Emison: Home

Chapter 31: Coffee Meet-Up

Alison's POV

"I still can't believe Hanna and Caleb are expecting..." I sigh as I see a mother walk in to the Brew with a baby

"Honestly, it's so weird... I mean we're 23, when did everyone suddenly decide to grow up and be adults" the brunette sat in front of me chuckles as finishes her coffee

"Not all of us want to live our youth wild, reckless and free." I retort "Some of us enjoy an average life of security, calm and normalcy" I smile at her

" Some people do but the Alison DiLaurentis I know is far from average and would never settle for normal" she winks and I can't help but blush at how well she knows me. Sometimes I forget I'm with this new adventurous and confident Emily. It's so different from what I had with Elliot. She's playful and flirtatious all the time. She's always talking about all the places she wants to go and things she want to see and experience. It's so refreshing to see her be so happy and have the joie de vivre that was so uniquely hers.

She suddenly stands up and I look at her quizzically "I need to get going to swim practice, it's already 5. I'm just gonna go up to the loft real quick and grab my stuff and then I'll drop you off at your house before heading over to the school"

"No that's ok. Don't worry, I'll walk back. You just head to practice, Em" I answer

"You sure?"

"Absolutely" I lean in and kiss her lips softly. We don't stay like this for long a rather large group of our students had come in earlier and we didn't need them gawking at us

"Ok, beautiful - I'll see you tomorrow then"

"See you tomorrow" I wave as I walk out the door. As I set foot outside, I bump into someone coming in

"Oh I'm so sorry" Fuck. I'd recognise that voice and that accent anywhere. I freeze and look up at the person. "Alison... Hey"

"Elliot... Hi" I move to the side and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear as I look down embarrassingly. We hadn't spoken since I'd returned from the lake house. He looks so tired and defeated

"So um how are you?" he nervously asks running a hand through his hair. I always loved it when he did that, it slightly messed up his hairstyle which was usually very tidy and I'd always preferred when it was less neat.

"I'm good, thanks. School is going well. The kids I have this year seem more enthusiastic than those last year"

"That's good" he nods slowly

"What about you? How's work?"

"Yeah not too bad - look can we just avoid this awkward chat..." he sighs "I have loads of things of yours at the house and I can't have them around anymore. We also eventually need to split things up and I'd really rather do it sooner than later"

"Oh" I'm taken aback by his statement but he's right. We'd made a lot of joint purchases and I hadn't picked up all my things when I came back - I just couldn't bring myself to go back to the house with him there, just the two of us. I knew it would be too overwhelming

"Ali? What are you still doing - ah" Emily suddenly walks out of the Brew "Hi Elliot" she nods politely to him as she wraps her arm around me possessively and kisses my cheek rather forcefully. I look at her unimpressed but she doesn't acknowledge it

"Hi Emily" I see his jaw harden and I feel a slight pang in my heart. I still feel so much guilt for what I did to him; I can't imagine how awful this must be for him. I remember what it was like when Em and I broke up in high school, knowing I wouldn't bump into her with the girl she cheated on me with was one of the things that helped go back to normal.