Hello,
Thank you for following my story and thank you for the reviews ^^
Happy Holidays!
Note 1: In Italics, the storyteller speaking (moi ^^)
Chapter 26 – High Expectations
(In the Hospital of Rosewood)
Nurse. – "Hi, I checked with the doctor, the patient is still on surgery, you will need to wait a little longer…"
Alison. – "Ok, thank you…"
Alison got back to the waiting room and hugged the little brunette in order to give her a little of comfort.
Alison. – "Aria, are you sure that you don't want the girls here?"
Aria. – "No Ali, I can't deal with anything right now…"
Alison sighed. – "Ok, I will not tell anything until you're ready… but I still don't understand what happen?"
Aria cried. – "Everything happens so fast; I was going to see Erza in his apartment, when I arrived I saw the door open and I just came in…" (Tears in Aria's face) "I saw Shanna with a gun and before I knew it, we were struggling and without wanting it, a shot happen as we were struggling… I didn't want to hurt her Ali, I swear, I – I just lost it when I saw Erza on the floor, bleeding …"
Alison approached Aria to herself; she kissed her head and said. – "Aria, for me it seems like it was an accident… beside, are you sure that you killed Shanna? According with the cops the only person in the apartment was Erza, they didn't found any other body… I don't think that the cops will found out that you make the anonymous call to 911 for Erza but if Shanna's body is found…"
Aria cried. – "I know, I know that I will pay for my crime…"
Alison said. – "Look, you need to calm down ok, perhaps you only hurt her badly and you didn't kill her… for now until we don't know anything else, we should wait for the best for Erza and you…"
Aria grabbed Alison's hands and said. – "Thanks Ali for being here…"
Alison. – "It's nothing… "
After a while, a doctor approached and informed to the girls that Erza was stable after the intervention.
Alison. – "You can't not see him until tomorrow, there is no use staying here, there are cops in his door so I don't think that anyone will try something tonight… do you want me to drive you home?"
Aria. – "I don't want go home, if my parents look at me like this, they're going to do a lot of question and right now I can't …"
Alison. – "I understand, so stay at my house tonight…"
Aria. – "Really? I don't want to intrude…"
Alison. – "Come on Ar, you're always welcome…"
Aria smiled to her friend and they both go directly to Alison's house.
(In Alison's house)
As promised, Alison didn't say anything else; she prepared something to eat and they had a quiet diner; Aria was really struggling with the thought of being a killer so Alison decided to keep it quiet and don't give more stress to the little one.
Once in Alison's room, Alison loaned some pajamas to the little brunette to sleep; Alison went to the bathroom for one second and Aria started to make the bed; as she was doing it, she found the little box of the present for Emily; Alison got back from the bathroom when Aria opened the little box.
Aria put a hand on her open mouth and said with big eyes. – "OMG! Are you proposing to her?!"
Alison blushed and took the box from Aria's hands.
Alison looked down to the box and murmured. – "Well, yes… I… I want to…"
Aria asked. – "When are you going to do it?"
Alison. – "I don't know, I want it to be perfect… maybe in Christmas…"
Aria. – "Well if I can help with anything…"
Alison smiled. – "Thanks Ar but I have it cover with Blair; she will help me with my surprise… I will just ask you to keep the secret for me… no one know beside you and Blair and I want it to keep it like that…"
Aria. – "Sure…"
Alison. – "Thanks, let's sleep, you need to rest, it has been a rough day for you…"
(In the cafeteria of the school, few days later)
Spencer. – "So, I heard that Erza is better now…"
Aria. – "Yeah, according with the doctors, he might get out of the hospital this week…"
Emily. – "Has the police found out Shanna? I still don't get why Shanna shoot him?"
Alison. – "According with the testimony of Erza, he found Shanna in his apartment looking for something then they struggled and she shoots him…"
Hanna. – "And who called the 911? I mean, I don't think it was her…"
Aria gulped and looked down, Alison noticed it.
Alison. – "Well, who called the 911 doesn't matter for now, let's just focus on be careful, we don't know what are planning Cece and her minions so, let's just keep the eyes open …"
The girls nodded in agreement. The bell rang and everybody started to move in order to go to their respective courses.
Emily took Alison from the arm and said to her. – "So, I was thinking that we could do something this afternoon…"
Alison. – "Sorry Em, I can't… I will go to the hospital with Aria…"
Emily sighed. – "Again?! Why she only asks you to do it?!"
