DISCLAIMER: Pretty Little Liars and all its characters is 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 entirely of my own creation.
To all the readers of this fic... I just want to say that I am getting such good reviews from all of you... thanks for your support and enthusiasm about this story... the length/content of your reviews reflect it. So awesome.
I hope you guys won't get confused regarding the flow of this chapter. Most, if not all of you might understand it right from the get go but I hope everything will make sense to everyone once you get to the end.
iowahawx & Nae10… Thanks for the PM!
PART ONE: "Mutantur Omnia Nos Et Mutamur In Illis"
~ All things change, and we change with them. ~
CHAPTER SEVEN
Paige tossed and turned in her bed, determined to find the sleep that has eluded her for weeks. She glanced at the glowing numbers displayed on the digital clock on her bedside table and sighed. 2:13 AM. Staring at the ceiling, she slowly closed her eyes again, trying to empty her mind of any and all thoughts of what's to come later today. Of what today was supposed to be.
To the casual observer, she was just lying motionless in her bed, seemingly in a deep slumber. But in reality, Paige's mind was starting to grow restless again. Opening her eyes, she sighed in frustration when she checked the time and saw that not even a minute has passed. She finally sat up and let her eyes adjust to the darkness of her room before she stood up and headed for her bathroom, careful not to make a sound.
Paige knew her father has been worried sick about her lately and that he's probably in his room right now, half asleep while straining his ears to listen for any sound coming from her room. She had to be cautious. When she finally reached her bathroom, she flipped the light switch slowly, bathing the room in a pale yellow glow. Paige stared at her reflection in the mirror, studying the dark circles under her eyes before slowly turning on the faucet a little to splash some water on her face.
When she was done, she turned off the light and headed back to her bed, sitting on it with her knees drawn to her chest as she patiently waited for the first rays of the sun to enter her room once again. Paige knew it wasn't for at least a few more hours. But she also knew that she wasn't going to get any sleep at this time of day. Just like she hasn't been getting any sleep for the past two weeks. A feeling of dread overwhelmed her. It was starting again.
The instant Emily spotted Jai's familiar slender build and sleek, shoulder-length, layered black hair, she felt her lips break into an eager smile. At the moment, her girlfriend of more than three years was scanning the crowd but Jai hasn't seen her yet. Emily took the opportunity to study Jai. In the six months that her girlfriend was in London, although they spent the early part of their separation doing video chats, she still missed seeing her girlfriend in the flesh and now that Jai is making her way towards her, Emily couldn't help but shed tears of happiness. Her girlfriend looked skinnier than she remembered and the girl was obviously worn out but that couldn't hide the sheer happiness in Jai's gorgeous face as she got closer to Emily.
"Excuse me for the trouble miss but I seem to have found myself lost. Can you help me?" Jai asked, giving Emily a charming smile.
Emily brushed the tears from her eyes and went along with Jai's charade. "Sure. Where do you need to go?" She asked, smiling back.
"Rosewood, Pennsylvania." Jai answered. "Actually, my girlfriend was supposed to pick me up but I can't seem to find her." She added, looking around them helplessly.
"What does she look like? Maybe I can help you look for her." Emily offered.
"Well she's really beautiful." Jai began. "And not just on the outside. She's the kindest person I've ever met."
Emily laughed. "That's a really nice thing to know about your girlfriend. That she's kind." She said teasingly. "But you need to give me something more to go on. I can't exactly help you find someone who's beautiful and kind in this airport."
"Well I wasn't done describing her to you." Jai told the girl lightly. "She has long, raven-black hair, mesmerizing brown eyes, smooth, slender neck, tanned skin. I'm a few inches taller than her, which I love by the way because the top of her head ends up just below my nose when she leans on me and I get to smell her hair everytime. Oh and she has this great smile too. Kinda like the one you're sporting right now." She added casually.
Emily's smile grew even bigger. "I have to admit I haven't seen anyone around here fitting that description and I've been here for a few hours. I'm waiting for my girlfriend to arrive." She explained.
"Oh. Was she in this flight?" Jai asked, looking behind her to see the last of the passengers exit the terminal. "Maybe I could help you find her instead. What does she look like?" She asked, turning to face Emily again.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her for months so my memory of her might be a little hazy." Emily answered teasingly. "But she's totally gorgeous. Shoulder-length layered black hair, deep blue-grey eyes, smooth skin, perfect cheekbones. She easily stands out in a sea of people but not because she's tall. There's just something about her that would make you notice. And once you do, you'd think she's a ramp model. And don't get me wrong. I think she can be one. But she's way too smart for that. She actually went to London for an internship program." Emily revealed. "And she's the kindest person I've ever met. Probably kinder than your girlfriend."
"I find that hard to believe." Jai said softly. "It must've been hard for you. Being in a long-distance relationship with her."
"It was." Emily admitted. "But I want her to reach her dreams. Support her like she's always supported me."
Jai smiled. "You must love her a lot." She said, taking a step forward.
Emily nodded. "I do." She affirmed. "But I can't seem to find her. I was hoping I could show her just how much I missed her." She added, feigning disappointment.
"Well I'm sure she's dying to show you how much she missed you too." Jai said, her eyes traveling slowly to Emily's lips. "I was really looking forward to holding my girlfriend in my arms again actually. I just came from an internship in London myself."
"Really." Emily uttered, her eyes widening comically that she saw Jai fight back a grin. "What's your girlfriend's name?" She asked, moving closer to the girl.
"Emily Fields." Jai answered.
"Mine's Jasmine Hayes but I call her Jai." Emily revealed.
"Hey that's my name!" Jai exclaimed. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and opened her mouth to speak before shaking her head. "Nah."
"What?" Emily asked, feeling anxious.
"I didn't realize it until now but you look a lot like my girlfriend. But that's not possible." Jai explained.
"Why not?" Emily inquired.
"Because you're definitely far more prettier than her." Jai answered candidly.
"Well if I show you some identification will you believe that I'm Emily Fields?" Emily suggested, moving to take her wallet from her shoulder bag when she felt Jai's hand on her arm.
"That won't work." Jai said as she closed the distance between them. "I have a better idea." She whispered, pulling Emily close to her and giving the girl a deep kiss. "Yep. You're most definitely my girlfriend." She said breathlessly once they finally came up for air.
Emily was trying hard to fight back her tears but was quickly losing the battle. "You're late." She muttered, unable to see her girlfriend clearly through her blurred vision.
Jai gently wiped the tears rolling down Emily's cheeks. "I know. I'm so sorry, love. My flight got delayed." She explained before hugging Emily close to her. "But I'm here now. I'm home." She whispered reassuringly. "God I missed you."
Emily pulled Jai closer to her. "I missed you too." She said, her voice hoarse. "Promise me you won't leave again." She pleaded.
Jai nodded. "I'm not going anywhere." She promised. She moved to cup Emily's cheek in her hand and kissed her girlfriend on the lips again. "Come on. We better get going. The people at the surprise party might start thinking we eloped." She teased once they separated.
"Is that really such a bad thing?" Emily asked as she took Jai's hand in hers and they began walking towards the parking lot. "And how did you know there's a surprise party?"
Jai smiled. "My dad and Kayla didn't come with you and Paige when I left for London. I doubt they'd want to pass the chance to pick me up when I came back. Not unless there's a good reason." She added. "Speaking of. Where's my best friend?"
