C9.
"Han, what are you doing?"Caleb complained as he watched his blonde and petite girlfriend throw dresses and blazers even heels across the room.
Hanna squealed in delight as she found the dress she was looking for. "My dad, he's coming back from wherever to take me and the three girls out and our siblings."Hanna exclaimed excitedly.
Her father, Tom Marin had up and left Ashley and Hanna. Ashley had been devastated, finding out Tom had cheated on her with his new girlfriend, Isobel. It took Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily to get her out of bed the following week after Tom's departure. Hanna had gone so far as too call Isobel, a woman she'd never met, fat and ugly.
"OK, and you're throwing clothes around your bedroom because?.."Caleb trailed off as he started picking up the scattered clothes and shoes.
Hanna snorted, "Because It's my dad duh? And we're going out for dinner, so I need to look nice for my daddy,"She smiled at Caleb, giving the stunned raven haired boy a quick but loving kiss as she grabbed her dress and shoes, and whatever else stuffed them into a bag, and left for Emily's.
"Spencer!"Hanna giggled as the tall brunette stumbled up the patio stairs outside Emily's house.
Spencer laughed with her, taking out the door key their Aunt Pam had given them for Christmas a few years ago and letting themselves in as they waited for Aria to show up with the make-up and Emily to come back with the music.
Anthony Sean Fields, Emily's little brother by 2 years had gone to the Montgomery house to pick-up Mike Nathan Montgomery, Aria's little brother of 2 years. Lola Elizabeth Marin, Hanna older sister of 4 years had just arrived with Melissa in tow. All of the siblings, including the four girls were lucky. They didn't have to pretend that their best friend wasn't family, because they were. They were all cousins, but treated each other as brother and sister instead.
"Oh my gosh! You four look gorgeous!"Lola and Melissa gushed once they entered Emily's room. You could hear the music from Anthony's room blasting as he and Mike got ready for that night.
"Thanks,"Spencer replied for her and the others, "You two look hot!"She giggled, kissing both their cheeks.
Pamela was down stairs in the kitchen on the phone to Wayne. Wayne Fields had been sent away about a year ago to work in Afghanistan. He was supposed too be MIA, but he had found a way to call Pam and explain the situation.
"I'm sorry honey. I don't know how long its going to be until I can get home. I'm currently MIA with a few other soldiers, the enemy blew up our base. We have no sense of direction. I'm using a strange looking pay-phone too call you right now. Tell Emily I love her, and I love you, Pamela. But I have to go."Wayne explained too his silent wife.
Pamela sniffled, rubbing her nose. "I love you too, babe. Bye."She smiled, ending the call.
"Pam? It's Tom!"Tom Marin called as he walked through the front door.
Pamela got up from the kitchen chair, and walked into the living room where Tom was standing, with a bag full of gifts. "The girls and the two boys will be down in a minute."She informed the older man.
There was animosity between Tom and Pamela, Ella and Veronica. Because he'd left and cheated on Ashley, her three sisters didn't see a reason or an exscuse for it, so they didn't speak to Tom unless they needed too. Ashley was grateful she had three sisters and two daughters and nieces and nephews who cared for her so much.
"Dad."Hanna greeted him somewhere between cold and warmly.
Tom cleared his throat and smiled at his daughters, nieces and nephews. "Guys, girls. Lola, how are you baby?"Lola had gotten into a car accident the other day with her ex-boyfriend.
Lola huffed, shuffling a little closer to her younger sister. "She's fine."Hanna answered for her older sister. Their father just nodded and handed the gifts out tot the silent teens.
"Thanks, Tom."Anthony and Mike spoke, smiling tightly. They were attempting to be nice to their uncle. He did just by them a game worth $60 dollars.
Spencer, Aria, Emily, Hanna, Melissa and Lola all exchanged looks. Tom had bought them all a book about ghosts. "Ghosts?"Spencer asked Tom.
He shrugged. "looked interesting."
The girls just grumbled and headed out to the car. "Han, I wanted to talk to you for a second."Tom called Hanna back.
"My names Hanna. And also, I knew you was just here for the car! I didn't crash it! Go on, we might as well go back inside so you can shout at me! Or better yet, lets do it out on the street where everyone can see and hear it."Hanna exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air.
