Aria:

Aria reached her family's house after only a couple of minutes. She pulled her car key out of the ignition lock and walked over to the door as a message popped on her display. Unknown sender. Aria opened it and what she got to read was:

ThAnk you for picking up. Maybe there were more thAn four people in your cAr? Aria could feel her breath getting faster, she slowly turned around to her car and got closer again. She was almost afraid to open the trunk. No, rather of what she would get to see. Her hands were cold when she dialed Spencer's number.

"Spence? Sorry for disturbing you."

"Oh, Ari. I have already been asleep. What's the matter?"

"I." Aria's voice broke. "I got a message. It said: Thank you for picking up. Maybe there were more than four people in your car? What if A still is in my trunk? I mean, at Hanna's I locked my car directly and nobody could have left it without being seen by either us or Wren."

"Take a breath, Aria. You needn't be such upset. Probably A is only playing with you. It's the way her game works. She manipulates you."

"She?"

"I don't know. Maybe also he but in my imagination, it was always more girly to do this kind of...?"

"Yeah, you're right. Now. Should I look? "

"Better if you do so. But please pay attention. I don't think A is truly in your trunk, not anymore at least. Maybe it's a trap and you know? Just be careful."

"Okay but promise me to not hang up."

"I promise."

Aria slowly sneaked to her car, unlocking it with her remote control. Click, Click.

"Spencer? I can't."

"I know you can, Aria. We have been through so much, you can do this."

She made one last tiny step and could then feel the cold metal of her trunk on her skin. She pushed. As the trunk opened, a doll jumped out of the car. It was attached with a spring and kept moving up and down.

Aria leaked a scream. She shrank back from theawful sight.

"Aria? Aria? Are you okay?"

"I guess, I'm. There is a doll in my trunk, it's moving up and down. I got shocked, sorry for frightening you, Spence."

"A doll? Oh my god, this is scary. Just leave it there, you needn't touch it or anything. We can remove it tomorrow."

"OH. There is a piece of paper stuck in the doll's forehead."

"But how?"

"With a knife. I don't even want to know what it says. Wait, I have to get closer."

"Read it out loud, please."

"Hunt is opened and I'm hunting. You could all be next. -A Spencer?"

"What?"

"This doll. It… It looks exactly like Alison. It's got this yellow top, blonde hair and her lipstick. Does this mean A killed Ali? She didn't have any signs of a knife-attack, did she?"

"No, she didn't. But Aria, we are talking about A. And we know what she can do. Hopefully she wasn't involved. We would have to take a look on her post-mortem examination report to be sure."

"What if A rewrote it? To be one hundred percent sure we would have to check her."

"Her?"

"Her corpse."

"I don't think any of us can do this."

"Whatever. We must end this conversation because I'm still standing next to my car which was touched by A. Furthermore, it's getting cold here, at least it's already past midnight."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll hang up, when you're inside. I want to make sure you're okay."

"Thanks Spence. I'm inside our house now. Sleep well and sorry again:"

"No problem. Try to sleep too. See you at school"

Aria hung up. Only now, as she was standing in the warm living room, Aria realized how cold she was. She went upstairs, passed Mike's room and went to her own. She directly lay down on her bed and covered herself with the blanket. Although Aria was really tired and would definitely bear some sleep, she couldn't get the picture of the doll in her trunk out of her mind. Fortunately, Aria fell asleep after some time.

The next day at school:

Emily:

Emily's way to school had been exhausting, not to mention the last night's after-effects. Hanna was doing better but still hardly able to walk on her own. Therefor Emily had to help her get to school. The walk would have usually taken about 5 minutes but today it took them almost ten times as much. It wasn't Hanna's fault at all but Emily would have loved to sleep instead of walking here in such a long time.

As they had finally reached their classroom, Spencer and Aria were already there. Luckily, Hanna and Emily managed to get in before Mr. Fitz, their English teacher arrived. Emily accompanied Hanna to her chair and then sat down on hers.

Mr. Fitz directly went over to talking about their currently lecture which Emily found as interesting as the dust on the floor. Not at all. The fact that she had slept less than an hour, neither improved her mood, nor her ability to keep awake. Hanna had slept like a baby which she was happy about. Emily couldn't because she kept thinking about her mum the whole night. Then there was this message from A and suddenly it was morning.

Mr. Fitz wrote anything on the board which meant he turned away from the class. Emily used this possibility to lay down on her table and close her eyes for a moment. Unfortunately, Mr. Fitz turned around faster than she had expected him to.

"Emily. Has my voice a soporific effect or what are you doing there?" he said. Emily startled and answered instinctively: "Yes."

Mr. Fitz smiled and the entire class laughed. Emily was confused but too tired to even care. She just kept sitting at her chair and spent the rest of the lesson, concentrating on not closing her eyes. Emily stood up as the doorbell released her. She wanted to leave the room but Mr. Fitz held her back.

"Emily? Can I talk to you?"

Emily stopped and turned around to her teacher. Now he wasn't smiling anymore.

"Do I have to worry about you? You seem to be very tired and have big eye shadows. Is everything okay?"

