed cheeks when they stepped out of that closet. What would have happened if that timer hadn't beeped? Don't go there. Paige reprimanded herself as she turned to lay on her back this time and stared at the dark ceiling, but it was useless.
After what she did, Paige was utterly out of it the rest of the night. She found herself looking for Reese when they weren't together, and when they were, she ended up getting tongue-tied, which made the girl ask if she was feeling okay. Finally, Paige decided to call it a night, even if it was just past eleven, and was relieved that her friend agreed to leave as well. She didn't want to admit it, but Paige wasn't comfortable at the thought of leaving Reese alone with Celine.
"This is useless," Paige muttered, groaning when she craned her neck and saw the glowing numbers displayed on the digital clock on the bedside table.
3:19 AM. Pretty soon, the sun would be up. She needed to get some sleep, and the only way that's going to happen is if she cleared her head.
Paige slowly got up and ran her hand through her hair to fix it before leaving her hotel room. She just wanted to take a short walk while thinking things through, but her feet seemed to have a mind of its own, and before she knew it, Paige was standing outside Reese's room.
Might as well. Paige thought and knocked before she changed her mind. She told herself to stop fidgeting as she waited for Reese to open the door. After waiting for a few more minutes, Paige realized that her friend didn't have trouble sleeping, unlike her, so she decided to leave.
"Paige?" Paige's heart stopped when she heard the door open, and she slowly turned around to face her friend.
"Uh… hi." Paige finally managed to say.
"Hi," Reese repeated, giving the girl a puzzled look. "I thought I was just hearing things when you knocked. What's wrong?"
Paige slightly opened her mouth as she thought about what to say next, but she couldn't come up with anything. Because the only thing she could think of is that Reese was standing in front of her in a pair of satin boxer PJs, and the girl looked so damn sexy it was making her palms sweat.
"Paige? What—?" Reese began, but her next words were cut off when she felt the girl's lips on hers.
The kiss was firmer this time. And the feel of Paige's lips on hers, though foreign, was something Reese can't seem to forget ever since the girl kissed her in that cramped, dark closet.
Paige took a small step back and nervously waited for Reese to react violently, but the girl just stood there, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink again. Taking it as a good sign, Paige leaned forward to kiss Reese again and moved closer when the girl began kissing her back. She gently cupped Reese's cheek and deepened the kiss as she moved forward to ease the girl back inside the room, blindly closing the door with her foot as they began taking each other's clothes off.
At eight o'clock the following day, Emily was anxiously toying with her bracelet as she stood in the arrival area of the airport waiting for Paige. It seemed like a harmless idea last night when Jai called and asked her to pick up the girl instead, but now she was starting to regret it. The last time they saw each other was the night of Paige's going away party. Three months seemed like a long time to stay out of touch, and the thought of seeing the girl again made the butterflies in her stomach flutter more incessantly.
Breathe. You were on good terms with Paige before she left. Emily reminded herself as she anxiously craned her neck to see past a family of four that was standing a few steps in front of her. But then again, she never bothered to keep in touch with me the entire summer. Emily thought just as her eyes spotted Paige among a group of arrivals, and she hesitantly raised her arm to wave at the girl.
"How was your flight?" Emily asked in greeting as she fumbled with the sleeve of her jacket to cover her wrist.
"Uneventful," Paige answered while looking around. "So, Jai really couldn't make it?"
"Yeah. She had a last-minute thing." Emily explained vaguely. "Sorry, you're stuck with me." She added, hurt.
Paige's gaze turned toward the girl upon realizing how she sounded. "I didn't mean it like that." She hurriedly told Emily. "I just… I didn't see her message until this morning, and I missed her calls last night, so I'm still a bit surprised." Paige explained. "Sorry, Jai asked you to pick me up instead. I could've just taken a taxi back to campus."
"It's fine. I only have afternoon classes today." Emily replied. "Where's your partner in crime?" She inquired lightly.
"Who?" Paige asked, confused.
"I think she means me," Reese answered as she stepped up next to the girl. "Right?"
Emily thought she saw Paige stiffen when the girl heard Reese's voice, but she couldn't be sure. "Right. Welcome back." She uttered in greeting.
"Thanks, Fields. It's good to be back. I kinda missed this place." Reese admitted, looking around the crowded airport. "Don't get me wrong. The past three months were amazing, but all I want to do right now is go to bed and—"
"Are you okay?" Emily suddenly asked when she noticed Paige's discomfort. "You look flushed. Are you coming down with something?"
"I'm fine. I'm just tired." Paige said with a weak smile.
"Oh. We should get going, then. Do you need a ride?" Emily asked the other girl.
Reese glanced at Paige before shaking her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm just going to take a cab. I'll see you two back on campus." She bade before leaving.
"O-kay. What was that about?" Emily asked with a baffled look.
"What was what about?" Paige shot back coolly.
Emily gave the girl a curious look but decided to drop the issue. "Nothing. Come on. I'm parked this way." She told the girl then led the way to the parking lot, shooting glances at Paige as they walked.
"Do you need help with your luggage?" Emily asked after a beat. "I can carry your backpack for you." She offered when she noticed that the other girl's face was still a bit red.
Paige shook her head. "Thanks, but they're not that heavy." She answered, without looking at the girl.
Emily frowned, put off by Paige's aloofness, but unable to do or say anything about it. The two of them walked the rest of the way in silence until she slowed down when she reached the space where she parked.
"You borrowed Cesca's car?" Paige asked when she spotted the familiar red Ford Taurus.
"Well, technically, Jai borrowed it since she was supposed to pick you up." Emily reminded the girl. "But don't worry. I checked under the passenger seat to see if it's rigged. You're safe." She quipped.
