Locum Tenens non progredi : chapter iv, a pretty little liars fanfic

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.

Thanks for the reviews. Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I've been swamped with tons of things lately. For a guide to understanding the flow of this chapter, check my post on Tumblr (15xtn21) and Twitter ( krystn21).

CaliGrlFoLife, jhas, sampledbeats, Cintillo, Bobx7, bebeden12, Karla05full, MikkiT, WeAreLife, jlshepherd, and rockchip96... Thanks for the PMs.

To my girlfriend, EyeOpener16, I'm super grateful for all the help these past few weeks. I love you.

PART THREE: " Non Progredi Est Regredi"

~ To not go forward is to go backward. ~

CHAPTER FOUR

Paige ticked off a few more items in the list she made in her head as she carefully inspected her room and finally nodded her head in satisfaction when she came to the conclusion that everything she would be needing for the trip is already packed. Her attention suddenly veered toward the closed bathroom door when she heard Reese belt out a new song above the sound of running water from the shower and she shook her head wryly.

After taking an Advil and getting a couple of hours of sleep, Reese singing at the top of her lungs was an indication that the girl is feeling much better and now they were getting ready before her dad came back so they could be on their way to the airport after having a late lunch with him.

Nick actually insisted on seeing her off to Abu Dhabi and even offered to take a later flight back to California but Paige knew he has an important business meeting to get to so she declined and said that she would just catch a ride with Reese, hence the girl spending the night at their house after the party.

"You're killing me out here!" Paige called out. "I think I'm going to need an Advil myself if you don't stop singing!"

Reese shouted something in reply but Paige couldn't understand what it was so she just walked over to her dresser while shaking her head wryly. She was almost done getting ready. She just needed to put on a couple of accessories and she'll be set.

Paige rummaged the contents of the small wooden box sitting on top of her dresser, trying to decide what to wear, until she finally settled on a pair of heart-shaped white gold stud earrings. She was about to close the lid when her eyes locked on the lime green Suunto Ambit3 Run so she reached for it instead and touched the cracked screen of her old sports watch gingerly.

Nine Months Ago...

Paige touched the cracked screen of her lime green sports watch gingerly and groaned. Perfect. Just when she thought her summer in Spain was going to end with just a bruised arm and a wounded ego, she had to go and break the watch her father gave her for Christmas last year. She just hoped he would go easy on her when he finds out that she broke it when she miscalculated the distance of the curve on the trail earlier so she used her arm to break her fall but her wrist hit the wall of rock squarely instead.

Her dad had to be there for him to understand how much it hurt when she collided with that jagged cliff face. It's still pretty sore, actually. She thought as she touched her left arm and slowly rotated her shoulder. Never again. Paige promised herself. Night runs were never really her thing. She was blind as a bat out there. Good thing Reese was just a few steps ahead of her and came back when her friend heard her cry out in pain.

Paige gave the watch one last look before depositing it inside her duffel bag with the rest of her things and carrying the bag to the wooden bench behind her after she shut the locker door with what felt like finality. Reese was still taking a shower so she had time to fix her things. Setting her bag on the space next to her, Paige reached inside in search of the pouch which contained her toiletries but her hand touched something smooth and cylindrical instead. She didn't have to look at the object to know that it was her stainless steel vacuum water bottle. Some of the print on the surface may have worn off and she should probably buy a new one but she couldn't bring herself to throw it away. After all, it was the water bottle Emily gave her last year.

"How's the arm?" Paige looked to her left when she heard someone ask and saw one of her co-trainees looking at her worriedly.

"A little sore but it'll heal." Paige answered with a small smile.

"Good. You should put some ice on it tonight after dinner." The girl suggested. "I'm going ahead. Meet you and Reese at the parking lot?"

Paige nodded her head and waited until the girl was out of the room before she returned her attention to the water bottle in her hand and toyed with it for a few more seconds thoughtfully. Reese just stepped inside the shower so she had time to make a call, if only her phone wasn't dead. Before she lost her nerve, Paige returned the water bottle inside her bag and walked over to one of the stalls where she stood just near enough to be heard above the sound of running water.

"Hey, Reese!" Paige called out. "I need to make a call to the US but my phone's dead. Mind if I use yours?" She asked, her ears straining for any indication that her friend heard her. "Reese?" Paige called out again and took a step back when the shower turned off.

"Who are you calling?" Reese inquired as she wiped off some water from her eyes when she popped her head behind the curtain.

"My dad." Paige lied. "He told me to call him but I forgot. Please? I promise I'll pay you back."

Reese narrowed her eyes and studied the girl. "Sure. It's in the right side pocket of my duffel bag." She finally said, making her friend smile. "Tell Emily I said hi." Reese added knowingly.

Paige felt her cheeks turn beet red. "Thanks. And hurry up. Irena and the others are waiting for us." She told the girl before heading back to the lockers.

Once Reese's phone was in her hand, Paige stepped just outside of the locker room and checked the time displayed on the screen before counting six hours back. Afternoon. Paige thought to herself as she contemplated whether or not to call. She was so close to lasting the entire summer without talking to Emily but before she chickened out, she began to dial the number she already knew by heart.

Eighteen Months Ago...

Paige shifted on her bed for what seemed like the nth time, still unable to find sleep. She was actually hoping that she would fall into a deep slumber once her head made contact with the pillows considering she spent the rest of her day doing errands after her usual early morning run. Except she couldn't. Because while her body was exhausted, her mind was restless and she found herself tossing and turning as she thought about Emily Fields.

1:17 AM. The illuminated time on Paige's bedside table was a glaring reminder that she's been awake for more than an hour now. One hour of doing nothing but think about Emily and what she was doing right now one thousand one hundred and seventy six miles away in Miami. Probably out on some beach club laughing and dancing with her friends while getting free drinks from guys and girls alike.

Don't do this to yourself. Paige thought, shifting on her bed again to turn her back to the clock. The summer just started but already she's done nothing but think about seeing Emily again once the fall semester starts in UPenn. A sudden buzzing sound made Paige look behind her again and she realized that it was her phone, vibrating against her bedside table. Curious as to who could be calling her this late, she got up into a sitting position and reached for it, a feeling of confusion and joy coming over her when she saw Emily's name on the screen. Hoping her voice won't give away how she was feeling, she let it vibrate a couple more times before finally touching the answer button.

"Hello?" Paige said, cursing inwardly when she heard how out of breath she sounded. "Emily?" She continued when all she heard was ragged breathing.

"Paige?" Emily finally slurred. "Are you there?"

"Yeah. I'm here." Paige replied. "It's past one in the morning. Are you okay?"

"Yup." Emily uttered after a few seconds of silence passed.

"Are you sure?" Paige asked, now worried. "Because you sound drunk."

"Me? Nope. Not drunk." Emily protested.

"Yes, you. Definitely drunk." Paige concluded. "Where are your friends?"

"Um... around." Emily answered vaguely. "Probably still out partying down at the beach."

"O-kay. So where are you?" Paige asked, confused.

"In my bed." Emily replied groggily. "I'm really wasted."

"Good. That's good." Paige said, exhaling in relief. "That you're in your room. Not that you're drunk!" She hurriedly clarified.

"Who you calling drunk? I'm not drunk!" Emily insisted.

Paige laughed wryly. "You just said you're wasted." She reminded the girl.

"Oh. Right." Emily said before growing silent.

Thinking the line went dead or that the girl fell asleep just now, Paige's thumb hovered on the end call button. But before she could hang up, Emily spoke up again.

"Paige... do you remember that time when we acted like a couple while Jai was in London so that girl would leave you alone? What was her name again? Aleah?" Emily guessed, her words even more slurred.

"Althea." Paige corrected. "Yeah. I remember. You were pretty convincing."

"Well I've had practice. For three years." Emily said emphatically. "And I miss it."

Paige frowned. "Miss what?" She asked, confused.

"Being someone's girlfriend now that Jai's gone." Emily confessed. "Hey. Come to think of it, you should consider yourself lucky." She added lightly.

"Really. How so?" Paige asked, a smile playing on the corner of her lips.

"Well technically I was your first girlfriend." Emily pointed out. "Don't forget that."

Paige laughed. "I won't. Being your girlfriend for all of ten minutes was an honor." She quipped, making Emily laugh as well. "But don't worry." Paige added in a serious tone after a moment of silence passed. "I'm sure your next girlfriend is going to be really lucky."

Nine Months Ago...

Emily stood in front of the full-length mirror and tried to put on a smile as she stared at her reflection. Her friends were headed out to grab a late lunch at Saaz, an Indian restaurant at County Road, and she decided to join them though she wasn't really hungry because she didn't want to be such a kill joy this time. The entire summer her friends have been nothing but understanding even if she refused to tell them what was going on. She didn't want to ruin their last few days together before the fall semester starts. Emily brushed an imaginary lint off the shoulder of her top and checked her reflection one last time before looking away when she heard her phone ring. Expecting a call from her mom, she hurriedly searched inside her bag but her brows creased when she saw that it was an unregistered number instead.

"Hello?" Emily answered then frowned when she didn't hear anything. "Hello? Who is this?" She asked, starting to get annoyed. "Okay, if this is a prank call I'm hanging up now."

"Don't." Emily felt her mouth go dry when she heard that familiar voice and her heart began to beat loudly in her chest.

"Paige?" Emily uttered, surprised.

"I'm sorry. I just... I needed to hear your voice. Don't hang up." Paige pleaded.

Emily stood frozen in place and she held her breath as she waited for the girl to speak again. She hasn't heard from Paige the entire summer so the girl calling her now seemed so out of the blue.

"I miss you." Paige confessed. "I never thought I would miss you this much but I do. And I guess I get it now. What you said before. That whole not talking about anything but just hearing the other person's voice. I get it now."

I miss you, too. "I can't do this." Emily whispered, closing her eyes in anguish.

"I know. But I just need a minute. Just a minute. Just stay on the line for a minute." Paige implored. "How's Rosewood? How are things there?"

Emily sighed. "I wouldn't know. I'm at the Southampton with my friends. Spencer's family invited us." She explained, her fingers toying with the hem of her top.

"Oh. Since when?" Paige asked. "Is Jai... is she there with you?"

"Since last month." Emily replied. "And no. She's not. Jai's with Kayla and Logan. Visiting relatives for the summer."

"Right." Paige uttered.

