2.25

•

"UnmAsked"

ONE WEEK LATER

"— One week after his arrest, Reynolds plead not guilty to the charge of Alison DiLaurentis' murder —"

The news had been jammed packed with Alison's name, along with Garrett Reynolds', since the night they arrested him at the Hastings' house. That key bit of information — the location of his arrest — was kept out of the headline as Mr and Mrs Hastings were keen not to be drawn into the mess. It was difficult enough when Spencer was connected.

"— However, prosecutors remain confident with their case. Rosewood PD's working theory is that Reynolds became a police officer to destroy evidence that linked him to the murder scene. Investigators made a break in the case when that document was discovered —"

"That must be page-five of Ali's autopsy report," Hanna reasoned. The five friends were gathered in the Hastings' kitchen, on bar stools around the island, as they watched on the television bolted to the wall near the sink.

"Garrett took it, but somebody gave it back," Emily put in.

Spencer, sitting at the top of the island while the other were split in twos either side, told them, "My mom is friends with the prosecutor. That somebody... was Jenna."

"God, that itself sets my teeth on edge," groaned Halle, using two fingers to ease the pressure in her jaw.

"Can we finally put Ali to rest now?" Aria begged, just as Spencer turned the television on mute.

"Or is it two down and two to go?" questioned Hanna, causing her friends to look to her in confusion. She explained plainly, dropping her voice into a whisper, "Ian's dead, Garrett's in jail. Melissa and Jenna were in Ali's room that night, too. They may not have killed Ali, but they're definitely guilty of something."

Then, Melissa Hastings stepped into the room. "Love gone wrong," she announced.

Spencer furrowed her brows. The television was shut off entirely now, and she asked her elder sister, "What are you talking about?"

Melissa kept her arms folded over her growing baby-bump and confidently told them, "I knew Ian didn't kill Alison, and you five can keep a secret, but you don't have the constitution for murder." She chuckled before her eyes landed on the tub of frozen-yoghurt in front of Aria. Pointing at it, Melissa asked, "Are you gonna eat that?"

Aria didn't answer. She simply pushed it across the slab and passed it over.

Eagerly, Melissa accepted it with a grin. "Thanks." Melissa used her elbows to prop herself up against the island, dragging the plastic spoon over the mound of fro-yo. "I know how Jenna Marshall went blind, and so did Garrett," she said. "If he killed Alison, it's because he thought she deserved it." Melissa moaned the second she put the first spoonful into her mouth, smiling to herself. "Mmm, is this peanut butter?" she asked.

"Toffee," answered a slighted on-edge Aria.

"Mm, it is good," declared Melissa, taking another bite. She flashed Aria a quick smile, "Thanks," before she left for the barn.

The second she was gone, without hesitation, Hanna leaned in and said, "She definitely knows about The Jenna Thing."

"Well, she don't know the difference between peanut butter and toffee," Halle quipped. "But, yeah, she totally knows about The Jenna Thing."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Aria asked her.

"Depends if she's A," Halle replied.

A series of bells and chimes went off, alerting the girls to a new message. Each of them picked up their phones and checked, but it was Emily who read it out. "'You still have something that belongs to me. Bring it, or one of you leaves in a body bag. A.'"

Then, the doorbell rang. As Spencer got up to go answer it, the others continued their conversation. Hanna said, "A has to be talking about her phone."

"You still have it locked in your closet, right?" asked Emily, wary.

"Yes!" hissed Hanna.

Leaning closer, in a hushed but fast voice, Aria panicked, "I don't know about you guys, but A talking about body bags makes me very nervous."

Spencer returned to the kitchen, an envelope now in hand. "Guys, it was a messenger," she told them. "Something for each of us." Spencer emptied it out and handed the girls their own black cards, with their names intricately written in gold marker.

They scrambled to get them open first. Inside were invitation, dark forest themed with gold and black trees printed on glossy paper.

You are cordially invited to theRosewood Junior Society Masquerade BallEight O'Clock to Two O'ClockCostumes Required

"A wants to play hide-and-seek," Emily commented, gazing down at the invite.

"'Be there when the clock strikes midnight'," read Aria, holding A's note in their signature red pen. The anxiousness from a week prior sank back in, no relief from the last uncovering of the mystery.

Halle rolled her eyes. "Why is it always midnight?"

Unlike the others, who seemed to be stuck to their seats in fright, Spencer was up and crossed the room. She went to the glass-door, the one her older sister exited out of, and stared off out of it.

"Spence?" questioned Aria, eyes on the girl just like the other three.

"Hide-and-seek was my favourite game with Melissa," Spencer recalled softly. After a small pause, Spencer started to smirk. "You wanna know why?" She glanced back over her shoulder at her friends and said confidently, "I always won."

•

"She was in that kitchen, eating frozen yoghurt, basically just telling us she was A," Hanna ranted. Her frustration came out on the walk into school, passionate with flying arms and open palms.

"Yeah, and now she want to kill one of us," Aria reminded. "Parties and body bags go together like drinking and driving."

"People still do that," Halle chimed in.

"Guys, I don't trust Melissa as far as I can throw her and Ian's foetus," Emily threw out carelessly, "but let's not forget that Jenna also knows about The Jenna Thing."

Aria looked at Emily like she had grown another head. "Ian's foetus? Em, that's disgusting," she repulsed.

"Look," Hanna started. "A is all-knowing, all right? It's like a genius on steroids." She rounded on them, causing them to stop a few metre away from the school steps. "The only person I know that's smarter than Spencer is her sister."

"Um—" Spencer interrupted, her joining the four from the opposite direction, "I take offence."

"You would," retorted Halle.

"Melissa did score higher on the Wechsler Scale, but when you take into account my scores and the Flynn Effect," argued Spencer profusely, "combined with real-life accomplishments, the gap in our IQs is virtually non-existent."

Faking a yawn, Halle asked, "Are you done?"

"Yes," said Spencer, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Um..." Emily's eyes fell down to the duffel-bag in Spencer's hand. "What are you doing with Ali's bag?"

"I'm giving A back her phone over my dead body," Spencer boldly claimed. "Which means we have until midnight tomorrow to unmask this bitch once and for all, and this bag has brought us closer to the truth that we've ever gotten," she explained.

"You think there's something in there we missed?" asked Emily.

"We need to go through it again — all of us," Spencer said firmly, "with a fresh pair of eyes." She trailed off, eyes lingering on the blonde, "But with Melissa at home, I—"

"No, forget my place," Hanna quickly shot down. "My mom is still hot on the A trail."

"Look, let's just meet after school," said Aria coolly. "I have an idea..." She paused, eyes large as she noticed a merry-looking Mona Vanderwaal approach. Aria falsely smiled and lied, "For a great costume."

"Oh—" Mona's face lit up excitedly, "you're going to the masquerade mash? Me too," she said, hand over her heart. She serial gossiped, "Can you believe Blind Jenna's going? A week ago, that would have made me a no-go, but since she dumped Noel Con-man for Seeing-eye Toby — Sorry, Spencer," she added in, a pitying glance to the girl in question. Mona pulled out her compact mirror and held it up, ready to coat her lips in a fresh layer of lipstick. "Je m'excuse pour mon miroir face," she said in mock-French, before she ran the lipstick over her plump lips. "I love this vintage shop a few towns over. We should all go after school and get our costumes together!"