Paige felt the corners of her mouth lift into a wry smile, and she reluctantly settled in the car after depositing her bags in the trunk. It only took her a few seconds to figure out how to turn on the stereo, and the car was filled with hip hop music as Emily pulled out of the parking lot. It wasn't her favorite genre, but Paige didn't care. She just needed background noise to fill the silence while Emily drove them back to UPenn.
"So," Emily uttered after turning down the volume of the stereo. "How was it? I mean, the entire thing was probably amazing, but I never heard a word from you the entire summer, so I can't be sure." She finished before she could stop herself.
Paige gave Emily a confused look. "What do you mean? I checked in with Jai every chance I got. I figured since you two are together, she'd fill you in." She explained.
Emily rolled her eyes. "I know. But that's different." She argued.
"How is that different?" Paige asked.
"It just is." Emily insisted then glanced at the other girl when she felt Paige's gaze on her as the girl waited for her to continue. "All I'm saying is… it would've been nice if I got a call or an e-mail from you once a while." She confessed.
Paige rubbed her eyes wearily. "I wasn't out there on vacation, Emily. I was out there training night and day every chance I got just to avoid getting my ass kicked. I barely had time to call Jai, and whenever I could, I kept our conversations short because I didn't want to pass out on her out of exhaustion. What's the big deal?" She asked, starting to get annoyed.
"Nothing," Emily uttered, barely keeping the hurt out of her voice. "Sorry for giving you a hard time about it."
Paige sighed. "How's Jai doing anyway?" She asked to change the subject.
"Shouldn't you know? After all, you called her every chance you got." Emily shot back sarcastically.
Paige's eyes widened in surprise. "Touché." She said with a wry smile.
"Sorry," Emily uttered as she stopped at a red light. "She's getting by just fine. She got a job as a cater-waiter. Did she tell you that?"
Paige shook her head. "When?" She asked, shifting in her seat.
"Yesterday," Emily replied. "She wasn't supposed to start until this weekend, but they were short-staffed, so she had no choice but to say yes." She explained just as the light changed to green.
"Good. That's good to hear." Paige said, the relief evident in her voice. "And thank you. For sticking around. Jai really needs you right now."
"She needs both of us." Emily corrected.
"Yeah, but I can only do so much as a friend. You're the girlfriend." Paige pointed out.
Emily dared not look at the girl when she felt a sudden twinge of guilt. Paige thought she stood by Jai after everything that has happened. But she broke up with the girl before finding out the truth, so technically she wasn't a horrible person for leaving Jai when the girl needed her the most, right? Plus, it wasn't like she ended things because of what the girl did. She just wasn't in love with Jai anymore.
"What?" Paige asked, snapping Emily out of her musing.
"Hmm? Nothing." Emily answered after a beat. It wasn't the right time to tell Paige the truth. "I was just thinking… we should catch up."
"Yeah. That would be nice." Paige said in agreement before leaning forward to turn up the volume of the stereo again.
Emily glanced at the girl and saw Paige staring at the passing scenery. I guess we're done talking. She thought, dismayed. Paige was finally back. After months of waiting for the girl to return, Paige was finally sitting next to her. But the girl who left and the girl who was just within her reach felt like two completely different people, making Emily feel as if Paige was still thousands of miles away from her.
"I am walking out of the room as we speak." Spencer lied as she cradled her phone in the crook of her neck so she can use her other hand to put her books inside her bag. "I know we're running late, but these stupid elevators are so slow!" She complained just as the door opened. "On second thought, I think I'll just meet you there. 'Bye! Love you!" Spencer hurriedly said before ending the call. "Hey."
"You do know he can tell you're still getting ready," Emily told her friend wryly.
"Yeah, well, it's his fault I woke up late." Spencer shot back before stifling a yawn. "How did it go?"
"Weird," Emily answered as she crossed the room to sit on her bed. "Paige barely said anything to me, and she was distant the entire time."
"Well, that answers my next question." Spencer deadpanned. "Whether you finally said those three words to her." She clarified when the girl gave her a curious look. "What do you plan on doing next?"
Emily shrugged. "Go to work, go to class, and figure out a way to tell her how I feel." She replied.
"You know, you wouldn't be in this situation if Jai had the balls to be honest when she returned after miraculously surviving," Spencer argued, her temper flaring.
"Spence, come on. We talked about this. My decision to break up with her had nothing to do with her deception. I ended things with her before she told me the truth." Emily reminded her friend. "I know you're mad at her, but you shouldn't blame Jai for my decision to wait until Paige came back. It's my fault; it took me a year to end things with her."
"Yeah, well, she ruined things by coming back." Spencer insisted stubbornly.
"Don't say that." Emily reprimanded. "Why are you really mad at her?" She asked, sensing her friend wasn't telling her everything. "This can't be just about her lying to everyone for a year."
"It is about her lying to everyone for a year," Spencer argued. "You may have already forgiven her for what she did, but I'm not ready to let her off the hook." She said firmly. "I'm late for class. I'll talk to you later." Spencer hurriedly told her friend and turned her back to leave before Emily could see the tears in her eyes.
Paige lay still on her bed, her gaze fixed on the immaculate ceiling of her apartment as her mind wandered. She closed her eyes to try to fall asleep, but the image of Reese lying naked underneath her last night made Paige open her eyes again. It was no use. Try as she might, what happened between her and Reese was something she couldn't forget. The worst part was, the first person she wanted to talk to, to try and make sense of it, was the person she slept with, and now she didn't know what to do.
What have I gotten myself into? Paige lamented just as her phone rang. She reluctantly got up to see who was calling her and sat up straight when she saw Jai's name on the display screen.
"You know a heads up would've been nice." Paige chided before her friend could say anything.
"Hello to you, too." Jai quipped.