Just then, Emily heard someone knock on the bedroom door and she almost lost her grip on her phone. "I'll be right out!" She called out, hoping Hanna didn't hear the conversation. "I have to go. My friends are waiting for me." She told the girl apologetically.

"Yeah. Okay. Reese is probably looking for her phone anyway." Paige said, the disappointment evident in her voice. "Have fun with your friends. Bye."

"Bye." Emily echoed faintly.

Twenty Three Months Ago...

Emily mentally rehearsed her lines for the third time as she nervously made her way toward the Brew to meet Paige. It was one of those rare occasions where Jai's best friend needed a favor and given their newly-established friendship, she didn't want to let down the girl. Emily quickened her pace and slipped into character when she caught sight of Jai's best friend seated on one of the tables outside the café with someone. Here goes nothing.

"What is this?!" Emily asked in the most incredulous tone she could muster once she was close enough to be heard. "Oh my god, Paige, how could you do this to me again?!"

Paige looked up, her eyes widening in surprise, and she quickly withdrew her hand from the girl seated in front of her. "Maggie! What... are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes darting between the two girls. "Aren't you supposed to be on that trip?"

"There was no trip! I only said that because I wanted to surprise you!" Emily cried out. "But I guess you've got that one covered. Now I see why you're so adamant that I leave. So you could meet this skank-"

"Hey!" The girl interrupted, giving Emily an indignant glare. "My name's Althea!"

"I'll call you whatever I want, skank." Emily snapped. "How could you do this to me, Paige?! I gave you everything you wanted! I gave myself to you! Several times!" She exclaimed, pretending to be devastated.

Paige's eyes widened in surprise. That wasn't part of the script but Althea seemed to be buying everything Jai's girlfriend was saying so she decided to go along. "Maggie, come on. You know you're my girl. I swear she's just a friend." Paige insisted as she reached for Emily's hand but the girl pulled away.

"A friend? Really? Just like Beth? Grace? Lorraine?" Emily enumerated.

Paige looked at Althea uneasily. "She's not serious." She reassured the obviously devastated girl.

Emily scoffed. "Oh you bet I am! You think you're special? Paige has gone through girls like the letters of the alphabet but I always took her back because she said she was never really serious with any of you." She told the girl smugly. "After I found out about Vanessa last week I thought she's done fooling around but I guess not. This is the last straw." Emily stated, looking at Paige. "I'm done letting you make a fool out of me. You two are going to pay for this. My brothers are going to make sure of that. So if you know what's good for you, you won't show your face around Rosewood ever again." She warned Althea, then bumped Paige hard as she made her exit.

"What?! Maggie, don't you think that's too much? Maggie! Hey, that's not fair! You have four brothers and they're all in the army!" Paige called out before returning her attention to Althea. "I'm so sorry. I-"

"Seriously?!" Althea interjected, livid. "You're so sorry? That's all you have to say?! You were cheating on Maggie and me with this Vanessa and now four brothers are going to come after me!"

"Hey, they're coming after me, too. This wouldn't have happened if you just listened. I told you I couldn't see you anymore but you wouldn't take no for an answer!" Paige admonished.

"I would've if you said you were a cheat with a lunatic for a girlfriend!" Althea argued. "Just... do me a favor and stay away from me, jerk!"

Paige gave Althea a helpless look before leaving to follow her partner in crime. "Maggie, wait!" She called out, trying to match Emily's pace so she wouldn't overtake the girl. "Wait." She repeated then grabbed Jai's girlfriend by the arm.

"What?!" Emily snapped, turning around to face Paige but her sight is locked on the girl they just left.

"Is she watching?" Paige asked under her breath.

"Yeah." Emily replied then turned around to resume walking.

Paige waited for a few seconds before catching up to the girl. "I'm going to put my arm around you." She said, making Jai's girlfriend look at her in panic.

"What? Why?! That wasn't part of the plan." Emily reminded the girl.

"Neither was telling her you gave yourself to me several times." Paige quipped. "Come on. I'm trying to improvise here. I didn't count on her sticking around after."

Emily sighed. "Fine. But you're going to owe me big time for this." She told the girl reluctantly.

"Deal." Paige said in agreement. "You know what to do, right? Ready?" She asked, stepping closer.

"Ready." Emily repeated.

Paige lifted her right arm and lightly placed it around the girl's shoulder to make it seem like she's sweet-talking Emily and then like clockwork, the girl shrugged it off.

"How was that? Good?" Emily asked just as they reached the end of the street.

"Perfect." Paige answered, grinning at the girl once they rounded the corner and disappeared from view.

Nine Months Ago...

"I still can't believe I'm a senior this year." Reese commented as she and Paige walked back after dinner to the room they've been sharing for the past couple of months now. "Somehow it makes me feel older and wiser."

Paige let out a short laugh. "I seriously doubt the latter part." She shot back.

Reese elbowed her friend playfully. "Watch it. You may be a sophomore but you'll always be newbie to me. You ready to go home tomorrow?" She asked, growing serious.

Paige took a deep breath and kept her eyes on the ground as they walked. "To be honest... I really want to stay here." She confessed. "But I know I have to fix things back in Rosewood with Jai and Emily."

"What happened anyway?" Reese asked, glancing at her friend. "You barely said anything about it the entire time we were here. I was actually waiting for you to open up."

Paige shrugged. "I don't even know where to begin." She admitted. "This whole thing with Jai and Emily is really confusing right now. I don't know where I stand with either of them."

"I see. Well I'm always here. In case you need someone to talk to or distract you." Reese reminded the girl. "You know that. Right?"

"Yeah." Paige answered with a small smile. "Thanks."

"You're most welcome. Now hurry up. We still have to pack." Reese told the girl and quickened her pace.

Paige reluctantly sped up to follow her friend but then slowed down again. Because each step she took closer to their room was one step closer to going back to Rosewood and she didn't know if she could take seeing Emily again. She wasn't sure she could face Jai just yet. Not after the way they left things.

Thirteen Months Ago...

"Now that I know, do you regret what happened?" Jai suddenly asked, making Paige stop in her tracks. "Do you?"

Paige stared at her friend, not knowing what to say. She didn't expect Jai to ask her that question and now that she was standing in front of the girl, she realized that their friendship could end right there and then depending on her answer.

Am I really willing to risk our friendship for something that wasn't certain at this point?

Before Paige could answer, the heavy silence in the room was suddenly broken when Jai's phone rang and the two girls looked toward the sound. Paige silently watched as her friend took the call when Jai saw whoever it was and she used the welcome distraction to rack her brain for an answer to the girl's question.

"Now?" Jai asked before checking the time. "Can't it wait? Where are you?" She inquired, her brows creasing. "Okay. Well give me an hour then I'll meet you for breakfast. Yeah. At the usual place. Okay, bye."

Paige waited until her friend ended the call before trying to speak again. "Jai-"

"I don't want to hear anymore lies. So please. Leave." Jai interjected then went back to cleaning her room without looking at the girl.

Paige wordlessly stared at her friend as Jai angrily threw more paper in the trashcan. Knowing she can't do or say anything right now that would make things better, Paige sighed in frustration and just quietly left the room.

Emily clasped her trembling hands together as she approached Jai's house, hoping she could make the girl listen to her this time. It's been four days since she came clean about her and Paige and she hasn't been able to sleep well because Jai has been avoiding her like the plague. Good thing Kayla let it slip that her sister went home for the weekend. Maybe Jai would be willing to hear her out now that they're on a more familiar surrounding. A sudden movement in front of the house made Emily stop just short of the driveway and her mouth went dry when she saw Paige emerge. It seemed too early for Jai's best friend to be there, that is, unless the girl slept over, so Emily couldn't help but be curious. Before she could decide what to do though, Paige spotted her and began walking purposefully toward her.

"You couldn't even be bothered to give me a heads up?" Paige asked, letting out her frustration at the surprised girl before Emily could say anything. "I walked in there thinking things with Jai were okay but instead I got the cold treatment!"

Emily ran a hand through her hair wearily. "I'm sorry." She began, hoping Paige would understand. "I wanted to talk to her first. Clear things up so maybe I could soften the blow even a little before she decides to confront you but she won't talk to me. I'm guessing she hasn't talked to you either until today. How is she?"

"Well she's mad. And hurt. She shut me out after I told her I've been seeing you but it was obvious." Paige answered as she glanced behind her. "What happened to not saying anything for now? I thought we had an agreement?!"

"Paige, she knew." Emily argued. "I didn't mention your name. I just told her there was someone else but somehow she just knew. I swear I didn't tell her."

"But you could've denied it." Paige pointed out.

Emily gave the girl an incredulous look. "Believe me, Paige. The last thing I want is to hurt her." She said adamantly. "But I didn't want to keep on lying about everything so I told her that there was someone else when she was gone. I had no idea Cesca told her it was you. Did you know?"

Paige nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. She told me before we had that dinner at my apartment. She said Cesca implied that there was something going on between us but she didn't believe her. I figured there was no use telling you because Jai dismissed the whole thing and we agreed not to say anything to her for now." She reminded the girl. "You should've told me what happened!"

"Paige, I'm sorry. I really am." Emily said sincerely. "But you should've told me about that conversation, too. Yet you didn't because you were trying to spare me the guilt just like I was trying to absorb her anger before she could confront you. Can't we just agree that we're both at fault here?"

Paige sighed. "This wasn't how I wanted her to find out." She uttered, dismayed.

"I know." Emily replied as she gazed up at Jai's bedroom window. "I think it might be better if we stayed away from each other for now." She suggested, returning her attention to the girl standing in front of her.

Paige stared at Emily in disbelief but her expression turned to one of hurt when she realized that the girl was serious. "You mean like before. When we were in high school." She added, the mere thought making her hate herself all over again. When Emily didn't say anything, Paige shook her head firmly and took a small step toward the girl. "I can't go back. And neither can you." She whispered in Emily's ear before walking away.

Emily took a deep, shaky breath, the nearness of Paige just now affecting her. She knew the girl was right. There was no going back. But that left her with two options and she didn't want to think about it just yet. Emily sighed and watched Paige for a few more seconds before turning around to continue making her way toward Jai's house.

Nine Months Ago...

Emily let the cool sand caress her feet while she strolled with her friends along the shores of the beach but she barely paid attention to the conversation at hand and watched the water reflect the moonlight instead. The four of them just came from dinner with Spencer's family but while the others already went home, her friends thought it was too early to call it a night and she decided to go with them in the hopes of taking her mind off Paige's phone call earlier but it was no use. She was just lucky she has three friends who put up with her behavior considering she's been such lousy company all summer.

