The Butterfly Effect (Emison)

Chapter Five

Her fingers feel cold and numb when she raps on the door, tentatively at first, because she isn't too sure if she has the address right. And then more surely as the wind picks up and she's forced to wrap her arms around her shivering frame.

When the door finally opens, Sabrina's wide-eyed stare observes her in disbelief and definitely some confusion. "Ali?"

"We need to talk," is all Alison says, and abruptly pushes past her into the apartment without another word, away from the bitter cold.

Inside, the apartment is much smaller than Alison had anticipated, having lived in a two-room suite for the last two years and she wonders if this means Sabrina lives alone. It wouldn't be a surprise – for as long as she's known her, she's always been somewhat of a loner.

She settles in what she assumes is the living room and waits for Sabrina to follow her in, which she does a minute later with the same shell-shocked expression plastered over his face. Alison doesn't wait another second. Shrugging out of her jacket – Sabrina's jacket – she bundles it in her fist and shoves it at her.

Sabrina catches it before it hits her face and tosses her a bewildered look. "What –"

"I need you to tell me what happened between you and Emily," Alison gets straight to the point, ignoring the shivers that rake her frame, down to her snow-soaked boots. She had just walked an hour and a half to get here, not to mention the other hour she'd spent manipulating the security chief just to find out where here is.

It's now nearing ten o' clock, her heart is still racing and for the life of her she can't stop replaying the scene that happened not even three hours ago.

She feels her knees sway and crumble below her as she flops onto the nearest couch. Her mind seems to comprehend the severity of this whole situation, but doesn't bother to acknowledge the tingling in her limbs caused by her nerves going haywire. She doesn't even feel cold anymore – just... numb.

"Here," Sabrina says after a long minute, or has is it been only a few seconds? "Let me at least get you a blanket –"

"Don't," Alison demands firmly, the first time her voice doesn't waver. She takes a deep, quivering breath before raising her head to stare at Sabrina expectantly, whose entire demeanor hasn't changed. She doesn't have the time or the energy to ease her of her worries at this point. "We're going to talk about this. Right now. And you're going to answer me. No more bullshit."

It takes her a moment to digest the words, her face shifting from confusion to concern. "Ali," he says slowly, edging her way closer until Alison can almost smell the minty soap she faintly remembers – strong. Feminine. "What happened?"

Alison's chest is heaving – her heart pounding against her ribcage so hard she has to level a hand against her chest, as if that'll do a thing to control it. She feels the lingering traces of her tears resurfacing over the corners of her eyes, dry against her cheeks, and she hastily wipes them off before staring resolutely at the ground.

Her next words are quiet, hesitant in the way that should be kept in secret if Alison's wasn't so sure they could break her if she did.

"I kissed her," she admits, her voice strained and raspy. The sound of it reminds her of Emily's for a moment, and the thought of that sends her heart reeling right back against her chest. "I kissed Professor Fields."

Alison doesn't glance up to see Sabrina's reaction – she can already envision it in her head. It's the same one she'd be enduring right now if she wasn't frozen in shock from the aftermath of what might've been the greatest thing that has ever happened to her.

And the worst.

"You..." Sabrina trails off in what sounds like complete awe, prompting Alison to look up and meet her gaze. "You kissed her? You kissed Emily?"