Emison: Home

Chapter 18: Space

Emily's POV

It was the beginning of September, Ali had skipped town a month ago. No one knew where she was apart from her parents, she called them every day like she had promised. Meanwhile, they kept me in the dark. For a while, I would go around her house, her parent's house I mean, every day. I would be turned around at first and then they just stopped answering the door. I quickly figured that it was futile for me to try and get any information from them. I had pissed them off for the past 5 years and now cost them an expensive wedding and their daughter too in a way. They weren't happy with me. I have ruined her life enough times for them to feel that way in all fairness.

There had been a lot of yelling at me when she boarded that bus. Probably deserved it. It was a really expensive wedding. And admittedly, the timing could have been better, in fact, it could have only been better, there was nothing worse than the way I'd done it. But I'd done it and I didn't regret my decision at all. For the first time in a long time I had done what felt right not just physically but mentally and emotionally, I had done what I should have done at the prom. I stopped her. I cut in.

I'd found myself dreaming of our life if I hadn't ran away on that prom night. If I'd gone over to her. But that's a story for another time.

When the bus had pulled away that day, a lot of anger was directed at me. From Elliot. From her parents. The girls and Jason just stood there in shock. They knew that we belonged together they just couldn't believe it took me so long to act on it. But of course that was my guess. I mean also Hanna did shout in my face: 'HOW DID IT TAKE YOU THIS LONG TO FIGURE YOUR SHIT OUT YOU FUCKING IDIOT!'. I had smiled a bit but that had quickly disappeared. Elliot was fuming and having a go at me for a solid half hour. I just took it, I couldn't be arsed to fight him. I had after all just cost him Alison. I knew the feeling. I knew how it felt to lose a girl like her. It wasn't a feeling I wished on anyone. And as much as I hated Elliot for taking her away from me in the past, I felt sorry for the guy.

I mean, if she really wanted to be with him then surely she would have stayed and married him. She wouldn't have bolted. That meant I still had a shot.That I still had a piece of her heart.

Every day I went to the Kissing Rock. Waiting. Hoping. Wanting her to come home, to me. I'd decided to stay in Rosewood. With my mum. With everything I had lost. Nothing awaited me in LA expect a few hot girls. And well Sam. She'd gotten mad at me at first, a lot of yelling. I told her I was sorry, that she was right, that I was messed up, that my heart was broken. What I didn't tell her was that I had to stay here to fix it, mend it somehow. I didn't care what it would take, I would eventually find her, the love of my life, my soulmate. My best friend.

Elliot was still around too of course. He had the advantage of sharing a house with Ali and so could be there whenever she decided to come back but so far she seemed to never have. He was mad naturally. Mad at her. Mad at me. Mad at the world. I understood. I'd been there. The most wonderful thing slipping from your fingers and you couldn't even do anything to stop it.

I missed her a lot. I'd texted her every day until she texted telling me that I needed to stop and understand that she needed time. She needed space to wrap her head around everything and figure out what she wanted. I didn't feel like pushing her away so I respected her choices and stopped. I was hoping she'd sent him a similar text too. I know he had called and texted her constantly, just like me. It was just something you did when you were in love with Alison DiLaurentis and you didn't know where her heart was, where she was.

I parked my car as I arrived at my destination. God, who'd have thought I'd be setting foot here again... It had been 5 years... 5 years since I had walked these halls, happily, as if my life was set and I was living my fairytale. 5 since years since my heart was torn to shreds here. 5 years since I had said goodbye to this place and to the Emily Fields it had helped build.

As I arrived at the door marked 'Staff Room', I took a deep breath, turned the handle and walked in. Well this felt weird... I glanced around the room briefly, making eye contact with my old high school teachers, nodding and smiling at them as they come over to welcome me. God. If you'd told me I'd be back here as a PE teacher and swim coach I'd have probably laughed, but yet here I am. I had run from home for too long, home was now running from me. I just wanted to be somewhere that somehow felt close to it, to her. The position had opened up a week after she'd left. I applied on a whim. Anything would beat my life in LA at this point. Quinn understood. She knows me well and knew I was too unhappy to stay away from Rosewood, for the time being especially.

And now here I was, standing in the doorway, the awkward new teacher/ex-student. The new principle approached me.

'Mrs Montgomery! Hi!'

'Hello Emily or should I say Miss Fields!' she chuckled 'I'm so glad you've decided to join us here at Rosewood High! Everyone if you could settle down please as we start our back to school meeting! Thank you!' she commands

The room falls silent as the last of the teachers find their seat. I stay standing near Principle Montgomery as she holds my arm.

' I hope everyone has had a good summer and plenty of time to rest!' A few nods were seen ' I would like everyone to join me in giving a warm welcome to our newest member of staff: Miss Emily Fields! I am sure many of you remember Miss Fields as a student of yours and I trust you will make the separation between your student and your colleague. Emily is a well-respected member of the community as I'm sure most of you are aware and will be leading our swim team back to its former glory!' A light round of applause is heard in the room but is suddenly stopped by the sound of the door being opened wide

'I'm so sorry I'm late!'

I couldn't believe it.

Why was she here? How?

I hadn't seen her in so long. Too long. And yet here she was beautiful as ever. Rushing to close the door and put her things down, not looking up once.

I released a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding in.

'Ah Mrs Ro- Sorry, I mean Miss DiLaurentis good to see you are back from your adventures' Ella coughed 'I was just welcoming - um - Emily to the team'

'What...' she suddenly turned around from where she was putting her files away and realised I was there

'Fuck me' I whispered 'Oh um' I coughed awkwardly ' Hi Miss DiLaurentis, I didn't know you were coming back' I try to say as calm as I can

'Well what can I say Miss Fields' she said with a glint in her eye 'I love my job and I couldn't stay away'

I let out a gulp, the room was tense. All the staff was invited at her wedding so they all had a brief idea of what had happened.

' I made a promise... when I signed my contract' she smirks doing her famous head tilt

I'm so in love.

I'm so fucked.

AN

I'm back-ish? still in law school gettin my ass whooped so not able to write and not very inspired - ive planned a handful of chapter so who knows maybe this can work for a small period of time before i start university again?

Sorry about the really big waits - I'm trying my best

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