"Paige couldn't make it." Emily said apologetically. "She's been training every chance she gets. For what I have no idea. When I asked if she wanted to come with me tonight she declined. Said she was going to pass out from the exhaustion so she wanted to rest instead. But... she did promise me she's going to be at the party later." She added when she saw the disappointment in Jai's eyes. "Honestly I don't mind getting you all to myself for a few minutes before everyone steals your attention at the party."
"I think I can manage to slip away unnoticed later. Spend some more alone time with you." Jai said, glancing at Emily.
"I'd like that." Emily admitted, leading the way to Logan's car and opening the trunk. "So how was the flight?" She asked as she watched Jai place her luggage inside the compartment.
"Boring." Jai answered. "But that's probably because I spent most of it catching on sleep. How are things here?" She asked as she closed the trunk and she and Emily moved to get inside the car.
"Okay. I've been really busy with work and school stuff but I don't mind. It takes my mind off a little on the fact that we're thousands of miles apart." Emily explained.
"And you and Paige… are you two still getting along?" Jai asked cautiously as she settled on the passenger seat of the car and buckled her seatbelt.
Emily nodded. "We are. And I wasn't going to say anything until we get to the party so you can hear it for yourself but... Paige stopped calling me Sniffles." She revealed, smiling at Jai.
Jai stared at Emily in surprise. "When did this happen?" She asked, smiling herself.
"Few months ago. I was surprised when she said my name the first time and I thought it was a fluke at first but then after trick or treating she said it again. And she never called me Sniffles since then." Emily added, grinning.
Jai shook her head in disbelief. "It's about time. I thought my best friend wasn't going to come around. I'm glad she did." She admitted.
"Me too. Maybe now we can all start hanging out without her making fun of me." Emily hoped.
"Trust me. There will be time for that. For now I just want to spend the better part of the evening catching up on us." Jai said, taking Emily's hand in hers as the girl began the drive back to Rosewood. "By the way, to answer your question earlier, no. I don't think eloping is a bad thing. I just think you deserve more. I want everyone to be there when we get married." She said quietly, squeezing Emily's hand when her girlfriend gave her a delighted smile.
"Em, just leave my luggage inside the trunk. I'll come back for it later." Jai insisted as she followed Emily to the back of the car.
"I don't mind carrying it inside." Emily said as she popped open the trunk and moved to take out her girlfriend's luggage.
"But I do." Jai stated, stopping Emily. "Come on. My luggage isn't going anywhere. Let's go inside." She coaxed, closing the trunk and taking Emily's hand in hers.
"Fine." Emily finally said, giving Jai a sly smile. "But can you do me a favor?" She asked as she and Jai leisurely walked hand in hand towards the latter's house.
"Yeah. What is it?" Jai asked, glancing at her girlfriend.
"Pretend you don't know about the party." Emily answered, biting back a smile. "Remember that it's supposed to be a surprise." She added.
Jai laughed. "Yeah I think I can do that." She said reassuringly. "Exactly how many people are inside anyway?"
Emily shrugged casually. "How many can fit inside your house?" She teased. When she saw Jai's look of shock she laughed. "Relax. It's just a few people your dad and Kayla invited. Plus our friends of course."
"Of course." Jai repeated, smiling. "I'm just glad I'm not the host of the party this time. I want to sneak off to my room at some point, have you all to myself." She whispered in Emily's ear before kissing her girlfriend on the cheek.
"You read my mind." Emily whispered back. "Come find me after you're done with the meet and greet." She added before opening the front door and leading the way inside the darkened house.
The moment Jai's feet landed inside her house, the place was bathed in bright lights and filled with excited choruses of 'Surprise!' Everyone broke into eager smiles and applause, glad to have Jasmine Hayes back in their lives. Emily watched her girlfriend out of the corner of her eye as Jai took in everything. Although the girl knew of the surprise party, Jai couldn't fake the happiness in her face. Her girlfriend was really glad to be home. Emily smiled and glanced down, pleased that in all the excitement and in spite of people coming up to Jai to welcome her home, the girl never let go of Emily's hand.
"Can I get a hug from my big sister?" Kayla asked as she walked up to Emily and Jai with a huge grin.
Jai briefly let go of Emily's hand and enveloped her sister in a warm hug. "Of course. I missed you little sis." She said quietly.
"I missed you too." Kayla said, pulling back to look at her sister. "You look exhausted." She observed. "Internship kicked your arse in London, mate?" She asked in a phony English accent that made Emily and Jai laugh.
Jai shook her head. "No. I'm just tired from the flight. Nothing a little bit of rest won't cure." She said reassuringly. "Where's dad?"
"Right here." Logan's warm tone behind Kayla made Jai look past her sister. "Give your old man a hug." He said, moving forward with arms open and a proud smile on his face.
"You're not old, dad. At least you don't look the part." Jai added teasingly as she stepped into her father's arms and embraced him. "Thanks for throwing this welcome home party." She said when she pulled back.
"A lot of people missed you while you were in London. It's only right that they're here to celebrate your return." Logan explained. "Your sister and I will get out of your way now. You better start mingling with the guests. We have time to catch up tomorrow."
"Breakfast ala Hayes?" Jai said, smiling at her father knowingly.
Logan nodded. "Just like old times." He said before putting his arm around Kayla's shoulder and leading his other daughter away.
"It's definitely good to be home." Jai told Emily when they were finally alone, taking her girlfriend's hand in hers again and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Emily nodded and smiled softly. "Everything is as it should be." She said, looking into Jai's eyes.
"Hey where's Paige?" Jai suddenly asked, looking around them. "I thought she was going to be here?" She added, disappointed.
"Jai I'm sure she's just running late but she'll be here. She wouldn't miss this." Emily reassured her girlfriend. "In the meantime, do what your dad told you to. Mingle. I'm going to talk to my friends for a bit then come find me in your room later. I have a surprise for you." She whispered in Jai's ear, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek softly before leaving to find her friends.
Paige emerged from her bathroom, fresh from taking a shower. For a moment she just stood in the middle of her bedroom, her body wrapped in a white towel, contemplating what to do. She knew she needed to get ready if she wanted to make it in time but for some reason she couldn't find the energy to do anything. Finally, she forced her body to move, dragging her feet towards the direction of her closet. She studied her clothes inside, trying to decide what to wear for the occasion until she finally settled on a pair of jeans and a plain black shirt, deciding to wear on top of it a gray sweatshirt due to the cold weather.
When she was finally done getting ready, Paige stood transfixed in front of her full-length mirror. She stared at her reflection, blinking her eyes slowly. She tried to feel something. Anything. But she just felt numb. She started when she heard a short knock on her door and turned to face it.
"Are you decent, honey?" Nick McCullers asked from behind the door.
Paige glanced at her reflection in the mirror before answering. "Yeah. Come in." She called out, trying to sound normal.
Nick pushed the door open, entering the room and letting the door swing close behind him. For a while he just stood there, studying his daughter closely. Paige tried her best not to seem tired and lacking sleep, hoping that the concealer she just applied would do the trick to hide the dark circles under her eyes.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Nick asked cautiously, his eyebrows creased with worry.
