Red, black, blue or green?

Alison walked in front of the four items that were hanging from the main metal rod running through the large closet. The black heels elegantly intertwined clutching at her feet set the pace of her steps. She had been for more than ten minutes walking in lingerie in front of those dresses, weighing the pros and cons of each of them.

- Are you going to try them again? – CeCe asked her, sitting on the white leather sofa that was in the middle of the room, turning her phone in her hands, bored.

- I think so, I still don't know which one I want to use. – The blonde answered, her hands on her hips, looking intently at those four finalists.

- Jeez… - CeCe growled. – It doesn't matter which one you chose, you'll look good in any of them, you already know that, so… just pick one!

Shopping with Alison had never been easy. The girl was able to make any miserable rag favor her figure but, not any miserable rag was good enough to convince her to take it home. CeCe had always liked her exclusivity, her style, how she wasn't content just with anything but, spending one hour and a half discarding dress after dress to pick out "the final fours", and not deciding to take any of them, was starting to get on her nerves.

- Do you have anything better to do? – The blonde asked her, touching the fabric of the green dress, it was less thin than it seemed.

- No, but I'm sure that I can find a thousand more entertaining things to do instead of seeing you parading through my closet one more time.

- Hey, I've seen you doing just that for years. – She reminded the girl, glancing over her shoulder. – Why don't you stop complaining and come here to help me?

CeCe rolled her eyes as she reluctantly got off the couch and stood beside her.

- Take the red one. – The brunette told her firmly.

- It has the back covered. – Alison objected.

- Then take the black one. – The girl continued, pointing at the following dress in the row.

- Too long… - The blonde had liked the black dress, a lot, but knowing that it won't allow her to show not even a little inch of her legs, almost threw it right out of the competition.

- So grab the blue! – CeCe exclaimed, exasperated. If she was able to complain about all of them the girl could go freaking naked to the damn party.

- It doesn't even have cleavage, are you trying to help me or sink me? – Alison snapped at her.

- Since when it is so hard for you to get dressed? If I had known it I wouldn't have let you borrow anything.

- Hey! Would you have let me go to that party in jeans?

- It would have been less painful than this afternoon.

Both girls crossed their arms across their chests and looked at the other with disdain, challenging each other, establishing a silent battle of squinting to see who lasted longer.

As usual, it was one of the blonde's mouth corners which relented and lifted after a few seconds of contest. CeCe followed her pretty soon, releasing a laugh.

It was like looking in a mirror. Alison was so much like her… the girl could become extremely stubborn and she knew that she would do anything to get whatever she wanted, just like her.

It was refreshing that they were arguing over those dresses and the nonconformity of the blonde. They were two friends getting ready for a party. They were normal.

- It's your fault for having so many clothes, did you really expect me to choose the first one that I saw? – Alison turned again to the "chosen ones" and sighed. – If I could I would take them all.

Although the blonde had expected to have CeCe's permission to borrow some of her clothes, she would have never thought that the girl might have half the infinite repertoire she owned!

Alison hadn't warned her that she would need her help and generosity with that issue, she had just appeared at lunchtime on her floor, as every day, but way much nervous than usual.

She had entered the flat as a hurricane, telling the brunette to forget about the food and to show her her clothes. And CeCe had only had time to lift her right brow before the blonde had forced her to guide her to her room (her immense room), where the brunette had opened one of the four doors that were placed at the different walls to show the girl her dressing.

It was a fashion paradise.

Shoes, dresses, purses and endless outfits for every day. The blonde's jaw almost touched the ground when her friend had turned on the light of the room, allowing her to enter the space. "Most things came with the flat", CeCe said quickly and Alison didn't even disputed that absurd commentary because it had been months, no, years, since she had been in a place like that. Because, for the few days she had spent in her room at Rosewood, she had just gotten more depressed by her sad clothes and accessories (definitely, her father had no idea of fashion). Because, deep down, she was still a girl from a wealthy family, used to have everything and more. And she knew that she was embarrassing herself getting so emotional for the simple fact of being in that room, but she was with CeCe and she knew that the girl would understand her enthusiasm.

Luckily she put herself together fast enough and got down to work, determined to find the perfect dress.