"I was really looking forward to a trip back to UPenn with you, but instead, your girlfriend showed up," Paige complained. "Not cool, Jai. Next time don't offer if you can't make it."
"Hey, I called you dozens of times and even sent you several texts last night! You were the one who never returned any of them, so I figured you were cool with it." Jai argued. "Besides, it's not like I did it on purpose. When I offered to pick you up from the airport yesterday, I thought I was going to be free the entire day today."
"You do know I could've easily taken a taxi." Paige pointed out.
"It's bad enough your dad couldn't make it today. No way was I letting a cab driver welcome you home after being away for months!" Jai argued.
Paige sighed out of frustration and checked the time on her watch. "Well, it's almost lunch. Want to meet somewhere and grab a sandwich or something?" She asked.
"Actually, that's why I called. I have two hours free before the next event." Jai explained.
"Okay. Where do you want to meet?" Paige asked, getting up to get ready.
"How about I come over with food?" Jai suggested. "I can be there in… twenty? That way, you can rest."
"Uh, yeah. Okay. Nothing fancy, though. Just bring me a burger or a sandwich or something." Paige replied.
"Got it. See you soon." Jai bade before ending the call.
Paige stared at her phone for a good three seconds before her thoughts wandered back to Reese, and she groaned in frustration as she lay back down on her bed. Damn it.
Forty minutes later, Paige was halfway done with the cheeseburger Jai brought her. At the same time, her friend sat next to her, sipping a smoothie, having finished the slice of vegetarian pizza she bought for herself.
"Are you sure you don't want half of my burger? You can't possibly be full from that slice of pizza." Paige told her friend with a dubious look.
Jai nodded. "Positive. I had a heavy breakfast this morning, so I'm not that hungry." She explained.
"At least help me with these," Paige asked, nudging the half-eaten plate of sweet potato fries toward her friend. "So, how's it like living with Ria?"
"Good," Jai replied. "It's no different from when I was living with her family in London only this time, we share a bedroom and a bathroom. Plus, we have bills to pay." She added wryly.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me how bad it got after you came clean to Logan." Paige reprimanded.
"I'm sorry," Jai said earnestly. "I wanted to tell you. But I realized there was no use getting you all worried about me. You wouldn't have been able to do anything about the situation anyway." She pointed out. "That's kinda why I wanted to pick you up from the airport this morning. I wanted to be the one to tell you." Jai admitted.
"So, you're really like… working-working? You're not just a working student or something?" Paige asked, the worry evident in her voice.
"Yup," Jai uttered with a sigh. "With my dad disowning me, I can't afford the tuition in UPenn or in any college for that matter. And I still don't know what I want to do with my life now that being a doctor is no longer an option for me. But… once I have it all figured out, and I've saved enough money, I might consider attending night school." She told her friend with a small smile.
"I can't believe this is happening." Paige lamented.
"Yeah, well, I screwed up big time," Jai said wryly. "Wow. This topic is really depressing. Let's talk about how you spent your summer instead. That's one hell of a check off your bucket list."
"Which I barely made. Turns out, I was on the waiting list." Paige explained. "I was like a fish out of water out there, Jai. I could barely keep up with those other triathletes. I'm just glad I was able to cross the finish line."
"Well, there's always the next time." Jai reminded her friend. "Besides, you got to compete! That's been your dream since I don't know, we were twelve? I'm so proud of you. We all are."
"Thanks," Paige said, slightly feeling better. "What about you? There must be something good that happened to you last summer."
"There was," Jai replied. "I'm taking up surfing!" She divulged with an enthusiastic grin. "In-between job interviews, I managed to join Ria and Cesca in Ocean City. It. Was. Amazing. You have to come with us one of these days."
"In New Jersey?" Paige asked, surprised. "Wow. Yeah. Definitely. What about Emily? She into surfing, too?"
"Not so much. I mean, she came with us a few times, but Em spent most of her summer in Rosewood to spend time with Wayne and Pam." Jai answered. "Speaking of. I have to go. I'm dropping by Harrison first before my next cater-waiter gig." She explained, getting up when she saw the time.
"I'll take care of these," Paige said, gesturing to the mess on the coffee table. "See you two at Kayla's tonight?"
Jai nodded. "Definitely. She called me earlier about that. Why don't you invite Reese to join us?" She suggested.
Paige stiffened at the mention of the girl's name. "Um… I don't know. Isn't it a dinner among friends kind of thing?" She hedged.
"Yep. And last time I checked, you're friends with her." Jai reminded the girl with a laugh. "Right?"
"Right," Paige repeated. "I'll ask her later. Though, she's probably busy or something." She added offhandedly.
"I'll tell Kayla to set an extra plate for her just in case," Jai reassured her friend. "Gotta go. 'Bye." She bade before heading out.
"' Bye." Paige echoed, her insides churning at the thought of seeing Reese again.
Emily was in the middle of busing tables when she heard the door to the café open, and she immediately looked up to check if the new customer or customers needed any assistance. Seeing that it was only Jai, she nodded her head once as if acknowledging the girl's presence before going back to what she was doing.
"What's up?" Emily asked without looking. "Do you need me to drive Paige to her classes or something?"
Jai winced. "I'm so sorry about that." She said earnestly. "I swear I never meant to put you on the spot like that. I just couldn't say no, considering I really need this job."
"I get it," Emily told the girl with a sigh. "I'm just frustrated with how the entire thing turned out. I know I was reluctant last night to pick her up, but I also had this crazy idea in my head that she would be happy to see me." She confessed. "But it was clear she didn't feel that way."
"And?" Jai prodded, sensing the girl wanted to say something else.
"And nothing," Emily answered unconvincingly before making her way to the backroom to deposit the tray of used cups and plates she was carrying.
Jai followed the girl and waited patiently for Emily to come back out. "And what?" She persisted.
