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, guys! Thanks for the reviews and the PMs. I know some of you had trouble accessing the previous chapter using the website so just to be safe, I suggest downloading the app instead. Not sure if the issue has been resolved by FanFiction already.

Also, this is the last update for the year as I'm still writing the other chapters of Part Four.


PART FOUR: "De Integro"

~ Again, a second time. ~

CHAPTER TWO

"WHAT THE F-?!"

Emily's eyes snapped open when she heard the disbelief in Spencer's voice behind her, and she slowly turned around on her bed while trying to get her bearings.

"Oh. Hey, Spence." Emily muttered, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Who are you, and what did you do to my friend?" Spencer demanded. "It's like you ransacked the vending machine last night." She commented as she surveyed the mess around her. Everywhere she looked, there were chocolate wrappers and half-eaten packs of chips, among other things. "What happened?"

"I may have thrown a pity party for one," Emily answered, getting up into a sitting position. "I would've invited you, but you said you were going to spend the night at Connor's so…" She trailed off and gestured around them instead.

"I can see that," Spencer remarked as she carefully made her way to her bed so as not to step on anything. "What I want to know is why."

"Because… Paige slept with Reese." Emily confided, the words immediately bringing a fresh wave of tears in her eyes, but she held them back.

"What?!" Spencer exclaimed, her eyes growing wide. "Nooo…"

"Yes," Emily uttered as a tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and recounted what happened last night, from the moment she found Paige standing on the other side of the door to when she told the girl to go to Reese.

"Oh, Em," Spencer uttered, getting up to sit next to her friend and giving the girl a hug. "You should've called me."

"I didn't want you to bail on Connor again," Emily explained as she wiped her eyes and blew her nose on the tissue Spencer handed her. "I really thought last night was the perfect moment to tell her everything."

"I know. I'm sorry." Spencer said, letting Emily rest her head on her shoulder. "You know… I don't have anything important to do today. If you want, we can just stay here all day and binge-watch on horror movies."

Emily let out a weak laugh. "You hate horror movies." She reminded her friend.

"Yeah. But I love you." Spencer declared. "I can just close my eyes to all the scary parts. What do you say?"

"Thanks, but I have to go to work today," Emily answered reluctantly.

"What? But it's a Saturday." Spencer pointed out.

"I know. I took a couple of extra shifts on weekends since I needed the money." Emily confessed, getting up to start cleaning the mess she made last night.

"Okay. Well, what about tonight? I can buy ice cream and twinkies and all the greasy food you want." Spencer volunteered. "Calories be damned."

Emily laughed. "I'm good, Spence. Really." She insisted when her friend threw her a dubious look. "One pity party is enough. I just needed a good cry, and I was able to do that last night."

"Fine. Let's just have dinner tonight, then. Your choice." Spencer offered.

"None of those fancy restaurants you frequent?" Emily asked. "Deal." She said in agreement when the other girl nodded her head without hesitating.


Paige stirred at the faint sound of papers rustling and slowly opened her eyes to the sight of Reese sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room, brows creased while rummaging through a box full of the girl's things. For a moment, she was tempted to call out to Reese. Still, the girl was so engrossed with what she was doing, Paige decided to take the opportunity to study Reese instead. The two of them have spent a lot of time together in this room. Laughing, studying, talking. But it was only now that she was actually seeing the girl. Reese's skin glowed in the early morning rays of the sun, and the girl's cheeks were flushed, probably from moving around the room several times. Paige smiled when her gaze fell on the girl's mouth, recalling how those supple lips kissed every inch of her skin last night.

"Like what you're seeing?" Reese suddenly asked.

Paige felt all the blood rush to her cheeks and wished the earth would swallow her right now. "I do." She answered after recovering from her surprise.

"Good," Reese uttered with a smug grin.

Paige's brows creased. "How did you?—"

"Know you were awake? The slight change in your breathing." Reese calmly explained as she returned to rummaging inside the box. "Yeah. I notice things like that." She continued when she looked up and saw the girl's expression.

Paige got up into a sitting position and used the comforter to cover her body. "What are you doing?" She asked, looking around the room.

"Last minute packing. Officially an alumna, so I'm moving out this afternoon." Reese reminded the girl. "I would've finished doing this last night, but someone showed up outside my door and declared their undying love for me." She said teasingly and got up to make her way toward the bed.

"I beg to differ. That is an exaggerated version of what happened last night." Paige told the girl with her pointer finger raised. "I will, however, apologize for delaying your packing."

"Apology accepted. But for the record, it was a perfect distraction, and I don't mind you showing up unannounced." Reese reassured Paige as she leaned forward to kiss the girl on the lips. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Paige repeated with a huge smile and watched the other girl go back to packing. "Have you had breakfast yet?" She asked as she reached for her clothes at the foot of the bed and began putting them on. "Okay. I'll go buy us a couple of sandwiches and a cup of coffee for you downstairs, then I'll help you pack." Paige volunteered when Reese shook her head. "I'll be right back." She promised, making a trip to the bathroom first before leaving.


Emily pulled the door open to the café while trying to psych herself up for her shift this morning. She would've loved nothing more than to stay-in with Spencer and wallow in self-pity over ice cream and twinkies, but like she told her friend, she needed the money. Adulting sucks. Emily inwardly complained as she made her way inside. She was about to call out to Brent, the new barista when she noticed Paige standing by the counter, and her steps faltered. The girl's back was still turned to her, so Emily was able to compose herself before slowly making her way to the backroom, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Emily took her time donning her apron and fixing her hair and nameplate, hoping the girl will be gone once she goes back outside, but luck was not on her side today.

"Hey," Emily uttered in greeting as she took her place behind the counter.

"Emily. Hey." Paige repeated, surprised. "I didn't know you work on Saturdays."

"I do now. Saturdays and Sundays." Emily divulged.

"Wow. That's… your schedule must be… I mean with swimming and MUSE and your studies." Paige enumerated. "Crazy comes to mind."

"That's one way to put it," Emily said in agreement. "I guess congratulations are in order." She told Paige with a pointed look at the girl's clothes.

Paige felt her cheeks turn a slight shade of red. "Yeah. I went to talk to Reese and ended up helping her pack. It took longer than expected, so I spent the night. She's moving out today." She added, unable to meet the girl's eyes.

Yeah, right. Emily fought the urge to say those words out loud and pasted a smile on her lips instead. "What can I get you?" She asked.

"I'm good, thanks. Just waiting for the rest of my order." Paige answered, looking past Emily to see what's taking the guy who took her order so long.