It was Friday, the Friday prior to the Saturday in which the party would take place at Emily's restaurant and the blonde, trying to find the bright side of the situation, had convinced the brunette to split up, seek a worthy outfit for the night and meet directly at the restaurant once the party was started, not knowing what the other would be wearing. "It'll be like a date, I'll surprise you, you'll surprise me", she had told her that morning before going to work, watching her from the door of the hotel room, leaning on the wooden entrance, using the distance that was between both of them as a safety measure because Emily was still in bed, naked, and she was using all her self-control to not fall in those sheets again.

- I can give you some, it's not like I go to so many places. – CeCe commented absently, pulling the blonde from the memories that had just turn up the heat of her body.

- It would be very nice of you. – Alison said and looked at her directly. – Although, I suppose that the dress you'll be wearing tomorrow night it's untouchable, right?

CeCe stared back at her.

- Yes, it is. – She replied seriously, suddenly the light environment that had been established between them disappeared.

When Alison told CeCe what she needed and why she needed it the girl confessed that she had just chosen her own dress for the night.

The thing was that the brunette had been invited to the same party. An unusual coincidence you could say. According to CeCe all Demetz's acquaintances were invited and Alison didn't have to make that face of disbelief and suspicion about such news. "He's doing it to promote the restaurant, he is the majority owner of the local, the more people he gets there, the better for him", she told her, as she showed the girl the impressive (and probably terribly expensive) dress that she had chosen for the evening.

- Why don't you try this one again? – CeCe told her, handing the green dress to the blonde, knowing where her thoughts would be at the time. – By the way, - She went on, wanting to make sure that she would drop the subject. – the owners of the flat we saw the other day called, they wanted to know if you were still interested in it.

- And you've said yes, right? – Alison took the garment and started to put it on, deciding that the matter of her future home was a priority over any question she wanted to ask the girl.

- Of course, it is the only decent place we've seen. – CeCe replied, lifting the zipper, satisfied with her quick way of distraction. – I told them that you would call this afternoon to say something.

- Okay… - The blonde looked at her reflection in the huge mirror that occupied one of the doors of the various closets that formed the dressing room, that dress wasn't bad at all. – I'll call them now to set a meeting on Monday.

- Do you really need to see it again? – CeCe asked her, that flat was just what they needed (and what they could afford), if she were Alison she would not think it twice.

- I want Emily to see it too before making any decision.

They hadn't visited that many flats but the blonde doubted that they were going to find anything better, so why would she risk it?

Besides, she had seen that flat the day she ended up locked with Ann the day, also, that she told the brunette that she loved her for the first time…

two days ago…

A lot had changed in that short period of time in her mind, she felt… different.

- Wow… Alison DiLaurentis living in Paris, in her own flat, with her girlfriend… who would have guessed? – CeCe remarked, smiling sideways through the mirror.

What should have drawn her attention the most would have been the word "girlfriend" said so naturally by CeCe but, actually, the thing that really stood out for her, was the whole sentence, which made her shudder.

Paris, a home, a partner… a life. It was amazing to think that this was her reality, that she could have it all. After the things she had done, good and bad, she had never thought, she had never believed, that she could have a future. But there she was, no matter what, breathing, doing the impossible to keep up.

- You're not doing it so bad. – The girl continued.

- Neither are you. – The blonde said, turning to face her. Maybe she shouldn't do what she was about to do, because it probably wasn't the time, but she was not going to postpone it anymore. – CeCe, what's going on with you?

- What do you mean?

That conversation had been about to pop up between them more than once.

Alison had repressed herself countless times thinking that she was no one to question anything, but now, under the circumstances, given the danger that whatever CeCe was doing could generate for her and for Emily, she needed to start that dialogue.

- This flat, your job, the… life you have here… How did you do that?

The blonde saw how the brunette's jaw clenched while she maintained a neutral expression on her face.

- Some things are better not to know, don't you think? – She simply said, holding her gaze.

- Yeah… but there are things that need to be known. – Maybe the fact that the change of conversation had been relatively abrupt was giving her an advantage and she would get something out of the bewilderment of the girl because, at that moment, CeCe Drake was way bewildered. Alison took one last breath before making the key question. – Why does Demetz know me?