"And… I feel like something's up with Paige." Emily finally blurted. "I don't know what, but I can tell there was something wrong. She was so distant the entire ride, and she barely said anything to me."
"I just had lunch with her, and she seems fine. Maybe she was just tired from the flight." Jai told the girl consolingly.
"Maybe." Emily echoed, but it was apparent she wasn't convinced.
"Come to dinner tonight." Jai invited. "Kayla's cooking at her place to celebrate Paige's return. Maybe you can strike a conversation with her again, and she'll be more receptive."
"Yeah, she texted earlier, but I haven't had the chance to reply," Emily admitted. "I don't know if I should show up after that awkward conversation we had in the car."
"You should. Paige's expecting to see you there. She thinks we're still together." Jai explained, the words leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't know if she will ever get used to the reality that they were broken up. "When are you planning to tell her anyway?" She asked, trying to keep her tone light.
"I can't say. I'm still waiting for the right time." Emily confessed.
"Well, whether or not that's tonight, I still think you should come." Jai insisted. "We waited for her to come back, Em, and I saw how miserable you were. Regardless of how this morning turned out, I know you're beyond happy she's back. Let her know that." She said before checking the time. "And… I have to go. Just message me when you've made up your mind about tonight. Okay?"
"Okay. Where are you headed?" Emily asked.
"Across the street," Jai answered with a laugh. "There's an event at the Platt Student Performing Arts House." She explained. "How do I look?" Jai asked, standing up straight and angling her face from left to right.
Emily reached out to fix the collar of Jai's white blouse before smoothing the girl's black tie. "Good." She answered in a soft voice. Emily knew Jai was trying to put on a brave front, and she tried to hide the sadness she felt for the girl by smiling. "You look good."
Jai met Emily's eyes and smiled as well. "Thanks. I'm gonna go make my mom proud now." She said before turning to leave.
She already is. Emily encouragingly thought as she watched the girl.
Paige watched from the sidelines as the rest of her teammates trained, having completed several laps a few minutes ago. To be honest, she wasn't that tired. Training for a track meet was nothing compared to what she went through at the WTS. But Paige needed to gather her thoughts, so she decided to rest for a bit after finishing her fifth lap.
The dinner tonight at Kayla's was like a looming dark cloud over Paige. She still hasn't gotten around to calling or texting Reese to invite the girl to join them, and while she could quickly just tell everyone that Reese declined, she didn't want to lie. Let's get this over with. Paige thought with a sigh as she reluctantly reached for her duffel bag to grab her phone.
Reese. Paige's brain shut down when she spotted the girl walking out to the field with their coach. Her duffel bag forgotten, Paige just sat there and stared at her friend as Reese conversed with the older man, unable to look away. She was tempted to call out or get up to come over, but she didn't know what to say. So, Paige decided to stay put and hope Reese won't notice she was there.
Her eyes on her teammates but her mind on the girl, Paige stole casual glances at Reese whenever she could. Maybe it was out of nervousness or the fear of getting caught, but her heart was pounding furiously, and her mouth was going dry. Perhaps she won't notice you're here. Paige told herself as she stole another look at the girl and saw Reese now surrounded by some of their teammates who were done doing laps.
The distance between the group and her wasn't that far. In fact, Paige could hear the excitement in the girls' voices as they grilled Reese about the tournament. She tuned out the chatter and tried to focus on her other teammates who were still running around the track, but Reese's infectious laughter pierced through her thoughts.
Against her better judgment, Paige turned her head to the side to look at the group again and studied Reese. The girl had that air of confidence and optimism that she felt drawn to since day one. She felt that pull toward Reese now more than ever, but she couldn't bring herself to face her friend.
They hadn't talked about what happened last night only because she slipped out of Reese's bed before the girl woke up. Then she was too confused and embarrassed to say anything when they saw each other earlier today. Paige felt immature for avoiding Reese like the plague, and she knew she had to talk to the girl eventually.
Too preoccupied with her thoughts to see that the group has dispersed, Paige didn't realize that Reese was standing above her until she looked up and met the girl's sparkling green eyes.
"What—?" Paige began as she racked her brain for something to say. "Here..." She continued, cringing inwardly for not making any sense. "Uh, what are you doing here?" Paige repeated.
"Nice to see you, too." Reese shot back, her smile disappearing.
"Sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that." Paige said apologetically. "It's just… you graduated." She reminded the girl. "I didn't expect to see you here so soon."
"Yeah, well, I needed to take care of some things. Clearance." Reese clarified, waving the white paper she was holding in front of Paige. "Congratulations on making team captain this year, by the way. Coach told me."
Paige nodded. "Thanks." She uttered, her cheeks turning red.
"You deserve it." Reese continued.
Silence.
"O-kay, then." Reese continued awkwardly. "I guess I'm just gonna go and get out of your way." She told the girl with a tight-lipped smile. "See you around."
"Do you have plans tonight?" Paige asked before she lost her courage.
"Um… I don't know. Why?" Reese asked in reply.
"There's this… thing. Dinner. At Kayla's." Paige clarified. "It's just a few of my friends. You know, Jai, Ria, Emily, and of course, Kayla. Want to come?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure. What time is it?" Reese asked as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Eight o'clock," Paige answered.
"Cool. I'll be there." Reese said with a nervous smile.
"She's in 2104," Paige added.
"2104," Reese repeated. "Got it. See you tonight."
Paige watched as her friend walked away, a feeling of relief washing over her. She realized two things in that few minutes she talked to Reese. First, it was so much better to invite the girl to dinner in person. And second, she couldn't wait to see her again.
"And that went on the entire summer?" Jai asked, briefly looking up before returning her attention to the salad she was preparing.