"Ugh. I can't believe I'm giving up all of this for school." Hanna lamented as she looked around them. "It's not fair that I have to go back to New York a week earlier."

"At least you get to see Caleb again." Aria reminded her friend. "That's an upside. I kinda almost envy you 'cause I still have a couple of weeks left at my summer job."

Spencer groaned. "Oh I know what you mean." She replied. "I am so not eager to get back to working at my mom's law firm. At least you two get to see each other and have lunch or dinner or whatever. I'm stuck in Rosewood until the semester starts next month."

"Yeah. I guess there's that." Aria said glumly.

"Jeez, don't sound so excited." Hanna quipped. "You're wounding my ego." She added before laughing along with her friends but stopped when she realized that Emily wasn't joining in on the conversation.

They've all noticed it. Their friend has been preoccupied all summer. They all knew it was because of the girl's predicament over Jai and the mystery girl but they didn't want to force Emily to open up about it so they just tried to distract their friend. Only it didn't work.

"What about you, Em?" Hanna gently asked, looking at the girl the same time Spencer and Aria did. "You eager to go back to Philly?"

"No." Emily replied edgily. "I mean, between my work at the café, my studies, swimming, and MUSE, I'm bound to have a hectic sophomore fall semester." She explained when she saw the surprised looks her friends gave her.

"Well, then it's a good thing Jai's back, right?" Aria reminded her friend lightly. "I'm sure she's more than willing to help you out."

Emily gave the girl a strained smile. "I guess. Yeah." She uttered, her voice hoarse.

"You seem unsure. Wasn't she able to take care of her application to UPenn?" Spencer inquired.

"I don't know." Emily replied. "I haven't talked to her for some time." She confessed, surprising her friends.

"Is everything okay?" Aria asked worriedly. "Is Jai...? I mean, are you two...?"

Emily shook her head. "No. I don't know. I just... we haven't gotten the chance to talk. They're visiting relatives." She reminded her friends. "So. Where are you taking Caleb for his birthday?" She asked Hanna in an effort to change the subject before they could ask anymore questions.

"I've narrowed it down to Coney Island and Atlantic City." Hanna replied enthusiastically. "He hasn't gone to either but I'm thinking-"

Emily nodded her head and smiled occasionally as her friend began to detail her plans for Caleb's surprise birthday celebration but her brain shut out what the girl was really saying. All she could think of was the last time she saw and talked to Jai and how hard it was.

Eleven Months Ago...

Emily turned another page of the magazine she was scanning as she lay in bed but she just stared at what was printed on the glossy pages absentmindedly. It was a Wednesday morning and while everyone else seemed to be enjoying their summer vacation, she has been cooped up in her room ever since the spring semester ended. She didn't want to work at the Brew again but she hasn't quite figured out what summer job she could do instead. Emily knew she needed to do something to distract her but right now she preferred wallowing.

A hesitant knock on the door made Emily look up just as she turned another page of the magazine. "Come in." She called out once she was in a sitting position on her bed. Her eyes slightly widened in surprise when the door opened and she saw Jai standing outside.

"Hey." Jai uttered in greeting before stepping inside the room. "Pam let me in." She explained once the door was closed. "I hope it's okay. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No." Emily answered before hastily getting up and walking over to her dresser to check her appearance. "Um... I was just... reading." She finished, gesturing to the magazine on her bed. "How are you doing?" She asked when she noticed Jai looking around her bedroom. "You've been avoiding me for weeks. I mean, you didn't even talk to me when I came over two weeks ago so that's still avoiding." She added, hurt.

Jai nodded. "I know. Sorry. I needed time. Plus I've been busy." She explained as her gaze lingered on the spot where the vision board they made together used to be. "Except for a few changes, your room is just like I remembered."

"Busy with what?" Emily asked before the girl could inquire about the empty space.

Jai reached for something in the back pocket of her shorts and held on to it with both hands. "Trying to get my life back." She replied while playing with the corners of the envelope. "It's from UPenn. Even if things between us aren't okay, you're still the first person I want to share the news with. Good or bad."

Emily gave the girl a relieved smile. "I don't think it's possible for that letter to contain bad news." She said wryly.

Jai shook her head. "One of the things I learned recently is that nothing's impossible. Sorry." She added when she noticed Emily's hurt look. "I'm still processing."

"Maybe some things aren't certain but not this. You got in." Emily reassured the girl.

"I don't know about that. UPenn doesn't accept applicants for the spring semester and I missed the application deadline by several months for the fall semester this year." Jai confessed. "I told my dad I don't mind missing another year but he wouldn't have it. He tried pulling some strings but I don't know if it worked and I get to start college this fall or not."

A lot of things may have changed between them but they've known each other for years so Emily could tell that Jai was nervous even if the girl seemed composed. Without saying anything, she sat down on the edge of her bed and like clockwork, Jai followed suit but with her back turned to the open bedroom window.

"No." Emily uttered, shaking her head when the girl handed the envelope to her. "You should be the one to open it."

Jai took a deep breath and studied the letter in her hand. "How about we open it together on three?" She suggested, looking at Emily. When the girl nodded, Jai held one corner of the envelope and began the count. "One."

"Two." Emily continued as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear when a gentle wind blew inside her room.

Moment of truth. "Thr-" Jai stopped when she noticed Emily look past her and she turned around to follow the girl's gaze.

It only took Jai a couple of seconds to realize what just happened. After all, it wasn't too long ago that they sat in that exact spot, about to open her acceptance letter from King's College when out of nowhere, Paige popped in uninvited.

"She's in Spain." Jai reminded the girl in a tight voice as she got up.

"I wasn't thinking about Paige." Emily said hurriedly.

"Stop lying." Jai snapped. "You know, I came over because I wanted to fix things between us. Starting with this." She added, waving the unopened letter. "But obviously it was a mistake."

"I love you." Emily blurted before the girl could open the door and leave.

Jai kept her back turned to Emily and she closed her eyes as she forced herself to ask the question that has been gnawing at her for weeks. "Do you love my best friend?" She uttered, heart in mouth.

"I don't know." Emily answered truthfully.

That's not what I wanted to hear. Jai thought miserably. "My family's going to visit some relatives over the summer." She finally said with her back still turned to the girl. "That should give you the time you need to sort out your feelings." Jai told Emily before opening the door to leave.

Nine Months Ago...

Jai stood in front of the floor to ceiling window in the hotel room she shared with her sister and watched absentmindedly as the cars passed by the street below, their headlights turned on. Her family just came from another visit to one of her uncles and even if they just spent a couple of hours with his family catching up, she was exhausted. Not just today but ever since her dad decided to visit their relatives instead of just calling to tell them she's alive. That, coupled with the stress of what was waiting for her back in Rosewood among other things, was taking a toll on her. If only her mind would let her body rest...

A hesitant knock, followed by the sound of the door opening and then closing behind her, tore Jai out of her stupor but she just kept her gaze on the busy Seattle traffic below her.

"Hey. Uh, dad wanted me to tell you that he made dinner reservations for eight o'clock at the restaurant downstairs." Kayla informed her sister and waited for Jai to acknowledge her but the girl just nodded her head. "Okay. I'll, uh... I guess I'll go tell him that you're ready." She continued, turning around to leave but at the last second, faced her sister again. "You know, summer's almost over but you barely said anything to me." Kayla lamented. "We can't go on like this. You can't be mad at me forever."

"I'm not mad." Jai replied, finally turning around to face her sister. "More than anything I'm hurt that you never said anything about them and I had to find out about it from Cesca."

"Jai, it wasn't my place to tell you." Kayla argued. "And don't kid yourself. Cesca's just out to ruin your friendship with Paige. She didn't tell you because she was concerned. She did it out of malice."

"You're supposed to be my sister." Jai reminded the girl.

"I am." Kayla answered. "But I didn't know that you're still alive. If I did I wouldn't have pushed Em and Paige together. You know that."

"I told you to look after Paige but what you did was the opposite." Jai said, disappointed.

Kayla sighed. "Jai, I can only apologize for not doing a better job of looking after Paige. I can't apologize for thinking that you weren't coming back and helping the two people who love you the most other than me and dad to move on." She told her sister defensively. "You can't fault me for that."

Defeated, Jai sat down on the edge of her bed and cradled her head in her hands. "I want to be mad. I am mad. And hurt." She confessed, the exhaustion evident in her voice. "But I don't want them to get hurt either."

Kayla walked over to her sister and slowly took a seat next to the girl. She couldn't imagine what Jai was going through right now but she understood that while her sister couldn't do anything about what happened, the girl still felt betrayed. "I know." She uttered sympathetically. "But what's done is done." Kayla reminded her sister. "What are you going to do once we get back?"

Jai exhaled. "I don't know." She admitted, looking at the girl helplessly.

Paige exited her house on a Thursday morning and put on her earphones as she walked down the driveway to start her run. She did some stretching, looking down both ends of the street as she did so. She was still getting used to being back in Rosewood so she had to remind herself that she wasn't in Spain when she noticed the lack of life at this time of day in the quiet neighborhood.

As she began to run, the music Paige was listening to was drowned out by thoughts of Jai and Emily so she increased her pace like she's done countless times while training in Spain to concentrate on running instead. Only this time it didn't work. Because now that she's back, there was a chance that she would run into Jai and Emily. Maybe separately, maybe together. She doesn't really know the status of the two girls nor where she stood with either. For all she knew, Jai and Emily managed to fix their relationship while she ended up losing both the girl and her best friend over the summer.

Paige was still preoccupied with thoughts of Jai and Emily by the time she reached the end of her street that it was too late for her to step to the side when she saw another jogger round the corner. The next thing she knew, she felt their bodies collide and she reeled backward from the impact. Paige winced in pain and bit back a curse as she tried to regain her balance before she hit the ground.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!" Paige's heart hammered wildly when she heard Emily's voice and she looked up to meet the girl's brown eyes.

"Are you okay? It's my fault. I wasn't look-" Emily suddenly trailed off when she realized who was standing in front of her. "Oh."

"I'm fine. A little sore but no broken bones." Paige assured the girl, amazed that her voice didn't betray how nervous she felt. "When did you get back?" She asked as she took off her earphones.

"Few days ago." Emily replied when she got over her surprise. "You?"

"Same." Paige answered. "How was your summer?"

