"An interesting place to meet. Won't your Manolos get dirty?"
The brunette gives a toss of her hair, as she checks her nails. "Maybe. But these are last season anyway. And this was the best place to meet anyway."
He gives her a pointed look. "Is it because half the town thinks I'm a killer, and you and your reputation wouldn't want to be associated with me?"
She gives an effervescent laugh before she speaks again. "Oh, Toby. Don't be such a drama queen. All is fair in love and war, and in this case it's the latter. You know, who even gives a shit about the first? Feelings are good for nothing, except being bothersome trivialities that stand in the way of the most important thing on this earth-revenge. And here we are-back at the beginning again. War…are you sure you're ready for this? Contrary to popular belief, those bitches aren't clueless. They realize things, put patterns together. Especially Spencer. And that's where you come in."
Toby crosses his arms. "How can I even get her to like me? She hates me the most, out of all of them."
His classmate across from him gives a wry smile. "But that's half the fun, Tobes. Get her to like you, care about you, love you. And when that's said and done, you can break her, the same way her and the rest of Alison's posse did to you. Remember, nothing has changed. You thought it did with Emily, didn't you? Maybe without their queen bee, things would be different. But it wasn't. It isn't. They're still convinced you killed her, after all. I know you didn't. But I know you wanted to, just as much as me. This is your chance for revenge, Toby. Do you want to take it or not?"
He closes his eyes, and thinks of Homecoming, not even a week past. He finally thought he had found a friend in Emily, but she had pushed him away with malice, with conviction that he was Ali's killer. They were all the same. They all were.
"I do," he said. "Where do I start?"
From the tote bag strung across her shoulder, she pulls out a neatly-folded black hoodie. "I knew you'd take the job. Here. You'll need this for your duties. And just remember, I'm only a text away. And always use the work number. I'm most…available at it.
And with that, Mona Vanderwaal turns away on her heels as she walks out of the grove of trees, into town.
Toby just sits there, and thinks.
C'est la guerre.