Chapter 42:
"Just admit it Em, Hanna scared them away, that's why they left!" Spencer laughed while Hanna scoffed and threw a t-shirt at her.
"I did not Spence! You heard why they had to leave early!"
Spencer rolled her eyes, "sure, first give them that god awful 'ship name' thing, then you give them those inappropriate dares, not to mention you scared the poor happy couple while we're all drunk by telling them about –A and then you go ahead and 'win' that stupid little bet and insult their sex life; the perfect cherry on top, did I miss anything?"
"Shutup would you, you make it sound bad."
"That's because it was Hanna, we woke up that next day and knew you said something. They definitely didn't leave to New York for the rest of break to "visit their best friend" who just so happened to be in New York two days later. You made them leave in about," Spencer lifted her watch, "huh, look at that, just under three days."
"Em, Ali," Hanna groaned, "back me up here. They really had to do didn't they?"
Em chuckled and threw the t-shirt Hanna threw at Spencer back on the bed with her, "alright alright, ease up Spence, their best friend Dinah really did book a gig in New York for a few nights, they were going to wait until Christmas break to see their friends, but why should they, New York is just a drive away."
Spencer crossed her arms, "oh c'mon, it was more fun when we blamed Hanna, you're no fun Em."
Hanna stuck her tongue out to tease, "haha I told you, besides Camren loves me."
Spencer rolled her eyes in a way only Spencer could and shrugged, "sure Han, everyone looooves you," she drawled out the 'love' sarcastically and Hanna blew her a kiss, "I know you love me Spencer, behind that Hastings glare is a tiny little Spencer, dying to tell me how much you actually love me."
"Sure Hanna, sure, in your dreams."
"Alright, alright, I had enough." Aria emerged from a swell of blankets and ran her hands through her short messy locks.
"Oh hey short stack, didn't see you there, how'd you sleep?"
"Very funny Ali, but I slept fine thanks for asking, it was waking up that I didn't quite enjoy."
"Sorry Ar, blame Hanna."
"No, shush, you two stop it," Emily laughed closed her closet, "and um next time can't you guys sleep downstairs or in the guest rooms?"
"Why, you two didn't get to have any Emison time because we were snoozing in the same room? Ali, you didn't sneak something in between those sheets?"
"HANNA! Get out, get out, go change, we'll meet you all downstairs, Ali popped from the bed, pushing Hanna and Spencer from the room, not forgetting to go back to the floor to uncover Aria and help her out as well.
When the laughter died and Ali was alone with Em, she sighed, laughed wholeheartedly and collapsed on the bed, face cradled in a pillow.
Emily watched her girlfriend in adoration and moved to the bed, sitting with her legs out in front and her hand rubbing Ali's back, "you alright there?"
Ali popped her head up, a flash of blonde locks covering her face and causing a laugh to bubble in Em's stomach, "help me Em."
Emily reached out, sorting strands of hair into their assumed positions and kissed Ali's forehead when she was done, "there you are."
"Here I am." Ali smiled and moved to rest on her elbows facing Em, "and I'm hungry. Feed me already."
Emily dropped her head and Ali could feel the movement of her lips on her crown, smiling, "alright, get dressed, we can take the girls to that restaurant we found yesterday, that seems like a good place for us to all catch up."
Alison nodded, "you're right, but how about you call and order, I have a better idea."
The mischievous look on Ali's face told Emily that she wasn't going to get to know what this idea was until Ali let her, so she didn't ask any questions, she simply shrugged and made the call.
2 hours later
"We finally made it out of the house, thank god," Aria chimed as she crawled in the back of the seat with Hanna, Spencer close behind.
"Well I'm sure we would've left in time if Hanna got dressed quicker."
"Spencer, you are always blaming me, I told you it wasn't my fault, Ali and Em didn't tell us where we were going, how was I supposed to know what to wear?"
"By dressing sensible, I hardly think a skirt and those heels are ideal for all occasions, especially since we'll be outside."
