"Hey Em. What are you getting so fancy for? Hot date?" Hanna asked as she, Aria, and Spencer walked into Emily's apartment.
The brown haired girl stuttered out nervously, "What? Why would you think I have a date? Ali and I are only on a break."
"Woah relax. It was only a joke", Hanna said holding her hands up in defense.
"Right of course", Emily replied with a nervous smile. "I knew that."
"What's going on with you?" Aria asked as they all studied their best friend suspiciously.
"Promise you won't say anything to Ali", Emily begged.
"It depends on how serious it is", Spencer told her while exchanging glances with the girls.
Emily sighed before saying, "I ran into Paige today."
Hanna's eyes poked out of her head. "I thought she was in Cali."
"Yeah well she's not anymore. She asked if we could go for a drink tonight to catch up", Emily said making air quotes with her fingers.
"Catch up is code for sex Emily. I thought you'd know that by now", Hanna told her rolling her eyes.
"Paige isn't like that. I think she really wants to just sit and talk", Emily shrugged.
Aria raised an eyebrow, "Does she know about you and Ali?"
The brunette nodded her head.
Hanna spoke with her hands. "Trust me..she doesn't want to just sit and talk. She wants to get even."
"Don't be ridiculous Han. I'm sure it's not like that", Spencer said in support of Emily.
"Okay. Have fun on your date", Hanna shrugged.
Emily rolled her eyes. "It is not a date."
"Alright", Hanna said unconvinced.
"What? You don't believe me?" Emily asked in disbelief.
Hanna sighed. "It's not that I don't believe you. I believe that your mind is so innocent and you don't think it's a date. But Paige most likely does. And so do I. But because she thinks it's a date."
"Hanna", Aria said stopping the girl's rambling.
"Drinks? You don't go out for drinks with an ex unless you're trying to get back into the swing of things", Hanna told them from experience.
"Oh god", Emily suddenly said.
"What?" Aria and Spencer asked at the same time.
"I have a freaking date tonight. Ali and I didn't even break up. I'm cheating on her!" Emily exclaimed.
"It's only cheating if you kiss her. Just don't kiss her and you'll be fine", Hanna told her with a shrug.
Emily began to run her temples. "This is all too much."
"You're gonna be okay. Just don't get too drunk?" Aria said in a form of a question.
"Okay, wish me luck", Emily said finally building up the courage to go through with it. Besides, it was too late to back out now. She wore a black dress which was way too expensive to just be sitting in her closet.
"Good luck", The three girls said as they watched her walk out the door.
***
Emily pulled up on front of The Brew only to see Paige already standing there on her phone, leaning against her car. She got out and slammed her door shut, trying to get the girl's attention.
"Wow. You look beautiful", Paige complimented after putting her phone into her pocket.
"You don't look too bad yourself McCullers", Emily told her not realizing what she had said.
"Are you flirting with me Ms. Fields?" Paige asked with a smirk.
Emily quickly covered up. "Why flirt when I already have a girlfriend to flirt with?"
"Fair enough. So...we're the only ones here?" Paige asked as she held the door for Emily and walked in behind her.
"Yep. Only for a couple of hours though", Emily mentioned. The place was actually going to be empty for the rest of the night. She just didn't want to spend over two hours with her ex.
Paige smiled. "Hm. I wonder what we'll be doing for those couple of hours."
"Catching up. Just like you said", Emily said taking a seat on the stool at the bar before pouring them a drink.
"Right, of course. So how's your mom?" Paige asked trying to begin conversation.
"She's good", Emily simply replied before handing the woman her glass.
She gladly took it before asking, "Paige?"
"He um...he died a few months back actually", Emily said taking a sip from her glass.
"Emily, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. If I had known I would've-" Paige began but she was cut off.
"No it's fine. Death happens. Then you just have to move on", Emily told her with a shrug.
Paige looked at her in pity. "You shouldn't think like that."
"I-I know. I'm just...just trying to be strong you know?" Emily said with a sad smile.
Paige scoffed, "For who? Alison?"
"This has nothing to do with Alison", Emily said immediately coming to her girlfriend's defense.
"What did she say when you found out", Paige asked, already getting comfortable with the topic of the blonde haired girl.
"It was before we even got together", Emily said, her stern face never faltering.
"But I'm assuming you told her right?" Paige asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Mhm", Emily murmured.
Paige didn't let up. "So what did she say?"
Emily rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter. She was there for me. There for me when you weren't."
"Things would be so much more different if I didn't leave", Paige said more to herself than to Emily.
"Probably. But you left...and I was sad. But after a while I got over it. I moved on. With someone new. And...I'm in love", Emily hesitantly told her.
"I'm happy for you", Paige stated while pouring herself another glass.
"You don't sound too happy", Emily eyed her.
Paige shrugged. "Maybe not happy with the person you found love with but I'm happy you found love. And it's the truth."
"Well, thank you", Emily smiled.
"Did you hear that?" Paige asked suddenly. "I thought we were the only ones here."
"We are. At least we're suppose to be", Emily said with a confused look on her face. She watched the door as it slowly opened, revealing blonde hair and blue eyes.
"Shit", Emily breathed out.
A/N: I was gonna end it here but I love you guys 😁
"Alison. W-What are you doing here?" Emily stuttered out in shock.
