Chapter 1: Prologue
Let me regale you with a story of four girls each one more unique than the last and just as beautiful as a perfectly cut diamond. You're wondering just who are these girls and why they are quite so beautiful well they're names are Hanna Alexandra Marin, aria rose Montgomery, Spencer Amelia Hastings, and Emily Alexus fields and this is their story.
Spencer pov
Where do you begin when you have quite the story to tell? I suppose the beginning would be best or the day when shit hit the fan for me I don't know really I guess we'll go to the beginning and work our way up to when shit hit the fan yeah that works out though, this won't be easy for me to talk about it's something that my girlfriend and best friends don't know about. The thing is yes my last name is Hastings but I have a twin brother whom because; of my father went missing all because he didn't look like my dad peter who seems to think that my mom veronica cheated on him though, I guess it would only be fair if what Melissa told me is true.
Then I was born to one Raphael McCall and so was my twin this made me want to search for them both so I decided to do a little digging when I had the chance and hoped I would find my twin wherever it was he may be at least he might be happy where he is but I had to know exactly who he was and where he was. I had planned on telling Emily first as she quite frankly might be able to help me a whole lot more than Aria and Hanna no offense to them but that's just how it was though, I should probably explain Emily is the love of my life and has been since the day we met if you had to guess I'd say you guess right Emily and I are lesbians and to be quite frank about it so are Aria and Hanna and we're not ashamed of it in the slightest either. There was a time that we had feared in showing our true sexuality thanks in part to Alison and it only made it worse that she would play with either of our emotions until one of us snapped and either began fighting or one of us ended up in the hospital for doing something stupid because; of her.
Giving an example of one of us being sent to the hospital and I remember this like it was yesterday my best friend Hanna was extremely self-conscious about her weight it should've been obvious to us what was going on when she stopped wearing short sleeved shirts.
(Flashback)
Hanna had been acting strange for a month now where the rest of us wore short sleeved and skirts she wore long sleeved and pants when it was supposed to be hot as all hell. I was quite worried as were the girls all trying to figure out just what was going on I was given the same answers that she quickly gave to Aria and Emily it had us worried though, and so were a vast majority of the teachers it quite frankly scared them and us because; Hanna was normally bubbly and wore things that exposed skin she hasn't done that in a month and she's been quiet.
Aria the first of us to actually do something about Hanna's strange behavior as her girlfriend it was quite actually her job to do but as we are her best-friends it fell on us all to make sure Hanna was alright even though, we knew damned well that she wasn't. we've all gotten so close to each other in our relationships that we could feel the others emotions and Hanna had chosen this particular day to stay home but, something was bothering aria and she couldn't quite figure it out at least until she thought, back to how everyone had been calling her hefty Hanna again and it left a bad taste in her mouth. She had just arrived at her locker after English with Ezra let out and she was worried normally Hanna might've called her to talk on the in between classes as she opened her locker she found a note addressed to her in Hanna's writing.
'Dear Aria'
'I know I have a lot to explain and possibly a lot to make up for but let me first say that the actions I am about to take are in no way your fault as it wasn't you who drove me to this I'm tired my angel. You girls have stayed by my side through the worst torture I could ever possibly be put through and then some even going so far as to let yourselves be ridiculed because; of me and I couldn't let that happen not to you. I know the girls are there with you as you read this so I have somethings I want to say to my sister's.
Emily you've been the voice of compassion for as long as I can remember and as fierce as a lioness protecting her cubs when it came to me and Aria I'm asking you now to keep my angel safe release the lioness that's there on any who would dare harm her you're my big sister and I thank you.
Spencer amelia Hastings my other big sister the job I leave you which is twofold and I want your word you'll do it no matter what as I told aria I am tired Spence I've been teased for as long as I can remember I've been cutting myself for the last month because; it takes away the pain of being betrayed by the one I had called a friend or even as a third sister. Take care of them Amelia take care of my angel and our lioness they'll need you by the time you guys find me don't let my angel see my body if you find it I'll likely be in a very ugly state by then.'
Love
Hanna Alexandra Marin
Aria's Princess
Emily's Cub
And Spencer's little one
Aria stood there looking at the note before she tore off down the hallway toward the front door of the school and for her car this was not the run of someone who was late to class but the run of someone trying to save those they love, she moved through the crowded hall pushing people out of her way as she went, you could see the desperation in her eyes hear the panic and loss in her voice. This was not the Aria Montgomery that rosewood day was used to this was one who felt as if she was about to lose everything that was the world to her and she couldn't let that happen, reaching the outside she tried to call Hanna's mom and warn her but she couldn't dial the number so throwing the phone in the car she got in and started it before tearing out of the schools parking lot like a bat out of hell.
