Hanna pulled up outside of the Applewood Grille and parked her car in the first spot she saw. She immediately recognized the beat up black car that belonged to Aria and Spencer's sleek all black SUV taking up two spots across the street. Leave it to Spencer to not only be on time, but to make sure it's known she was here early. Hanna tucked her corn silk blonde lock behind her ear as she nervously exited her car, preparing herself to meet with her friends for the first time since that summer before College.
The last the girls had seen of each other was a sort of end to their story. A was finally captured and once everything was said and done, they kind of lost touch. Spencer went off to UPenn and will be headed to Yale Law in the fall. Aria got into Syracuse and had just landed a job at the Rosewood Tribune detailing small petty crimes. Emily completed college on a swim scholarship and just accepted the head swim coach position at Rosewood High. Alison had just got back from Hollywood, she decided against college and went immediately for stardom and had just wrapped a small role on some hot new ABC drama. Meanwhile, Hanna graduated from FIT and had just started her first job with an up and coming designer in Philly. They had all grown up in their four years apart, sending a random text every few months, but otherwise keeping their distance. After nearly dying several times in the course of a few years, sometimes distance is necessary.
Ali had sent out a group text once she got back to Rosewood wanting to see her friends again. It had been a long time since they'd faced each other, but time heals woods. Hanna suspected she was just inviting the girls out so she could gloat about her new life, her job and Alex Loundres, the hot new guy on the scene she somehow managed to snag all to herself. Well, Hanna knew how she did it, Ali was gorgeous, even more so than she remembered her being in high school. Some people have all the luck. Ali is one of those people.
She anxiously fixed the pleats in her skirt before she swung open the door and saw Aria and Spencer sitting together awkwardly. Well, everyone was awkward around Aria. She was beautiful, in that pale skin, dark haired with piercing blue eyes way. But, she was the awkward one. She was the girl that danced to the beat of her own drummer, and guitarist and some weird Nordic instrument Hanna wouldn't be able to pronounce her lifetime. Aria was awkward, but sweet. Spencer though, Spencer was a hard nut to crack. She was usually on warp speed, rattling on about something no one understood and didn't stop to pick up lost thinkers along her train of thought. She just kept going. So seeing the two of them there together was a sight for Hanna. Maybe she did miss her friends?
"Hey Han!" Aria yelled as she saw Hanna standing there with a weird glazed over look on her face. She looked fabulous in her pleated Michael Kors skirt and white chiffon blouse. Aria always felt fashionable, but these days she usually wore the journalist uniform: black shirt, black pants and a chic trench coat she found at a thrift shop in Prague.
"Aria, hey! You look great!" Hanna said as she walked over and gave her friend an air kiss before turning to Spencer who was now standing in her usual rigid manner. "Hey Spence, you look good too" she said as she gave her friend the once over. Hanna might be fashionable and be able to put together an outfit, but Spencer had the talent of dressing like a forty year old partner at some stuffy law firm.
"Yea you too Han-" She gave her friend a hug before the three of them sat down. "Aria and I were just discussing what we think Ali wants us all here for". Spencer nervously glanced at the door hoping no one walked in and over heard her, "Did she tell you? She just told me it was top secret and we'd find out when she got here". Hanna rolled her eyes at how nervous Spencer seemed to get. A was gone, Spencer seemed to have forgotten that. "She probably wants to gloat about her perfect life while the rest of us are paying off student loans and working for the man".
"Do you think she's bringing her boyfriend? I'd love to be able to ask him a few questions. My editor would probably faint if I got an exclusive with Alexander Loundres". Aria was practically foaming at the mouth at the idea of walking into her office on her third week on the job with a huge story.
"Yeah, I doubt it. She told my dad they broke up like a week ago, she was going after some soccer player. Something about how now that the world cup is over they're mini celebrities these days." Spencer picked a piece of chocolate out of her muffin and shrugged, "sorry Aria, no story".
Hanna went to retort with something she read in People Magazine but a flurry of dark hair drew her attention away. Emily had just stepped in with her dark hair cascading down her shoulders and her swimmers tan at full bronze. She gave them a nervous smile and walked over and sat down without a hug or a kiss for the girls. Emily was always the shy one, but she had the biggest heart out of all of them. Hanna missed her the most.
"Hey Coach, how's it going?" Aria asked with a big smile. She knew Emily was probably thrilled to be coaching the swim team, it was always a dream of hers to be able to come back and bring her experience to her team.
"It's going well. Had our first practice yesterday." She said barely raising her eyes up to meet Arias. "I ran into Fitz this morning in the parking lot. He told me to say hi". Emily turned beat read as she saw the flurry of emotions cross Arias face.
"Oh well, that's nice." Aria was curt about it, but she didn't want to open discussions about their previous favorite topic-her and Fitz. They split during her freshman year of college. She tried to forget about the book and the betrayal, but whenever he'd do even the slightest thing wrong, she remembered the book. He got tired of it being thrown in his face. They split quietly and amicably and hadn't spoken since.
"So, Em. You keep in touch with Ali the most. What's been going on with her?" Spencer wasn't in the mood for pleasantry. She had a law review reading list the size of her Legal Methods text book.
Emily shrugged and pulled a bottle of water out of her bag, "Not really sure. She was supposed to film some sort of commercial this weekend, when all of a sudden I got an email telling me she was cancelling it to come home and see us. Told me to meet you guys here and she couldn't wait". Emily thought nothing of the sudden urge to see her friends. Ali and her skyped a few times a month and Emily was getting the feeling Ali was homesick. LA was a lot bigger than she thought and maybe she wasn't getting enough attention.
Spencer looked down at her rolex and tapped her foot impatiently, "she's like 25 minutes late now. Someone text her and ask her where she is. I have to study".
Hanna and Aria both caught each other rolling their eyes and burst out laughing. Sometimes, no matter how much time passes people just don't change.
Spencer went to open her mouth to tell them off, she was about to be a 1L student, she had to study to top her class. She had a 15 year plan and that part was crucial. She was cut off though, the girls phones all went off with a text message. They looked at each other nervously, then grabbed their phones and saw it was from Ali.
A collective sigh of relief spread through them and they all laughed nervously, habits die hard right? Hanna's fingers were still slightly shakey as she opened Ali's text. All it contained was a photo of Ali on the floor and the letter A.