The Paper

THE TRUTH

1 WEEK LATER
Alison's POV
-SHIT! I hiss, burning my finger on the button of my jeans after taking it from the dryer.
I've been staying with a friend since mine and Emily's fight last week.
I've also been rewashing my clothes just to avoid her but I'm running out so I have to go get more.
Once all of my clothes are packed into the laundry basket i walk over to the elevator catching it back up to the fourth floor.
Walking out of the elevator and into the lounge I bump into Emily making me sigh.
-HEY Emily says smiling at me. I'VE BEEN CALLING AND TEXTING YOU she tells me like I haven't heard all a hundred and thirty six voicemails or read all of her text messages.
-YEAH, I KNOW I quip. WHAT DO YOU WANT? I ask walking around her towards the dorms.
-WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN STAYING? ARE YOU OKAY? she questions.
-IM STAYING WITH A FRIEND I inform her once I'm at the room door. AND YES IM FINE.
-W..WELL I WAS ACTUALLY HOPING YOU WOULD COME HOME Emily nervously says.
-EM, I DON'T K...
-PLEASE she begs. WHO ARE YOU STAYING WITH? She questions. I CAN PAY THEM BACK FOR LETTING YOU STAY HERE AND WE CAN GRAB YOUR THINGS AND GO HOME.
-EMILY, YOU HAVE PROBLEMS I sigh. AND I...
-ARE YOU BREAKING UP WITH ME? Emily asks. BECAUSE IM SORRY FOR YELLING AND BREAKING THINGS.
-NO IM NOT BREAKING UP WITH YOU I tell her.
-SO WH...
-HEY ALI Grant says walking up to us and unlocking the door before walking in.
-WHY IS GRANT HERE? Emily questions as she walks in the room behind me.
-THIS IS MY DORM Grant chuckles.
-GRANT'S THE FRIEND I'VE BEEN STAYING WITH I tell Emily.
-OH, NO YOU'RE COMING HOME she says grabbing my things.
-EM I REALLY CANT DO THIS RIGHT NOW I tell her. I HAVE TO GET TO LAB I add while pushing her out of the room.
-ALI...
-I'LL COME BY LATER TO GET MY THINGS I tell her. MAYBE WE CAN TALK THEN I lastly say before shutting the door in her face.
-THAT WAS PRETTY RUDE Grant quips with a mouth full of Ramen.
-SHUT UP I say before walking out and going to class.
2 HOURS LATER
As I walk out of class I see Aria walking towards me.
-HEY ALI Aria says.
-HEY ARIA I say back. WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS BUILDING? I ask since I know none of her classes are over here.
-OH, I HAD TO DROP PAPERS OFF TO FINANCIAL AID Aria states. BUT ANYWAY YOU AND EMILY SHOULD COME WITH ME AND SPENCER THIS FRIDAY she adds.
-WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I ask.
-WE ALL GREW UP IN ROSEWOOD WHICH ISN'T THAT FAR FROM HERE she says. AND SPENCER HAS A LAKE HOUSE THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND THE WEEKEND AT, JUST US GIRLS.
-I'LL ASK EMILY ABOUT IT I tell her. IM HEADING OVER THERE NOW.
-ALRIGHT BRING HANNA IF YOUR COMING Aria tells me. SEE YOU AROUND she adds before disappearing down the hall.
...
Now at Emily's apartment I bring my hand up to knock on the door but I remember that I have a key.
Unlocking the door and walking in I see rose petals and candles everywhere in the shape of a heart but no Emily.

Walking into the bedroom I also see rose petals on the bed as well.

