Chapter 2

After their meal, Aria switched on the CD player and added music to the calm atmosphere. The two of them sat on the couch, talking about various things.

"So, how is Emily, and all your other friends?" Ezra was fond of Emily – she was an A-grade student, just above Aria's grade. And Ezra didn't give Aria A's just because they were together. He always had an honest opinion – which is one of the many things Aria loved about.

"They're good, thanks," Aria replied.

Just then, they heard the front door open and a call of, "Aria, honey! We're home!"

"Shoot!" Aria whispered. She unzipped her dress hastily and whipped it off – revealing a T-shirt and shorts. She was prepared for this moment, as she didn't know when her parents and Mike would be home. Aria motioned to Ezra to clear away the romantic table she had set up, then went and greeted her parents in the hall. "Hi Mom, hi Dad."

"Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs Montgomery," Ezra said, walking into the hall. He had dumped everything in the bottom drawer in the kitchen. "I was just tutoring your daughter here. She's been having some trouble with English."

"Trouble? Honey, you're fantastic at English. What are you having trouble with?" Mrs Montgomery asked in a concerned tone.

"Uh... we're... this new topic," Aria stammered. She looked at Ezra desperately for help.

"We've just started work on the arts of Shakespeare, and Aria is finding it difficult to understand the language. I was just... helping her out," Ezra lied.

Mr Montgomery nodded in an understanding way. "Right. Well, now you may leave, Mr Fitz."

"Yes, sir. I hope you understand more now, Aria," Ezra nodded at Aria, then grabbed his jacket and walked out of the house.

Later that night, Hanna crept downstairs. Insomnia was getting the better of her. She crept down to the basement and whispered, "Psst. Caleb?"

"Ughsmflmmmm..." Caleb made a bunch of undecipherable noises, which meant that he was half asleep. Or dreaming.

"Wanna come and make brownies with me?" Hanna asked – still whispering.

Caleb sat up in bed. "Sure. I can't sleep either."

Hanna just laughed and led him into the kitchen. She took out a bag of flour, eggs, cocoa powder, and everything else she needed, plus the recipe book.

"Caleb, can you find a recipe in there?" Hanna asked, as she went to the sink to wash her hands.

"Sure." Caleb flipped to a page where it told you how to make double chocolate brownies. "Okay, so the first thing it says here is... pour 150 grams of flour into the mixing bowl then add the butter."

Hanna took out the scales and poured the flour in, accidentally making a cloud fly up and onto Caleb's face.

"Hey, be more careful!" Caleb said, grabbing a handful of flour from the bag and chucking it at Hanna.

She gasped, looking around for something to get revenge with. Spotting the chocolate sauce on the counter, she grabbed the bottle and squirted it onto Caleb's shirt.

"Oh, it's on!" Caleb jumped back and flung some cocoa powder at her.

Hanna squealed. She grabbed an egg from the carton and pulled back her arm, getting ready to fire.

"You wouldn't," Caleb said.

"Oh, I would!" Hanna threw the egg and it landed in Caleb's hair. She grabbed a baking tray as a shield when Caleb chucked three eggs at her.

Caleb chuckled at his success, not noticing that Hanna had sneaked up behind him. She poured a bowl of icy water onto his head, making him wince.

"Hanna!" he yelled.

They started chasing each other round the kitchen, grabbing various cooking ingredients and throwing them at one another. The kitchen was a total mess – it looked like a bomb had hit it. They were laughing so much that they didn't realise when Hanna's mother walked in. She couldn't sleep because of the noise, and came to investigate. She folded her arms; a sour look planted on her face. "What are you doing?"

"Uh... making brownies. We... we couldn't sleep." Hanna gulped.

"I thought I told you to behave." Mrs Marin walked up to Caleb, wagging a finger in front of his face. "This is your first warning. Anymore bad behaviour and you're out!"

"Mom, this wasn't Caleb's fault," Hanna said, sticking up for him. "It was my idea."

"Don't take the blame, Hanna! Now, both of you are going to clean up this mess in the morning. Go and have a shower, then get to bed," Mrs Marin ordered, walking out of the room.

Hanna sighed and walked into the bathroom.

"What, you get to go first?" Caleb asked, chuckling slightly.

Hanna just rolled her eyes and slammed the bathroom door. After her shower, she let Caleb in, and then climbed into her bed, right when her phone bleeped. Struggling to think who it could be, she opened the text message.

I have other little liars

To keep up with.

But I'm still keeping up with you.

Looks like my plan worked.

-A

Hanna took a deep breath, and switched her phone off so no more messages could be received. She shoved it in her bottom drawer, then climbed back into bed and fell asleep.