She didn't know what to answer. Of course, it wasn't. Nothing was okay, her entire life was a mess but she didn't want to talk about this topic with her English teacher, so she rather lied:

"Yes, of course. Everything is fine. Sorry for passing out but I learned for a math class test till the middle of the night."

Mr. Fitz had this look on his face which let her think he knew it. He knew that it wasn't the truth. Emily wasn't good at hiding her emotions. Because he didn't know, what to say instead, he only answered: "Okay. But Emily, if you want to, you can contact me. No matter what time."

"I don't think, I will. But thank you nevertheless."

Emily left the room. Aria, Hanna and Spencer were waiting in front of it. It was visible that they had eavesdropped. Spencer looked at Emily punitive: "Why didn't you tell him?"

"Tell him what, Spencer? That I'm gay, my mum threw me out and went to my dad who I haven't seen for almost one year? Tell him, that I haven't slept the whole night and a freak sends us text messages? It's true, I haven't slept at all.

And it wasn't the first time because I can't sleep since the day Ali disappeared. Sometimes I wake up steamed in the middle of the night because I have nightmares. I miss her, okay? I really miss Alison! And I know none of you does. In secret none of you could stand her, couldn't you?

He is my fucking English teacher and if I would tell him a fraction of what is going on in my life, I would sooner or later wake up in Radley!" Emily shouted at her friends. It was the second time in only a couple of days, she freaked out in front of them. Usually, she never did.

The girls stared at her shocked, speechless. "What? You don't know what to say? You don't because it's true and you all know it." Emily continued.

"Emily." Spencer interrupted her. "We just don't know what to say because we never heard someone saying it this way. You never said something like that and I didn't know you even thought it. You were so upset in the past time, try to calm down."

"Maybe, Spencer, I'm not the calm girl anymore and you know what? This needed to be said because what we usually do is remain silent. And just because you always remain silent, doesn't mean the things didn't happen. I don't want to act as if I was the perfect, happy girl anymore. Because I'm not and none of you is. We never tell the truth and lie about everything, even to persons we care about and the truth is: I'm done, so done."

"We all are, Em. It's because A threatens us alike, it's okay to not be okay. This isn't you and none of the things that are happening is your fault." Aria mentioned.

"Aria. There's so much wrong about it. Don't you realize it? It is our fault, what's happening. We ruined a girl's life and took her ability to see, we lie and it is our decision to do so. A is a bitch and I know it, but she is right and maybe we deserve it!" Emily shouted, turned around and ran away.

Out of the school building, along the street, anywhere, just not closer to her home. She didn't even know if it was still her home. In her back, she heard her friend's voices asking her to stop, to come back. Emily didn't stop or come back, she continued running.

Why should she come back? She had enough of all of it- her friends that maybe weren't her friends anymore, her mother and this whole damn town full of ugly secrets, nobody wanted to uncover. Everybody in here wanted to keep up his perfection, even though nothing was perfect anymore. Emily just couldn't walk among Jenna's house every day, knowing that it was her fault. She could have stopped Alison.

Every time Jenna passed her with this stick she used to walk, Emily felt the unstoppable need of apologizing- but she couldn't. She couldn't because they had let it seem as if Jenna's step brother Toby, would have been responsible for this accident. He had been arrested and that was another moment, Emily couldn't get rid of. The incredible disappointed look in his eyes when the detective led him to his car. Thinking of all these things she would rather never think about again, Emily felt as if she had to throw up. She stopped and could hardly breath. Furthermore, she felt sick, maybe it was only her bad guilty conscience that made her feel this way.

Disoriented she knelt down. Everything around her was spinning but her mind was clear. Emily was so angry about herself and what she had done. All the frustration of the past months and all the pain broke out of her. She felt her eyes getting wet but didn't want to cry. Not now. She didn't want to feel even weaker, even more helpless and lost.

She would rather feel nothing, no guilt, pain and sadness. Deep inside, Emily knew that she shouldn't have shouted at her friends. At least they were the only few persons that had been with her. The only ones that had accepted her and endured her outbursts of emotions. Emily leaned against a tree behind her and closed her eyes. She didn't want to feel anything right now, nothing. But she could neither suppress her tears nor her feelings and therefor Emily let them run down her cheeks. Why hadn't she talked to them calm? Maybe because this was the only way they took her serious. Emily knew that each of them had thought about the Jenna-thing in the past few month and she also knew that they all felt guilty.

After Alison disappeared, the four girls drifted away from each other. Not long time ago, all they said was a hello whenever they met in the school's corridor's. They were friendly, but no friends.

Emily had never told them but she often sat in front of her mobile phone, trying to dial one of their numbers. But in the end, she didn't. Not even once. Emily didn't know why, maybe because she was too proud to make the first step or because she didn't know what to say. Today was the first time, she talked about her feeling and thoughts. No, she didn't talk about them. She shouted her opinion right into her friend's faces. It would be no surprise, if Mr. Fitz had heard every single word of their conversation or rather argument. What if he had? Emily was sure he had at least understood some parts. If so, it was her fault and she would have to straighten it. Her fault ones again, she never seemed to think about her action's effects. Emily sighed.

