CHAPTER 5
Ali's POV
I got to the Grove at exactly 6:10…I was right about the 5 minutes, plus there was hardly any traffic. I ordered a drink to keep me busy and sat down at a table in the corner with my back to the door, I'm sure Hanna would be able to spot me once she got here, it was a slow night, and Wednesdays aren't usually that busy.
I was almost done with my coffee and was getting into an article about Paris in this travel magazine…I talked about Paris with Em a few years ago, I told her how we should go, and how good she'd look on top of the Eiffel tower, and she would look better than good, she'd look great, and I told her we would stay there forev…
"Hey Ali! Wow, you got here early, what'd you order?"
Dammit Hanna, I mentally cursed her for snapping me out of my daydream and slight fantasy of me and Em in sweet Paris…
"Hey Han, yeah I got ready pretty quickly so why not? And nothing much, just today's special, it was alright" I said waving the empty cup in my hand to show that it was gone. "Are Spencer and Aria still coming?"
"Yeah they should be here now, listen Ali, about tonight..."
But before Hanna could finish, our two friends walked in, the shorter one talking about an art show that's happening in Philly in a couple of weeks, typical, Aria. I could Spencer, spurting out some fact about how old that Museum was and so on…typical Aria, typical Spencer.
"Hey Hanna, Ali." I heard Spencer's greeting.
Aria greeted us with a simple "Hey guys!"
"Hey Spencer, Hey Aria," I addressed them both at the same time, then I turned back to Hanna.
"Hanna what was it that you were going to tell me about tonight?"
"Oh yeah right well I wanted to tell you that…"
But whatever Hanna was about to tell me didn't have to be said anymore, as a heard the little bell above the door ring, and I instinctively checked to see who it was, along with the other three. Why did I do that? No sooner than I saw her coming, I quickly turned so my back was to Hanna and the door, Hanna hopefully shielding me from the eyes that I knew burn into my soul and expose my deepest fears. Emily had just walked in. And she didn't walk in unnoticed, I knew the few people in their had their eyes glued to the gorgeous tanned skinned beauty wearing a simple black dress that showed off her curves perfectly and heels that showed just how toned her long legs were. Stop it, Ali. Stop. Her makeup was minimal, but just enough to highlight her eyes. What are you going to do when she gets here? I couldn't help but think about how soft her hair must feel right now. I wondered if the back door would be unlocked so I could make a run for it, but before I could have a clear thought that wasn't dominated by Emily…it was too late
"Hey Hanna, Spencer, Aria, oh I like your shoes, where'd…"
But she stopped mid sentence and the whole atmosphere changed. The tension was palpable. And that's I looked up slowly from my chair and around my Hanna shield into the warm brown eyes that had suddenly turned hard and angry, looking at me, through me. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing and then she blew.
"WHAT IS THIS? WHAT THE HELL HANNA! WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!"
The venom in the way Em said "she" proved to me that she was just as surprised at Hanna's idea to get us together as I was.
Emily continued, "And you two knew about this and didn't say anything?!" she pointedly at Spencer and Aria, "You all know I don't wanna talk to her," but I guess that didn't matter to some of you, as she glared down at Hanna.
She spat that out like the words were absolutely disgusting.
"Emily, we didn't know," contested Spencer
Aria followed, "Yeah Em, we really didn't."
Just as it looked like Emily was going to say something again, Hanna tried to explain, "Look Em you can't shut us out forever. Rosewood is too small to not see each other almost every day, unless like you, you try to live under a rock. Listen it's almost 7 o'clock and we are all already here and dressed and I don't know about everyone else but I'm starving, okay? So why don't we all just sit and eat some good food and try to have a good time?"
I could see Emily's face, I dared to stare at her as Hanna tried to calm her down and convince her to stay, and for a second I could swear Emily actually considered it, the barrier that she was becoming good at keeping up had lowered, but that second was all too short.
I knew that I should feel like an outsider to our group not Emily, I wish I had the courage to say something but I didn't instead, I rode slowly from my chair, facing Spencer and Aria first and then turning slowly to face Hanna, being very careful not to meet Em's glare.
"Hey Hanna, thanks for inviting me over but I think I should leave, I just remembered I have some frozen food in my freezer plus I'm really not that hungry, I'll just leave so…you guys should stay," and that's when I met Emily's eyes. They were so hard, and I was the one to blame.
"Don't bother ALISON, stay if you want, I'm leaving."
It was the first time Emily talked to me…well she mostly talked AT me, but still…and I should've been glad, but the tone in her voice and the way she towered over me. She was a good few inches taller than me without any shoes, so with the added heels…I couldn't help but feel small and powerless, when had my shy Emily become so dominant?
Then she turned to Hanna, "thanks for ruining my appetite Hanna."
But I didn't get to finish as she turned sharply on her heels and left faster than she came.