"I would love to," Spencer said, imitating the same excited shrill Mona's pitch was at. "But, um, I have to take my sister to an ultrasound."

Emily forced a smile. "My mom's coming back tomorrow, so I have some house stuff."

"And I said I'd help," Halle lied, as she linked her arm under Emily's before they walked off after Spencer.

"Yeah, and vintage is my middle name, but—" The school bell cut Aria's lie off, and she fake a sparkling smile. "I gotta get to class," she said, fleeing straight afterwards.

Still hopeful, Mona said to Hanna, the only one left, "That leaves us."

"Um... Ugh—" Hanna really struggled letting her down but had to. "Look, I am so sorry, Mona, but I have to study with Caleb after school," she said, lying. She gave her a weak smile and then headed off.

"So it's just me... again," Mona realised sadly.

•

Spencer's finger traced the hardback books that filled Ezra Fitz's apartment. She smiled as she went along, admiring the collection of literature that spared not one gap on the rich wood shelves. "Tristan and Isolde? Abelard and Eloise?"

While Hanna plopped herself down on the bed, bouncing, Halle was stuck beside Emily as the swimmer kept shoving Fitz's photo-album in front of her. "This is too cute," Emily said. She pointed out a childhood photograph of their ex-teacher, smiling at him in a canoe aged twelve.

"Oh, look at that — he's my sister's age in that one," Halle dryly remarked, pointed at another photo. She looked up at Aria, who was busy making them a pot of tea. "How long ago was that again, Aria?" she asked asked in jest.

"How long ago was it when Jason was that age?" Aria playfully shot back.

"Not as long as Fitz," the curly-haired girl returned.

"Fitz is a sucker for a tragic love story," voiced Spencer romantically. Swiftly, she turned after realising what she had just said. "I so didn't mean that how it sounded," Spencer apologised, which Aria simply waved off. Spencer's comments were the least of her worries and for a start didn't even begin to compare to Halle's. Softening, Spencer asked, "Have you heard from him?"

"Yeah, he checks in," Aria told them, as she poured the tea. "Everything he thought he wanted, he's lost because of me." She sighed and stopped pouring. "Guys, I— I think that it might be over this time. Really over," she added, voice cracking towards the end.

A message alert sounded from Hanna's mobile. She reached for it and picked up her phone, checking. Huffing loudly, Hanna said, "Great — now Mona knows I lied about where I am."

"You did lie," Halle reminded her.

"Yeah, but now she knows I lied," Hanna countered. Then, it began to ring in her hands and sighed. "And Caleb is with her... so he's gonna ask me why I ditched her." Hanna declined the call, pinching her brow in annoyance. "You know, I am lying to everyone I care about," she said, while Spencer and Emily made a start on emptying out Alison's bag. "I don't even know why I started lying to begin with."

"You're lying because you don't want the people that you care about to end up like Dr Sullivan," argued Spencer strongly, causing Halle to cast her eyes down at her lap. "Here one day and gone the next."

Defeated, Hanna threw herself down on the bed.

"Hanna, do you mind?" Aria got coy, a fond smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. "It's... kind of sacred ground."

Hanna shot up, fast. "It is?!" the four chorused, gobsmacked at the revelation.

The smirk only seemed to grow until it was spread completely across the bottom half of Aria's face. She picked up the tray and brought it over to the coffee table, a large bubble of pride within her.

"Man!" exclaimed Spencer, almost impressed. "You sure can keep a secret."

Without anything more to add, Aria simply smacked her thighs and popped herself down on the couch.

After routing through the bag, Spencer found something of interest. "Hey, Han — can you grab my computer?" she asked, inspecting a pen.

"What is it, Spence?" asked Emily curiously.

"Would you look up Dougherty's Landing?" Spencer said, holding it up high for the group to see.

The group shifted. Hanna moved and got Spencer's laptop from out of the girl's bag. Spencer rose to meet her. Halle had ventured over, plucked up a cup of black tea and perched herself on the back of the sofa, which her friends sat on; and both Aria and Emily settled closer, joining the huddled friends, desperately seeking any new information.

Hanna searched up the name. Her brows furrowed at the screen, and she stated, "It's a tiny airstrip off of Highway-thirty."

Halle tilted her head, accepting. "At least we know Duncan wasn't lying about taking Ali flying."

"Is it close to anything?" Spencer considered.

"No, it's in the middle of nowhere," answered Hanna.

Not liking the answer, Spencer took her laptop from the blonde. There was a niggling in the back of her head — a spark of an old clue. "Wait... what did that postcard say?"

"Um..." Emily closed her eyes, trying to remember. "'Meets thirty'."

Realising what Spencer hinted at — recognising it herself — Halle passed the cup down over Aria's shoulder and gave it to her. She crossed the room and dug her hand into the duffel-bag, searching.

Spencer had typed in exactly what Emily said and raked through the series of results. She clicked on one that caught her attention. "'The Lost Woods Resort'," she said. "'Find us where Greenview meets thirty.'"

"Here—" Halle's hand flew up. Quickly, she rushed back to them and showed them the postcard. "'Meets thirty'."

Aria's eyes went wide. "Duncan said that he flew Ali to airfield the day she disappeared," she said, insistent. "This has to be where she went."

Agreeing, Halle turned the postcard over between her fingers. "Maybe room one?"

•

Thunder crackled overhead. Since leaving Rosewood, night had fallen fast while on the ride out to highway-thirty. The night was an inky black, blue at the jagged edges of the towering tree-line. Spencer's car had the heating all the way up and caused the back windows to fog up; it was how the five knew just how brittle the night was.

"What was Ali doing up here?" Emily asked when she saw the red neon lights welcoming them to the Lost Woods Resort.

"She wasn't bagging a deer, that's for sure," Hanna shot out.

After pulling the car to a gradual stop, Spencer focused on the sign and dove her hand into her pocket. She brought out the half of the ripped postcard they had and held it up to the motel, comparing. Despite the sweet, welcoming the picture presented, the building matched the dark, ominous one they now faced.

Knock, knock.

Gasps filled the car. They jumped, whipping their necks to the right. There, a white man leered by the passenger-side window. He shouted over the storm, "Are you checking in?"

Despite the initial shock — the creepiness and spooks the manager gave them — the girls convinced themselves to stay the night at the Lost Woods Resort. There was something unusual about the man; whether it was his peculiar attitude or the coldness of his character, Halle couldn't tell. All she knew was he freaked her out and the inside of the motel did nothing to ease that feeling

"I was surprised when you girls pulled up," he said. "People don't come here much since they built the Interstate." The man, who had introduced himself as Harold, went around the rich-wood desk and trailed his pink hands down the spine of the registration before he opened it to the page he needed. "It doesn't bother me, though. I like the quiet."

