Slowly I open my eyes, confuse as to when I fell asleep. It's gotten dark and the traces of tears on my cheek feel crusted. As I was about to stand, I hear footsteps heading towards me. So I move slowly, trying to avoid giving out my position. My hand stumbled on a piece of wood and I grab it.

I hear the leaves rustle in a manic pace. My body tenses and I tighten my grip on my wooden weapon, ready to pounce on whoever's there. A light is bouncing around, is that a phone?

The pounding on my chest is so loud this person could probably hear it. Its getting closer now…

A body slips on the slight slope above, bringing its figure right in front of me! I raise my weapon to hit it when the phone fell and illuminated us.

"Spencer?!" She fell on her ass looking equally as scared as me.
"Shit Spence I almost killed you!"

"Fuck Emily, You scared me!" I scared her? Urgh! My panting leaves me speechless instead I roll my eyes at the irony. She stands and lends her hand to help me up.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you Em. I was worried… and so is the girls."

"Where are they?"

"I'm not sure, Hanna was driving around town with Aria and I decided to come up here instead." Why is it so damn cold?

"Here" She gives me her jacket seeing me rub my shoulders.

"No. Im fine."

"Take it Em. Don't make me put it on you or this is just gonna be more awkward" Well if you put it that way.

"Ok" I said taking the jack slowly and putting it over my shoulder.

"Let's go inside the cabin before we die of hypothermia"

The creaking of the door reminded me of the house during Halloween, where Ali trapped us for her sadistic amusement. My hand is shaking but stopped as soon as Spencer grabs a hold of it.

"Its alright. Its safer in here than being out in the cold" her soothing voice eases my fret.

Times like this make me hate you Spencer, you're just… making it too damn hard for me not to fall for you.

She smiles as if reading my thoughts.
Shit did I think that out loud?

To hide my increasing self-consciousness, I let go of her hand and she pretends like it was nothing but her disappointed face says otherwise.

"Sit on the couch ok? I'll light up the fireplace"

But I can't stay still. No, I can't let myself watch her move or I'll just fall into a trance full of unrequited yearning.

"Do you have any coffee or something?"

"We might? Not really sure. It's been a while."

"I'll go check"

The familiar place is not hard to navigate despite the lack of light. I was hoping to find anything but coffee, but knowing the Hastings; not having caffeine is like depriving them of oxygen.

"You alright Em?" She calls out from the living room.

"Yeah, found it." I start the coffee maker, shaking off the feeling of her eyes raking up and down my body, probably checking for injuries from our blunder earlier.

"The beans might taste a little stale" I hear her lean on the wall, still watching me.

I stay silent. My eyes wander to the window, framing the darkness that blankets over the woods. Was darkness all she saw before she died? How did she die? And who could've done this? Did she commit suicide? No. She couldn't. She loves herself too much.

I close my dry eyes, failing to blink, preoccupied by more questions than ever having answers.

It's my turn to lean on something, my body is exhausted and the counter serves me well. But Spencer moved and she's standing behind me. Ridiculously close, almost eliminating any space. She snakes her arms around my hips.

"I know you're tired. Let me take care of you." She whispers in my right ear. Her voice is intoxicating, leaving my sense of balance on her mercy. But she did not let go and I let her hold me. We're just standing, feeling the comfortable warmth envelope us.

"Everything will be alright. We'll get through this." She softly continues. "I'm going to let you sleep ok?"

I did not want to end this feeling. Being in her arms, her breath on my neck and the tingling sensation in my stomach. But I can't dwell on this longer or I'll lose control. Control I have struggled to master for the last year. So I agreed, I should sleep. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a better grasp on what's happening to me. On the extent of how my universe is forever altered by Ali's death.