Hello, sorry for not updating so often, I don't know if you saw my comment on the review's section but I've some technical problems so I'll not update as often as I would like. Anyway, I'm trying to re-build the plot of my stories with what I remember so please be patient. To reply some reviews: not sure how many parts will have this story, but it will be at least more than 5 and this chapter will follow after the kiss scene of last chapter…

Sonata of love part IV

(Alison's narrative)

Spencer told me the other day, that when you're in love with somebody, everything looks colorful. She said: 'Since the moment I met Toby, my life changed. Everything I saw, everything I heard…everything I felt… all the scenery around me started to take on color…'

I wonder if that's true… I wonder if someone can really change my monotone world. My world that begins and ends with the piano, a monotone world that's in black and white, just like music scores… just like a keyboard… I wonder if one day, my world will become colorful…

(In Emily's dorm room)

Emily smiles at her webcam with a bubble smile. – "Yo! Whatcha U doing?!"

(Glowing and sparks around Emily's face)

Hanna says from the other side of the screen of the laptop. – "Y-You're glowing and sparking, Em…"

Emily grins. – "Do I?!" (Huge smile)

Hanna. – "Did something good happen?"

Emily doesn't say a word, she just keeps grinning like a fool as she's recalling in her mind her kiss with Alison. Hanna wanted to ask further but she got distracted by something that she saw on the background of her friend…

Hanna. – "Em… what is that?!"

Emily. – "What?!" (She turns towards what was behind her and she smiles as she grabs it between her arms) "Oh, it's a puppy…"

The tiny puppy barks. – "Woof! Woof!"

Emily rubs her cheek against the head of the puppy and says with a goofy smile. – "Isn't he cute?!"

Hanna raises an eyebrow. – "Em, as far as I know, you're not allowed to have animals on the dorms… they can throw you out if they find him with you!"

Emily pouts with puppy eyes. – "B-but, I saw him abandoned in a box on the streets! Don't you feel bad for him?!"

Emily and the puppy make puppy eyes and Hanna just rolls her eyes. As Emily was in Skype with her BF; Alison was also sharing a moment with her closer friend. Unlike the brunette, the blonde wasn't sparkling and grinning of happiness because of their accidental kiss…

(In a Japanese's restaurant)

Spencer invited Alison to diner and she noticed that something was different on her friend; the blonde was very quiet and with a lot of blush on her cheeks, something that Spencer found suspicious…

Spencer says as she sees Alison, filling up her mouth with a lot of sushi. – "Hey, easy there… you might choke if you put so much food in your mouth… mmm… you're really red, are you feeling sick?"

Alison doesn't reply and orders another big menu of sushi.

Toby says as he's surprised of the quantity of food that the blonde is eating. – "Wow… you're still hungry?! You're still not done?"

Alison. – "I need to eat my mind out!"

Spencer raises an eyebrow. – "Out of what?!"

Alison recalled her 1st kiss in her life and she blushes, red as a tomato…

(Alison's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

Alison's thoughts. – "My heart's still pounding… probably because I'm still so surprised…." (Angry pout and blush) "How could I lose my 1st kiss with that pervert!"

Spencer smirks. – "I've never seen you making that kind of 'faces', it's cute…"

Alison. – "Shut up!"

Spencer teases. – "Well, you're acting pretty strange today. Even more spaced out than usual. Hey! Could it be that you… you were thinking about someone you like?"

Alison blushes more. – "Wha-Wha-What-… What are you talking about Spence?! That's not possible!"

Toby. – "Oh… why not? It's perfectly natural to like someone…"

Spencer teases. – "Yeah, why not, Ali?! Looking at you, that kind of blush is just consequence of love…"

Alison blushes. – "Y-You've got it all wrong! I... I'm never going to fall in love with that perv-…." (Alison blushes more when she recalls the sensation of Emily's lips and she shook her head) "No, no, no… Completely out of the question!"

Spencer teases. – "So, there is really someone… hmmm..."

Alison pouts. – "You're absolutely wrong!"