A nervous squeak emitted from Halle. She wasn't sure where it came or how she had made that sound, but her subconscious felt the need to let it out. Maybe it was the muddy oil painting of a woman looming over the reception bungalow, or the heads of animals stuck to the wall, or the series of keys hung up on the backboard with only one missing. The easiest explanation was the awkward and eerie tone to the manager's voice had disturbed her so much, the sound just outed without a thought.

Harold clicked the pen mid-air and held it out to Spencer. "Sign here," he stated, and used his free hand to move the book closer to the other side of the desk.

Spencer accepted the pen and glanced up a few times as she signed a false name.

"Welcome to the Lost Wood Resort..." Harold inspected the ink as it scrawled on the page, impatient and overbearing. He span the book around to him, so he could gain a better perspective. With his suspicions, he still welcomed her. "... Mary Smith."

Shifting nervously, Spencer asked, "Um, is room one available?"

"How did you know about room one?" he shot back.

Scared they were rumbled, Spencer went quiet. "Sorry?"

"It's got the hottest water on the property," he chuckled. "Perfect for a night like this," he added, pointing the storm outside.

"Oh—" Spencer broke into a relieved smile, but used it an opportunity. "Our friend, the one who told us about this place — she stayed in room one," she lied easily. Spencer took the key from him and said, "Maybe you remember her — Vivian Darkbloom?"

Slight recognition passed over him, and then, once recollected, Harold told them, "Name doesn't ring a bell. Besides, I learned a long time ago not to tell tales about folks who stay here. You check into the Lost Woods because you don't wanna be found."

A pressed smiled crept onto Halle's face. She was thankful Spencer had the key in hand because Halle desperately wanted out of there. Harold sucked any joy or fun out of the room. She was the second out, after Aria; and the two made a break for the room. They trudged over the pathway now slicked with mud, thick and wet from the rain. The two were almost at the door when they heard Hanna take a stumble.

"Ugh! Damn it!" Hanna's ankle had caved and sent her falling into a puddle. Her hands splayed on the ground, now coated in brown, the distressed blonde struggled to stand.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked over the roaring wind.

Aria and Halle returned to them, both helping lift Hanna up. "Hanna, come on," Aria said.

Halle shouted to be heard of the howling around them, "Let's just get inside!"

Spencer got the door open and flicked the switch beside it. A weak lamp came on, it perched on the far bedside table. The group stood in the doorway, each transported back to the late 50s'. There were two porcelain lamps either side of the hard-looking bed and a standing light by the door. Bare and muted, the bedroom had brown carpets and dark wood finishes; hideous floral wallpaper and plaid drapes.

"I'm..." A nervous Aria let out, "not exactly sure what we're looking for."

"Ali left Ian to come up here for a reason," Spencer informed. "What was it?" she asked, as she ventured inside; the others followed her in, shutting the door behind them.

They made haste in their search. While Aria, who had removed her coat, went straight fro the set of drawer on the left wall, Halle went to the nearest bedside table, routing through it. Spencer and Emily both had the same idea to go over to the desk and rumbled over its surface and contents as Hanna took herself into the bathroom to wash her hands.

Picking up a postcard from the pile, Emily commented dryly, "Love how they call this place a resort." It was now in full, and there was no denying it matched the one they found in Alison's bag. She turned and asked them, "Do you think that Ali came here to hide something?"

Halle was on all-fours, sweeping her eyes under the bed. Interrupted by Emily's question, Halle huffed loud and blew the fallen hair from out of her face. She glared at her friend and threw out, "Wouldn't be on my hands and knees if I didn't."

As Hanna crossed the room, sitting down on the old radiator with a towel to rub her clothes down with, Aria asked, "Or do you think she came up here to hide?"

"What, from A?" Halle questioned, straightening up.

Aria shrugged. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"

Stern, Spencer stated, "We need to get into the office." She went over to the far window, opposite the door, and stared out of it. Her eyes trained through the heavy rain and landed on the office-hut, with Aria drifting over after her. "Was Ali here alone or did she come with somebody?"

"Is he still there?" Aria asked

"I think that he left," Spencer replied. "I'm just dyingto get a look at the registration book," she claimed strongly.

Aria, who let out a huff, turned on her heeled boots and grabbed her coat from off the bed.

Instantly, Spencer picked up. "Wait, really? You're gonna come with me?"

Glancing to the radiator, Aria founded Emily and Hanna bundled up together. Both dithered and tried to get warm from their seats on the old fashioned box. "Do it look like those two are moving?"

"I'm cold," Emily shivered.

"Hey, no — I'm colder than she is," argued Hanna, wrapped up in the towel.

"You're little, but you're big," Spencer complimented Aria, impressed.

Smiling, Aria turned. "Halle?" Aria questioned. "Are you coming?"

The cheerleader sighed and looked up. She was rested her weight on her calves, still searching. "Somebody has to look around here," she said. She raised her brows and asked, "You have a nail-file in your bag, right?"

"Yeah, why?" asked Aria, moving to grab it for her.

"I need something to get the screws out with," Halle mentioned. "I'm gonna take every socket out and the air-vent." She accepted the file from her friend and smiled. "Ali was the best at keeping things hidden, we gotta think like her."

"I love you," Spencer blurted out, in awe.

Grinning widely, Halle returned, "I love you, too — but go, before Norman Bates comes back and goes all Psycho on us."

Shortly after they left, Halle started on scouring the motel room for clues. She went around taking photographs on her cellphone of any item she deemed suitable to hide something in, found a way to take it apart with the edge of a nail-file, then put it back together afterwards. Admittedly, Halle thought she had a stroke of genius while Hanna had gone into the bathroom and Emily stayed put on top of the radiator.

"I can't believe you're taking a shower in this place," Emily said, calling out to be heard over the running water. "It's gross."

"God, Emily, I'm covered in mud," complained Hanna.

Watching, Emily became invested in what Halle was doing. The curly-haired girl had the clock from the bedside table in pieces, taking off the back. "What are you doing with the photos?" she asked.

"I don't know how creepy Creepy Harold is, and I ain't gonna give myself the chance to find out," Halle replied. "I've taken a photo of it both together and apart, so I know which screw goes in which hole."

"Do you need any help?" Emily asked.

"No, I got this," said Halle, waving her friend off. "Though, I'm gonna need you to move off that radiator."

"Why?" Emily questioned incredulously.

"Because I'm gonna take off the panels — see if Alison hid anything in it, duh," Halle replied snarkily.

A phone ringing cut through the conversation. Emily recognised it as her own ringtone and lifted herself up. She walked to the bed and collected the phone from out of her handbag. Her eyes lit up, wide in surprise. Immediately Emily accepted the call and raised it to her ear. "Hello? Maya?"

Halle's eyes flashed up from screwing back together the clock and patiently waited to hear any news.

"Can you hear me?" Emily asked, rushing. She pulled the phone away from her ear to check the signal-bar. "I'm gonna go to the car, see if I can get better service out there," she said, as she was already hurrying out of the door.

"Halle — Emily?" Hanna's cry from the bathroom came just as Halle wrapped up her search of the clock. "Can you come in here? I don't know if I got all the mud off."

Sighing, Halle called back, "Coming." Halle got up from the floor, crossed the room and entered the steamy bathroom. "Okay, I'm here."

