A/N Sorry for the wait! Work is my number one priority and its been a long two weeks. enjoy the next chapter! Thanks for all the reads ans especially for the reviews. They are so appreciated. On to the next part! -SGB
Chapter 7
E POV
It's been a couple of days since I kissed Paige. I was still in a little bit of shock that I let myself do that. I wanted to. In that moment, it felt like the right thing to do. I felt…alive when I kissed her. I was too damned embarrassed to stay. Embarrassed that I had kissed her, and embarrassed that I wanted to kiss her again. Today is the swim meet, and she hasn't even looked at me. She has been super focused lately. And whenever we did see each other, she would break any eye contact and ignored me. I wanted to talk to her so badly. But right now, I needed to concentrate. We needed to beat this team to advance in the tournament next week, and I really wanted to get to the scouts at the finals of it. Paige was on the block for the 50 M freestyle. She looked good…really good. I watched as she stretched her arms above her head, and turned towards me. I smiled warmly as she stopped and smiled back, before covering her eyes with her googles and getting on her starting block. She dove into the water with such grace, such determination. I couldn't help myself, I watched her whole race and cheered when she finished in first. I was up for the 100 M butterfly, but I couldn't shake my own butterflies piling high in my stomach. My eyes found Paige, who was just nodding absentmindly as her father continued to berate her as she walked away from him and back to the other side.
"You alright?" I asked as she sat on the bench.
"Never better, Fields." Paige said as she kept her focus. "Don't worry about it, Emily. Concentrate on your race." She said as she grabbed her headphones, and shut me out quickly. I deserved that I guess. I put my focus back to the water, and drowned out all the other sounds in the natatorium.
XxxxxX
P POV
I was so fucking pissed I couldn't see straight. 'Why weren't you faster?' 'The win isn't enough, you need to beat records!' 'You can do better.' All the bullshit that Pastor Nick was spewing as we walked out of the gym towards his pickup.
"Are you listening, Paige?" He asked as I turned to him and nodded.
"Yes, dad. Can I go now? Jackson is taking me to the brew to celebrate." I said as I loaded up the truck and turned towards him. He rolled his eyes and nodded, as I waved goodbye and headed back to the gym. Inside Jackson was waiting on the bleachers with Aria, as she was showing him something she had written in our shared English class. He looked up and moved away from Aria as I rolled my eyes and stepped in front of them. "Can we go, please? I want to get away from my dad as fast as possible."
"Did his holiness rip you a new one? Shame. You were on point." Jackson said as I turned towards him and he shrugged. "What?"
"You never pay attention to the races!" I said as Emily laughed and stood and grabbed her bag. "What's up?" I asked as she smiled.
"Work. Jackson, Aria. See you guys tonight?" Emily asked as thy nodded in unison, before he left.
"What's tonight?" I asked as Aria grabbed a flyer from her bag.
"Jackson's gonna accompany me while I sing at open mic. You should come Paige!" She said excitedly as Jackson just blushed as I gave him a stern look.
"Sure Aria. After I talk with this clown real quick." I said seriously. He waved at Aria as he followed me out of the gym.
"So Aria?" I asked as he just sighed heavily.
"Look, I dig her. She's pretty cool. And she thinks I'm ok. Not a freak like everyone else. She's going to Drexel next year. So what? I'm allowed to look." Jackson said as I rolled my eyes.
"And all the shit you've been asking about Emily?" I asked as he frowned.
"You like her! Just fucking admit it and deal. She is pretty fucking cool man. And she stood up for us. For you." Jackson reasoned as I sighed heavily.
"Just drop it, please?" I asked as he shook his head.
"No bro. You need to deal. Before you miss out on a good thing. Just trust me." He urged as he pulled out his pack and lit a cigarette. I sighed heavily and looked at him.
"Fine. I'll talk to her. But you don't get to bring up Emily anymore." I said seriously as he nodded.
"Deal bro. Come out tonight please? You're my best friend and I think we have a good thing going. Something fun at least." Jackson said as I smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist. "And you can kill two birds with one stone. I promise I keep my distance."
