AUTHORS NOTE: Hello everybody, it is I! Sweden was cold and rainy and I've literally just defrosted. Work has been super busy, but I'm glad to be home and updating this Fic. I know that it takes me a while to update sometimes but i can promise you (as i have 10000000 times before) that i won't abandon.
1:. I do sometimes leave a Authors note in a review, i have this month to let you guys know i appreciate your concerns but I'm still alive and updating!
2:Also a little review was left (which i appreciate as it is honesty and constructive) Have a read of it in my review comment. I LOVE EMILY i can promise that and the views of her not caring about Paige are Paige's own…and..Ahem….0.5% me :)
3: I cannot stress enough how amazing your reviews and PM's have been. I have had over 7,000 story views in the past months and that is unbelievable to me because this is my first whack at writing. REVIEWS do mean everything to writers. I myself review on every story/chapter i read and i encourage people to do the same as it makes it worth it for Fic writers. So if you do have time to read and you like (constructive also welcome) what you're reading PLEASE just take the time to leave a little review..thank you.
I OWN NOTHING APART FROM SOME CHARACTERS I INTRODUCED IN THIS FIC….ESPECIALLY NOT SARA HARVEY…. DEFINITELY NOT SARA… ew.
Love as always.
RB
Paige
"Caleb!" Paige yelled, momentarily taking her phone away from her ear to check if the phone had disconnected.
"Yeh…yeh I'm still here Paige" Caleb finally replied. A little less excited than Paige initially anticipated.
"Jeez i thought you'd be happy" She chuckled nervously down the phone.
Although Paige had made so many new friends at Stanford in Rio and the swim team, as well as numerous people from her classes, Caleb was still her very best friend. The two had a deep connection and understanding of each other. Hanna even joked that the identical scars on the two's foreheads were a sign that they were twins separated at birth.
"Sorry. Thats amazing man, I'm so happy for you."
Paige smiled at the comment knowing that the most important person to her approved of the situation.
"Thank's she's really incredible Cal."
With that Paige's smiled faded as 101 possibilities of what could be so urgent invaded her mind. At least 95 of those possibilities involving Emily Fields.
"So what did you have to tell me. Is everything ok, is Hanna ok? Is Emil…." Paige rushed out words as her heart thudded hard against her chest, only to be reassured quickly by Caleb.
"Everything's fine, i just wanted to let you know that i spoke to my Mom, she's planning on coming down next week"
Paige let out the breath she was holding as her heart rate steadied. Fear was overcome with happiness for her friend whose relationship with his mother had seriously declined over the years.
"Thats great! Glad you're getting on better now.."
*BLEEP*BLEEP*BLEEP*
Paige pulled the phone away from her ear and blushed when she noticed the caller ID.
"Hey, I've got an incoming call, i'll Skype tomorrow and we will talk more.. love you bro." She waited a beat for a response, one that never came, before hanging up.
Paige could sense something was up with Caleb, not just from the occasional pauses and stutters that laced his speech but the lack of banter and playfulness she was so accustom to was clearly missing. She made a mental note to bring it up in their next Skype conversation. Right now she just wanted to hear from the girl who has made her heart flutter ever since she met her.
"Hey" Paige immediately plopped her head down on her pillow, toes curling in excitement as she waited to hear the charming tone that graced her ears every night for the past week.
"Well hello there Cowgirl… your phone said you were engaged? I suppose i should say congratulations.. I guess our date didn't go very well?" Jess deadpanned trying to stifle a quiet giggle from escaping her lips.
Paige chuckled once again at another of the girls long list of lame jokes. She could just picture Jess now. A deep crimson shadow covering her delicate cheeks, twirling a piece of hair round her finger like the girl in the movies always did whenever they were talking to their crush.
"Sorry i was just checking in on a friend, not a fiancé i can assure" Paige shot back earning a comical sigh of relief from the other side of the phone.
"The date was beyond perfect Jess, I'm seriously going to have to step up my game" Paige stroked her bottom lip savouring the taste that still lingered.