Paige nodded. "I kid you not. It was like she joined the WTS and decided it was her personal mission to make my life a living hell for three months." She explained as she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "She kinda reminded me of Cesca, actually. Acting all jealous and possessive because I was close to the girl she wanted to be close with." Paige quipped.
Ria let out a short laugh. "That, I totally agree." She commented, earning a scowl from Jai. "But maybe next time you'll get lucky, and she won't be there at the tournament," Ria told Paige while going around the dining table to set the plates and utensils.
"I wish," Paige replied. "I'm not saying I hope she doesn't qualify next time. She's terrific, so I doubt she won't make it. If there's someone who might not be there next time, that would be me." She told her friends despite their objections. "I know she's just one girl, but she ruined the whole experience for me. I mean, here's this French girl who I've never met my entire life, I introduce myself to her, and then she decides she doesn't like me?" Paige ranted, her temper flaring again.
"Maybe it's because she knows Reese would rather be close to you," Kayla offhandedly commented as she stopped stirring to taste the pasta sauce. "Poor girl's jealous, and I can't blame her."
Paige felt the blood rush to her face and prayed no one would notice as she struggled to compose herself. "I doubt that. She's just frustrated Reese won't give her the time of day." She replied, her voice hoarse.
Kayla rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Reese is—"
Ding. Dong.
Paige exhaled in relief at the sound of the doorbell ringing and quickly turned her back to head for the door. She ran a hand through her hair once and let out a nervous breath before pulling the door open. "Hey!… you two…" She finished, her smile faltering when she saw Emily and Reese standing next to each other outside. This was not how she wanted the night to begin. "Um… did you…"
"We just ran into each other downstairs," Reese explained. "We arrived separately."
"Oh. Good. That's um… what do you have there?" Paige asked, focusing her gaze on the box the girl was holding.
"Chocolate crepe cake," Reese answered before handing the box to Paige. "I figured I should at least bring something to dinner, and it was either dessert or wine. The cake won."
"Thanks," Paige uttered, giving the girl a small smile.
Emily awkwardly cleared her throat. "I, uh, didn't bring anything." She said, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "Sorry."
Paige shook her head. "That's fine. There's a lot of food. Come in. They're in the kitchen." She told the girls before stepping aside to let them in.
"You two have impeccable timing. Dinner's about to be served." Kayla said, gesturing for everyone to take a seat. "I'll take that." She offered before taking the box Paige was holding.
"Everything looks amazing," Reese commented as she took a seat next to Kayla. "You cooked all of these by yourself?"
"Not everything. Jai prepared the salad, and the chicken is store-bought." Kayla answered while reaching for the basket of garlic bread in front of her. "I made the pasta and these babies." She added as she handed the basket to the girl.
"Thanks," Reese said, getting one slice before handing it to the girl seated on her left. "Want some?"
Paige nodded and reached for the basket, unexpectedly placing her right hand over Reese's left. The girl's skin was cold to the touch, but Paige was filled with a warm sensation that seemed to emanate from somewhere below her stomach. "Sorry." She mumbled almost breathlessly and quickly released her grip on the basket just as the other girl did the same.
"I got it!" Reese exclaimed, reaching for the basket again with lightning reflexes before it dropped to the floor.
"Sorry. Must've lost my grip." Paige lied as she watched the girl place the basket in the middle of the table instead.
"Slippery hands you got there, Paige." Ria teased from the other side of the table. "Good thing you two didn't join the Olympics, or you would've dropped that baton."
"Very funny." Paige shot back, managing to smile while the rest of the table laughed along with Ria. Her friend may not know it, but the girl saved her from an awkward situation just now.
Paige began to relax and looked around as her friends laughed and conversed over dinner. Maybe no one noticed anything. She thought to herself before risking a glance at Reese. In her panic, upon seeing Emily and Reese arrive together, she didn't really get the chance to appreciate the way the girl looked tonight. Even in a simple long-sleeved polo shirt, Reese looked stunning. The maroon-colored top fit the girl perfectly and made her skin glow. Maybe it was the way the light in Kayla's apartment played against Reese's features, but Paige felt like it was the first time she was seeing the girl, and it made her palms sweat and her pulse quicken. Her eyes involuntarily drifted toward Reese's lips, and she swallowed hard when she remembered how soft those lips were. How it felt when they moved against hers as they—don't go there. Paige reprimanded herself and hurriedly looked away, but not soon enough when she saw the knowing look Jai was throwing her. Oh, crap.
"Wow," Jai uttered when her friend was done recounting what happened in the Netherlands. "Wow." She repeated, her lips breaking into a wide smile. "I guess now I know who to ask when it comes to making surprise suave moves."
Paige rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Seriously? That's what you got out of everything I just told you? I need help, Jai! I don't know what to do or how to talk to her anymore. I screwed it all up." She lamented as her eyes drifted toward the kitchen, where Reese was helping the other three girls clean up.
"Well, what do you want to do about it?" Jai asked.
Paige sighed. "I don't know. I don't know what I want. All I know is I miss our banter and how easy things were before… this." She vaguely finished as she raised her arms in frustration.
"Hey, guys." Hearing Reese's voice so near them made Paige jump that she almost lost her balance on the arm of the sofa she was perched on.
"Whoa. You okay?" Reese asked when she saw the girl wobble.
"Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine." Paige answered nervously. "Um… what's up?"
"Nothing. I just came over to say thank you for inviting me." Reese told the girl with a candid smile. "But I have an early day tomorrow, so I have to go." She explained as she gestured toward the door.
"Oh. Okay." Paige uttered in agreement.
Jai held her breath as she observed the two girls, afraid to move or make a sound. It was like they forgot she was there, and she didn't want to ruin the moment or disturb the palpable tension by making her presence felt.
"Okay," Reese repeated after a few seconds of heavy silence. "Um… see you around. Both of you." She added, then gave the two girls a small wave before leaving.