"Hey," Ali turned around from the driver's seat after she buckled up, "who told you we were going to be outside? I haven't even told Emily about this place yet."
"Yeah, we know," Em whispered to herself while rolling her eyes and leaning back into the chair.
"Well I just assumed we are because one, you ordered food to go, two, you brought a duffel bag in the trunk and three, you said you needed to fill up before we leave. And some of the places that take a half to full tank to get there are places up in the woods along the old highway that runs through Bakersville."
Emily looked between Ali and Spencer to see if Ali gave anything away the confirmed that Spencer was right.
"You know Spencer, your smarts have saved your ass and ours a lot but right now I really wish you didn't have that Hastings brain right now."
Ali managed a laugh as she started the engine and cursed under her breath, "damn."
Aria and Hanna patted Spence on the back playfully but Emily sat in the front looking at Ali, waiting for the blonde to notice her.
After a while and after Hanna finally picked a radio station, Em sighed and gave up on her one-sided staring contest. She turned to look out the window instead; it was 11:30 and there was a whole day ahead of her and she was glad she got to spend this break with her friends. She'd been in Rosewood for 3 days now and she loved the break from school. Her parents hadn't called her yet, but she wasn't given any reason to worry about it. The ebb and flow of her universe seemed to be in order.
Seemed to be.
Emily would've kept contemplating all that was running through her head until she felt Ali's hand rest high on her lap, "Em, I know you were trying to get my attention, what's wrong?"
Em shrugged, smiling that her girlfriend did notice her, "nothing is."
"Okay, well then?" Ali could barely be heard over the song Hanna and Aria were laughing and singing to, the slightly annoyed Spencer's laugh cutting them off between verses to beg for temporary silence.
Emily smiled, "nothing, that's just it, nothing is wrong."
Ali took her eyes of the road to look in the mirror at her friends, smiling to herself, glad that they all stuck around and then she put her hand on Em's cheek, "exactly, stop thinking so hard, relax babe."
The brunette sighed, piping up just in time to sing the first verse of Beyonce's Drunk in Love.
x-x-x-x
"Ali, are we there yet? I'm about to eat this food right now."
"Yeah Ali, I'm starved, we should've stopped for some coffee at least."
Alison made a fake reach behind her, "I'm warning you Hanna, you and Aria better not!"
"Ugh fine, but if the food is cold by the time we get there, I'm kicking your ass, Em can beat me up later for it."
"I'll hold you to it Han."
"Em! You'd let Hanna hit me?"
Emily shrugged, a smug look on her face, "I'm sure you'd hit her back. And who am I to get in the was of two beautiful blondes in a cat fight?"
Ali stared incredulously at Emily and shook her head, "I think that who-can-make-the-most-sexual-jokes contest really got to you Em, I'm calling Lauren, she'd be so proud."
"Yeah, really Em, I can't even believe you said that." Spencer stifled a laugh of disbelief.
"I'm hungry too, maybe that's why."
Hanna nudged Aria, and made an attempt at whispering "or maybe someone is feeling a little needy."
"Hanna I heard that." Emily looked in the rearview mirror and zeroed her eyes at her best friend.
Hanna simply shrugged and used her eyes to motion towards Ali, mouthing, "just saying."
Emily huffed and crossed her arms, okay, maybe Hanna was partly right. It's been a week since Ali has done more with Em than simply make-out and Emily was starting to feel a little on edge, not the edge she wanted to be on, but still on edge. Something would happen when she tried to push a little further; Ali had a coughing fit, someone interrupted, Alison was hungry first, they had to go somewhere…their friends were sleeping in her room, either way, Emily was starting to feel deprived and now that she admitted to herself, she felt slightly annoyed.
Before any of the girls had realized, Ali was pulling in to a small path of the highway and into the lining of the trees.
"Great, we're on gonne die, and on empty stomachs, Spencer, open that bag so we can have our last dinner."
"Supper, Han, it's called the last supper."
"It's called the last word you say before you hand me that Italian food."