Emily and Spencer watched as their friend tore from the schools parking lot with squealing tires before they followed her lead Emily was calling Hanna's mom as she went both girls following the familiar road to Hanna's house, once they arrived they noticed aria's car was already there and the front door wide open parking their cars they heard aria scream rushing into the house they found Hanna in her room with slashes on both of her wrist, from the look of the cuts they were done just recently. Spencer stood their shocked while Emily helped aria put pressure on Hanna's wrist while spencer called the paramedics hoping to hell they got here in time, as she watched her little sister's eyes glaze over spencer couldn't help but feel at least a bit guilty when quite frankly the blame went to the majority of the rosewood day student population as well as its faculty for not doing their jobs when the school itself has a zero tolerance policy for bullies.
This walking into her house and seeing this the whole of rosewood day would suffer if her little sister didn't survive this it's because; of them that she even considered suicide an option making her volatile and with the look on Emily's face the whole of rosewood day would feel her wrath for what they'd done to her cub and they had better pray she survived this now. Emily could hear the paramedics storming into the house and up the stairs where she watched spencer move out of their way to let them through she and aria had both tore off a piece of their shirts and used them to stop the bleeding in hanna's wrist her cub was usually strong willed but, something made her give up she didn't know what it was but something made her give up on living when there were people who would miss her terribly.
Spencer watched the paramedics as they worked to save her little one going in compliance with Hanna's earlier letter she walked over to aria and hauled her up wrapping her arms around the little angels waist she began to leave the room with Emily following who, knew exactly what spencer was doing and why she was doing it because; she began to soothe the angel that was hanna's knowing she wouldn't want her to see her in that state whispering sweet assurances into her ear. Emily had helped get aria into the kitchen in hanna's when they heard someone else entering the house and bending the corner revealing Ashley Marin hanna's mom and quite currently undesirable number 1 in the eyes of aria though, with spencer's hands holding the little angel down by the shoulders as they waited aria spoke her voice full of venom.
"Where were you when we needed you here to both check on and stop princess huh where were you!" she yelled, her eyes began to tear up as she looked at Ashley.
Ashley Marina Marin had just gotten off from work her phone having been dead so, she left it in the car to charge she was the mother of Hanna Alexandra Marin future mother in law of Aria Rose Montgomery she'd just turned onto her block and saw an ambulance sitting outside of her home she also, noticed her daughter in laws car parked diagonally in the drive way seeing as she had used hanna's car to get to work because; of her own being down as well as hanna hadn't went to school today. Looking across the street she saw Emily and spencer's cars parked behind each other's which meant that all three were in her house and something was wrong so terribly wrong walking through the front door she could hear the hurried instructions of paramedics and the rattling of the gurney that was likely up there fearing the worst she decided to check the kitchen for the other girls because; they might be able to shed some light on what was going on upstairs and on hanna's where a bout's bending the corner and entering the kitchen she saw Aria, Spencer, and Emily sitting at the table aria nursing a cup of chocolate and being held in place by spencer's hands on her shoulder.
Never in all her years that she'd known these girls had they given her a look of anything other than respect but, today their looks centered on righteous protective fury and hatred the phrase if looks could kill came to mind at this point but, the looks on spencer and Emily was nothing compared to the one on aria who's look of devastation and loathing made her cringe then the venom in the girls voice made her recoil as if she'd been slapped.
"Where were you when we needed you here to both check on and stop princess huh where were you!" Aria yelled, as her eyes began to tear up as she glared at Ashley.
"What are you talking about check on and stop Hanna where is she what's happened? And to answer your other question angel I was at work and left my phone in the car charging" she said, looking at the girls each before she remembered hearing paramedics upstairs she looked at the hands of aria and Emily her eyes went wide and her hands over her mouth she looked at spencer whom held out hanna's letter to aria.
"Aria found this in her locker after English and read it before coming here Emily and I were just behind her when we arrived and heard her scream knowing full well what and who she found we hurried to park and into the house, Emily went to help aria stop the bleeding and I called the paramedics she slit her wrist both of them with the hopes of being dead by the time we were out of school. She didn't count on the fact that her angel would leave to either stop her or make sure she survived" she said, looking at Ashley her eyes hardened as she continued.