Toby and Spencer chuckles, watching the childhood pout of the blonde… a blonde who's red as a tomato. Spencer continue teasing Alison until Toby convinces her to stop, when they get out of the restaurant, Spencer and Toby leave together and Alison starts walking on the opposite direction; as she's walking, it starts raining…

Alison. – "Great!"

The blonde doesn't have an umbrella so she starts running as fast as she can, with the look down, she bumps into the last person that she wanted to see…

Emily blushes. – "H… Hi…"

Alison looks up and her eyes meet with the brown eyes of the brunette, she blushes without being able to speak at all…

(Sounds of the rain)

Emily was walking the puppy when she bumped with the blonde, the brunette stares at the sweet lips of the blonde and she blushes; she shakes her head in order to calm down her hormones. Emily notices that the blonde was walking under the rain without an umbrella…

Emily says as she offers her umbrella. – "You don't have an umbrella, here, take mine…"

Alison pushes the umbrella towards the brunette, refusing to take it…

Emily. – "But…"

Alison says as she avoids eye-contact. – "No, thanks…"

The blonde resumes her walk but she stops when she doesn't feel the rain on her skin. She looks up and she notices that Emily was covering her from the rain with her umbrella…

Alison blushes. – "You don't have to do that…"

Emily smiles. – "I can't let you get soak for the rain…"

Alison stares at the puppy that Emily was carrying on her arms and at the brunette… both of then getting soak for the rain…

Alison mumbles with blush on her cheeks. – "I can't accept your umbrella, you two, you will get soak for the rain…"

Emily smiles. – "You're worried about me?!"

Alison rolls her eyes and cross her arms. – "Don't flatter yourself! I'm more worried about the puppy than YOU!"

Emily chuckles

(Sounds of the rain)

Alison says as she pushes again the umbrella towards the brunette. – "Really, I can't…"

Emily. – "Want to share mine, then?"

Alison blushes. – "Huh?!"

Emily. – "I can walk you home, even if it's far…" (Smiles and the dog barks in agreement) "See, Pepe agrees with me…"

Alison chuckles as she finds adorable the name of the dog. The blonde slowly approaches her right hand towards the puppy and the dog licks it and the blonde chuckles and smiles…

Alison smiles. – "He's cute…"

Emily says as she puts the dog on Alison's arm. – "He likes you so, you can carry him as we walk…"

Alison blushes. – "I haven't say 'YES' to your offer!"

Emily. – "You're gonna catch a cold if you continue walking in the rain and I don't allow that so, you take my umbrella or we share it! It's your call!"

Alison looks down at the puppy that's in her arms and pouts. – "Fine… let's share it… I don't want him to get wet…"

Emily smiles and both girls start walking under the same umbrella.

Emily says as they're walking. – "The rain's coming down harder…" (She looks at the blonde and says) "You're not getting wet, are you?"

Alison looks at her sides and mumbles. – "No…"

Someone says as he stares at them. – "Hey! Those two are sharing an umbrella! Woo! Woo!"

Alison snaps against the guy. – "Shut up! Back off!"

The blonde accelerates her walking and the brunette follows her with the umbrella leaning towards the blonde, in order to protect her against the rain…

Emily. – "Wait! You're walking too fast!"

Alison turns her head in direction of the brunette, she notices that Emily's left side is very soak for the rain so she stops and without warning she intertwines their arms. Emily blushes and freeze, feeling Alison so close of her body.

Emily blushes. – "W-W-W- What are you doing?!"

Alison looks at the frozen brunette and says. – "What's your problem? You're getting all wet, your umbrella is not so big so we need to glue ourselves together as much as we can…"

Emily's heart was beating fast as she feels the boobs of the blonde pressing against her arm…

Alison pouts avoiding eye-contact. – "You should be thankful that I care if you get wet or not…"

Emily's thoughts. – "How am I supposed to handle this?!" (Emily's heart: Thump, thump, thump) "My heart's pounding even harder than before. It's so hot and so violent. I can't move!"

Alison. – "What's with that look on your face? You'd better not be thinking any filthy thoughts!"

Emily blushes. – "Huh?!"

Alison. – "I'm doing this for you to be nice! What a pervert!"

