Emison: Home

Chapter 39: Christmas Eve Dinner

Alison's POV

I hadn't seen much of Emily since the morning she'd gone to pick Quinn up from the airport. I hadn't had the opportunity to talk to her about us. About what she had said before she turned and walked away. I know what I felt for her. But I was just so terrified still of messing it up. Of hurting her. Of ruining it once and for all. I needed to talk to her about it soon. I was losing my mind over it.

I spent the day trying to distract myself by getting everything ready for the Christmas Eve dinner the whole gang was attending my house for tonight. But all it did was remind of the girl who loved Christmas and how seeing that smile lit up my world. I was just doing the finishing touches to the appetisers when the bell rang. I turned down the volume of the music and made my way to the door.

"Hey!" I opened my door enthusiastically but I felt myself falter as I realised who the first arrivals were "Em... Quinn" I stepped aside to let them in from the cold

"Um hey" Em responded nervously

"Hi Alison" Quinn nodded awkwardly

Oh god... Why did they have to arrive first... There was so much awkwardness "Just put your coats there" I indicate to the hanger behind them trying to keep my voice as normal sounding as possible. For a minute, we just stood in the entrance way, no one saying anything. I made awkward eye contact with Emily as she put her hands in her pockets and bit her lip uncomfortably.

"I brought some champagne" Quinn handed over a bottle Veuve Cliquot to me after she took her coat off

"Oh wow, thanks, you didn't have to"

"That's what I told her" Emily agreed

"Showing up empty handed is rude enough in normal circumstances and these are not normal circumstances" Quinn shrugged "Felt like this was the least we could do" Em threw Quinn a look and I just awkwardly shifted "I'm sorry but I'm not going to pretend this trio isn't awkward, shit happened almost six years ago now, both of you get over yourselves" Em's jaw dropped a little and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle

"I can see why you're Em's best friend... I think you and Hanna might get on like a house on fire"

"From what Em's told me about her, I think we just might. Although, I think Em is going to get a bit jealous"

"She does that - she's a bit over protective"

"Hey" Em protests

"It's fine, I find it cute, Killer" I winked confidently and she blushed a little just as the doorbell rang "I'll get it, why don't you move to the lounge and get comfy" I said as I went to open the door to welcome more friends.

Thirty minutes later, the whole gang was gathered in the lounge enjoying a glass of champagne and chatting away when Hanna giddily clapped her hands to grab everyone's attention "Right, I love you and this catching up is fun but that's not why I came! I want my Secret Santa gift!"

"Gee, thanks Han! What a way to make us feel loved and appreciated" Em joked as we all laughed

"You're welcome" she blew a kiss in the brunette's direction

I get up to the tree and pick up Hanna's gift first and hand it to her "Given how impatient you are, here's yours"

"Yay!" she exclaimed as she rushed to unwrap the gift "What the fuck?" she muttered as she observed the book in her hands

"What's the book?" Spencer asked from where she was sitting with Aria on her lap. They'd started dating and it looked like they had become official, although neither of them had actually told anyone anything... I had a feeling we would get into it later