"I have an idea," Jai stated, reminding Paige she was still there. "Why don't you teach me how to pull off those surprise moves of yours, and I will teach you the art of subtle hints." She offered.
"What?" Paige asked, tearing her gaze away from Reese, who was saying goodbye to the other girls. "What are you talking about?"
Jai laughed. "I'm talking about the fact that you, my friend, failed to notice the subtle hint Reese was throwing at you just now." She divulged. "Oh, come on, Paige. She was waiting for you to offer to walk her out!" Jai clarified when she saw that her friend still looked confused.
"Ohhh…" Paige slowly uttered, finally getting it. "Huh."
"Go!" Jai urged. "You can still catch her. She just left."
Paige nodded and got up, giving her friend a grateful look before following Reese. She had no idea what to talk about with the girl and she'll probably say something lame or get tongue-tied again but at least—
"Hey, Paige." Paige stopped in her tracks when Emily suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Uh, hey." Paige managed to say before her eyes shifted to the door.
"So, we really didn't get a chance to catch up." Emily began with a nervous smile. "Do you want to go grab a cup of coffee or something? I mean, I know you don't drink coffee, and it's late, but there's this—"
"Sorry, but I really have to go," Paige interjected. "Maybe some other time. Sorry."
"Yeah. No. Of course. It's fine. Maybe I'll just text you and we can—" Emily trailed off when Paige walked past her. "Breakfast? That sounds perfect! Sure, Em. I'd love to have breakfast with you instead." She muttered under her breath and let out a sad sigh.
I can't watch this. Jai thought, inwardly cringing when she saw Paige walk past Emily without letting the girl finish talking. She gave Emily a sympathetic look when the other girl caught her staring and gestured for Emily to join her.
"Hey," Emily uttered in greeting before taking a seat next to Jai. "That was a disaster." She lamented.
"No, it wasn't. It was just… hard to watch." Jai finished, patting the girl's back awkwardly. "It was a valiant effort, though."
Emily groaned as she rubbed her face with her hands in frustration. "What were you two talking about anyway?" She asked, looking at the girl next to her. "She seemed in distress."
"Oh, that," Jai uttered, racking her brain for what to say next. She had her own very selfish reasons for wanting to come clean to Emily about Paige and Reese, but that small rational part of her knew it wasn't her place to tell. "She, uh, well, she did this thing, and I was just giving her advice on what to do next."
"What thing?" Emily pressed.
Jai sighed. "Em, I agreed to keep pretending that we're still together. That's it. I don't remember saying yes to keeping tabs on Paige for you." She reminded the girl, her tone a bit hard. "You want to find out what's going on with her, ask her yourself."
"I would, but she wouldn't give me the time of day," Emily complained.
"That's your problem. Not mine." Jai told the girl coolly as she got up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think Ria could use some help cleaning up in the kitchen."
"So… where are you headed now?" Paige asked as she followed Reese outside of her apartment building. She almost missed the girl back there because of Emily, but Paige was able to catch up before the elevator doors closed. However, awkward doesn't even begin to describe the entire ride to the ground floor. The heavy silence between them was punctuated by random observations about the weather, dinner, and the track team. I finally got her alone, and all I can talk about was how cold the weather is. Smooth, Paige. She mentally reprimanded herself. "Back to Harrison?" She guessed.
Reese nodded. "Yeah. I still have a lot of packing up to do, and I need to move out by next week." She explained as she walked toward the bus stop.
"Cool," Paige uttered, cringing inwardly at her inability to carry a proper conversation with the girl. "I can't believe you're an alumna. How does it feel?" She asked to start an actual conversation.
"Liberating," Reese answered after a few seconds of silence. "But also terrifying because that means I'm one step closer to running our company. I don't know if I'm ready for that."
"Are you kidding me? You love bossing people around. You're ready." Paige quipped, exhaling in relief when Reese let out a small laugh.
"Yeah, well, I'm not quite there yet. I still have to go to graduate school, remember?" Reese pointed out.
"So, you're moving out of Harrison and moving in where?" Paige inquired.
Reese shrugged. "Don't know yet." She replied. "I haven't had the chance to look for a place outside of campus."
"We can look for one together." Paige offered. "I mean if you want to."
"Yeah. That will be so much fun since things between us are not awkward at all." Reese shot back dryly.
Paige winced, the girl's words striking a nerve. "Listen, I'm sorry—"
"It's okay." Reese interrupted. "What happened was a one-time thing anyway, right?" She asked just as the bus pulled up on the curb behind her.
"Um…" Paige started, caught off-guard. What do I say?
"Thanks for walking me out. Have a good night." Reese bade before boarding the bus.
"Not a problem," Paige muttered as the doors closed and watched helplessly as the girl disappeared into the night.
Spencer slowly closed the door behind her once she was inside her room, careful not to make any sound that might wake up her friend. She had been planning this surprise for weeks, and pulling it off was harder than she expected since she wasn't one to wake up early. Good thing she could count on Connor to buy the coffee and apple strudel from the new café outside of campus that Emily liked.
Inching her way closer to her friend's side of the room, Spencer placed the coffee on the bedside table then nudged Emily to wake her up. "Em. Hey, Em." She coaxed.
Emily opened her eyes slowly and gave her friend a confused look. "What?" She asked groggily.
"I got you a coffee and an apple strudel," Spencer said in a sing-song voice. "Well, technically Connor bought them, but it was my idea. Happy birthday!"
Emily smiled and slowly got up into a sitting position. "I was planning on going there this morning." She admitted. "Tell Connor, thanks for saving me the trip. And thank you for—"
"Uh, uh, uh. Don't thank me yet. I still have one more surprise for you." Spencer revealed. She handed the strudel to her friend then went to her side of the room to retrieve something.
