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.
And we are back in business! Sorry for the uber long wait, I had to take care of other things outside of this fic (still am, actually). As always, thank you for the reviews, the tweets and the patience. And for having my back with the whole plagiarizing thing. You guys are awesome!
I know it's been a while since I last posted a new chapter so I have a LOT of people to thank:
un-predicted14, augustmelon, ScriptedLullabies, hipnos7777, Bobx7, Waxa, Nae10, melinapapan, Redhead3454, xDLifesAClimbxD, crunchy-crush, summersantos2009, Lawral, Za1al, Thulas, Falitag07, catmig, yulebrinner25, mcmonster24, Alexis-Kennard, Briandtabby, rockchip96, Sparks80, thecatfromaliceinwonderland, wishesnstars, Karla05full, crashes, SBian75, iowahawx, jewelskins28, xoxo93, MustiG, subway20, .hope, TristenPotter, Sheirome, andreaburjas, sackoftits, alicerubinmardoquio, Anonymous1220, Idiot1234, adubbsss, jhas, and to a reader who wishes to remain anonymous (I think you know who you are)... Thanks for the PMs.
To my girlfriend, EyeOpener16: Happy 2nd anniversary! It goes without saying how much I love you. Thank you for the moral support, the patience and for constantly pushing/badgering me to focus on writing this fic. Thank you for being my personal cheerleader, in continuing this story and in life. You always inspire me.
I also dedicate this chapter to Beanie Mae. I hope this reaches you wherever you are.
Lastly, I'd like to address a couple of things before I continue with the story. First, while I'm flattered that people are asking if they can use my story for a different fandom and still give me credit for it, I would have to decline. I wrote Locum Tenens with Paige and Emily in mind and I'd like to keep it that way. Second, to those asking if they can translate the story to another language, I would also have to say no. At least for now. Maybe once the story's done I'll consider it. Thank you.
PART THREE: "Non Progredi Est Regredi"
~ To not go forward is to go backward. ~
CHAPTER ONE
"...authorities say that the twelve-year-old Lauren Mackenzie, presumed to be dead for seven years, was found by a mountaineer during one of his hikes in the Lenape Trail in Watchungs, New Jersey. Parents of the child released a statement earlier in which they expressed their gratitude to everyone for praying for their daughter's safe return. Lauren is currently admitted in the Warren Memorial Hospital for observation..."
"Now that is truly a miracle." Pam Fields commented to no one in particular as she stirred her cup of coffee, eyes still glued to the TV screen.
Emily barely shifted in her seat and continued to move the scrambled eggs around her plate, not really paying attention to the news. Today was no ordinary Saturday morning. Wayne Fields arrived last night so for a change, they get to have breakfast together as a family. Emily stopped playing with her breakfast and glanced to her left, watching her father read the morning paper with one hand as he drank his coffee. She then shifted her attention to her mom who was busy listening to the news on the TV, averting her eyes and taking a bite off her toast when the woman looked away for a moment to take a sip of her coffee. Yes. Today was no ordinary Saturday. But her dad coming home last night wasn't the only reason.
"That Mackenzie kid is on the paper as well." Wayne said as he folded the newspaper in his hand and placed it next to his plate. "Seven years." He continued, shaking his head before liberally spreading some butter on his toast.
Emily took a sip of her coffee, careful not to look at her parents' eyes. She returned to moving her food around the plate, praying her parents won't ask for her opinion. Because really. She didn't know what to say.
"Well she's home now." Pam commented. "That's what's important. It's a good thing her parents never lost hope all these years."
Wayne nodded. "Still. It's going to be hard. Going back to her old life, having to adjust. Not just for her but for everyone around her. Her family, friends." He explained matter-of-factly.
"As long as..." Pam's next words were drowned out by the sudden chiming of the grandfather clock in the living room and Emily breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe once it's over, her parents would have something else to talk about. She lightly tapped her toast with the fork she was holding in time to the sound, counting eight chimes before the sound stopped.
Eight.
Eight o'clock.
Fourteen Months Ago...
"What's the occasion?" Paige asked as she looked at the romantic table setting.
"Nothing. I just felt like celebrating." Emily replied, trying to keep her expression neutral.
"Celebrating what?" Paige prodded.
"A new beginning." Emily finally answered.
"Okay. Explain further." Paige said before pulling one of the chairs around the table and taking a seat.
Emily took a deep breath to calm her nerves and placed one hand inside the pocket of her jeans, playing with the bracelet as she prepared to deliver her speech. "Well last night I-"
"Saved by the chicken?" Paige asked when the sound of the doorbell resonated in the house. "Why don't we save that conversation for later? You look like you're about to pass out."
Emily gave Paige a weak grin, torn between feeling relieved and frustrated. "Sorry. I'll go get it. Just stay there." She said, walking past the girl to answer the door.
The ringing of the doorbell was followed by a knock and Emily quickened her pace to reach the front of the house. She glanced at the wall clock mounted above the fireplace and wondered who it could be at this time of night when she saw that it was already eight o'clock in the evening.
It can't be my mom. She's supposed to be in Georgia. Emily thought to herself as she reached the front door. And even if she's back, she didn't leave her keys here. She continued, reaching for the doorknob. But if it is her mom, Emily knew she better find a way to explain two things. First, what Paige is doing here; and second, why there's a romantic table setting for two in the kitchen.
As soon as she opened the door, Emily didn't know if she was relieved that it wasn't her mom standing outside. Because the strikingly familiar figure standing in front of her made Emily feel like she opened a door to her past and she just stood there, frozen.
"You look even more beautiful than I remember." Jai uttered, giving Emily a soft, affectionate smile.
"Oh my god." Emily breathed, her grip tightening on the doorknob as she reeled from surprise and disbelief.
Blue eyes...
Slender build...
Clear skin...
Sleek, shoulder-length, layered, black hair…
And a face and height like that of a runway model…
There was no mistaking it.
"Hello, love." Jai said before closing the distance between them and enveloping the speechless girl in a warm embrace.
Emily didn't want to believe it was really Jai but when she felt the girl's arms around her she realized it wasn't a dream. It is Jai. Alive. And the stunning realization made her instinctively wrap her arms around the other girl.
"You're alive." Emily whispered before closing her eyes and pulling Jai closer.
Behind them, Paige wordlessly stared at the reunited couple, the sense of dread she felt earlier that day returning with such overwhelming force that she felt suffocated. "Jai." She uttered breathlessly, her heart shattering into a million pieces at the sight before her.
Emily's eyes snapped open when she heard Paige's voice behind them, reminding her that she was supposed to be on a date with Jai's best friend. She slowly removed herself from Jai's arms and took a step back, feeling like she was close to having a heart attack any second now with the way her pulse was racing.
"May I come in?" Jai asked, oblivious to the girl's distress.
"Uh, yeah. Of course." Emily replied, stepping aside to let Jai in. "Sorry. I seem to have forgotten my manners." She added before closing the front door, dreading having to face the two girls so she kept her back to them for a few seconds until she heard Jai acknowledge Paige's presence.
"There you are." Jai said in greeting, her face lighting up when she saw her best friend standing a few steps away from the entrance to the kitchen.
Emily forced herself to turn around, her facial expression not giving away the panic and distress she felt. She watched Paige return Jai's hug and quickly looked away when the girl's eyes found hers, a million thoughts running through her mind.
"What are you doing here?" Jai asked once she stepped away from her best friend, causing Emily to throw Paige a panicked look.
"I... uh... needed to borrow something." Paige replied vaguely. "But Emily doesn't have it so I better go." She continued, trying to move past her friend to leave but the girl grabbed her by the arm.
"What? But I just got here." Jai reminded her friend. "And you're finally calling my girlfriend by her name. Come on. Stay. I want to hear how that happened."
My girlfriend. Paige repeated, the words like a knife being twisted deeper into her chest. She had to get out of there. "We can catch up some other time. You came over to see Emily. I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about." She added, walking past Jai before the girl could stop her again. "Thanks for letting me in." Paige said to Emily before opening the door and closing it behind her.
