AN: I do not own anything from Pretty Little Liars. I don't own the characters, the story, or the drama. What I do own is Sawyer Dixon and her story and her drama. This story will be an oc/oc, normally I hate doing those kinds of relationships, but this show has always been my exception. It'll be Sawyer and Isaac through it all. Let me know what you think. :) 3
Sawyer has to move slowly and carefully if she didn't want to wake her mother. Jack Daniels isn't enough to keep her in a deep sleep. It didn't help that the apartment is a mess. Sawyer lives above the check-in room of the Edgewood Motor Court, a skeezy motel that her mother owns. Most days Sawyer's the one running the place, while her mother sleeps off the hangover from the night before.
Sawyer was lucky tonight. Her mother started early and passed out only an hour before. Sawyer had moved quickly, changing into a pair of jeans and one of her hoodies. Sawyer tended to hide in her clothes. Never showing any real skin except for her face and hands. She even has her ears hidden underneath her wild red curls.
Sawyer was supposed to be meeting up with her friends tonight at Spencer's barn. They were having a party to celebrate the last day of summer before they head back to school for their sophomore year tomorrow. It was going to be amazing. This year will be the first year Sawyer begins with friends. She met Alison near the end of their freshman year, who in turn introduced her to the rest of the girls. Sawyer was looking forward to this year. It was going to be great.
Sawyer hasn't been this happy and excited since before her father left. Alison and the girls make her happy. Tonight was going to be one of the best nights of her life.
Outside the air had a bit of chill to it. Sawyer knew that in a few more weeks fall will arrive and the warm summer air will vanish. The stars were out and shining as bright as ever. It amazes Sawyer how beautiful this town can be. Most days she dreams of leaving this place behind forever, but then she'd look around and see the beauty of this small town and couldn't find it in her heart to leave.
Sawyer also knows leaving will more than likely ever happen. Sawyer is surviving each week by the skin of her teeth. The motel pays just enough to cover their bills and the necessities. Anything else she needs she'd have to work hard to get. Of course, she knew she could always go to her friends for help, but Sawyer hated charity and hated pity. She much prefers earning things herself even if it was near impossible.
The walk to Spencer's house takes a good while. The motel was near the edge of town, while Spencer's house was on the other side. When Sawyer arrived she begins to hum under her breath. There's a song that Alison had taught Sawyer. Only the two of them know it and it had unofficially become their song.
She stopped humming as she walked towards the barn, which was behind the Hasting's home. She could hear the music playing from the barn and all the candles glowing from the distance. It was a welcoming sight. Like coming home after a long day, except for Sawyer, it was more like a long year.
"Sawyer, you made it." Spencer greets her as she walks in. The group was made up of all sorts of people. Spencer was the academic girl, Emily was the athlete, Aria was the goth, Hanna was the shy girl, Alison was the 'it' girl, and little Sawyer was the social outcast. She was different from most of the kids at school and for that, they hated her, judged her, shunned her. It wasn't until Alison that she had friends. People who accepted her as she was and come to understand her. She owed Alison a lot, but it was really Spencer that Sawyer was closest to. Since Alison introduced them, Spencer has taken it to be her job to look out for Sawyer. Sawyer was often bullied at school, but since meeting Spencer, she hasn't had a single person mess with her. Spencer was always there, daring the students to say something or do something. Spencer has come to be quite overprotective of Sawyer, but Sawyer would be lying if she said she didn't love every minute of it.
"Hey, Spence." Sawyer greets, giving Spencer her own smile as she hugged her.
"Glad you could get out for tonight." Spencer whispers as she hugs Sawyer tighter. Only Alison and Spencer are aware of Sawyer's home life. Everyone in town knew of Sawyer's alcoholic mother, but only Spencer and Alison know the full story.
"So, what did I miss?" Sawyer as she walks over to the rest of the girls.
"Just the usual." Aria smiles as she holds out the cup to Sawyer.
"I don't drink." Aria's smile falters ever the slightest as Sawyer says this before moving to sit beside Spencer. This was one of the reasons kids at school hated her. Sawyer was much more mature than most people her age. She had to grow up fast with who she had for a mother. It made her act differently. She didn't drink, do drugs, or really party like the other kids at school. Everyone thought she was too serious. She thought too much about her future, a concept that the kids couldn't even comprehend nevermind relate to, it was why Spencer and her hit it off so well. The two of them were alike in that way.
"I got you some soda." Spencer says as she fished out a cold soda from the cooler by the couch.
"Thanks, Spen." Spencer rolls her eyes at the nickname but smiled nonetheless. Emily takes the cup from Aria instead and makes a face as she takes a big sip.
"It's bad, huh?" Aria asks, causing Sawyer to smile at the two girls. As Spencer takes the cup Sawyer looks around the barn. The barn was in need of fixing, but it was nice and spasious in here. It had became their place since they all became friends. Emily was sitting on one of the couches, while Spencer and Sawyer sat on the one across from them. Hanna sat on a nearby chair and Aria sat on one of the cushions that were on the floor.
Sawyer jumps as the light shut off and the music stops. "Whoa, what happened?" Aria asks as Sawyer grabs her phone to use for a light source.
"It must be the storm." Spencer tells them as Aria turns on a nearby flashlight. It isn't the first time a storm came during one of their parties, Spencer had taken to keeping candles out her along with some flashlights.
"Well, electricity is overrated." Sawyer tells them with a smile.
"Help me with this." Spencer says as she takes out the candles and lighters. Sawyer helps her light the candles and set them around the area. As she is lighting one Sawyer hears a rattling sound coming from outside.
