Hey guys! Thanks for continuing to read and review :) here is the other half of the split, kinda short chapter but it sets them up for the rest of the story hopefully. Update, I made two really bad grammar mistakes in the last paragraph so I re-uploaded this, forgot to double check before uploading the first time, sorry!

Emily woke up with a sinking feeling even though it was her birthday. The most contact she'd had with Paige was stumbling into her at yesterday's swim practice. They couldn't even look at each other. She sighed as she realised this would be the first birthday without Paige. There wasn't any real point to it without her. To keep up appearances she sent a picture on Snapchat with "It's my birthdaaay" before freaking out. She forgot to not send it to Paige. To her surprise, though, Paige snapped her back with a picture of what looked like a gift with a caption that wished Em a happy birthday. Emily had no idea what was happening. She put it down to Paige being kind before getting ready to go swimming before school.

Paige had been doing a lot of thinking that week since Alex left. Emily had already been through hell with Ali and then Maya, Paige should have known better than ditch her for just over 2 weeks. It just happened to be Em's birthday on the day she decided to change things between them. When put in perspective, a lot worse could've happened and so Paige had convinced herself it was time to fix it. Emily was the one to make the first mistake, Paige was the one to make the last. She counted on Emily going to swim this morning, something Paige had been neglecting. Hastily, she closed her window before leaving and lifted the present she had for Emily. She hoped Emily would like it. Hours it had taken her to put it together as well as seeking assistance from Emily's mom.

Emily got to the pool at around 7. She was really missing Paige's presence in the morning. No one else would swim this early. The lack of jokes and messing around was slowly but surely draining Emily. She was about to enter the pool when she heard the noise of a locker opening. Could it be...? No. Surely not. But... it was. Emily scrunched her face in confusion as Paige walked through the door. Was she kidding right now?

Paige walked apprehensively as soon as she saw the expression on Emily's face. The first thing she said was, "I come baring gifts," in an attempt to be funny. Emily's face lightened a little. Paige stretched the bag out in front of her to hand to Emily as she said happy birthday.

Emily took the bag that was being held out in front of her. She told Paige she would open it later as she really wanted to get in the pool. Paige nodded as she swallowed really loudly. Emily asked her if she was still coming on Saturday and entered the pool after Paige confirmed she was.


After a long day of swimming, driving with Spencer, dinner with her mom, and replying to endless "Happy Birthday!"s Emily finally got 5 minutes to herself to open Paige's gift. The card Paige had given her surprised her. It was comprised of every hand-made card Paige had made Emily when they were young. Stick Emily next to stick Paige, both with 4 fingers and triangles for noses, and happy birthday scrawled in different colours of ink markers. Emily looked inside the card and felt mixed feelings over what Paige had written.

"Dear Emily, I'm sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have let something like that come between us. I've been thinking of you every night and my stubborn side got the better every time. Giving you this might be a mistake or it might be the glue we need. I hope we can get back to annoying the hell out of each other soon. I've missed you. Happy Birthday misses! I hope you have a great day. Love always, Paige x P.S I hope you remember."

After seeing what the unwrapped gift was, the last sentence made sense to Emily. A jar of peanut butter. This was the earliest memory Emily had of Paige that didn't stem from photographs or stories. They must have been around 3. Pam was watching Paige for the weekend and Emily was obviously there. 3 year old Emily thought it to be tragic that Paige was deprived of certain foods by her over achieving parents who wanted the same for their daughter. Emily introduced Paige to peanut butter and Pam found them in Emily's room with two little teaspoons and messy faces as evidence. Every moment after that with Paige, Emily could recall. They were "buddies for life" according to 3 year old Paige. She hadn't been wrong. Emily opened the other little box to which Paige had stuck a post-it on. "Wear me :-)" it said. She emptied it into her hand. It was a silver bracelet with "buddies for life" engraved into it with a goofy smile at the end. Trust Paige to ruin nice jewellery with a dorky face, she laughed to herself. The last present was an envelope. Wondering what it could be, she opened it carefully. She finally smiled when she got it open. Tickets to a concert next March that her mom had refused to buy. She had to text Paige.

"Hey Paige. I don't really know what to say but thank you so much for the presents. Seriously it was all too much. Can we go swimming again tomorrow before school?"

"Oh shh Em xD Of course, shall I pick you up :-)?"

"Sure. I gotta go to bed, it's been a long day."