"Great!" Emily exclaimed as she forced a smile on her lips but she cringed inwardly at how overly enthusiastic she sounded. "How was yours? I'm guessing it was great, too. I mean, you look good so your vacation in Spain must've been great." She repeated, unable to stop herself from blabbering.

"Actually, it was awesome." Paige confessed while toying with her earphones. "Don't get me wrong. It was no summer vacation like the one you had in the Hamptons with your friends. Reese and I spent most of our days and nights training but I enjoyed every second of it. I'm glad I decided to go."

"It was probably so awesome you forgot all about Rosewood while you were there." Emily quipped, trying to sound like she was just teasing but it came across as being jealous instead.

"Don't worry. I missed it every second." Paige answered candidly and gave the girl a meaningful look.

Emily bit her bottom lip to hide her smile then cleared her throat awkwardly. "Good to know." She replied, feeling her cheeks turning red. Good thing it was still a little dark. "I, uh, should probably get going." Emily said after a beat. "Still have a long way to go. I wouldn't hear the end of it from my mom if I came home late for breakfast."

Paige stepped aside and let the girl take a couple of steps past her before speaking up. "What about you?" She asked as she inserted an earbud in her right ear. "Did you miss Rosewood while you were in the Hamptons?"

"Everyday." Emily answered before resuming to jog toward the opposite direction.

A small smile began to form on Paige's lips as she inserted the other earbud in her left ear and went back to jogging herself. It wasn't long before she was running at full speed down the way Emily came and by the time she reached the end of the street, she was grinning like an idiot.

Several hours later, Emily was on her way to meet her friends at the Brew for coffee before Hanna and Aria had to leave for New York. She was supposed to meet them an hour ago actually but she helped out her mom with a couple of things around the house so now she was running late. Emily breathed a sigh of relief when she finally saw the outdoor sign of the café and increased her pace when she spotted her friends seated on one of the tables outside.

Jai. The girl's presence made Emily stop in her tracks when she recognized the fourth person seated with her friends. She had no idea when the Hayes would return from their trip but she hoped to see Jai once they were back in UPenn instead. Somehow bumping into the girl on campus, away from the scrutiny of their nosy neighbors, was easier than running into the girl around Rosewood.

Emily was tempted to turn around and just make up an excuse to her friends as to why she couldn't make it after all but before she could move a muscle, Jai saw her and the girl's gaze made her palms sweat. No use turning back. Emily thought, knowing she would hurt Jai more than she already has if she left so she resumed making her way toward her friends just as the girl said something that made the others stop talking.

Weird. "Sorry I'm late." Emily told everyone once she was standing in front of them. "What did I miss?" She asked, trying to keep the curiosity out of her voice.

"Nothing much. I was just catching up with your friends." Jai answered as she stood up and offered Emily the chair she just occupied. "Here. Have a seat. I have to get going anyway."

"Already? But you just got here. Come on. Stay. There's always room for you." Aria told the girl before looking around them. "Hey, Hanna. Go grab that chair, will you?" She asked, gesturing to the unoccupied table behind her friend.

Jai shook her head. "Thanks but I really have to go. I just stopped by to get a couple of sandwiches for the road." She explained as she waved the brown bag she was holding. "My dad and I are headed for UPenn since it's moving in day for me."

"Oh, that's right! You're just a freshman and we're sophomores!" Spencer declared smugly.

Jai chuckled. "Yeah. My trip to London took longer than I expected. But don't worry. I'll catch up to you in no time." She quipped then turned her attention to Emily. "I, uh... I'll see you around." She told the girl before leaving.

"I'll be back." Emily told her friends before following Jai. "Hey. Can we talk?" She asked, making the girl turn around and face her. It was clear, however, that Jai expected her to continue but she didn't know what to say next so she asked the first thing that came to mind instead. "When did you get back?"

"Just a couple of days ago." Jai replied.

"Me, too." Emily said with a small smile. "And? How was your summer vacation?"

"Exhausting. Visiting my relatives should never be considered a vacation." Jai answered wryly. "How was yours?"

"Okay." Emily replied. "Congratulations by the way. I knew you'd get into UPenn."

"Thanks." Jai uttered. "So... what did you girls do at the Hamptons?" She asked after a moment of silence passed between them. "Your friends told me." Jai added when the girl seemed surprised.

"Oh. Um... nothing much. Swim, eat, sleep, get a tan." Emily enumerated. "Just your typical summer vacation."

"Well, you look really good." Jai complimented as she studied the girl.

"Thanks." Emily replied, consciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "So do you."

"I highly doubt that." Jai retorted. "I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately." She confessed.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked, her brows creased. Now that she looked closer, the girl was a little pale and had dark circles under her eyes.

Jai nodded. "Yeah. I just need to rest." She assured the girl.

"Okay." Emily uttered before looking behind her and growing uncomfortable when she saw her friends stealing glances at them. "So. What were you and my friends really talking about earlier? You all looked so serious for it to be just a simple catching up."

Jai scoffed. "Don't worry. I didn't spill your secret." She told the girl instead of answering the question. She knew it was really what Emily was worried about so she might as well tell her. "Because that's what Paige is, right? Your dirty, little secret? I realized you kept them in the dark all this time when they asked me to join them and they weren't uneasy or aloof around me."

"I didn't keep them in the dark. At least not entirely." Emily argued. "They know I've been seeing someone but I didn't tell them it's Paige." She confessed, looking away. "No one knew."

"Kayla did." Jai reminded the girl. "So did Cesca."

"I didn't tell your sister. She found out by herself." Emily clarified. "As for Cesca, she didn't know. She just had a hunch."

"That turned out to be right." Jai shot back. "How come you didn't tell anyone?"

Emily bit her bottom lip anxiously, not knowing how to explain. "I had a lot of reasons. But it all boils down to the fact that I wasn't sure what I was doing." She admitted. "Have you gotten a chance to talk to her?"

Jai shook her head. "I don't know when she's coming back from Spain." She replied.

"She's been back for a few days, too." Emily revealed. "I only know this because I bumped into her this morning when I went for a run." She hurriedly added when the girl's posture became rigid.

"Right. Well, I'm glad she got back safe but I don't have anything to say to her right now." Jai said edgily.

"Jai, come on. She's your best friend. You have to talk to her." Emily pointed out.

"Not right now, I don't." Jai argued stubbornly.

Emily sighed. "Jai..."

"If there's nothing else, I really have to go." Jai interjected, turning around to leave.

"I missed you." Emily blurted out.

Jai stopped in her tracks and turned to face the girl again. "I missed you, too." She replied somberly. "And if the circumstances were different I would've been elated to hear you say those words to me. Now I'm just sad. Because I'm certain I wasn't the only girl you missed." Jai said with a wry smile. "You should go back to your friends. They're waiting for you."

Emily helplessly watched the girl walk away, wishing there was something she could do to magically make things better. But she understood that Jai still wasn't ready to hear her out so she reluctantly let the girl go and headed back to her friends instead.

Paige locked the doors of her SUV on Wednesday afternoon before starting to make her way toward Franklin Field for track practice, somewhat relieved that her first day as a sophomore in UPenn is almost over. Not that she had a full load or anything, she just felt drained. After she bumped into Emily back in Rosewood last week, Paige thought it was better than running into the girl here on campus but she still found herself avoiding her usual routes and feeling anxious at the start of every class. Her shoulders suddenly tensed when she felt a light tap and she turned around, frowning when she didn't see anyone.

"Very funny." Paige deadpanned when she faced forward and met Reese's huge grin with a wry look.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist." Reese said with a laugh. "I've been shouting 'newbie' several times but you weren't responding. I even tried yelling 'Paige' but still, no reaction." She explained as she studied her friend. "What gives? You seem uptight."

Paige shrugged. "Nothing much. Just had an exhausting first day, I guess." She answered vaguely.

"Seriously? Already?" Reese uttered, surprised. "What? You had a full load or something?"

Paige shook her head. "No. It's not that. I only had two classes today." She disclosed.

"Okay. Any of them with Emily?" Reese inquired.

"So far, none. I don't know about tomorrow, though." Paige answered with a sigh.

"Hence the wariness." Reese concluded. "What about the other half of your dilemma? Ran into Jai already?"

"Not since we got back from Spain." Paige replied. "But I already ran into Emily last week in Rosewood. Actually, she bumped into me. Hard." She added, recalling the incident with a grimace.

"And? How'd that go?" Reese asked, following Paige as the girl resumed walking.

"Well, we collided so that hurt like hell." Paige quipped. "As for the conversation, it was a little awkward." She confessed.

"Why? What did you two talk about?" Reese inquired.

Paige shrugged. "Neutral stuff. Like how our summer vacation went." She added wryly. "That was the extent of our conversation. Oh. And she probably missed me but I couldn't be sure."

Reese gave her friend a sympathetic look. "It doesn't take a genius to say that your relationship with her is in limbo. But look on the bright side. That means you still have a shot." She explained when the girl frowned.

"I don't want to ask Emily where we stand because I'm scared of what her answer will be." Paige admitted.

"I know. But the three of you can only stay in this situation for so long." Reese pointed out. "Something has to give eventually. Someone has to start doing something."

"It's not that easy, Reese. There are three relationships at stake here." Paige reminded her friend. "And I don't know if my friendship with Jai will survive once Emily makes her choice."

"Well... I don't know how to put this nicely but... Fields is just a girl, newbie." Reese stated. "I'm sorry." She hurriedly said when Paige gave her a sharp look. "I know how much you love her. But I for one think that if being with a girl meant giving up your friendship with someone, it's not worth it." Reese admitted. "And if you and Jai don't survive this, then it wasn't that great of a friendship to begin with. How well do you know your best friend anyway? Say, if Emily chooses her, will you still be friends with Jai?"

Paige frowned. "I think so. Yeah." She answered after a beat.

"Okay. But if Emily chooses you, do you think Jai will still be friends with you?" Reese followed up. When Paige just gave her a hesitant look, she continued. "Maybe you should do something about your friendship with Jai first. You did say it's at stake as well." She reminded the girl before walking the rest of the way in silence.

A few hours later, Paige decided to follow Reese's advice and found herself standing outside 3333 Walnut Street, the Hill College House's address and Jai's place of residence. She wanted to talk to her friend after track practice but when she got to her apartment and knocked on Kayla's door, Jai's sister explained that the girl insisted on living in one of the college houses on campus so she could be near her classes and Logan agreed to it.