Cherry chapstick, just like the Katy Perry song. The same song that Rio had set as her ringtone last summer without her knowledge, which of course in true Rio fashion, was revealed when she prank called Paige in the middle of her Foreign Business lecture and the sapphic tune blasted from her pocket.
"Well, it is in my culture. Statistics show that the British are, by far, the most charming breed" Jess's giggle now turning in to a cocky snigger.
"Please, you know what they say, everything is bigger and better in America." Paige blurted out quickly without thinking.
Jess went silent,causing the swimmer to cringe internally, contemplating whether the soccer star may interpret it as a sexual innuendo.
"Well i guess i'll be the judge of that" Jess finally piped up, sounding a little more seductive than the previous flirty banter they were engaging in.
"I guess you will" Paige bit down on her lip listening to the girls slightly heavier breathing. "So is that you agreeing to a second date?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Paige fist pumped the air and wriggled her legs excitedly at the prospect of seeing the girl again.
They chatted effortlessly for the next couple of hours about everything and anything,stopping only when both of the girls yawns were gradually intensifying.
"We should really get going, we both have practice tomorrow." Paige reluctantly pointed out, feeling slightly saddened that the conversation was soon to come to an end.
"Wow, check you out, already know my schedule." Jess would usually end a statement with a signature cheeky laugh but another yawn quickly washed over her.
"Before you go, please note,just for future reference, that i am positively crap at giving presents."
Paige's brows furrowed in confusion before thinking back to the black box with the ribbon. Something that through-out the incredible date she had completely forgotten about.
"Before you go to sleep just check your porch." Jess smiled nervously biting the corner of her lip.
"You're just full of surprises aren't you." Paige chuckled shifting off of her bed and moving towards her bedroom door. Stopping only to reassure Jess.
"Whatever it is.. I'm sure i'll love it, Thank you"
"Sweet dreams, Paige."
Paige felt butterflies in her stomach hearing the other girl say her name. She was so used to being called 'Cowgirl' that she almost forgot how good her name sounded coming from the other girls mouth.
"Sweet dreams, Jessica."
The last thing Paige heard was a small content sigh before the call ended. She kept the phone to her ear for a second longer before bringing it down to clutch it to her chest.
It was 2am in the morning and Paige was trying her best to sneak downstairs without waking her parents. Their door had always been left slightly open ever since the lighthouse incident. The lighthouse incident which had left Paige suffering with PTSD, this of course led to night terrors in which she woke up in a pool of sweat, screaming Emily's name. The nightmares had slowly deteriorated over the years, but she was still prone to an outburst now and again, particularly when she was under a lot of stress. It was something her Mother always dreaded.
Paige cringed at every squeak of the floorboard. Her house was older but much larger than her home in Rosewood. The grand staircase and twinkling chandeliers made it almost impossible to slip out unnoticed, a talent she was not as gifted at as most people her age, she was far too clumsy to sneak around.
She eventually made it to the door, listening intently for any signs of stirring coming from upstairs, she reached for the doorknob and made her way outside onto her porch. Of course balanced against the grumpy looking gnome Paige bought her dad last christmas was a perfect slender black box, covered with a red silk ribbon and marked prominently with the letter 'P'.
The porch was dimly lit with a purple glow coming form the bug zapper. Paige retreated back until she was sitting on the porch swing. She ran her fingers over the lettering before beginning to untie the ribbon. Inside was a slightly smaller beige box marked 'LINKS LONDON'. Her breath caught when she opened the top to reveal a beautiful silver charm bracelet. It was glamorous yet simple, something that matched Paige's style perfectly. She lifted it off of the small cushion to reveal a single dangling charm. It was dark but Paige laughed out loud when she noticed the shape. A small sterling silver Cowboy boot.
The night grew colder but Paige didn't care. She laid peacefully on her porch swing playing with the dangling charm of her new favourite bracelet. She looked to the night sky, thanking the universe for bringing the new light into her life.
