That's immortality, my darlings
A year on, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Alison DiLaurentis still haunted Rosewood. Tattered missing posters still littered the town, rustling in the breeze every now and again, as if Ali was sighing. Hanna screamed at anyone who dared say she obviously didn't want to be found, Spencer couldn't concentrate on school, her grades started to slip, Emily saw Alison when any blonde haired, blue eyed girl came in sight, and Aria begged to move back to Iceland, even though the pain would not be more dulled there, just perhaps forgotten about for moments, seconds.
The only thing keeping them connected to her, the DiLaurentis family, had moved away months ago, leaving the girls to face the shameless press and police. After the true killer had been revealed, the girls had all but been forgotten by the desolate town. The big game of Cluedo had ended, and the excitement had fizzled out awhile ago, when everything had been wrapped up, closure had been given. There was no theories anymore.
Alison hadn't been forgotten. Far from it, to say the least. The new memorial had been built, and it stayed there this time, and Ali's birthday was coming up, and presents were surrounding the water feature placed in her memory. No-one knew what to do with them, so they remained there until Jason, who recently returned, gathered them and promised to take them and open them up for Alison at her grave on her actual birthday and then give them to charity, like Ali would have wanted. Eyebrows were raised at the last bit. Alison DiLaurentis wasn't renowned for that, putting it politely.
So when December 6th rolled round, and the snow stuck to the ground, Jason, Hanna, Spencer, Aria, and Emily were congregated by a grave sight, freezing their butts off just to see Alison get her birthday. Emily was sure that somewhere, wherever she was, Alison was smirking, laughing at them shivering. Emily just patted her gravestone lightly, chastising her for being cruel. Hanna was frowning, muttering about her designer boots. Aria was looking thoughtfully at the presents. Many of them were expensive brands. She understood the principle of buying a gift, and of course she'd bought one herself, but it was only a little present. A friendship bracelet she'd gotten at the local craft store. It was the thought that counted, right? Never with Alison, but it was a token now, a little representative to show you still cared, still remembered, still loved her, not a showy thing to prove you've got money. Ali would be looking down, smiling, free of all her worries. She played with an emerald necklace, still thinking. Ali hated emeralds. Aria knew because she'd bought a gorgeous ring with an emerald stone in. Everyone else loved it, but Ali shrugged and brushed it off with a: "Oh, sweetie, green isn't your color."
"I know what you're thinking," Jason said softly, looking down at the necklace. "Green so isn't her color." Aria smiled at him, nodding her head slowly.
"She didn't even like emeralds."
"No," Jason agreed. "But at least some little girl somewhere will get this. Alison would want that." The last part was said with uncertainty, but he nodded after, willing himself to believe that. Hanna looks on, watching the other people in the graveyard weeping and clinging to the headstones and looking at them in disbelief like it was Pandora's Box. Hanna shook her head and forced herself to look away, and not to scream at them, and tell them that this was the easy part.
"Han, you okay?" Hanna nods, taking a shaky breath. She motions over to the mourners. Spencer hugs her tightly. "I know. We all know; it's okay." Hanna shakes her head, letting tears freely fall down her cheeks, and squeezed them shut.
"They don't understand." They don't understand the pain they're going to go through, Hanna thinks bitterly. Every time Alison's name was mentioned, Hanna felt like someone was tearing her apart from the inside out, like she was drowning, a black haze clouding her vision, but no one else could see it! No one else could feel it, or manage to see that she was sinking.
She just felt so guilty. When Alison was dead, the first feeling she felt was shock. Then a horrible, heart wrenching, sickening feeling of sadness, and then...relief washed over her. Her secrets were safe and sound. Locked in her heart, and buried with Alison. Hanna felt a tightening around her - Spencer's arms, and stood.
"You okay?" Aria asked. Hanna nods weakly. "I don't know. I just got...overwhelmed." They nod. They, of all people, understand.
"We know, Hanna, we know." Jason says, brushing his hands on his jeans, shaking his head. The group get up to leave. In a way, Hanna hates Alison. She was so mean to her. Aria, Spencer and Emily feel the same, too, though they don't feel as guilty. Jason puts a hand on his little sister's gravestone. "We'll all be here praying, just like we said."
Together, they leave, finding some comfort in each other.
It's eerily silent in Rosewood. It's like Alison has done it, but of course it's impossible. As they part their separate ways, the girls are lost in their own thoughts too much to notice.
But they all notice the pedestal and the new mark for Ali. Years from now, she'll be remembered. They'll only be the friends of the girl they dedicated the bench to, if even that.
In some ways, Ali got exactly what she wanted. To be the top of everyone's priorities, the gossip of the town. The "It" girl. But for all the wrong ways. A tragedy. They all know what Ali would say.
It's not a tragedy. It's immortality, my darlings.