Chapter 23
Emily POV
After my little tour with Paige I returned to our booth. I can't still remove the smile on my face and I find myself humming. It's just an hour before the contest that Paige is part of. I really hope everything will go according to plan.
"Hey EM!" I saw a hand waving in front of my face.
"Em, What's with the goofy grin?" I hear Alison say bitterly
"What? nothing I'm not grinning" I said then I busied myself.
"Right you're not grinning just creepy" She said sarcastically
"Ems let's go! We are not supposed to be late!" Hanna said then she grabbed me by the wrist then dragged me to the auditorium. I just walk along with Hanna because I also want to have a better view of the stage. So being there early is an advantage
"Okay okay you don't need to be excited Hanna" I said then jogged with her. I saw that Alison is just following behind us.
When we are about to enter the auditorium my phone vibrated and I checked it and saw that some unknown number messaged me.
"Hey Emily what are you waiting for? It is about to start!" Hanna say
"You go first, I just need to read this" I replied. When I'm about to click open Spencer appeared in front of me.
"Ow! Em waiting for something? Let's head inside" She said then opens the door for me.
"Okay wait Spence I'll just read this"
I opened the message at first I'm a bit confuse of the text then after reading the whole message I felt mortified and guilty of everything How can I face Paige now. I should have listened to this girl in front of me why do I need to be so stupid. I looked at Spencer with this self pity for my stupidity. I really wish Paige could forgive me.
"What is it Em?" She said I can hear the worry in her voice
I just dropped my hand to my side and shake my head. I looked down because of so much self disgust
"This is my entire fault I should have listened to you" I mumbled
"What is it? Who texted you?" She said then slowly gets the phone in my hand.
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Sorry I can't make it. There is some business emergency that I need to go to. Just tell Paige that I'm really sorry.
-Nick
The girl who is now holding the phone can't control the anger building within her. Her hands are shaking as she read the message her friend received. She pushed back the mobile to her friends hand and slammed the door at the auditorium and didn't try to look back.
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Paige POV
God! I'm really nervous I hope I didn't mess this up everyone at school will be here and there are some visitors from other school too. My hands we really sweaty and I'm dead cold.
"Hey! Ready?" I hear Hanna asked me then she grabbed my hand
"WOW! Your really nervous! You're so cold!"
"Hey I'm okay just nervous. Do I look good? With this? What if they laugh at me God I can't handle that embarrassment!" I said in panic
"Hey you're beautiful! They will not laugh at you they will drool because of you!" Hanna said then she hugged me.
"Okay listen Paigey you are talented beautiful gorgeous okay!? So just stay here and wait for our cue" Then she leaved me I can hear Hanna and Alison from here I'm the last one on the list so it is really nerve wracking.
"Okay! Guys do you want more?!" I hear Hanna screamed at the mic and the audience shouted back but I don't understand anything from them just the loud sound.
"Okay so here is our last but not the least! From seniors! Paige McCullers!" I heard Alison it is my cue so I walk on the stage the lights are turned off and it is really dark in here but due to our lot of practices I can find my way with no problem. Then a spotlight was turned on and it is on me I can see anything from the crowd it was so quiet for a several. When my eyes adjusted I can already see them. I try to find my father but I failed to look for him. Seconds passed then someone from the crowd started clapping their hands and then after that someone followed. Then everyone is shouting and the crown goes wild. I still can't find myself from speaking.
"So Paige what are you waiting for show us what you've got!" I sit on the stool in the stage and someone hand me my guitar.
"I'm not really used to this things but if you don't like to see me the door is wide open for you to leave" I said then nobody leaves
" I guess they you're okay with me."
I scan the crowd to look for that particular person in my mind while I'm practicing she's the reason for me to pick this song. When I spotted Spencer, she gave me a small smile that boost my confidence
"This is for you" I said while looking at her then I started playing my guitar
We're talking away
I don't know what
I'm to say I'll say it anyway
Today's another day to find you
Shying away
I'll be coming for your love, OK?
I sang as I stare to Spencer I hope that she can feel everything.
Take on me, take me on
I'll be gone
In a day or two
So needless to say
I'm odds and ends
But that's me stumbling away
finally learning that life is OK.
Say after me
It's no better to be safe than sorry
Take on me, take me on
I'll be gone
In a day or two
Emily POV
I can't stand to see all of this I just can't
I don't know if I can stand to see Paige all broken because of me. I just stand there at the back watching her while she sings so beautifully pouring all of her emotion. I know that she already saw Spencer but she is still glancing around I don't know if she already knows that her father can't make it. I don't know if I can look at Paige with this much shame on myself so I leaved the auditorium not knowing where I'm heading to.
I don't know who win the bid but as I was busy doing stuff in our booth I've hear from some passerby that someone from the seniors won the event. I'm happy that Paige got the highest bid but I don't know who the bidder is.
"Hey why are you hiding in here?" I hear Alison say then she sit on the chair inside our booth I just look at her for a second then busied myself again.