Emily
It was like a cement slab covered her chest and with every day progressing it got slightly heavier. Before Emily knew it she was packing the last of her things for her internship in California.
"Emily hurry the hell up, this car runs on gas, not friendship!" Hanna yelled from outside the girls window.
Clutching her travel pillow under her arm she took a glance at her room for a final time,her eyes fixing on her wardrobe. She checked out her window to see Caleb's palms rubbing his eyes in frustration as Hanna scolded him for forgetting to bring her Beyoncé CD. She returned her gaze back to the wardrobe before setting down her things on her bed and making her way over to the small wooden box. For the umpteenth time she brought the Rosewood sharks hoody to her face sighing in disappointment when she noticed Paige's smell was slowly fading.
"Is there anything else that needs to be taken downstairs." Caleb spoke from the open door causing Emily to jump and drop the hoody to her feet.
Caleb slowly made his way over picking up the clothing, ignoring Emily's wide eyed stare he began to trace his fingers over the 'PM' lettering under the sharks logo.
"I..Uh" Emily racked her brains for an excuse but nothing came to her, she just dropped her head as her eyes began to gloss over.
Nothing needed to be said, Caleb just gulped inwardly and reached over to pull Emily into his chest, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around him as she let out a shaky breath.
*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*
The embrace was quickly interrupted as Hanna held her hand down on the horn outside. The two separated, clearing their throats awkwardly before Caleb handed back the sweater.
"Lets go before you fall out with all your neighbours" Caleb laughed as he picked up the rest of Emily's things.
She placed the box back under the wardrobe before turning to the boy.
"Caleb?"
"Yeh?" Caleb turned hands full with various suitcases and pillows.
"Thanks." They nodded simultaneously before heading out the door.
"Oh my god i'm starving when are we stopping for food" Hanna empathised the word starving before shovelling another handful of Chex mix into her mouth.
"Hanna we ate before we left and that was an hour and a half ago." Caleb spoke slowly gripping his hands slightly tighter to the steering wheel.
Even though the whining was similar to a 5 year old asking a frustrated parent 'are we there yet?' Emily was thankful that they had agreed to take her to the airport. Pam and Wayne had left two days prior so that her mom could stay in Texas for the duration that Emily was in Cali.
"Wow Caleb sorry for having an appetite, you know if you're looking for some sickly thin model who only has a carrot stick on the weekend then, Mr you are surely mistaken.. and another thing…"
"Music!" Emily interrupted.
Hanna stopped in her tracks before nodding her head in affirmation to the girl in the front seat, causing Caleb to mouth the word 'thank you' to Emily. This however did not go unnoticed as Hanna leant over to the front and flicked her boyfriend's ear, muttering something about having no respect and not being able to listen to her own music because of a certain someone.
Emily flicked through the endless channels hoping to find something that would subside Hanna's mood. She smiled as the last chorus of Beyoncé's 'Drunk in love' sounded over the speakers. Hanna instantly ripped her gaze away from looking angrily out the window as her and Emily performed the choreography they had conjured up the time they were drunk on Spencer's leaving party..Well, performed to the best of their ability seated in Caleb's car.
Much to Caleb's delight the awful shrieks and bad rapping came to abrupt end as the radio presenters voice drowned out the end of the song.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, a new singer/you-tuber on the scene is Nicole Cross and her covers have achieved over a million subscribers. So here she is this is Nicole Cross covering Passenger-Let her go..Enjoy"
"Ooooooh i love this song, Caleb turn it up!" Hanna shrieked as she pretended to strum out a guitar.
Caleb glanced over to Emily who was already looking, pleading with her eyes for him to shut it off.
Hanna, failed to notice the exchange so took it upon herself to lean over the console and turn the radio up.
"Come on Emily sing with me" Hanna laughed holding an imaginary microphone to Emily's mouth.
"I don't know this one, sorry Han" Emily lied. She smiled softly before resting her head against the window.
Staring at the bottom of your glass,
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last
But dreams come slow and they go so fast.