Paige nodded. "She's my best friend, dad. I have to be there." She answered, her voice hoarse.
"What time are you going to the Hayes'?" Nick inquired, taking a look at the time on his watch. "I don't have any plans today so you can use the car if you're not too tired to drive." He offered.
"I'm not." Paige said hurriedly. "I'm running late actually so it would be better if I drove there instead of riding my bike." She added.
Nick took out the car keys from his jean's front pocket and handed it to his daughter. "Are you going to be okay? Can you handle being there?" He asked anxiously.
Paige forced herself to give her father a small smile. "Yeah. I'll be fine dad." She said reassuringly as she took the keys and pocketed them. She waited for her father to leave but the man wasn't done checking in on her.
"Paige… I don't know exactly… how hard today is for you. I just know that it's not easy. Considering what happened in the past." Nick began, trying to put into words what he wanted to say to his daughter. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm here. If you need anything just call me." He said, his voice almost pleading. "I'm just a phone call away. Okay?"
"Okay." Paige replied. "Thanks dad." She added quietly.
Nick gave his daughter a smile. "Okay. I guess I better get out of your way then. Let you finish in here." He said, looking around his daughter's room anxiously to make sure nothing was out of place before leaving.
"Dad." Paige called out as her father pushed her bedroom door open. "Maybe tonight we could have dinner with Gwen. Celebrate a little." She added, subtly telling her father that she's not going anywhere.
"I would really love that." Nick admitted, the relief evident in his voice as he smiled at his daughter again. "I love you honey." He said emotionally.
"I love you too, dad." Paige said, giving her father a genuine smile before Nick left her room.
When he was finally gone, Paige absentmindedly stared at the swinging door for a moment, her mind going blank. She shook her head firmly, trying to fight the helplessness she felt. Now wasn't the time. She checked her reflection in the mirror one last time before finally forcing herself to move, making sure she had everything she needed before leaving her bedroom.
Emily nervously looked up when she heard the door to Jai's bedroom open. She had been fidgeting while she sat on the side of Jai's bed, waiting for her girlfriend to enter her own room. After tonight, things between her and Jai are going to change and although she was nervous about taking the next step with her girlfriend, she felt it was time.
"Em?" Jai called out softly from the doorway. "Are you in here?"
"Yeah." Emily answered, her voice hoarse. "Lock the door." She said when Jai stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
"Why are you sitting in the dark?" Jai asked, confused. She moved to turn on the lights when Emily spoke up.
"Don't." Emily said urgently. "Leave it as it is. Just come here." She added, extending a hand towards her girlfriend.
Jai slowly made her way towards the bed, the moonlight streaming in from the balcony her only source of light. She smiled when she finally saw Emily seated on her bed, the black lace and satin slip her girlfriend was wearing shimmering against the moonlight behind her.
"Wow." Jai uttered breathlessly, her eyes traveling from Emily's bare feet to her shapely calves, pausing to take in how the hem of the piece of cloth her girlfriend wore rode up her mid-thigh before making its way to Emily's flat stomach. Jai continued to take in Emily's flawless form, letting her eyes wander to the girl's chest which rose and fell as the girl tried to calm her nerves, to her girlfriend's slender neck, finally resting on the girl's gorgeous face.
Emily felt her cheeks flush under Jai's gaze and she consciously tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Standing up, she waited until Jai was standing in front of her before taking her girlfriend's hand in hers. "Do you like it?" She asked timidly.
Jai nodded wordlessly and brought her hand to Emily's cheek, caressing it. "Very much." She finally managed to say, her voice hoarse.
"Show me." Emily asked, gazing into Jai's eyes. "Show me how much you like it." She said breathlessly.
Jai took a deep breath and closed the distance between them, giving Emily a deep kiss as she held her girlfriend firmly by the waist. When she finally pulled away, Jai slowly moved her hands to start unbuttoning her top, her eyes never leaving Emily's.
"Let me." Emily whispered, kissing Jai again as she slowly placed her hands over the girl's, nervously unbuttoning Jai's top and slowly sliding it off her shoulders, letting the light material fall on the floor. She paused to look at Jai in just her jeans and bra, trying to get used to seeing her girlfriend almost naked for the first time.
"Are you sure?" Jai asked softly. "We can stop if you're not ready." She said understandingly.
Emily shook her head, unable to look into Jai's eyes. "I'm ready." She assured her girlfriend, letting her hands settle on the waistband of Jai's jeans while she gathered the courage to unbutton it. She finally moved when she felt Jai kiss her on the forehead tenderly, the gesture comforting her.
Jai helped Emily take off the cumbersome piece of clothing, both of them laughing nervously when the girl's jeans got caught in her feet while trying to step out of it.
"I got it. I got it." Jai said in between laughs as she finally got rid of her jeans. She stopped laughing when she noticed that Emily fell silent and that the girl was just standing in front of her, Emily's eyes taking in Jai's semi-naked form. "You okay?" She asked nervously.
Emily nodded, her feet involuntarily taking a small step backwards. She let out a nervous laugh when she realized that Jai's bed was right behind her. "I'm just really nervous." She admitted hoarsely.
"Don't be." Jai whispered reassuringly. She moved to take Emily's hand in hers, never letting go of the girl's hand while she lifted the bed covers.
Emily watched as Jai got in first, the love and longing in her girlfriend's eyes making her follow suit. For a moment they just held each other's gaze as they knelt on Jai's bed until the girl finally moved to capture Emily's lips on hers, her hands slowly making its way to Emily's bare thigh.
"Do you want me to take it off?" Jai asked when they came up for air.
Emily bit her lower lip before nodding; her pulse racing as Jai slowly lifted the smooth material off her. She swallowed hard when she saw the desire in Jai's eyes the moment her girlfriend saw her in just her underwear.
"You're beautiful." Jai said when she finally met Emily's eyes. "Even more than I imagined." She whispered, moving to kiss her girlfriend hungrily, their lips parting as Emily granted access to Jai's tongue.
Emily's breath hitched when she felt Jai's hands slowly moving towards her bare breasts and she moved her hands to unhook the girl's bra first, reminded that of the two of them, Jai was slightly more 'dressed'. Her pulse was racing, nervous about what's coming but she didn't want to stop. She moaned when she felt Jai's hands cup her breasts and leaned closer to her girlfriend when Jai began to fondle them. Emily suddenly shivered and Jai slowed down when she felt it.
"Let's get you under the covers." Jai whispered, gently brushing a strand of hair away from Emily's eyes.
Emily nodded and moved to slip under the comforter, Jai following her as the girl positioned herself on top of Emily. She gazed into Jai's eyes and smiled. "I missed you so much." She said hoarsely.
"Show me." Jai asked quietly. "How much you missed me." She said, gazing at Emily with undiluted desire and love.
Emily slowly moved her hands towards the waistband of Jai's underwear, her fingers grazing the girl's bare thighs as she pulled down the piece of clothing and Jai helped her remove it. She swallowed hard when she felt her girlfriend's naked body press against hers and leaned forward to eagerly meet Jai's lips. She instinctively lifted her hips when she felt the girl's hands slowly move to pull down her underwear, letting out a moan when she felt every inch of their skin touch.
"I love you, Emily Fields." Jai whispered, staring into Emily's eyes. "Now until forever." She said earnestly.
