A bit more Hannily fluff in this one, expect a plot twist along with some angst in the next chapter.

Chapter 3

Hanna's POV

Emily and I walked through the front door of her mums place after our catch up with Spencer and Aria at The Brew earlier today. We didn't have to drop Aria back home, she just went back to Spencer's with her. That lunch, especially with Spencer's news, was intense to say the least.

"I knew we should've stayed home." I said to Emily as we both walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

"No, it was a good that we ended up going, otherwise Spencer wouldn't have had us there for her." She replied.

She had started grabbing what was left of her clothes out of her wardrobe and stuffing them into her bag. It had been a long unspoken process, but Emily was moving into my place. Unbeknownst to her parents of course. Because she packed a bag to stay at mine every week but never brought her clothes back home, she always had an excuse to stay at mine no matter what night of the week it was, whilst slowly but surely bringing everything she owned to her new home.
Eventually, her mum just stopped asking.

"You make a much better friend than I do." I chuckled.

Emily walked over and wrapped her arms around my waist as she hugged me from behind.
"I just do for my friends what I know they'd do for me" she said. Then she leaned in and whispered in my ear, "But just between you and me, you're still my favourite."

I turned around and grinned at her, suddenly a memory took form in my mind. "Do you remember the first time we ever talked?" I asked, "I mean properly talked, none of that small talk shit." I finished.

She tilted her head to one side, "How could I forget. You were so upset that day. We both were." She said as she stuck her bottom lip out at the memory.

"Ali had just gone missing. But of all the people I could've turned to that day, out of Spencer, Aria, my mum, anyone… I ran to you instead." I said, I pushed a loose bit of hair out of her face.

"I didn't think anyone else would understand," I continued "when I told you how I wasn't really sorry that she was gone, you didn't accuse me of being heartless. You just asked me what it was she had done to me. You held me tight and comforted me even after everything I had admitted to you. I don't think I ever thanked you for that, Em."

"Baby you don't have to thank me for anything, everything she said to you, everything she did had such a profound impact on you, no one deserved to go through what you did." She said as she sat me down on her bed and took my hand in hers.

"But you loved her Emily, and you still chose to stick by me, knowing I didn't miss her. That I still don't miss her." I said, I had never fully understood how, despite her feelings for Ali, Emily was able to look past all her feelings and take my side anyway. She was so selfless.

"You know why, Hanna?" She asked, she grabbed my face in her hands so I was looking straight into her eyes when she said "because I love you more than I ever loved Ali, it didn't take me long to realize that what I felt for Ali was only puppy love. And when you came here and told me everything you'd been through with her, it only reinforced what I already knew. Ali was manipulative Hanna." She lowered her hands from my face. "Baby we're real, I'm never nervous with you and you make me so unconditionally happy every single day."

"Emily-"

"Shh for a second, Han I should be thanking you." She continued, this time standing up as she spoke. "If you hadn't come to me that night I would never have noticed what was right in front of me, ever since Ali brought us together."

This time I remained silent until she continued. Still seated on the bed, waiting patiently.

"Friends are supposed to make you feel good, they are supposed to make you laugh and pick you up when you fall. Ali never did any of that for me. Hell, even Spencer and Aria can only accomplish some of those things at a time. But Han, you are all those things and more."

I couldn't help it, I welled up and the tears spilled out of my eyes. Emily calmly knelt down in front of me and wiped away every tear.

"I love you, Em." I said, looking deep into her mahogany eyes. I felt like I was seeing her in a whole new light. I loved her so endlessly. I loved the way her long dark hair spilled down her shoulders, I loved how she smiled at me and I loved how she could read my mind.

"I know, baby" she said to me in the sweetest, most beautiful voice I'd ever heard. She leant up and kissed me on the tip of my nose, filling me with the bubbliest vibe. Suddenly I knew that small motion would mean the world to me, our own thing reserved only for each other. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, she made me feel like the most special person in the world.

She took my hands in hers and stood up, pulling me up with her. "Come on" she said "I have all my stuff, let's go home."

I pulled her into a warm embrace, breathing in her delicious fruity scent. I held on to her for a few long moments before eventually stepping back and taking her hand in mine, locking our fingers together.

"Ok, let's go, I wanna spend the rest of our day exactly how you imagined it this morning." I said, grabbing her bag for her and pulling her towards the front door.

As we pulled into my driveway I saw someone sitting on my front step, someone I didn't think I'd see for a very long time.

Caleb.

Thankyou so much for reading this far! I hope you're enjoying it. There will be at least 5 chapters depending on how the story goes. Please rate & review, also feel free to leave ideas for how the story/plot can go. I'd love to hear from you all :)