"What's this?" Emily asked as she accepted the green envelope the girl handed her.
"Invitation for the birthday dinner we're throwing you at Rione," Spencer answered proudly, referring to the pizzeria on South 21st Street.
Emily frowned. "We? Who's—"
"Hanna, Aria, and me." Spencer elaborated. "We already invited a few of your friends, and that's the last of the invitations to be delivered."
"Spence…" Emily trailed off when she saw Paige's name on the envelope. "You shouldn't have. What about Connor's first game? Isn't that tonight?"
Spencer nodded. "Yeah, but Connor said it's cool if I miss it this time. I'll just meet him at the party afterward and make it up to him." She added with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, gross!" Emily exclaimed, laughing along with her friend.
"But seriously." Spencer began. "It's not every day you go from teen to adult. We should celebrate that. Or, you know, lament the fact that you're officially no longer a teen. Birthday girl gets to choose."
"I think we should celebrate the fact that next year I can go to a bar and order something that has alcohol in it," Emily suggested.
"Looking forward to the future. I like that." Spencer said in agreement before turning around to start fixing her things. She has a class in less than thirty minutes, and some of her books were still scattered on the bed.
Emily watched as her friend got ready for school when a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey, Spence? Um… you invited Jai tonight, right?" She asked hesitantly.
Spencer stopped for a couple of seconds before continuing what she was doing. "No. I didn't." She answered firmly. "As I said, it's about looking forward, and Jai is your past."
Emily sighed. "Spence, I get it. You're still mad at her. But if Paige shows up, wouldn't it be suspicious if Jai isn't there?"
Spencer turned around to face the girl. "Em, if Paige asks you where Jai is, that's the perfect opening for you to come clean." She pointed out. "Don't argue with me on this one." Spencer continued before the girl could protest. "I have to go. Just find Paige and give her that invitation before tonight. I'll take care of the rest." She reassured her friend and checked her reflection in the mirror one last time before heading out.
At ten to twelve, Emily opened the door to Sheerr Pool. She was immediately greeted by the familiar sound of splashing water and shrill whistles. Good thing she was able to ask West to cover the rest of her shift at the café today though it was last minute. After Spencer left for her class this morning, Emily decided to text Paige to ask if they could meet, saying she had something she wanted to give to the girl. Her heart leaped when Paige greeted her a happy birthday and agreed to meet her at noon.
At least she remembered my birthday. Emily thought to herself as she scanned the pool for any sign of the girl. She noticed today it was set up into two short-course pools instead of the usual one long course, and the shrill sound of whistles was coming from the far side of the pool, so she decided to stay put.
From what Emily could tell, no more than four people were using this side of the pool, and three of them were guys. Finally spotting Paige, Emily made her way to the last lane, growing more nervous with each step she took. She reached the spot just as Paige's fingers touched the pool wall, and she gave the girl a small smile when Paige looked up and saw her.
"Emily. How long have you been standing there?" Paige asked before pulling herself up and out of the pool.
Emily looked around and saw the girl's towel near her feet, so she picked it up. "Not long. I just got here." She replied, handing the girl the towel and trying hard not to stare.
Paige took off her goggles and accepted the towel. "Thanks." She uttered then began to dry herself.
Emily felt a familiar warmth emanating from the pit of her stomach as she took in Paige's wet body, the water droplets making every inch of the girl's skin glisten. She felt disconnected from Paige ever since the girl came back. She could tell something has changed, and this is the first time she's getting a chance to see up-close just how much last summer changed Jai's best friend physically, and she liked what she saw. Paige's skin glowed despite the bad lighting. Her arms were slenderer, her legs and thigh tighter, and her stomach seemed firmer than she recalled. Emily's cheeks flushed at the thought of running her hands all over the girl's body and felt ashamed for having such impure thoughts about Paige. She was lusting after someone who was looking weirdly at her.
OH MY GOD, SHE'S GIVING ME A WEIRD LOOK. What do I do?! Emily felt like someone just sucked all the air in the room, and she couldn't breathe. "What?" She finally managed to ask, her voice hoarse.
"I said, what was it you wanted to give me?" Paige repeated. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to faint."
Emily nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm fine." She answered and avoided the other girl's gaze by pretending to go through the contents of her shoulder bag. "Here," Emily said, finally producing the green envelope Spencer gave her this morning.
"What's this?" Paige asked before opening the envelope and scanning the contents of the invitation.
"It was all Spencer's idea," Emily revealed to fill in the silence. "Well, her and Hanna and Aria. Spencer surprised me with it this morning."
"Um, I'd love to come, but I can't tonight. I have to conduct tryouts." Paige told the girl apologetically while returning the invitation inside the envelope. "Sorry."
"Oh," Emily uttered, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. "That's fine. I completely understand. No harm done." She said with a forced smile. "Congrats. I mean, I assume you made team captain this year if you have to conduct tryouts."
"I did. I found out last week." Paige replied.
"That's great. You totally deserve it." Emily sincerely told the girl. "So… do you have plans now? Maybe we can have lunch instead. My treat." She offered. "It'll give us the chance to finally catch up. Things were a bit weird last week."
"I can't. I have to go home and study." Paige explained before walking past the girl to get the rest of her things. "Maybe some other time."
"Are you avoiding me?" Emily blurted out. "I'm sorry. It's just that, ever since you came back, it's like you're trying to avoid spending time with me."
"I'm not avoiding you." Paige lied, her back still turned to the girl. "I just really need to catch up on my studies. You know I got back a few weeks into the semester. I'm falling behind." She added before finally facing Emily again. "I appreciate the invite. Have fun tonight."
