"Emaya Forever Done Right"
Oh wow! This was not an easy chapter! So many truths had to come out to move the story forward. I just hope the way I tell it makes sense to all of you…
Rated M for Mature Content.
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She stops to catch her breath and when she looks up she notices movement in the distance. She knows that Noel and Chelsea are there with her but who are those other people and what do any of them have to do with Maya?
She takes a few steps closer. She focuses hard. She realizes at least one other person is wearing a hood. Her eyes widen! Her hands cover her mouth!
"-A!" she screams, muffling her cries against her flesh!
She takes in a breath needing to get to her! Needing to stop whatever this is! Needing to help the love of her life! Needing to save her Maya…
Chapter 36: -A, It Can't Be You!
Emily POV
I don't want to be spotted right away. I need to know what I'm up against. I slip behind the large rocks along the path to the edge of the cliffs. I keep moving closer and closer until I can hear their voices. Maya is sitting in her wheelchair with her head slanted down not moving while Noel stands beside her. Chelsea's hands rest on her hips as she talks to –A, who is standing with their back to me. And there's one other person, a guy, I don't recognize him. Who is he? I step closer so I'm behind everyone listening hard so I can prepare to rescue my girl…
"Justin, so glad you could make it," Chelsea mocks. Justin, he's Maya's ex-boyfriend.
"Did I even have a choice? I'm only doing this because you said I could help. I feel horrible about what happened and now this! I want her to be well again Chelsea, do you get that!"
"Oh, a little fire in that fit body of yours. I like it!"
"Chelsea, that's enough. You said bringing Maya here would help her but I don't see it doing anything," Noel cuts her off.
The voice under the hoodie and behind the mask says, "Noel, I know who's on the team and right now I'm not feeling it from you."
"Team? What are you talking about?" Justin questions not liking this at all.
"Noel, Chelsea set this whole thing up. You've pretty much been doing her bidding for her. But she was right to call me. You've lost yourself. You don't know which side you're on," the male voice continues.
A familiar male voice.
"I know that I want Maya back to her old self again so I'm choosing her side," Noel stands protectively.
"Alright, let's just do this before someone comes looking for her," Justin runs his hands through his hair nervously.
"Get her up," the voice says.
The sun is beginning to set! I won't have much time before darkness sets in! I can't wait any longer! I can't watch any longer! I have to get to her! I have to do whatever it takes to save her!
I run like wild fire down the path nearer and nearer to my love. And just when I think I can get to her, the sounds of my pursuit draw their attention.
"Get away from her you bitch!" I scream through my breaths pushing her away from Maya into –A.
She's definitely startled and pissed as she slips on the gravel tumbling to her feet. If not for –A she might have gone over the edge! Damn you –A!
"Shit! She's alive!" Chelsea groans.
I lower myself to be eyelevel with Maya taking her by her biceps trying desperately to shake her back into reality, "Maya! Maya babe, it's me Emily!" She doesn't respond to my voice or me shaking her so I cup her face with my hands steadying her so she'll look at me but instead she looks right through me. "Maya, I'm here. I'm alive. I wasn't on that plane! Maya! I'm alive! I've come back for you and I'm not gonna leave without you!" I lower my voice, "Maya, I love you so, so much, please hear me, see me, feel me. Maya I'm here and I'm yours." I kiss her lips softly but still no response.
I thought for sure that would fix everything and while my mind searches for an answer, Chelsea gets up moving aggressively towards me but Noel stops her in her tracks.
"No Chelsea! That's enough! We're all here for Maya! And Emily, oh my god, Emily you're alive! I, I was hoping the news wasn't true and I'm so glad it isn't!" He puts his hand on my shoulder in a comforting way, "Maya will come back. I know she will."
Chelsea starts clapping, "Well, listen to you Noel, protector of the weak. Now shut the fuck up and hold that chair steady."
I stand up turning around to face her, "You shut the fuck up and back off." I stand legs slightly parted, shoulders back ready to attack if necessary.
"All of you shut the fuck up!" the voice from the hoodie speaks up.