"Just check my back for me," Hanna requested softly.

Halle pulled back the white shower-curtain and checked Hanna over. She moved her eyes over her wet back, looking for any mud. "No, no, I think you got it all," Halle said, just as ringing sounded back from in the bedroom.

Hanna glanced back, confused, and reached to shut off the water. Halle left to go answer it. She exited the hot bathroom, out of all the steam, into the surprising colder than before bedroom. Her feet stilled when she figured out the drop in temperature.

The door was wide open.

"Halle?" Hanna joined her friend, now wrapped up in a clean towel, and was also faced the the open door. They both gulped nervously, eyes flitting around as hair-raising chill shot up their spines.

They weren't alone up here.

•

The next morning came with clear skies, dry air without the smell of rain tainting it. Halle had laid herself across the bottom of the bed, desperately seeking comfort as she tried to lull over the throbbing in her head. A bad night's sleep always gave her a headache in the morning, and Halle had the worse sleep. She tossed and turned, churning over the haunting feeling of being watched.

Up against the far wall, at the desk, Spencer made use of the notepad and was jotting down anything of interest from the sign-in book. "Ali stayed here twice," she noted, "and the first time was the day she was supposed to be meeting A in Brookhaven." She turned to Aria, who approached to pass Spencer her first taste of caffeine since dawn, and shot, "Coincidence? I doubt it."

"Seriously?" Hanna randomly threw out before she picked herself up off the armchair and left, trying to get better service outside now the weather had cleared.

Aria climbed onto the bed, next to Emily, with her cup of coffee warming her hands. "She still didn't call back?" Aria asked, referring to Maya.

Sadly, Emily simply shook her head as a response. She couldn't bear to say it aloud; it hurt too much to know she kept missing Maya. Emily then said, typing away at her cellphone, "My mom's not even home yet, and I'm lying to her." She looked to Aria. "She thinks I'm staying at Halle's house."

"Oh, that works, 'cos my mom thinks I stayed at Halle's, too," Aria remarked.

"Oh, great," Halle chided back.

With a playfully kick to Halle's legs, sprawled out where Emily's feet were, Emily retorted, "Yeah, and where does your mom think you stayed?"

"At yours," Halle answered, smirking with Emily from across the bed. Glancing over to Spencer, Halle asked her, "We're not stealing that, are we?"

"No," Spencer grumbled. "We'll go put it back."

"We?" questioned Aria, eyebrows up and arched. "Spencer, you are not gonna make me crawl through that window again, are you?"

"I'll do it," Spencer defended, "I just need you to stand guard." Up out of the chair, Spencer pleaded, "Come on, we're Team Sparia."

A smile tugged its way onto Aria's face, liking the sound of it. "Fine," she caved easily, grabbing her jacket.

Also with her coat in hand, Spencer led the way out. Aria followed, passing a glum-looking Hanna on her way back in. The frown on the blonde's face made Emily put her phone down.

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Emily in concern.

Taking up the space that Aria vacated, Hanna threw herself down on the bed. She landed on her side and sulked, "Caleb can't take me to the masquerade party anymore. His mom's flying in tonight." She whined, "My costume needed a date."

Halle quirked her right eyebrow up at her friend. "Not you?"

"No, the costume," Hanna replied flatly.

Chuckling, Emily asked, "What's your costume?"

"I've wanted to be Juliet since Bridget Wu beat me out for the part in the sixth grade," Hanna told them, and they all shared in light laughter.

After some thought, Emily said, grinning, "Looking back, I think I wanted to be Romeo."

"I wanted to be Paul Rudd in the astronaut suit," Halle remarked, staring up at the ceiling.

Her friends chuckled, and Emily asked, "You mean Paris?"

"No—" Halle faced her, "Paul Rudd."

Again, the three laughed. But Hanna saw an in and while smiling hopefully, she asked Emily, "So, will you to the party with me?"

"I'll be your date," agreed Emily. "But I'm not dressing up like a dude."

The door suddenly swung open. Aria and Spencer sprang into the room in great urgency. "Harold's back!" Aria exclaimed, causing the panic to sweep in briskly.

"Let's go," Spencer ordered. She ran in and grabbed her bag, swiping all the notes she had made into it. "Let's go before he realises we touched his stuff."

•

As the last to be dropped off, Spencer drove anti-clockwise around Bridgewater Terrace. The plan was drop Halle off outside her house before Spencer returned home herself. It also gave them chance to spy on the DiLaurentis house. Outside it, the pile-up of burnt furniture was growing high, and Toby was the one tossing through items having been hired by Jason to help clear out the house.

Spencer stopped the car. She wanted to confront Toby — to ask him why he hated her so much — and Halle was just unfortunate enough to be caught up in the crossfire.

The moment the door shut, Toby knew who it was. His back tensed. "Spencer," he met.

Halle awkwardly stepped out of the vehicle also. She put up her hand and sent him a pressed smile. "And Halle."

"Have you heard anything?" Spencer asked him softly. She tucked her hands into her coat pockets. "What might have caused the fire?"

Toby threw aside a ruined suitcase and answered, "Just that it wasn't an accident."

After exchanging a few uncomfortable glances with the two ex-lovers, Halle exhaled forcibly. She gestured to the house and asked, "Is he in?"

"Yeah, out back," Toby replied.

"Thanks." Halle's hand came out and landed on Spencer's arm. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Spencer said, and Halle left to go find Jason.

It was long before she located him. She trod through the quiet house, a frown taking its place on her face as she turned the corner and saw the extent of the fire. Throughout everything was how it should be — how it was before — and then the hardwood floor turned black, coated in thick ash, near the back. Halle found Jason in the completely chard kitchen, him crouched down low as he tried to unhinge a cupboard door.

"Hey, you," she said. Halle gently smiled when he looked back at her.

"Hey — be careful where you step, I don't know which boards are safe yet," Jason warned her lovingly.

Peering outside, Halle saw another pile like the one out front. Furniture was wasted, gone and tarnish by the flames. Halle thought about all the memories Jason had it that house — what ghosts it held for him — like the ones it had of Halle's. "I'm so sorry, Jason," she spoke quietly. "I never meant for this to happen."

Jason put down the screwdriver and stood up. "You're gonna have to help me out here, Halle," he said. Jason faced her, an annoyed glaze over his green eyes. "Why would the same person who's hurting you and your friends go after Jenna? Why would they trap her in my house and start a fire?"

Pathetically, Halle said, "I don't know, I don't anything about why A does what A does."

"Does if have anything to do with why Jenna Marshall went blind?" he asked her.

Halle cast her eyes down at the ash under her feet, uncomfortable. She had forgotten all about Jason knowing — how Alison told him and blamed Spencer, in case it ever came out. "We don't know," she said, her words placed forward in her mouth. "Jenna had surgery, to see if she could get her sight back, but she told us the other day... It didn't work," said Halle, ashamed in herself. Her tears filled up. "I don't know if A did it, to make sure she wouldn't get her sight back."

"Why would A do that?" Jason asked her.

"You're asking me to guess here, Jason," Halle replied. "I— I don't know."

