Alison's jaw dropped. She was not ready for this. Even in her wildest dreams, she would not have imagined this situation. She was absolutely shocked. Looking at Emily with incredulous eyes, the words wouldn't leave her mouth. She always knew she would have to see Emily again one day, but now? Here? She kept looking at the brunette in front of her, stunned. Emily was painfully beautiful. She had lost her baby face to sharpened features. She looked mature, she looked glowing. She couldn't wrap her head around how breathtaking the girl had become. No, how breathtaking the women had become. She was stunning, to say the least. At that moment, Alison knew Emily was one of the most gorgeous women she had ever seen. She couldn't understand how somebody could look this delightful.
Emily sat up and stood from the couch, before making her way toward Alison. The blonde stomach flipped. She looked over at Aria and Spencer who had entered the living room. The girls seemed happy to see their friend but also looked surprised. Making eye contact with Aria, Alison gave her a questioning look. In response, the smaller girl shrugged and shook her head, being as surprised as Alison.
"Emily Fucking Fields", Hanna shouted, rushing at her best friend. Emily stopped walking, turning her body to face her friend, opening her arms. Crashing into Emily with a hug, Hanna happily said, "I'm so happy you could make it". Emily giggled, squeezing her arms around the blonde, "Marin, I fucking missed you too! You better not go this long without seeing me ever again". Letting go of Emily, Hanna gave her a small punch on the elbow and laughed, "bitch, YOU better not take this long to see me ever again". Alison felt herself become more nervous as a hundred questions flooded in her mind. What was Emily doing here? Did Hanna invite her? Was she more beautiful than the last time Emily saw her? Watching Emily greet Spencer and Aria, she felt her body tense. When Emily turned to face Alison and began to take a step closer, the blonde almost felt herself pass out. What was wrong with her? Meeting eyes with Emily for the first time in years, she could have sworn to see a loving gaze in the look the brunette gave her.
"Hi", Alison barely left out, as if she was restraining herself to speak. It came out so softly from the blonde's mouth that Emily almost didn't hear it. Approaching Alison hesitantly, Emily decided not to make it more awkward than it already was. Stepping closer into Alison, she wrapped her arms around the blonde. Emily closed her eyes, feeling the girl for the first time in over four years. Being this close again made her feel shaky. Emily had been apprehensive about this moment, and she wondered if it was showing. Closing her eyes, Emily breathed out as she felt two arms close around her waist. She felt Alison's body shuttered as it lay against her own. Trying to ignore it, she absentmindedly ran her fingers over Alison's head as she felt Alison's hold around her waist tighten.
The other girls were looking at the scene in front of them with a certain discomfort. Feeling the tension between Alison and Emily, Hanna wanted to laugh. Her plan was too good.
"This house is amazing Han! How did you find it?", a feminine voice commented. Instantly letting go of Emily, Alison took a step back to see who had said that. Her eyes came upon a stunning blonde girl who was entering the living room, holding a bag. Smiling, the girl made her way next to Emily, putting an arm around her waist. Taking a good look at the girl, Alison could have sworn to have seen her somewhere. Suddenly, it hit her. It was the girl from the Instagram picture, Ophelia. "Hi, I'm Ophelia. You must be Alison?" the girl said with a smile. Looking at both girls standing in front of her, she felt sick. "Yes, I – I um … I'll go take a shower…", Alison disturbingly said, remembering she was still wearing her running clothes.
As Alison left the living room, Emily's eyes looked over the blonde's body with temptation. Alison had always been beautiful, but it felt like her beauty had amplified. She was astonishing. Feeling a gaze on herself, Alison whipped her head to see Emily looking back at her. Staring into the brunette's eyes, she just smiled knowing that sometimes words, aren't the right words to say.
Clearing her throat, Ophelia looked up at Emily as the brunette looked down at her girlfriend. Ophelia tilted her head and gave Emily a questioning glance. Busted.
Getting out of the shower, Alison wrapped herself in a towel. Her wet hair falling on her bare shoulders, she placed both of her hands on the bathroom vanity and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Why was this situation getting to her? Over the years, she had imagined countless scenarios about the both of them being reunited. She thought she would feel over the brunette. She thought she would finally be able to get closure. But when Emily held her in her arms after all this time, Alison felt all the walls she had put up collapse. She was feeling herself breaking all over again. She knew she wasn't supposed to feel this way, but she couldn't help herself. With one touch, Emily had smashed down the barrier around her heart. Alison felt a tear roll down her cheek. She felt subdued.
Carefully opening the bathroom door, Spencer entered. Leaning against the door frame, she crossed her arms while observing Alison. The girl looked as bad as she imagined she would be. "Hey… Are you all right?", Spencer softy said.
Alison turned her eyes back to Spencer and subtly wiped the tears off her cheeks, "yes I am, why wouldn't I be?" Spencer stared at Alison silently. On a more severe tone, Alison replied, "don't Spencer Hasting me".
Spencer sighed, "and what is that supposed to mean?"
"You're looking at me like you are trying to read my mind, like you are trying to take a hold on my fucking soul", Alison snapped, "I'm fine."
