I claim no ownership of the PLL characters or references of locations throughout this story.

Join me on my first fanfic adventure!

Chapter 1

I decided I need to get out of my townhouse and get some fresh air. For the better part of a month I've been busy settling in to my new place and preparing to start my new job. This is an exciting time in my life! I'm looking forward, here in South Carolina, to the new experiences that await me.

There is a certain sense of pride (and a little bit of freak-out if I'm being honest) at the fact that I packed up all of my belongings to set out on my own. Life in a small town can sometimes feel like a fishbowl. You swim in circles looking for the way out but in the end you keep running into the same things and the same people. Swimming. That's what I thought was going to be my ticket out of Rosewood..that is until wet pavement on a winding road took that from me. After the accident I was told my shoulder could be repaired but I'd never be able to swim competitively again. Emily Fields…17 years old and left directionless. Things turned around though as they often do and by the end of senior year I had a new goal: get into to UPENN. I did, of course, and graduated with my BA and then my MBA about two months ago. It was the best decision I ever made. Life in a small town can also seem intrusive. Everyone knows your parents, knows your friends and with that, they THINK they know you. I was over being "the star swimmer." Labels have never been comfortable for me; I constantly felt the need to peel them off to lighten the weight on my shoulders.

Throughout my youth my mom, dad, and I spent many summers in Charleston. It's different coming back to a place as an adult that you spent time in as a kid. Memories of places and events from your youth fade in almost as a dream. You float through them and when you land back in reality the colors, shapes, and sounds seem altered. When I was a kid Charleston was just a place we went for vacation; I didn't have the appreciation for the city that I do now. It was fun for sure. I enjoyed taking a tour of the USS Yorktown with my dad and feeding seagulls Cheeto's when no one was looking. (that lost its appeal when a particularly feisty seagull got more of my finger than the Cheeto) I chose to move to Charleston when I was offered a job because it's a place I consider a second home. The "low country" between here and Savannah, GA feels like a part of my soul. This is where I'm meant to be.

It's a beautiful day. As I walk along the pathways in Battery Park I can't help but smile. The sky is blue with a smattering of white, puffy clouds here and there. The houses along Rainbow Row are particularly vibrant as the sun's rays bring out the color of each home. Children are running around playing with the cannons that line the park. I laugh as I remember doing the exact same thing when I was a kid here. Towards the gazebo in the middle of the park there is a group of people laughing at something one of them has just said. One person in particular catches my attention. I can't take my eyes off of her. Stunning would be the best way to describe her. I've always been attracted to tall girls with an athletic build. There's no exception here. The brunette looks like she's wrapping up the conversation, causing me to look down to prevent her from seeing me stare.

Hearing a commotion to my right, I turn my head towards the bay. I have to do a double-take at what, or rather WHO I see staggering along the ledge. If I didn't know better, I'd think Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow was 100 yards from me. Others have noticed too as he now has a line of people waiting to have their picture taken with him. I get out my phone to take pictures. This is too good to pass up.

As I send my friend Spencer a picture of "Capt'n Jack" I hear a voice over my left shoulder. "Do you want me to take your picture with him?" I turn around and it's HER. "Excuse me?" is all I can manage to squeak out.

"Your picture? With Capt'n Jack, I can take it for you," she explains. I cannot believe this girl is talking to me. If I thought she was stunning from a distance I didn't know what I was missing up close. Speechless…that's what she has made me.

I quickly try to bounce back so as not to make myself seem like a complete loser. "Oh, um, no thanks. I really just took a picture of him as a joke to send to my friend. But thanks for the offer."

The stunning stranger keeps the conversation going when she replies, "No problem. It's just as well. I think he charges $50 bucks for one of those pictures with him. It's a tourist trap of the most ridiculous kind once he tells you about the charge." I laugh at this. Who would pay $50 for that? Well, apparently the two teenagers who were currently giggling posing for a selfie with him.

Turning my head back to face her, I am rewarded with a 400 watt smile. I manage to stutter out "I'm Emily, by the way. Thanks for the tip."

Just as she begins to say something to me her phone starts to ring and she quickly answers it. "Yes, I'll be there soon. No dad, I didn't forget about the meeting. See you in 45 minutes." She hangs up and turns back towards me. "I guess I'm running late. It was nice meeting you, Emily. Maybe I'll see you around here again."

Just as quickly as she came up behind me just minutes ago, she was gone. The only things that lingered were the smell of her spice perfume and the everlasting image of her beautiful face.