As if on cue, Emily's co-worker finally returned with the bag of warm sandwiches Paige bought.

"Sorry. I'm still trying to figure out how to operate some of the equipment." Brent said as he handed the paper bag to Paige.

"No problem," Paige told the guy and waited until he was out of earshot before leaning close to Emily. "Good luck. You're gonna have your hands full today." She whispered, touching the girl on the arm lightly before picking up Reese's already lukewarm coffee and leaving.

Emily watched helplessly as the distance grew between her and Paige, the spot on her arm the girl just touched, still sending shivers up and down her spine. She didn't know it was possible to feel more miserable and heartbroken than she did last night. Because while the girl seemed mortified that she was caught having spent the night with Reese, Paige couldn't hide the undeniable fact that she was happy. The girl was happy. And that made Emily sad because she wasn't the reason for that happiness. At least not anymore.


"I'm sorry again for bailing on you last night," Jai told Emily as they slowly walked around campus, looking for a place to have lunch. "As soon as I sent you that text telling you I was on my way, my boss pulled me aside… said he could use an extra pair of hands in the next event if I was available. I couldn't turn it down."

Emily felt a huge wave of guilt. She completely forgot that Jai sent her another text last night, which she ignored because she was probably in the middle of devouring that second pack of Maltesers. "It's not that big a deal." She reassured the girl. "If anyone would understand the need to pull extra shifts at work, that would be me."

"I gotta admit when you didn't reply, I thought it was because either you were mad at me or you fell asleep," Jai confessed. "That's sort of the reason why I asked you to have lunch with me today. To apologize and to give you this." She explained, handing the girl a medium-sized paper bag. "Belated happy birthday."

"Thank you," Emily said as she accepted Jai's gift. "And don't sweat the whole not being able to show up last night. I'm kinda relieved you didn't. Otherwise, you would've seen me drowning my sorrows over junk food." She admitted reluctantly.

"Because Paige didn't remember your birthday?" Jai guessed, fighting the urge to let out an exasperated breath.

"Actually, she did." Emily corrected. "She gave me her gift and gave this speech about not forgetting me the entire time she was away… then told me she slept with Reese."

"Oh," Jai uttered. "That's… huh. So she finally came clean."

Emily nodded. "I'm guessing that's what you two were talking about last week? Don't worry, I get it. It wasn't your place to tell." She hurriedly added before the girl could say anything else. "Sorry I made you feel like I'm just using you to get to Paige. That's not the only reason why I keep hanging out with you. This… us… we're friends."

Ouch. "I hear you," Jai said, giving Emily a small smile. Loud and clear. "I'm guessing you didn't tell her last night that we've broken up. What did you tell her?" She continued when the girl nodded.

"I told her to go," Emily answered dejectedly. "She said she didn't want what happened to be a one-time thing and I… I got scared that I would tell her how I feel, and she would just throw it in my face. I'm sorry." She told the other girl with an apologetic look. "I know I said I was going to tell her when she gets back, but I just can't find the right time."

Jai let out the breath she was holding in, unsure if she should be relieved or frustrated that she must keep pretending that she and Emily were still together. She was starting to regret agreeing to what Emily asked of her three months ago. If she was being honest with herself, she decided to keep the breakup a secret for two reasons. First, because she wanted Emily to forgive her, this was her way of making it up to the girl. Second, because she hoped in time, Emily would realize that they still belong together.

"It's fine," Jai said after a beat. "It's fine." She repeated with a shrug. "You're right. It wasn't the right time. What did Paige say?"

"After I told her to go? She just asked if we're good. And I said we will be. I mean, what do I say to that?" Emily asked rhetorically. "I thought after last night the universe would give me some reprieve, you know? Give me time to lick my wounds. But no, this morning, I entered the café to start my shift and who should I see? Paige!" She ranted. "She was wearing her clothes from last night, and she was glowing! She had that after-sex glow. You know what I'm talking about, right?"

"Um… no, not really," Jai answered awkwardly.

"Right. Sorry." Emily uttered, shooting the girl a distressed look. "Anyway, she made up this excuse about helping Reese pack all night." She continued, then scoffed. "Yeah, right. If I didn't know any better—"

"I'm gonna have to stop you right there," Jai interjected, making a face. "That is something I do not want to have an image of. Ever. Thank you very much." It was bad enough she had to listen to Emily be jealous about Paige. She didn't need a mental picture of her friend doing the deed.

"Got it," Emily said with an apologetic look before stopping to scan a bulletin board.

"What?" Jai asked, studying the board as well. "You looking for a job?" She joked.

"Yeah," Emily answered as she perused the ads posted.

"But you have a job." Jai reminded the girl. "Wait. Don't tell me you quit your job at the café because of what happened this morning."

"Of course not. I'm looking for a second job." Emily explained. "Besides, Reese is moving out. I doubt I'm gonna run into Paige at the café after today."

"Why?" Jai asked.

Emily shrugged. "No idea. It's not like Paige stayed long enough to chat." She replied.

"What? No. I meant the second job. Why do you need it?" Jai clarified.

"Oh. Well… funny story. I sort of blew most of my savings to get Paige a going away present last summer." Emily answered, unable to meet the girl's eyes. "So, I'm trying to earn most of it back since my mom is still between jobs, and life here in UPenn isn't exactly cheap."

Jai let out an exasperated breath. "Em—"

"I know, I know. It was stupid. But it was worth it, Jai. I don't regret giving her that watch." Emily told the girl firmly.

Jai raised her arms in frustration but decided to let the matter drop. It's useless to argue with the girl about it now. "Here's a crazy idea. Why not work with me?" She suggested, knowing she was going to regret this later. "We could use another cater-waiter, and the tips are pretty good."

"Really? When can I apply?" Emily asked without missing a beat and grabbed the other girl's arm eagerly.

Jai felt a wave of nostalgia when she saw Emily's beaming smile and heard the excitement in the girl's voice. It has been so long since she made Emily feel that way. "Um… we can go there now if you don't mind grabbing a late lunch outside of campus instead." She said after checking the time on her watch.

"Lead the way," Emily told Jai, gesturing for the girl to walk in front of her.

"Wait. You don't have your CV with you." Jai reminded the girl after taking a couple of steps.

Emily hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Right." She muttered with a sheepish look.

Jai rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's go back to Harrison first." She offered before reaching for Emily's hand to steer the girl back the way they came. "I guess that late lunch is going to have to wait." Jai quipped, trying to hide her happiness at the feel of the girl's hand in hers and the fact that Emily didn't pull away.