"Good to hear this", Spencer answered. "We wanted to make this week a stress-free one for all of us…" She stopped, analyzing Alison's reaction. "But I know something is on your mind and whatever is, I suggest you stop beating around the bush".
Alison smirked but reminded silent for a moment. She knew Spencer was only trying to help her. Truth be told, Alison had something on her mind, Emily. She knew she needed to stop making a big deal out of it. Emily had a girlfriend who wasn't her. She loved her. It was that simple. "Everything is perfect, I swear."
Spencer lifted herself from the door frame and ran a hand through her brown hair. Alison was not ready to talk about what was bothering her and Spencer respected that. She knew Alison would come around and figure it out on her own, but whatever it was, she hoped it wouldn't break loose this week and ruin their vacation. Exiting the bathroom, she looked at her friend one last time before closing the door, "when you'll be ready, come join us on the beach".
Entering her bedroom, Alison made sure to close the curtains before she let her towel fall to her feet. So much for a relaxing week. She grabbed one of her bags and put it on her mattress. Searching in it, she grabbed a white one-piece bathing suit. With a grin on her face, Alison held it up in front of her. That was what she was going to wear. Slipping it on, she brushed her hair in a high ponytail. As she walked to the doors in her room, she placed a pair of black sunglasses on her nose. With a dominant smile, she opened the doors and walked toward the beach.
Emily couldn't stop her eyes to lurk over Alison. It felt impossible not to stare at her. The blonde was wearing one of the sexiest bathing suits she had ever seen. It was a white one-piece with a bareback and a very plunging neckline. Emily's eyes once again observed Alison. Those mischievous shoulder straps plunged into a wonderful cleavage showing just enough, but not enough at the same time. Alison was insanely hot. Fortunately for Emily, she was wearing sunglasses because the look she gave the blonde was clearly not PG-13.
"Em", Ophelia smiled
Emily turned her eyes on her girlfriend. Guilt flooded the brunette. She shouldn't be looking at Alison like that. Ophelia was sweet, loving and very attractive. She was amazing. They had been together for over a year now, which is exactly why she shouldn't be eyeing her ex like that. She looked into Ophelia's eyes and smiled.
"Hi", her girlfriend said in a flirtatious tone.
"Hi", Emily softly replied, moving over to Ophelia to drop a kiss on her lips.
Watching the scene, Alison's heart sank. She knew she wasn't supposed to feel this way, but it bothered her. Was Emily happier than she was with her? Emily's girlfriend was extremely sexy. It didn't surprise her as she overheard Hanna say that she was a model, but she was still feeling jealous. Was the girl more beautiful than her? To imagine Emily with another woman was painful but having to experience it in the front row was awful. Deciding she had enough of the view, Alison got up. "Somebody wants to go for a swim?"
Hearing the blonde's voice, Emily's eyes made their way back to her. She tried hard not to glare at Alison but miserably failed. Her eyes ran down Alison's back to stop on her butt. God, the girl had an amazing ass. Emily figured it was probably due to working out but whatever it was, it was amazing. Her mouth slightly parted as Alison began to walk, her eyes still glued on the girl's ass. She came back to reality feeling her phone vibrate. Looking at it, she noticed Hanna had texted her.
"Close your mouth, you're drooling".
Emily groaned and put her phone back down. She had to stop. She got up and ran her fingers through her hair, she was going to need a drink. Making her way into the house's kitchen, she heard footsteps. Hanna was quickly following her. Once they were out of sight, Hanna slapped Emily's back head and said in a schooling tone, "I'm the only other blonde you are allowed to eye fuck".
Emily looked at her friend, surprised. "I'm not eye-fucking Alison, it's just weird seeing her after all this time."
Not believing a word that just came out of the brunette's mouth, Hanna silently answered, "you are looking at her the way a full-hormone teenage boy who just had been fuck for the first time, would". She stayed silent for a second before she added, "I know it's my fault if you guys are here together, but I didn't think you would bring her".
"Her? Hanna, it's my girlfriend" Emily said in a defensive tone.
"Of course, I know it's your girlfriend, but it's a no-boyfriend-girlfriend getaway. You really thought it would be a good idea to bring her here?" Hanna said, annoyed.
"Well, I didn't know you would invite fucking Alison!", Emily snapped.
"I invited fucking Alison because all of this going on between you had been going on for too long. We are best friends and I'm tired of making plans without one of you. So, you better put on your big girl pants and move on from whatever the fuck this is", Hanna replied in a more unfriendly way.
Shaking her head, Emily opened the fridge and threw an already-mixed margarita can at Hanna before taking one for herself. She cracked it open and took a sip. Looking over at Hanna, she replied, "I don't know what you want me to say, Han". The blonde girl took a sip of her drink in silence. She knew Emily was trying to convince herself. And so, she decided to let it go, for now. Emily would have to realize it on her own.
In order to release the tension floating in the air, Hanna giggled, "I can agree with you on one thing - you sure have good taste in blonde's".
Emily laughed, shaking her head, "Hanna, you're making it worse".