It's a male voice and I know that voice and I don't want to face that voice because I know who it belongs to. My heart pounds, my breathing becomes labored as I turn to face him, to face –A.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Emily Fields and the love of her life, Maya St. Germain, who doesn't even know you exist anymore. Nicely done Chelsea," he pulls off his mask and flips off his hoodie.
I look in horror from him to Chelsea and back again barely able to say his name, "Toby?"
"You remembered."
"Jesus Christ! You're –A!" Noel can't believe it!
"But why? Why do all of this?"
"Did you really think I forgave you for blaming me for Jenna's blindness? Making me do unspeakable things with her because of my guilt! A guilt that you created because of your lies! You, Emily, had me sent away to juvenile detention! You, Emily, ruined my life! And now you and your friends' lives will be ruined!" He makes a fist as his eyebrows furrow and his face becomes reddened with anger.
"But this…Toby? Look at Maya! Is this what you wanted?" I challenge him.
"I wanted you to suffer! And Chelsea wanted Maya to suffer for choosing you!"
I look at her and then back at him clearly confused by what's happening.
"Let me explain," he walks back and forth along the edge of the cliff. "You see, I am –A, the –A. Mona is part of what you call the –A team. She recruited Paige. I recruited Chelsea."
My mouth drops. I shake my head trying to understand his words.
"It was always my intention to destroy you and the rest of the liars. Paige was supposed to take care of you but she went rogue. We don't go rogue, we're a team! She had to be punished. And when I happened upon this girl following Maya all over Rosewood, I made my move. You see, Chelsea watched as Maya fell in love all over again with you, Emily, breaking her heart. Maya had no idea that Chelsea followed her to Rosewood to reclaim their love. And what a surprise it was to Chelsea when she decided to come out of the shadows and found the two of you in a more than friendship kiss. She knew right then and there she lost Maya for what she thought was forever. She ran away crying. I purposefully bumped into her and immediately sensed her vulnerability but after a coffee or two I began to sense her vengefulness. That's when I decided to groom her for the Team convincing her that her love for Maya was not in vain. Chelsea was given a test of allegiance. And she passed with flying colors by getting rid of that thorn in our sides, Paige."
I look right at Chelsea, "You, killed Paige? Who are you? And how could you ever think that Maya would ever love you after that?"
"You'd be surprised at what people will do to be a part of something, to belong. Paige was going to kill Maya, the girl I fell in love with. I couldn't let that happen. I had to save her. I did what I had to do to give Maya and me a chance. But she went back to you! Why? All you do is cause her misery!"
I almost feel sorry for her when she says that but I quickly snap out of it because she killed someone!
"So Chelsea proved her worth in so many ways, like when she told me about Maya's trust issues. I was the one who sent that text to your phone that you didn't tell Maya about but she found out anyway didn't she?"
"You did that?" My head falls down unable to look at him, Toby, the boy I went to homecoming with, the boy who figured out I was in love with Maya, the boy I thought supported our love.
"And then before Maya goes back to California who knew the two of you would make up again!" Chelsea throws her hands up in disbelief.
"Our love is so much stronger than anything you can throw at us, even death!" I cry.
"Be careful what you wish for," Toby warns.
"Chelsea is your –A Team leader, Emily. Your other friends have their own –A Team leaders. It's about hurting you thru Maya. You took away any shred of dignity and self-love from me and now Chelsea is going to take away your reason for being, your love, your Maya, for me."
"Are you kidding? Look at her! She's already gone!"
I'm so confused. I don't understand what the fuck is happening!
"Seriously Emily? Do you see your girlfriend? You did that! And right now, I'm the only one who can save her. Well me and Justin," she walks around to the side so she can see everyone including –A. "That's right Maya, Justin, your boyfriend, is here. Remember him?" I almost forgot he was kneeling next to her all this time.
"Maya, Maya I'm so sorry! I never meant to hurt you! I, I couldn't handle how you were living your life so I had to get out! I had to Maya, but I never, I never thought you would try to kill yourself, never…" he puts his hands on the arm of her wheelchair, his face pressed against them as tears stream down his cheeks. "Maya, I'm so sorry we're doing this but, but we have to try, we have to try anything to bring you back. I have no idea what the fuck is going on with this –A team shit and I don't wanna know. I just want you to be well. I'm so sorry Maya."