"I love you too, Jasmine Hayes." Emily whispered hoarsely. Three years ago she gave her heart to the girl lying on top of her. Tonight, it was time she gave herself to Jai. "Now until forever." She promised as she moved her hand to the back of her girlfriend's neck, pulling the girl closer to her as she captured Jai's lips on hers once again.
Paige slowly made her way around the Hayes' spacious house, trying to remain inconspicuous as she searched the crowd for a particular individual. She left her house later than she expected and by the time she got to the Hayes', the place was already packed with people who came to show their love and support. For a while she remained frozen in place, trying to think where Kayla could be before deciding to head to the backyard, playing on a hunch that the girl was hiding out there.
Once she was outside, Paige took a moment to breathe in the cool afternoon air. Compared to the atmosphere inside, out here things seemed a bit lighter and as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the afternoon sun, she finally spotted Kayla sitting on one of the swings, her back turned to the house.
Paige slowly approached the motionless girl, walking in front of Kayla once she was near her. She forced a smile on her lips when the girl looked up and their eyes locked.
"Hey." Paige managed to say. "I'm here." She continued. She waited for Kayla to stand up before she moved to give the girl a comforting hug. "I know I'm late getting here. I'm sorry. I was..."
Kayla shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You're here now." She interjected, resting her head on Paige's chest. "That's the only thing that matters."
Paige held Kayla a moment longer before finally pulling away. "Your house is ridiculously overflowing with people." She observed, trying to lighten the mood as she moved to sit on the swing next to Kayla. "It's suffocating." She admitted.
"Tell me about it." Kayla said in agreement, looking behind her to watch as random people walked in and out of her house. "I couldn't handle it so I decided to take a breather out here."
Paige nodded understandingly. "Can't say I blame you. I don't even know half the people inside." She said wryly.
Kayla studied Paige out of the corner of her eye before speaking again. "Em's here. At least she was. I saw her briefly earlier but then she disappeared. I guess she's still somewhere inside. I really don't know." She admitted.
"How is she?" Paige asked, not meeting Kayla's eyes.
"I couldn't tell." Kayla answered. "You should head back inside. Maybe you can answer that question yourself once you find her."
Paige nodded absentmindedly, taking a deep breath before getting up. "Are you going to be okay?" She asked, looking down at Kayla worriedly.
"Yeah." Kayla said, smiling faintly. "Are you?" She inquired, throwing the question back at Paige.
"Yeah." Paige answered after a beat. "Yeah I'll be okay."
"Then I'll be right behind you. I just need a few more minutes to myself." Kayla explained.
"Okay." Paige uttered, studying Kayla for a second before turning her back to the girl to head inside.
Paige slowly made her way towards the house, dreading stepping inside and being surrounded by people she barely knew. The last thing she wanted right now was to be around strangers. As she got nearer, she started to feel restless and agitated. She was in an open space but she was suffocating. I can't be here. She thought, starting to pull at the neck of the sweatshirt she was wearing. She wasn't fine. Not at all. She was lying to herself and to her dad when she said earlier that she could handle being here. Before she changed her mind, she headed for the driveway instead of the back door. I'm sorry Kayla. But I need to get out of here.
Emily slowly opened her eyes and blinked several times as she tried to adjust to the brightness of the room. For a moment she tried to get her bearings, feeling her lips break into a small smile when she realized where she was. Turning her back to the French doors that open to the balcony, she moved to face the other side of Jai's bedroom and found herself staring into her girlfriend's eyes.
"Hey there sleepyhead." Jai said in greeting, smiling softly.
"Hey." Emily repeated, her voice hoarse. "Did you sleep well?" She asked, smiling back.
"Best sleep I've had in years." Jai answered. "How about you?"
"Same." Emily admitted. She took in her girlfriend's features before speaking again. "I wish we could spend the entire day in this bed."
"We could." Jai began, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "We have everything we need in here. My mini fridge's stocked with food and drinks; we have cable, Internet, a bathroom. You can wear my clothes but after last night I'd rather you stay naked." She teased, making Emily blush profusely. "So. What do you say? Want to spend the entire day locked in a room with me? Although I have to warn you, you might start getting tired of me."
"That would never happen." Emily said adamantly. "I'm tempted to stay here all day but it's Saturday." She reminded Jai. "Downstairs your sister, Logan and Paige are waiting for us to have breakfast with them."
"I think they'll survive without us. It's not like the kitchen is inside my room." Jai said lightly. "Although if they refuse to eat until we join them they might die of starvation." She said as an afterthought, making Emily laugh. "You're right. We should eat breakfast with them. Then spend the rest of the day here in my room. While we're downstairs we should also get some more food."
"Like milk and cereals." Emily suggested.
Jai grinned. "Are you planning to spend the night here again? Those are breakfast foods." She pointed out.
"That's very assuming of you. Maybe I just like eating cereal for lunch or dinner." Emily challenged.
"Fine. Eat it during lunch. I'd like to take you somewhere for dinner tonight." Jai said seriously.
"Like a date?" Emily asked timidly.
"Like a date." Jai confirmed. "I have to tell you something. The conversation we had before I boarded my flight from London. I want to continue it." She said quietly. "It's not a bad thing." She added when she saw the worry in Emily's eyes. "I told you before that it's not a bad thing."
"But it's about our future." Emily said, remembering their conversation.
"Yeah. Our future." Jai repeated. "It's still us, Em. Not mine or yours. It's ours. We're not breaking up." She insisted.
Emily nodded. "Okay." She said quietly.
"Em I'm not going anywhere." Jai promised. "You're still the girl I want to marry someday. There're just some things we need to talk about. Like our plans."
Emily was about to speak when she and Jai heard a knock on the bedroom door, making her seize the comforter and pull it close to her naked body.
"Rise and shine Jai. Breakfast is in thirty. Get your ass out of bed and downstairs." Kayla called from behind the door.
"I'm up Kayla!" Jai called out as she twisted her body to face the door. "I'll just take a quick shower and be down in a few minutes." She added. She turned to face Emily and smiled. "I guess that's our cue. Do you want to take a shower first or should I?" She whispered so Kayla wouldn't hear her.
"You first." Emily whispered back, still a little uncomfortable with letting Jai see her naked in the light of day.
Jai nodded understandingly. "Put on some clothes while I'm in the bathroom." She instructed before sitting up and grabbing part of the comforter, using the material to cover her body while she put on her clothes.
"Wait." Emily said, sitting up and grabbing Jai's hand. "Once I walk out of here with you they're going to know. And I kinda want this thing between us to stay... between us." She admitted timidly.
Jai smiled. "Em they're used to you spending the night here. They're not going to find out." She said reassuringly before giving Emily a quick kiss.
"Hey Em if Jai's clothes doesn't fit you I can always lend you mine." Kayla suddenly called out, letting the two girls know that she was still standing outside. "You two aren't fooling anyone, Jai. Your door is locked." She added, jiggling the doorknob for effect.
Emily felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. "Perfect. Kayla knows." She muttered under her breath, closing her eyes briefly.
"She won't say a word." Jai assured her girlfriend.
"Em, dad wants to know if you want omelet or crêpe for breakfast." Kayla asked from behind the door again. "He said he's cooking both unless we all just want omelet."