Alison kissed her and said. – "Look Em, she's really fragile right now, all this thing of Erza is difficult for her, let's just give her time and she will open to everybody…"
Emily murmured. – "I just don't like how secretly have you been these days, I feel like you're hiding something from me…"
Alison looked to other direction because it wasn't a lie what Emily said, but she promised to the other brunette to don't tell anything and beside she was also hiding the surprise that she was preparing for Emily so she decided to not reply to the brunette; the blonde only kissed her again and they got in separate ways for their courses.
After school, Emily went directly to her job at the brew.
(In the brew)
Since the arrival of Talia, she and Emily have became close very fast; Emily was doing more time in the brew now that Erza was in the hospital and because her blonde wasn't very available to see her.
Talia was a beautiful woman and Emily felt a natural attraction for her, she didn't see the harm in their innocent daily flirting…
Talia. – "Hello beautiful, what is with that face?"
Emily chucked. – "Hi Talia, it just that once again, my girlfriend canceled me because she's looking for a friend…"
Talia. – "Well that girlfriend of you must be blind to neglect a beautiful girlfriend like you…"
Emily blushed. – "Thanks, do you really think that I'm that beautiful?"
Talia. – "Of course… if you have no plans, there is a new course of tango that I want to try, would you go out with me to check it?"
Emily. – "I don't know…"
Talia took a post-it and write her address on it, she put it in Emily's hand when she said. – "Well, think about it and if you decide to come with me let me know ok…"
Emily chucked. – "OK…"
The afternoon was passing very fast; Emily was cleaning the tables when she received a sms from Hanna.
Hanna sms. – "Hey Em, there is a party at Lucas, I don't want to go alone, what you say?! Are you in for a party with your 2nd favorite blonde?"
Emily typed her back. – "I don't know…"
Hanna typed with a emoji of the puss in boots of Shrek which showed the cat big eyes and she added the text. – "Please…"
Emily couldn't say no to those adorable eyes of the emoji so she decided to go to the party with Hanna.
(In Lucas' house at night)
As soon as both girls arrived to the party, Lucas approached and said.
Lucas. – "Hey girls, it looks that you need a drink, what you said, tequila shots?"
Hanna. – "Oh hell yes!"
Emily hesitated for a moment but looking to her friend she accepted to do the shots in the end.
After a lot of tequila, Emily went outside the house to take a little of air, she was really drunk when she received a message from –A:
-A sms. – "Once a liar, always a liar… someone is cheating and if you don't believe me look to this video…"
Emily opened the document attached. The video was taking at night from an angle which showed Alison's room from the windows; the video showed Alison hugging Blair very enthusiastic and Alison putting a lot of kisses on Blair's cheek as Blair was showing her something.
Emily couldn't avoid it, but looking to that deceptive video, the jealousy possessed her immediately and she went directly to Alison's house.
(In Alison's house)
For Emily surprise, there was no one in the house but she knew were Alison kept an extra key under the floor mat outside the front door so she get herself in. She went directly to Alison's room and she was thinking to wait for her in the room; she was upset to see that blonde wasn't yet in the house at that hour and when she tried to sit in Alison's bed she tripped and ended in the floor; suddenly her eyes got bigger when she found something under the bed; it was an earring.
Emily mumbled to herself. – "This isn't Alison's earring or mine…"
She felt herself confused and angry under the thought that Alison could be cheating on her; Emily could feel how her blood was bowling, the jealousy was blinding her and she went out of that house in a hurry with the earring in her pocket.
Emily was barely walking on the streets of Rosewood when a car approached; Emily stopped walking when she recognized the voice.
Talia. – "Emily?"
Emily. – "Hey…"
Talia. – "Come in, let me give you a drive…"
Emily got in the car and Talia saw that she was very upset.
Talia. – "Honey, are you ok? Can I do something for you?"
Emily. – "Would you have some drinks with me, I really need a drink right now…"
Talia. – "I don't know honey, it looks that you had already some drinks tonight…"
Emily gave her best smile to the other woman and she said as she grabbed Talia's arm. – "Please…"
Talia bit her lip and replied. – "I have some win in my apartment…"
Emily. – "That sounds perfect…"
(In Talia's apartment the morning after)
Emily started to open her eyes and her head was giving her the worst headache of her life until now; she started to look to her surroundings but she didn't recognize the place.
