Chapter Ten

Spencer, Hanna, Emily, and Aria all sat around a room in a fancy hotel. Spencer's wedding was in hours and Spencer was a mess.

"Where is my veil! Hanna, you were in charge of the veil! Where is it!"

"Spencer, calm down! It's right over there," Hanna replied, pointing at a chair.

"Sorry," Spencer said quickly. "It's just that nothing can go wrong today."

"Before we throw that attitude on, can I ask you three something?" Aria asked quietly.

"Sure," Emily answered for everyone.

"Ezra and I talked yesterday. He told me a new A threatened me. Did any of you get new A texts? Or knew Ezra got one?"

Emily bit her lip. "Yeah, we knew he got one. But we haven't."

"You haven't been seeing him, have you?" Spencer questioned. "Since California?"

"We talked yesterday, but that was the first time since he came to see me," Aria told her, leaving out the part that they almost had sex in the country club's pool. They only hadn't because a worker came in and told them they couldn't be in the pool because it was closed. Little did that worker know that Aria's bra was already off, along with Ezra's pants. Aria blushed just thinking of how magical that reunion had been.

"What are you smiling about?" Spencer asked, lowering her brow.

"Oh my God, did you two do it?" Hanna guessed. "Where? In the country club's storage closet or something?"

"Let's just say you could consider that indoor pool sort of sacred ground."

"Well, I'm never swimming there again. Thanks Aria," Emily teased.

"We didn't actually have sex! Who do you think I am?"

Each girl raised their perfect eyebrows and stared their friend down. "If I recall correctly, I remember how much you bragged about you and Fitz' sex life," Hanna said.

"I did not!" Aria blushed.

Spencer giggled, "Do you not remember you're very…very… very vivid story telling of all of you and Ezra's sexcapades."

Hanna laughed, "Ooh, like the times she told us about how easily she came whenever he touched her -"

Hanna turned and realized Veronica Hastings was standing in the doorway. Veronica's harsh demeanor was covered by embarrassment and blush crept onto her cheeks. Each girl just laughed and Aria face palmed.

Veronica cleared her throat, "Have you seen Melissa? I haven't seen her all morning."

"I was coming into the lobby and I saw her come out of the elevator," Emily remembered.

"Hey I haven't seen Ali either. Didn't you say she was one of your bridesmaids?" Aria asked Spencer.

"Yeah, she is. But Ali told me yesterday that she would be running late."

"If any of you see Melissa outside this room, tell her she needs to get ready. So do all of you."

"We are getting ready," Spencer huffed.

"Just go faster," Veronica ordered. "And stop with the sexcapades." As Veronica closed the door, each girl burst into giggles.

XXXX

Ezra tried tying his bowtie for the fifth time that morning. Spencer had taken it upon herself to deem Ezra a groomsmen since Toby was short one. He knew it was kind gesture, but he knew people would find it awkward that he was a groomsmen for Spencer Hastings' wedding. Especially since Ali and Melissa were bridesmaids. They would have to pose for pictures together and he wasn't ready for that. He also hadn't been to a wedding since he was six. He had been his Aunt's ring bearer. Years ago, he figured that the second time he'd walk down an aisle would be for he and Aria's wedding. That dream seemed impossible now, though. He and Aria might be okay, but they'd never be the same. And marriage was built on trust. How could Aria vow to trust him for life after all the lies he told? Sadly, he didn't see his marriage with Aria happening any time soon, if at all.

God, he wished he had never met Alison. Life would've just been so much easier. If he and Ali never met, he and Aria would probably be married with a kid by now. But no, Alison just had to ruin his life.

Ezra walked into Ali's backyard and immediately spotted her; the bright yellow top illuminated by the side lights on her home. "Ali?" He called out. "Ali, what's wrong?" She turned and had tear-ridden cheeks. About twenty minutes ago, Alison had called Ezra in tears saying that she needed him. Ezra loved her, so of course, he immediately went to her.

"Ezra, we need to talk," Ali explained.

"What's wrong, baby?"

Alison bit her lip, "Ezra, I'm pregnant."

Ezra stood up straighter, as if a pin was just placed in his back. "You're what?!"

"I'm also fifteen, not eighteen."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry I lied, but I just love you so much. I know you wouldn't have been with me if you knew the truth," Ali cried.