Paige struggled to close the boot of Reese's SUV using her elbow, her hands armed with a box full of the girl's things. She was relieved that it was the last of the boxes she had to carry. She had been going back and forth to Reese's new apartment since this morning, and she was hungry and tired.

Not that I'm complaining. Paige thought to herself as she looked down both sides of the street before crossing. Helping the girl move was just an excuse so she could be around Reese. That, and after helping the girl, she was hoping they could continue where they left off last night.

"Whoa!" Paige abruptly stopped in her tracks when she heard a familiar voice and felt her forearms bump against what she guessed was someone else's arm.

"Sorry," Paige uttered, trying to look past the box she was carrying by inclining her head to the side. "Oh. Hey, guys." She greeted when she saw who it was. "Fancy running into you two here."

"We could say the same for you." Jai shot back. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Helping Reese move in," Paige answered casually.

"Oh. You mean your girlfriend." Jai teased.

Paige rolled her eyes then threw her friend a look that told Jai to shut up. If it were just the two of them, she wouldn't mind the teasing. But Emily was standing right next to Jai, and she realized she wasn't comfortable talking about her relationship with Reese around the girl. She wasn't surprised Jai already had an idea about her and Reese. Emily probably told her what happened this morning, and she knew Jai would bring that up one of these days.

"What are you two doing here?" Paige asked while shifting her weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably.

"You're looking at the newest cater-waiter of Runway," Jai answered, referring to the company she was working for. Remembering they were supposed to act like a couple, she wrapped her arm around Emily's shoulders and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "Runway's office is just around the corner." She explained.

Paige gave Emily a surprised look. "Really. What about your job at the café?" She asked, confused.

"I'll still pick up a few shifts every now and then." Emily clarified. "I figured this way, I can spend more time with Jai, and I get to earn more money." She added, looking fondly at Paige's best friend.

"Huh. I guess that makes sense." Paige commented with a shrug. "Well, congratulations, then. We should celebrate sometime."

"Perfect. We'll make it a double date!" Jai suggested with a mischievous grin. "Me and Emily, and you and—"

"I— have to go. Reese is probably wondering what's taking me so long." Paige interrupted, throwing her friend a warning look. "I'll see you two around."

"Say hi to Reese for me!" Jai called out before Paige could get far.

Funny. Paige thought, rolling her eyes as she continued walking toward the direction of Reese's apartment building. Although running into Jai and Emily today was unexpected, now that they were all breathing the same air, it was inevitable. Paige knew her friend was just kidding. But it still made her think. Do we start hanging out with my friends? Will I meet her friends? Oh god, are Reese and I even a couple?


Jai bopped her head in time to the beat of the music blasting from the living room of the apartment she shared with Ria, obviously in a good mood. Her day with Emily went better than expected. Now that she and the girl will be spending more time together, Jai couldn't help but feel optimistic that in time, she and Emily will get that second chance at being a couple. Or maybe it's the third? Jai thought, lowering the volume of the stereo once she was inside the room.

"I was listening to that," Ria complained without looking behind her.

"Yeah. You and half of our neighbors." Jai shot back, plopping unceremoniously on the couch in front of her friend. "What you got there?" She asked before leaning forward to look at the pictures scattered on the coffee table where the girl is working.

"Someone's in a good mood," Ria commented, studying Jai from where she was seated on the floor. "I take it lunch with Emily went well." She continued without answering the girl's question.

Jai grinned from ear to ear and nodded. "Better than expected." She answered and proceeded to tell her friend what happened this morning.

"Wow. That must've been awkward. Running into Paige, I mean." Ria clarified. "You and Emily didn't have to act like you're still together in front of her until today."

"A little bit, yeah," Jai admitted. "She's my best friend. Naturally, I wanted to grill her about Reese because it's a big deal, but I couldn't because Emily was standing right next to me." She explained, gesturing to her left. "I'm happy for Paige. I genuinely am. But ever since she told me about what happened with Reese I feel like crap. Because I'm part of this charade with Emily, so while I'm happy for my friend, I'm also relieved that Paige is out of the picture." Jai confessed.

"It can't be helped. You're in a tough position." Ria told the girl sympathetically. "What do you plan to do now?"

"I don't know. Paige may be out of the picture, but Emily's feelings for her still hasn't changed." Jai reminded her friend. "Besides, it's not like she could just forget what I put her through. That's one reason why I'm hesitant to ask her to give me another chance."

"Well… if Emily can forgive Paige for treating her horribly for years and fall in love with her, I don't think it's that farfetched." Ria pointed out.

"Yeah, but Emily broke up with me because of that. Not because I lied to her for a year." Jai argued. "I mean, of course, it didn't help matters when she found out what I did but—"

"But nothing. The point is you and Paige have both done awful things in the past, but Emily found it in her heart to look past it and love Paige. Don't give up just yet." Ria told her friend encouragingly while trying to hide her pain. "Come on. Don't look so glum. A few minutes ago, you were grinning like a kid."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be all gloom and doom all of a sudden." Jai said, giving the girl a wry smile. "Oh. I almost forgot. I got you a roast beef sandwich from Nick's, no onions, easy on the gravy." She recited before sliding a paper bag toward her friend.

"You remembered!" Ria exclaimed, peeking inside the bag then putting it aside. "Thank you. I was so focused on finishing this project I lost track of time."

"What are you working on?" Jai asked again and craned her neck to see what the girl was doing.

"Project for my color photography class," Ria answered, running a hand through her hair wearily.

"Looks good," Jai commented. "Why so down?"

"Because I need more photos, and I'm out of time," Ria explained. "I need to turn this in by Monday, but I promised to babysit for my brother tonight until tomorrow."

"I'll babysit." Jai offered with a shrug. "How hard can it be?"

"Pretty hard if you can't be in the same room with him. Pete's got the pox." Ria told the girl with a wry smile. "I've had it, so I'm immune. You, on the other hand…"

"Good point." Jai acquiesced. "Sorry. Wish I could help you some other way."

Ria studied her friend thoughtfully. "Actually, you can." She began, eyes sparkling. "You know how to use a camera, right?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no." Jai protested. "I don't know the first thing about photography! I just point and shoot. I don't want you to fail your class because of me."

"Take Cesca with you," Ria suggested. "She's a fine arts major. I'm sure she has an idea. Come on. I really need your help." She implored, giving her friend a pleading look.

Jai sighed. "Fine." She answered after a beat. "Call Cesca and tell her what you need. I'll be there to keep her company. Or be her assistant. Whatever she needs."