Paige urged herself to walk over to the entrance and ride the elevator to the fourth floor after standing for a couple minutes more but hesitated once she was standing outside her friend's room. No turning back now. She told herself and knocked on the door hesitantly. When there was no response, Paige knocked again, louder this time. She was about to knock for a third time when she heard muffled footsteps from the other side so she braced herself for when she would come face to face with her best friend again.

"Hey, stranger." Paige rehearsed under her breath as she waited for Jai to open the door. "Hey, you." She muttered nervously. "Hey!" She exclaimed, trying to sound cheerful this time.

"What the hell?!" Paige blurted out instead when the door opened and she saw her friend's disheveled form.

"Paige." Jai uttered weakly. "Now's not really a good time. I'm not feeling well." She said, moving to close the door but Paige was quick to stop her. "Take off your foot." Jai ordered when she realized what the girl was doing.

Paige shook her head firmly. "No." She replied. Paige was about to push the door open to let herself in but she realized that Jai wasn't putting up a fight and when she looked up, she realized why. "Hey. Your nose is bleeding."

Jai touched her nostrils and stared at the blood for a few seconds before looking at the girl with a confused look. "Wha-"

"Jai!" Paige cried out in alarm, pushing the door open just as her friend collapsed on the floor in a heap.

Emily emerged from the elevator car as soon as the doors opened on the 12th floor of Penn State Gen and quickly made her way to the nurses' station with an agitated look. "Excuse me. Can you tell me what room number Jasmine Hayes is in?" She asked, unable to hide the urgency in her voice. "I'm a family friend." She added before the nurse could ask.

"Emily." Emily looked to her left at the sound of her name and exhaled in relief when she saw Logan walking toward her. She didn't wait for the man to reach her though and instead met him halfway.

"She's in room twelve-oh-five." Logan said when the girl was finally standing in front of him.

"I came as fast as I could. How is she?" Emily asked, brows creased.

"She's fine. She's resting now. Doctor Irving is still running some tests just to be sure but it looks like Jasmine has been under a lot of stress lately." Logan explained.

"Jai told me a few days ago that she's been feeling under the weather but that it wasn't anything serious." Emily confessed. "I should've told her to go see a doctor. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. She's going to be okay." Logan reassured the girl. "She just needs to sleep and get plenty of rest."

"Can I see her? I won't be long." Emily promised.

Logan nodded. "Of course. Actually, I think Paige is still in there." He said as he reached for his pager. "Go ahead. I'll just check on her again later." Logan told the girl after he read the message.

Emily returned the man's smile before heading for the opposite direction when Jai's father walked past her but slowed down her pace as she got closer to the room. She didn't know how to act if it turned out that Paige was still in there especially with Jai awake but she was too worried about the latter to forego the visit for another day. Emily took a deep breath as she gently opened the door then poked her head inside and saw Jai's best friend seated next to the girl's bedside table with her back turned to her.

"Hey. Is she awake?" Emily asked, her voice almost a whisper, as she entered the room.

Paige sat up straight before looking behind her and shook her head. "No. Logan said she regained consciousness earlier when they brought her in but she's asleep now. Don't worry. She's going to be fine." She reassured Emily when she saw the fear in the girl's eyes.

Emily walked over to the other side of the bed and lightly squeezed Jai's hand. "Thanks for calling me." She said without taking her eyes off the sleeping girl.

"Not a problem. I'm just glad you decided to take my call again." Paige said before getting up and gesturing to the chair when Emily looked at her. "Here. I have to go anyway."

"Why? You're still her best friend. I'm sure she would want to see you when she wakes up." Emily told the girl with a small smile.

"I doubt that." Paige answered wryly. "And even if she does, I'm sure the one thing she doesn't want to see when she opens her eyes is the two of us together. So I'm gonna go. I have an early day tomorrow anyway. Goodnight." She bade before heading for the door.

"Goodnight." Emily repeated then walked over to the seat Paige vacated. She pulled the chair closer to the bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl, and tenderly brushed a few strands of hair away from Jai's forehead as she watched the rise and fall of the girl's chest.

Emily glanced behind her again, disoriented, and she struggled to make sense of her surroundings while trying to maintain her footing. She didn't know how long she had been running or how she got there in the first place but she knew what she was looking for. Her lungs were begging for oxygen and her legs were about to give out any second now but she couldn't stop running. She had to keep going.

"Jai!" Emily cried out, the worry and panic evident in her voice.

Deciding to stray from the path she'd been traversing, Emily chose another direction and parted several branches as she moved forward, the crunching sound of dead leaves beneath her feet barely audible against the pounding of her heart. Emily almost tripped when she got caught on a protruding tree root and she cursed as she struggled to free her foot and regain her balance. She looked up at the towering trees and felt a sense of relief when a gust made the leaves sway and part and she caught a glimpse of the afternoon sun. Thank god. She still had time.

"Jai! Where are you?!" Emily called out pleadingly when she reached a clearing. "Answer me!"

A faint clanging sound made Emily's ears perk up and she strained to hear where it was coming from. When she was sure that it was to her right, Emily summoned the strength to make a run for it and she felt her blood run cold when she reached another clearing and saw the wreckage in front of her. Everywhere she looked, pieces of crushed metal laid before her and she choked back a sob when she realized that what she stumbled upon was a crash site.

"Jai!" Emily shouted as she broke into a desperate run and headed for the direction of the sound.

When she finally reached what looked like the fuselage of the plane, Emily got down on both knees and began to uncover the area, frantically moving scattered pieces of luggage as fast as she could. She let out the breath she was holding in when she saw a hand, then an arm, and she began to sob uncontrollably when she finally saw Jai's face covered with soot and dried blood.

"Jai, it's me. I'm here now." Emily reassured the barely conscious girl in between sobs and she squeezed Jai's hand firmly. "I'm here." She repeated and the girl stopped the clanging sound she was making. "You're safe. You're going to be okay. I'll get you out." Emily promised, looking around them urgently for something she could use as a lever. Her eyes suddenly grew wide and she looked at Jai in horror when she felt the girl's hand go limp.

"No. No. Jai?" Emily uttered hoarsely while squeezing the girl's hand again. When there was no response, Emily panicked and began to pull Jai's hand. "Hold on! I'll get you out!" She vowed, pulling harder. "Stay with me!"

"My hand." Emily choked back a sob when she heard Jai's voice and she tightened her grip on the girl's hand, terrified to let it go. With renewed strength, she began pulling the girl's hand, desperate to free Jai from the wreckage.

"Em, my hand. You're dreaming. Wake up."

"Emily. Wake up." Emily opened her eyes with a start when she felt someone shake her shoulder firmly and she sat up, inconspicuously wiping tears from her eyes as she struggled to get her bearings before glancing behind her and saw that Kayla was looking at her worriedly.

"Em. My hand." Emily turned her attention to the girl lying on the bed in front of her and then followed Jai's gaze.

"Sorry." Emily uttered apologetically when she realized that she was gripping the girl's hand and quickly let go of it.

"Bad dream?" Jai asked as she flexed her hand.

"Something like that." Emily answered vaguely as she did not want to worry the girl. "How are you feeling?" She asked instead.

"Better, now that I got a decent sleep." Jai replied.

"Well, do you need anything?" Emily asked, getting up and looking around the room.

Jai shook her head. "Not right now, no." She said before glancing at the wall clock in front of her. "It's late. Don't you have classes in the morning?"

"Yeah, but I don't mind missing them." Emily told the girl. "I'll just attend my afternoon classes."

"You don't have to do that. I can look after my sister." Kayla chimed in. "I only have afternoon classes today anyway."

"Oh. Okay. I guess I'll just come back later then. If that's okay?" Emily added hesitantly.

Jai nodded. "I'd like that." She said with a weak smile. "Thanks for staying the night."

Emily leaned down and kissed the girl on the cheek. "Feel better." She told Jai before leaving.

"So. Now that it's just us, how do you really feel?" Kayla asked as she took a seat on the chair Emily just vacated.

Jai managed to let out a soft laugh. "Kayla, I'm not trying to downplay anything. I'm still a little weak. But like I told Emily, I'm feeling better." She insisted. "Where's dad?"

"He came by earlier while you and Emily were asleep. Then he had to leave again because of an emergency but don't worry. He said he'll be back soon." Kayla added, leaning backward and crossing her arms as she studied her sister.

"Stop worrying. I'll be fine." Jai assured the girl.

"Easy for you to say. I saw dad talking to Doctor Irving out in the hallway earlier and they looked really worried." Kayla confessed. "I can't lose you again."

"You won't. I'm not going anywhere." Jai promised. "They're probably talking about work or another patient. I'm sure it's nothing." She said, trying to ease her sister's anxiety. "There's no use worrying about it now. Let's just wait for what Doctor Irving has to say. Until then, let's talk about something else. How's college treating you so far?"

"It's kicking my ass." Kayla answered, knowing the girl had a point. There was no use stressing out her sister more than she already was. "I didn't realize taking up culinary requires reading tons of books. Which kinda sucks because you've always had the brains." She added wryly.

"Hey. Don't sell yourself short. You're really smart." Jai argued. "Probably a lot smarter than me."

"Probably. But highly unlikely." Kayla retorted. "I didn't even get into UPenn, remember? I was waitlisted."

"Not getting into UPenn doesn't mean you're not smart. No one said it's the standard." Jai pointed out. "Besides, you never wanted to go to UPenn because Drexel has a great culinary course." She reminded her sister. When the girl still seemed bummed, Jai carefully shifted to make some space and patted the bed. "Come here. I want to hear all about Drexel and how your first day went."

Kayla didn't have to be told twice and she smiled as she quickly got up to sit next to her sister, feeling like she was seven again. There was a time, a few months after their mom died, that Jai would make it a point to always ask about her day. No matter how great or insignificant something seemed, her sister wanted to know how her day went and she would lie in bed next to Jai, trading stories until they both fall asleep. That's why as she began telling her sister everything that happened on her first day in college, Kayla couldn't help but pray that it wouldn't be the last time.

Several hours later, Jai stirred from her sleep and winced in pain when she felt the liquid from the dextrose flow through her vein. She opened her eyes slowly and managed to hide her surprise when she looked around the room and saw who was seated on the chair next to her bed.

"Kayla and Logan just went to the cafeteria for lunch but they'll be back." Paige explained. "Um... do you need anything?" She asked, starting to get nervous again. It was easier to be there when the girl was fast asleep. Now that her friend's awake, she didn't know what to say or how to act.