Emily. – "I told you that I'm not a pervert! Stop calling me like that! Besides, I never asked you to do anything!"

Alison. – "Me neither! I didn't ask you to walk me home but here we're so let's…" (Alison doesn't finish her sentence as she heard a strong thunder)

Emily says as she looks up at the sky. – "Whoa, that freaked me out… that one was pretty close, wasn't it?"

The brunette doesn't hear any comment so she turns her head toward the blonde and she looks surprised when she notices Alison, squatting, with the arms wrapped around the puppy as she was shaking with fear with the eyes closed…

Emily. – "Ooh…"

(In Alison's apartment)

Emily says as she's rolling her eyes over the place. – "Who knew you were afraid of lightning?!" (Chuckles) "It's cute…"

Alison says as she throws a towel over Emily's face. – "Shut up! If you tell anybody, I'll make you pay!"

Emily says as she's drying her hair with the towel. – "I won't tell… don't worry…." (She approaches very close to the blonde and whispers on Alison's ear) "That will be a secret between you and me…"

Alison blushes, feeling the breath of the brunette so close and she was going to snap against the brunette but she heard another thunder, even stronger than the previous one and without thinking she clung into Emily. The brunette blushes but she can't stop smiling as she sees Alison clinging on her.

Emily teases. – "If you want, I can stay…"

Alison pulls away and blushes. – "W-W-W-What?!"

Emily. – "You look scared so Pepe and I, we can stay and make you company… at least for tonight…"

(Alison's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

Alison talks to her heart. – "Stay calm… stay calm… stay calm…"

Emily raises an eyebrow as she stares at the blonde. – "Huh?!"

(Sounds of thunders)

Alison squats and covers her ears with her shaky hands. She was with the eyes closed and she was trembling with fear until she felt something warm around her. She slowly opens her eyes and she blushes as she sees Emily hugging her, even the little puppy rubs his head on Alison's legs in order to offer any kind of comfort.

Emily says as she's hugging the blonde. – "Ssshh… it's ok… you're safe with me…"

Alison stops trembling and she feels very comfortable under the warm hug.

(Sounds of thunders)

Alison curls on Emily and the brunette just hugs her tighter and caresses Alison's head. The storm doesn't stop and with so many thunders, Alison can't stop to cling into the brunette.

Alison mumbles as she's falling asleep. – "Maybe you're not as bad as you seemed… pervert…"

Emily. – "Huh?!" (She notices that the blonde fell asleep on her arms and she just smiles) "She looks like an angel when she's quiet…" (She puts a soft kiss on Alison's head and says) "Sweet dreams my violent pianist…"

Under the light of thunders, both girls fell asleep on the floor, Alison curling on Emily and the brunette hugging the blonde with a huge smile on her face.

(Another day, in Juilliard)

Mr. Fitz. – "Ms. DiLaurentis, your turn…"

(Silence)

Mr. Fitz. – "AHEM!"

Alison was spacing out but she came back to reality when her professor stood in front of her…

Mr. Fitz. – "DiLaurentis…?"

Alison didn't say a word, she just starts walking towards the piano.

Mr. Fitz. – "Presto Agitato of Beethoven, DiLaurentis… ok?"

Alison takes a deep breath and her fingers start pounding over the keyboard… she was playing Beethoven's Presto Agitato with so much intensity; her music was showing up the small revolution of emotions going on inside her…

Alison's POV

"Even though I can see my fingers striking the keys, and see the keys sinking… the only thing I can hear is the sound of my own heart…"

(Alison's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

"Why?! Why this strange throbbing in my chest shows no sign of slowing? Argh! This is frustrating! Focus! Focus Alison! The next competition is coming up… so focus! I need to focus in my only reason to live: piano… piano… piano…"

(Alison recalls the feeling of the warm hug of Emily and her heart got faster: Thump, thump, thump. She closes her eyes and sighs with frustration as she continues playing the piano)

"Argh! There's so much background noise that I can't concentrate!"

(Alison talks to her heart) "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! Why you're making so much noise?! What are you trying to tell me? Why you're beating really fast again… why she makes you flutter!"