"Something's out there." Aria whispers as Sawyer turns off the lighter and places it down on the table.
"It's probably the wind rattling these old floorboards." Sawyer tells them, being the ever so rational one of the groups. The door creaks open, causing Sawyer to jump and turn around to face it. "Um… Maybe the wind blew it." She tries.
"Sawyer, something is defiantly out there." Aria argues.
"Well, let's check it out then. It might be an animal." Sawyer tries to reason. She doesn't want the girls to get worked up if it's nothing, so she moves forward with her phone.
"Sawyer." Hanna whimpers, but Sawyer ignores her as she moves towards the door. Something crashes and breaks, causing Sawyer to jump nearly a foot high. Spencer suddenly grabs onto Sawyer's arm.
"Let's do this together… Just in case." Sawyer nods and the five of them move towards the door, Sawyer's phone and Aria's flashlight lighting the way.
"Gotcha!" All the girls scream as Sawyer's phone falls from her hand and smashes to the ground.
"Shit, Alison." Sawyer says as she bends down to pick up her phone to see the screen cracked. "You know, I can't afford a new one."
"That's so not funny, Alison." Spencer says.
"I thought it was hilarious, girls and Sawyer?" Sawyer looks up at Alison. "I'll give you the money to fix the phone." Sawyer frown, hating the mocking look in Alison's eyes. It was worse than the pity.
"Ali did you download the new beyonce?" Hanna asks as they all take their seats, Sawyer trying to see just how much damage her phone too.
"Your birthday is coming up, I'll get you a new phone." Spencer whispers in Sawyer's ear. Spencer never showed any pity or judgment. She only showed anger towards Sawyer's forced situation.
"Thanks, Spen." Spencer nods and squeezes Sawyer's hand. "But you know I don't take charity."
"It's not charity, Sawyer, it's a birthday present."
"Too expensive of one."
"Sawyer, you being my friend is enough of a reason for me to be good to you. It's not charity, Sawyer. I don't pity you. I don't want to save you. I want to be there for you and help you save yourself." Sawyer looks at Spencer, her heart aching with the love she felt for this girl. Spencer truly was the best thing in Sawyer's life.
"Thank you Spencer." Spencer smiles and holds her hand tighter.
"You're welcome Sawyer." Spencer says with a kind smile before looking over at Aria. "Careful, Aria, take too much and you'll tell us all your secrets."
"Friends share secrets." Alison cuts in. "That's what keeps us close." Sawyer pulls her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
"We all have secrets, even from each other." Sawyer cuts in. "It's a factor of life. Secrets are among the basic necesities of our lives." Alison stares at Sawyer with what could only be discribed as a cold and disappointed look.
"Friends don't keep secret, Sawyer." Her eyes fell to Sawyer's wrist, causing Sawyer to move farther back in the couch. "Do you have a secret you wish to share?" Alison asks knowingly. Sawyer feels as if she can't breathe as she stares at Alison. She knew if she didn't speak up then Alison would and Sawyer didn't know what Alison planned on saying.
"No." Sawyer whispers.
"I'm sorry? What was that?"
"No, Alison. I don't have secrets. I was just…" Sawyer trails off.
"You were just nothing." Alison says sharply before smiling at the other girls. "Drink up." Sawyer's eyes fell as the girls begin to pass around the cup. "You too, Sawyer." Sawyer's eyes shot up to Alison. "Drink." She practically shoves the cup into Sawyer's hands.
"Sawyer doesn't drink, Alison." Spencer speaks up.
"Tonight she does. Drink Scissors." Sawyer felt her heart stop. It wasn't the first time Alison called her that, but none of the girls are aware of the reasoning behind the nickname. Sawyer stares right into Alison's eyes as she drains the cup in two big gulps.
"Happy now, Ali?" Sawyer says in a cold tone.
"Thrilled." Alison replies back in a similar tone. "Fill the cup back up and get to drinking, girls. Tonight is going to be a party." She smiles as the girls cheered, all but Sawyer. She stared at Alison for the first time with anger and hate. Alison got her friends who she knows will be by her side, but Alison was no friend. Alison was a snake. She was poisonous and vile.
"Are you okay?" Spencer whispers as she looks at Sawyer.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sawyer whispers back before taking the filled cup.
"Drink it all, Scissors." Sawyer glared down at the ground as she drank the cup. Alison might have brought them together, but Sawyer knew she was slowly tearing them apart.
…
Sawyer didn't remember falling asleep. But when she did wake up the barn was dark, the lights have all gone out, and her head was throbbing. "Sawyer." Sawyer looks over at Aria. "Alison and Spencer are missing?" Sawyer sits up slowly, trying to keep herself from causing herself more pain. As she looks around the barn she found that Aria was right, Spencer and Alison were gone.
"Where are they?" Sawyer asks, her anger towards Alison still there, but the hate now replaced with worry. She might not always agree with what Alison does or how she treats them, but she still cared for Alison.
"We don't know." Aria tells Sawyer before helping her up from the couch. Aria heads towards the doors, Sawyer following after her a bit tipsy. She drank way too much. The room was spinning and she felt like she was going to throw up. "Ali!" Aria calls, causing Sawyer to look over her shoulder, not an easy task with Sawyer being so small and Aria in heels.
"She's gone." Sawyer heard Spencer's voice say.
"What do you mean she's gone?" Aria asks.
"Are you okay?" Sawyer asks, wrapping her arms around herself and stepping around Aria to look at Spencer.
"I'm fine. I've looked everywhere for Alison." Sawyer frowns as she looks back at the other girls before looking back at Spencer. "I think I heard her scream."