"Large skinny carmel mocha" Aria said to the barista behind the counter. She ran her hands through her jet black hair, waiting as the barista prepared her drink. Aria needed something to calm her nerves – this shaky feeling she had inside. Aria grabbed her drink, taking a long sip before she went and sat at a secluded table in the back of the café. She liked to think of this as her safe spot. She came to Willow's café on days when she really needed to get away. It was about twenty minutes away from everything Rosewood and sat hidden behind a large Starbucks and some fancy restaurant on the outskirts of town. Willow's was run down, but was quaint. There were really never any people in there, and it was filled with old, dark hardwood and the seats were lined with maroon velvet and the windows were draped in heavy maroon curtains. The table Aria sat at was wobbly; the front right leg was chipped causing it to be unbalanced, but that was Aria's favorite part. It was Aria's run down coffee shop, her little getaway.

After the text message Spencer had received this morning, Aria had decided to skip class and come right to Willow's. She didn't care that it was the first day of senior year; she already needed a getaway. Aria had decided that whoever texted Spencer was just playing a nasty joke. She figured it was Naomi or Riley… or even Hanna's stepsister Kate, someone who just liked to watch the girls squirm, but Aria couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, so she had to get out of school. In the corner of Willow's, Aria felt safe. No one knew who she was, or where she was. The only person she ever took here was Noel, and he couldn't understand why Aria loved it so much. Aria took a long sip of her drink, closing her eyes, trying to forget about the text message Spencer had gotten. Aria knew one thing; she wasn't going to let this ruin her life again. She wasn't going to let someone ruin her life again just when things were getting back to normal. Aria's iPhone lightly buzzed in her black Steve Madden boots, her favorite hiding spot, and her heart sank for a moment as she went to grab it. Pressing the screen, a wave of relief flew over her.

From: Noel Kahn
Sitting alone in pottery class… I look like the biggest douche bag. Are you ditching me on the first day? Or skipping and not telling me? Naughty

Noel had been great with everything that has been happening with Aria lately. He stood by her through every rough patch, and it just made them grow stronger. It made Aria feel so much better knowing she had him in her life. But there just things Noel would never understand. Sure he knew about Mona Vanderwal torturing them as the first A, then Courtney – Ali torturing the girls as the second, and the one that tried to kill them in a burning house, but he just simply wouldn't understand how hard it was for Aria to move on and feel like everything was okay. He also wouldn't understand all the secrets she still carries on the weight of her shoulders. If there was a new A, A would use those secrets to torture Aria once more. Aria shivered, quickly typing back on her phone.

To: Noel Kahn
Had to get out of school, sorry xo

Aria pressed send and laid her phone down on the wobbly table. She pulled out Wuthering Heights from her bag and flipped through the wrinkled pages. Aria had read that book front to cover three times already, but she would never get tired of it. As much as she tried to read the words in front of her, trying to escape her daily life and explore the life of Catherine Earnshaw, her head was clogged with thoughts of A. Suddenly, Aria's thoughts were interrupted. "Excuse me, miss?" Aria looked up to meet eyes with the man standing in front of her. He was tall, and had shaggy dark hair with chocolate brown eyes. He shot Aria a grin, one that probably made girls weak in the knees. "Yes?" Aria mustered up, trying not to make it to obvious that she was staring at his perfect smile and dark, mysterious eyes. "I just couldn't help but notice you when you came in, and now you're reading Wuthering Heights, it seems like fate." He said with a wink, sliding down into the seat across from her. Aria quickly shut the pages to her book looking up.

"I hardly see that as fate." Aria said, pushing her hair over her shoulder. He smiled at her, laying down his copy of Wuthering Heights down on the table. "Okay, so you must be taking Williams class, but I haven't seen you around campus." Aria looked at him puzzled for a moment, and then noticed Hollis scribbled along the edge of the pages of the book. Whoever he was thought Aria was in college, and taking a class where they were reading Wuthering Heights.

Aria shoved her book down her back, taking one last long sip of her drink, ready to ditch this place and 'charmy boy.' "I'm sorry but I'm in High School." Aria said, pushing her cup to the middle of the table and standing up and walking out of Willow's. She didn't need to fall into the charm of some cute college boy, especially not after what happened this summer. Aria stuffed her hands into her high waisted short pockets, trying not to think about that memory at all. She strode past Willow's, passing by the Starbucks as a green flyer caught her eye. The bolded letters stood out amongst the rest, Pretty Little Killer. Aria grabbed the flyer, crumpling it in her hand and throwing it in the trash. Aria felt a light buzz in her boot and bent down to grab it, expecting it to be Noel.

There's always a pretty little killer on the loose. Watch your back. -A