Emily blankly stared into space for a few seconds, unable to process what just happened. She finally told herself to look up and met Jai's familiar blue eyes, feeling suffocated by the heavy silence around them.
Paige gently closed the door behind her, letting out the breath she was holding in once she was outside. She placed her hands inside the pockets of her jeans and breathed in the cold night air as she struggled to get her bearings. Her best friend is alive. Paige didn't know how to start making sense of things. All she knew right now was that she needed to leave. Get as far away as possible from Emily's house.
Searching for her car keys, Paige made her way to her SUV but stopped in her tracks when she heard a motorcycle park behind her car. She hurriedly walked over to the young man when she realized it was the baked chicken Emily ordered for their dinner, knowing she couldn't let him reach the front of Emily's house.
"Excuse me!" Paige called out once the guy took off his helmet. "Is that for Emily Fields?" She continued, nodding her head towards the container the guy was holding.
"Yeah." The guy replied, about to start making his way towards the house.
"Good. I'll take that." Paige said, getting her wallet from the back pocket of her jeans. "I'm headed inside anyway." She explained as she handed the delivery guy some cash. "That should cover it. Keep the change."
"Thanks." The guy replied, pocketing the cash and heading back to his motorcycle.
Paige waited until the guy left before glancing at Emily's house, hoping neither girl would come out because they heard the sound of the motorcycle engine. Her mind is still too busy processing what just happened for her to come up with a decent excuse as to why she's suddenly holding a baked chicken.
I guess I'm going to have to take this with me. Paige thought as she stared at the food in her hands, the warmth and smell of the baked chicken making her feel more miserable. She made her way to her car and got on the driver's seat before depositing the food next to her.
"Let's go home." Paige told the chicken before starting her car and shifting the gear to drive.
Emily wordlessly stared at Jai, the silence between them so thick that she felt like the girl could hear the blood pumping in her veins. She tilted her head towards the window when she heard the sound of a motorcycle outside, reminding her about the food she was expecting. She racked her brain for a possible explanation but all she could think of was Jai's sudden return. She steeled herself for the sound of the doorbell that was about to ring any second now but it never came.
"So." Jai uttered, distracting the girl.
"So." Emily repeated as she returned her attention to Jai. Maybe it was just one of my neighbors. She rationalized.
"You look really good, Em." Jai said wistfully. "How have you been?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?" Emily replied, giving the girl a wry smile. "When did you get back?"
"Just now." Jai answered, running a hand through her hair wearily. "I couldn't wait to see you so I asked my dad to drop me off here. Have you had dinner yet?"
"No. I haven't. Do you want to go to Johnny's Dive?" Emily hurriedly suggested when she remembered what was on the other side of the kitchen door. "I know it's been more than a year but I'm pretty sure they still serve the best peanut butter-banana milkshake in Rosewood."
"I don't know." Jai answered thoughtfully. "It's kinda late. Don't you just want to stay in? Order a pizza or something?"
"Come on. My treat." Emily offered, trying not to sound desperate. "It'll give you a chance to reacquaint yourself to the neighborhood."
"Uh... I kind of want to keep a low profile for now." Jai confessed, a bit hesitant. "My dad and I still haven't discussed how to go about telling people I'm alive."
"It's Sunday night." Emily reminded Jai. "I'm sure the place is practically empty." She reassured the girl.
Jai saw the eagerness in Emily's eyes so she finally gave in. "Okay." She replied, cracking a small smile.
"Great! Let's go." Emily said, turning her back to the girl to head outside. She couldn't get out of there fast enough.
"Hold up. Aren't you forgetting something?" Jai asked, making the girl stop in her tracks.
Emily turned around to face Jai again, trying to hide her agitation. "Um... I don't think so." She answered.
"I know it's been a year but I'm pretty sure you still need cash to buy food around here." Jai told the girl teasingly as she waved Emily's wallet in the air. "You left this on top of the display case." She explained, jutting her thumb behind her.
"Right." Emily uttered, walking over to where the girl stood. She could've sworn she left it in the kitchen. "Thanks." She said as she took her wallet from Jai, her fingers grazing the girl's.
"No problem." Jai answered, trying to prolong the contact but Emily pulled away.
"I'm famished." Emily blurted. "We should probably get going." She continued, turning her back to Jai again to head for the front door. She didn't wait for the girl to follow her. The sooner she put some distance between Jai and the kitchen, the better.
Paige closed the door of the fridge once she's done placing the chicken inside, plunging the kitchen into darkness once again. She didn't bother to turn on the lights when she got home. She's used to moving around in her house in the dark anyway. For a while Paige just stood there, at a loss as to what to do next. Like standing still would somehow stop everything from spinning out of control.
The sound of the doorbell ringing resonated in the entire house, snapping Paige out of her trance. Knowing Gwen went home earlier that day and that her father's flight got delayed for two hours, Paige reluctantly headed for the front door instead of her room when the doorbell rung again.
"Kayla." Paige uttered in surprise when she saw the girl standing outside. "It's late. What are you doing here?"
"You look like hell." Kayla said in greeting, giving the girl a wry smile.
"You've seen hell?" Paige managed to shot back warily.
"At least your sense of humor is still intact." Kayla quipped.
"I'm alive, Kayla. Now go away." Paige asked, wanting to be by herself. She moved to close the door on Kayla's face but the girl was quick.
"Not gonna happen." Kayla said, sticking her foot on the door before Paige could close it.
Paige sighed and opened the door a little. "I'm tired, Kayla." She admitted. "What do you want?"
"I wanted to check on you." Kayla answered.
"A heads up would've been nice." Paige said, unable to hide her feelings.
"I know. I'm sorry. But up until an hour ago I had no idea she was alive." Kayla revealed. "My dad kept that information to himself and just told me to go home tonight because there's a surprise waiting for me when I get home. To be honest I haven't even seen her yet." She confessed, surprising Paige. "I just knew whatever it was my dad wanted to surprise me with was good because when I got home he actually smiled at me when I asked how his trip was."
"That's why he canceled on me so suddenly." Paige thought out loud, remembering the conversation she had with Logan the day before her birthday.
"He told you he was going to Maine?" Kayla asked, surprised.
"Yeah. But only because he asked if I wanted to be referred to a different doctor yesterday since he had to cancel our session." Paige explained. "So how did you find out Jai's alive?"
"My dad couldn't wait until Jai came back so he finally told me and said that my sister went to see you and Emily-" Kayla began.
"Well she's not here." Paige interrupted, gesturing to the darkness behind her.
"I didn't come here looking for Jai." Kayla gently told the girl. "Like I said, I wanted to see how you were holding up."
"I'm fine." Paige replied unconvincingly. "You must be elated your sister's alive."
Kayla nodded. "I am. And I can't wait to see her." She admitted. "Because even if I didn't behave like my dad did, even if I had friends, I still felt alone and lonely ever since she died."
"Well you don't have to feel that way anymore." Paige said, managing to give the girl a small smile.
"Yeah." Kayla agreed, a moment of silence passing between them before she spoke up again. "Paige? Just because you don't feel the same way doesn't make you a horrible person. You know that, right?"
Paige laughed bitterly. "Then how come I feel otherwise?" She asked, looking anywhere but at Kayla. "I am glad she's alive. That by some miracle she survived that crash. Of course I'm glad."
"But?" Kayla prodded.
"But the second I saw her standing in front of Emily's house the only thing I could think of was that it's over. Whatever it was going on between me and Emily. It's over." Paige repeated, her voice cracking.
Kayla looked at the girl helplessly. "Paige..."
"I should be happy she's alive. But right now all I can think about is... what happens to us?" Paige asked quietly.
Emily sat in silence across Jai, seemingly mesmerized by the sight in front of her. True enough, the place was practically empty when they got there twenty minutes ago and like Jai, she was relieved. She was still reeling from the girl's return from the dead. She wasn't in the mood to smile and make small talk with their neighbors. The two of them were seated at their usual table at Johnny's with their usual orders, which they gave to the usual lanky, freckle-faced teenager who worked nights at the diner but somehow everything felt different.