"Okay you have to talk to her or she's not going away." Emily told Jai, starting to laugh.
Jai leaned forward and kissed Emily quickly. "Omelet?" She guessed, heading for her bedroom door when her girlfriend nodded. She briefly turned around to make sure that Emily was decent enough before opening the door a crack. "Okay one; keep your mouth shut during breakfast about this." Jai said once she saw Kayla's knowing smile. "Two, thanks for the offer but Em can wear my clothes. Three, tell dad my girlfriend wants omelet for breakfast."
Kayla managed to sneak a peek behind her sister and grinned at the girl seated on Jai's bed. "I guess it is a good morning for you two." She declared, looking at Emily and Jai. "Don't worry. I'm keeping my mouth shut." She promised Emily before bounding down the stairs to go back to the kitchen.
Jai locked the door behind her once again and looked at Emily, laughing with her girlfriend. "Okay I'm going to take a shower now before my dad knocks this time." She said before heading towards the bathroom.
"Jai?" Emily called out after her girlfriend.
"Yeah?" Jai said, turning around.
"Last night was amazing. I just wanted you to know that." Emily admitted quietly.
Jai smiled. "Glad to know I wasn't the only one who felt that way about last night." She confessed before turning her back to head to the bathroom.
Emily waited until her girlfriend closed the bathroom door behind her before she grabbed the pillow on Jai's side of the bed and hugged it. She took a deep breath, unable to fight the huge smile that tugged on her lips when she inhaled Jai's scent and remembered everything that happened between them last night.
Paige crossed her arms in front of her chest, her eyes taking in the wide expanse of land below her as she leaned against the hood of her father's car. For days she had been trying to pretend that nothing was wrong. That nothing was out of the ordinary despite being unable to sleep at all. All day she had been trying to pretend that today was just like any normal day but the truth is it's not. In a few hours she would have to say goodbye and the thought of doing so was already taking its toll on her.
The town of Rosewood seemed so far from where she stood. Like it existed in a different time and place and right now she would give anything for that to actually happen. To wake up and realize that the past two weeks was just a horrifying nightmare.
Paige started, distracted from her thoughts when she felt her phone vibrate from the back pocket of her jeans. She took a deep breath and got her phone out, rubbing the side of her head when she saw Kayla's name flashing on the screen. Jai's sister was probably wondering where she went. Paige knew she should answer the call so Kayla wouldn't get worried about her but she didn't want to go back down there and deal with everything. Not yet. She touched the reject button on her phone's screen and walked over to the driver's side of the car, dropping her phone unceremoniously on the seat before going back to the front end of the car. She miserably gazed at the town of Rosewood below, placing her hands inside the pockets of her sweatshirt and sighed. What happens now?
Thirty minutes later, Emily slowly followed Jai downstairs dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a button-down shirt her girlfriend lent her. The day was off to a good start but for some reason she dreaded heading down to breakfast today. When she saw that Jai's best friend wasn't seated at her usual place at the dining table, she realized the reason why when she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
When Logan saw them enter the dining room, he gave the two girls a warm smile. "Good morning ladies." He said in greeting as he stood in front of the stove cooking breakfast.
"Good morning." Emily greeted politely, smiling back at Logan as she and Jai sat down on their usual seats at the table.
"Where's Paige?" Jai asked Logan and Kayla, glancing at the empty seat beside her sister before taking a quick look at the time on her watch. "Shouldn't she be here by now? I barely had time to catch up with her last night so I was hoping we'd be able to hang out today."
"Yeah. Paige told me it was like you vanished into thin air last night." Kayla revealed to her sister teasingly. "I said you were just jet-lagged from the trip so you probably decided to turn in early. Little did I know..." She trailed off, winking subtly at Emily and Jai. When the two girls glared at her, she continued. "Anyway. I tried calling her after I went to your room but she wasn't answering. Then I remembered. Her dad's here for the weekend. Even if she answered my call she'll probably tell me she won't be able to make it coz she wanted to spend some time with him." She explained.
"Oh." Jai uttered, disappointed. "I guess I'll just call and ask if she can meet us at your house later for a few hours. If that's okay." She added, turning to face Emily. "Which I'm getting a sense right now that it isn't. What's wrong, Em? You look relieved." She noted, studying her girlfriend closely. "Is it because Paige isn't here?"
"I'm sorry." Emily said, looking at Jai apologetically. "I know you really want to spend time with her. I guess I just can't shake this feeling that she's going to take one look at us and figure it all out. And I don't want her to know. She's going to start making fun of me again." She admitted anxiously.
"Wait. I thought you and Paige were getting along?" Jai asked, confused.
"We are. But that doesn't mean I'm comfortable with her knowing intimate stuff about us. Remember what she did at your going away party?" Emily reminded her girlfriend.
"She apologized for that, right?" Jai asked cautiously.
Emily nodded. "She did. But it doesn't erase the fact that she can be such a jerk when she wants to mess around. I'm not comfortable with her knowing about this." She said quietly.
Jai took Emily's hand in hers and gave it a firm squeeze. "I guess I can just spend time with her tomorrow." She said understandingly. "Today's going to be all about us."
Emily smiled. "Yeah. You've been back barely a day. I'm not done having you all to myself." She said coyly.
"Oh my god you two tone it down." Kayla muttered under her breath. "Dad's in the same room with us." She reminded Jai. "I thought you two didn't want him to know?"
"Know what?" Logan asked as he placed a plate of omelet at the center of the table before sitting at his usual spot. He focused his attention on Jai and Emily, expecting one of them to speak up.
"I wasn't going to say anything until after I talked to Emily about it." Jai admitted, glancing at Emily out of the corner of her eye and squeezing her girlfriend's hand comfortingly. "But Dr. Witte, the head of King's Psychiatry Department, offered me a spot in the Maudsley training program. He said I could submit a late application if I was interested." She explained.
"That's great news." Logan said, beaming at his daughter proudly. "This calls for a celebration." He declared jovially.
Jai smiled at her father. "Dad we just had a party last night." She reminded him. "I think we're good with the celebration."
"I meant celebratory dinner. Just us. And Emily of course. Let's have one tonight. I'll make the reservations." Logan volunteered.
"Dad can we do that tomorrow night? Emily and I already made plans for dinner tonight." Jai revealed, glancing at her girlfriend who was obviously still trying to process the news. "Besides, this is a decision I need to make with my girlfriend." She stated firmly.
"Jai it's fine. The fact that you've been offered a spot in the training program at the Maudsley hospital is enough reason to celebrate." Emily said, not wanting to be caught in the middle of a discussion about Jai's career as a doctor and their future as a couple. "We can have dinner tomorrow night instead. Tonight we should have dinner with your family." She insisted, trying to keep her expression neutral. The two of them may have evaded Logan finding out something happened between them last night but Jai's revelation about the option to study in London for college completely caught her off guard. This wasn't the way she wanted to find out about it.
Jai shook her head. "I made plans with you first." She said decisively. "Dad it's fine if we have dinner tomorrow night, right?" She asked Logan, looking at her father for his approval.
Logan nodded. "Of course. It's better actually. We can have dinner in Philly instead since Kayla needs to get back to Girard anyway. She'll be nearer." He added. "Well then, we better start eating breakfast." He said as he lifted the plate of omelet and handed it to his eldest daughter. "Dig in while it's hot."