The brunette frowned at her, now she was completely confused.

- What did you say?

- Demetz, your… friend. He knows my name and probably much more. What did you tell him? – The blonde didn't want to believe that the girl had betrayed her selling her true story to the first bidder, but she knew that it was a possibility and, if that was the reality, she rather be aware of it now, before she continued to rely on her.

- I… I didn't tell him anything. – CeCe said to her, stepping back away, why was she accusing her so suddenly?

- Are you sure?

- Yes! – Okay, maybe it had slipped from her mouth that the blonde came from Los Angeles, but that was a lie! The lie Alison had asked her to tell if someone questioned anything. No more, no less.

Now CeCe was nervous, and it wasn't because Alison knew that Demetz knew her, but because CeCe herself didn't have idea that Demetz had found any information about the identity of the blonde… that wasn't in her plans. As it wasn't in her plans either that Alison was able to relate her lifestyle with Demetz, because the girl had made the relation quickly and concisely and she didn't like that, not a little bit.

- And how did you met him? – Alison pressed, trying to speak with a calm tone.

The blonde had seen how her friend's rate of breathing increased as the conversation progressed, so without second thoughts and following the instinct that had made her start that litany of questions and accusations she had deduced that CeCe was the one to blame about the exposure of her identity.

- Because you must be someone important to him if he invited you to… - She continued, not wanting to give her too much room to think about how to defend herself.

- I met him when I got here, okay? – She stopped her. – He was who gave me a job.

- How did you met him? Did you found him on the street, just like that?

- Are you interrogating me or what?

Alison had trusted CeCe, she had believed in CeCe… but not completely. " Aren't you jumping to conclusions way too fast?", her subconscious warned her.

But if CeCe hadn't exposed her to Demetz, who else could have done that? Because it had been her name the one that jerk had said, not Emily's name, not both of their names, only hers, only Alison's name and she loved CeCe, she loved her like a sister, but she was also aware of the things she was capable of.

She could go on questioning her, stressing her more and more until she confessed whatever she was hiding, it was something that usually worked with normal people… but, of course, CeCe wasn't exactly normal. The girl was tough, probably more than she, and it won't benefit her to trigger a confrontation between them, not at that moment.

"Just play along until you have more information", her subconscious advised her again. Yeah, that would be easier, more convenient.

The blonde sighed and bit her lower lip.

- Sorry, I didn't want to bother you. – She apologized and CeCe looked at her reluctantly, not believing that she was going to drop the topic that fast. – I'd just like to understand…

- Sometimes it's better to not understand anything. – The girl sentenced, ensuring the end of the conversation. Then she looked at her up and down. – You should wear that one, Emily will love it.

And with those last words CeCe exited the dressing room, leaving her alone.

If Alison wanted to know what was going on with that girl she had just understood that she needed to be more careful, take shorter steps…

She would apologize again, she'll tell her that she had panicked when she had discovered that Demetz knew who she was, that she was afraid that he tried to do something against her or Emily. She would confess her fears and she would wait a little longer before sentencing her forever… she would wait to know who this Demetz guy really was and, what would be even more difficult and important, who really was CeCe Drake for him.


- Do you need some help? – Chloe asked to the bathroom door, which had been closed for more than fifteen minutes.

- No, I… - Emily started to answer, looking at her reflection in the mirror for the last time, making sure that everything was in place. – I think I'm ready.

When the brunette opened the door the two girls couldn't help but check the other out.

- Wow, you're… wow. – Chloe stammered, the restaurant uniform didn't do justice to the beauty of the girl. – It looks better on you than on me.

- Thank you for letting me borrow it, I'll bring it back tomorrow. – Emily assured, blushing slightly and thinking again that, maybe, choosing a white dress that wasn't hers to go to a party where it could get potentially ruined wasn't the best idea.

- Don't worry, bring it back whenever you can. – The girl said, dismissing the case while she walked into the bathroom to tidy up her hair one more time. – I hope it's not windy out there, because if it is I've been doing my hair during half an hour for nothing. – She complained, taking the can of lacquer from where it used to be, ready to add another layer of that product to keep stable the complex upsweep she had done.

- Well, we're not that far… - The brunette commented.

- A lot can happen in two streets, believe me.

