Chapter 4: "TALKS"

After Aria had 'finished her paper for Mr. Fitz', she sent a text to Ezra telling him she couldn't come because of the police. She then invited all of the girls out to discuss what they would do about their shadows. The invitation was, of course without being said or choice, extended to the agents.

They sat at a small black table outside of the COFFEA espresso shop. The agents sat a table apart from them at another, taking very close detail of the people that walked by. "Has anyone gotten anything on who might be after the girls?" J.J. asked.

Rossi shook his head. "No, but I did overhear Emily and her mother arguing in her room about her dating someone." "A guy her mom doesn't like?" Morgan inquired. Rossi leaned back in his seat and shook his head once more. "A girl by the name of Maya."

"So, Maya has something to do with this, but more than likely she's not a suspect. Her mom probably doesn't like the fact that her daughter's gay," Prentiss said. "And her mom seems like she only wants the best for Emily, so she probably wouldn't do anything," J.J. added.

"Aria seemed down today when her dad told her I'd have to go with her when she went out today," Morgan notified them. "She tried to hide it, but it didn't really work." "Was she meeting someone?" Reid asked. "Or bummed that you'd be following her around," Hotch finished.

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"I'm so sick of these guys, it's ridiculous. I can't even sneak Caleb back in the house!" Hanna whisper-yelled. "Where is he?" Aria asked. Hanna shrugged. "I don't even know. He won't tell me where he is and I can never find him around school." "He's hiding from you," Spencer concluded and took a sip of her macchiato with an extra shot of caramel-hold the foam-low-fat milk-with just a tiny eensy weensy bit of extra vanilla sugar.

"More like hiding from my mom," Hanna muttered and rolled her eyes. "She's completely scared the guy. She even threatened to call the police on him, especially after I left with him to go out to the woods." "Woah," Emily breathed. "She's serious. Did you explain to her his situation?

Hanna shook her head furiously and threw her hands up. "How could I? It's not for me to tell." "But it could be just the thing to get him out of a bind," Aria noted. Hanna sucked her lip into her mouth and chewed on it. "Maybe." She turned her focus to Emily and gave her a slight chin jerk.

"What's up with you and Maya?" Emily sighed and plunked her chin in her hand. "My mom found out I was still seeing her." "Was?" Spencer caught the subtle use of language. Emily nodded. "Was. She threatened to tell Maya's parents about her smoking weed. We had to break it off, at least until I figure out something to do." Aria's eyebrows jumped into her hair. "Seriously? Isn't that like…blackmail? She could get in serious trouble for that." "Yeah, and so could Maya. I'm starting to think my mom will still go through with it though. If she does they'll send her off and I don't know what I'll do then."

She was fighting back tears. Spencer handed her a tissue from her bag. "Thanks," she whispered and dabbed her eyes. "I just hope everything turns out alright." The other girls nodded. Aria covered Emily's hand with her own. "It will," she assured her. She gave her a small smile and looked at Spencer. "I heard Melissa's back in town.

Spencer scrunched her face in a grimace. "Ugh, unfortunately. She's still on my tail about involving myself more." Hanna scoffed. "How much more can you possibly do? You're on practically every committee and club here. You even have straight A's!" Spencer shook her head hopelessly.

"Apparently that's not enough for her. Or my parents," she said pathetically. She sighed and took another sip of her drink. "But enough about me. What's up with you and Ezra?" Aria smiled giddily. "Everything's going great! I was going to go see him today, but Derek has to go everywhere I go."

Hanna perched an eyebrow. "Derek? Gee, getting a bit cozy with those posers aren't you, Aria?" "Hanna," Spencer chided the annoyed girl. Hanna rolled her eyes and turned her head the other way. "Uh, no. He told us to call him that. What is your problem?"

Hanna whipped around and snapped. "My problem is that everyone's okay and hunkey-dorey with the idea of six FBI agents following us around at all times of the day like we're suspects that need extreme babysitting!" "Hey, none of us are okay with the situation, but we've all got to deal with it. That's the only way we're ever going to get them off our backs. We've got to stop acting so suspicious and you've got to stop acting like you hate them with your guts!" Emily defended Aria.

"I do hate them with my guts!" "Well at least pretend like it!" Spencer snapped. While the girls kept bickering, the agents were all taking note of the increasing tension within the group. "Guys," Aria whispered. They didn't hear her. "Guys," she said louder.

"What?" Hanna barked. Aria showed them her phone. "I don't think everything's so okay now," she whispered fearfully.

We need to talk.

-Ezra