Here's the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy.
"Em, come on," Paige whined, checking her watch. "Spencer and Toby are going to be here any minute and I don't want to be late."
"Honey, relax," Emily replied, dumping her makeup bag into her suitcase. It already looked too full to close. They were leaving in five minutes and Emily was still doing last minute packing, insisting she needed all of these things. Paige wasn't one to argue, wanting Emily to be happy, although she thought it was insane how much her girlfriend was bringing for a week's trip. Paige was definitely more practical; clothes, bathing suits, sunscreen, and their vibrator all she needed. Emily, however, was a different story. "I'm almost done."
"You really need all of that?" she asked in disbelief. Emily nodded.
"Yeah. I don't want to look like shit for you on our first real vacation together," she replied, as if the answer was obvious.
"Oh, Em…. baby, you always look beautiful. You know you don't need to get dressed up for me."
"Still. It makes me feel pretty," she replied stubbornly. Paige sighed and checked her watch again.
"Okay. I'll meet you downstairs."
Emily finally finished packing just as Spencer and Toby arrived at the house. Which Paige was extremely grateful for, because if there was one thing Spencer wasn't good at, it was waiting.
They piled their bags into the trunk and got into the back of the car, Toby giving Paige an amused look at the amount of things Emily had brought with her. Paige just glared at him, silently daring him to make a joke.
"We got you guys coffee," Spencer told her, reaching back to hand them each a cup.
"You're an angel, Hastings," Paige replied gratefully. Spencer chuckled.
"I'd like that in writing."
"So, how long is this supposed to take?" Paige asked, settling back. "Should we be there before sunset?"
"I certainly hope so," Toby replied. "Although you never know with summer traffic. Caleb said they're already running late. Something about Hanna's hair."
"Typical," Emily replied, smiling at all the memories of Hanna being late for almost everything because of her appearance. "Although Paige will tell you I almost made us late because I packed too much."
"No," Paige replied, putting her arm around her. "You can bring whatever you want as long as it makes you happy."
"Oh my God," Toby groaned as Spencer snorted. "Paige, you need help."
"Why? Because I want my girlfriend to be happy?"
"No. Because you're so fucking whipped it's a wonder you're alive."
"Fuck you."
"You guys curse too much," Spencer complained.
"You're a prude, Hastings."
"Emily, I don't think I've ever heard you curse," Spencer continued, ignoring Paige's comment.
"Oh, she does," Paige replied, grinning as Emily's cheeks turned pink.
"Uh, I don't really do it much," she replied. Paige gave her a knowing smirk.
"You know, Hastings, since you're so against cursing, are you one of those who refuses to do it even during sex? What do you say, things like 'screw me harder?'"
Toby howled with laughter. Emily couldn't help but giggle a little, too. Spencer tried to look unimpressed, although she was fighting a smile.
"I really hate you, McCullers."
"Nah," she replied, playfully kicking the back of Spencer's seat. "Hey, Toby, are there supposed to be storms tonight when we get there?"
"I have no idea. Why?"
"Just hoping for a break," she replied casually. Only Emily knew how much she hated thunderstorms; she was the only person Paige was comfortable sharing any kind of weakness with.
"Yeah, that one last night was crazy," Toby agreed. "I thought our power was going to go out for sure."
"We should just take tonight to get settled," Spencer suggested. "It will be around dinner time when we get there, so we can eat and get unpacked."
"I'm hungry," Paige announced at the mention of dinner. Her stomach rumbled.
"You're always hungry," Toby replied. "You eat like a fifteen-year-old boy."
"Toby!" Spencer exclaimed, horrified. "You don't say that to a girl!"
"It's fine," Paige assured her, chuckling. "I say it all the time. Besides, I just burn it all off."
"Lucky," Emily replied. Paige raised her eyebrows at her.
"Em, don't be ridiculous. You look perfect. And you're easily going to be the most beautiful woman on the beach," she added, kissing her.
"I'm wounded," Spencer replied.
"Shut up, Hastings."
They arrived a little after five, and surprisingly, the others weren't far behind. They dropped their bags off at the beach house and decided on who was sleeping where before they left for dinner, Spencer having everything organized as always.
"So, there's one room downstairs, two rooms upstairs, and one on the third floor," she told them. "Anyone call dibs on any room in particular?"
"Can we see them first?" Hanna asked, earning herself some laughs. "What?"
"Can we have the one on the third floor?" Paige asked.