"Okay :-) Night night Em"

"Goodnight Paige. I'll see you later."

For the first time in weeks, both girls went to sleep with a smile on their faces. It was all going to be okay.


"Vodka - check, alcopops - check, beer - check..."

"Alcoholism - check," mocked Spencer as Hanna got ready to leave for the lake house. After all of the drink was loaded into the car there was only room for Caleb to drive Spencer and Hanna. Aria was going to swing by with Mike and Toby, and Paige was taking Emily. It was a cold Saturday so everyone was wrapped up warmly. They intended to get in such a state where additional clothing was no longer necessary.

Paige was calm and collected until she saw Emily leave her house. She was wearing a black strapless dress, tapered halfway down her thighs. Hair falling down in waves of silk. Eyes sparkling with life. Paige only began to laugh as Em started to shiver on her walk to the car. Paige turned on the car's heater just as Emily opened the passenger door. Paige shook her head in a jokey manner as Emily pulled her seatbelt on. They put on band CDs on the way there and sang to each other with Emily playing air guitar and Paige slamming her hands on the wheel as drums.

They were deliberately the last people there as Spencer wanted everyone to be there before Emily. Exiting the car, Emily saw everyone from a distance. The cold hit her and she started to shiver again. Paige laughed before taking her jacket off and putting it on Emily. The other girl was very grateful to have a layer of warmth at long last. She walked very tenderly as she was wearing very high heels with Paige walking cautiously behind her in case of accidents. Fortunately, no one fell and they both made it inside the house to a cheer from a large group of their friends for Emily who smiled and looked towards the floor shyly. Hanna bounced over with beers for them and dragged them into the middle of the room to where the party was at. They were spend at least a few hours drinking and dancing at the hands of Hanna.

As it approached half past midnight, several people were beginning to leave as only the group were staying. By this point, Emily was a drunken wreck; one of her more notorious qualities. She still couldn't handle her drink. She watched some girl flirt with Paige. It was like someone flipped a switch in her.

"Heeey Paige," she slurred as Paige quickly got up and said bye to the girl who she was just talking to. Paige smiled at Emily.

"Sooo. Not only do you come to my birthday party and not talk to me, you have the nerve to flirt with some other girl?" Emily grilled Paige who erupted into hysterics.

"Emily what are you talking about? I drove you here. I danced with you till like 11. I sat down to rest for a bit. I can't believe you."

"Nooo. I can't believe you. That's the second girl. And yet here I am still. Waiting, watching, nothing."

Paige looked at Emily in disbelief while Hanna looked on silently. Aria and Spencer had cleared out a long time ago.

"What 'second girl' are you talking about? Who is the first?"

"That girl in The Brew. The one who scribbled, wait dribbled her digits all over you."

"You mean Alex? My cous-"

"Cousin Alex. Oh." Emily had gotten it wrong. She was sure she would've recognised Alex but it had been a few years. Oh. Hanna was enjoying the drama but she swiftly left in case it kicked off to go and join Spence and Aria outside.

Paige knew Emily was drunk but so was she. She couldn't understand why it was a big deal. "Please explain why you care."

Emily edged closer until she was standing face to face with Paige. "You have never once looked at me like that. Paige, I'm jealous. So literally green-eyed, physically jealous of every girl you talk to."

Paige gulped as she stared at Emily, "What..."

"There, I said it. I like you, a lot. I didn't realise until Halloween. I get that the booze is really talking right now and I might regret this-"

Paige silenced her with a kiss before pulling away. She knew the magnitude of her actions but she also knew it had to happen.

Emily stood still staring intensely at Paige.

"Scenario 2: We put nothing behind us, we embrace our feelings. We admit we find each other attractive in every sense of the word. We realise we are drawn to each other in every way. We are beyond drunk and our hormones are getting the better of us but we know it's the side we're too afraid to show when we're sober. You only want to kiss me. We make sure more than 4 people know about it. We stay as best friends and remember this as we move into something more. We eat pizza and watch horrors and mock each other. I teach you driving and you irritate me at swimming. I call you when you work late shifts to make sure you get home again. We plan ridiculous parties and win swim meets. We get up at silly o'clock and race laps in the pool. We feed each other breakfast. We have a great time with each other. We joke. You call me out. I laugh at you. I look at you like you put the stars in the sky. I protect you and most importantly, I love you. Now and always."