Fireproof Flame

Grand

AJ skipped and stopped right in front of Paige's table. The twenty-two year old looked up before going back to signing.

"Need anything?" Paige asked, as she smiled at the kid who took the small poster and another person walked up to her.

"No, I was just wondering, if you know, you wanted to go with me to the Hall of Fame? I mean, all our friends are going with their dates, with each other, and I didn't want to be alone. And I thought, you are single, and I am single, so we can go together? You can say no. And this is not a date, this is just two friends going to an event together so they don't look like losers. What do you say?" AJ rambled, looking shy.

Paige looked up and smiled. "Yeah, we can go together."

AJ grinned and skipped away. Paige just shook her head and continued to sign the poster.

-

PAIGE smiled at the camera. She turned and frowned when she saw Emma in Dean's arms. She looked around and saw Seth with Summer.

"What—"

"Seth and I exchanged blondes. Daniel and John exchanged twins. We're going to change back later. But for now, we are just screwing with people. So Paige, meet Summer, my date."

Emma winked. "Hey Paige," the Australian said in an American accent. Paige just laughed at that. "Where is your date?"

"She's around. Probably with John and Nikki, or John and Brie, whatever."

"You came with AJ?" Emma asked, not knowing that piece of information.

Paige nodded. "We came as friends. I think we are better off as friends."

"But you two were great with each other. I know you're scared, but you should give her another chance," Emma told her.

"I'm tired of giving her chances. I just want to keep it simple, for now. And it goes to the next level then so be it, but for now, we will just be friends. I am not going to try to become more. I'm not ready for that, not right now. Not with what's been going on."

Emma nodded. "I understand. As long as you are happy."

Paige smiled. "I am. For the first time in a long time, I feel happy, I feel like the weight has been taken off my shoulders, you know?"

Dean just grinned. He pulled her close. "We are so proud of you, you pale weirdo."

"Asshole."

-

"YOU came with Paige, that is great!" Brie exclaimed, as she jumped in place from the excitement.

"We came as friends," AJ said, wishing it had been a real date.

"But she came with you. I heard some other people asked her, and she said no. Did she even think about it when you asked?" John questioned.

AJ shook her head. "No, she just said yes."

"That means something then. Are you still going to do it?" Nikki questioned, as she walked up to her twin sister and fiancé, with her "date."

"Yeah, I'm going to do it. It won't be bad, right? It's not like I'm proposing," AJ said, as she looked at the four people in front of her.

John shrugged. "We'll see when she reacts."

Nikki bent down to grab a wire that was a few inches off the ground. She grabbed it and pulled it up. "This is stupid, someone could serious get hurt."

It took a second for it to register in AJ's head, before her eyes widened. "No! Put it down!"

But it was too late. AJ turned to see Paige on the ground, the wire wrapped around her boots. How? She didn't know. AJ looked back to Nikki, a glare. "We were doing so great!"