"Water." Jai uttered.

Paige stood up to pour some water on a plastic cup, then walked over to her friend and helped the girl drink. When Jai was done, Paige returned the cup on the bedside table and took a seat again, the heavy silence in the room making her uncomfortable.

"Thank you." Jai finally said.

Paige nodded her head in acknowledgment and tried to crack a smile. "How do you feel?" She asked, studying the girl.

"Like I'm ready to go home." Jai answered.

"Well, you look significantly better than when you opened your door last night." Paige observed. "But Logan said they're still running some tests so you might have to spend another night here."

"Perfect." Jai muttered under her breath and resisted the urge to pull out her dextrose.

"I know, right?" Paige quipped, trying to make light of what she was about to say next. "Being here certainly brings back memories from when we were kids only now you're the one in a hospital gown."

"Yeah, well, I didn't do this to myself. At least not intentionally." Jai commented. "Sorry." She quickly said when she noticed the girl's reaction.

Paige waved a hand dismissively. "Things are different now." She replied. "I'm not a kid anymore."

"Is that why you pursued Emily?" Jai asked, staring at the girl. "You may have gotten a better handle on things but you still can't commit, in case you forgot."

"I'm not allowed." Paige corrected. "There's a big difference."

Jai laughed dryly. "You seriously expect me to believe that? You put Emily through hell for years." She reminded the girl.

"And I've been trying to make it up to her." Paige told her friend defensively. "Things with Em have changed. We-"

"Em?" Jai interjected. "You're calling her Em now?" She asked disbelievingly. "I can't let her get hurt. I won't let you. Does Nick even know?"

"No." Paige answered. "And I know I don't have the right to ask for any favor but please don't say anything this time."

Jai scoffed. "This time? Are you seriously bringing that up now?" She asked, her tone incredulous.

"It wasn't your place to tell my dad about Ria." Paige argued.

"Regardless of where we stand now, back then I was your friend." Jai insisted. "So you could make me the bad guy in your version of that story but I was just trying to keep you alive. Even if that meant breaking your trust." She added edgily. "You think I didn't feel sorry afterward? Paige, I helped you sneak around." Jai reminded the girl. "But I couldn't let you run away to another continent. You would've been in a lot of trouble and your dad would've been devastated."

"So don't tell my dad about Emily now." Paige begged.

"What's there to tell? You and Em are not together." Jai pointed out. "And I'm going to make sure it stays that way."

"Because you don't want Emily to be with me?" Paige asked, hurt.

"Because I love her." Jai replied. "I can't let you hurt her more than you already have. I'm fighting for her."

Reese slowly reached for the small, green, stuffed frog next to her and aimed it at the oblivious girl who was seated on the other side of her room, studying her fingers absentmindedly. When Paige still didn't seem to notice what she was about to do, Reese quickly hurled the stuffed animal and pumped her fist jubilantly when the soft object made contact with the girl's head, finally bringing Paige out of her stupor.

"What did you do that for?!" Paige asked in annoyance as she rubbed the side of her head.

"Five minutes." Reese said after checking her watch. "You've been studying your fingers like they're the most fascinating things for a full five minutes now instead of reading that book sitting on your lap. Why?"

"Because they're sore." Paige answered as she flexed her right hand again.

"I see. Too much alone time nowadays, newbie?" Reese asked, winking at the girl suggestively.

Paige's eyes widened and she hurled the stuffed toy back at her friend. "Eeewwww! No! I wasn't doing that!" She exclaimed, her tone defensive.

Reese laughed. "What? It's natural. We all have urges." She told the girl matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. And I'm not talking about them with you." Paige shot back.

"Okay. Why are your fingers sore, then?" Reese asked, arms crossed.

"I'm working on something. Sort of a project. And no. I'm not telling you what it is." Paige added and shook her head firmly. The last thing she needed was for the girl to say that her gift idea for Emily's birthday was lame. She's already having second thoughts about giving the gift as it is.

"Fine. But other than that secret project of yours, what's going on with you? You couldn't have been distracted just because of that. What's up?" Reese asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

Paige shrugged. "The usual stuff." She answered vaguely.

"And by that you mean Emily." Reese stated.

"Actually... Jai." Paige corrected as she set aside the book that's been sitting on her lap. "I visited her at the hospital this morning. Wanted to see how she was. And of course even if I tried avoiding the subject, we still ended up talking about Emily."

"And?" Reese prodded. "What did she say?"

"That she's not giving up Emily. Not without a fight." Paige added glumly.

"I'm not surprised." Reese commented. "Oh come on. Don't give me that look. You've been around them for years. You of all people should know that Jai isn't going to just give up and let that girl go. Did you tell her you've had feelings for Emily for years?"

Paige shook her head. "My friendship with Jai is on thin ice as it is. Saying I've had the hots for her girlfriend since we were freshmen would certainly end it." She said, running a hand through her hair warily. "I'm such a walking, talking, breathing cliché."

"Yeah, well clichés are called as such because they work." Reese reminded her friend. "But if you do decide to be one and fight for Emily as well, you should tell Jai."

"That's the thing. I don't know if I should." Paige confessed. "Maybe she's better off with her."

Reese sighed. "Whether or not you want to fight for Emily is completely up to you. So this is just my opinion. I think you should try." She said, shrugging. "Because you're forgetting something. You and Jai may fight all you want but in the end it's still up to Emily who she wants to be with. I say give her a worthy choice."

"Careful." Emily uttered as she supported Jai by the arm and helped the girl settle on her bed in Hill College House on Friday morning. "Do you need anything?" She asked, looking around the room.

"None at the moment." Jai replied. "But thank you."

"How do you feel? Does anything hurt?" Emily continued as she reached for the comforter at the edge of the bed.

"Em, I'm fine. Really." Jai said, reaching for the girl's hand when Emily moved to cover her legs with the warm material. "Doctor Irving said to take it easy but other than that I got a clean bill of health. It was just fatigue." She told the girl reassuringly.

"Okay. Well, are you hungry? I can order some Chinese takeout and then we can watch movies or something." Emily suggested.

"I'm fine." Jai repeated. "You don't have to stay. Don't you have a class?"

Emily nodded. "In an hour. But I can come back later with food and maybe we can have lunch instead?" She asked, biting her bottom lip anxiously.

Jai frowned. "I would love that but my dad is coming over to check on me." She explained.

Emily's brows creased. "Really? But I thought he has a psychosurgery scheduled until this afternoon that's why he couldn't drive you back here?" She asked, confused.

Jai shrugged. "It must've been rescheduled." She surmised. "I got a text message earlier."

"Oh. Okay. Some other time, then." Emily offered.

"Definitely." Jai said in agreement.

"I better go. Call me if you need anything." Emily told the girl as she headed for the door.

"I will." Jai replied. "Hey, Em?" She called out before the girl could leave. "Do you have plans for your birthday next Friday?"

"No. I don't." Emily answered. "Why?"

"Do you want to have dinner somewhere nice? Consider it our raincheck on lunch today." Jai proposed.

"Sure. But do you think you're going to be up for it?" Emily asked worriedly.

"Yeah. It's not until next week, Em. I'm sure I would've fully recovered by then. Besides, it's just dinner. I think that falls on the taking it easy category." Jai added wryly.

Emily smiled. "Okay. It's a date, then." She said before leaving, the words she just said making Jai smile as well.

Paige briskly rubbed her hands together in an effort to keep herself warm and hide the fact that she was getting more nervous as she got closer to Hill College House. Partly because the first time she was there she ended up calling 911 in a matter of minutes so she hoped this time it would be different. She was about to reach for the door handle when she got to the entrance but another person pushed it so she took a step back to get out of the way.

"Emily." Paige uttered in surprise, making the girl look up. "Hey."

"Hey." Emily repeated. "Uh, are you going to visit Jai?" She asked as she stepped to the side to let other students pass.

"Yeah. I heard from Kayla that she was getting discharged today and that you were helping her settle in." Paige explained. "How is she?"

"A lot better." Emily replied. "The doctor told her not to work herself too hard though so she's taking it easy."

"Too bad Jai doesn't know what that word means." Paige commented.

Emily let out a soft laugh. "I know what you mean." She said, suddenly growing uncomfortable when the girl held her gaze so she looked away.

"I gotta admit, she gave me quite a scare when she lost consciousness. For a second there I didn't know what to do." Paige confessed.

"Still, it's a good thing you were there when it happened." Emily pointed out. "Um... you should head inside." She told the girl after a moment of silence passed. "But please make your visit quick so she could rest."

Paige nodded. "I have a class in an hour anyway so I won't be long." She promised.

"Thanks. I'm going ahead. I still have to get back to Harrison before I head to my Legal Studies 101 class." Emily explained, giving the girl an awkward wave before leaving.

"Do you have any plans for your birthday?" Paige asked before she lost her nerve. "Because there's this silent film showing at the cinema and I thought you'd like to see it with me."

"Oh. That sounds good but I already made plans." Emily answered apologetically. "Maybe some other time."

"Of course." Paige said, hiding her disappointment and giving the girl a smile instead. "I probably need to train anyway. Reese is getting on my case lately, this being her last year and all." She explained. "I guess I'll be spending another Friday night running around Franklin Field, then."

"I guess so." Emily replied.

"Well, I'm gonna go visit Jai now." Paige said, pointing at the door. "You should get going, too. Wouldn't want you to be late for your class." She reminded Emily and walked past the girl with a sigh.

"...happy birthday to youuu..." Emily slowly opened her eyes and turned her back to the wall on Friday morning, woken up by the sound of Spencer's high-pitched singing. When she saw her friend standing by her bedside while holding a cupcake with a lit candle on top, Emily couldn't help but smile and she got up as the girl finished the last words of the song.

"Happy nineteenth, Em." Spencer greeted, extending the cupcake toward her friend. "Now make a wish before the smoke alarm goes off."

Emily laughed and leaned forward but blew out the lit candle without making one. "Thanks." She uttered as she accepted the cupcake and placed it on the table next to her bed.

"Hey. You cheated. You didn't make a wish." Spencer reprimanded lightly.

Emily shrugged. "Wishes don't come true. It's pointless." She answered before running her fingers through her hair to comb it.

"Okay. For someone who's celebrating her birthday, you're in a bad mood." Spencer observed. "What is it? Bad dream? Almost that time of the month? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"Sorry." Emily told her friend apologetically. "Just have a lot of things going on in my mind right now."