"Thank you. I will do that as soon as I am done taking a shower." Ria promised, getting up. "I need to get to Daniel's before five."

"Take a shower after eating that sandwich I got you. Skipping meals is never a good thing." Jai reminded her friend.

Ria looked at the other girl, slightly taken aback. "Okay, mom." She replied, reaching for the paper bag and taking a seat next to her friend.

Jai cringed. "Too much?" She asked and rolled her eyes in annoyance when Ria just nodded and laughed at her.


"Ugh. Go affgh!" Paige exclaimed from under her pillow when she heard her phone ring and buried her head deeper instead. It was a Sunday, and she distinctly remembered not setting her alarm last night because she was looking forward to waking up later than usual today. She should've set her phone to silent as well. Next time. Paige thought with a sigh and blindly fumbled for her phone that was resting on her bedside table.

"Hello?" Paige answered, eyes still closed.

"Hey. You awake?" Jai asked from the other end of the line, the eagerness in the girl's voice making Paige groan inwardly.

"I am now." Paige deadpanned.

"Good," Jai uttered. "Let me in."

Paige's eyes snapped open, and she sat up straight when she heard a loud knock from outside. "You can't be serious. It's six in the morning!" She told her friend when she saw the time.

"I am aware of that, yes. That's why I come bearing gifts. Let me in." Jai repeated, knocking on the door again.

With a heavy sigh, Paige ended the call and reluctantly got up to open the door for her friend. "What do you want?" She asked when they were finally standing face to face.

Jai brandished the paper bag she was holding as she entered the room. "Don't be so cranky. I got you breakfast." She told the girl proudly.

"Why?" Paige asked, her eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean 'why'? Can't I bring my best friend breakfast just because?" Jai asked in reply. "Okay, fine. I want details." She admitted, caving in.

"Aha! I knew it!" Paige exclaimed triumphantly. "Why so early in the morning, though?" She asked, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Because I'm on a photography mission for Ria, and I'm going to spend the entire day with Cesca. I've only got a few minutes until she picks me up. Come on, indulge a friend." Jai coaxed. "I didn't get a chance to grill you yesterday."

"Well, what did Emily tell you?" Paige asked as she settled on the couch and gestured for Jai to do the same.

"Nothing much. Just that you came by the other night, gave your birthday gift, and then yesterday morning ran into you at the café wearing the same clothes." Jai said emphatically.

"That pretty much sums it," Paige told her friend as she reached for a croissant from the paper bag Jai brought with her.

"I beg to differ." Jai shot back good-naturedly. "Is it serious?"

Paige chewed the bread slowly as she thought about the question. "Yeah. It is." She answered.

"Okay. Are you… planning to tell Nick?" Jai asked next.

Paige laughed, almost choking on her food. "Slow down. It's too soon for that." She told her friend after swallowing. "Don't tell him," Paige added, growing serious. "Don't ruin this for me."

Jai raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, you're not a kid anymore. I'm done meddling." She promised.

"Good. Let me have this." Paige implored. "I don't know what's going to happen in the future, Jai. You know me, I was never a planner like you. Right now, I just want to enjoy being serious about someone again. Last time I was in a relationship, I wasn't even in high school."

"What are you talking about? What about Emily?" Jai reminded the girl. "Yes, it's awkward, but it's the truth."

Paige shook her head. "No. Not really." She said in reply. "Yes, there was a thing between us, but… it was confusing and mostly one-sided." Paige explained, letting out a deep breath. "Being with Reese reminded me of what it was like to actually be with someone."

"Does that mean Reese is your girlfriend?" Jai asked teasingly.

Paige felt her cheeks growing red. "I… I don't know. I'd like to think she is." She admitted.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Jai repeated, brows creased. "You didn't ask her?"

"It's so high school!" Paige exclaimed. "She's older than us. I think it's supposed to be a given." She added, her voice low.

Jai laughed. "She's not that old, Paige. And unlike when we were kids, you're in a mature relationship now." She reminded her friend. "You should learn how to talk to her like an adult."

"Oh, no doubt I'm in a mature relationship," Paige replied suggestively. "My body's still sore from when—"

"La la la la la!" Jai interjected, covering her ears. "I don't need to know that! Overshare!"

Paige laughed, amused by how uncomfortable her friend was. "That's for waking me up." She said before taking a bite off her croissant. "Relax, Jai. I'm just messing with you." Paige continued, leaning forward to pat the girl on the thigh. "Or maybe not." She whispered conspiratorially, laughing out loud when Jai groaned.


"Advantages of rebranding include connecting with a new audience, setting yourself apart from your competitors; reflecting new goals, products, offers, or values; staying current; and... and… boosting your bottom line." Emily recited under her breath before glancing at the notes in her hand to check if she got everything right. She was standing at the corner of Locust Walk and 38th Street, waiting for the light to turn red so she could cross the street with the other students who were probably on their way to their classes like her.

Just like that, it was October. Which means it's been two weeks since Paige and Reese got together. Lucky for her, after running into Paige twice the morning after, she hasn't seen either of them around campus since then. And because she has been so busy with school and work, she didn't have the time to obsess about their relationship. At least, not that often.

Unfortunately, Emily realized her luck finally ran out when the 'walk' sign lit up, and she crossed the street right to where Paige was standing.

"The Theologian's Tale." Paige greeted with a smile.

"Huh?" Emily asked, brows creased.

"The Theologian's Tale," Paige repeated. "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem?"

"Still not getting it," Emily told the girl with a tight-lipped smile.

"Ships that pass in the night," Paige explained. "That's us. We're like ships that pass in the night. You're headed to class; I'm headed somewhere else."

Emily nodded, finally getting it. "Right. See, if you started with that, I would've gotten it." She reprimanded lightly.

"Sorry," Paige uttered, slightly caught off-guard with the girl's aloofness. "Haven't seen you in a while." She continued.

"I've been busy," Emily replied. "And it's not like we have the same classes when we have different concentrations." She pointed out.

"Right," Paige said while studying the girl. "How's the cater-waiter job?"

Emily shrugged. "Okay. I'm having a tough time balancing two jobs on top of my studies, but I'll get used to it eventually. I just need to find my groove." She answered with a tired smile.

"Oh. I guess now would not be the time to ask you and Jai to go on that double date." Paige guessed, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. "I was thinking of taking Reese to this Indian restaurant, and I figured since I haven't seen you and Jai these past few days, we could all catch up over dinner instead."

Emily barely fought the urge to roll her eyes and quickly racked her brain for a way to get out of it. "Yeah, this weekend's not good for me. I'm really swamped." She told the girl with a half-hearted apologetic smile. "And, to be honest, I can't tell when I'll be free." Emily continued before Paige could speak.

