I don't own anything except for the character of Miss Palladino. Enjoy.
The once busy scene was now empty save for the crime scene tape that marked off the area of police investigation. It was at this moment that she decided to make her move into the church.
She ducked under the crime scene tape with ease, her boots hitting the floor with each calculated step. She had enough time to get what she needed and leave before the police made another round.
Her eyes began to search for the object as soon as she passed through the wooden doors.
It must have fell here somewhere.
She knelt down to take a look under the pews. Nothing.
Her glaze fell to the corner of the room near the door. There!
The object seemed to shine in the dark corner. She shook her head. She was imagining things again. Nonetheless, she strode over to pick up the object.
She twirled the USB in her fingers. Perfect.
The sun shone brightly over the Hasting house, but the current mood within the house did not falter.
Melissa had yet to leave the barn.
Spencer watched as her parents entered the barn with breakfast in hand. While she was glad the whole thing with Ian was over, she still felt bad for her sister.
Spencer was brought out of her current thoughts by a beep signaling a new message. She made her way to the phone on her bed. It was not long ago that she received the text message from A.
What if it was from A?
She opened the text message and was confused by what it said: Open your gym bag.
It wasn't from A.
She glanced up from her phone to see her bag in a different place. She text her friends to come over before she made her way to the bag.
She set her bag on the bed and carefully opened it.
There attached to a note was the USB she threw at Ian to get away.
Keep it safe. I know how important it is to you.
Her thoughts drifted to last night and how scared she was.
She ran up the stairs with Ian close behind.
She came upon the locked gated door and struggled against. No where to run.
She was inches from death and someone saved her.
She came out of her thoughts as her friends entered into her room.
"What happened?" Emily asks rushing to her side.
"Are you okay?" Aria asks concern etched on her face.
"I got this." Emily takes the phone from her hands to read the message.
"Open your gym bag?" Emily reads out loud.
"From A?" Hanna questions.
"No" Spencer sits on the bed beside the bag.
"So what was in the bag?" Hanna glances over their shoulders to see the bag's contents.
"This" Spencer holds up the note and the USB.
"Keep it safe. I know how important it to you." Spencer gets up and moves over to the window.
"Who would send that?"
"I don't know." She looks out her window.
Every eye was on them as they entered the doors of their school.
The whispering continued even as they reached their respective lockers.
It was then that Jenna appeared around the corner. She stopped as a voiced called out to her.
The girls watched the interaction from their lockers.
A tall slender woman walks over to Jenna. She hands her a notebook and flute case.
"Who is that?" Aria asks.
"Never seen her here before." Spencer says closing her locker.
"Must be new." Hanna offers.
They continue to watch as the woman leans over to whisper something in Jenna's ear.
"You forgot these in the room." The woman hands her the items.
"Thank you, Miss Palladino." Jenna turns to leave when Miss Palladino stops her.
"Oh and Jenna."
"Yes, Miss Palladino." Miss Palladino leans over to whisper in her ear.
"Stay away from Spencer." Jenna's eyes widen. She had no idea that her new music teacher even knew Spencer. Her parents were the ones to who contacted Miss Palladino. She would have to ask them later.
The girls turn back to their lockers as Jenna walked past them.
"Spencer Hastings." Spencer looks up to see the principal waving her over.
"Guess I'm going to find out." Spencer walks over to where the principal is speaking with the woman.
"Spencer this is Miss Palladino. She is one of our new coaches."
"Hello, Spencer. I was told you were quite the athlete not to mention a brilliant student." After a pause she added, "I was hoping you would help me get acquainted."
"I have an important meeting to get to, but I will speak with you later, Miss Palladino. There is still the matter of those English classes we need to discuss."
"Yes, ma'am." The principal returns to her office.
"English classes?"
"I mentioned I had an English Lit Degree and she practically jumped over her desk. So it looks like I will be your new English teacher also."
They begin walking down the hall. Miss Palladino looks to the group of girls by the lockers, waiting expectantly.
"I don't want to keep you if you have other things to do." Miss Palladino says motioning towards the girls.
"No its okay."
The girls watch as Spencer and the unknown woman walk around the corner and out of sight.
"What was that all about? Aria wonders out loud.
A trio of beeps alert the girls to a new text message.
And then there were three. Hang on tight girls. Nothing is as it seems. - A
The aroma of several cherry scented candles flooded Spencer's nostrils as soon as she entered the small office. It had been Ian's office not too long ago. The mere thought of him made her sick.
In an effort to shake those thoughts, she brought her focus to the small room in front of her.
Various pictures adorned the walls and shelves bringing a different feel to the room. It made Spencer wonder how she had not notice Miss Palladino around school.
Miss Palladino seemed to pick up on her thoughts.
"I came in late last night to 'move in' so to speak."
Spencer's eyes settled on picture on the wall. It was of a girl in her early teens sitting on a swing holding a small child, no more than 5 years old, on her lap. Next to it was another of the same two girls smiling happily as they posed for the camera dressed to the nines.
She follows Spencer's glance to the pictures on the wall.
"My sister and me." she explains.
A twinge of jealousy hit Spencer. They seemed so happy to just be in each other's company. She instantly thought of her own sister and how seriously messed up their relationship was.
Spencer was so consumed in her thoughts that she missed the look of sadness that washed over the other woman's face as she stared at the pictures.
"Your principal tells me you are planning to go to Columbia."
"Yeah. Its been the goal since I can remember."
"It's a great school." Miss Palladino looks at her watch. "Looks like its about time for the first practice. We better hurry I hear the new coach is super strict."
Spencer smiles.
"I'm worried, Garrett." Jenna says once she's in his arms.
"You don't have to worry about it. I'm here to protect you." He plants a kiss to the top of her head.
"I feel safer with you here."
"You know I can't stay long your step brother will be home soon."
"I know." Jenna pulls out of his arms. "Promise me something?"
"Anything."
"Promise me they will get what they deserve."
"I promise." He pulls her in a tight embrace.
The commotion in the room quiets down as they enter the room. Several girls are huddled around a locker. Spencer's locker.
The girls disperse upon seeing Spencer making her way to the locker.
The words 'World's Worst Best Friend' scratched onto the metal locker. The blue ribbon taped under those words only added more salt in the wound.
"Who did this?" Spencer questions angrily.
"What are you going to do? Kill us too?" One of the girls mocked.
Miss Palladino rips the ribbon off the locker and tosses it in the trash.
"Go to the office. Don't come back. You are no longer on the team."
The girl slams her locker shut and exits the room.
"Same thing goes for anyone involved in this. Start things off I want everyone to give me ten miles. We will do this until I find out who is responsible for this."
The girls filed out of the room.
"Hang on a minute, Spencer." Spencer stays behind. "Don't listen to them. They assume the worst with little incentive. Nothing is as it seems."
Well there you go. This is my first Pretty Little Liars fanfic. I normally write fanfics for another shows. The story came to me while I was watching the season finale. I just recently got back into watching PLL so there is a chunk of episodes that I have only seen clips of. If you notice any inconsistancies its probably because of that. I can't remember if the principal is a man or woman so for the sake of this fic the principal is a woman. Let me know what you think. Please review.
Until next time,
Ancient 85