"Care to share? How are things with Jai?" Spencer asked, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "Now that she knows about the other girl?"

"Weird." Emily confessed. "Like our relationship is in limbo."

"Well, that's normal. You two are still getting used to being a couple again." Spencer pointed out. "You just have to give it some time."

"Yeah. That's probably it." Emily said, giving the girl a small smile as she reached for her phone on top of the bedside table when it rang. "Hey." She uttered in greeting before mouthing to her friend that it's Jai. "Thanks. I just woke up so you're the second person to greet me after Spencer." Emily told the girl with a smile. "Um... before dinner? Yeah. I'm free." She answered, her brows creasing as she listened to what Jai was telling her. "Okay. I'll meet you at the café around five, then. Okay. Bye."

"So. What does she have planned for the two of you tonight?" Spencer asked after her friend ended the call.

"Well, last week we agreed to have dinner somewhere nice. But now she wants to see Nosferatu first at the cinema then have dinner after." Emily answered, staring at her phone thoughtfully.

"Okay. So why don't you look psyched? That's one of your favorite silent films." Spencer reminded her friend.

Emily nodded. "It is. And I am excited. It's just that..." Paige wanted to see that movie, too. She thought before shaking her head firmly. It's not like they made actual plans to see it. "Anyway, I promise not to eat too much so we can still celebrate when I get back. I can buy ice cream and we can do another series marathon. Entourage?" Emily suggested.

Spencer frowned. "Actually, I can't tonight. I have dinner plans with Connor and his dad." She said ruefully. "Maybe we can celebrate with Hanna and Aria this weekend instead."

"Sounds like a plan." Emily answered in agreement.

"Cool." Spencer said, getting up. "Enjoy that cupcake of yours. And there's coffee on your study table, too. I know, I know. I'm the best roommate ever." She interjected before Emily could say anything. "You can thank me later. I'm running late." She explained, hugging her friend briefly before grabbing her things to leave.

"Sorry we have to go back to the café and that I had to park a block away from Harrison." Jai said as she matched Emily's pace and walked across campus later that night with the girl, having come from the cinema. "I can't believe I left my wallet there this afternoon when I paid for my coffee."

"It's fine." Emily assured the girl. "I'm just relieved West found it earlier. As for having to walk, I don't mind. I think there's an event at the quadrangle tonight that's why it's hard to find a parking spot." She explained. "Actually, I'm more surprised at the fact that you needed to find one. When did you get a car?"

Jai grinned. "This afternoon. It was supposed to be my graduation gift from my dad but he never got around to buying it what with me dying and everything." She added lightly. "So once we got back from visiting relatives he bought the car and today he made sure it would get delivered. I guess he knew we had plans for your birthday."

"Right." Emily said as she instinctively moved closer to the girl to avoid a guy who was obviously in a rush as he half ran, half walked past her. "Sorry." She uttered when her elbow collided with Jai's side.

"No harm done." Jai told the girl reassuringly. "Sorry you couldn't spend today with your friends."

"Yeah. It kinda sucks." Emily admitted. "I miss celebrating my birthday in Rosewood. Last year I also spent my birthday here."

"Hey, that's right! You didn't get to celebrate your birthday at home last year. But I'm sure you and Spencer still celebrated. Anything special happen?" Jai asked, glancing at the girl.

"I didn't forget." Paige uttered softly. "Happy eighteenth, Em."

Emily cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Um, nope. Nothing special. Just spent the night eating pizza and watching movies with Spencer." She replied, telling herself that what she said wasn't exactly a lie. After all, she did spend the rest of the night with her friend. While thinking about Paige. "So. Now will you tell me where you're taking me for dinner?" Emily asked as she mentally chided herself for what crossed her mind just now. "You said you were going to tell me later. Now's later."

Jai grinned, completely oblivious to the girl's guilt. "Fine. I really wanted you to see for yourself when we get there so I won't ruin the surprise but I have a feeling you won't stop asking me until I tell you." She said wryly. "We're going to Marigold Kitchen on Spruce Hill."

"Seriously?!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes growing wide with excitement. She first heard of the BYOB French restaurant in an old Victorian home when she went with Jai to UPenn for the girl's campus tour three years ago and she's been wanting to dine there ever since.

Jai nodded. "Seriously. But I won't be able to pay for it without my wallet so we have to go back to the café first." She told Emily with a laugh. "What's wrong?" She asked when the girl didn't react and instead just stopped in her tracks when they were within view of the café.

"That's weird." Emily said as Jai stepped next to her. "The café's supposed to stay open until ten." She explained, glancing at her watch.

"Maybe there's been a power outage or something." Jai suggested.

"I don't think so." Emily replied, looking around at the well lit streets and buildings around them. "Besides, the café has a generator so it should've kicked in by now if there really is a power outage."

"Maybe something's wrong with the wiring? I don't know, okay? I'm no handyman." Jai reminded the girl, raising her arms in mock surrender when Emily looked at her oddly. "Come on. Let's see if someone's inside and ask them what's going on."

Emily followed Jai but walked past the girl when they were near the entrance since she has a key to the place. She was about to insert it into the lock when Emily noticed that the door was ajar so she gave Jai a nervous look and motioned for the girl to get ready to run like mad in case something was indeed wrong. Once her feet were almost inside, she twisted her body to the left as she tried to reach for the light switch and felt confused when she realized that it was turned off. Emily hesitated for a second as fear gripped her, afraid of who could be lurking in the dark and what she would see once the place was bathed in light, before mustering the courage to flip the switch.

"Surprise!" Emily jumped, hand in chest, and thought she was going to get a heart attack when she heard the chorus of yells once the light came on. She studied the beaming faces in the crowded room before turning around and giving Jai a wry look.

"You." Emily uttered. "So you didn't really leave your wallet and there's no dinner at Marigold Kitchen." She guessed, a smile forming on her lips even if she was a bit disappointed. And here she thought she was finally getting a chance to have dinner at that French restaurant.

"Yes and no." Jai answered as she showed her wallet to Emily. "I did make reservations at Marigold Kitchen. Just not tonight. Because tonight you get to celebrate your birthday with the people you love." She explained. "I was the distraction so your friends and coworkers can set this up. Happy nineteenth birthday, Em." Jai greeted, walking forward and planting a kiss on the girl's cheek. "Don't worry. On Sunday it'll be just us having dinner." She promised.

"I can't wait." Emily replied with a grin, then returned her attention to the people inside the café. Her face lit up when she saw Kayla, Logan, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer among the guests but her eyes suddenly widened and she covered her mouth in delight when she saw her mother in front of the crowd. "Mom."

Pam smiled as she walked over to her daughter and gave Emily a tight hug. "Happy birthday, sweetie." She whispered before planting a kiss on the girl's cheek.

"I'm so happy you came." Emily said, returning the woman's hug.

"Of course I wouldn't miss this. Especially since Jasmine here has been planning the entire thing for weeks." Pam revealed, giving the other girl a warm smile. "Thank you."

Jai nodded. "It was my pleasure. I figured it's time I threw your daughter a real party." She explained, touching Emily at the small of her back. "I wanted to make up for the last one I threw her."

"This was what you and my friends were talking about back in Rosewood, wasn't it?" Emily guessed when realization dawned on her. She was genuinely touched by the girl's effort but a part of her couldn't help but feel guilty when she recalled what happened to Jai just last week. Surely planning this surprise party added to the girl's stress. "This is great. Thank you." She said, giving Jai a grateful smile before looking at the crowd again.

Now that she got over her surprise, Emily had the chance to look at everyone else in the room with them and when she realized that Paige was nowhere to be found, she hid her disappointment and decided to address the crowd instead. "Thanks for coming, everyone. This is really an awesome surprise. And you're all probably starving so let's dig in before the food gets cold." She told the guests in a tone that she hoped came across as genuine enthusiasm.

A lively tune came on the speakers as everyone began to mill around and Emily followed her mom and Jai toward the counter to get something to eat and drink even if she wasn't feeling that hungry anymore. When she realized that Spencer's and Jai's plans for tonight were made to hide this surprise, she immediately thought that Paige was in on it as well since she hadn't heard from the girl all day. But apparently Jai's best friend had no idea about this party. Not that she blamed Jai for the girl's absence, or that everyone else who came wasn't enough to make tonight memorable. Emily just wished Paige was here to celebrate this day with her.

"And Paige McCullers finishes first!" Paige declared triumphantly after she put an extra burst of speed and reached the end of the lap. She checked her watch for the time the second her foot crossed the makeshift marker she placed earlier and smiled as she rested her hands on her knees and caught her breath. Her sports watch may have been damaged but her regular watch still told her what she needed to know. Her time was down by five seconds. Yes.

Paige straightened up and slowly walked over to the middle of the stadium where she left her duffel bag, taking a seat on the grassy field and reaching for her water bottle inside. She drank a generous amount of water, her eyes never leaving the sky once she was done and she sighed. Somewhere out there, Emily was probably spending her birthday with Jai. Not that she didn't want the girl to have a happy birthday, pun intended. She just wished Emily was spending it with her instead. Paige suddenly shifted her attention to her right when she felt someone sit next to her and her eyes widened in surprise when she realized who it was.

"Em." Paige uttered, her pulse racing again but this time she knew it wasn't because she just ran several laps around the stadium. It was like making a wish on a shooting star and the universe granting it in a second.

"Hey." Emily greeted with a smile. "I take it you just broke your own record. I heard you do that whole finishing first thing earlier."

"Uh, yeah. Something like that." Paige replied, feeling her cheeks burn in embarrassment. "Um, not that I'm not happy to see you but... what are you doing here?" She asked while trying to wipe the sweat off her nape and her forehead. "With a cupcake." Paige added when she saw what the girl was holding in her hand.

"It's my birthday." Emily simply stated as she handed Paige the food she brought with her when she snuck out earlier. "Sorry this was all I could get you. We ran out of everything else."

"Thanks." Paige said, accepting the cupcake. "And I know it's your birthday. So shouldn't you be out with Jai or Spencer celebrating?" She reminded the girl.

Emily nodded. "I should." She answered quietly. "Jai threw this surprise party for me back at the café and everyone was there. Well except for my dad. And you." She added. "You weren't there."

"I wasn't invited. I don't think Jai wants me there." Paige told the girl wryly.

"Yeah. I figured as much." Emily replied. "But I thought you two were talking again?"