"You've barely touched your burger." Jai said, nodding her head towards the food in front of Emily. "Is it undercooked?"
Emily shook her head and gave the girl a small smile. "No. It's cooked the way I've always wanted it." She replied, pulling the plate closer to her.
Jai nodded her head in acknowledgment and took another bite off her Greek burger. She gently wiped the corners of her mouth as she chewed slowly and the simple gesture elicited a pang of nostalgia in Emily.
"I'm sorry. I just... I can't believe you're alive." Emily confessed when Jai caught her staring.
"It's fine. Stare all you want. I would too if... say... my mom knocked on our front door after all these years." Jai said, giving the girl a reassuring smile before taking a sip of her peanut butter-banana milkshake.
"You saw your mom die. We buried an empty coffin. It's different." Emily pointed out. "Sorry." She hastily added when she saw the smile on Jai's face falter. "It's just that... I have all these questions and I don't know where to start."
"Ask away." Jai said as she reached for a potato chip from the plate in front of them. "I'll try my best to answer but I really don't remember much about my ordeal." She admitted before taking a bite off the chip.
"Okay... well for starters... how did this happen?" Emily asked, unable to hold it back any longer. She's been dying to ask that question ever since she saw the girl standing outside her door.
Jai swallowed and cleared her throat before answering. "To be honest, I'm not sure myself." She began while toying with another piece of potato chip. "When I woke up I was in a hospital in Lubec. In Maine." She added when Emily looked confused. "I was nursing a head wound and my head was pounding. I didn't know how I got it. But when I was strong enough I asked my dad to come and get me."
"Do you remember what happened?" Emily asked worriedly. "After the plane crash?"
Jai shook her head. "No." She replied, inhaling sharply. "All I remember was calling you before boarding my flight. Then waking up in that hospital. Everything in between is a blank." Jai explained as she continued playing with the potato chip. "The doctors said it was a mild case of retrograde amnesia. But honestly, I'm in no hurry to remember what happened. I'm just glad I'm back and that I got to see you again." She said, taking in Emily's features. "What else do you want to know?"
Emily studied Jai as she thought about all the other questions she wanted to ask the girl and shook her head. "Nothing pressing. We can just continue this conversation some other time." She said when she noticed how tired Jai is. The girl was doing a good job of hiding it but Emily still saw the traces of exhaustion in the girl's features. Jai's health is more important.
"Yeah, let's talk about something else." Jai said in agreement. "Tell me what I missed. What have you been up to?"
"Let's see..." Emily replied, biting her lower lip as she thought about where to begin. "Well I got into UPenn." She continued as she reached for a piece of potato chip the same time Jai did.
"Just like old times." Jai commented, giving Emily an amused smile before handing the chip to the girl.
"Yeah. Just like old times." Emily repeated, taking the chip and returning Jai's smile.
"That did not happen!" Jai exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise at her sister.
"Totally did." Kayla insisted as she poured more syrup on her pancakes.
It was a Monday morning, just a day since Jai came back to Rosewood, and the two girls are seated across each other in the Hayes' dining room, having an early breakfast with their father.
"That is so cool." Jai said, spooning some scrambled eggs to her plate. "It's like having your own cooking show."
Kayla nodded her head in agreement and grinned at her sister proudly. "I was like a celebrity in Girard." She revealed before eating a forkful of pancake. "You should've seen me." She continued as she chewed her food. "I even had a personal assistant."
"So where do you plan on going for college?" Jai asked after taking a sip of her coffee. "I'm guessing you plan on pursuing a career in the culinary arts?"
"You bet I am." Kayla replied enthusiastically. "I already got accepted in Drexel-"
"That's still up for discussion." Logan interrupted, folding the newspaper he was reading and placing it on the table next to him. "Don't forget you're still wait-listed in UPenn."
"What?" Kayla uttered, her excitement waning. "But... Jai's back. I don't have to be a doctor anymore." She told her father hesitantly.
"There is no future in that hobby of yours." Logan stated as he stirred his cup of coffee.
"Hobby?" Kayla repeated, her grip tightening on the fork in her hand. "Being a chef isn't just a-"
"So how's your work in the hospital?" Jai hurriedly asked her father to avoid the heated discussion she felt was about to start. "It can't be easy. Juggling your time between your patients and the foundation." She added when she remembered what her dad told her about the Gray Matter Foundation.
"It's exhausting." Logan admitted as he continued stirring his coffee. "There were times I thought about taking a backseat and letting someone else handle the foundation's activities but then I remember why I started it in the first place. I wanted to fulfill one of your dreams. So I find myself planning all these fundraising activities on top of seeing my patients."
"That's great, dad. But you have to remember that you need to take care of yourself as well." Jai told her father gently. "I'm sure Kayla is more than willing to help you out."
Logan gave his daughter a tired smile. "I'm taking care of myself." He promised the girl. "And Kayla here has been a huge help with the foundation's activities." He added, nodding his head towards his other daughter. "Although she can be of more help if she has a promising career in medicine."
Kayla dropped her fork unceremoniously, the utensil making a clanging sound when it hit the plate. "Dad..." She started, heaving a sigh. She was getting tired of having this conversation with her father.
"Can I come with you to the hospital?" Jai asked before Logan could reply. She could see that her father was about to lose his patience with her sister so she decided to intervene again. "I'd like to know more about the foundation. See what I can do to help."
"Sounds good." Logan said before taking a sip of his coffee. "We'll drop off your sister at Girard first then head to the hospital."
"Can I borrow your car afterwards? I'd like to go to UPenn for a few hours to see Emily and Paige." Jai explained. "I can't believe my best friend decided to go there for college." She added, shaking her head in amusement.
Logan nodded. "Sure. But don't make any plans for Saturday." He said, surprising the two girls.
"Okay. But what are we doing on Saturday?" Jai asked before taking a bite off her French toast.
"I'm planning to throw a welcome home party for you here." Logan replied after he finished drinking his coffee.
"We don't have to do that." Jai protested. "We can just have a simple dinner. Invite a few people over."
Logan shook his head. "Throwing that party is a must." He insisted, getting up. "It'll give you a chance to reacquaint with everyone. Don't worry. I'm taking care of everything." Logan added before leaving the room.
"I guess you're having a party." Kayla told her sister wryly.
"I guess I am." Jai answered with a sigh. "Listen. Don't worry about taking up culinary arts. I'll talk to dad. Convince him to let you do what you want."
"Thanks." Kayla replied, her mood improving. "I'm really glad you're alive, Jai. Now that you're back you can be the doctor you and dad have always wanted."
"Yeah. It's good to be back." Jai said absentmindedly before taking another sip of her coffee.
Sixteen Months Ago...
Emily emerged from her Ancient Economies class on a Wednesday afternoon and took a deep breath the moment she was standing outside. She just sat through one and a half hour of lecture and normally she was fascinated with the topic but today it was agonizing.
"Thank god that's over." A girl with short blonde hair said as she stepped next to Emily. "That was probably the most boring lecture we've had in this class. Professor Taylor just kept droning on and on I thought I was listening to a sermon."
"You read my mind." Emily replied, giving her friend an understanding smile. "Somehow her lecture on the economy of the ancient Eastern Mediterranean region ruined my interest on that topic." She added as they began walking.
"I hope the lecture next week will more than make up for this." The girl said as they exited the building and descended the steps. "Otherwise, I won't be able to write a decent paper without going to the-"
"Library?" Emily supplied, glancing at her friend. "Jen? What's wrong? Are you okay?" She asked, her brows creasing in concern.
"There she is." Jen said in a low voice without answering the girl's question.
Emily followed her friend's gaze and felt her mouth go dry. "There who is?" She asked, looking at the girl again. Please tell me you weren't looking at Paige. Please tell me you weren't looking at Paige. Please-
"Paige McCullers. She's a freshman like us and she's on the track team." Jen answered, her cheeks flushing. "I've seen her run. She's amazing."
Emily wished her friend would stop gushing and looked at Paige again, reluctantly waving back when the girl waved at her. She knew what was coming next.