"Jesus Justin, shut your pussy self up!"
"She tried to what?" I turn to Maya looking at her so helpless just like she must have felt at that moment so many years ago. My heart hurts for her.
"Emily, she tried to commit suicide but I saved her," she slams her hand against her chest proudly," I saved her, me! And I'm going to save her again just so I can destroy her once and for all!"
"What are you talking about?" Noel asks having no idea what this has turned into.
We stand in silence, mouths agape.
Chelsea looks at Maya, "Justin begged you to stop smoking and you wouldn't. You chose your hobby over him. You really thought you were in love with him and then he told you that you loved getting high more than you could ever love another person. He left you and his words hit hard. You questioned yourself. He was right. Smoking was a crutch because you didn't feel worthy of love. Until you realized you were looking for love in all the wrongs places. You didn't take it well, partying hard. The next time you saw him he was with another girl. You had to get away. You walked away from the party ending up at the highest point of the cliffs. It looked like you had found your clarity; you smiled, walking slowly closer and closer to the edge. If I hadn't been there, you would've gone over. You were sent to a sanitarium like Radley to clean up and get emotionally well. I was with you every step of the way. You regained your confidence and realized that maybe you didn't feel worthy of love because you were with the wrong gender. We got close over the summers and then you were taken from me. They moved you to the other side of the country picking a town within the parameters of a mental health center just in case and just like that Emily filled your heart making you believe in yourself and love again." She looks directly at me, "No one knows what a scorned lover is capable of until they are scorned themselves…"
"Oh my god, I chose my lies over my love for her. Oh Maya, please forgive me! I'm so sorry! Maya, I love you. I love you more than anyone could ever love another," I say softly kneeling before her trying to get her to respond to me.
"What was that Emily? Speak up!" Chelsea barks.
I stand up to her, "Fuck off!" I scream in her face.
"Both of you stop! Now!" Toby demands.
"Or what Toby! I could fucking take you!" Noel yells. "You threaten my family; you go after Maya and Emily! You're no –A! You're a coward hiding behind texts and emails and now a mask?!"
Toby just stands there taking it with a sinister smile. I don't even know who he is and I don't think I ever did. I fold my arms in front of me trying not to cry. I can't do this right now, Maya needs me. I hold them back as Chelsea and Noel begin to argue. I don't understand any of this. I look at Chelsea. She's trying to save Maya so she can destroy her again? None of this seems real. I need to get Maya out of here now! As I take hold of her chair I notice something out of the corner of my eye. I watch as Justin puts his hand on Maya's forearm and she reacts to his touch! My other hand covers my mouth as the tears I tried so desperately to hold back flow freely. Even Chelsea and Noel stop arguing. Chelsea looks on the verge of tears too, happy tears but then, you can tell she's conflicted. And Toby stands tall stepping away from the edge of the cliff as if he senses what's about to happen…
Narrator POV
Justin's touch brings Maya back to the Cliffs and her suicide attempt…the dream is coming true. And that's just it, she thinks she's dreaming…she has no idea that Emily is alive and she doesn't think Justin is really there…he tells her she is worthy of love with another person and that he knows getting high isn't who she is now. He even tells her that her true love Emily is alive and well and ready to be with her but Maya can't separate truth from fiction. She thinks that when Justin says she's ready to be with her that he means in spirit. That she too must die for their souls to reunite. Her thoughts fall deeper and deeper into her soul releasing her from her catatonic state, pushing her into a dream she cannot control…
I'm walking alone along the cliffs having lost everything. There's no one to turn to, it's just me and the ocean breeze. It's a loneliness that only someone who has loved and lost can feel. I stand high above the dark waters watching the waves crash below me. The air blows against my white satin robe, forcing it open revealing my white satin nightgown. My long dark tresses flow wildly behind me as the wind tries pushing me back but fails time after time. Why is this happening? Why can't I ever be happy? Why is everyone that I've ever loved being taken from me? Is it because I'm not worthy of love? I take a step closer, the sand shuffling with my stride, loosening the earth beneath me, causing the rocks to tumble over the edge, plunging into the blackness of the ocean…
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To Be Continued…
Phew, that was intense!
And there's more intensity to come!