"We were trying to get in touch with you for you to stop her in hopes that we could talk her out of doing it and quite frankly Mrs. Marin the only reason Emily and I haven't attacked you is because in hanna's instructions to Emily as she worded it 'focus your attention on aria and protect her let the lioness wake and free look after my angel. ' hanna is my sister just as she is emily's we were given a job to protect her and to keep her from hanna's body at all cost no matter the condition we found our sister in. the thing is hanna is consistent and covers all her bases just as well if not better than me and under her usual bubbly personality is an intellect that matches my own seeing as the little one left me with my own instructions 'Take care of them Amelia take care of my angel and our lioness they'll need you by the time you guys find me don't let my angel see my body if you find it I'll likely be in a very ugly state by then ' I want you to read this letter in its entirety before going up those stairs and asking the paramedics if they found a similar note like this one for you because; if I know my little one she left you one" she said, before turning to aria and holding the little angels head to her chest as the paramedics brought hanna down.
All the while Emily had been on the phone with her mother, spencer's, and aria's explaining why they weren't at school and asking them to come over to the Marin household in which the trio quickly agreed while spencer explained to Ashley of hanna's where a bout's and why they were here giving aria's letter before covering the small girls head in her chest to keep her from breaking down and seeing hanna's broken from being wheeled out. Emily heard four gasp as she helped spencer settle aria down nothing was working at this point then an idea hit her she decided to sing.
You'll be in my heart
Come stop your crying
It'll be alright
Just take my hand hold it tight
I will protect you from all around you
I will be here don't you cry
For one so small,
You seem so strong my arms will hold you,
Keep you safe and warm this bond between us
Can't be broken I will be here
Don't you cry
Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more
You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be in my heart, always
Why can't they understand the way we feel?
They just trust what they can't explain
I know were different but deep inside us
We're not that different at all
And you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more
Don't listen to them
Cause what do they know (what do they know?)
We need each other
To have, to hold.
They'll see in time
I know
When destiny calls you
You must be strong (you gotta be strong)
I may not be with you
But you've got to hold on
They'll see in time
I know
We'll show them together
Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart (Believe me you'll be in my heart)
I'll be there from this day on,
Now and forever more
Oh you'll be in my heart (you'll be in my heart)
No matter what they say (I'll be with you)
You'll be here in my heart (I'll be there), always
Always
I'll be with you
I'll be there for you always
Always and always
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
I'll be there always
As Emily sang Ashley went to her room to change her clothes spencer having left to go with hanna to the hospital on emily's order while she looked after aria with their mothers except veronica who followed her daughter to hospital she noticed a letter on her bed as soon as she entered realizing that spencer was right she also, saw the adoption papers from the orphanage she and tom had adopted hanna from thrown about the place picking up the letter she read.
'Dear Mom or should I call you Ashley?
I know I'm adopted and I've known for a while now I had, just been waiting on you to tell me yourself I also, know for a fact that the school has notified you of my being tortured and teased due to how much I used to weigh? You were told what was going on you're my mother you should've done something not my mother in law or my mothers in all but blood veronica and pam both have shown more concern for my health both mental and physical you're my mother yet you did nothing I wonder why?
The point I'm trying to make is simple if my angel and sisters managed to find me before I died and I survive I want the full truth from you Ashley marina Marin I want to know it all and should you leave anything out well you might soon find out why Emily is a lioness in hiding.
Love you're ADOPTED daughter.
Hanna Alexandra? (Marin)
The second Ashley began to read the letter she was rooted to the spot with many thoughts going through her head the more prominent was that she knew Hanna knew and she was pissed.
There was no telling how pissed Ella, Pam, and Veronica would be when they all got to the hospital let alone what two of the three would do as soon as she left this room even more so she knew that they would do as soon as she set foot out of this very room even if she was scared she knew she had to face this as it was her own fault that this came about. Leaving her room Ashley walked downstairs finding pam sitting in the kitchen alone having an idea of where everyone else was she came and sat down in front of pam and waited for what she knew was coming knowing well that she deserved it.
"You knew something was wrong when she started acting like this what stopped you from asking her what was wrong" she asked.
Ashley sat there knowing quite well pam was expecting an answer and quickly thought over her answer this was the little girl she adopted all those years ago and raised even if she didn't birth hanna herself she was still her daughter no matter how she looked at it looking at pam she spoke.
"I honestly don't know why I hadn't pam I didn't realize things had gotten this bad to the point she would try to kill herself my god what've I done! Pam please help me get through to my little girl I'll do anything to get my bubbly princess back please!" she begged, looking at pam whose eyes hardened as she looked down at her.
"it isn't me you have to convince Ashley its spencer and Emily you have to convince because; I highly doubt that if you get past those two angel will tear you a new one for this shit" she said.
Pam knew that as she looked at Ashley there was little chance of aria ever forgiving the woman who well and good should've been taking care of her daughter adopted or not the task shouldn't have had to fall to her veronica or Ella the last of which knows for a fact what Ashley is going through the only real difference quite frankly is that Ella told as soon as aria was old enough to understand.