This Doesn't Mean We're Joining the Pride Parade

Beauty of Wilting

Pairing, Character(s): Hanna, Emily, and Alison. A bit of Emily/Alison.

Story Summary: There's a reason A sent the Emily pictures to Hanna. –"Just because we're talking about it doesn't mean we're joining the Pride Parade."

Rating: T

Warnings: Spoilers for nothing.

Author's Note: Ta-da! Here is my debut for Pretty Little Liars fanfiction. This oneshot is a flashback of my own creation. In it, a few of the girls are on vacation and have taken a trip to the beach. Obviously, they've taken some trip to the coast and are now soaking up the sunshine.

I hope you enjoy it.

Hanna loves the beach.

Warm sand, cool breezes, water, friends, and the only distractions are the hot guys in swim trunks. It's like the one time where she can just sit back and envision a better life. She can see herself with those guys. Like red stripe, her and Mr. Red Striped Trunks would end up going to the same college where he'll ask her out and take her to a skating rink. They'll go for hours until, finally, they close the night with the most amazing of kisses. He won't try anything more because it's the first date and he's a gentleman. But, the second date, he pushes the boundaries and she gets to run her fingers over his glistening abs. He grins at her and flips his unbelievably soft, brown hair. And then, just when she thinks this date could not possibly get any better, he tells her that she is the most beautiful girl that he has ever seen.

"What's with the dopey smile?"

Hanna leaves her dream world, turning to the always-gorgeous Alison DiLaurentis. Leave it to Alison to crush Hanna's dreams. Not that Hanna isn't totally grateful for everything that Alison does for her. Alison's a really great friend when she wants to be. Sometimes, she's just a little… ugh.

"What?" Hanna breathes.

"Why do you have that dopey smile on your face? See something you like?" Alison asks, eyes wandering through the sea of teen-aged men.

"I don't know, the guy in the red striped trunks is kind of cute," Hanna says.

Alison looks for him for a moment. When she still doesn't see him, she turns one perfect eyebrow towards the sky.

"Right there," Hanna says, pointing towards him. Of course, when Hanna looks closer, she realizes why Red Stripe has stopped moving around. He and a crowd of guys are not so subtly watching two girls on a beach towel a few feet away.

"Oh, fun, lesbians on the beach," Alison says.

"Is there something wrong with them being at the beach?" Hanna asks.

"No, I just don't see why they're showing off and taking all the attention. It's like 'we get it, no need to hog all the spotlight with your making out.' What, do you not have a problem with it?"

This is a test. Hanna can tell the second Alison looks at her that this whole conversation is just another test to see if she's worth it. To see if Hanna deserves to stay in the group, or be shunned and ridiculed like Mona.

She would not be Mona.

"They could be a little less obvious and showy," Hanna says, "But, I mean, don't other couples do it? Straight couples make out all the time and no one ever says anything about them. Isn't the important thing just being in love? My dad always says how all that matters is finding someone who loves you and sees you for just how beautiful you are on the inside."

Alison rolls her eyes.

"People don't care about that stuff, Hanna. Do you think guys stop and stare at me because of my personality?" Alison asks.

Hanna would gladly be the first one to answer 'no'. However, it's not a question she's meant to answer.

Alison continues, "No, they want me because I'm hot. Because I'm attractive, and blonde, and thin. You, on the other hand, are none of those things. Well, maybe you could pass for blonde if you tried actually washing your hair one of these days."

Hanna can think whatever she wants. She can tell herself it isn't true until the day she dies. But it still won't be enough to convince anyone, especially not herself. Hanna's the frumpy one, the out of place member of the circle of friends. She's the one most likely to be kicked out. She's bigger than the other girls and wears big clothes and eats way too much. She tries sometimes to change, but it's never enough to please Alison. She's never enough.

"Hey guys," comes the cheerful voice of Emily Fields, "What are we talking about?"

"Just how this pre-makeover Hanna isn't going to be getting any dates soon. Not even those lesbians would want her," Alison says, "Isn't that right, Em? Even lesbos wouldn't want Hanna now?"

A look passes between Emily and Alison, a secret message that Hanna can't quite decipher. She isn't sure she wants to anyway.

"Well, no. Yes. They wouldn't want her, but not because she's not pretty. They've already found their person, even if their person is not the necessarily right choice. Just because they like one girl doesn't mean they like all girls," Emily says.

"Yeah, that whole lesbians corrupting other people thing is a total lie," Hanna adds.

Alison groans, saying, "Just go join the eff'ing pride parade, why don't you?"

"Just because we're talking about it doesn't mean we're joining the Pride Parade," Hanna insists.

Alison rolls her eyes, stating, "Whatever. Could you two maybe just jump each other when I'm not around to gag?"

Emily looks down at her lap with a strange look on her face. Slowly, she brings her hand out from behind her back, revealing three popsicles.

"I stopped and got these when I went to the bathroom," Emily shares.

Fudge Pops.

Otherwise known as one of the most delicious treats to ever grace the whole entire world. At least, in Hanna's opinion.

Hanna reaches for one only to feel the sharp sting of Alison's palm.

"Don't do it, Hanna. You're dieting, remember?"

Of course she remembers. Can't she take one day off?

"Right, forgot," Hanna whispers.

"Don't forget again. Go get yourself some fruit from the fruit cart. No grapes; they're the candy of the fruit world," Alison comments.

Hanna lifts herself from the ground. With a final fleeting glance at the popsicles, she walks away.

Once she's out of earshot, Alison rounds on Emily.

"Trying to make me jealous, Em?"

"N-no, I just didn't want Hanna feeling bad. We're supposed to be having fun," Emily says.

"How can she possibly have fun looking like that? She's huge, and we all know it. If she ever wants to fit in, she needs to lose the weight."

"We're only in middle school. She's got time."

"When we hit high school, she will be dubbed the loser chick. If that happens, I'm not going to be able to save her, and I'm not going to try. Besides, if she's slim, she'll get Sean, and isn't that just all she's ever wanted?"

Emily nods, "I guess it is."

"I wonder," Ali begins, drawing Emily's gaze up with her almost teasing tone, "what's all you've ever wanted?"

The girls are close, like their shoulders are almost touching close. And Ali's pinky just barely grazes Emily's while her eyes are doing this fluttering like butterfly wings. She's got butterflies for eyelids. Emily tries to ease the dryness in her lips, but only winds up making it worse. Her throat starts feeling dry. She can hardly breathe. The only thing she can even think about is the fact that she's never seen anything look as beautiful as those butterfly eyelids and it only makes her wonder how many other beautiful things on her friend that she's missed out on. Her gaze flutters between Ali's eyes and her lips. It's obvious what Emily wants; it's always obvious what Emily wants.

Ali laughs before settling back down onto her beach towel. The moment is over, but Emily's heart is still racing. Emily does the same, willing her body not to do that anymore. She wonders why she even came to the beach. If she's being honest, she knows the reason; if she's being even more honest, she's got to say the other thought she can think right now.

Emily hates the beach.

Thank you for reading. Please review.