Emily watched dejectedly as the girl made her way to the shower room, wondering what she did to make Paige this reluctant to spend time with her. She wanted to take Jai's advice and ask the girl what was wrong, but she can't seem to make Paige stay in the same room with her for more than a few minutes. Why won't you talk to me?
Later that night, Emily collapsed on her bed in exhaustion once she got home from Rione. The Penn Quakers men's basketball team won in today's home game, so Spencer was excited to celebrate with Connor. Her friend invited her to come, but Emily was not in a celebratory mood. Not that she didn't have fun at her birthday dinner. She was glad most of her friends were there to celebrate with her, and even Hanna and Aria made it. She just wished Paige was there as well.
Emily moved to take her phone from the back pocket of her jeans when she felt it vibrate, and she read the message Jai sent before typing a quick reply. Although things between them were a bit tense after last week's dinner, Jai still got her a present for her birthday. Maybe she'll get the chance to clear the air between them tonight.
A knock on the door made Emily get up into a sitting position. That was fast. Emily thought to herself as she stood up and walked toward the door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who was standing on the other side.
"Paige," Emily uttered in greeting, her lips breaking into a smile.
"You look surprised," Paige commented.
"No. I just… I was expecting Jai. She said she was on her way over." Emily explained.
"Oh," Paige uttered. "Sorry to disappoint."
Emily shook her head. "I wasn't. Would you like to come in?" She asked, stepping aside.
"No. This won't take long." Paige assured the girl. "Tryouts just ended, and I decided to come over before going home in the off chance that you're back. Here." She said, handing the girl a paper bag. "Sorry, I didn't have time to wrap it. I wanted to give that to you last week, but I've been preoccupied. Sorry." Paige repeated with a wry smile. "I figured since I didn't get you anything for your birthday, it can serve both as a souvenir and a birthday gift."
Emily opened the paper bag and took out the water bottle inside. "It has my name on it. I didn't know you can do that." She commented as her fingers ran on the letters of her name. "Thank you."
"I didn't either, but apparently you can do that in Abu Dhabi." Paige quipped. "I bought that on the first leg of the tournament. I figured I owed you a water bottle from when you—"
"Gave you that water bottle from Miami our freshman year." Emily finished. "I remember." She said with a smile. "And you've carried this around the entire time you were competing. It's like I was with you those three months you were away."
"Something like that," Paige answered. "I just want you to know that I may not have called or e-mailed, but that doesn't mean I forgot about you." She told the girl earnestly. "I'm sorry for the weirdness ever since I came back. You were right. I was avoiding you. But only because I'm trying to figure out some things."
This was it. This was the moment Emily was waiting for. "Me, too. I've spent the last few months figuring out some things myself." Emily confessed. "The truth is—"
"I slept with Reese," Paige said out loud before she lost her nerve. "On our last night in the Netherlands."
"Oh." Emily heard herself say, the single sound she could muster drowned out by the sound of her heart breaking.
For a moment, there was only silence between them as Emily fought the urge to thump her fists on Paige's chest. She felt betrayed. She felt cheated. Why? You said you still love me! Why!? Emily cried out in anguish, but she couldn't let Paige see how much it hurt.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Emily finally asked, her voice hoarse.
"Because I don't want you to look at me the way you did when you found out I slept with Kayla," Paige admitted.
"Well, if it's just like back then, then it's not that big of a deal, right?" Emily asked. "Just a one-time thing?" She added, waiting for the girl's answer with bated breath.
"It's not," Paige answered in a low voice. "At least, I don't want it to be." She admitted. "That's a good thing, right?"
"It is," Emily uttered, trying to smile.
"And now I don't have to be a third wheel to you and Jai," Paige said lightly.
"You never were." Emily countered.
Paige let out a short laugh. "Thanks for saying that, but we both know that's not true." She insisted. "Well, I guess I should—"
"You should go," Emily interjected as she fought back the tears. She didn't know how long she could hold herself together. "Go tell Reese."
"Okay," Paige uttered then turned to leave. "We're good, right?" She asked, turning back to face the girl.
Emily nodded. "We will be." She managed to say, breaking down as she closed the door dejectedly.
Finally, having come clean to Emily, Paige found herself standing outside of Reese's room, mustering the courage to knock. It took her this long to decide, and she hoped it wasn't too late. She balled her right hand into a fist and knocked hesitantly at first, the second one louder when the girl didn't answer.
Did I miss her? Paige thought, knocking for the third time. She exhaled in relief when she heard the lock from the other side of the door move and steeled herself for what she was about to do.
"Hey," Paige uttered when she was finally facing the girl.
"Newbie," Reese said, surprised. "What's up?"
"I know you're probably busy packing, so this won't take long," Paige promised. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for acting like a kid these past few days." She began. "It's just that—" Paige sighed. "Have you ever felt like you just woke up one day and felt different about someone? Like you're seeing them for the first time, and it completely changes how you feel about them?"
"Yeah. But I didn't think anything would come out of it." Reese replied. "And nothing has to. Our friendship is more important to me, so if you want to forget what happened, we can do that. I know you're still hung up on Emily. I don't want to be in the middle of—"
"I haven't thought of Emily that way for months," Paige interjected. "And to be honest, I haven't been feeling friendly toward you for some time now. My jealousy toward Celine is proof of that."
Reese beamed. "I knew it." She said, her eyes sparkling.
"Don't be so smug about it." Paige retorted before reaching for the girl's hand. "I don't want to forget what happened because it meant something to me." She continued, growing serious. "I don't want what happened between us to be a one-time thing, Reese," Paige admitted as she closed the distance between them.
"What are you trying to say?" Reese asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Paige gently cupped the girl's cheek. "I'm saying I want to see where this goes." She replied as she caressed Reese's soft skin, the sensation running shivers up and down her spine. "I want to be with you," Paige whispered, closing her eyes and meeting the girl's lips with hers.