Emily mumbled as she was rolling her eyes all over the place. – "Where I'm…"
Suddenly she sat in the bed when she saw herself naked beside a naked Talia.
Emily was shocked by what her eyes were seeing; she couldn't believe what was happening, what she did under the effects of alcohol; she was so ashamed of her actions and she didn't want to talk about it with the other woman so she did her best to get out of the bed, get dressed and out of the apartment without awaking Talia.
Once out of the apartment, she went directly to Hanna's house, she needed her friends more than ever.
(In Hanna's house)
Emily knocked the door and for her surprise Hanna wasn't alone, Aria opened the door.
Aria. – "Em, are you ok? You look awful…"
Emily ran a hand through her hair and said. – "Ahh… yeahh… it's just that we drank too much last night…"
Hanna appeared behind Aria and said. – "Tell me about it, if it wasn't for this little one who knows what crazy thing I could have done… thanks Ar to pick me up… by the way you leave me alone Em in the party without saying a word!"
Emily huffed and put her hands in her pockets when she said. – "Sorry I just…. Can I come in; I need to talk with you…" (She looked to the little brunette and said to her) "Ar, I need to talk with Hanna alone could you…"
Aria. – "Oh, sure, I was leaving any way…"
Aria took her coat and she was saying her goodbyes to Hanna first and then she approached to Emily, they hugged each other and when they do it; Emily dropped the earring to the floor when she took her hand off her pocket; Aria looked to the earring and she took it from the floor when she said.
Aria exclaimed. – "My earring!"
Emily surprised. – "What?! Is it yours?!"
Aria. – "Yeah, where did you found it?"
Emily gulped. – "In Alison's room…"
Aria. – "Oh, maybe I dropped it in when I passed the night there…" (She looked to Emily and saw a lot of concern in Emily's face) "Em, are you ok?"
Hanna teased. – "Knowing you Em, I'm sure that your mind was going mad not knowing who was the owner of that earring…"
Emily gulped. – "How do you know…"
Hanna teased. – "Come on Em, you're the jealous and over protective type… not for nothing you're the 'killer'…"
Emily looked down and a tear appeared in her eye as she thought on the nickname that Alison gave her. Aria kissed Emily's cheek and hugged her again when she saw how down Emily was…
Aria. – "There is normal to be jealous Em, you don't have to be ashamed for it, but you should know that Alison would never betray you…"
Emily murmured. – "Yeah… well I-I-… I should be going…."
Hanna. – "Don't you have something to tell me?"
Emily. – "It can wait… right now I need to go home and take a shower…"
Emily left first and both girls were a little confused with Emily attitude.
Once in her house, Emily took a long shower, she felt so dirty and ashamed that she cried under the shower.
After her encounter with Emily, Aria felt the need to talk about it with Alison. So she gave her a call.
Alison on the phone. – "Did she think that I'm cheating on her?!"
Aria. – "She definitely got jealous with the misunderstanding of the earring… you have been very secretive these days…"
Alison. – "Well, yes! And who is part responsible for that?!"
Aria gulped
Alison sighed. – "Sorry, it's not your fault… It's just very frustrated to know that she doesn't trust me…"
Aria. – "I think that she felt insecure with everything that is happening right now, college, California, -A, … perhaps you should give her your surprise before Christmas…"
Alison smiled. – "You're right Ar, that is a wonderful idea, just last night I finished the last details with Blair's help… mmm but I will need some support with something, could you…"
She didn't end her sentence when the other one said on the phone.
Aria. – "I'm all in! Whatever you need…"
Alison. – "Ok …."
(In Emily's house)
After a long shower, Emily fell sleep in her bed. It was already 8pm when her eyes opened again, when she opened her eyes, her eyes got bigger when she saw two blue eyes fixed on her…
Emily gulped and said with a shaky voice. – "Ali what…"
Alison was lying on bed beside Emily, she cupped Emily's cheek with her hands and kissed her in the lips, and she smiled to her girlfriend and said.
Alison.- "You're adorable when you sleep…"
Emily showed concern in her face when she felt the guilt overwhelming her, she grabbed Alison's hands and kissed them then Emily took Alison in her arms and hugged her tight; she was with watery-eyes as she was only able to murmur Alison's name as a mantra.
Emily. – "Ali, Ali, …"
Alison hugged her back and after some minutes she broke the hug and she pick Emily's lips before she said with a smile.
Alison. – "I would love to stay on bed with you but we should go now…"
Emily confused. – "Go, where?"