Emily forced herself to give Jai a small smile as her girlfriend transferred a generous portion of the omelet on Emily's plate first before transferring some on hers. "Thanks love." She managed to say before picking up the knife and fork lying beside her plate. She sliced a small portion of her breakfast and forced herself to put it in her mouth despite not having the appetite to eat now that she found out that Jai could be leaving again.
"That wasn't how I wanted you to find out about it." Jai began, finally breaking the silence between them as she and Emily walked hand in hand and got nearer the latter's house.
Emily was so shocked by the news that she barely said anything the rest of breakfast. Her behavior, of course, didn't go unnoticed by her girlfriend and Jai did her best to fill the silence by telling her dad and Kayla all about London and her experience there, never letting go of Emily's hand the entire time she was talking. Until now, Emily still felt faint as her mind continued to process the news. Of course she was happy for Jai. But it was unexpected and not part of their plan at all. And now she didn't know what was going to happen between them. She barely made it… being separated from Jai for months. If her girlfriend decided to pursue her studies in London instead of UPenn… she didn't know if she could survive being separated from Jai for years.
"Was that the thing you wanted to talk to me about at dinner tonight?" Emily asked, not meeting Jai's eyes.
Jai nodded. "Yeah. It was." She admitted. "I know it's like… the worst news you've ever gotten from me…"
Emily quickly glanced at her girlfriend. "What? No. How could you think that? It's not." She insisted. "I mean, yeah, I'm not jumping for joy about it but that doesn't mean I don't want it for you." She explained hurriedly. "I'm just having mixed feelings about it right now. What would this mean for us? Do you want to accept the offer?"
"It's a great opportunity." Jai said thoughtfully. "But I don't want to stop being an us and I don't think you want to be in a long-distance relationship with me. Being away from each other for months was hard enough. But years? I don't think I can take it." She confessed.
"So you're torn about this." Emily concluded.
"I am." Jai admitted. "Like I said, it's a great opportunity. I won't deny that. But I don't want to sacrifice our relationship for it."
"Well I don't want you to sacrifice your future for us." Emily said quietly before removing her hand from Jai's to open the front door of her house.
"Sweetie. Is that you?" Pam called out from inside the living room.
"Yeah mom. It's me." Emily answered as she stepped inside the cozy room, followed close behind by her girlfriend. "Jai's here." She added.
Pam put down the paper she was reading and immediately stood up to approach Jai. "Welcome home Jasmine." She said in greeting as she moved to hug Emily's girlfriend. "You look thinner." She observed once she stepped back to take a good look at the girl.
"The internship really took its toll on me." Jai admitted, wearily running a hand through her hair. "But I don't mind finishing early. It's good to be home." She added, glancing at her girlfriend.
"Until you have to leave again." Emily reminded Jai, unable to hide the bitterness she was feeling at the moment.
Pam looked at Emily and Jai cautiously. "Is there something wrong?" She asked, concerned.
Jai shook her head. "No. There are just some things we need to talk about right now. My internship at King's opened new doors for me and Emily and I are trying to figure things out." She explained, smiling at Pam reassuringly.
"We'll be upstairs." Emily informed her mother. She waited for Jai to follow her but her girlfriend gestured for her to wait.
"By any chance, are you free tomorrow night?" Jai asked Pam timidly. "My dad wants to have a celebratory dinner in Philly and it would be great if you could join us. I know Wayne is back in Afghanistan but we haven't had those family dinners for a while now. Maybe tomorrow could give all of us a chance to catch up?"
"Of course." Pam answered, giving Jai a warm smile.
Jai nodded her head eagerly. "Great. I'll tell my dad you'll be joining us then." She added, turning around to leave the room when Pam suddenly called out after her.
"Well are you going to tell me what we're celebrating or do I have to wait until tomorrow night to find out?" Pam asked Jai, amused.
Emily interjected before her girlfriend could answer the question. "Jai's going back to London for college mom. Awesome, right?" She exclaimed unenthusiastically before leaving the room and heading upstairs.
"I better follow her." Emily heard Jai say to Pam apologetically from downstairs. She quickly made her way to her room and went inside, closing the door behind her. This day was quickly becoming one of the worst days of her life.
A few seconds later, Emily heard a cautious knock on her door but she didn't say anything. She didn't even take her eyes off the object she was staring at when she heard the door open and close behind her.
"I never told you this but... before you left, I promised myself that I was going to accomplish a few things off our vision board this year." Emily began. "That I would be able to do that before you came back so you could be proud of me. But seven months later here we are, standing on the same spot where we found out you got into King's College and I haven't checked a single thing off." She said dejectedly, not taking her eyes off their vision board. "You're going places and I'm still here. You're leaving me behind."
Jai slowly wrapped her arms around Emily's waist from behind, pulling her girlfriend close to her. "We have all the time in the world, Em." She whispered reassuringly as she rested her chin on Emily's shoulder. "That right there is our future. I'll help you achieve your dreams." She promised as they both stared at their vision board.
"I feel like we're running out of time." Emily admitted, placing her hands on top of Jai's. "I don't want you to leave me behind. But I don't want you to miss this opportunity." She said hoarsely.
Jai took a deep breath and moved to face her girlfriend, turning her back on the vision board. "Em I'm not leaving you behind." She began, stroking Emily's cheek softly. "I meant what I said back at the airport. I'm not leaving you again. I don't plan on pursuing a career in London. Nor do I plan on living there. I'm right where I'm supposed to be. We'll go to UPenn together. Just like we planned." She promised, gently brushing the tears that fell from Emily's eyes. "We'll always be together. No matter what." She whispered when the girl moved to hug her. "And just because you haven't checked anything off our vision board yet doesn't mean I'm not proud of you." Jai said quietly as she stroked Emily's back gently. "The things we placed there are just some of the things we want out of life. It doesn't define us entirely. I'm proud of you Emily Fields. Always remember that."
The sound of a distant buzzing made Paige strain her ears, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. When she realized that her phone was vibrating once again against the driver's seat, she thought about ignoring the call but something about the way it was buzzing made her push herself off the hood of her dad's car and approach the door to the driver's side. She leaned her head forward through the rolled down car window and grabbed her phone inside, checking to see who was calling her this time. Her eyes narrowed when she saw that the number wasn't registered in her phone and for a second she debated what to do.
"Hello?" Paige said in greeting when she finally decided to answer the call.
"Paige? It's Spencer." The voice at the other end of the line made Paige furrow her brows in confusion. "One of Emily's friends." Spencer added when Paige failed to say anything in response.
"Yeah. Yeah I know who you are." Paige managed to say after a beat. "I was just surprised. Why are you calling me?" She asked, puzzled.
"Where are you?" Spencer inquired, not answering Paige's question.
Paige looked around her, thinking of a response to that question. "Somewhere outside of Rosewood." She finally answered vaguely. "Why?"
"Can you come to Emily's house?" Spencer asked in a tone that made it obvious to Paige that the girl was reluctant to ask this of her.
"Why?" Paige asked again. "Isn't she at the Hayes'? Kayla told me she saw Emily there earlier."
"She was there." Spencer began. "With me, Hanna and Aria. But we didn't stay long. Hanna said she saw Logan take Emily aside and then gave something to her. She didn't see what it was. But after that Emily asked that we take her home and she hasn't said a word since then." She explained.
