the first time i saw you ↬ emison

; twenty six

monday morning

  + the brew +

"ali, I don't know if I can break up with her," i say, frustrated, and rubbing my sweaty palms together.

"em, you can," hanna says smiling. "no matter how scary she is."

"hanna's right," ali says.

"but, she's going to get mad. she might ask why i broke up with her. she's already suspicious that i've been cheating on her with you!"

"em, just calm down. we already told you. hanna and i will be on the other side of the lockers, if anything goes wrong, we'll back you up."

i sigh and take another big sip of my coffee. hanna bites her cookie, and ali plays with her fingers.

"let's go," i say getting up as they do to.

   + free pd +

"okay, i just texted her."
"okay, em. just like we rehearsed. just stall and distract. then, before the bell rings, SLAM IT ON HER! and then just don't ever talk to her again." hanna says.

"yeah, han. i've been thinking...and i don't really think that plan is gonna...work."

she squints her eyes. "fine, whatever."

ali chuckles.

"are you gonna be okay for this, Em?" ali asks.

i nod and pucker my lips. i suddenly hear footsteps. "go hide!" i whisper scream to them as they jumble and bump into each other, but finally make it to the other side of the locker.

paige walks in.

"hey, em!" she says walking closer.

"hi," i say nervously.

"what'd you need me here for?" Slshe asks, putting her arm around my waist.

i slowly remove it slowly and she puts on a confused face, i step back.

"do it," i hear hanna whisper.

"paige... i-i"

"babe, can you just tell me? i have to go with jenna and sydney for lunch."

i flare my nostrils, mad about how less attention she pays to me.
she did deserve it.

"paige, i think we both know, that our relationship..it's...not working."

her face expression changes from distracted to angry.

i see her clench her fist. "what? why? our relationship is perfectly fine!"

i back up more.

"paige, i think that you are a great person, but, i don't think that we're meant to be. you were just a shoulder to lean on, a friend. i don't think i ever liked you anyway else."

"em! how could you?" she says cornering me on the locker. "it's alison, isn't it? god, em! how can you be so blind? she's going to do the same thing to you! don't you get it? she'll do the same thing she did to me!"

"paige," i whisper. "get away from me."

she stays in the same position. lingering. i try to get off myself but she slams me on the locker, with possessed eyes.

that's when hanna and ali come out.

"get off of her, punk!" hanna yells, separating paige from me.

paige swerves at hanna but misses. "oh, hell no!" hanna says and kicks paige in the gut. i instantly get out of paige's reach and go for ali. ali hugs me and sets me aside. paige punches hanna square in the jaw. hanna and paige are fighting. so, far paige is winning.

"hey, pigskin!" ali yells, which catches her attention. ali then slaps her and hanna escapes, coming with bruises all over her face and arms.

paige slaps ali, causing me to interfere. I step in the middle of them and spread my arms, separating them. "stop it, paige!"

"yeah, bitch! stop it!" hanna says, rubbing her black eye.

paige stops and ali is left panting and hurt. i hug her tightly protecting her.

paige stops and looks at us. she blows the hair out of her face.

"so, you two a thing now?" she asks, angrily. we don't answer.

"i knew it," she chuckles unhappily .

"wait, 'till people get a load of this!" she says walking off.

shit. i look at Alison and tears are already welling in her eyes. "whe's going to out me! she's going to tell the whole school!" she cries in my chest.

"it's okay, ali," hanna says patting her back, while rubbing her jaw.

"no, it's not." she mumbles. "my life. is. over."

i 
sigh
not
knowing
​ what
to
do.