Spencer, Aria, and Emily grabbed onto each other's hands to support her. Tom leaving had been really hard on her, thrown her into a depressive state that she'd only recently come out off.
"I'm not here to yell at you. I'm worried about you. All of you."Tom claimed as he looked around at his family.
They all nodded, ignoring his statement and got into the mini bus he'd rented instead of having a confrontation.
The next morning, everyone including Anthony, Mike, Melissa and Lola all woke up in Hanna's bedroom. They had a good night last night, but hadn't brought up the whole 'I care.' thing from Tom yesterday yet. They were still contemplating whether or not they believed him.
Ashley had not been happy when the police turned up yesterday morning. Moaning about the police constantly interfering with the family.
"How bad did Ashley bust you over wrecking Sean's car?"Emily asked as they walked to the little green area across the central street later that morning.
Hanna smirked. "OK, I didn't wreck it, I damaged it. And actually, we're both being mature about it."Hanna smiled.
"Okay, so the towns going to put a new bench in, and we'll plant the flower beds, and there's going to be a pathway of art tiles."Aria informed the three girls.
Spencer sat down on the bench. "Art tiles?"
"Ah, paintings, pictures. Things to remember Alison."Emily smiled.
Hanna smiled,"Awe, like little headstones."
"Hanna!"Aria exclaimed, frowning.
She complained. "What?"whining in true Hanna Marin fashion.
"We should each do a tile. Including the three guys."Emily suggested.
Spencer looked around feeling uneasy, "What are you doing?"Emily asked as Spencer pulled her Apple Mac laptop from her bag.
"Blocking everyone I don't know from messaging me. Text, Emails."Spencer explained. "Fuck A." She started pressing buttons on her laptop. "Who's next?"
The three remaining girls looked around awkwardly. They weren't sure this would work. Finally, Emily sighed and swapped places on the bench with Spencer, taking the laptop from her and blocking A.
At that exact time, Ezra, Toby and Caleb rode around the corner. "Ezra!"Aria shouted at the same time Spencer called for Toby, and Hanna for Caleb.
Toby slowed the Volvo XC90 7-seater car he and Spencer purchased for when the gang went on road trips along the edge of the road.
The three boys jumped up from the car and walked over to where Aria was now sitting on the bench, blocking A and the rest waiting around. "What are you girls doing, then? Weren't we supposed too meet you like 5 minutes ago at the Brew?"Caleb asked as he casually slung his arm around Hanna's waist, pulling her petite body closer too his.
"You were, still are. Take the laptop from Ria, we're blocking A."Spencer informed the three boys. She then wound her arms around Toby's neck, smiling adoringly at him as Caleb and Ezra blocked A.
"I love you, baby."Toby whispered in her ear, leaning down to kiss her lightly. Spencer allowed the kiss to go on for about a minute before she pulled back.
She pecked him thrice more, "I love you too, handsome."She replied, releasing him to the laptop.
"OK, all done!"Aria beamed, leaning into Ezra and pulling Emily closer to hers. They had all gathered into a group hug before piling onto the bench.
Which wasn't working out. "OK! Toby, I'll sit on you, Emily next to us, Aria and Ezra, then Hanna and Caleb!"Spencer exclaimed as she fell on the floor again, but before they could all do as Spencer pointed out, a white piece of paper came flying towards the group of seven.
They all exchanged looks, still feeling victimized by the elusive A. Toby bent down slowly to pick it up, making sure everyone could see it.
'Ding Dong the Bitch is Dead.' Was scrawled in red marker across an old 'Missing Alison' flyer. Toby dropped the paper, him and the gang sharing more uneasy looks, before they raced to the Volvo.
I'm attempting to write my chapter 4 for the Vampire Diaries story I've currently abandoned. Not working.. definitely got writers block for that. I'm working on my Ghost Whisperer story too, by the way. So if I don't update regularly thats why. I'm putting outfits up for this chapter now. I know I updated earlier than expected, but I had nothing to do. Lily is asleep, I'm hyped up on caffeine and medication, so I decided to work on this. I'm OK, to the reviewers who asked, and so is Lily. Her chest infection has gone, she only has a slight wheeze now and is again sleeping through the night. This isn't the best chapter, but like I said, I have hit a stalemate between this story, Ghost Whisperer story, and my Vampire diaries story..but I'm getting there!