"Oh my god. You know her?!" Jen exclaimed, her hand shooting forward as she grabbed Emily by the arm.
There it is. "Yeah. She's the best friend of my girlfriend. Was her best friend." Emily corrected.
"Oh. What happened between them?" Jen asked, glancing at Paige and looking away when she realized the girl was staring at them.
"Nothing. My girlfriend died not too long ago. Plane crash." Emily added, the words bringing back painful memories.
"Oh. I'm so sorry." Jen said, giving Emily a look that the girl was used to by now: pity.
Emily shook her head. "It's okay." She replied with a small smile. "It's been a year since it happened. Almost."
"So... do you happen to know if Paige is into girls?" Jen asked, trying to hide her eagerness but Emily saw right through it. "I mean, I've seen her around campus but mostly with her teammates. So... is she?"
"Um." Emily uttered, not sure how to handle the situation. "We're not really that close." She continued, crossing her fingers behind her and hoping that would end the conversation.
Jen's face fell. "Oh." She said, frowning. "Okay. In that case... could you maybe just... introduce us? I'd really like to meet her."
"You want me to introduce you to Paige?" Emily repeated, cursing inwardly.
"Yeah. I mean, if that's okay." Jen hurriedly added. "If it's going to be a problem-"
"It's not." Emily interjected, shaking her head emphatically. "Why would it be? It's fine. No problem at all." She reassured her friend, cringing inwardly for sounding almost desperate. "Follow me."
Emily continued making her way across the street without waiting for Jen, dreading each step she took towards Paige. When she was close enough to see the girl's gorgeous smile change from happy to slightly confused, she was tempted to warn the girl and tell Paige to make a run for it.
"Hey." Emily said in greeting once she was standing in front of the girl.
"Hey." Paige repeated, smiling at Emily before looking curiously at the blonde girl next to her.
"Uh, Paige, this is Jen. Jen, Paige." Emily said, reluctantly making the introductions.
"Hi." Jen greeted, giving Paige a shy wave.
"Hi." Paige repeated before giving Emily a confused look.
"Jen here is a huge fan of yours." Emily explained. "Huge." She emphasized. "And she asked if I could introduce her to you. Which I did. So... keys please." Emily asked, grabbing Paige's car keys without waiting for the girl to hand it over. "I'm gonna sit inside. You two talk." She said, heading for the passenger seat without a backward glance.
Paige turned around to watch Emily get inside her car, trying to understand what just happened. Last time she checked, they were doing fine so she doesn't understand Emily's behavior just now.
"So. Emily tells me you're her girlfriend's best friend." Jen began, trying to get Paige's attention.
"That I am. Was." Paige corrected.
"Right. The plane crash." Jen supplied.
"Yes." Paige said, nodding her head.
"So... I'm just gonna be honest here. I've seen you around. Campus. And maybe I've been to some of your track meets. Like Emily said I'm a huge fan of yours." Jen explained, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "You're amazing."
"Um. Thanks." Paige replied politely. "It's really a team effort-"
"But I'm only interested in you." Jen boldly interjected. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound too forward just now." She added, her cheeks turning redder. "I was wondering if maybe I could buy you a cup of coffee some time?"
"Oh. Well I'm flattered." Paige began, giving the girl a small smile. "But I'd have to say no. I don't drink coffee and to be honest... I'm seeing someone and I'm really serious about her."
"Oh." Jen uttered. "Emily forgot to mention that. But then again she said you two weren't that close."
"She said that?" Paige asked, glancing behind her.
Jen studied Paige's reaction and decided to play on a hunch. "I know it's none of my business but... this girl you're seeing. Does she go here, too?" She asked, making the girl face her again. "Because I don't think I've seen you with just one girl on campus."
"Um. Yeah, she does go here. But... the thing is, this girl I'm seeing doesn't want to be exclusive. Which is understandable since she just went through something." Paige explained vaguely. "That's why she doesn't want to be seen around with me just yet. But even if she told me that, I just can't bring myself to be with anyone else. She's the only girl I want to keep seeing."
"Too bad. I hope she knows how lucky she is." Jen said, looking past Paige for a few seconds. "I guess I'll see you around then."
"I'm flattered though. That you asked." Paige added. "I'm sure you're a nice girl."
Jen nodded. "I am." She replied.
"It's just that, I've liked her for so long and finally she's looking at me." Paige explained. "So I'm sure you're a nice girl. And if the circumstances were different I'd take you up on that offer. It's just that for the first time she's looking at me and I don't want to screw it up."
"Hey, it's cool. No harm done." Jen told Paige reassuringly. "But my offer still stands in case you come around one of these days."
"What do you mean?" Paige asked, confused.
Jen shrugged. "You kept saying she's finally looking at you. That sounds sweet. And because you've liked Emily for so long maybe for you it's a dream come true. But I'd rather hear you say that Emily sees you. When she looks at you. And not someone else." She explained matter-of-factly.
"It's not Emily." Paige lied, flustered.
Jen winked. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." She promised before walking away.
Emily hastily returned her attention on her phone the second she saw Jen walk away, creasing her brows as she studied the messages in her inbox again in an effort to seem engrossed. She looked up when she heard Paige settle next to her and frowned.
"Finally. I thought I was going to have to walk home." Emily said as she put her phone inside her bag.
"Sorry." Paige uttered apologetically before locking the doors.
"Did she ask you out?" Emily asked when it was obvious that Paige wasn't going to tell her what happened.
"Yeah. She invited me to have coffee. What was that all about?" Paige inquired, giving Emily a confused look as she fastened her seatbelt.
"She was interested." Emily explained, shrugging.
"I know. She told me that." Paige said pointedly. "But why didn't you tell her I was seeing someone? And why did you say you and I aren't that close?"
"You know why." Emily replied. "What did you tell her?" She asked anxiously.
"What do you think? I turned her down." Paige answered before starting the car. "First of all, I don't drink coffee and second, you seriously expect me to go on a date with her when I'm with you?"
"No you're not. Did you tell her that?" Emily asked, starting to panic.
Paige gave the girl an incredulous look. "No. Of course not. I just told her I was seeing someone and that it's serious." She replied, leaving out the fact that Jen guessed what was going on between them. "I'm serious about you, Em. Stop trying to force me to see other people. I thought we were past that?"
"I really want to kiss you right now." Emily said, deliberately ignoring Paige's question as her eyes travelled to the girl's lips.
Paige shook her head and felt the corners of her mouth lift. It was amazing how much Emily affected her. "I think I know someplace we could go where we won't be interrupted." She replied, deciding to drop the issue and grinning mischievously as she held out a hand for the girl to take.
Emily returned Paige's smile. "I'd like to see this place." She said, intertwining their hands between the console and looking outside the window next to her.
Paige shifted the gear to drive and risked a glance at Emily. The words Jen told her earlier were probably true. But she's not giving up so easily. She wasn't in a hurry. There's no competition for Emily's affections. Jai's gone and she will patiently wait until Emily decided to open her heart again because the girl seated next to her is most definitely worth the wait.
Fourteen Months Ago...
Paige anxiously turned off the car engine and stared at the building across the street from the window next to her. She knew she was early judging from the time displayed on the dashboard clock but she figured this way she wouldn't miss Emily since she hasn't had the chance to talk to the girl today after leaving Emily's house last night. She was hoping to see her in their Managerial Economics class but Emily didn't show up and when she dropped by Café Prima afterward, West said the girl called in sick so he was filling in. Paige took out her phone and stared blankly at the screen. She could try calling Emily again. Maybe the girl would take her call this time. Who knows? Maybe sixteenth time's the charm.
But if she's still in class then she won't be able to answer her phone anyway. Paige thought to herself, deciding to take her chances and just patiently wait for Emily's Ancient Economies class to end. Pocketing her phone once again, Paige alighted her car and locked the doors before making her way across the street. She was about to walk up the steps towards the building's entrance when she heard someone call out her name, making her stop.
"Paige!" Jai called out again, breaking into a light jog to catch up to her friend. "Hey. I thought that was you." She said in greeting when she was finally standing in front of the girl.