"My fingers are moving, I can play the score exactly as I've memorized it. I can play on the strength of my muscle memory but… something is definitely wrong with me these days, I'm not myself… suddenly I feel I'm unable to concentrate on anything I do… something is blooming inside me… I can feel it… I don't want to feel it… but I can stop it… so frustrating!"

(Alison's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

"Shut up! I say to shut up! I'm going to reject this thumping, even if I get trounced, I'm going to reject it every time… I'm going to reject it with my playing! Check it out-this, you, stupid heart! This is who I'm! I don't waver! I don't let feelings overpowering me! I don't care about anything else or anyone else! I just care about ME! About my piano! I'm the one with the unmatched accuracy! I'm the one, playing-like a mirror image of the score. The stainless steel-like piano inaccessible to the rest of the world. You're drowning in your own emotions, YOU, my fool heart! And that must stop!

(Alison's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

~End of Alison's POV

Alison yells as she's finishing the piece. – "I say shut up! SHUT UP!"

Alison was sweating and with fast breathing when she finished playing the piano, the entire class was speechless…

Mr. Fitz. – "DiLaurentis… to whom, you were talking?"

Alison. – "Huh?"

Mr. Fitz. – "No one was talking and you yelled 'Shut up', but to whom?"

Alison blushes and looks down. – "Sorry… I…"

(Bell ringing)

Mr. Fitz. – "Ok, that's all for today…" (He stares at the blonde and says to her) "Don't leave DiLaurentis… I will like to have a word with you…"

Alison sighs. – "Great…"

The rest of the class left and when the professor approached to the piano where the blonde was still sitting, Alison started talking…

Alison. – "I apologize for my performance, I'm not in my top these days, a musician should be a mirror that reflects the score and today I…"

Mr. Fitz finished Alison's sentence. – "Today, you were like a stormy sea, the waves of your emotions were surging unsteadily, that being the case-today… I would like to see those waves reach their crest…"

Alison. – "Sorry, what?!"

Mr. Fitz. – "Tell me, how do you want to play?"

Alison looked confused. – "How do I want to play?!"

Mr. Fitz. – "What's your mental image when you play the piano?"

Alison. – "I don't have one…"

Mr. Fitz scolds her. – "Unoriginal! Lack of imagination! Over cobblestones!"

Alison raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms. – "Huh?!"

Mr. Fitz. – "Image! Image! Image! Don't be mundane and unromantic!"

Alison. – "What?! And what is an image, anyway?! Is it different than how I interpret the music?!"

Mr. Fitz. – "I want you to turn your feelings into notes… exposing your heart, even your own struggling self like today… that's how you should come dwell inside your music… that's how we, the musicians, we play music that's alive…" (He chuckles as she notices the confused look of the blonde) "Don't overthink about it, you're in the middle of doing that, I'm sure of it…" (He starts walking away and before leaving he says) "And DiLaurentis…" (Alison looks at him) "Don't ask your heart to 'shut up', let it beat free…"

He leaves a conflicted Alison…

(In the gardens of the school)

Emily was finishing her sandwich under a tree, she heard some noises and looked up; she noticed a scared cat waving on one branch of the tree.

Emily. – "You look scared, you can't get down, isn't?" (She starts climbing the tree) "Don't worry, I will help you…"

As Emily was trying to help the little cat, Alison was walking around the gardens of the school, spacing out with the gaze set out far away…

Alison's POV

"How do I want to play the piano, I wonder? For what? Who do I want to play it for? I think that I've never made those question to myself…"

(Sighs of frustration as she looks up at the blue sky)

"It was Jessica's dream to raise me to become a world-class pianist. She ran a music school and I took lessons from her, day after day, for hours on end… she would hit me… yell at me… she wouldn't let me off even if I cried…"

Jessica's voice. – "You're going to make it big in the world, in my place…"

"I exist to accomplish the dreams that she could never realize for herself… she drilled me to give performances that would leave results, that could win competitions… exactly what score calls for. Like a machine. She made me a slave of the music sheet and I hated it! I hated the piano too, for it! Because I'm not Beethoven neither Chopin… I'm ME! Alison DiLaurentis! But who is Alison DiLaurentis?! Do I know the real me?"