You see her when you close your eyes
Maybe one day you'll understand why
Everything you touch surely dies
But you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
"Emily.. Em wake up were here" Hanna slowly jolted Emily with both hands as Caleb began the tedious job of unpacking all of Emily's things out of the trunk. She began drifting off again before she was struck in the head by Hanna's travel pillow.
"Come on you big Gay, up you get" The blonde laughed before stepping over Emily things and began walking towards the departure gate empty handed, leaving Caleb as per usual to the grunt work.
"I am going to miss you so, so much" Hanna squeezed Emily into a tight hug. Normally the girl would make a face over her shoulder but Emily gripped on just as hard and buried her face into Hanna's hair.
"Im going to miss you too Hanna Banana" The two chuckled at the old nickname. "Have fun in New York look after Aria."
"Skype me everyday and tell Paige i miss her for me" Both Caleb's and Emily's head dropped once again.
"I will" She said reluctantly forcing a smile to her best friend.
"Bye Caleb." She nodded towards him trying to avoid his concerned glare.
"Bye, Em." Bringing one hand out of his pocket to offer a small wave.
Reading out her seat number Emily was relieved to see she was the only person who had a free seat next to her. She quickly sought out her headphones and adjusted her pillow against the window, looking forward to stretching her legs against the seat beside her.
"Ladies and Gentleman this is your captain speaking, just waiting on our final passenger and we should be off shortly"
A series of groans and mumbles filled the cabin. Emily sighed once again, moving her things in order for the mystery person to sit. Another 5 minutes passed without a sign of the person boarding so Emily once again drifted off to sleep.
"Hello, Ma'am" Emily was once again woken up confused, this time by a stranger.
"Hello, i'm Josephine, but you can call me Jo, everybody does apart from my Mother of course" She outstretched a hand sporting a toothy grin. Jo's eye's were wide, almost childlike and lacked any sign of blinking. She wore an oversized fuzzy rainbow jumper, bootcut jeans and bright pink Doc Marten boots. Her nails were painted..badly, something that Hanna would surely freak out about.
"Emily" Emily finally muttered with barely open eyes before her hand was engrossed in a fiercely gripped handshake.
"Emily, Fields, right? I hope you don't mind i checked the website and saw that you were an intern at Stanford, like me. My mom likes to check who I'm sitting next to so they told me your name and BAM" The girl clapped both of her hands loudly together, making the couple in the next aisle over jump. She finally took a breath before beginning another lengthy sentence.
"What a funny coincidence here you are and we're sitting together, hey how cool would it be if we were rooming together!"
Emily's jaw suddenly dropped open at the thought. Her ears were already ringing from just meeting the girl, she had literally got one word in in the last 5 minutes and she was dreading the prospect of having to spend another 5 minutes let alone 6 weeks with the girl.
Emily's mouth flapped open and closed before a flight attendant interrupted asking if the girls could lower their voices at the other passengers discretion. Emily quickly apologised, hoping the attendant could sense the uncomfortable look on her face and offer her a new seat. Perhaps even in the restroom would be better.
"Yeh that sounds..great." Emily finally replied to Jo with a gulp, holding her headphones in front of her as if to suggest that she would no longer engage in the conversation. But it was no use. She was bombarded with questions and the girls life story for hours until Jo finally tuckered herself out. She laid there head resting on Emily's shoulder, snoring loudly and silently drooling.
Her mind was so preoccupied with the girl next to her that she almost forgot where she was heading..and who she was going to see on the other side.
"Ladies and Gentleman this is your captain speaking, we are making our descend into San Francisco an should be arriving in around 15 minutes"
And there it was. The concrete slab was back and 1000x heavier than ever before. She was going to see her. She was going to see Paige.
LIKE IT, HATE IT? PLEASE REVIEW EITHER WAY IT MAKES A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE.
New character Josephine, Sort of a cross between Pandora from Skins and Crazy eyes from OITNB. Let me know what you think! lots of love as always.
Song credit Nicole Cross (Passenger) -Let Her Go