"Spencer right huh?" I can't look at her.
"About Paige's father?" She asked again. I can hear the seriousness in her voice so I turned to look at her eyes
"And what are you doing, feeling sorry like you're the victim? Come on Emily is that all you can give to her?" I can't find the words to say. Alison was right. I know that she is right. What I did was areally wrong decision and here I 'am hiding because of shame. Paige has been always there for me she never leave my side from the very start and here I'm running and leaving her all alone. She's alone and lonely how can I be so stupid and selfish?
"I need to go " I said then run off I think I saw Alison sigh and then she stands up and follow behind.
PAIGE POV
Take on me
Take me on
I'll be gone in a day or two
In a day or two
In a day or two
Then the song ended
I'm still looking around trying to find my father on the crowd but I guess he broke his promise again. Yes it hurt's but I think when you experience something over and over again lessen the sting of that something. I scanned the crown again and I saw Spencer She is smiling at me I hope she get what I mean on the song I plan to ask her to be my date on the upcoming prom. I'm zoning out again thinking about the things that might happen on that day. Then suddenly the crowd become silent then I looked around
I look at Hanna and she looked so shocked to what Ms. Angeles whispered in her ears.
"$1000! Paige McCullers you will meet the anonymous bidder tomorrow" Hanna said, then the crowd goes wild again.
Oh my god $1000 who the hell wanted to spend that money just to have a day with me. I hope he/she is not some obsessed human being. Now all I need to do is go to the marathon race or whatever it is. The winner will be my first dance before after lighting the big bonfire that will start the party for the night.
EMILY POV
I didn't see Paige yet but I know that she is waiting at the other end she's waiting at the end of the race. There are no other rules on this f*ucking race. I don't care about that at all, not now! All I know is I need to win this damn race and stand beside Paige and show that I can also be her rock, that she can also depend on me.
I ran as fast as I could I don't care if somebody tries to trip me or if I would get some scratch or anything
"I'm not gonna lose this race!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and I out run several students on the way.
"MOVE! GET OUT OF MY WAY!" I scream as I yanked someone in front of me.
"Hey!" Someone shouted behind me but I don't really care about them now
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Someone is already coming! It, It is no other than Emily Fields!
"Em?" Paige stands up to see everything with her own eyes she can see the determination from Emily in this distance. The look on Emily's face, really put a smile on her face.
Someone stood beside her then she hears a sighs. She turned to look and see who it is and she saw Alison standing there watching the race.
"I guess my pep talk really work. huh?" She said still not looking at the girl beside her
"I guess I'm having more competition" She said then Paige looked at the race again.
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I 'am almost there! I can see the finish line from here, but there still a lot of opponents approaching. Then I remember something
...
"Do you believe him Em?!"
"Wake up Em! Don't believe him! He is just using you to get what he wants."
"How can you say that, after you meeting him, didn't you examine his carefully when you meet him?! Didn't you look him in the eyes to see if he is telling the truth?!"
...
Spencer was right she was right I missed everything. He just gives Paige money every month and ignores her. He doesn't think about Paige and just take her to random Places. He breaks his promised and just sends a message as an apology. But... but I didn't see through him.
"Im so stupid!" I screamed then run like my legs were on fire.
Then I saw someone running beside me she is too fast so I looked to who it was then I saw I saw Spencer Hastings running like her life depends on it. Someone behind me pushed me so I fell hard on the ground Spencer must heard it because she stopped. Then yells
"Hey! You can't treat a lady like that!" Then suddenly Hanna throws some hockey stick to her then she swing it to the guy who pushed me.
"Spence you need to run. I don't want Paige to be alone" I said helplessly. She just shakes her head then crouch and offers me a hand.
"She also needs you" Then I see she give me a small smile then I reached for her hand. Then we walked side by side holding each other hands to the finish line.
PAIGE POV
"You guys don't have to worry about me you know. You can see it can't you? even if I'm all by myself I can stand up again that's why it's all right you don't have to worry about me I can stand up again all by myself, even if I'm alone I can survive" Paige said to Emily
"Paige I'm so sorry I should have listened to Spencer I'm...I... " I cut her off by putting my finger on her lips.
"This was no one's fault okay, and I'm used to this and besides I'm tough and strong" I said then tap the top of her head then kiss her forehead.
"Hastings you're really, badass there!"I said then I grabbed Emily to go to Spencer. Spencer was really blushing from the running or is it really because of that.
"I'm really happy that I have both of you in my life" I said then pulled each girls hand and squeezed it. Then I looked at Spencer but still holding each girls hand
"I hope I' am showing it to you completely "
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"Sighs. This is a really bad idea" The girl watching mumbled under her breathe
She walks off to where the show is happening and she whispered something to Paige's ear
"IT IS YOU! OH MY GOD WHY?!"
The other girl just walks and looked back again then offers Paige the signature Alison Dilaurentis smile
"See you tomorrow Princess"
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a/n: the song is take on me by Sara Bareilles
:D