Paige wordlessly stared at her friend, her mouth slightly open in surprise. When the girl called her earlier asking if they can grab a late lunch, Paige made up an excuse about having to study for an exam in an effort to avoid her miraculously resurrected friend but there really was no escaping the inevitable. Last night wasn't a bad dream. Jai really is back. Paige thought, reaching for the handrail next to her to steady herself as the reality of the situation came crashing down on her.
"Paige. Hey. Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Jai commented, waving a hand in front of her friend.
"Yeah. Sorry. Just... still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you're alive." Paige replied apologetically.
"I know. I can't believe it either." Jai admitted. "I'm still trying to get used to it. Especially since I missed out on a lot of things. Like you deciding to go here for college. How'd that happen?" She asked, smiling at her friend in amusement. "Last time we talked you were dead set on going to USC."
"Uh... it's... sort of a long story." Paige answered vaguely. "I'll tell you some other time."
Jai nodded. "I'll look forward to that. So. You seem to be adjusting well." She observed after a short moment of silence then looked behind her briefly. "That's a cool set of wheels you got there. When I saw that parked outside Emily's house last night I thought it belonged to one of their neighbors."
"Nope. It's mine. Well my dad gave it to me... just so I'd agree to live near Penn State Gen." Paige explained.
"Right. My dad told me about that. Same building as Kayla's. Any chance you'll invite me to your apartment soon?" Jai asked lightly.
Paige shrugged. "Sure. But maybe next week." She told the girl noncommittally. "I can't this week. Busy with school and track." She lied.
"Next week's fine. But I hope you're not too busy this Saturday. Maybe you and I can finally catch up? You can tell me that long story." Jai suggested.
"Um... I don't know." Paige answered, trying to buy herself some time. "What's going to happen on Saturday?"
"Welcome home party in Rosewood. My dad insisted on it." Jai added wryly. "I tried to get out of it but you know how he is. Please tell me you can come? You, Kayla, and Emily being there would make the entire thing bearable."
"Oh. Um... I want to but I can't. I have a track meet in Maryland the whole day so I don't know if I can make it back to Rosewood in time." Paige explained apologetically, grateful that she didn't have to lie this time.
Jai's face fell. "That sucks." She said, giving the girl a weary smile. "But I understand." Jai hurriedly reassured her friend. "Your meet's more important than the party. I'm sure Emily and Kayla being there will be more than enough."
"I can try to make it." Paige blurted out before she changed her mind. "If it's not too late, I'll come over."
"Really? That'd be great!" Jai exclaimed, visibly relieved. "Thanks."
"No problem. So, what are you doing here?" Paige asked despite having a feeling as to what the girl's reply would be.
"Hey." Emily's voice made the two girls turn around and Paige didn't have to hear Jai's answer when she realized that Emily's greeting was addressed to her friend, not her. She watched Jai walk over to Emily's side and swallowed the jealousy she was feeling. She tried to catch Emily's gaze but the girl won't look at her so she directed her attention to her friend instead.
"I called Em earlier and asked if we could hang out. She told me to come here." Jai explained.
Emily saw the hurt in Paige's eyes when she stole a glance but it was gone as quickly as it was there. She knew they needed to talk and that Paige is hurt because she won't answer her calls but she didn't know what to say. Emily quickly averted her eyes when Paige tried to hold her gaze again and instead looked at Jai when she felt the girl hold her arm.
"Hey you should probably get going." Jai told Paige. "You're going to be late for your class."
"I don't have a class." Paige replied, her mind scrambling to come up with an excuse.
"Oh. Then what are you doing here?" Jai asked, confused.
"Jen!" Paige suddenly called out when she spotted Emily's blonde friend walking toward them. She motioned for the girl to come over and prayed Jen would go along with what she's about to do. "I'm here to pick her up." She lied once the girl was standing near them.
"You are?" Jen asked, mildly surprised. "I mean, I thought we were going to meet at the... library." She continued when she noticed the distress in Paige's eyes and the curiosity in the other two.
Paige uttered a silent prayer of thanks and nodded. "I know. But I was in the area so I thought I'd pick you up instead. Didn't you get my text?" She asked, her brows creased.
"Phone's dead." Jen replied, seemingly apologetic.
"Right. Then I guess it's a good thing I saw you just now." Paige said with a tight smile. "Well we better get going. Tons of research to do at the library." She continued, grabbing the girl's hand. "I'll see you two around." Paige told Jai and Emily before practically dragging Jen towards her car. "Thanks."
"Sure. But you're not really going to the library and taking me with you, right? Because I have a Penn Political Review meeting to go to." Jen said, referring to the university's primary literary outlet for student political thought.
"Yeah, don't worry I made that up." Paige reassured the girl. "Where's your meeting? I'll give you a ride." She offered, releasing the girl's hand. "I owe you one."
"Thanks. It's at Huntsman Hall." Jen replied. "So... what was that all about?" She asked as she fixed the strap of her shoulder bag. "Why did you lie about meeting me and who's that girl Emily's with?"
"Sorry you got involved. I had to make up an excuse for being there." Paige explained as they crossed the street. "I didn't want Jai to know I was waiting for Emily."
"Jai?" Jen repeated, confused.
"My best friend who's supposed to be dead." Paige supplied.
"And Emily's girlfriend." Jen added, realization dawning on her. "How come she's alive?"
"I have no idea." Paige answered, raising both hands helplessly.
"Well however she did it, now that she's back you and Emily are screwed." Jen told Paige before heading for the passenger side of the girl's car.
Paige risked a glance behind her and watched Jai and Emily. "I know." She muttered under her breath when she caught Emily's gaze before the girl disappeared inside Logan's car.
"I guess that's it." Emily said, giving Jai a small smile as they rounded a corner and made their way down Spruce street.
"Thanks for giving me a tour of the campus." Jai replied, smiling as well. "Even if we had to walk around for hours."
Emily shook her head. "I don't mind." She told the girl reassuringly. "Besides, it's not like we had to walk around the entire campus. You know this place more than I do." She reminded Jai.
"Yeah. But you showing me around is different. I like seeing this campus through your eyes." Jai explained. "It was refreshing."
"So what are your plans now that you're back?" Emily asked. "Are you going to attend summer classes?" She continued, unable to think of something else to talk about.
Ever since the girl picked her up after her Ancient Economies class, Emily found herself at a loss as to what to say to Jai so the two of them ended up making small talk about trivial things. Again. The girl walking next to her was her girlfriend for three years. It wasn't supposed to be this hard to find something to talk about but for some reason, it was.
"I don't know." Jai admitted, eyes on the ground. "There are some things I need to take care of first. But for now I just want to get used to being back."
"Well your dad's idea of throwing that party on Saturday should help you with that." Emily reminded the girl. "I know it can be overwhelming so you'd rather keep it small but maybe it won't be that bad."
"Maybe." Jai repeated, looking at Emily. "I'm just glad you're going to be there. I could really use some friendly faces in the crowd."
"Of course. And I'll ask my friends to come as well if they're free." Emily offered. "Anything to make the night more bearable."
"Thanks." Jai said, smiling gratefully. "That would really help."
Emily returned Jai's smile and they continued walking in silence, only stopping when they finally reached the front steps of Harrison College House. She took a step forward before turning around to face Jai and saw the girl eyeing the building in front of her.
"So this is where you live." Jai stated, looking around them. "It looks cool."
"It is." Emily replied. "And it's right above the coffee shop I work at so that's a plus." She continued, jutting her thumb at the café not far from where they were standing. "You should come by sometime. First cup's on me."
"I'll definitely take you up on that offer." Jai said before checking the time on her watch. "How about now?" She asked, trying not to sound too eager.
"I can't. There's this thing I have to attend." Emily answered vaguely. "I promised Spencer I'd go with her so she's probably waiting for me upstairs."
"Right. Because you're roommates with her." Jai recalled. "Right." She repeated, taking a deep breath before looking away. "This... isn't how it's supposed to be."
Emily heard the pain in the girl's voice and it made her take a step toward Jai. "I know." She whispered consolingly before wrapping her arms around the girl.