She thought after opening her mind to the girls, she would feel relieved but she didn't. Anyway, her situation had become even worse: She was still gay, A still existed and additionally she was probably estranged with her three best friends. Not to mention that she was totally disoriented, felt dizzy and her thoughts made her want to puke.

Emily wasn't far away from despairing in a nervous breakdown but suddenly somebody touched her back. She turned around quickly and looked straight into a person's face she really didn't want to see today. No. The boy starring at her with his hand on her back was Toby. Toby Cavanaugh. Emily didn't try to swipe her tears away, knowing that she was puffy from crying.

She leaped up and wanted to leave but Toby stopped her: "Emily, what's wrong with you? Can…Can I help you?" he asked.

"No, no. I'm fine. I got to go." In this state, what she said wasn't convincing at all but Toby let go of her.

Emily wanted to leave which didn't prove as working because she wasn't doing well at all. Jumping up so fast, wasn't a good idea. Her head was spinning and she reached for her temples.

"Hey. What's the matter? Why are you staggering? You better sit down for a while before you go wherever." Toby suggested. Emily got weak and could feel her legs caving. When Toby saw that Emily was nearly fainting, he ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her wrist. She almost fell into them. Emily leaned on Toby and he helped her to slowly walk.

Toby sat her down on the bunch and there they sat:

The girl who had brought him to prison and the boy who had lost more than just lifetime in this night. Toby just kept sitting next to Emily, until he handled her a handkerchief. She grabbed it hesitating and swiped her tears away. None of them knew what to say, the last time, they had seen each other was more than one year ago. The difference was that there weren't any cops between them and Toby wasn't handcuffed.

Toby broke the silence because it was almost overwhelming: „Are you doing better?"

Emily wasn't sure about what to say but chose the truth. Toby was one of the persons, she owed it. "I don't know. I feel tired and still a little dizzy." Not knowing what to respond, Toby didn't say anything, so Emily did: "Why are you so friendly? I believe, I'm the last person that deserves your kindness. Toby looked over at her: „Honestly, you aren't. This person is dead." Emily started, she hadn't expected this answer.

"Did you run away from home?" Toby asked. Emily shook her head and said:

"I…I had an argument with my friends because I wanted to be honest just for one time. It didn't work out, I was way to honest. I hurt them with what I said. You know, I don't know what's wrong with me at the moment. My behavior is so weird. After I shouted at them, I completely freaked out and ran away. I was so angry and just ran and ran and ran. I ended up sitting at this tree, unable to breath. Then you suddenly appeared and I neither knew what to do nor to say, so I jumped up to run away because this is always the easiest solution. "

"At first, I thought you were drunk because you had obviously cried and then you were staggering, but you aren't, are you?"

"No, of course I'm not. I think, I jumped up too fast which made me feel dizzy. What you must have thought when you saw me alike." Emily tried to smile.

"Actually, I was worried because you were crying so badly and looked pale. When you staggered, I wasn't sure if I should touch you or not but I did, since I thought you would faint."

"Thank you for that. If you hadn't, I would have really fainted. At first my head was spinning and then everything went black. I lost my view and the next thing I remember is sitting on this bunch."

"Yes, you fell and leaned on me, so that you could walk to the bunch. You don't remember it?"

"No, I was nearly unconscious."

"Maybe you should call your friends. I don't want them to worry."

"Yes, you're right but I left my mobile phone at school."

"Oh, unfortunately I don't have any credit balance. So, you can't do anything with mine."

"I will just walk home. I'm currently staying at Hanna's, so the girls are probably there. Where are we anyway?"

"Close to my house. But Emily, I don't think you should walk home. Just wait here and I'll go and get my car. I can drive you home, I don't have anything to do."

"You needn't do this, I'm already much better. You did enough for me."

"Sure?"

"Yes, but thank you. Not only for the offer and Toby I know we owe you explanations but not today, okay?"

"Yes, of course. Try to stand up."

Emily stood up slowly, Toby kept his hand behind her back, able to catch her if necessary. But everything went well and therefor Emily returned to Hanna's.

As she stood in front of the house and wanted to press the bell, the door already opened. Hanna, Aria and Spencer starred at her.

"Hey Guys. Can I still come in?" Emily asked sheepish. "Of course, you can. Emily, we were super-worried. Are you okay?" Hanna answered.

Emily nodded her head and hugged her friends who kept holding her tightly. "I'm sorry for freaking out and running away. I'm stressed because of all this stuff with my mum." She tried to explain.

"You needn't apologize, Em. You were right, we always lie and we really didn't take much care of you because we were busy with other things. We weren't there for you, sorry." Aria admitted.

Everyone looked at Spencer. She smiled and said: "I'm not that compassionate sometimes but never say again that we deserve what A does. Nobody does." The girls could laugh again and then Emily told them everything about her weird meeting.

As she finished, the others couldn't believe it.

"He helped you?" Aria asked.

"Did he change?" Hanna wanted to know. "Both yes." Emily answered. "What about him?" Spencer continued. "He has got more muscles. I think for a dude he was really hot." Emily smiled.

"We judged him totally wrong." Spencer informed.

"Not only him." Aria finished.