"If you had to put reason to it," he urged.

"I," Halle began, shaking, "would say keeping Jenna blind keeps us quiet about everything, because of what we did that night." She raised her eyes to meet his. "We also think that there was a camera on us when the... when The Jenna Thing happened."

"Ian," Jason voiced.

"And Alison," Halle added in afterwards. She saw the confusion come over him, so Halle explained the dark thoughts she had. "Alison told you that us that Toby was the one watching through Em's window that night, that's the reason we threw that stink-bomb." She scoffed, "Alison said it would teach him a lesson."

"Right," Jason nodded. "And she made up that story, that it was Spencer who suggested it."

"Yeah, but there was a camera on us, when we were changing in Em's bedroom," Halle reasoned, walking him through it carefully. "And if Alison knew it wasn't Toby, she had to know it was Ian. I think Alison wanted Jenna gone, and she set us up with stink-bomb."

"And you think A's doing the same?" Jason questioned, eyebrows raised up at her.

"A has always felt Alison to me," Halle told him earnestly. "The worst parts of her. That's how A can get us to do stuff — or lie."

Jason accepted her answer despite the obvious pained look across his face. "Because Ali did that best," he said.

"Yeah," Halle said lowly.

Her quietness drew his eyes back to her. Jason took off his work-gloves, the ones covered in ash, and put them aside before he extended a hand to her. "Come here," he said.

Halle gladly went. She slipped her hand into his, fingers interlocking with his ones as she approached. Allowing herself to be pulled into a hug, Halle relaxed instantly, eyes closing as Jason's arms enclosed around her. All the knots in the back released. With Jason, Halle was totally calm. Her stomach didn't curl over; her palms didn't sweat; her head didn't race. Her entire being softened, knowing it was safe.

"You'll fix the house, Jason," she mumbled into his chest. Halle turned her head to meet his gaze. She reached her free hand and stroked his face, it lingering on his jaw while she smiled softly up at him. "You'll make a better place. I can help," she offered in jest. "I think I'd be pretty good at gutting a place, give me a chance get all my anger out."

Jason simply returned the smile and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I think I'm done for the day," he said. "Do you wanna just hang out the motel tonight? I can pick up takeout and we can..." Jason stopped himself, noticing her cringe. "What? Is it something I said?"

"No, it's just... I have the masquerade ball tonight," Halle regretfully digressed, hands falling onto his chest as his still held her. "I have to go."

His brows raised. "You have to go?"

"Well, that — and I want to, obviously," Halle inserted. She smiled through the tightness in her chest — the secret she was keeping — and added, "I have a cute dress, too... But I can stop by after."

"How about I come with you?" Jason asked. "I have suit, and I'm sure I can buy a mask in town—" His smile vanished the moment she cut him off.

"I'd..." Halle closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "I'd love for you to come, but..." The next thing that came out of her mouth was a really good lie. Halle looked up at him and said, "I promised Hanna I'd be her date since Caleb can't make it. We're gonna eat before and ride together, so... I'll see you after?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Yeah, after," Jason agreed. A soft smile came back onto his face, trying to push past the uneasy feeling that she was hiding something from him.

There was always another secret.

•

Several magnificent glass chandeliers, lit up by candles, centred the grand ballroom. There are dozens of enchanted trees, ghostly white and spiked off in leafless branches, lining the bustling dance-floor. Projections of blue and silver bounced off the walls and around the glazed marble floor, which was filled with guests all in costumes and extravagant masks.

Between two stone pillars, at the top of the small staircase, the girls all appeared in their own costumes. In the middle, Halle absorbed her surroundings through the slits of her dainty pink and gold mask. It paired perfectly — as advised by Hanna — with her midi-dress, rose-pink with a cupped bodice and off-the-shoulder ruched and ruffled sleeves. Her costume inspiration was the French song, La Vie En Rose, with the large sleeves acting as the petals to her soft pink rose.

"This is the perfect place for A to hide," Aria commented.

"Where was Melissa when you left?" Hanna asked, looking to the end where Spencer stood.

"In her pyjamas, curled up on the couch," answered Spencer.

As they started their descent — each of them, except Halle, gathering up the skirts of their dresses, Hanna mentioned, "At least the bump won't be able to hide like she can."

"We have three hours to find out who A is, before A find us," Emily said to them.

"We all still agree, right?" Aria checked, just as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah," Halle was quick to reply. She had investments now, and the sooner they wrapped this up, the sooner she could be with Jason. That was her goal now. "No matter what happens at midnight, we stick together — and we not giving up that phone."

"It's five against one," Hanna said, smiling weakly as if she was fighting back all her doubts. "I like those odds."

Spencer asked, "Should we split up and look around?"

Emily replied easily, "None of us have dates, so..."

"Let's meet back here in an hour," Aria instructed. "And keep your phones close."

As promised, the girls divided. They had an entire ballroom to cover, so it was decided pretty early on that parting was best. Each went off in separate directions, expanding off from another to search forA. It was overwhelming; they had no idea what they were looking for — who they were looking for. They were so out of their depths, but instilled themselves with false confidence and looked for anything unusual.

Halle went off to the far side of the room, dodging dancing couples and lingering party-goers, to get to the opposite set of steps. She thought if she planted herself at the other exit, A wouldn't have an escape plan. From the steps, Halle had a good view of the ball. Overlooking the floor, Halle kept her eyes peeled. She scanned the dance-floor — smiled when she saw Caleb surprise Hanna — but kept her focus. She was grateful Jason wasn't hurt that she turned her down; she didn't want a distraction. Tonight was too important. And if it all well, the next dance she went to, she could take Jason as her date and wouldn't have to worry about A stirring up trouble.

Suddenly, Halle's eyes darted across the ballroom. They snapped up and over to the staircase opposite. A large mask of gold caught her attention; the bold, red dress kept it on the girl. It wasn't until Halle saw wisps of golden blonde that Halle tore her own mask off to see better.

"Ali?"

Halle tried to make herself taller, stretching her legs to see over the crowd. She craned her neck, searching frantically.

"Good luck at Nationals," a voice said in passing.

Turning, Halle was faced with an unfamiliar girl in her grade. "Oh—" said Halle unexpectedly, taken aback. She glanced back over to the stairs, finding the blonde cross the floor, before she played polite with the person beside her.

"Good luck," the girl repeated.

"Thanks," replied Halle. Distracted, she managed to flash a brief grin at the girl before she went, and Halle quickly turned her head back to where she last saw the blonde with the gold mask. Only, Halle found somebody else instead.

Jason.

Halle saw him. She saw him and her heart sung. The whole world around her slowed. It stilled for him — for them. She never needed to catch his eye; he was already staring at her. Looking at her and seeing her in a way only he ever did. Jason saw her, and Halle saw him right back.

She couldn't think straight; the music was way too loud. There was a rush that swelled in her chest. It was a straight hit to the heart and its beat softened. Before Halle knew it, her feet were carrying her over to meet him, in his white mask and tailored suit.

"I told you not to come," she said, smiling.