They still had fifty minutes to get to the restaurant before the party started, but the two girls seemed ready to leave.

Chloe was wearing a navy blue dress that was molded to her figure perfectly, highlighting all the curves that it had to highlight, while Emily had chosen a beautiful white dress extremely difficult to put on (concretely to put on right, because the garment could end up being particularly unseemly if it wasn't carefully settled).

Both girls were in Chloe's flat, which was located a few meters from the restaurant. Emily had dared to ask for help from her partner to dress for the big event, since Alison had insisted that they should use that night as some kind of "blind date". The brunette knew that the blonde would go to CeCe, it was the most logical thing to do, as none of them could afford to buy any valuable dress for the occasion but, since she didn't have any friends who knew her since she was 13 and Chloe had just told her that she was also invited to the party, the brunette took some courage and asked for help.

That was how Emily had ended up in the girl's house. It was like one of those "lofts" of which everyone talks about: a small apartment of only one room. There was just a door in the whole place, the one separating the bathroom from the rest of the space, the other sections of the flat were isolated by discrete curtains. It was decorated in a very cozy way, with warm colors covering the walls and the right amount of furniture to make it all organized without being claustrophobic.

The two had spent the afternoon putting on makeup, combing their hair and dressing up and… it had been fun, a typical "girl's afternoon". The brunette tried to avoid the thought that, if she had been in Rosewood, she would have spent that afternoon with a very overactive Hanna.

- Do you think we are good? – Emily asked, looking at her silver heels. – Isn't it like… too much?

- No, in any case it's too less. – Chloe replied, applying some dark lipstick over her lips. The brunette couldn't help but check her out again, the girl knew how to bring out the best of herself, she looked stunning. – The people who go to these parties are always of the "high society".

- I don't know why they invited me. – Emily said, frowning, if Demetz wanted something from her or from Alison (and the brunette was pretty sure that it was the case), he could have asked (or demanded) for it at any time, it wasn't necessary to invite her anywhere.

- Well, they invited everyone, waiters, regular customers, even… Estella, right? – The girl blushed when she said the blonde's name and Emily couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face.

- Yes, Estella would also be there. – In fact, the blonde should be about to enter the subway if she wanted to be on time to get into the place.

- Why didn't she come with you? – Chloe asked, choosing an eye-shadow to use. – I mean… she could have borrowed something from me.

- She is at a friend's house. – The brunette answered.

- Ah, I thought that you didn't know anyone here, since you're living in a hotel in… where was it?

- District twenty.

- Damn… - Chloe said, if she had been "that friend" she would have let them stay at her own apartment until they'll found something decent for themselves.

- I know, it's quite far. – Emily sighed. – Estella's friend helped us to find work when we arrived, it would've been too much to also ask for help to find a flat. – The brunette continued, knowing that the other girl would want to know more about that issue and, well, just wanting to discuss the matter with someone (since Alison seemed to freak out any time she tried to talk about it). – Anyway… it's not like we have enough money to rent a place right now.

Chloe went silent for a moment, thinking, organizing the eye-shadows she had just used.

- Why don't you talk with Nicolette? – She asked suddenly.

- You want me to ask her for a raise? Because I think she's able to fire me if I do that.

- No, not for a raise but… - Chloe placed the rest of her makeup utensils in the closet hanging next to the mirror and turned to her. – I don't know, maybe you could ask for overtime shifts.

- Yeah, she'll give that to me, even without asking. – Emily laughed.

- I know she can be scary but, when she get used to you, you'll see that she isn't as bad as she seems. – Chloe said, finally emerging from the bathroom, looking for her purse.

- You seem to get along really well with her. – The brunette said and the girl smiled.

- I taught her how the bathroom works in her first day at the restaurant, she has to be eternally grateful to me for that.

The two laughed at that comment because the restaurant's bathroom, the one the staff used, was quite peculiar and Emily herself had needed a fast course to learn which buttons to push and which taps to not touch.

- Seriously, talk to her… she may have something for you. – She continued encouraging her and the brunette finally nodded, implying that, at least, she would think about it. – You and Estella are… really brave, in every way. So… it's okay if you ask for some help.

When Chloe said that Emily swallowed. She hadn't expected that comment, she didn't even thought that she deserved it.

