The Breakup

4. The New Partner

Emily knew that getting back with Paige was possibly the worst move she could make while getting over Ali, but she needed anything to take her mind off the breakup.

Paige was always there for her, no matter how badly Emily treated her, which made the task of getting her back a breeze.

It wasn’t long before Paige had moved in part time and had reminded Emily how to live. While Emily was grateful for Paige’s comfort, her heart wasn’t in the relationship. It lacked the spark she and Ali shared.

But Paige took her to clubs and they drank so much they forgot their names, then hooked up back in the apartment and went to work hungover. They’d had the same routine for almost two months straight.

In the few moments she was sober and alone, Emily thought about Ali’s baby, wondering what had happened there. She imagined Ali snuggled up with a child watching cartoons.

It felt so far away from what her life had become and she wondered if she could ever settle down with a partner and a family.

It was also during these times that she thought about her old friends back in Rosewood. The friends who’d felt like family. She’d thought the five of them would stay close forever.

The fear of sinking down into such deep self-pity was why Emily was only living for her nights out drinking with Paige. That was the only reprieve she got from her mundane life was pretending it didn’t exist.

She was still in love with Alison.

…

‘I’m so sorry baby…I love you…I love you…I love you…’

Ali woke in a panic. She was sweating through her clothes. As she tried to stabilise her breathing, she looked at the man lying beside her.

What am I doing?

He shifted in his sleep and laid an arm across her body, as if subconsciously claiming her as his.

Slowly, Ali manoeuvred her way out from under him and climbed out of bed. She shut the bedroom door quietly behind her and grabbed her things as she left his house.

What is wrong with me? Ali felt so stupid as she walked through the darkened streets back to the apartment she shared with her brother. She couldn’t believe she’d gotten caught up in that crap again and mentally slapped herself.

When she got home, she grabbed the phone and dialled the number. A knot forming in her stomach, she listened as the phone rang out and finally reached the voice message.

‘Hi, this is Emily Fields, please leave a message and I’ll get back to you.’

Ali quickly hung up before the beep and felt the change in her body. She was still tense, but much happier after hearing Emily’s voice.

‘I love you,’ she said into the empty room, ‘even after all these months.’