"Too bad. But I understand. Study and work come first. Raincheck?" Paige asked, hopefully. "I know it might be a bit awkward—"

"Awkward?" Emily interjected, trying to stifle the sarcasm in her tone. "Why? Why would it be awkward?"

"Well… I know it's only been a year, but I consider what happened between us history." Paige began. "It might be weird. The three of us hanging out after I tried to come between you two… practically made a fool out of myself." She continued, laughing uneasily.

"Yeah. There's that." Emily heard herself say. "But like you said. It's history. I mean, clearly, you've moved on." She said, hoping the other girl didn't hear the desperation in her voice just now.

Paige nodded. "Definitely. So, we should double date since everything is in the past. Just… not anytime soon." She hurriedly added. "You being busy and all."

"I am busy. Like really busy." Emily emphasized. "But… why don't I check with Jai and see if we can have dinner soon." She relented, realizing how important the dinner is to the girl. "Maybe we can work around our schedules. No promises, though."

Paige grinned. "No promises." She repeated. "But hopefully before the month ends."

Emily laughed, unable to resist the girl's charm. "Fine. It's a date." She replied before she could stop herself. "I meant a double date!" Emily hurriedly clarified, feeling her cheeks growing warm.

"Call it what you want," Paige offhandedly said as she took her eyes off Emily when she saw Reese's SUV pull up a few steps away from them. "I gotta go. My ride's here. Just get back to me when your schedule frees up so I can make the reservations." She continued, giving the girl a small wave goodbye before walking away.

Emily waved back at Paige even though she was sure the girl didn't see her gesture just now. The second Reese showed up it was like Paige couldn't wait to get out of there. Don't even think about it. She reprimanded herself. You have a class to get to and a quiz to study for. Get moving.

But even as she willed herself to start walking toward Huntsman Hall, Emily's mind kept going back to the conversation she just had with Paige. How she was so flustered for saying what she really wanted that dinner to be. A date. Only the two of them gazing at each other across a small table as they talk and laugh about their day. And after that, they would go to Paige's apartment or her room in Harrison Hall, and they would spend the night in each other's arms.

Snap out of it. Emily scolded herself, and she shook her head firmly. Call it what you want. She could still hear the nonchalance in Paige's voice when the girl said those words to her, and she closed her eyes in humiliation. That dinner was nothing more than a chance for the four of them to move forward. Emily knew it was selfish of her, but she didn't want that. What she wanted was for things to go back to the time when Paige held her close as the girl made a promise not to give up on her.


Jai blankly stared at the girl standing in front of her, wondering for the nth time why she agreed to this charade in the first place. Just when she thought she was in the clear, Emily finds a way to pull her back in, and she found herself lying to Paige and herself.

"Jai. Hello?" Emily uttered, snapping her fingers then waving her hand in front of the girl. "Hey." She continued when Jai finally blinked. "Say something."

"Why?" Jai asked emphatically. "You were already in the clear. Why did you have to say it's a date?!"

Emily groaned. "Oh… I know! I'm sorry I'm such a wuss." She told the girl with an apologetic look. "It's just that she was so charming, and then she gave me this childish grin… I said no promises!" Emily added defensively.

Jai let out a short laugh, torn between being annoyed or frustrated at the other girl. "Yeah, and then when she asked that you make time for her before the month ends, you just said it's a date." She reminded Emily. "I don't know about you, but that's a freakin' yes!"

"I don't know what else you want me to say. I said I'm sorry a dozen times already." Emily said dejectedly. "Besides, it's your fault she wants to go on a double date. You're the one who suggested it when we ran into her."

"I was kidding." Jai countered. "How was I supposed to know she was going to take it seriously?" She asked wryly. "I wish you'd just tell Paige the truth so we can finally stop pretending."

"This coming from the girl who lied to everyone for a year." Emily retorted before she could stop herself.

"Ouch," Jai uttered, the girl's words hitting a nerve. "I signed up for a lot of things, Em, but not this. It's an entire night of having to pretend we're still together. I should know how exhausting keeping secrets is. Eventually, it catches up to you."

"I'm sorry," Emily uttered sincerely. "I know it's not easy for you to pretend we're still together. And you're right. It's exhausting to keep lying. But you of all people should understand how hard it is to just be honest, especially when there's a lot at stake."

Jai knew Emily had a point. It takes a lot of courage to be honest when it matters the most. And though she knew Emily had it in her, right now, the girl was too consumed with fear to be honest. "I get it." She finally said reluctantly. "But you have to understand why I can't—"

"I know," Emily interjected. "You still have feelings for me."

"Em, I'm still in love with you," Jai said emphatically. "How do you expect us to get through dinner when you don't feel the same way?" She asked, barely able to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "I don't have a problem being affectionate toward you. But can you set aside your feelings for Paige for one night and actually focus on me?"

"I don't know," Emily admitted. "What if I can't?"

"If you can't, you better start thinking of a good enough reason why we can't go on a double date with them ever," Jai replied. "But if you can, then yeah, I'll do it. It's the least I can do after what I put you through."


"Jazz, I'm telling you, whichever way you look at it, it's a bad idea to go on a double date with your ex." Ria insisted while dusting sand off her toned legs. "You're going to end up miserable the entire night. Just skip the whole thing."

"Believe me, the last thing I want to do is go on a double date with Emily, but what can I do? I'm still trying to make it up to her." Jai explained without taking her eyes off the horizon.

The two girls were resting on the shore of Manasquan Beach, having just finished another round of surfing. A week has passed since Emily said yes to Paige's invitation, and tonight was the night the four of them would finally sit down for dinner. Jai wasn't thrilled with the idea, but the girl claimed she ran out of excuses, so Emily said yes just to get it over with.

Ria shook her head and drew her knees to her chest. "Exactly how long do you plan on paying for your mistakes?" She asked, looking at her friend. "It's not even your fault anymore that Emily can't come clean to Paige. Are you forgetting what today is supposed to be?"

Jai sighed. "No. I know exactly what today is. She's the one who completely forgot about it." She said before looking down to write 'E' on the sand pensively.

Ria studied her friend's glum expression and decided to change the subject. "So… have you… made up your mind about taking up photography?" She asked, trying to sound upbeat. "You obviously have a knack for it. I got an A-plus on my project." Ria reminded the girl.

Jai shook her head. "Not really. I'm actually still on the fence about it." She confessed, finally looking at her friend. "Besides, Cesca mostly took those photos, so you should be thanking her. Not me."