"Well—" Jason took his time taking her in. Eyes worked up and down her figure, drinking in the image of her in that dress. Heat flooded her cheeks as he did so, growing hotter when she saw that smug smile itch its way onto his face. "You look way too good not to have a date, Brewster," Jason said.

Halle pursed her lips as to stop herself from smiling so wide. Instead of giving him the satisfaction of replying to a compliment, she gave one of her own. Looking him over — his grey suit just a couple shades darker than his tie paired with crisp-white shirt — Halle felt a smirk tug at her lips. "I like you in a suit," she said with a smile. "And you even found a mask."

"You seem to have lost yours," Jason remarked. He gestured to it. "Can I?"

Without a word, Halle handed it to him as she took a step closer. Jason lifted it slowly over her head and carefully fitted it to her face. The whole time Halle kept her gaze locked onto his, amazed. She was mesmerized, captivated by the green. One long look and she was lost in them. Halle would be lying if she said she didn't want everything Jason was offering her, and Halle didn't want to be a liar anymore — good, bad or anything in between. She just wanted Jason.

Like he had sensed a change, Jason's face fell. "What's wrong? Because I saw Hanna, and she had a date." Seriously, and in concern, Jason asked, "Are you having second thoughts about us?"

"No — god, no," Halle said, adamant.

"Then what do you want? Do you want me on me knees, Brewster?" Jason regarded her, his head tilted down at her with a slightly bemused smile tugging at his lips. "Is that it? Is that what you want?"

"You don't— you don't have to do that," Halle defended. "I want this, I want you." She grasped his hands up in hers. "It's just... I lied to you — before," she explained. "I told you not to come, not because I didn't want you here, but because... we're here to find A." Halle confessed, watching all the worry sink into his features — worry she didn't want him to have. "We have until midnight to find A before A finds us."

"Let me help," he said instantly.

"I can't let you do that," Halle replied, pained. "I have to keep you safe. Promise me you'll go back to the motel." She squeezed his hand, pulling at them as her voice grew stronger. "Promise me, Jason."

"Promise me you won't do anything reckless," he countered back, and Halle fell short.

She couldn't promise him that.

•

"There she is."

Up on the golden pavilion, high over the ballroom and draped in fake vines and twinkling lights, Hanna pointed out the brunette in the Black Swan costume. The mysterious figure arrived late, alone but regal. She surveyed the place, not speaking to anyone yet but kept her chin high. With her face covered with an adorned mask and hair pulled back into a sleek ballerina's bun, it was difficult to tell who it was. The dark feathered dress stuck out to Hanna for some unknown reason. It felt like the perfect costume for A to hide behind.

"Who is that?" asked Emily.

"I can't tell from here," Aria said, squinting through the eye-holes of her mask.

"Tall, size-two — I hate her already," remarked Hanna dryly.

"Not pregnant," Halle commented. "Can't be Melissa."

They watched as the Black Swan, still hidden behind the large mask, spoke to Jenna Marshall. The blind girl wasn't hard to miss; her cane and sunglasses were were accessories she never went without. Then a male joined them, only he revealed himself to them.

Hanna gasped, "It's Lucas. They're all together."

It was only then, with it in front of them so plainly, the girls recognised what could be the A-team. Jenna, the girl they blinded; Lucas, the boy they let Alison torment; and the Black Swan, their potential leader.

"But she's leaving," noted Halle, eyes intensely tracking the Black Swan as she went to leave.

"Come on," said Aria briskly. She gathered up her large hooped-skirt and started down the steps, with her friends closely following. They tried to keep sight of the Black Swan as she waved through the sea of juniors, head tucked down.

The Black Swan broke for the side-exit, one closed off to the party. She disappeared behind the white silks draped down from the tall ceiling while the girls chased after her.

"She's leaving! Hurry!" said Emily urgently.

Their hurried heels clipped loudly against the floor, scurrying towards the Black Swan only to have her slip out from their grasp. The door shut on them. Aria and Halle tried to pry it open, pressing the lever down but it was no use.

"It's locked!" Aria exclaimed.

"But it just opened!" argued Halle. All her frustration amassed to that moment and without another thought, the side of her fist collided with the door. "Aghh!"

"Halle—" Aria tried to calm her but Halle had already reached her boiling point.

"No! No — No, that could've been A! We had her and now we have nothing — nothing!" she screamed violently. In a snap judgement, Halle said in a rush, "I say we corner Jenna and Lucas and we get them to talk!"

"They're not gonna talk to us," Emily retorted.

"Then we make them!" Halle yelled.

"Guys." Hanna's soft voice sounded. She called them over to her, the blonde having slowly bent down and picked up something. Between her fingers, Hanna held a singular black feather.

•

"I'm calling Spencer," Hanna announced. They were hurrying back up the stairs of the pavilion, rushing. She cursed aloud in annoyance, "This phone is a piece of crap!"

"I'll call her," Aria offered, prying her cellphone out from the top of her dress.

Eyes still on her phone screen, Hanna let out a small, "That's weird."

"What?" questioned Emily.

Confused, Hanna simply handed the phone over. "Here."

Both Emily and Halle peered down at what Hanna found strange. Emily's face fell, seeing exactly what Hanna was worried about. "Your phone is set to record every time it's on."

"Wait, what?" Halle snatched the phone from Emily and focused down on screen. There, she located the settings and saw the Streaming Cam was set to Auto-record. Dread seeped in fast and her eyes darted up. "Where's Spencer?"

"She went to the Lost Woods with Mona," Emily revealed, voice shaking.

Fast gloved fingers pressed Spencer's contact in Aria's phone, and the four waited for the video-call to be picked up. They held their breaths as 'Connecting' flashed on the screen and then Spencer's voice came from the other end. The image they saw was still black.

"—You almost killed them," Spencer said purposefully. "Hanna and Halle are my friends, I thought Hanna was your friend, too."

Mona, dressed in a black hoodie, appeared. Spencer's phone was down low, strategically aimed up to catch their tormentor's face. "It's easier to forgive an enemy than it is to forgive a friend," replied Mona.

"Oh, my god," Aria uttered, gobsmacked.

Emily's stomach dropped. "It's Mona."

"How did you do it?" asked Spencer, out of breath. "How could you be everywhere?" Her voice shook violently, petrified. "You were always one step ahead of us."

"You're not the only genius in this car," Mona returned smartly. She faced Spencer while driving manically. "You bitches underestimated me." She turned back to the road, engine revving as she put her foot down on the gas.

"We are never gonna make it to Lookout Point if you don't slow down," panicked Spencer. She only prayed her friends could get there in time. Until then, Spencer had to unravel more of the story — distract Mona and get her talking.

"They're going to Lookout Point," Aria rushed. "I know a shortcut, come on." In a flash, she spun around to leave.

Hanna was floored. Stunned, and wrapped up in too many emotions to process at once, her feet were bolted to the floor. Frozen to her spot, all her limbs forgot how to move.

Noticing, Aria went back as Emily and Halle made for the exit; the phone now tightly grasped in Halle's hand as she listened in. "Hanna," said Aria.

Softly crying, a heart-breaking, "Mona's A," escaped Hanna.

