No Escape

Collide

The Christmas Ball marked the start of the Christmas break, and Emily still couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad thing. For one it meant no classes. For another it meant that Alison would have an easier time avoiding her. That first night was understandable. Alison had denied any kind of company they could offer. She'd screamed at them calling them the names she'd given them when she was still taking up the role as high school's Queen Bitch. It had hurt, but it was so blatantly obvious that she was forcibly pushing them away that none of the four of them even took too much offense. It was a testament to how strong they had grown ever since Ali left.

But now every time Emily tried to seek her out, Alison was somewhere else. It has been four days, and she still couldn't find the right place and time to catch the blonde. Even during nights, she wouldn't be able to see her. Emily had gone as far as waiting up for Alison in her own house for the whole night to no avail. She was starting to get worried.

She was on her way to Alison's house again, half-expecting the girl to be out at nine in the evening, but she perked up at seeing Alison in her car getting ready to go. That only meant one thing, obviously. Emily followed her, wanting to just get the conversation over with. The guilt was gnawing at her stomach, and despite having had Alison break her heart, she had never wanted Alison to experience that pain, too. Her memory of that night wasn't that clear, but she remembered enough to realize that she shouldn't have let the kiss happen.

Emily frowned when she realized where Alison had headed. Noel's cabin. There were a lot of people there, and that meant Noel was hosting consecutive parties again, just like he did whenever it was near Christmas. Had Alison been hooking up with Noel? The thought had Emily's gut clenching almost painfully. She wondered if this was how their relationship with be now, always trying to get back at the other. But then, Emily thought, they weren't even in a relationship, yet. Was this some sort of signal that they really shouldn't be?

Emily followed Alison inside, glad that everone was too drunk to notice that there was a new face in the crowd. She followed Alison for two hours, just watching the blonde get more drunk as the night passed. Great. Her second friend who was into binge drinking, Emily thought, thinking about Hanna. At least Hanna was starting to control hers. Alison didn't have anyone trying to support her. When she'd pulled away, she'd used all her resources to stay away from them. When Alison Dilaurentis didn't want to see you, she would not see you. Until tonight.

A ball of something acrid rose up her chest as she watched Noel leaning dangerously close to Ali. Emily moved closer to hear what they were talking about.

"...maybe finally get you into bed this time."

"Maybe," Alison flirted back, face dangerously close to Noel's. "Maybe not."

"C'mon, Ali, it's been three nights. You haven't put out, yet." With that he leaned in, and Emily was already moving forward hands clenched to her sides, about to stop what was happening. But Alison beat her to it.

Alison placed a firm hand on Noel's chest pushing the drunk guy away. "Not tonight, Noel."

Noel was too drunk to think it an insult that Alison wasn't taking his advances. "What, would you rather be kissing someone else?" Alison's response was only a raised eyebrow. "Baby, Fields already has another girl she's liplocking with probably at this very moment."

The slap rang loud in the room, and it had several of the guys snickering at Noel, getting rejected by the most infamous girl in school. Alison was already striding out, looking less drunk when she had been leaning against the wall getting cornered by Noel. His words had killed her buzz, and her tolerance of the place and its owner had gone dry for the night. Before heading out she picked up two bottles of something she didn't even know, then she was out in the cool night air.