"Yeah, but the ones you did take were good. I should know. I'm taking up photography." Ria lightly pointed out.

"I don't know. I think I want to be able to do something that would take me places." Jai confessed, suddenly missing the freedom she felt when she spent a year backpacking across Europe with her friend.

"Photography can take you places depending on the work you get," Ria told the girl encouragingly. "You can do landscape, wildlife, even aerial. Completely up to you."

Jai pursed her lips thoughtfully. "That does sound cool." She said after a beat. "I'll consider it." Jai continued, making the other girl smile.

"Ready to hit the waves again?" Ria asked.

Jai gently reached for the girl's wrist to check the time and shook her head. "Sorry. As much as I want to, we have to get going, or I'm going to be late for work." She explained, getting up and dusting sand off herself before offering a hand to Ria to help the girl up. "Thanks for today. I really needed this."

Ria waved her hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. I needed a break, too. Thanks for agreeing to come with me to blow off steam." She told her friend as they began walking back toward the road. "And, uh, good luck tonight. I mean it."

Jai couldn't help but laugh when she heard the earnestness in Ria's voice. "Thanks. I have a feeling I'm gonna need it." She said, running a hand through her wet hair wearily.


"Are you sure you're okay with us having dinner with Jai and Emily?" Paige asked as she reached for Reese's hand from across the table. "Because if you're not comfortable, we can just bail. I can tell them I'm not feeling well or something."

The two girls were seated at a corner table at Veda, the modern Indian restaurant that Reese has been dying to go to in Rittenhouse Square back when they were still just friends. Based on the reviews Paige read online, the food, service, and ambiance were excellent. She figured since they never got around to going there, she would surprise the girl with a dinner reservation. It was also an opportunity for Paige to introduce Reese to her friends formally. As what, she hasn't figured out quite yet. Which is why now that they were sitting across each other waiting for Jai and Emily to show up, Paige began to feel anxious about the entire thing. Maybe it was too soon.

Reese laughed and squeezed the girl's hand affectionately. "Paige, for the nth time, I told you I'm fine with it." She reassured the girl. "They're your friends, so I know how important they are to you. You're important to me, so as your girlfriend, yeah, I want to get to know them." Reese explained.

Paige grinned from ear to ear, not bothering to hide how happy she was. "So… we're girlfriends." She clarified, her eyes dancing.

Reese let out an amused laugh. "You're adorable." She said, fighting the urge to kiss Paige. "How long have you been dying to ask that question?"

Paige shrugged. "A while." She answered, still grinning. "Ow," Paige uttered, rubbing her right cheek when Reese pinched her affectionately.

"Sorry, I'm late," Emily said in greeting, pretending she didn't witness the tender exchange between the two girls just now. The dinner hasn't started yet, but she was beginning to regret the night already. She really should've insisted that she and Jai arrive together.

"It's fine. We just got here ourselves. Where's Jai?" Paige asked as she looked past the girl.

"Oh. Um, she's on her way. She just got held up at work." Emily explained before taking a seat next to Reese. "Hey." She uttered, smiling at the girl awkwardly.

"Hey," Reese repeated.

Silence.

"Should we order? I think we should order." Paige suggested nervously, letting go of Reese's hand and reaching for a menu.

"Yes. We should do that." Reese said in agreement. "What's good here?" She asked while browsing the menu.

"I heard their Tandoori Shrimp is pretty good," Emily replied, trying her best to be civil. Good thing she decided to check the menu of the restaurant earlier. "The Calcutta Pork Ribs is also one of their best sellers."

"Wow. I had no idea you know so much about Indian food." Paige commented, mildly impressed.

"Um, not really, I, uh, checked their menu online," Emily confessed sheepishly. "Just to have an idea."

"Makes sense," Paige said, nodding her head. "Oh, wow. I knew it." She suddenly matter-of-factly said when she noticed someone approach their table behind Emily.

"What?" Emily asked, turning around to check what Paige was looking at. Or rather who. She tried to hide her surprise when she saw Jai standing behind her with a bouquet in hand. She gave the girl a confused look before accepting the flowers. "Thank you." Emily managed to say.

"Sorry, I got held up at work," Jai explained to everyone at the table before planting a light kiss on Emily's cheek.

"Don't sweat it. Your girlfriend just got here, and we haven't ordered yet." Paige told her friend reassuringly. "You remember Reese, right? Reese, Jai, Jai, Reese." She said, making the introductions as soon as her friend settled next to her.

"We've met," Jai said, smiling at the girl. "Thanks for making my friend happy." She added as she patted Paige on the shoulder, making the other girl blush. "Please don't make her cry." Jai cajoled.

"I have no intention of doing that," Reese said earnestly.

Paige reached for Reese's hand again and gave it a firm squeeze, trying to tell the girl how much the night and Reese meant to her. "Oh, by the way, today is a special day for Jai and Emily." She revealed, giving her friend a knowing look.

"Really. Well, that would explain the flowers. What's the occasion?" Reese asked, intrigued.

Jai looked back and forth at Paige and Reese before answering. "It's, uh, well today is actually our anniversary." She explained without looking at the girl seated in front of her. Knowing Emily didn't remember what today was, Jai realized earlier that it was up to her to keep up the pretense that they were celebrating their anniversary today. Paige would be suspicious if she didn't make a romantic gesture during dinner, so she decided to swing by a flower shop to buy a bouquet for Emily.

"That's right," Paige said, smiling at her friend. "How many years have you two been together now? Six? Seven?" She asked, her question directed at Emily.

"Six," Jai answered instead. "We've been together for six years." She said, smiling at Emily.

"Wow. That's a long time to be together." Reese commented. "Any plans on getting married after college?" She asked teasingly.

"Good evening. My name is Avi. I will be your server for tonight. Are you ready to order?" Emily looked up when she heard a deep voice above her and smiled in relief at the server. She could've hugged the man for his perfect timing.

"Yes. I will have the Tandoori Shrimp and a glass of lemonade." Emily ordered, hoping the other girls will change the subject once they were done placing their orders.

"I will have the Calcutta Pork Ribs and lemonade as well," Jai said after browsing the menu.

"Hmm… I think mine would be the Lamb Shank and ginger ale." Reese told the server.

Paige studied the menu intently, trying to decide. "The Vegetable Biryani sounds good." She said thoughtfully. "I'll have that and the Imli Sharbat." She decided before handing the menu back to the server. "And an order of Naan," Paige added.