"Sure. Sound is easily heard through this whole house, regardless of where you are," Spencer replied, giving her a pointed look. Paige blushed. "Anyone else have a request?"
They went up to their rooms to get rid of their bags before they went out to dinner. Emily gasped when Paige opened the door, pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it was. It was fairly small but very cozy, with a tiny window overlooking the ocean.
"I love it!" she exclaimed, running to the window. "This place is beautiful."
"It is," she agreed. "I've been here a couple of times, and even though this room is probably a little smaller, it's my favorite."
The implication that she had been here with Shana hung uncomfortably to the air. But Emily wasn't going to let that bother her. She couldn't be mad at Paige for having a life before they had met. Besides, they had plenty of time to make their own memories in this little room, and she was planning on getting started later that night.
"It's perfect," she replied, crossing the room to reach her. She wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in for a gentle kiss. "This is going to be so much fun."
"Absolutely," she agreed as her stomach rumbled loudly. Emily laughed.
"Okay. I think we need to get you to dinner."
They went out to a pizza place around the corner, eagerly wolfing down their food after a long day of travel. Everyone was tired despite not having actually done much yet, and Spencer's suggestion to just head back to the beach house for the night was met with enthusiasm.
As they left the restaurant, thunder clouds were rolling in. They had walked and Paige was afraid they were going to get caught in the storm, wishing they were already back at the house. Emily knew she was anxious and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, reminding her that it would be okay.
When they got back to the house, they decided on a movie downstairs once everyone was showered and ready for bed. They crowded around the TV on the floor, couples sitting close together as the thunder rumbled closer outside. Paige could feel Emily soothingly running her fingers up and down her back, enough to comfort her but discrete enough that no one would think anything of it. She really was lucky to have someone like Emily, and after the way things had ended with Shana, she had been convinced that she would never find someone who actually cared about her. She had been extremely wrong about that, and she was grateful every day.
"Did we have to watch a horror movie?" Hanna complained. They had put on Halloween, something that most of the group had been enthusiastic about.
"It's a classic, Hanna," Noel told her. "You don't like it?"
"I just don't like horror in general," she replied, shrugging. Paige agreed internally, wincing as a loud clap of thunder rumbled through the air.
"You scared of thunder, McCullers?" Toby asked, noticing her wince.
"No," she answered too quickly. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "How old do you think I am?"
Toby just grinned. Paige scowled.
"I've never seen this before," Emily interrupted to draw the attention off of Paige. The others gaped at her.
"You've never seen this?" Mona asked in disbelief. "How?"
"I just never wanted to," Emily replied, shrugging. "Horror movies aren't really my thing."
"See?" Hanna cut in. "That's why we made such good roommates."
"I thought Paige would have had you watch it," Caleb added. "She likes horror movies."
"They're okay," she replied casually as Emily grinned at her. She could see right through her.
The storm was still raging on when they all went their separate ways for bed. Paige was regretting her decision to ask for the third floor, as now the thunder sounded extra loud. She moved to the small mirror to brush her hair, not failing to notice Emily's eyes on her girlfriend settled onto the bed. She turned around, grinning.
"May I help you?" she asked. Emily just smiled back at her.
"Nope. Just looking," she replied, stretching out.
"Really?" she purred, climbing onto the bed and leaning over her. "Well, then I guess I can just go to bed."
"Absolutely not," Emily replied, pulling her down for a kiss. "We have a room to christen."
"And make sure to mess up the sheets as much as possible. Spencer hates that."
Emily laughed. Sometimes Paige acted like a little brother.
"You're so cute," she replied. "Why do you always call Spencer Hastings to her face but Spencer whenever she's not around?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "It's just our thing."
"I have to say, I really do like your friends. And I know Hanna really likes Caleb."
Paige laughed. Emily was right; Hanna and Caleb had been just as inseparable as they had the past year.
"I usually have pretty good taste in people," she replied, caressing Emily's cheek. "And you are my very favorite."
Emily smiled, feeling Paige's lips on her neck. She briefly thought back to her conversation with Shana a couple days ago, the possessive part of her thinking smugly that Paige was here with her and had no interest in her ex. She had nothing to worry about.
"Wait," Emily started suddenly, stopping Paige from dipping her head between her legs.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"You first."
They switched positions, Emily pinning Paige's arms above her head as they kissed. She wasn't done showing her possessive side, and she knew Paige wouldn't mind.
But what neither of them knew was someone was standing outside the beach house in the storm, watching and waiting. They had no idea what they were in for.