"Woah, it's only been 15 minutes, you're not dying, this is where we're spending the next two days, chill, no one is dying or being killed." Ali shook her head. "You sound like Emily."
"Me? When?" Em watched Ali in surprise, feeling guilty when she seen the look on Ali's face, realizing exactly when Em acted the way Hanna did. A flood of memories came to her and Ali at the same time and the next instant their eyes met, each ones' cheeks were flushed a fresh shade of red.
"Hello, what the hell was that?" Spencer snapped her fingers in between them and Ali cleared her throat, "Um nothing, look! We're here!"
"Finally. You weirdos better get out that damn car if you want some food."
Hanna grabbed the three bags and took off in front of the parked car. "Hey," she called out, "where the hell is here?"
Ali laughed at the way Hanna feet sunk into the soft dirt, her ankles threatening to twist.
Spencer made a show of laughing with her arms wrapped around her stomach, "I told you wear sensible shoes."
Aria laughed and raised the camera no one seen she was holding and snapped a pic. "This is gonna be great guys, it's like our reunion!"
"Yeah," Ali agreed, "just like a reunion. C'mon, we're staying in lodge just around this bend."
Em shook her head, in amazement at how resourceful and creative Ali really was, and how much of that amazingness she was finally showing the rest of the world. Emily caught up with Ali and interlocked their hands, "you never cease to amaze me, you know that? I don't know how you do it."
"It's easy; I just follow in your footsteps."
"No, wait right there." Em stopped Ali by the wrist and pointed to the ground, "look at that, you see? Our footsteps are right next to each others, no one is in front Ali. And I want it to stay this way; we'll walk through life together, knowing we're right there by each other's sides."
Ali nodded, Emily could always see deeper than she showed and Ali loved when this side of her came out.
"Ali, how much longer, I don't see- oh nevermind!" Hanna bent over, removing her heels and jogging towards the wooden lodge she seen up ahead, "last one there doesn't get breadsticks!"
Em looked at Ali for a second before Ali nodded, "go, I'll just eat some of yours."
Ali laughed and watched as Emily caught up, passing Aria and bumping into Spencer playfully, before crowding the door with Hanna.
"Em stop, Ali is last anyways, you don't have to win everything!"
Em threw her head back in laughter, "that's Spencer's job."
Spencer put her hands on her knees and waved one ahead of her, "you two go ahead, I haven't ran in ages."
Aria stopped beside Spencer's bent body and rested her side on Spencer back, laughing, "I should've played a sport in high school."
The girls laughed and instead of saying which sport, Aria lifted her head from Spencer's shoulder and snapped a few more pictures, flipping the camera to get one of her on Spencer, Ali making a face in the background for a perfect photobomb.
She quickly walked up to the door, pushed Hanna and Emily out of her way and drew a key from her pocket.
"Alright children, go on in, but don't mess shit up, this isn't my cabin to break."
Em quirked an eyebrow and once everyone was in and she was left with Ali in the doorway she asked, "is this like-"
"Lover's Peak?"
Em blushed and nodded her head, "yeah."
Ali smiled and looked around Em into the open door leading straight into the dining area, Hanna with half a bread in her mouth and Spencer trying to split the food evenly, Aria catching it all on film.
"Come here real quick, I'll show you."
Em looked quizzically at her girlfriend but let herself be led around the cabin.
"See this lake?"
Em nodded.
"Well if you squint your eyes and look over there, you can see a tiny little tire swing and a small hill to the right, do you see it?"
Em did as suggested and could make out a small clearing at the mouth of the lake, clear across the way, "yeah."
"Okay, well behind that hill and just a little ways away to the right, is our place."
"You mean-?"
"Yeah, all we are is a boat ride from Lover's Peak."
"How did you know about this place then?"
Ali shrugged, "some of the guys I hired to clean and take care of our cabin at Lover's Peak said something about there being cabins over here that people rent for small get-aways with families and friends, he said it was cheaper than owning private like I do, but it's a little more accessible, I thought it was perfect."