"That would be one Tandoori Shrimp, Pork Ribs, Lamb Shank, Vegetable Biryani, and a plain Naan. Two lemonades, one ginger ale, and one Sharbat." Avi repeated. "Your orders will be served ten to fifteen minutes."

"Thank you," Reese said as Avi was leaving. "So, Jai, I heard you went backpacking around Europe for a year. How was it? Was it scary?" She asked, resting her chin on the one hand.

"Actually, yeah, it was. The first few weeks Ria and I spent in the woods was really overwhelming since I was never an outdoor person. Just ask Paige." Jai said, inclining her head toward her friend.

Paige laughed. "That's right. The first time we went camping when we were kids, she…"

Emily sat in silence as the three girls conversed, nodding her head occasionally, and forcing herself to smile despite feeling out of place and miserable. She completely forgot what today was, and she felt horrible for being insensitive to Jai's feelings. On top of that, it was evident that Paige was smitten. The girl barely paid attention to her and was utterly attentive to Reese. It was a side of Paige she was seeing for the first time directed at someone else, and she felt jealous. That should be me. Emily thought miserably.


Reese nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and smacked her lips together as she checked her reflection in the mirror for the third time. The double date with Jai and Emily was going better than she expected, and the night was almost over. Reese mentally ran through the checklist she made in her head before going to dinner with Paige to see if she was forgetting anything.

Acknowledge Emily, check.

Show interest in Jai and Emily's relationship, check.

Show interest in Jai's life without making it awkward, check.

Make jokes during dinner, check.

Share something about herself, check.

She shouldn't be nervous. After all, it wasn't her first time to go on a double date with her girlfriend's friends. Back when she and Billie were seeing each other, she also had to get to know the girl's friends and vice versa. But for some reason, making a good impression on Paige's friends made her anxious. Probably because she knew the girl's friends before they started going out, and they weren't exactly on the best of terms. Especially Emily. Reese took a deep breath and adjusted the sleeves of her top as she took one last look at her reflection. Almost there. Just make it through dessert, and you would've passed the meet-the-friends test. The sound of the bathroom door swinging open made Reese look past her reflection, and she saw Emily enter the room. The girl seemed preoccupied with her skirt, so she hadn't seen Reese yet, giving the latter a chance to get her bearings before Emily finally noticed her.

"Reese," Emily uttered, surprised. She forgot the girl excused herself earlier to go to the bathroom. "You're still here."

"Yeah. Why? Did you think I would bail?" Reese asked, trying not to sound offended.

"No," Emily answered emphatically. "I meant here, in the bathroom. I completely forgot you were here." She clarified.

"Oh," Reese uttered, mentally retracting her claws. "Sorry. Um, do you need help?" She asked to change the subject. "Looks like you have a wardrobe malfunction."

Emily relaxed the grip on her skirt and nodded. One of the buttons on her skirt came loose because she kept fiddling with it while listening to Jai and Paige talk about their summer. She felt like any second, Jai would accidentally let it slip that they're not together anymore, and that made her uneasy, which made her fidget with the first thing her fingers made in contact with.

"One of the buttons came loose," Emily explained as she walked over to the girl. "But unless you have a sewing kit with you, you can't help me."

Reese wordlessly reached for her purse and rummaged inside it. "Maybe this will do the trick." She said, holding out a safety pin to the girl.

Emily looked up and reluctantly accepted the pin after a few seconds of hesitation. "Thanks." She uttered before busying herself with fixing her skirt.

"No problem," Reese replied. "See you outside." She bade, gathering her purse before heading for the door.

"You know, you don't have to be nice to me now that you and Paige are together," Emily said before the girl could leave. "You never really liked me ever since she introduced us."

Reese turned around to face the girl. "I don't not like you, Fields." She clarified. "I'm just annoyed with the way you treated Paige. You took advantage of her feelings for you, and the second your dead girlfriend returned, you just cast her aside."

"Coming from you, that's rich." Emily shot back.

"Meaning what?" Reese asked, arms crossed.

"Meaning you took advantage of Paige's broken heart," Emily replied.

"I did no such thing," Reese argued. "You're the coward and the idiot who broke her heart one too many times because you went back to Jai. Who, personally, I think, is a bigger coward and idiot for pretending to be dead for a year." She said before she could stop herself. Claws are definitely out.

"You don't know anything about Jai. You don't get to judge her. And in case you're forgetting, she's Paige's best friend." Emily reminded the girl.

"I know enough." Reese retorted. "And while I'm dating Paige, it doesn't mean I have to like every friend she has. Especially those who let her down."

"So, what? You were just pretending this whole time?" Emily asked, stunned.

"No. It's called being civil. And supportive. I know how much you and Jai mean to Paige." Reese explained. "But for the record, you need to get your facts straight. I didn't take advantage of her. She came to my room and kissed me. Not that it's any of your business."

She came to my room and kissed me. Emily stood in silence as the words resonated in her head. SHE kissed ME.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of Paige." Reese promised before turning around to head for the door. "You may not like me, but I have her best interests at heart."

Be nice to Emily. That would be a giant X. Reese thought as she exited the room. So much for having an uneventful night. Well, at least that's out of the way. She told herself wryly. As she made her way back to their table, Reese took a deep breath to calm herself down before returning to her seat.

"What did I miss?" Reese asked with a smile on her face.


"You've been awfully silent since dessert. Is everything okay?" Paige asked as she and Reese walked hand in hand toward her apartment. "Did you not like the food?"

Reese shook her head. "No. I loved it. Thank you for surprising me with the dinner reservation." She said, squeezing the girl's hand reassuringly. "I still can't believe you remembered that I wanted to try that restaurant."

"What? Do you really think I don't listen to you?" Paige asked as she nudged the girl playfully. "Of course, I remembered. I may have been at a different place back then, but yeah, I do pay attention when it counts." She promised the girl. "Which is why I know something's up with you tonight. Was it 'cause I didn't get you flowers? I should've bought flowers." Paige concluded, mentally cursing Jai for showing up with a bouquet for Emily.

Reese laughed. "Paige, you don't have to give me flowers. You already paid for that expensive dinner." She reminded the girl.

Paige shrugged. "I figured today was a special day not just for us, so I decided to splurge a little." She admitted. "Okay. So, if it's not the food and it's not the flowers, then what's wrong?" Paige asked, stopping in her tracks to face the girl. "Is it Emily?" She guessed hesitantly.

"Yes," Reese answered after a beat. "I mean, no. It's not her exactly. It's what happened in the bathroom." She confessed, telling Paige what transpired between her and Emily earlier.