Alison stood up out of bed and she extended her arm to the brunette and said with a smile. – "You know, Santa's little helpers decided that you deserve to have a present earlier this Christmas…"
Emily gulped and looked down. – "I don't…"
Alison. – "Come on Em, don't break the magic, I have been killing my ass in order to prepare this surprise for you… well Blair and Aria helped me also…"
Emily gulped. – "Oh… have you being working with Blair on something?"
Alison thought that Emily was jealous and she kissed the brunette in the lips, she expressed so much love in that kiss that any doubts disappeared from Emily's mind.
Alison. – "Em, I love you… only you… Blair is my friend and yes she has being a real helper with this surprise but that is not the important here… come on Em… I put all my heart on it; let me show you your surprise…"
Emily nodded and just followed her girlfriend. Alison blinded Emily's eyes and just when they arrived to their destination, she took off the cover on the brunette eyes.
(In the kissing's rock)
Emily.- "What is this?"
Emily looked with admiration all the place, all was illuminated with Christmas lights that were all over the place, beside the kissing rock there was a table for two, and behind the table; there was a scale model of the Eiffel tower, the scale model of the Eiffel tower was big and from the top of it, there it was a video projector that showed projected image of Paris over the trees.
Alison. – "Well, tonight it will be a combination of what is important to us… so I decided to bring Paris to us…"
Alison applauded and French music started to sound; she approached to the table and slipped one chair in order to offer to Emily a seat. Emily blushed and she sat and Alison put a napkin in Emily's lap. They diner first and the menu was exquisite.
Emily. – "It was delicious, did you prepare all this food all by yourself?"
Alison. – "Well, in the food area, our little brunette Aria helped me a lot; I used more Blair's help for the décor…"
After eating, Alison grabbed Emily's arm and she brought her over a dance floor that she had prepared for them… the floor was white but from the moment they put a foot in it, it changed as well as the projected image, all changed to the image of a palace, there was even holograms of people dancing… suddenly Emily felt herself as she was in a ball of a castle. In the background the music that started to play was Cinderella waltz when Alison asked to Emily.
Alison. – "Can I have this dance?"
Emily blushed and started to dance with Alison, the moment was so magical that Emily didn't want it to stop; they continued dancing for a while and as the brunette saw the blue eyes of her girlfriend which reflected so much love, the tears started to follow from her face.
Emily. – "You're my charming princess…"
Alison. – "And you're mine…"
They were dancing when some fireworks started to appear on the sky. Emily looked up and she was amazing by all the effort that Alison had put on her.
Emily. – "Oh my God Ali, this is too much…"
Alison grabbed Emily's hand and they sat in the kissing rock to watch the fireworks.
Emily was looking up to the sky and she said. – "This night is perfect…"
Alison chucked and put a soft kiss in Emily's shoulder when she said. – "There is one thing that it would make it even better…"
The blonde put her hand in her pocket and grabbed the ring box in it. She waited until the end of the fireworks to stand up; Alison took a deep breath and she stood in front of the brunette who was sitting in the kissing rock.
*** Music background: Video games by Lana del Rey***
Alison. – "I'm sorry for the pain that I cost you, I know I can't take it back but I want to try to make it up to you, even if it takes me the rest of my life…"
Emily. – "Ali…"
Alison motioned with just one hand that she hadn't finished.
Alison. – "Please Em, let me finish… (She sighed) love is life itself and thank to you I'm one of those people lucky enough to have experienced it… (She smiled under the thought of all their memories) from the moment you walked into my life everything changed… I was darkness but with your kindness, your generosity, your intelligence and your values; you brought me into the light, you let me know that I deserved it, you were and you are that light and I'm doing my best to deserve it… I became the very best version of myself and that have never been possible without our love, our love gives my life a meaning, it gives me propose and joy…" (Alison knelt at Emily's feet with one knee and she continued her speech) "Emily, in all my life I never thought I would be so lucky to fall in love with my best friend but I did… the way you make me feel, is the best part of my life, you're my home and I just want the chance to be yours forever…."
Alison got out the box of her pocket and opened it in front of Emily, Emily's eyes got bigger when she saw the diamond ring in that little box.
Alison. – "Emily Catherine Fields, I want to expend the rest of my life with you, I need to be with you, we have to be together… mermaid, will you marry me?
Emily stood there speechless and only the tears fell from her brown eyes…