"Ali how much did you pay for two days here?"
Ali shrugged, it was only $200, Ralph was the guy's name, he said he knew the owner and that business wasn't doing so well anyways so I was offered this all at a discounted price."
Em shook her head, "well it is perfect."
"It kinda is isn't it?"
"C'mon you crazy little mastermind, let's go eat."
x-x-x-x
"Ali, I don't know how you did this but thank you, this is amazing."
"Yeah," Aria agreed with Spencer, "even though it's a little too cold to go swim in the lake right now, this place really is amazing."
It was well into the evening and the girls were cozied up into the 'living room' relaxing and shaking off day, getting settled into the calm of the night.
"Okay," Hanna said, "now that we're all fed and settled into our sleeping arrangements, we seriously have to catch up."
"Han, we did that already."
"No we didn't Ali, when Lauren and Camila were here, we drank, ate, slept and fooled around, and that last two days the guys were hanging with us, right now it's the only time its actually been just us…the originals."
"The originals?" Em made a face.
"Yeah, Em why the sour face?"
"You make us sound like the Vampire Diaries, ugh Lauren is obsessed with that."
Hanna laughed, "figures."
"What do you mean?" Emily waited for an answer, answered when Spencer cut her off.
"Em seriously, even I get what Hanna is saying, your friend looks like she belongs on that show."
"No, Lauren?! I don't see it."
Ali bumped Em's shoulder, "seriously babe? Wow, we should get your eyes checked."
Em smirked and decided to end her teasing, she scooted closer to Ali in the loveseat and dragged her eyes over the blondes body, "why, when I can see fine right in front of me."
Ali's cheeks held the faintest pink and Em leaned forward to give her a quick kiss on her lips.
A small moan escaped Ali's mouth and Hanna made a fake vomiting sound in the background, the kiss being interrupted by that and the small white flash of light.
"Aw, stop, its cheesy but they're cute." Aria laughed and turned to point the camera at Han, the blonde's tongue out and her stomach bent inward.
"Hanna you look ridiculous," Spencer scoffed and reached her foot out from under the blanket and kicked Hanna on the butt softly.
Han laughed and moved to sit on Spencer, "now who looks ridiculous?"
Spencer's thin body struggled to break free from Hanna and it ended when she managed to thrust Hanna into Aria on the floor.
"Spence! My camera!"
Aria quickly scrambled to her feet to put her camera on the counter in the kitchen and she ran back into the living room, "it's alright, my camera is ok."
"Oh thank god," Ali mocked sarcastically earning a shushing elbow to the ribs by Emily.
"Alright, alright, but I'm serious, we only have a few more days together, how's the adult life been treating everyone?"
Hanna squished herself next to Spencer, Aria took the rocking chair and Em and Ali stayed put in the loveseat.
"Well?" Hanna looked around and shook her head, "fine losers, I'll go first," she groaned.
"Okay, so my first semester at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA is great. I'm glad I turned down that initial internship because I'm learning so much right now in these classes and ugh I hate to sound like Spencer but I'm actually having fun in these classes."
"Hey, I'm right here." Spencer smacked Hanna's arm and Hanna shrugged it off.
"Sorry not sorry Spence, but seriously I'm so excited to finally be doing something that I'm good at and be recognized for it, I get it now, you guys all had things going for you in high school and I never knew who I was. I was known as Hefty Hanna, no offense Ali, sticky fingers by the cops, then I was the new It-Girl, Mona's best friend, but I was never just me, partly because I didn't even know the Hanna I wanted to be yet…now I do. And I like me."
Emily smiled and made eye contact with her best friend, all this she knew because her and Hanna talked all the time, but watching her friend feel the confident was better than hearing it over the phone. Hanna was the first one to support Em when Emily told her about her sexuality, and Hanna was perhaps the most protective of Em when it came to their friendship. Emily recalled when she threatened Wilden in the library to give Em her letter back that she had written to Ali. Em never thanked Han, but both girls knew there was no need to.