Paige nodded. "Well, that explains the tension during dessert." She said thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry," Reese uttered. "It wasn't how I wanted the night to end. It's just that she was throwing all these accusations at me, and I got fed up!"

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Paige said, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Reese's ear. "I should be the one apologizing. I should've canceled the whole thing. I had a feeling things were going to be awkward. Maybe going on a double date was a bad idea." She added wryly. "And if you're not comfortable with me talking or interacting with Emily, I can stay away from her."

"You don't have to do that." Reese hurriedly told the girl. "It's probably just too early for us to be double dating with them. I don't want to have to tell you who you can and can't be friends with. I'm not that type of girlfriend. I trust you."

Paige exhaled in relief. "I'm going to make it up to you." She told the girl with a devilish grin.

Reese laughed. "So… I guess I'm staying over?" She asked, starting to pull on Paige's hand to lead the rest of the way to the girl's apartment.

"I wouldn't take no for an answer," Paige responded mischievously.

"I take it back. We should definitely go on awkward double dates with your friends more often." Reese said just as Paige grabbed her by the waist to pull her closer.

"Definitely," Paige whispered, her heart racing in anticipation as Reese's lips met hers.


"Here we are." Jai declared once she and Emily reached the front steps of Harrison House. "Home sweet home." She told the girl with a small smile.

"Thanks for walking with me," Emily said, returning the girl's smile.

Jai nodded. "No problem. Well, goodnight." She uttered, about to turn around to head back the way they came, but Emily stopped her.

"Actually… would it be okay if you stayed for a while?" Emily asked.

"Um… I don't think Spencer will appreciate that." Jai reminded the girl, looking past Emily toward the entrance to the building.

"That's okay. We can just stay here." Emily said, gesturing to the steps and lowering herself to take a seat.

Jai followed suit and studied the girl for a beat. "What's going on?" She asked after a moment of silence passed. "Em?"

"Did you… did you really get lost in the woods and almost caught hypothermia?" Emily asked in reply.

Jai took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I did. Good thing Ria was there. She nursed me back to health." She revealed. "I am so not cut out for outdoor activities." Jai quipped.

"Why didn't you tell me about that?" Emily asked, slightly hurt.

Jai chuckled. "Em, we never really talked about what I went through all those months I was running away. It's a sore topic between us." She reminded the girl. "It's the same reason why I never asked what happened between you and Paige while I was gone."

"Sorry. I was so focused on dealing with my pain; I forgot about yours." Emily told the girl ruefully. "It may not mean much now, but I'm listening if you want to talk."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." Jai said, giving the girl a small smile. "Now, what's really going on?" She asked, giving Emily a knowing look.

Emily sighed. "Going on that double date was a terrible idea." She admitted miserably. "All throughout dinner, I saw Paige treat Reese the way she used to treat me, and it was horrible because a big part of me hoped that she would give me a sign that she still felt something for me," Emily confessed. "Then I made a fool of myself when I confronted Reese in the bathroom, thinking she took advantage of Paige, but it turns out Paige kissed her first. Paige made the first move." She repeated, her tone somber. "Paige will probably get mad at me once she finds out what I did, and honestly, I can't blame her. I'm so sorry for dragging you into this mess."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Jai told the girl consolingly. "I could've said no, but I went along with it."

Emily shook her head firmly. "Don't let me off the hook so easily, Jai. I'm such a jerk. Paige had to remind me what today was supposed to be. I am the most insensitive person in the world for asking you to go on a double date with the girl I'm in love with, your best friend, on the date of our anniversary." She said remorsefully. "You even had to spend your salary on this bouquet just so we can keep up appearances."

"I don't mind," Jai reassured Emily. "And tonight wasn't a complete disaster. You stood up to Reese when she called me a coward and an idiot." She reminded the girl. "Thanks for defending what's left of my honor." Jai quipped.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I shouldn't have told you that. You and Reese were getting along so well." She said wryly.

"Don't get me wrong. I care about you, Em. But tonight was really about them. I wanted to be there for my friend. This is the first time I got to meet her girlfriend, and I'm genuinely happy for her." Jai confessed. "Whatever Reese thinks of me, I'm sure it's because she thinks Paige deserves better. And I completely agree."

"But what about Ria? Weren't you there when they started going out?" Emily asked.

"She and Ria got together when we were kids." Jai reminded the girl. "It's not the same."

"Well, I care about Paige, too, and I don't think one lousy decision should define who you are and your friendship with her." Emily insisted. "Reese doesn't know you. If she did, she would care about you the way everyone else does. The way I still do."

"Then why don't we give it another shot?" Jai asked softly.

"We already did, and it didn't work out." Emily reminded the girl.

"Why not just tell her we've broken up, then? What's the worst that could happen?" Jai asked, pretending to be unaffected by Emily's rejection.

"I just don't want her to ask why we broke up because how she will react means everything to me right now," Emily explained. "She could be indifferent, which would break my heart all over again, or she could break up with Reese to be with me. I'm just not ready to find out the answer. So, can you wait a little bit longer?"

Jai nodded wordlessly, and the two girls sat in heavy silence until Jai decided to speak again.

"Do you regret not telling her how you feel before she left?" Jai asked.

"Yes… and no." Emily answered after a beat. "Of course, I've thought about it countless times. I kept coming back to that night before she left. Maybe we would be together now if I said something. But that could mean Paige stayed or she would've left and still slept with Reese."

"Paige is not a cheater," Jai told the girl defensively.

"I know. But this thing between her and Reese didn't just happen overnight." Emily pointed out. "She already felt something for her back then. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made a move." She continued dejectedly. "Paige was just too hung up on me before to notice, and being with Reese for months changed things. Which is why a part of me doesn't regret not telling her before she left. Paige needs to see where things go with Reese."

"So… you're not giving up. Just giving way." Jai guessed.

Emily nodded without looking at the girl. "You know, despite arguing with Reese tonight, she was right about one thing. I broke Paige's heart one too many times." She admitted with a sad smile. "And if being with Reese right now is what it would take for her to heal, then I am willing to step aside," Emily told the girl earnestly. "I want Paige to be happy even if it's with someone else for now. I don't mind waiting. Because despite the pain that I've caused her, I know I can make her happy more than anyone else. When she's ready to be with me, I will spend the rest of my life loving her."

"Then I will stay by your side until then," Jai promised, trying not to cry. All this time, she really thought she had a chance. Still, she had to know. Jai took a deep breath while studying Emily. "I know I'm really going to regret this, but… how can you be sure you're going to end up together?" She asked.

Emily shrugged. "She's it for me." She answered confidently.