After we wrapped up dinner, Alison continued her game of poker with my dad. I started reading the next chapter of my Kinesiology textbook, but half my attention was on my door. I was waiting with baited breath for Alison to walk through and distract me from my reading.
I averted my eyes and glanced at my message board instead. It mostly had photos of me with Spencer, Hanna, and Aria along with some swimming memorabilia. It had long been scrubbed of anything related directly to Paige. Initially Alison didn't like the Rosewood Sharks items, insinuating that I kept it because it reminded me of Paige. Once I was kept on as Assistant Coach, she had to give up on that battle. It was no matter. There was always another battle to be had.
I shook my head and focused back on the chapter I was reading.
"How's the studying going?" Alison says, leaning against the doorframe. I put my book down and shrug, gazing at her.
"It is pretty nonexistent right now. Thinking about something a little more stimulating." Alison smiles, almost bashfully; though I know bashful is not something in her repertoire. She shuts and locks the door behind her, and I smile.
"Maybe I can help." She comes to the bed and sits herself in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. I kiss her, trying to be gentle at first, but soon she is gyrating against my hips and I am pressing my fingers under her shirt, losing any hesitance as I claim more and more of her hot, soft skin with my hands.
My abandoned textbook falls to the ground with a soft thud on the carpet as I lift off me and lay her on the bed.
My phone lets out a small bleep, stirring us from a post-coital nap.
Aria Montgomery: Drinks tomorrow after class?
Me: Sure. Alison invited too?
Aria Montgomery: Sure…
I sigh, frustrated, but let it go. As it is, I can tell Alison is trying to read over my shoulder and I don't want her to become explicitly aware at how much the others still feel about her. And us. And…everything.
"Who was that?" Alison asks, snuggling against me.
"Aria wants to grab drinks tomorrow after class. TGIF and all." I brush her hair away from her eyes.
"I'll add it to the calendar. Even though I don't really get why you guys do summer classes."
"Faster we finish the faster we can move on to the next big thing. Beside I think we are used to excessively high levels of excitement. We simply can't handle the mundane anymore." I say, kissing Alison on the forehead. She is quiet after that, so I decide to broach the subject again. The one that keeps spinning around in my mind.
"You know, coming up on our junior year, I was thinking we could look at apartments. I mean…as much as I love having sex in my childhood room as an adult, it would be a nice change of pace." I tried to phrase it as a joke so it wouldn't hurt if she shot the idea down again.
"Em you know I think it is a really…fun idea. But we are saving money by staying with your parents. And besides it make me feel safer, with your mom and dad here. Since you are gone half the day anyway between school and coaching and the Brew…" It sounded so honest.
"I want you to feel safe. But it's been two years. I just…I want us to start our lives together. As grownups." I searched her eyes, trying to figure out what she was really thinking. Two years and Alison was still such an addictive mystery to me.
"Funny. I thought that was what we were already doing." She nodded her head down to our clothes on the ground. My cheeks flushed at her brashness.
I let it pass. Again.
"Hey Em!" Aria gestured for me to come over to a booth she had nabbed. It wasn't too crowded yet, but the Hollis Bar and Grill would start to pick up as more people finished up a week of classes and school. Aria noticed Alison was with me and tried to look excited.
"Hey Ali." She said in a quieter voice. I had been the first to forgive Alison when we realized that she really had concocted an elaborate plan to protect us all from the police. The others were still cold but civil towards her, unable to forget the months of what they felt was unnecessary deceit.
"Aria." She said warmly. Alison was pretty much aware of how the others felt, but by not saying it out loud we could all be civil.
"How was your week?" I asked.
"Photography is still kicking my ass, but Milton is actually pretty interesting. He was blind by the time he wrote Paradise Lost. Gives me hope that if photography doesn't work out I can still be a poet in order to function as a starving artist." Aria drank a sip of her beer and Alison went to grab us drinks. She looked over at Alison and then back to me.
"Just say it." I said, resigned.
"How are things in paradise found anyway?" She asked sarcastically, quirking an eyebrow. First Sydney yesterday and now Aria…
"I'm allowed to be happy, aren't I?" It sounded shorter than I intended, but I didn't apologize. She widened her eyes, surprised at how raw the nerve was.
"Sorry Em. I was just joking. You out of all people deserve to be happy and validated. I just…always thought that would be with someone else." She met my eyes, but quickly dropped her gaze since Alison was just getting back to the table.
"What'd I miss?" Alison said, smiling at both of us.
"More discussion as to what kind of starving artist Aria will be. Very intense debate, still undecided actually." I held up my beer and they raised their glasses as well.
"To another week down." I said, swallowing the first cold gulp, tasting the carbonated bubbles splash against my tongue.
"When do Spencer and Hanna get back?" Ali asked.
"Both within the week." Aria replied. I realized I wasn't quite sure myself. She must keep in better touch with them.
"I can't believe they haven't just given Spencer an honorary degree already, with all the classes she took as a high school student." I muttered, taking another sip of the beer. Just as I finished talking, I heard a familiar, husky voice carry from the front. Aria was facing the door, and I registered her surprised expression before I turned around and saw her.
Paige had just walked into the bar with a small group of varsity swimmers, Sydney included. I tried to drop my gaze before she spotted me, but it seemed like she sensed me there. Her eyes widened. I flushed, my heart suddenly pounding from the unexpected jolt of adrenaline. Then Paige's eyes looked to my right. Now her and Alison were sharing an awkward glance. Sydney must have noticed what was going on. She gently touched Paige's shoulder and whispered something to her. Paige nodded and they all turned around to leave, Paige throwing one last, pained look in my direction.
When I turned around, Aria was looking at me, silently urging me to acknowledge the moment. Ali did instead.
"Well we sure know how to clear a room." She was trying to make a joke, but it wasn't that funny, and furthermore she seemed to know it wasn't funny as she said it. We didn't say anything more about the incident, but Ali's hand found mine and held it the rest of the night.