Ezra stopped breathing. He had impregnated a minor. "You're fif… you're fifteen! Fifteen?!"

"Ezra, I need money for an abortion. I know you have money. I need, like, nine hundred dollars."

"What?" Ezra asked. He knew from previous experiences that abortions were not that expensive.

"Please, I can't raise a child."

"Abortions are not nine hundred dollars," Ezra stated in a voice that sounded like he was talking to a five year old.

"I need money, though. I'm in trouble."

Ezra sighed. "How far along are you?"

"Uh, t- two months," Alison stammered.

"Alison, that's impossible."

"What?"

"The first time we did it was only, like, two and half weeks ago."

Alison gulped. "I meant two weeks. Not two months."

Ezra bent down in her face, "Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not, I swear!" Alison argued.

"Alison, I can tell when you're lying."

Ali laughed, "Yeah, right. Look, just give me the money, okay? I know that your parents have money."

"And why would I give any of it to you?"

Alison stood up straighter and smirked, "I don't think schools accept aspiring teachers who fuck minors."

"Are you kidding me?" Ezra screamed.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Ali smiled sinisterly.

"You wouldn't do that," Ezra stated. "You're bluffing."

"I bet your mother wouldn't be that happy, either…"

"Stop it," Ezra warned.

"Give me the money," Alison ordered, "Or your life will be ruined. I own you now, Ezra."

Before Ezra could stop himself, he heard a shattering crack. He glanced down at his trembling hand before looking at Alison. She was collapsed on the ground, the side of her head covered in blood. He looked at the rock beside her head and saw a bloodstain on it.

Ezra gulped and breathed in and out, trying not to faint. He covered his opened mouth with his trembling hand and was absolutely lost on what to do next. He turned and ran away from her body. What did he just do?

Ezra shook all his haunting memories away and tried tying his bowtie once more, before giving up. As his hands went to his collar, his phone beeped.

Ezra grabbed his screen and noticed he had a message from 8:09 last night in addition to the one he got a second ago. He pressed the older one first. This must have been the alert he'd gotten after he ran into Aria.

You just can't resist, can you Fitz? Drop her before I do.

XO, A

Ezra gulped and opened the next text.

Aw, time's up. Don't say I didn't warn you! Too bad Aria won't make it to the wedding, she would have looked beautiful in her bridesmaid's dress. Well, I guess she'll just have to look better in the dress she will be buried in!

XO, A

Buried? Dying?! Before he could gather his thoughts, his phone beeped once more.

That is, if you can't save her. Tick tock.

212 Lima Rd.

XO, A

Ezra had to save her. He threw his bowtie down to the floor and grabbed his keys. He ran out the door and jumped in his car faster than you could say "Aria."

XXXX

"Oh my God, where is Melissa! I didn't even want her to be a bridesmaid! Of course she'd be the one to go rogue," Spencer complained.

After a few minutes of silence Hanna piped up, "Excited for the honeymoon?"

"Are you horny or something, Han?" Emily asked.

Hanna defended herself as the girls bantered. Aria smiled at something Spencer said before feeling her phone vibrate.

Poor Prince Charming won't make it to the ball thanks to the fairest one of all.

XO, A

Aria's smile faded and she felt like she was about to faint. Hanna, who was sitting across from her, noticed and stopped bickering playfully with Emily and Spencer.

Aria's breath went rigid and she held her phone out to Hanna. Hanna recited the message and each girl's heart stopped.

Aria's phone beeped again.

It's sad that this story won't end with happily ever after. Whatever, Ezra was a Big Bad Wolf in the woods anyway.

XO, A

"The cabin?" Spencer asked.

"No, that's too obvious," Hanna disagreed.

Aria started crying and Emily rushed to her side. "Aria, he's ok. He can hold his own."

"Not if A has a gun! He was so worried I would be the one to be hurt, he didn't even think about himself! It's all my fault. A told him to stay away and I wouldn't let him! I'm the reason he's gonna die!"

"Hey, don't say that stuff. He's okay. We just have to find him," Emily told her.

Beep.

Ezra was as loyal as Boxer. Too bad they both die!

XO, A

"Okay, what the hell does that mean?" Hanna asked.

"Boxer! We read that book freshman year!" Spencer explained. "Animal Farm!"

Emily felt like she'd been hit with a ton of bricks. She – for the first time – figured it out. "I know who A is."