The brunette would have used the word "desperate" instead of "brave" though… she had to admit that move into another continent, even if it was running away, was quite daring and brave. Surely, being others the circumstances they wouldn't have done it but, there they were, either for good or bad.

- We like being in here but… it's not easy.

- How were things in Los Angeles? – Chloe asked and Emily suddenly stiffened. – If I can ask, I mean, you don't have to tell me anything.

- Oh, well… - The brunette took her time before answering that question, she had to be very careful and guide the conversation safely. She didn't want to tell any compromising details. – It was a little bit complicated because we weren't… we were just friends since we met in high school. Although… I always wanted something more.

- So you started dating when you arrived here? – The girl questioned again, with great interest. The few times she had managed to get her to talk about Alison, Chloe had seemed almost fascinated by the whole situation and Emily was beginning to wonder if what was calling so much her attention was how their relationship had developed or the way the blonde had been in the past.

- A little before. I… - In that moment the brunette, looking at Chloe's curious greyish eyes, decided that she wanted to tell her some things. She realized that she hadn't explained to anyone how she had ended up dating the blonde. It had been something unusual and bewildering and… she really needed to share it with someone. – She wanted to leave LA to start a new life in here without anyone knowing. The night before she left she went to see me at my house and… well, she asked me to go with her.

It hadn't happened exactly like that but it was all she could tell.

- And you said yes. – The girl finished for her with a goofy smile. – It's soooo romantic, seriously, it's like a movie.

"A horror movie" Emily thought, smiling nervously, she wished it had been that simple.

- Then, before coming here, you had never been together as a couple. – Chloe pointed out and the brunette shook her head. – That means that you've never been to a dance with her.

- Uhm… no. – Emily confessed, she hadn't thought of the party as a "dance", but as a horrible event that she had been forced to attend.

- That explains why you're so nervous, it's your first dance together! – The girl exclaimed, enjoying the complexity and drama of the situation. That was, literally, like living a movie, and she was one of the secondary characters!

Now the brunette had something more to worry about. Emily sighed as subtly as she could and swallowed hard to try to appease the beating of her heart, which had been accelerating since she had arrived to Chloe's flat. The brunette was extremely nervous because that night, not only she would have to face Demetz, but she also would have to pretend in front of a large number of people that she was Natalie, a Californian 21 years old girl, and she didn't know if she was ready for that.

Suddenly Chloe's dreamy expression was replaced by a frown that confused the brunette.

- High school must have been a nightmare. – The girl reasoned. – If you liked her since then and you couldn't be with her.

- Yeah… – After she took a glimpse at the clock hanging on one of the walls of the place, and seeing that they still had time, Emily chose to sit on the sofa across Chloe, whom had gotten finished arranging her bag but didn't have intention of dropping the theme.

- I still remember my first school dance. – Chloe began to tell. – I went with a guy that I didn't even liked because the one that I liked was going with another girl so… I had to see him dance with her all night, it was… pretty depressing.

- Something like that happened to me. – Emily said looking away.

She had never spoken to anyone about her years in love with Alison, when she had been completely sure that she'll never be able to have her. It was something she couldn't discuss with Spencer, or Hanna, or Aria, and she couldn't do it, not just for the "distance issue", but also because it was Alison who she wanted to talk about and, for some reason, it was extremely difficult for her to confess to people as close as the girls were how she felt for the blonde.

Chloe, however, was unconnected to her past, to her whole life, actually.

The girl hadn't been present when the blonde went missing and everybody thought she was dead, neither had she witnessed how the young DiLaurentis had handled half the town at her own will, so she wasn't going to condemn her for loving that kind of person.

For once, Emily knew that she could tell things from her point of view without having her common sense judged by the listener.

Flashback

23:06

Only five minutes had passed since the last time that Emily had looked at the clock on her left wrist.

The brunette sighed and leaned against the wall, wishing for the time to hurry up and evolve towards the half past eleven as fast as possible.

It was being such a disgusting night.

She had arrived to the dance with Hanna a little early, because the blonde was more than excited with the event or, better, with whom would go with her to the event. For this dance, the one that the school had decided to organize under the excuse of "the beginning of spring time", the five girls had gotten a partner.