Hanna continued for a while before wrapping up. "So yeah, I'm super happy. School is great, I have a job in a nice restaurant, working nights, and the beach is close. I got to spend the first 7 weeks with Caleb, but for a while he's got offered an internship in Silicon Valley to work for a computer programming and design company. He'll be working with some really high ups to develop security shit for the computers and company system data. I want to spend the rest of my life with my little hacker and I can't wait for my designs to come alive. Life is freaking great right now guys and I've missed you all and someone go next so I can get us some drinks before I cry while I'm sober." Hanna laughed as her eyes watered just a little.
She wouldn't say why she was emotional but the most vivid memories she had of Rosewood were haunted with –A drama and close-calls and it was such a huge relief to come back and feel like she was able to really breathe for the first time.
"What do you girls want?"
"Just bring whatever you feel like Han, we'll wait until you get back."
A minute later Hanna came back with some ice cold cherry wine coolers, "these were the only drinks I didn't need to make or pour into cups."
Each girl took one from Hanna and Ali held hers up to toast, "to coming back to Rosewood, to growing up, here's to making it this far! And more importantly to us, the baddest bitches the world will ever see."
They laughed and sipped from the glass bottles, looking at who would speak up next.
"Alright my turn," Aria chimed from the rocking chair.
"Well you guys already know I've made my hobby with photography my main focus and career goals, and I also added a concentration to English and my writing, I was leaning more towards creative writing but a general English major from Hollis will help me get a job with a company that wants me to take pictures and be able to write about it too, it's like visual journalism."
"That's great Aria," Em encouraged.
"Thanks Em. I mean I thought it was hopeless to pursue something in photography but I entered a few open galleries and I was noticed by a few professors and scouts for magazines like It's Time, Oh Snap!, and one I can't remember right now, but I'm really nervous and excited and like Hanna said I'm really glad we got the chance to all be together again."
"Okay," Ali guided, "and since Hanna included her love life, how's the future Mr. & Mrs. Fitz?"
"Ali," Aria groaned, "we aren't getting married..yet, well because I would like to marry Ezra, but right now things are good, we're recovering from all that happened before and I like the pace we're moving at," she raised her left hand and wiggled her fingers, "this can wait. I'm in no hurry."
Ali smiled and nodded, "good. Well since I'm already running my mouth, I might as well just let you all know, Pacific is great, the classes are walks in the park right now and my roommate is super hot," Ali smacked her hand over Em's covered thigh and winked at Hanna, "and I have two new friends who I love but they drive me insane. I miss you all like crazy but what the hell, we're growing up, we can't have a sleepover any day of the week anymore. That sucks but it makes visits like this more special. I plan on marrying my girlfriend and having beautiful brown haired mermaids and teasing you all that my kids are better than yours at everything. Oh and, nope, that's it." Ali was grinning widely, her cheeks pushing the corners of her eyes partly up and she broke into laughter at the looks on everyone's faces.
Ali was still catching her breath and when she looked at Em, she nearly forgot how to breathe. Emily's eyes exuded love and admiration and shook and her mouth was slightly open.
Ali just shrugged and lunged forward, pushing Em's back into the cushion and connecting their lips again, deepening it for a second before Spencer threw a pillow at them, "you two can do that later, c'mon stop it, I'm gonna throw up all that pasta."
Ali looked up and kissed Em's nose, "I love you."
Em smiled and looked at Spencer, her neck turned to her friend, eyes pleading.
"One peck Em, I'm warning you."
Emily smirked and leaned her head forward to Ali's placing one small peck on her lips and then darting her tongue in Ali's mouth, holding her neck, making their mouths mold into one.
"Emily Fields!"
Spencer threw the blanket off, completely covering Hanna in the process and she pulled at Emily from under Ali and managed to throw the swimmer on the floor, Ali not able to help, dying from laughter.
Spencer replaced Em and sat right next to Alison, her body firmly planted in the seat. Em stood up, stopped when the bottom of Spencer's foot met her stomach and groaned.