"We are. Doesn't mean things between us are okay." Paige pointed out. "So why are you here?"

Emily shrugged. "You said you were going to be here and I wanted to spend the rest of my birthday with you." She admitted. "You didn't even greet me the entire day. I thought you forgot about it again."

"I didn't." Paige replied. "I just thought staying away would be better than causing trouble nowadays." She explained before glancing at her duffel bag. "I actually got you something." She continued nervously. "I was thinking of giving it to you before the day ends but..."

"I think now would be a good time." Emily interjected. "What is it?" She asked, looking around them.

Paige took a deep breath as she reached inside her duffel bag and produced a transparent bottle with probably a thousand stars inside. She handed it wordlessly to Emily, feeling like a loser when she saw the girl study the contents with a curious expression.

"What's this?" Emily asked as she turned the bottle in her hands. The stars inside weren't two-dimensional and each looked like it was made from a colorful paper folded several times and then the edges pinched to make the center blow up, creating a three-dimensional star.

"It's a form of origami. I learned to do those things when I was a kid. I went inside this arts and crafts store one day and I saw these strips of colorful paper. Some were pastel, others were glistening, others were even glow in the dark. I was curious so I asked the shop owner what they're for. He said those materials were for something called origami lucky stars. The look of confusion was probably written all over my face because he gave me a strip and then he took one as well then showed me how it's done." Paige explained while nervously playing with the freshly cut grass near her legs. "I bought a set afterward. He said I could make hundreds of those and put them in any container, fill a small bottle or a big one. Just fill it with stars. But I stopped eventually. I guess I got tired. And then when we were freshmen, we had this camping trip. Do you remember?" She asked, looking at the girl.

Emily nodded. "For our science class. We were studying the constellations." She recalled.

"Yeah. Well, I, uh, overheard you and Jai talking. I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" Paige added hurriedly. "It's just that I was there first, enjoying the silence, then you two walked up to get some alone time. Not that I'm saying you were intruding! Anyway, you two couldn't see me so I figured I could look at you without having to pretend that I hated you." She admitted, looking away. "I could just look at you without anyone realizing how I really felt. You were wearing this worn-out, gray sweatshirt from MIT. I think it was your dad's. You miss him a lot so wearing that, I think you felt closer to him somehow. And then out of nowhere, this shooting star suddenly shot across the sky and you were so delighted to have seen it, your face lit up. You looked so cute. Like a kid who got what she wanted for Christmas. You made a wish, then faced Jai and said-"

"I wish I could have the stars just within my reach." Emily continued, a smile playing across her lips. "You remembered? That was like, six years ago."

"I remember everything about you." Paige told the girl earnestly. "Anyway, after that night I started making those stars again... until I ran out of a reason to. You and Jai were growing serious, making all these plans; I had to stop hoping. And I did. But everything that's happened between us made me hope again. So I thought it was time I gave you this." She said, touching the smooth surface of the bottle. "I know they're no shooting stars. They're not even real. But I hope those stars can make you smile. And if you really want to make a wish, you can just get one and tell it what you desire. That, or you can just use the whole thing as a paperweight." Paige added sheepishly.

Emily laughed. "I don't know. The idea of getting to make hundreds of wishes is just far too appealing to set this aside. Thank you." She said, fighting the urge to lean forward and kiss the girl on the cheek. "This is amazing. And really sweet of you."

Paige felt herself blush. "It's nothing, really." She answered and shook her head dismissively.

Emily squinted at the bottle then at Jai's best friend. "Can I try one now?" She asked, twisting and pulling the cork of the bottle and getting one blue star without waiting for Paige's reply. "I wish... that just for tonight, we get to hang out without any weirdness between us and talk like we're friends."

Paige studied the girl thoughtfully before reaching for the star that Emily was toying with. "Done." She replied. "So. How's fall semester treating you so far? Because it is kicking me in the ass." Paige said emphatically.

Emily cradled the bottle on her thighs and nodded. "I know! We've been back barely a month and I am exhausted. On top of swimming, the café, MUSE, and my classes I'm surprised I can still find the time to sleep. Then there's this paper I have to write for my film class that's due in two weeks but I haven't even started yet."

"Well at least you seem to have a handle on things." Paige lamented. "I, on the other hand, still haven't decided on a concentration so I have to set a meeting with my adviser next week."

"Don't let that get to you so much. I think it's normal if you can't decide on a concentration just yet." Emily reassured the girl.

"I see. So I guess that makes you abnormal!" Paige quipped.

Emily swatted the girl on the arm. "Hey! Take that back!" She protested indignantly. "That's derogatory."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I take it back!" Paige said, hands raised. "What I meant was you're not normal for having decided on a concentration this early." She explained. "I'm... making it worse, aren't I?" Paige asked when Emily shook her head. "You know what? Why don't you tell me about this film you're supposed to make a paper on instead."

A few hours later, Emily toyed with the bottle in her hands, a smile on her lips as she made her way back to the café. Talking to Paige made her forget all about the party and she felt guilty for being gone for so long. She just hoped no one noticed her absence. As Emily got closer to Harrison, she noticed that most, if not all, of the lights in the café were already turned off so she quickened her pace as she tried to rack her brain for an acceptable excuse.

"Where did everyone go?" Emily asked when she saw Jai cleaning outside.

"Home." Jai answered without looking at the girl. "Your friends and Pam are inside, cleaning up as well."

"I am so sorry." Emily uttered, embarrassed. "I lost track of time. I didn't mean to ditch the party. I just wanted to get some air-"

"All the way to Franklin Field?" Jai interjected.

Emily gave the girl a surprised look. "You followed me?!" She asked, incredulous.

"It wasn't intentional." Jai argued. "I was getting some ice when I saw you exit at the back. I thought you just wanted to take a breather but you kept walking. That's why I decided to follow you. Because it was obvious that you were headed somewhere." She pointed out. "When I saw you sitting in the middle of the football field with Paige, everything made sense. Do you want to be with her?"

"I don't know." Emily admitted.

"Clearly." Jai uttered, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "I thought Paige wasn't an issue in our relationship but tonight it's obvious that she is." She said before taking a seat in one of the chairs. "The three of us have been living in denial all this time. I can't take it anymore."

"What are you saying?" Emily asked, her voice hoarse.

Jai sighed. "I'm saying you need to choose." She answered. "You can't spend time with me then leave when you want to see Paige. It doesn't work like that."

Emily swallowed hard. "I need time." She pleaded.

"I know." Jai said, getting up. "But I want you to know that I'm willing to fight for you because I love you. Always and forever." She told the girl earnestly. "What you and I have is nothing compared to what you had with Paige for a few months. So I'll wait. Every night I'll wait for you at that restaurant we went to the first time we visited UPenn. When you're ready, whatever your answer will be, I'll be there. Waiting. But please. Choose me."

Emily watched Jai head inside the café before taking a seat on the chair the girl just occupied. She sighed and studied the gift Paige gave her, then looked at the window and watched Jai interact with her mom and friends with ease, at a loss as to what to do.

Paige shifted in her seat as she patiently sat outside Logan's office on Saturday morning, waiting until the man was ready to see her. Her appointment wasn't for another ten minutes but she got to Penn State Gen early so now she was looking for a way to pass the time. Finding nothing better to do, Paige reluctantly reached for the magazine on top of the pile sitting on the table next to her and browsed the pages absentmindedly. She looked up when she heard the door to the bathroom open and she met Jai's gaze head on when the girl emerged. Paige didn't know why but for some reason she felt like Jai wasn't particularly glad to see her so she steeled herself as the girl walked over to her.

"Looking for another arts and crafts project to give Emily?" Jai asked when she saw the magazine the girl was browsing.

"They're called origami." Paige corrected as she closed the reading material. "How did you find out?"

"I saw you two at Franklin Field and when she came back to the party afterward with the bottle I put two and two together." Jai replied.

"It's not a crime to give Emily a gift on her birthday." Paige said defensively.

"No. It's not." Jai answered in agreement. "As a matter of fact, I wanted to thank you for giving her a gift. That gesture of yours gave me the push I needed."

"Meaning what?" Paige asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Meaning that up until last night, I thought you weren't a factor in my relationship with Em." Jai explained. "That we just needed to fix our relationship because it was still us. But last night it became obvious that Emily has a decision to make. So I finally did what I should've done the moment I found out the truth about you two. I asked her to choose. You or me."

"What? How could you do such a thing?" Paige asked in disbelief. "How could you make her choose? You're not being fair."

"The situation wasn't fair to all of us." Jai pointed out. "I want to stop living in uncertainty. You're just scared Emily won't choose you that's why you didn't have the guts to ask her."

"So what did she say?" Paige asked, choosing to ignore the girl's gibe.

"That she needed time." Jai answered. "But I know eventually she'll make a decision. And I'm going to fight for her and our relationship even if I know she's going to choose me anyway."

"And if she chooses me?" Paige challenged, getting up.

"I'm not gonna let that happen." Jai told the girl firmly.

Paige balled her hands tightly into fists, about to respond to what her friend said when she heard the door to Logan's office swing open so she turned around to look behind her instead.

Present Day...

The sound of the bathroom door swinging open brought Paige out of her reverie and she turned around to look behind her after she closed the wooden box that held her accessories.

"Ahhhh!" Paige cried out in alarm when she saw her friend emerge in just a towel, Reese's hair still wet and her skin glistening with a few water droplets.

"Hey! What's with the reaction?!" Reese exclaimed indignantly when the girl closed her eyes.

"Cover yourself!" Paige reprimanded.

"I am covered!" Reese argued.

"I meant with more than just a skimpy towel!" Paige clarified before turning her back so she can open her eyes again.

"Alright, alright!" Reese said, looking around for her change of clothes. "It's not like I did this on purpose, you know? I thought you wouldn't be here by the time I was done." She told the girl wryly. "Are you ready to go?"

Paige nodded. "Yeah. I just need to load my bags in your car." She replied.

"Well get on with it." Reese ordered as she started dressing up. "I left my car keys on the vestibule near the front door."

"Okay." Paige answered, keeping her back turned to the girl as she walked over to her bags. "I'll give you some privacy." She said before pushing the door open with her right shoulder.

"You know, one of these days you won't mind seeing me in all states of undress." Reese told her friend matter-of-factly. "Mark my words."

Paige turned to face the girl and shivered comically. "No thank you. Keep your goods to yourself. I'm not touching those... no matter how great they are." She added before leaving, making Reese grin.