Aria was stuck for a beat. She softened, torn for wanting to wrap Hanna up in a warm up. But they had to go. "Come on."

•

"Is this some kind of payback?" Spencer asked, pleading for some kind of explanation. "Because we let Ali treat you like that?"

"I am so over Ali, I told you," sneered Mona, scornful. "She was never my friend, but Hanna was. And you bitches took her from me."

"This is about betrayal?" Spencer uttered, baffled.

"It's not about betrayal, Spencer, it's about revenge!" Mona snapped harshly. "You deserved everything you got!" She lulled it over in her head and the vindictive side grew soft. "You stole my only friend."

"Mona, she is still your friend!" emphasized Spencer greatly.

"She was, until Alison decided she wanted her and took her from me," Mona accused. "Alison labelled me Loser Mona and took my only friend — you took her, too. Then Alison went away and for a while, I got Hanna back." A smug sort of smile etched its way across her face. "I got a chance at being Queen Alison DiLaurentis myself, and I was damn good at it. I had everything." Her smile got wiped from her face in an instant. "And then in walks Aria — back from Iceland, and on her first day back, she walks in with who? With Emily and Halle, that's who!" she yelled furiously. "I had a year — one year! You bitches just couldn't let me be happy, could you?"

"It was A that brought us back together," Spencer tried to argue.

"Yes, because I let it!" Mona dictated powerfully. "I could see where it could go. I could tell you were gonna find your way back to each other and I'd be on the outside again, so I sped it up. I gave you the perfect villain," she proudly boasted. "It wasn't hard to have you bitches quaking in your little designer boots and your big houses —I had Ali's diaries. I knew all about you and Ian, and your rivalry with Melissa. I knew about The Jenna Thing, and Halle's secret relationship with Jason. I knew about Emily's mad girl-crush on Alison and Aria's dad's affair with one of his grad-students — I knew it all! I knew exactly which buttons to push, how to play you, what would back you all into a corner." A glint of all-knowing satisfaction shone brightly in her eyes. "Though, I didn't need a diary to tell you all Hanna's secrets, I knew them already." She smiled, "We were best friends."

"You used her eating disorder against her!" Spencer shouted.

"Alison was the one who gave it her!" Mona yelled back. "I only did what Alison did, and you were still friends with her. I was teaching you a lesson."

"What lesson was that?" asked Spencer.

"Oh, please, you're not that stupid." Mona shot Spencer a hard, sarcastic look and explained, "A is for Alison, not amateur — have I not taught you anything?" She scoffed and said, "I know Ali never did. None of you can tell a really good lie and believe it. One look from Aria to Mr Fitz at the start of semester was all I needed to take guess. Even Jenna figured that one out."

Alarmed, Spencer asked, "Is Jenna part of this?"

"Jenna was working with Ian and Garrett, not A," Mona returned. "It's called misplaced guilt, Spencer. You bitches were so quick to accuse her because you needed to justify blinding her. Newsflash — there is none. Not even Toby was a reason, you didn't know that then." She let out a dry laugh, "You bitches still know nothing. Always underestimating me. All of you. Sad, pathetic Mona just on the outside, never let into the group, just happy to be included. Why do you think I sent myself those texts, hey?" She rolled her eyes as Spencer's look of astonishment. "Oh, catch up, Spencer. That was the plan — I'd give you A and then give myself A so you'd have to include me all while teaching you a lesson about how toxic Alison really was."

"How were you gonna end it?" Spencer asked, eyes darting down the phone in her lap. The call was still ongoing. She could see Halle's panicked face in the corner.

"When I knew I was in, that you girls trusted me enough and saw me as one of you, A was just gonna go away." Mona gritted her teeth, far too invested and enthralled in the story. "But the game's too good, it's so good," she said, salivating.

"Okay," Spencer gulped nervously. The excited rush that last part gave Mona made her take to the last corner rather sharply. "So what's the plan? I mean, A always has a plan, right?"

"Yes." Mona glanced to the girl next to her. "She does." Her third-person reply left an ominous atmosphere in the car. Mona said, "Unlike you, I can recognise potential. That's why I'm inviting you to join me, Spencer. To be a part of the A-team."

Gripping her seat tightly, Spencer asked, "What happens if I don't join the team?"

"Melissa doesn't have your dad's gun," Mona revealed, "I do." The tyres from the speeding car screeched against the road. "When Ali left, it pulled you guys apart. It'll be the same if you go away."

"No." Spencer said, breathing sharply, "it won't."

Building up an insane amount of courage, adrenaline pumping through her veins, Spencer pulled hard at the handbrake. Tyres squealed to a abrupt stop; the car skidding around in a half-circle until it jarred still. Spencer jolted forward in her seat and yelped in pain, "Aaah!" The seat-belt yanked her back. In a hurry, she unbuckled it and made a break for it, leaping out of the car.

•

The road to Lookout Point was dark and winding. Hanna drove, swiftly taking to each bend, as Aria sat up front directing her. Dark, winding road. Emily settled close to the front passenger seat, gripping the back, while Halle listening in to the conversation, drawn in entirely. Halle was bewitched, leaning in to hear more — learn more. She was gripped.

This was how the story was going to end.

They took to a curve quite hard, shocking the four. Up ahead, as the headlights cast a bright white spotlight, they spied a car up with a door swung open. A girl in a yellow dress was fleeing towards the clearing. Around the other side of the car, a black hooded person chased her.

"Hanna, stop!" Aria shrieked.

The car still sped towards them, and Emily screamed loudly, "Hanna! Hanna, stop!"

"Hanna!" yelled out Halle, fearful eyes bulging and filled with alarm.

"Hanna!"

Emily's last scream broke the determined trance Hanna had zeroed in on. She suddenly realised what she was doing and slammed her foot down on the brake. All the texts, all the anguish Ahad put them through — it was Mona. That was all Hanna saw, even as her startled eyes met Mona's shocked face in the headlights.

Mona froze. Anger coursed through her body, heartbeat in her ears; and Mona knew it was over. She let out a blood-curling scream that scorched her throat. She was set ablaze and exploded with ferocious fury. She chose to fight, and in her frenzied rage, she lunged at Spencer.

They fell to the ground, and Halle threw aside the phone. As she struggled to un-do her seat-belt, the fight continued.

"Get up!" Mona ordered, as yanked Spencer up by a clump of her hair, and Spencer yelped. Mona bashed the girl against the stump of a tree while she fought to throw Spencer over the cliff-side.

Halle flung the door open. "Spencer!" she yelled, rushing out. The others were quick to follow.

With a hefty shove, Spencer pushed Mona from her. The girl in the black hoodie slipped down the sloped edge. Mona's arm flew out and grabbed at Spencer's wrist. With one hand clawing at the tree and another grasping desperately at Spencer, Mona battled to make it back up. But she fell. Spencer's scream tore through the air, and Mona toppled down the cliff.

"Aaahhhh!"

Reaching her first, Halle enveloped Spencer up into the safety of her arms. The girls soon collided with them, all hugging a shaking Spencer. Spencer's breathing quickened, gasping for air while she clutched at Halle, terrified. She shook violently; tears overwhelmed her eyes. The five stood at the edge, panting, as they tried to find Mona's body in the dark shrubbery.