"Em, you can sit with Hanna." Spencer pointed her finger and Emily looked between Ali and Spencer, "Ali, really?"
"Sorry babe, she warned you."
"Ugh, I hate you."
"Uh huh, I hate you too."
Emily grumpily shuffled towards Hanna, her blonde friend wearing a cheesy smile and holding her arms out wide, "nice to see you too Em."
Emily laughed and plopped into Hanna's laugh, "Han, you're the only one who's always nice to me."
"Hey!" Aria threw a small pillow at Em.
"Well I would've said you too Ar, but look at what you just did."
Aria shook her head and face-palmed herself, "touché."
"Anyways, now that we established that Spencer is a bully, I'm going before her. So, I think you all heard what Ali said and I would just like to second that and add that the swim team at Pacific is great, I think we have a chance to take it all the way to National's. I'm the team captain along with Paige and we're basically the stars of the team. It feels great to be back in the water and my only complaint would be how hard these pre-med classes are, I'm working my ass off my roommate usually has the perfect method for relieving stress."
"Ew, you too are sick, you act like we don't know you two are roommates." Hanna stated next to Em, "I'm starting to not ship this so much, you guys are too mushy in public for me right now."
Emily fought the urge to defend the Emison ship and their rightful captain, opting for koala hugging Hanna and kissing her on the cheek.
"Oh don't be like that, we do this partly just to make you proud Captain."
Han groaned and stuck her tongue out, "you suck."
Em quirked a suggestive eyebrow.
"No, don't." Hanna stopped before Emily could start, "damn, where did our goody two shoes Emily Fields go? Spencer you better go before Em acts up again.
Spencer groaned, "you all drive me nuts. I don't even have much to say."
"Liar," Aria pointed out, "spit it out." Aria seemed especially excited about something and it peaked the others' interest.
"Spit what out?" Ali asked from right beside Spencer.
"Okay fine, only because Aria opened her mouth, and don't be mad the only reason she knows is because we talk a lot since we're not really that far apart."
"Alright Hastings, out with it."
Spencer lost her self control and smiled a wide toothy smile. She reached for her neckline and grabbed the chain of her necklace, pulling it out of her shirt until two items could be seen hanging from the necklace.
Aria jumped up in her seat and clasped her hands together, squealing with excitement.
Han and Emily both leaned forward to get a better look and Ali's eyes widened in surprise. Hanging from the necklace was a Scrabble piece with the letter 'S' on it and neck to it was another item this one not wooden or square at all, this one was smaller and round and silver and shiny.
"It's just an en-"
"Ah!" Ali shrieked, "You're getting married! OMG Spence congrats! No wonder Toby was acting all weird this week!"
Emily and Hanna were soon piled on Spencer, holding the engagement ring in their hands, congratulating their friend and scolding her for not telling them sooner, Spencer's excuse was to wait until she seen them all in person and then to wait until the last day as to not ruin the whole visit.
The rest of the night Spencer talked about school and work and Toby and how he proposed while they were playing a game of Scrabble and he was losing terribly, managing to spell the word 'marry' out of Spencer's 'A' in the all too fitting word 'smartass.'
Emily laughed and commended Toby for his creativeness and she held Ali close to her thinking that nothing could ever go wrong when she was feeling this happy.
Thinking that, but not knowing…
AN: So I got some feedback about the characters…some think my portrayal of Ali and Em is totally off and that's fine, your opinion is yours to have, however, I write them to fit MY story, I know that in "actuality" maybe Ali doesn't act the way she does and maybe Em doesn't say what she says, and maybe I shouldn't have included new characters (but seriously, Marlene added HELLA people these past 2 seasons LOL) but I'm not Sara nor Marlene…I can't you all happy just like they haven't made each and every one of us happy. Thanks to my regulars who've kept showing me your support, love you all!
Leave your comments and reviews! ;)
Lina
P.S. I think this story will end around chapter 50-52, depends what happens in chapter 43 and 44 hehehe (follow me on Wattpad linadanielle13)