BLUE LACE

03

She reached for her hand as they lay drying on the blanket. It was midday, and the sun shone brightly overhead. Paige lay flat on her stomach, eyes closed, and relaxed.

She watched her for what seemed like forever, and at the same time it didn't seem long enough. A beeping sound came from the pile were her blue jean sat crumpled from the night before. She jumped, startled by the noise against the silence that surrounded them.

"You okay?" Paige whispered. She was studying her face now. Emily relaxed at the care she saw in her eyes. Forcing herself to swallow and reply.

"Y..yeah, I should probably check that." She pulled her hand away from Paige, making her moan in protest. Fumbling through the clothes and retrieving her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.

Two missed calls, both from her mom and three text messages, two from Hanna. The first from last night.

** hey your mom was looking for you, Em. I covered for you and told her you were staying the night and that you were in the shower. Call me! ** The second was from about an hour ago when they had been...'swimming'. Emily's cheeks flushed, heat pushing through her veins.

** Em, call your mom! I think she's catching on. Oh, and say hi to Paige for me! ;-) ** The next message was from my mom, the most recent message from a moment ago.

** Emily, Hanna said you were already heading up to the school.

I'm just checking in and I will be at the school to watch your meet.

See you in a bit!". **

"Oh fuck!" Emily yelled jumping up from the blanket. Paige jumped on the ground beside her, startled.

"Choice words, Em!" She half laughed.

"Our meet is in two hours!" Emily said grabbing her jeans and pulling them on, before searching for her shirt.

"Shit!" Paige cried, now panicked.

Emily couldn't help but laugh at the quick change in her tone.

"Choice words" Emily shot back sarcastically.

Paige rolled her big brown eyes, sliding into her own clothes and shoes. The only remaining sign of the last twelve hours was the plaid blanket laying on the grass.

They settled for rolling it up, Paige insisting she would be back for it later. She grabbed Emily's hand leading her back out of the woods, developing a steady jog along the way. She stopped to catch her breath when they reached the road.

"I need my swim gear." Emily panted. " but I can't go home, my mom is there and according to her I'm supposed to be at the school already."

"Okay, well I have an extra suit at my house, and you usually leave her cap and goggles in your locker right?" She looked to Emily who simply nodded in agreement.

Without another word she pulled Emily behind her down the street to her house, glad that it was on the way. Had she been paying attention, and had she gone through the front door instead of the back, Paige would have noticed the red land rover sitting in the driveway. She crashed through the back door and into the kitchen, skidding to a halt on the espresso wood floors, nearly knocking herself and Emily over as she bumped into her back.

"Damnit" she mumbled, her eyes wide at her surprised father.

"Paige, what a surprise, where have you been?" She just stared at him for a few moments, her lips moving to let words out, then closing again. No sound escaped her.

"Running, Mr. McCullers" Emily said stepping up for her. Paige shot her a grateful look. Then regained her own voice.

"Yeah, um I thought you guys were staying in Scranton this weekend." She said, her voice shook lightly.