Jai returned Emily's hug and drew the girl closer, missing the feel of Emily's body against hers. But something felt off and she took a step back once she realized what it was.
"You're vibrating." Jai told the girl.
"Sorry. Must be Spence." Emily guessed as she took out her phone to see who it was. Her pulse raced when she saw Paige's name on the screen and she hurriedly touched the reject button before Jai could see who it was. "Or not."
"Who was it?" Jai asked, giving the girl a curious look.
"Zach." Emily lied, returning the phone in her pocket and looking at Jai. "He's the president of MUSE. I'll just call him back later." She added dismissively.
"Are you sure? Why would the president of your organization call you if it's not important?" Jai pointed out.
"Trust me. He's Zach. It's not org related." Emily reassured the girl.
"Okay. Well I guess I better get going then." Jai said after a moment of silence passed. She took a step forward to kiss Emily on the cheek but the girl pulled away at the last second.
"It's getting late. I should head inside. Spencer's probably wondering where I am." Emily rambled, taking a step back. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Jai repeated. "Go ahead. I'll wait until you get inside."
Jai watched as the girl made her way to the front entrance, turning around to head back to where she parked Logan's car earlier once she saw Emily disappear inside the building. She almost bumped into a guy when she crossed the street but she stepped to the side at the last second to avoid the contact.
Just like what Emily did. Jai recalled. She wasn't imagining it. Emily took a step back when she tried to kiss the girl. Something's wrong. She thought, stopping in her tracks when she remembered the mysterious phone call. It couldn't have been the president of MUSE. Emily was flustered when she saw who was calling. Jai didn't know what to make of the girl's reaction but she knew one thing. Emily lied.
Paige sat on the sidelines and absentmindedly watched some of her teammates run another lap in the field, the rhythmic sound of their feet hitting the ground barely registering to her. The annual Penn Relays is nearing so their coach wanted them to train longer hours which earned groans amongst her teammates but Paige didn't mind. Because one, the more exhausted she was, the easier it would be for her to fall asleep and two, with what is or isn't going on in her life right now, she could really use the distraction.
"Heads up!" Paige lifted her head when she heard Reese's voice and raised her arm just in time to catch the water bottle the girl threw at her.
"Nice reflex." Reese said before taking a seat next to the girl. "For a second there I thought we'd be one member short for the rest of the semester."
"Not gonna happen." Paige shot back, placing the bottle next to her. "And goodluck explaining that one to coach. He's wound up pretty tight as it is."
"Nah. He just gets like that because of the Penn Relays. It'll pass. We're used to it." Reese said dismissively. "So. What's up with you?" She asked, elbowing the girl.
"What do you mean?" Paige said in reply without looking at her friend.
"I mean you're sitting here instead of hauling ass like the rest of our teammates." Reese pointed out.
"What? I can't take a break?" Paige asked, still refusing to make eye contact with the girl. "I'm not a machine. I run out of breath too."
"So why do you look like you got the life sucked out of you?" Reese observed. "Where's that spark in your eyes whenever you run?"
"Just didn't sleep well." Paige answered vaguely.
"Ah. I see we're back to problems related to Emily Fields again." Reese said matter-of-factly. "Okay out with it. What did she do this time?"
Paige shook her head wordlessly and just continued watching her teammates. She could feel Reese studying her and she knew the girl was worried so she said the first thing that came to mind. "Jai's alive." She revealed, still not used to hearing herself say those words.
Reese's jaw dropped. "Um... I don't know what to say to that. I mean... that's crazy. When? How?" She asked, confused.
Paige shrugged. "I have no idea." She replied, heaving a sigh. "We haven't really talked since she showed up in front of Emily's house last night. I've been avoiding her because I don't know what to say. Or how to act. Especially when Emily's around."
"That's... really messed up." Reese finished, not knowing what else to say to her friend. "How's Emily holding up?"
"Well for me to answer that question I'd have to be able to talk to her which is something I haven't done ever since Jai came back." Paige replied bitterly, finally looking at the girl. "She's avoiding me."
Reese placed an arm around Paige's shoulder and moved closer. "Listen. I won't even pretend that I know what you're going through. Or how you're feeling. But... I do know that everyone who was affected by your friend's death is probably reeling from her sudden return." She said, squeezing the girl's shoulder consolingly. "Especially those who were closest to her. You know I'm not one to defend Fields. But... she isn't avoiding you to hurt you. She's just probably confused right now."
"Yeah. Probably." Paige repeated softly.
"Annnnddd I can tell you don't believe a word of what I just said." Reese commented, removing her arm from around the girl's shoulders. "Paige... your friend has only been back for a day. I know it threw you for a loop but you have to cut Emily some slack."
"I know that!" Paige exclaimed, looking at her friend. "I'm sorry." She hurriedly said when she saw the surprise in Reese's face. "I know you're trying to help and I'm grateful for that. I just... the last time I felt this helpless was when Jai died. I couldn't do anything then and now that she's back I still can't do anything about the situation. It's frustrating." She confessed dejectedly. "What am I supposed to do?"
Reese gave the girl an encouraging smile. "You'll figure it out." She told Paige, touching the girl's arm reassuringly. "You always do."
On Thursday morning, Emily emerged from the Pottruck Center fresh from her swim practice and made her way down the steps to head toward Harrison for her shift at Café Prima. Her muscles were sore from the training but she didn't mind. Swimming always has a way of clearing her head which is exactly what she needed. Although it didn't work this time. Because two hours later and she's still thinking about Jai and Paige and the mess that she's now in.
"Emily."
Emily stopped in her tracks when she heard the familiar voice and looked up to find Paige standing in front of her at the bottom of the steps. She took in the girl's appearance, a wave of nostalgia hitting her. It wasn't that long ago when they stood in front of each other, about to have dinner at her house. Yet four days felt like months and she missed the girl. But the reason as to why they were standing there at that very moment brought Emily back to reality and she forced her legs to start moving again.
"What are you doing here?" Emily asked when she was close enough to be heard but she didn't bother to stop and instead just walked past Paige.
"What do you think? You won't answer any of my calls." Paige pointed out, turning around to follow the girl. "You can't even be bothered to reply to my texts? I've been trying to reach out to you since Monday."
"Take a hint." Emily said with more force than she intended.
Paige quickened her pace and grabbed Emily's arm, forcing the girl to stop and face her. "Em, we need to talk about this. What this means for us now that Jai's back." She said firmly.
"Us? There's no us." Emily emphasized, shrugging off the girl's hand. "There never was."
"Don't say that." Paige begged. "I know you're scared. But once Jai finds out-"
"You can't tell her." Emily interjected, alarmed. "She can't find out."
"You're not serious." Paige said, staring at the girl incredulously. "She has to know."
"Paige..." Emily implored. "I can't do this right now. Just... leave me alone." She pleaded before walking away. Emily didn't dare look back. She couldn't bear to see the hurt and sadness in the girl's eyes knowing she was the reason for it.
"Watch it!" Hanna exclaimed, raising her arms instinctively when a guy holding a plastic cup came close to spilling his drink as he walked past her. Disaster averted, she surveyed the living room again before turning around to face her friend. "She's not here either."
Spencer craned her neck and looked past Hanna, her eyes quickly scanning the crowd as well. "Maybe she's in the game room?" She suggested, steering her friend to the left.
"Great. More people." Hanna muttered unenthusiastically. "It's impossible to find anyone in this mob. Why isn't Em answering her phone?" She complained, starting to get annoyed.
"Maybe she couldn't hear it ringing over this din." Spencer reasoned out, reminding her friend that they were in a party. "I knew we should've come here with her instead of-"
"Okay. You know what? I'm sorry I dragged you to that sale." Hanna interjected, turning around to face the girl. "But stop complaining because it's not like you didn't buy anything."
Spencer raised her hands in mock surrender. "Sorry." She uttered before lowering her hands. "It's just that I feel guilty. Letting Em go to this party by herself. Though I have to admit that skirt really looked good on you." She added, smiling at her friend.