"And you called me because...?" Paige inquired, still confused about the entire conversation she was having with one of Emily's friends.
"You might be able to get through to her." Spencer answered reluctantly.
"I don't know about that." Paige said, the uncertainly evident in her voice.
"Can you try? Just this once. For Jai. Do this for Jai. Keep the promise you made to your best friend." Spencer reminded her.
Paige swallowed hard, conflicted as to why she's going to do what she's about to do. "Fine. I'll be there soon." She said before ending the call without giving Spencer a chance to respond. She stared at the phone she held in her hand for a moment, seemingly in a daze. She still didn't want to return to Rosewood. Not until it was time to say goodbye. But Emily... Paige wearily ran a hand through her hair and glanced at the town below... she had to get back to reality for Emily.
"Come on. Not even a peek?" Jai asked pleadingly as she tried to move past Emily to get to her girlfriend's closet.
"Nope." Emily repeated, shaking her head adamantly. "Not even a peek." She repeated.
"But how am I supposed to buy my tux for prom if I don't know what you're wearing?" Jai reasoned out.
"Royal blue. That's the color of my dress. That's the only clue I'm giving you." Emily stated firmly, grinning when she saw Jai's frustration at being the denied the opportunity to see her prom dress.
"It's not fair. Paige saw you wearing it." Jai reminded Emily.
"But I bought the dress for you. That's why I don't care if she saw it already. Letting you see me wear it before prom is totally different. I want to see the look on your face when you see me wear it for the first time." Emily confessed. "I was worried about buying a dress this early actually."
"Why?" Jai asked, finally giving up and sitting on the edge of Emily's bed.
"I just feel like it's too soon." Emily explained, moving to sit beside Jai. "Don't you?"
Jai shook her head. "No. I don't. I actually wish I could take you to prom right now. May just seems so far." She said, smiling at Emily faintly.
"I can't wait for prom too." Emily admitted.
Jai suddenly grinned. "You are most definitely going to be this year's prom queen." She stated confidently.
"Well as long as you get to be my king I don't have a problem with it." Emily said softly.
"I will always be your king." Jai promised, taking Emily's hand in hers. "And if you can tell me that you already have a prom dress but won't let me see it, now it's my turn to tell you that I have a present for you from London but I won't tell you what it is." She said teasingly.
Emily's eyes widened. "What?! That's not fair! Mine is just a dress. Yours is a gift." She pointed out.
"All the more reason not to tell you about it. Don't you think?" Jai said, laughing lightly.
"Tell me." Emily pleaded, wrapping her arms around Jai's neck and pouting playfully.
Jai shook her head. "Nope. Not this time. That isn't going to work on me." She said, refusing to give in to Emily's cajoling.
"What would it take to make you say yes?" Emily asked sweetly.
"Show me your dress." Jai said, grinning.
"Anything but that." Emily said, shaking her head firmly.
Jai stared at Emily for a moment, the smile on her lips disappearing. "Then spend the night at my house again." She said quietly, her gaze traveling to Emily's lips. "After our date tonight, come home with me. Spend the night in my bed again. I could get used to waking up next to you everyday." She admitted.
"Then I should probably bring a change of clothes later." Emily said, making Jai smile.
"You could." Jai began, her gaze traveling to the clothes Emily was wearing at the moment. "Or I could lend you one of mine again. I like seeing you in my clothes."
"How about I see you in mine for a change?" Emily asked timidly.
Jai nodded. "That works too." She agreed.
"So what time should I be ready tonight?" Emily inquired, suddenly looking forward to their evening.
"Around seven." Jai answered. "I made reservations at eight. That should give us enough travel time."
"Okay." Emily said, smiling before she continued. "So will you now tell me what your gift from London is?"
"I'll do you one better. You already have it." Jai revealed, making Emily furrow her brows in confusion.
"But the last gift you gave me was him." Emily reminded Jai, pointing to the teddy bear in Cupid's costume that was resting on top of the pillows on Emily's bed.
"Hey I almost forgot about him. What's his name?" Jai asked as she got up and took the bear, returning to Emily's side and facing the stuffed toy to her girlfriend. The conversation regarding the other gift from London momentarily took a backseat as she looked at Emily expectantly.
"You're going to laugh." Emily said, reluctant to tell Jai the name she gave to the teddy bear.
"Why would I do that?" Jai inquired, confused.
"Because you're going to think it's weird once you hear it." Emily answered, taking the bear from Jai.
"No. I won't." Jai said earnestly.
"Promise?" Emily asked nervously.
Jai nodded. "Scout's honor." She insisted.
Emily took a deep breath. "Well you bought him from London. So I'm guessing he's British." She began, stroking the bear's fur.
"Okay." Jai said, listening to Emily's explanation.
"And I thought if he could really talk, he'd have an English accent." Emily continued.
"Go on." Jai said, smiling at her girlfriend encouragingly.
"And you remember in our English literature class we read about those knights during the medieval times... who come to the rescue of fair maidens." Emily explained, feeling her cheeks flush.
"Yeah." Jai uttered, amused.
"Well I thought about you. Being my knight. Proving to me that chivalry isn't dead after all. So I thought I'd give him a name that reminds me of you. I knighted him." Emily finally blurted out, meeting Jai's twinkling eyes.
"You knighted him." Jai repeated, staring at the bear with a grin on her lips. "So he's from London, British, and a knight. He's Sir...?"
"Wuvsalot. You know. Like Lancelot..." Emily stuttered.
"But Wuvsalot. Sir Wuvsalot. It's cute. I like it." Jai admitted, chuckling.
"You don't think it's weird or corny?" Emily asked, surprised.
Jai shook her head. "No. It's one of a kind. Just like you." She said, touching the stuffed toy and looking at it before meeting Emily's eyes. "Open your hand." She said after a beat.
"Why?" Emily asked, for some reason nervous.
"I told you that you already have my gift. Open your hand." Jai repeated.
Emily shook her head. "I don't want to." She said, her voice hoarse.
"It's going to be fine." Jai told her reassuringly. "It belongs to you so I'm giving it back. Open your hand, Em." She urged softly. When her girlfriend closed her fist tightly instead, she smiled faintly. "It kept me safe for as long as it could. It's time you got it back."
Emily shook her head adamantly, terrified. "No. I don't want it back. Not this way." She said quietly.
"Open your hand, Em. Please." Jai implored. "We're going to be late if you don't." They looked towards Emily's bedroom door when they heard the doorbell ring. "Paige is here." She explained when Emily turned to face her.
Paige killed the engine of her father's car and slowly got out of the vehicle. For a moment she just stood outside the Fields residence, dreading having to step inside Emily's house knowing what was waiting for her on the other side. She took a deep breath and finally made her way towards the front door, ringing the doorbell once.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Fields. Sorry for dropping by unannounced but is Emily home?" Paige asked politely despite knowing the answer once Pam opened the door.
Pam wordlessly stepped aside to let Paige in. "They're in the living room." She informed the girl once she closed the door behind her.
Paige nodded and slowly navigated her way around the house, heading towards the sound of people talking in hushed tones. Once she reached the entrance to the living room, the conversation abruptly stopped as three pairs of eyes focused on her instead.
