The Butterfly Effect (Emison)

Chapter Seven

"Say cheese."

The remark is greeted by a bored look, followed by the familiar click as a grin spreads across Alison's face. She lowers the camera this time, much to Emily's apparent relief, though it goes without saying that she isn't in the least bit impressed by the last twenty or so attempts.

"Are you going to spend the rest of the night taking pictures of my face, or are you at least going to try to be productive?" Emily asks dryly.

Alison's smile is sheepish. "Define productive?"

A sigh.

"Alison..."

At least Alison has the decency to feel embarrassed before she places the Nikon back on the table. It's one of Hanna's older models, given to Alison two years ago as a belated birthday gift. It's only now that she's had the inspiration to pick it up and finally use it.

"Sorry," Alison murmurs.

At this, Emily's eyes soften around the corners as she reaches forward and takes Alison's hand in hers. "It's alright, dear," she assures. "Though when you asked me to help you with your paper, I assumed you'd be upholding your end of the bargain."

"I thought you helping was code for let's meet up at your house," Alison grumbles. "I mean, who comes to the library this late at night anyway?"

"No one. That is why we're here," Emily says.

She has a point, of course, not that Alison's likely to admit it.

It's a quiet night in the library. Considering it's the day before the start of spring break, it's not much of a surprise. Unlike the majority of other students, Alison has zero plans to leave campus any time soon, instead working through the midterm papers that are long overdue.

It's not something that she likes to dwell on, knowing that her roommate is taking a beach vacation somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico and Spencer is leaving for the whole week to visit her grandma up in Pennsylvania.

But the fact that she had managed to convince Emily to stay behind, instead of using the time to go on several business trips... it's what's keeping Alison sane.

"You make it seem like you don't want to be seen with me," Alison tries to joke, although there's an underlying hitch in her tone that says otherwise. "What, am I that ugly?"

"If that were the case, I don't think I would've taken you to bed four times last night, now would I?"

Alison feels her face flush, sensing the burn skyrocket all the way down to her stomach. "Probably not."

"Good," Emily says, obviously pleased with Alison's reaction. "Now that we've established that –"

"You still haven't said why, though," Alison points out.

"Miss Dilaurentis," Regina sighs. "Alison. You know why."

Alison knows. She's always known. It's the first thing she thinks of when she wakes up every morning, knowing that for the last month and a half she's been dating her professor. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to even smile at Emily during class without arousing suspicion, nonetheless show any sort of affection you normally wouldn't show an administrator.

Knowing that if she isn't careful, she'd be risking Emily's job. And the thought of suspension several months before finishing her degree isn't too far from the realms of possibility, either.

She'd be risking their still budding relationship, and that's potentially the last thing Alison could ever want.

Since their first night together several weeks ago, things have been going well. Great, even.