"The door was unlocked. You weren't answering your phone. Jason needs a place to stay so I thought maybe he could stay upstairs for a little while", Alison said with slight hurt in her voice.
Jason came into view, with an awkward smile.
"Oh. Sure why not", Emily smiled.
Alison was about to turn away but she just couldn't resist. "What are you doing here so late? With Paige?" She asked with a blank expression.
Emily answered innocently, "We were just catching up."
"Right", Alison smiled. "I'll leave you to your date."
Emily sighed and rolled her eyes. "Excuse me", She said to Paige before getting up and following Alison through the back door.
"Hey", She called out tugging on Alison's arm softly.
"What do you want?" Alison asked as she quickly wiped a tear that managed to escape her eye.
Emily's heart broke at the sight. "It's not what it looks like. I promise."
Alison laughed sarcastically. "Really? Because it looks like you're on a date with your ex girlfriend."
"Paige just got back in town and we were just catching up..and stuff", Emily said trying her best not to make it sound like something it honestly wasn't.
"What stuff?" Alison asked crossing her arms.
"Nothing. Okay?" Emily told her.
Alison shook her head in disgust. "You specifically said we're on a break."
"Exactly. We are. This isn't a date. It's just catching up", Emily stressed.
"Okay so how about I go and call one of my ex boyfriends and invite him out for a drink to catch up", Alison said in a sharp tone.
"You're being ridiculous", Emily gritted out.
Alison threw her arms up. "No. This break is ridiculous."
"I need the break to clear my head. I don't need any distractions getting in the way of that", Emily said raising her voice slightly.
"And Paige isn't a distraction?" The blonde haired girl asked pointing back at the other woman.
"It's just...it's been a while since we've last seen each other", Emily shrugged.
"Why would you care about seeing your ex girlfriend when you already have a girlfriend? Are you getting tired of me or something?" Alison asked with insecurity laced in her voice.
Emily rolled her eyes once more. "Of course not. Paige was my friend before we even got together."
"Friends don't try to drown friends Emily", Alison told her sarcastically.
Suddenly the back door opened and Paige came into view. "Um excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt but I should be heading out in a few. It's getting kind of late."
"No it's fine. I was just leaving anyway", Alison told her before turning back to Emily. "You can go and finish your date now."
X
Alison wiped the lone tear that escaped her eye as she sat in her car. She listened as the rain tapped against the window. Perfect for her mood. Her phone rang which snapped her out of her little breakdown. She answered it without looking at the caller ID and once she heard her brother's voice, her mood brightened just a little.
"Hi Jason."
"Hey Ali. Where'd you go?"
"Oh shit. I'm sorry. I kind of got side tracked."
"I uh...I heard a little about what happened between you and Em. I didn't mean to eavesdro-"
"It's perfectly fine."
"Are you okay?
Alison wiped another tear. "Yeah. It's not Emily's fault. She needs her space and I'm giving it to her."
"But is that what you wanted?"
"Not at all. But sometimes when you love someone...you have to make sacrifices. Even if that means putting your own feelings to the side."
"Hard to believe that you're younger than me."
Alison giggled.
"Mom would you be proud of you"
"Thanks Jay."
"I have work early in the morning so I'll text you later"
"Goodnight."
"Night."
Alison smiled as she hung up the phone. Finally gathering the strength to get out the car, she walked up Aria's porch. She put the key in the door and walked inside.
"Hey Ali. Have you been crying?" Aria asked with concern. She had a feeling she already knew what it was about.
"No. I'm fine", Ali responded quietly.
Aria smiled sadly. "I think it's safe to say we're all bad liars now."
"It's nothing", Alison said.
"Emily?"
That's when Alison broke down. "Everything. I don't know what it is. I just feel so alone."
"You're not. You have me and the girls. And Jason just came back into town."
"I know but it's not the same anymore", Alison stated with a sigh.
"I get exactly what you mean. But I might've known what happened tonight", Aria hesitantly told her. This caught Alison's attention.
"How?"
"I was over at Em's place with the girls. We walked in when she was getting ready and she said Paige came to town. That they were catching up"
Alison didn't say anything.
"Are you mad at me?" Aria asked.
Alison sighed. "No. I should be because you didn't tell me but...I'm not. "
"I honestly did think they were just catching up. We both know Emily's not that type of person", Aria said while the two sat on the couch.
"I know. I overreacted. But she's slipping right through my fingers and I can't seem to stop her", Alison said shakily.
"As much as I don't want to get involved....how about you go and catch up with one of your exes as well"
Alison's eyes went wide. "I actually mentioned that to Emily too. But I don't know..that seems kind of mean don't you think?"
Aria shrugged. "I mean...it's not going to be a date. Just like how tonight wasn't a date. Besides, I think this will help you guys. Once Emily sees you with someone else she'll realize that the break is stupid and she'll regret ever mentioning it."
"Do you really think it'll work?" Alison asked skeptically.
"I do. And it doesn't have to be someone you know. I can call up one of my friends and you guys can pretend to be old lovers or something", Aria said excitedly.
"Okay I'll do it. But if my relationship crumbles, I'm blaming you", Alison said only half joking.
A/N: Happy new dayyy. The next update will probably take a little longer but only because I want everything to be perfect for you guys. The next chapters will be much longer and I've even been thinking about doing a sequel. I can't ever let this book die. Anyways, sorry for any mistakes and I'll see u next time 💜