"Fine. But if either of them pulls a Yoko Ono then all bets are off." I said as me nodded and hugged me tight. Later that night, I was standing in the back area if the brew, watching another chick with a guitar sings her guts out. I was just phasing out with every performance, but every time she passed by, she caught my eye. I still haven't spoken to since the Halloween train. That kiss, that kiss completely blew me out of the water. I couldn't understand why she ran though. I don't know who's been avoiding who, but I'm done waiting. If Jackson can get over his thing against those girls, so can I, right?
"Next up is Aria Montgomery and Jackson Mendez." Emily said as she moved away from the mic and towards the counter. I made my way over and sat across from her. She sighed heavily as she wiped down the counter.
"Everything ok?" I asked as she looked up and nodded.
"Just a long and stressful night. "She said as I nodded. "Your dad was laying it on thick earlier. For ye record though, you did great." She said as I nodded.
"It's never enough, you know? You can will the race, beat your best times and it's still not enough." I said as Emily moved in front of me.
"He's tough, but just so you know, you fucking rocked today. We needed this win." She said seriously.
"You did great too." I said shyly. I sighed heavily and looked back up from the crumpled up straw wrapper I was playing with. "Listen, about the other night..." I started as she looked at me deeply, before the cook called for service.
"Can we talk about this when my shift is over?" She asked quickly and apologetically as I nodded dejectedly.
"Sure. They are the last act right?" I asked as she nodded in relief.
"Yes, thank god. I'll lock up and then we can talk while I clean down." Emily said as I nodded and turned back to the corner where Aria was singing a smiths' cover. I let myself get lost in the smaller girl's voice. I just wanted to get this talk over with and soon. That kiss was still very much on my mind from the time it happened. When her lips connected with mine, everything just fell away. It was better than anything I had ever experience. Better than my first show, better than the first mosh pit experience, better than...everything. I felt electricity rip through my nerves from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. I wanted it again, but I didn't want what could happen. Alison could get worst, she could have made a mistake, and all sorts of scenarios played through my head as Aria continued to sing. After a few more songs, they finished up and the patrons slowly filtered out of the cafe. Emily shut the door after the last customer was gone. I swung around, moved to a couch and kicked my feet up on to coffee table. Fuck...this is it.
XxxxxX
E POV
I pulled my apron off an sighed heavily as I leaned against the counter. I have to face the music. She looks good, like really good. I love her leather motorcycle jacket, and god damn it...I couldn't stop thinking about her. I lifted myself away from the counter and poured two coffees, and walked back out into the dining room. She was reading a magazine, but tossed aside as I sat next to her.
"Hey." She said as I handed her the extra coffee.
"I guessed black with two sugars?" I said as she nodded and took a deep sip.
"Look...we can just forget about what happened. It was a heat of the moment kind of thing. I get it." Paige quickly said as she stared down at her coffee. I frowned and stared at my own. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I sighed heavily sat back against the couch. I turned towards her. She kept staring deeply into her coffee, but I wanted her to look at me. I took a deep breath and asked the first thing that popped into my head.
"What if I don't want to forget it?" I asked quietly. She let out a defeated breathe and stirred her coffee. "Is it so bad to think I actually enjoyed it?" I asked honestly.
"If you enjoyed it, you would've stayed." She simply put as I nodded.
"It was intense...I just...didn't expect it. It was so..." I started but stopped as she looked at me. I blushed and looked back at my coffee. I felt her move closer, and her lifting my chin.
"So what?" She asked as she stared deep into my eyes. I bit my lip and stared at her lips. Before I knew it, she pushed forward and kissed me deeply. I let out a surprised moan and gripped the lapels of the motorcycle jacket. I pulled her in closer, and felt her arms wrap around me tightly. The kiss deepened quickly, and before I knew it we both pulled away. She was panting heavily as she smirked and shook her head.
"What?" I asked as I caught my own breath. She let out an almost cocky chuckle and reached other again, kissing me just as deeply. I pulled her in closer as we fell back onto the couch. My legs wrapped around her waist tightly, and held her close. I ran my fingers through her hair all the while feeling her hands on my sides, her fingertips slowly dragging up my sides and around my back. It was sensory overload for sure, and I was losing all restraint. I pushed her back, but kept her body pressed against my own. Her eyes were closed tight but a small smile slowly crept up her lips. "What?" I asked quietly as she opened her eyes.
"Shut up and kiss me, Em." Paige said quickly, as she pulled me back up towards her. I was completely lost to her, and all I wanted was to keep falling.