PLL: The Perfectionists Gives Us an Important Update on Emily and Alison's Relationship

Freeform's Pretty Little Liars spinoff, The Perfectionists, is just as twisty and intriguing as its predecessor. With Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) and Mona Vanderwaal (Janel Parrish) back on board as faculty members at Beacon Heights University in Beacon Heights, Oregon, how could there not be drama, you know? And while the new characters — Ava Jalali (Sofia Carson), Caitlin Park-Lewis (Sydney Park), and Dylan Walker (Eli Brown) — provide plenty of fodder for new mysteries, the show's premiere on Wednesday night helpfully answered a question OG PLL fans might have been curious about: are Alison and Emily (Shay Mitchell) still together? Well, it's complicated.

In the series premiere, it's clear that Spencer, Aria, and Hanna have all gone their separate ways. But in the Pretty Little Liars series finale, it seemed like Emily would stay put since she and Alison were engaged and embarking on a new and exciting journey of raising their twin daughters, Lily and Grace. Unfortunately it seems trauma from Emily's past has caused a roadblock in their relationship.

Ali vaguely hints at their relationship status during a conversation with Mona (who arrives at her house earlier in the episode brandishing a giant knife, NBD), saying that although they aren't physically together, she's not completely abandoning hope for a future with her one true love.

"Emily loves me. She just can't get past the past," she explains. "We're happy, and then we're not. It all comes back to trust. But I'm not giving up."

Despite not seeing Mitchell's character in the flesh in the premiere, we do get a glimpse of her as Emily unpacks her new place in Beacon Heights. In addition to boxes and cute home decor, she takes out an incredibly cute picture of her and Emily holding the twins, and puts it on display on her mantle with a longing expression.

So for now, it seems Ali's focus is on leaving the girl she was in high school behind for good and making up for her past actions by helping the students attending BHU. And as for Emily? We probably won't be seeing her for a long time (if ever), but remember that this is the PLL universe — anything can happen.