Hanna beamed. "I know, right? I really should've bought those boots to go with it." She lamented. "But hey, don't sweat it. Jai's here. It's not like Em went to this party not knowing anyone. Besides, she said she was fine with us getting here late." Hanna reminded the girl.
"Still. I kinda wish we got here sooner." Spencer admitted. "Jai's back. For some miraculous reason she's alive. That can't be easy for Em."
"It's not easy for everyone. Including Jai." Hanna pointed out as they entered the game room. "But we're here now. That's what's important. We can make it up to Em." She said, pulling Spencer's arm when the crowd parted and she saw their friend standing in one corner of the room with her back turned to them. "Come on. I found her."
Spencer followed Hanna as the girl made her way to their friend, catching glimpses of Emily every now and then. They were still separated by several people but she and Emily have been friends for years so Spencer could tell, even if the girl's back was turned to her, that Emily was tense. When the girl told her earlier this week that Jai was back from the dead, she, like Hanna and Aria, was shocked and confused as to how that happened. Their friend couldn't give them the exact details about Jai's ordeal since Emily didn't want to force the girl to open up to her but from what she heard, what happened was indeed a miracle. However, while Emily agreed that it was, Spencer could sense that her friend was torn about Jai's unexpected return. And with good reason. She would too if her girlfriend came back from the dead and she was seeing someone else all this time. She didn't even know what to do or where to start figuring things out.
"Hey." Spencer uttered in greeting when she was finally close enough to be heard.
Emily stiffened when she felt someone tap her shoulder and she slowly turned around, visibly relaxing when she saw Hanna and Spencer standing in front of her. "Hey." She repeated, her voice strained.
"It's just us." Spencer said lightly, giving her friend a small smile. "We just got here. Sorry. Hanna got sidetracked by a skirt."
"Hey it was no ordinary skirt!" Hanna exclaimed defensively. "It was vintage. And what's important is that we're here."
"Yeah. Thanks for coming." Emily said, leaning forward to hug her friends.
"Of course. Aria sends her love by the way. She said she's sorry she's stuck in New York for a seminar. You know she'd be here if she could." Hanna told the girl apologetically.
"I know. And I told her I understood when she called earlier." Emily reassured her friend. "I'm just glad you two made it."
"And so did half the population of Rosewood from what I can tell." Spencer deadpanned. "Pretty good turn up, though."
"I guess word got out that Jai's alive and everyone wanted to see for themselves." Emily rationalized as she looked around the crowded room. "I didn't even know she knew this much people."
Hanna shrugged. "Maybe she doesn't. You know how these things are. Word of mouth and all that." She reminded the girl.
"Yeah." Emily uttered, giving her friend a weak smile.
"Are you okay?" Spencer suddenly asked as she studied her friend. "You seem jumpy."
"I'm not jumpy." Emily answered defensively. "I'm fine." She reassured her friends even though her voice was strained. Just then, a flash of movement caught her attention and her eyes darted to the open doorway behind her friends. She watched with bated breath as a tall girl with long brown hair weaved her way in and out of the crowd and her palms began to sweat.
"Em? What's wrong?" Hanna asked, glancing behind her to see why her friend suddenly turned pale. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
Emily released the breath she was holding in when the crowd slightly parted and she finally saw that it was a different girl. Not Paige. You need to relax. Get a grip. She thought, mentally berating herself.
"I need to get some air." Emily said without answering Hanna's question. "There's food in the kitchen if you guys are hungry." She added before walking past her friends, trying not to push her way in the crowd as she left the room to head to someplace that isn't jam-packed.
"Weird. What was that about?" Hanna asked, oblivious.
Spencer shrugged. "No idea." She lied to give her friend some space. They can talk to Emily about her situation some other time. When the girl doesn't look as overwhelmed as tonight. "Come on. All that shopping we did made me hungry." Spencer said in an effort to take Hanna's mind off Emily's behavior just now. She steered her friend toward the kitchen but glanced behind her and saw Emily making her way up the stairs. Hang in there, Em. Spencer thought before following Hanna.
Jai craned her head to see above the crowd, trying to spot a familiar face as she wove her way around the room. Other than the second floor, the wine cellar and the kitchen, the house was practically bursting at the seams she was starting to think her father invited everyone who lived in Rosewood and Philly and she was getting tired of having to tell her story again and again. She needed a break. And she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather spend it with than Emily Fields. If she could find the girl, that is. Jai was about to go to the library when she caught sight of a group of people from the Aid For Friends foundation gathered near the doorway and wanting to avoid another round of storytelling, she decided to head upstairs instead.
"Em." Jai uttered, pleasantly surprised when she saw the girl standing just outside of her room. "There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Sorry. I just needed to take a breather." Emily replied apologetically. "It was getting crowded downstairs."
"I know. I was looking for you for that same reason actually." Jai admitted with a wry smile.
"Well... you found me." Emily quipped.
"I'm so glad I didn't go to the library to look for you." Jai said, exhaling in relief.
Emily laughed. "You want to go sit inside?" She suggested as she gestured to Jai's room.
"I don't know." Jai answered. "To be honest, I haven't been inside since I came back." She confessed, her eyes on the door. "I've been staying in Kayla's room all this time."
Emily's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why?" She asked, studying the girl standing next to her.
For a while, Jai just stood there and stared at the door without saying anything until finally she shrugged. "I guess I haven't gotten around to cleaning it." She replied, looking at Emily. "What about you? Why are you standing here?"
"I actually thought about going inside but I couldn't bring myself to open the door." Emily admitted with a sad smile. "Lots of memories on the other side. The last time I was here-"
"Was the night before I left for London." Jai continued. "I remember. That moment was one of the best yet hardest in my life. I was torn between leaving for London and staying here with you. I chose to leave and now we're standing here... distant." She said, melancholic.
The sight of the despondent girl standing next to her made Emily's heart ache. A year may have passed and she knew that like her, Jai has changed but right now all she saw was the girl she fell in love with four years ago and the memories came flooding in, making her feel nostalgic.
"I missed you so much, Jai." Emily confessed emotionally.
Jai let out a relieved laugh. "I've been waiting to hear you say those words to me ever since I got back." She admitted, her voice hoarse. "I was starting to think I didn't matter to you anymore."
"You do. And I know it wasn't easy choosing to go to London. I never held that against you even when we thought you died. I was just overwhelmed the past few days. Of course I missed you." Emily reassured the girl.
Jai closed the distance between them and hugged Emily. "I missed you, too." She replied, smiling when she felt the girl's arms wrap around her.
"We should probably go back downstairs and mingle." Emily said when they separated. "I'm keeping you all to myself when all of these people came here tonight to welcome you home."
"I don't even know half of the people downstairs. Let's just stay here for a few more minutes." Jai pleaded. "Go inside my room and talk. Have a real conversation. Not like the ones we've been having ever since I got back."
"Okay. But just for a few minutes." Emily repeated, grabbing the chance to really talk to Jai again. "Logan will be looking for you if you're gone for too long." She reminded the girl.
"I know. Thank you." Jai uttered gratefully, extending a hand for Emily to take before opening the door and stepping inside her room with the girl again.
"Sorry!" Paige blurted out, cursing under her breath when she felt someone's arm connect to her elbow again. The party at the Hayes' house was already in full swing by the time she got there that from the front door to the living room, all she had to do was follow the flow of bodies around her in order to move. "Sorry!" Paige repeated when she stepped on someone else's feet. She needed to get out of this room right now or she'll end up with bruises all over her body. Slowly, Paige pushed her way through the dense crowd, knowing exactly where to go without raising her head since she knew the layout of the house like the back of her hand. When she finally reached the sunroom, Paige exhaled in relief when she realized it was much less crowded and looked around to find a familiar face.
"Catch your breath already?" Paige turned around when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder and smiled when she saw Jai's sister standing in front of her.
"Kayla." Paige uttered before giving the girl a warm hug. "Am I glad to see you."
"You're late." Kayla reprimanded with a pout.
"I know. I'm sorry. I had a track meet in Maryland and traffic was a nightmare." Paige explained apologetically. "Not that anyone would notice in this crowd. This is a huge turnout." She commented, looking around them.