Suddenly I feel a pair of hands cover my eyes.
-WHAT'S ALL OF THIS EMILY? I ask her, removing her hands from my face.
Emily's POV
-WHAT'S ALL OF THIS EMILY? Alison questions while pulling my hands down.
-IM SORRY, BABY I say turning her around to face me. I NEVER MEANT TO TAKE MY PROBLEMS OUT ON YOU I add.
-THIS IS NICE AND ALL EMILY BUT THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANT she tells me.
-WELL WHAT DO YOU WANT? I ask. I'LL DO ANYTHING I declare.
-I WANT THE TRUTH Alison quips. ABOUT YOUR PAST.
I take a deep breath before taking her hands in mine and sitting her down.
-I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START I dryly chuckle.
-SOMEWHERE EM, I REALLY DON'T CARE AS LONG AS I GET TO KNOW YOU she says placing a hand on the side of my face.
-OKAY I quip. SO YOU KNOW ABOUT SEAN, WHICH IS MY TWIN BROTHER I start causing Alison to nod her head. WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER WE WERE SO CLOSE AND THERE WAS THIS GIRL NAMED HANNAH BAKER THAT WE HUNG OUT WITH AS KIDS I add. WELL ONCE WE TURNED SIXTEEN SEAN STARTED DEVELOPING FEELINGS FOR HANNAH AND I KNOW THAT SHE LIKED HIM TOO BUT ONE NIGHT HANNAH AND I GOT DRUNK AT A PARTY AND WE ENDED UP HAVING SEX I tell Alison.
-OH GOSH Alison mumbles.
-SEAN FOUND OUT AND HE TOTALLY FLIPPED I tell her now trying to control my tears. HE WAS SCREAMING AT ME FOR SLEEPING WITH HER SO EVERYONE AT THE PARTY OVERHEARD EVERYTHING AND THE NEWS SPREAD IN SCHOOL AND HANNAH WAS SLUT SHAMED I add. THAT SAME WEEK HANNAH COMMITTED SUICIDE IN HER BATHTUB AND HER PARENTS FOUND HER. AND SEAN...S..SEAN.
-YOU DON'T HAVE TO FINISH Alison stops me as I start bawling.

-I HAVE TO I whimper.
-OKAY Alison quietly says.
-SEAN BLAMED ME FOR EVERYTHING I start again through my sniffling. WE GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT AND HE TOOK OUR DADS GUN AND I TRIED TO STOP HIM I sob. I TRIED BUT HE WOULDN'T LISTEN AND IT WAS TOO LATE I say while wailing. I..I WI...WISH I COULD TAKE IT ALL BACK BUT I CANT AND NOW SEAN'S GONE BECAUSE OF ME.
-HEY, LOOK AT ME EMILY Alison says lifting my head with her thumb. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT she sternly tells me. YOU COULDN'T HAVE POSSIBLY STOPPED THAT.
-BUT THEY'RE B..BOTH....G..GONE BECAUSE OF ME NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP IT IN MY PANTS I squall.
-NO, EMILY Alison says shaking her head. SEAN LOVED YOU AND THOUGH HE WAS MAD AT YOU FOR THE MOMENT IM PRETTY SURE HE DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF YOU she tells me. SOMEONE THAT HE LOVED HAD JUST KILLED HERSELF AND HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO COPE WITH IT, ITS NOT YOUR FAULT she adds pulling me into her arms as I cry on her chest.
Once I'm finally done shedding all of my tears I lift my head to see Alison's shirt soaking wet.
-IM SORRY I say trying to dry the wet stains with a paper towel.
-ITS OKAY Alison states. IM JUST HAPPY THAT YOU TOLD ME AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL ME ANYTHING EMILY, I LOVE YOU AND I DON'T WANNA SEE YOU CRY she says kissing my tears away.
-I LOVE YOU TOO I snivel as we lie back on the bed.
Lying there Alison's stomach starts to growl.
-DO YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF CHOCOLATE OR FOOD WITH ALL OF THESE ROSE PETALS? she questions making me laugh.

-YEAH I quip. C'MON I add as we get up to walk into the kitchen to eat the food I bought.

Emily told Alison 👏🏽
Emison 💪🏼❤️
Enjoy 😊
-D