No Escape

Fracture

"So... You have a date to the dance."

Emily looked up to meet Aria's eyes that had a rare look of mischief in them. It had been difficult to look for things to joke about ever since everything with -A started. That's why Emily didn't have it in her to dispel whatever lightness the situation had brought upon the five.

"Yes, I know that. You know that. You were there when I asked." Emily rolled her eyes, but she was smiling, remembering the night.

"It's been a while since I've seen you smile like that, Em. Even with-" Aria stopped, not knowing if she was allowed to comment on that.

Emily knew what she was talking about, and the smile on her face slipped a bit. She nodded in understanding, however. "I know. It's always different when it's her." She still looked happy, but there was an underlying pain to her expression. "You know what they say about first loves."

Emily closed her locker and started to walk to her first class with Aria. "I had feelings for her even when I was dating Maya. I still constantly looked for her then. I know I was the most hopeful that she was still alive for that year before they found the body."

Aria felt a little guilty, because she'd already believed Ali to be dead long before that time. The conversation was quickly turning out to be heavier than Aria wanted, so instead of commenting on what Emily said, she quipped, "And now you're taking her to the dance." Emily's lips turned up like Aria expected.

"Yes, she is." They both followed the voice to the person who said them, and was met with a smiling Alison.

"Your class is on the other side of the school," Aria commented.

Alison only shrugged, walking in time with them beside Emily. "I have time."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "You have about three minutes."

Alison shrugged again until they reached Emily and Aria's first class, and she bounced lightly on the balls of her feet as she stood with the two of them. She flashed a smile again, and her eyes visibly softened when they landed on Emily. "I'll see you at lunch." She winked, before walking away, keeping that air of superiority as she did. Which was why the crowd parted a little for her to pass.

Emily's eyes were glued to the blonde. "Did she just walk us to class?"

"She walked you to class."

Emily felt her heart flutter a little. "Or she might just have had time."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. The Alison Dilaurentis would go to the other side of the school as her class to kill time."

Emily pursed her lips to keep from full on grinning from ear to ear. "Maybe she would." Aria only shook her head at the taller girl before entering the classroom, and she had to call out to Emily to get her to stop looking at Alison's retreating back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanna watched as Alison arrived a few seconds late to class. She looked happier, Hanna noted, compared to the past few weeks when she had arrived, getting framed by Mona and receiving hate from the students in the school. She wondered if it was Emily asking her out or some other thing. Alison was never one to share her thoughts with anyone.

Hanna bit her bottom lip as her gaze shifted from the other blonde back to her phone.

Break them up, or I'll break them. Literally. -A

"Hey, Hanna."

Hanna looked up suddenly, and she was met with the furrowed perfect brows of Alison Dilaurentis.