Not close enough

1. Time cast a spell on you, but you wont forget me.

It's hard to pinpoint when Haley's life changed forever.
Was it when she was dragged to pelican town by her parents? Was it when she met her friends in the stardrop salloon? Or was it when she had finally come to terms with her sexuality?

Haley preferred to think it was the last option.
Feeling more free than ever before, yet still so trapped by her own desires.
Once upon a time Haley had loved a woman deeply but, was not ready to accept it.
She buried the feelings so deep that she forgot they existed until she was handed a letter by Emily, a letter from the woman she loved.

Hayley,
I know this is unexpected and that you probably still hate me but, I'm writing to invite you to my opening. A photography shop.
The years we spent together were the best of my life, I wish to celebrate this moment with you, or to at least know I tried.
My divorce has been hard on me and I can't help but think you're the one person that could make me feel better.
Is my sister keeping the farm in good shape?
I never wanted to leave but I couldn't stay if you hated me. I couldn't stay if we weren't in the saloon every night, tucked away in the corner from the rest of the world, the way we always were.
I don't expect a reply, or for you to even come, just consider it. Please.
I've been thinking about you a lot lately, I wish I had reached out sooner or at least tried to ask you why we changed before I left.
I know that you wouldn't just stop calling or coming to visit me for no reason.
I don't know why you avoided me but what I do know is that I shouldn't have left so suddenly because of it.
I wish I had given you time but, my stupid feelings made me selfish and for that I'm sorry.
Anyway, say hi to Jessica for me? And let her know I wrote to you? If not for my sake, for hers?
I know you two are still friends, she tells me about you all of the time when I call.
It was her who told me to reach out and eventually pushed me to take this step.
She says there's something going on with you, that you've accepted something but it's not her place to tell me. So if you want to, come to my opening and tell me yourself.
Anyway as always, love to you,

Aria.

Upon reading the letter, Haley burst into tears.

'How can she still want to be around me after everything?' She thought to herself.
Aria had always been such a gentle soul. Someone who really cared deeply for her friends, so as much as it wasn't a shock to Haley that she forgave her, she still didn't understand why she would or why she would blame herself for what happened.

Haley had a choice to make, one that she was certain she wouldn't regret. She was going to the city to get the love of her life back.

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

"EMILY ARE YOU PACKED AND READY?" Haley shouts from the top of her lungs, anxious to see her estranged best friend again.
"Aria said we'd have plenty of time Hales" Emily says back, slightly less loudly than Haley.
"you've spoken to her?" Haley responds, zooming into Emily's room.
"Obviously I have spoken to her Haley, we were still on good terms when she left and how do you think I got the address?" Emily rolls her eyes. Not everyone was cut off by Aria, in fact Haley was the only person Aria had cut off.
Surely Haley knew that.
"Has she ever you know...said anything about me?" Haley asked.
"This is exactly why I didn't tell you we were still in contact Haley. After you drove her away you were a mess. I didn't want to make things worse for you" Emily pauses and lets out a sigh, she couldn't let Haley keep wondering.
"She's told me she misses you a lot on numerous occasions" Haley's eyes lit up. Aria had been thinking about her too.