•

Blue and red flooded the cliff-side. Ambulances and police cars swarmed the area, lighting up the dark road. Keeping close, the friends lingered around the back of an ambulance while Spencer was checked over by an EMT. They were huddled around, sticking together in the midst of an emotional overload.

A siren wailed. Another police car pulled up onto the scene, and Aria's face dropped immediately Surprise filled her voice. "Dr Sullivan?"

The girls looked up. Halle's eyes lit up and a wave of relief came over her in a warm rush. Their therapist appeared, hurrying to them in great concern. "Are you all okay?" she asked first.

Breathless and stunned, Emily said, "We tried to find you."

"What did she do to you? Where have you been?" asked Spencer, her voice high and shaking still.

"Nothing, nothing," assured the woman, hoping to relieve some of the fright they held for her. "I stayed away because she threatened my son. I didn't think I had a choice. I needed to leave." She shook her head and said sincerely, "I'm so very sorry." She looked to Halle, checking in. "You got the emergency therapist I referred you to?"

"Yeah." Halle kept her voice small and nodded. "He's nice."

Dr Sullivan's eyes went to Hanna, whose head was tucked low as tears began to run down her cheeks. "Hanna," she said and put a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "Hanna, it's all right. You're safe now."

There a brief silence, causing her friend to lean in closer, and Hanna finally let out a long-awaiting sob. "I can't believe it," she said. All of five looked down, each with their own tears spilling. "She was my friend," bawled Hanna, as she allowed Dr Sullivan to hug her.

Whimpering, Emily comforted a weepy Aria. "It's over, Aria," she said, with one arm around her while her pinky entwined with Halle's. She pulled them closer, bringing herself and Aria to Halle, who was latched onto Spencer. The five girls cried, squashed tightly together as the gripped to one another for support.

Then, a medic called out, "She's alive!"

It was gone past midnight when Mona was retrieved and rescued. After being checked out, she was hauled down to the police station and sat in a cold interrogation room. Her blank eyes bore into the two-way glass. Absent and broken, Mona was a fractured piece of what tonight brought.

"She was living in a perpetual state of hyper-reality," explained Dr Sullivan. She stood by the girls's sides as they watched Mona through the glass, still hugging themselves and each other. "The adrenaline rush that accompanied her feelings of empowerment and her high level of intelligence fueled Mona's ability to be seemingly all-knowing and omnipresent."

Meekly, Hanna's voice cracked, "Will she always be like that?"

"With therapy and the right medications, people with these personality disorders can get better," Dr Sullivan informed.

It provided some comfort, at least for tonight.

Shortly after giving their statement, Dr Sullivan led the girls back out of the station. She mentioned to them, "I never thought I'd find the strength to come back here, but your friend showed up, and he was very convincing. I help people push through their fears, but he helped me push through mine," she said.

"Wait, our friend?" Spencer asked, confused.

"Toby," Halle revealed at last. A smile pulled at her lips as she memory of writing 'SULLIVAN' on Toby's back at the hospital was brought to the front of her mind. "He found you," Halle said, grateful her plan worked.

"You knew he would," Dr Sullivan replied, and she directed the group across the street.

There, learnt up against his truck — the most physical form of Spencer's love — Toby waited patiently for them to approach. Spencer stilled, resentment filling her for a second before she took herself off to confront him. It vanished soon enough. Spencer melted the moment he was within in her grasp. He gave an easy, "Pretending not to love you was the hardest thing I've ever done," and she was captured up in his lips once more.

Biting back a large grin, Halle was overjoyed. Elated, the realisation dawned on her in a matter of moments that would be her and Jason, and she swore she'd never lie to him again. She bumped shoulders with Emily, sharing a smile with her as an arm fell around her. It occurred to Halle, perhaps for the first time, that she was looking forward to the future.

•

In their wasted dresses and large coats, a bittersweet feeling hung over them. The five made their way home, heading towards Emily's first. Their sad heels clicked against the pavement.

"Are you gonna be okay at home tonight?" Aria asked Hanna softly, an arm interwoven under hers.

Sighing, Hanna said, "I know Mona's A, I just keep seeing that faceless person in a black hoodie."

"At least it's over," Halle voiced.

"Let's sleep at my place," suggested Emily, trying to find some joy left in the night. "My mom will be thrilled to have a reason to cook."

Spencer smiled fondly and said. "That sounds like old times."

Hanna glanced back at Halle. "Are you gonna call Jason?"

"Yeah," Halle answered with a small smile. "I'll call him when we get to Em's, let him know it's over."

Amused, with arched eyebrows, Aria playfully asked, "Just how many people did you tell about A?"

"Hey, I didn't tell anyone," Halle defended in jest. "Toby knows us better than anyone and I told him to find Sullivan, and Jason — well, he figured it out so I had to tell him," she said, and the group laughed.

It was just a second. They had a second to really feel calm. The storm of A was finally over, and all their stress knots in their stomach eased away. Then the second passed, and reality hit them harder than before. Relief was snatched right out from under them as a siren wailed as it passed them by.

Curious footsteps rounded the street corner. They were met with bright lights, red and blue again, and the Fields' house was cornered off with barricades. Fear swept swiftly in, and Emily's fear took hold. Instead of paralysing her, every part of her came alive out of extreme terror. Her breathing grew panicked. She picked up her skirts, sprinting over through the crowd in a state of shock. She shoved her way through, prying herself between to onlookers, as more gathered around to watch, with the girls running after her.

Mrs Fields was on the front lawn, distressed. She was relieved at seeing her daughter rushing forward, but the glistening in her eyes told another story. "Oh, honey." Mrs Fields' voice was brittle, close to cracking. "They found a body," she said, just as the girls reached Emily's side. "They think it's... it's Maya."

Pain hit Emily's chest full-force and impaled her. Her mouth was agar, eyes locating the enclosed body bag as it was taken away from the scene. She struggled to stand, all of sudden feeling faint. Emily's vision blurred, and she gripped onto the nearest person with white knuckles as her muscles strained to keep her upright. Panting heavily, her gasps turned to cries; then her cries turned to howls.

Emily choked out a guttural sob before she completely broke. She clung onto Spencer, who tried to hold her up but failed. As she hysterically wept, Emily almost fell ungracefully to the ground, a pile of throbbing limbs. Tear streamed down her cheeks, a well of agony split open on the street corner with Emily's anguish tearing into the night's bitter air. Her four friends fought to help keep her up, crying themselves.

And just like that, their world was forever changed. The game was over, but Maya was still dead

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QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTEOH MY GOD — SEASON TWO DONE! OBVIOUSLY, I SPICED THINGS UP A LITTLE — I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED THE REVEAL.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT ON THIS BOOK. THERE WILL BE OTHERS TO COME AND WILL ULTIMATELY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE SHOW. A PREVIEW FOR THR NEXT BOOK "BAD LIAR" WILL BE UP IN A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH A LOT OF HALLE AND JASON FLUFF, AND THEN AN UPDATE TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW WHEN BOOK TWO IS UP. THANK YOU AGAIN.

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