Chapter 7 – POV Aria

Years of black hatred seeped into the coffee shop, as a familiar yet unprecedented feeling of dread washed into the Brew. My mouth hung ajar. I had no response. None.

Suddenly, a laugh. A loud, mirthless laugh, as Spencer slapped her thigh, her cheeks going red and eyes watering.

"You guys are such unintelligent twits," she exploded. "What the hell. This is a stupid joke, and I just want to say whoever it was just say you did it because I'm out." Silence. "OUT with it, come on," she boomed. "For $*$&'s sakes couldn't you have come up with anything just a bit more original? GOD…" she erupted as she held up her phone, and we received worried and irritated looks from people enjoying late night coffee.

You think you're smart, "winning" the Game that I created. You think you're invincible, but you're just five bitchy pawns on a game board, and it's time for a remAtch.

Missed you.

-A

Emily looked austere. I looked around to see if someone was gonna crack a smile. This had to be some sort of prank. But resident prank queen Hanna looked like a stone statue.

"This is a joke right? You guys are just being trolls though right…?" said Hanna, tentatively, almost as if she were asking an angry boss for a raise.

"No," I said.

Four pairs of eyes looked at me. "No. Not one of us would have the audacity to do this. Not after it ripped our lives apart and destroyed our desire for anything. You guys, if this was a joke, it's not amusing. And I'm leaving." I grabbed my purse, but before I got up, my eyes watered and I started to sob.

POV Spencer

"I had my life together you guys! I had my damn life together! Can you guys even blame me for not wanting to see you guys? I love you girls, but all I can think about is A whenever I see you! I just can't do it! I can't! We were filing adoption papers from India and I can't please please! Please!" Aria sobbed, as Sabrina announced "closing time" and people walked out, looking over their shoulders.

"This isn't a joke, is it…" continued Hanna.

Emily laid her hand on Aria's, and looked her into the eye.

"Aria. I know you want to slap my cliche face, but you are not alone. We had lives. But this is always gonna be part of our life. It's not something we can escape, but we're sisters. The five of us. And we're gonna do this together. And we're stronger now that we have families and lives. We have more to fall back on."

Suddenly, four pairs of eyes, one of whom was emitting waterfalls, directed themselves at me.

"Your…sister…" stuttered Aria, amidst tears.

"Have you heard ANYTHING related to her? Or Mary?" interrogated Alison.

And I… I was speechless.

POV Hanna

I drove home. No. I raced home. 50 miles an hour on the main road, and none of Rosewood's finest pulled me over.

What did this mean? I didn't get it. I just didn't understand. Everything started fading.

I pulled into the driveway, and almost wheeled over Caleb.

"Hanna! Watch it! Did you not just get ticketed?"

"No."

I didn't even look at him as I answered, leaving him bewildered. I plowed into the house, past my daughter, and crashed on the bed.

I had my life together. This couldn't happen. Not now. No.

Caleb rammed into the room.

"Hanna, what is it? You couldn't have had that of a bad day. I mean, you didn't get harassed by people at the firm who mistook you for office consultants… well, besides my little coffee spill…" he knelt down, possibly to kiss my forehead, I wasn't paying attention.

"Leave."

I didn't process what I was saying. My thoughts were incompletely formed.

"…What?"

"Please leave me alone… please Caleb… please…"

"Why? Hanna. Hanna look at me. What the hell is going on?"

I stared at my wardrobe, out of which one of my finest creations protruded. And I felt empty. No longer satisfied and proud.

Then my phone sounded off. That got me out of my trance. I jumped up, and with speed I don't think I could've gone before, I grabbed it off the dresser. But he was onto me. He shoved me into the wall, and I started to cry, as he seized it.

Wake up Han. You can't have the life of a Disney princess. You're still fat underneath your fashion crap, and insecure, and that, dear is game fuel. I see you. -A

"What…what the HELL is that… No, Hanna. We have a girl. Regina needs us. OUR baby needs us."

"BURN IT."

"HANNA!"

"I SAID BURN IT!"

POV Emily

My ride home with Al was a silent one. Well, on my part. As Alison drove, she drilled me.

"Em, did Spencer tell you ANYTHING? If she did, you need to tell me NOW. We're family. We need to talk."

My silence ended. "Oh that is RICH! Alison, I could rattle off time after time where you kept something I HAD to know from me. Life or death, Alison, and your secrets stayed hidden. DO NOT lecture me on communication."

"Em… we need to get past this. I suck. I'm still a bitch, fine. But you're stuck with me. They need us. We signed up for this. And that is why if you don't tell me whether or not you heard anything about my cousin, I'm going to park in the Lost Woods and not move until you talk. I MEAN IT."

Silence.

"Emily!"

After minutes of her drilling holes into me with her blue eyes…

"Earlier… that stung."

Silence.

"I've been trying Em. I'm trying to open up. I'm trying. I'm trying to be like you Emily. Not only do I love you, but you're a role model, infinitely a better person than me… After all these years of facading… it takes its toll. Just… please… talk to me Em."

I sighed. I had to.

"I haven't talked to anyone. It hurts, and I can't do this again. It might've been a lie but I want it to continue. I just… if it's Alex… it ends now.

POV Alison

Alex Drake had to be responsible. My sweet little cousin. Who else could it possibly be? Who else would be puppeteering this, restarting the game? I scoffed. Did she really not think they'd know who she was? No. She was too smart for that. But then… why… how…

I had to find out who it was.

We all did.

That night… I resolved to talk to Spencer. I doubted silent and taciturn Em would, but I had to.

"Em." I prodded her in the bed.

No response.

I sighed, and started talking.

"Em. We need to talk to Spencer. You know that right?"

No response.

I laid back. It was time for the growth of interpersonal barriers and walls to take hold, and cement themselves into our lives once more.

End