The previous month to that awaited night had been crazy between nerves and excitement for the girls because, although the previous year they didn't care about going together as a group to the dance for the end of the year, without being worried about dates, this year, the main objective of that event was to find a good boy whose arm they could grab when they walked by the redecorated school's gym. Luckily, none of them had problems with said purpose.

Spencer will attend the party with one of her partners from the debate club while Aria had been invited by the quiet boy who always sat in the right corner of the literature class. Hanna had been surprised by the invitation of an unknown boy who was on a higher course, and Alison, as usually, had caught the attention of one of the guys who were about to graduate.

And Emily… well, the brunette couldn't complain, she had received a total of three different invitations, though, to her dismay, none of them convinced her at all. The girl finally chose one of the components of the male swimming team, the one that had been the first to approach her and ask awkwardly if she would like to be his date for the dance.

As Emily had been receiving invitation after invitation she had been experiencing a supposedly natural reaction that had been losing strength as the invitations came to her: blush + palpitations + instant loss of speech = exaltation… that didn't last long enough.

Probably the problem was that she didn't have any guy in her "spotlight". The dates of her friends were, mostly, with their "ideal boy" but hers… she just needed someone to go to the dance and she didn't really care who it was, why would she think about it too much? It wasn't that she didn't like boys, what happened was that she didn't like any boy like that… if that made sense.

So, when the Night arrived and Hanna's mother left her and the blonde at the entrance of the school, Emily allowed Ted (or was his name Ross?) to take her to the gym, where dozens of students were dressed up for the occasion starting to enjoy the party. They had decorated everything in green and floral tones, all very "spring" themed and there were just three or four teachers supervising the place so… the night was promising.

However, for the brunette, the hours progressed almost in slow motion.

She had tried to start a conversation with her date, several times, but it isn't easy to talk to someone when that someone is drinking glass after glass of that awful punch and forgets that you exist whenever a girl walks in front of him wearing a very short dress. If he was going to ignore her like that, why did he ask her to be his date? When Emily realized that the guy wasn't going to take her out to dance and that he will, surely, have more fun without her, the brunette decided to seek the nearest bathroom and wait in its safe tiled walls for the time to pass.

She hadn't wanted to bother any of her friends with her "problem". Hanna was having the night of her life and Aria and Spencer seemed pretty comfortable with their respective dates and Alison… the blonde had disappeared with that older guy twenty minutes after the music had begun. "It's better that way", she thought, and she didn't like to know that she preferred to not see her friend enjoying the night.

She wished she was able to just have fun, parties were for that, right? But the thing was that, for some reason, the brunette was getting more and more frustrated with every laugh she heard, and those heels that Hanna had provided her were killing her feet. Emily was tired and the only thing she wanted was to go back home.

- So, this is where you're hiding. – A voice said, breaking the silenced that had enveloped her until the moment. For being a party, the bathroom had resulted to be a very, very quiet place (another proof that everyone, except her, was having a great night).

Emily looked up, at the bathroom's door, and met Alison's eyes. The blonde was watching her while resting the weight of her body on the doorframe, she looked relaxed, so relaxed, that it seemed like she was going to slip towards the floor at any moment and her irises, of an usual solid and cold blue were now turbid, glazed… surely, she had been drinking.

- Ali… - The brunette started, slightly parting from the wall and stretching the skirt of her dress.

- You're missing the party, Em. – Alison said, going into the bathroom. The girl was wearing a short red dress, with a low cut, something the brunette doubted that Mrs. DiLaurentis had approved.

- I just… needed a moment… - Sometimes it was hard to talk to her, especially when no one else was present and she was looking at her intently, just as she was doing at that time.

- Alone? – The blonde concluded, standing at some distance from her.

- Yes. – Emily asserted, reclaiming the solidity of the wall at her back, feeling a bit cornered.

- Where is your date? – The girl asked.

- I don't know. – The brunette answered, almost whispering. "It's just Alison, your friend, relax", she thought, trying not to get too nervous.

- Em, Em, Em… did he dance with you at least?