"Hey, I noticed." Kayla reminded the girl. "And thanks for coming. She's trying to hide it but Jai's overwhelmed with the crowd. One more familiar face wouldn't hurt. Especially if it's her best friend's. I know this isn't exactly your scene and you know... with the way things are between you, Emily, and my sister..." She trailed off. "How are things with them?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Paige replied, her tone guarded. "Where's your sister?" She asked in an effort to change the subject.
"Right here." Jai answered, making Paige turn around to face her. "Thanks for coming." She continued with a relieved smile.
"And that's my cue to leave. I'll go mingle somewhere else." Kayla told them before disappearing amidst the crowd, leaving the two girls to themselves.
"I'm really glad you made it." Jai said after a moment of silence. "For a while there I thought you weren't coming."
"Sorry. I left Maryland later than expected and then I got caught in heavy traffic on the way home." Paige explained.
Jai shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'm just relieved you're here." She admitted, exhaling. A sudden movement made Jai look past her friend and she ran a hand through her hair wearily when she realized it was her father, motioning for her to come over.
"Are you okay? You look tired." Paige observed worriedly.
"I'm exhausted." Jai confessed. "And now I have to go. My dad's beckoning for me to join him. I'll find you later?" She asked as she started to walk toward her father.
"Yeah. Sure." Paige replied, growing anxious at the thought. "I'll just go find something to drink." She told her friend before heading for the opposite direction.
Paige navigated the crowd once again, looking for a particular face as she did so. Since she arrived, she's been trying to find Emily but so far, she's out of luck. Paige decided to take a break and headed for the kitchen first to really get something to drink, relieved that the area was off limits to other guests. She nodded her head in greeting to one of the caterers who knew her from the dozens of other parties the Hayes have thrown and walked over to the fridge to get a bottle of water but stopped just in front of the door when she realized she wasn't the only guest in the room.
"Hey." Paige uttered to Emily who was standing in front of several trays of cupcakes like a deer caught in headlights. If things weren't so confusing between them she would've laughed at the girl's expression.
"Hey." Emily repeated once she got over her surprise.
"You considering a career in baking now?" Paige asked, finally opening the fridge to get a bottle of water.
Emily shook her head. "No. Just taking a break." She lied. The truth is she was hiding to avoid a situation like this. She already saw Paige walk into the kitchen before the girl noticed her but in her panic, she froze in place, unable to do anything but wait until Paige realized she was in the room.
"Me, too. Although I just got here myself." Paige added, sauntering to the girl. "Where are your friends?"
"Um... Spencer and Hanna are around here somewhere. But Aria couldn't make it. Seminar." Emily explained while trying not to squirm at the girl's nearness.
"Right." Paige uttered, not really hearing what Emily said as she held the girl's gaze. "Anyway-"
"Pretty good turnout, huh?" Emily blurted out before Paige could finish her sentence.
"You mean for Logan? Yeah. Because I don't think Jai knows this much people." Paige answered wryly. "And caterers? Come on. It's like he can't decide between throwing a dinner or a welcome party for Jai."
"What's wrong with hiring a caterer? At least they don't have to worry about the food." Emily replied, her tone defensive. "Jai needs all the help she can get. It's good Logan decided to have the party catered so he can mingle with the guests as well."
"So what are you doing here?" Paige remarked. "If Jai needs help why aren't you out there mingling?"
"Because like I said, I'm taking a break." Emily repeated emphatically.
"Really. So you're not in here hiding because you're scared you might run into me." Paige surmised. "Because I swear you seem awfully jumpy around me."
Emily rolled her eyes. "Please. As if." She said, crossing her arms. "I'm not hiding." She told the girl indignantly.
"Perfect. So you're just here taking a break. Can we talk?" Paige asked, stepping in front of Emily to block the girl's view of the doorway. "We really need to talk."
"Now's not a good time." Emily said, refusing to meet Paige's brown eyes.
"Why not? You're not mingling. You're not one of the caterers either. You're a guest taking a break just like me." Paige pointed out. "Come on. Just a few minutes." She promised.
Emily sighed. "Okay." She said, finally giving in. "But not here." She added before heading for the door that led to the backyard without waiting for the girl.
Paige closed her eyes in relief and uttered a silent prayer of gratitude that she was finally making some progress with Emily. She then stole a quick look behind her to make sure no one was paying any attention to them before setting her unopened bottle of water down next to a tray of what looked like vanilla cupcakes and following the girl outside of the house.
Emily led the way to the Hayes' pool house and stopped in a secluded area where the only source of light is the moon, looking around her anxiously until Paige caught up to her.
"What do you want to talk about?" Emily urgently asked in a hushed tone before the girl could say anything.
"I just want to know how you're holding up." Paige replied, trying to keep her voice low as well. "I mean, this can't be easy for you. Finding out Jai is alive." She clarified. It wasn't until after she tried to talk to Emily outside of Pottruck Center that Paige realized this was something she failed to ask the girl ever since Jai came back so now she's trying to correct that mistake.
"It's not." Emily admitted, taking a deep breath as she began to relax around the girl. Just when she thought Paige was going to insist on talking again about their situation, she does this instead. "She's lost some weight. A little sunburned, too. She still can't remember what happened after the crash but other than that she said she's fine."
"That's really good to hear." Paige said truthfully.
"Yeah." Emily uttered, a moment of silence passing between them until she sighed. "This is crazy." She whispered as she ran a hand through her hair.
Paige studied the girl standing in front of her and instinctively reached out to gently tuck a loose strand of hair behind Emily's ear. The simple gesture made the girl jerk and she looked around them to see if someone was watching.
"Paige!" Emily reprimanded, her pulse racing. "You can't do that anymore." She reminded the girl even if her skin was still tingling from Paige's touch. "I don't know what's going to happen. I can't tell you. Everything is so crazy right now."
"It's fine. I'm sorry." Paige said, still breathless at the feel of Emily's soft hair on her fingertips.
"I need some time. Away from you." Emily continued as she struggled to say the words. "Jai's back. And technically she's still my girlfriend. I can't. This." She clarified, gesturing to them.
Paige gave Emily a sad smile. "I know. And I understand. I'm not trying to put pressure on you or anything." She told the girl reassuringly. "So I'm gonna go."
"Where?" Emily asked when she realized that the girl was not headed back inside the house.
"Home." Paige answered. "I'm beat. I had a crappy day."
"Aren't you going to stay for the party? Jai's going to look for you." Emily reminded the girl.
"Tell her... I don't know. Tell her I wasn't feeling well so I had to go home or something." Paige suggested. "Any excuse is better than 'I just actually came by in the hopes of seeing your girlfriend'."
"I'll tell her your stalker ex showed up so you ran away." Emily proposed with a gleam in her eyes.
"That could actually work." Paige said wryly. "I really miss you, Em." She confessed emotionally before leaving.
"I miss you, too." Emily whispered and watched the girl until she couldn't see Paige's silhouette anymore. For a while she just stood there in the darkness, seemingly transfixed until the sound of clattering utensils from inside the kitchen jolted her back to reality.
Present Day...
Emily visibly jerked in her seat when she heard a utensil clatter on a plate and she watched her mother retrieve a spoon, apologizing for the ruckus. Having lost her appetite, Emily lowered her fork and daintily wiped the corners of her mouth with a table napkin.
"May I be excused?" Emily asked, addressing both of her parents.
"Sure, honey." Wayne replied but gave his daughter a worried look when he noticed that Emily barely touched her breakfast.
"Thank you." Emily said, pushing her chair backward and getting up.
"What time is Jasmine coming over?" Pam inquired before her daughter could leave.
"A little after lunch so I'm going to my room to get ready." Emily answered, heading for the stairs.
"It doesn't take you four or five hours just to get ready." Pam reminded the girl. "You should get some sleep. You got home late last night."
Last night. Emily thought, everything that happened or didn't happen at the party rushing back to her and she bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying. "Okay." She managed to say to put an end to the conversation and she headed upstairs uninterrupted this time.