(Alison sits under a tree and she closes her eyes as she takes deep breaths of fresh air)

"This is the 1st time I've ever questioned myself like this, the old me, would never have done it… I hate the piano… I love the piano… I'm clinging to it; it must be because I've nothing else… take away the piano, and I'm empty… so how do I want to play the piano? For what? Who do I want to play it for?"

~End of Alison's POV

Alison was praying to the sky for an answer when suddenly something dropped into her arms.

Alison. – "What the hell?!"

Emily smiles. – "My hero!"

Alison blushes as she stares at the brunette that just fell into her arms. – "Huh?!"

Emily smiles and leant her head on Alison's shoulder. – "You're always there when I'm in a difficult situation…" (Big smile) "You're always there to save me, my hero!"

(Alison's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

Alison blushes and think. – "Why does my heart just skip a beat?"

Emiliy. – "Thank you! Thank you for saving me!" (She looks up and their meet) "It makes me really happy" (Smile)

(Alison's heart beating: thump, thump, thump)

Alison blushes and think. – "That's again… I feel so agitated when she's around…"

The blonde stares at the brunette and she blushes more when she notices Emily's lips. Emily feels so comfortable into the arms of the blonde, she notices that Alison doesn't push her away, that the blonde continues carrying her in her arm and Emily smiles like a fool, she rubs her head on Alison as she's caressing the little cat that she had into her arms…

Alison. – "Are you hurt?"

Emily shakes her head. – "No…"

Alison. – "What were you doing up there?"

Emily. – "This little fellow couldn't get down so I climbed and tried to get him down…" (Chuckles) "A branch broke and I lost balance, thank God that you caught me…"

Alison. – "You should be more careful with your body, your body is your instrument, you're a great ballerina, don't jeopardize that…"

Emily looks up and their eyes meet…

Emily smiles and blushes. – "Do… do you think that I'm great?!"

Alison blushes and nods

Emily feels so happy that she hugs Alison's neck and she puts a lot of kisses on Alison's face.

Emily says between kisses. – "Thank you! Thank you! You don't know how happy I'm knowing that you think that I'm great!"

Alison freezes feeling so much affection, the brunette was kissing her cheeks, her front-head and both girls blushes more when the lips of the brunette stood glued in the corner of Alison's lips.

Their mouths were so close, Emily thought that she overstepped with the affection and she was going to pull away when Alison turned her head in her direction and leant her lips against Emily's lips. It was a soft touch that melt their hearts.

(Alison & Emily's heart: Thump, thump, thump)

They exchanged gazes and without asking questions, without saying a word, they just followed their impulsive hearts.

Alison put a hand in the back of Emily's neck and pushed Emily towards her lips, the brunette hummed under the sweet soft kiss and as their lips were rubbing against each other, a huge eruption came into their bodies and they felt like fireworks when they deepened the kiss.

They kissed for hours until the sunset came.

Emily whimpers. – "Wow…"

Alison can't speak, her heart is beating too fast, it's the 1st time that she feels her heart moves for something that wasn't linked with the piano.

Alison mumbles. – "I'm sailing in uncharted waters…"

Emily. – "Huh?"

Alison stares at the brunette that she had into her arms and smiles, Emily blushes under the constant gaze of the blue eyes of the blonde.

Emily blushes. – "Is there something wrong?"

Alison. – "This is the 2nd time that I come to your rescue…"

Emily blushes and nods. – "What I can do to repay you….?"

Alison. – "A date…."

Emily blushes. – "Sorry, what?"

Alison blushes and says out loud. – "A DATE!"

Emily blushes. – "Huh?!"

Alison blushes. – "Take me on a date…"

Emily blushes and looks down. – "Uh… oh… ok… I guess…" (Huge smile) "If… if you insist…."

Emily's thoughts as she was grinning like a fool. – "I can't stop smiling…"

(Alison's narrative)

My world is growing, what I once considered background noises, is now comforting, it feels good, it feels warm. My world, my music… it's becoming colorful… I wonder why?