"I'm here." Paige said in greeting. "What's wrong?" She asked no one in particular.
"We can't get through to her." Spencer said quietly. "We thought maybe you could give it a go." She added, stepping aside so Paige could see Emily lying down on the couch, staring blankly at the television which was in mute.
Paige swallowed hard and slowly approached the girl, sitting on the couch adjacent to her. "Emily." She said softly, touching the girl's shoulder to shake her but Emily was unresponsive. Paige looked at the three girls for support.
"Em, please." Spencer uttered, crouching in front of her friend so she was blocking Emily's view of the television screen. "Paige's here. We're going to be late. You need to get up." She said gently, touching her friend lightly on the arm.
"Paige is here." Jai repeated, standing up and extending a hand for her girlfriend to take.
Emily stared at Jai's hand, confused. "But I thought we're going on a date? Just the two of us?" She asked, looking up at Jai. "And you said you're going to spend time with her tomorrow. So why is she here? You said today was going to be all about us." She reminded her girlfriend.
Jai nodded. "It is. I just called her so she could give you a ride to the restaurant. I'll meet you two there." She explained.
"Wait. Why can't we go now?" Emily inquired, still refusing to take Jai's outstretched hand.
"I have to go there first so when you get there everything will be ready." Jai said patiently.
"Do you really have to go?" Emily asked softly.
"I do. I promise I'll meet you there." Jai said, crouching in front of Emily to make the girl listen to her. "I have to leave now. But before I go I need you to open your hand. Can you do that for me?"
Emily stared at Jai for a moment before nodding and finally opening her hand. "What does this mean?" She asked hoarsely, looking at Jai again once she saw what she was holding in her hand.
"It means you're going to have to dream for the both of us now." Jai answered quietly. "Promise me you won't forget me... even when you reach your dreams." She added, kissing Emily on the cheek softly.
Emily stared at the object she held in her head, her vision starting to blur. "Jai." She whispered brokenly as tears fell from her eyes.
"Emily." Paige called out softly when she saw the tears fall from the girl's eyes. "Hey." She said as she tried once again to shake the girl out of her stupor. "You need to get up. We need to go." She said hoarsely.
Emily finally blinked and stared at Paige, then at her friends' worried faces before she finally moved to a sitting position. "I don't want to go." She said quietly, not meeting anyone's eyes. "She's still alive. I know it." She said resolutely as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
Paige looked at Emily's friends before moving to sit beside the girl. "You're not the only one who's..." She trailed off, struggling to make Emily understand. She took a deep breath and tried again. "The families of everyone in that plane will never get to bury their loved ones. Not the way they want to." She said gently. "They will never be able to give the funeral their loved ones deserve because they can't retrieve the bodies anymore. Not at that depth." Paige explained as tears began to flow from Emily's eyes again. "I know you don't want to accept it. But the only things recovered from that flight were Jai's luggage and whatever it is that you're holding in your hand." She reminded the devastated girl, nodding her head towards Emily's hand.
I need you to open your hand. Can you do that for me?
Emily mustered the courage to open her hand and sobbed when she saw the St. Christopher necklace she gave to Jai before her girlfriend left. She remembered now. Logan asked her to come by the Hayes' house earlier that day to return the necklace. Everything that happened after... none of it was real. It was all in her head. From the moment she picked up Jai in the airport... none of it was real.
Paige fought the urge to hold the sobbing girl in her arms and instead gave Emily the final push she needed to get up. "Logan and Kayla need you." She reminded the girl softly. "If you can't accept right now that Jai's gone, at least go to the funeral to support them."
Emily's friends moved to hug the devastated girl as Paige's words finally sank in, whispering words of comfort as their friend wept in their arms. Spencer gently helped Emily get up, her hands supporting the girl who looked like she was about to faint.
"Let's go." Spencer said softly. "We can't be late for the funeral." She reminded her friend.
Emily nodded wordlessly and let her friends guide her towards the front door, her grip tightening on the necklace she held in her hand with every step she took. "Are you coming?" She managed to ask when she noticed that Paige was still sitting on the couch, studying the four of them.
Paige nodded. "I'll be right there." She promised. "You go ahead. I'll just clean up a bit here." She volunteered when she noticed that the room was in disarray, standing up to begin fixing the throw pillows on the couch she and Emily occupied just seconds ago.
Spencer gave Paige a grateful look. "We'll wait for you outside." She informed the girl before she followed Hanna and Aria who were supporting Emily this time.
Left alone, Paige busied herself with cleaning up, trying to force her mind to forget the reality that her best friend is dead. Dead at seventeen. Jai would've been eighteen next month. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not at all. As she continued to clean up around the living room, she found herself starting to get agitated. She had to get out of there. She had to get away. She was about to leave the room when she noticed that the television was still turned on so she looked around her to search for the remote control. She finally spotted it lying on top of the coffee table and she picked it up, pointing the slim, rectangular object towards the television screen to turn it off when something caught her eye. Before she could change her mind, she pressed the mute button instead to return the sound just as a news report came on the screen:
…Two weeks has passed since the crash that claimed the lives of three hundred and eighty-seven people, passengers and crew alike who were aboard Flight 715. Gina Lewis, lawyer of Vita Airways, the airline responsible for the crash, has released a statement earlier this week that the airline agreed to settle outside of court and pay the families of the victims of the flight that crashed at sea. Flight 715 was a direct flight from London to Philadelphia. Minutes before the crash, the air control tower at LaGuardia airport received a distress call from the pilot reporting of engine trouble and requested for an emergency landing but mere seconds later, the plane exploded in mid-air and crashed in the North Atlantic Ocean. Amidst the plane's debris, luggage of all the passengers in the flight were recovered but the fuselage of the plane quickly sank to the bottom of the ocean, taking the passengers and crew with it. Investigation as to what caused the plane's engine to malfunction is currently on-going and the government has exhausted all efforts to recover the bodies and search for possible survivors. However, earlier today, Richard Donovan, the White House spokesperson, has released an official statement about the fate of the victims of the crash…
Paige immediately turned up the volume of the television to hear what the aging man had to say. She already heard the news earlier that day, but somehow she couldn't stop herself from wanting to hear it again.
…Today, it is with genuine regret that the President of the United States has decided to call off the search and rescue operation for the flight that cost the lives of three hundred and eighty-seven people. Today, America grieves with the families who have lost their loved ones in the tragic crash. Two weeks have passed but no bodies have been recovered. The plane's fuselage has sunk to a depth that would risk the lives of even the most experienced of our divers and the President has decided to stop the operation. It is with a heavy heart that I am standing here today, bringing news that the ocean will serve as the grave of all the passengers and crew of Flight 715…
Paige swallowed hard, forcing herself to turn off the television but the news anchor's next words made her stop.
….We here at USN would like to extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the plane crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of mourning. Reporting for USN, Marcy...
Paige angrily shut off the television, putting the remote control back on top of the coffee table with more force than she intended to. The news anchor's parting words hit a nerve and a part of her felt guilty because she wasn't mourning. Not the way most people do. Not the way Kayla and Emily were mourning. She couldn't mourn because she's angry. She was getting angrier by the second and she didn't know why. She hastily left the living room and exited the house, slamming the front door behind her as she left to follow Emily and her friends. It was time to say goodbye.