This is how it works for the two of them. If one needs the other, just say the word and the other will come right over. No questions asked. They've been friends all their lives. They might have been twin sisters in their past lives, soul mates even, but never lovers. However extraordinarily close they were, their friendship never escalated to a romantic relationship. They have been teased by their friends and were the topic of a few gossips here and there because of their closeness, but they just waved it off. The two brunettes sometimes felt like they could read each other's thoughts and feel each other's emotions, and this is probably one of those moments. Although the rain was starting to pour real hard, Aria didn't think twice to come over when Spencer asked her to. She apologized to her parents and brother for bailing on their family night and promised to make it up to them next time. Her best friend needed her; and if it was the other way around, she's a hundred percent sure that the taller brunette will do the same.

Using the spare key that Spencer had given her years ago, Aria unlocked the Hastings' front door, removed her soaked boots and jacket, and went straight up to Spencer's room. There was loud music blasting in the speakers as she walked up to the open door of the taller brunette's room. She found her best friend lying under the covers of her bed, eyes closed, and a few stray tears on her cheeks. Aria walked over to the night table to turn the ipod's volume down a little before she carefully slid under the covers and took her best friend in her arms. The smaller brunette stroked Spencer's hair and just let her cry in her arms, patiently waiting for her to speak.

Spencer wasn't alarmed at all when she felt the bed dip a little and someone wrapped their arms around her. Though she's been crying and blowing her nose for the past few hours, she was still able to recognize her best friend's scent as soon as the tiny brunette entered her room. She was grateful for not being bombarded with questions on the get go. The tiny brunette patiently waited for her to explain what's going on. Aria knew her too well.

"I'm sorry." Aria heard Spencer speak at last after lying down with her for the past hour. The taller brunette had stopped crying, wiping the last strands of tear on her face. "I'm sorry for pulling you out of family night and making you come over in this weather." Spencer whispered against the smaller brunette's chest.

Aria smiled and placed a kiss on the taller brunette's head. "You would've done the same, Spence. What happened?" She finally asked.

Spencer felt her eyes well up in tears once more. "Emily didn't want me."

Aria's heart almost broke as she heard how hurt her best friend sounded. "I thought you had something great going on yesterday. What happened after we left?" Aria asked as she stroked her best friend's hair. Spencer moved back a little to put some distance between her and Aria, so she can look the tiny brunette in her eyes as she spoke.

"She walked in on me and Jenna, both of us clad only in towels." Aria's eyes widened, but Spencer immediately held up her hand, signalling at the tiny brunette not to violently react just yet.

"We just took showers when Emily arrived. We had a slight mishap involving paint that was intended for the house. Actually it was just me. I bumped into one of the workers and he accidentally spilled a can of paint on me. I smeared some on Jenna to extract revenge." Aria's eyebrows shot up on this part, to which Spencer pouted.

"She laughed at me, Ar, and called me Casper. Anyways, Melissa sent us upstairs to wash it off. I let Jenna use my shower while I used mom and dad's. Emily came and assumed that something happened between Jenna and I. She took off before I could explain." Spencer rolled her eyes at Aria who was trying hard to suppress her laugh.

"I'm sorry. I'm just imagining Melissa scolding the two of you like little kids. And - Casper? Good one. Go on." Aria giggled as she held Spencer's arm.

"I went over to Emily's house and explained what happened. I told her that I wanted to be with her and her alone. She said what happened between us was a mistake. She doesn't want me, Ar. She didn't want to be with me and it hurts. It hurts so much" Spencer felt her best friend's thumb wipe off the tears on her cheeks that she didn't notice had fallen once more.

Aria was positive that Emily had felt the same way towards Spencer. She knows and she'd seen how the swimmer wanted Spencer the way Spencer her back. What Emily said didn't make any sense. "Maybe she just got really jealous and scared. Don't give up just yet. I could talk to her if you want."

Spencer shook her head. "Nah, it's okay. If she doesn't want to be with me then so be it."

Aria rolled her eyes at her best friend's stubbornness. "So that's it? You've waited all your life for the moment to be with her and you're just gonna give up after stumbling once?"

"Did you not get the part where she said she doesn't want me?" Spencer deadpanned.

"Then make her. Stop being such a Hastings and go win your girl's heart." Aria chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean? Look, I don't want to force myself on someone who doesn't like me. I don't cry over girls. One day of crying will be enough. Time to move on." Spencer moved to lie on her back, refusing to meet the tiny brunette's eyes as she spoke. Aria can read her too well. It was hard to lie while looking straight at those big eyes.

Aria propped herself up on one elbow to look at the taller brunette. "But this is not just some girl, Spence. It's Emily Catherine Fields. The love of your life. You've wanted her for so long but you never actually showed her that you do. Don't you think it's worth a try? Because I do. I want you to be happy, Spence, and I know that you will be. With her."

Spencer just shook her head, still refusing to meet Aria's eyes. "What difference will it make? It's not going to last anyway. It's just a few months now."

Aria's eyes widened at the taller brunette's words. "What do you mean? It's not like we're going to part ways once we graduate. Spence, the three of us got an early acceptance to UPenn. Did you suddenly forget?"

Though it was true that Spencer, Emily and Aria will be going to UPenn while Hanna will be going to New York for college, it wasn't what Spencer was worried about. She was given a year by her doctor. That's it. She has no life to look forward to after graduation. As she was lying in bed earlier crying her eyes out, she realized that Emily's decision was somehow for the best. She didn't want Em to fall in love with her because she knows that she'll only break the swimmer's heart when her time comes. Spencer sat up, moved back to rest her back on the headboard and stretched out her legs. Aria sat up as well and turned to look at her. Spencer closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she took Aria's hand and pulled the tiny brunette to sit beside her.

"Ar, there's something that you should know."