Emily looked away from her. When Alison was like that she was unable to meet her eyes. She felt like the blonde was laughing at her, or pitying her, or scolding her, or… all at once! That was the problem with Alison, what made people criticize her and, somehow, feared her: all the things the blonde thought (and knew), she said them. And there are some things that are better left unsaid.

The brunette felt the muscles in her body tensing, she knew that Alison was able of put a voice to her worse thoughts, to her biggest insecurities.

- I guess that's a no. – The blonde took another step towards her and Emily couldn't continue retreating because of the wall. – It's a shame… you look gorgeous.

The air stopped at the brunette's throat, without reaching her lungs. It wasn't just what she had said, but how she had said it. Alison was staring into her eyes and her lips were gathered in a smooth and concave curvature, now the girl was being kind, even charming.

And, in just seconds, the brunette began to blush.

It was totally normal for a friend to give a compliment to another, for her to admire her clothes or to praise the effort she had put collecting her hair. Therefore, it was normal that Alison, as her friend, had said that to her. What maybe wasn't that normal was that the brunette had shaken from top to bottom or that her stomach had experienced the typical turnaround it suffered when she skipped a step going down the stairs. It wasn't normal that Emily had stopped breathing when she had listened the blonde's words or when she had fixed her gaze in her eyes.

"It happens to you because is Alison", she said to herself, convinced that her reaction was due to the fact that, if the school were made out of social classes (which, in some way, happened), the blonde would be like royalty, and isn't it usual for the simple people to shudder at the presence of royalty?

Receiving a compliment from Alison was something that happened only in rare occasions (usually when she needed something from you), so it was normal that the brunette's hands were starting to sweat and shake… completely normal.

- You too. – Emily managed to say with a nervous smile.

Alison just tilted her head slightly and continued walking towards her.

- You should have chosen someone with whom you wanted to be tonight.

- I wanted to be with him.

And by the way she looked at her, Emily knew that the blonde hadn't bought that flimsy lie.

- Someday you'll learn that you can have whatever you want… - She began to say, extending her right hand towards her face to put a lock of dark hair behind her ear, letting the warm skin of her fingers brush against the brunette's cheek. – you just need to ask for it.

In that moment Emily felt dizzy and she almost panicked, almost, because as the blonde walked away from her towards the door she let the air reach her lungs and regained her stability.

- I'm leaving now, if you want I can drop you at home. – She said from the door and the brunette perceived the pounding of her heart in her chest, helping the oxygen to arrive properly to her brain.

- Did your father come to pick you up?

- No, - The girl laughed, derisively. – I'm going in Paul's car.

- I… I think I'll go back with Hanna. – She decided, knowing that she wouldn't be able to bear a second in that car.

- As you wish. – Alison shrugged and left the bathroom without saying a word.

End of Flashback

- Oh… - It was the only thing Chloe could say when Emily finished her story. – She was completely into you!

- What? – Emily laughed after hearing that exclamation.

- Come on, do you really believe that the "you just need to ask for it" didn't mean anything? She wanted you to make a move! – The girl continued.

- Chloe, she… she was like that. – The brunette said, as if that explained everything.

- With everyone? – Chloe asked and Emily hesitated. – I'm sure… Shit!

The brunette turned in her seat when she saw the eyes of the girl bulging just to find the clock on the wall. It was almost ten.

- We have to go now, do you have everything you need? – Chloe said, standing up quickly, looking for her coat.

- Yes. – Emily replied, grabbing her little purse and putting on her own jacket.

- Great, let's go before they leave us out.


AN: so… I really don't know how to apologize for the huge delay of this chapter. I mean, a lot of things have happened in my life during this time but I should have dedicated a little more time to the translation of this story.

Sometimes I thought that, if I were a reader of this fanfic, I would have given up on it a long time ago because of how long it takes me to update but the reviews I've got during this weeks from guests (or guest) asking for more chapters made me believe that there is still people that cares for this story so I'll do all I can to keep updating (though… I'm not gonna make any more promises of "dates", sorry people, I'll do what I can :S).

By the way, I hope you had liked this chapter (even though it didn't have a lot of Emison) and thanks for every review, favorite and follow, they make my days!

PS: I enjoy a lot writing flashbacks so… if someone have some scene in mind that they want me to try just say it on a review or PM and I'll try to introduce them in the story in the best possible way.