Chapter 50: Someone knows
Lindsay paced back and forth nervously. Who was it? Who was the one that knew everything about her? She ran her fingers through her hair, holding in a scream. More importantly, how did they know? How could anyone possibly know things about her that no one else did?
Except for... Lindsay thought. No. That wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible.
Lindsay took a deep breath as she stopped walking. She sat down on her bed and buried her head in her hands. "Calm down." Lindsay whispered to herself. "It's probably just some idiot who thinks they know you, but don't."
When she look back up, Lindsay's phone started ringing. Lindsay stood back up to get it, and saw that it was Noel again. She went to pick it up, but hesitated, drawing her hand back so that it was just floating in midair.
The phone stopped ringing, and a voicemail appeared. Lindsay opened it quickly. She should at least see what he wanted.
"Lindsay, it's me again. We're really worried. Did something happen? Is it what happened last night? Is it bothering you? Please call me back. I need to know that you're okay." Noel talked quickly, then hung up.
Is it what happened last night?
Lindsay dropped her phone to the floor, her hand falling over her mouth. Tears glistened in her eyes.
Could it be Noel texting her? What else could he mean?
There had to be another explanation. Lindsay picked up her phone, ready to call Noel back and find out. Her hands shook so badly that she could barely even hold it. "Come on, Lindsay. Get it together." Why was she panicking so much about this? It was probably nothing.
Lindsay started to type in a number, but it wasn't Noel's. As she expected, it went straight to voicemail. "It's Lindsay." She trailed off, not sure what to say. "Someone knows."
I stand, waiting. I look at the trees in the woods behind me, and trace my name in the carving in one of them. I need to talk to somebody, anybody, about last night.
A twig snaps from behind me. I whirl around. I don't see anyone.
"Hello?" I call. "Is someone there?"
There's no answer.
Another twig breaks.
"Hello?"
"Hanna?" A voice replies. "Is that you?" Emily emerges from behind a tree. Her eyes land on me, and my lip wobbles.
I run towards her, wrapping my arms around her in a hug. She returns it just as enthusiastically. I wipe some tears from my eyes as I hold her at arm's length.
"Han, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said yesterday." Emily starts.
I don't let her finish. "I know. I am, too." I look around. "I need talk to you about something. Something you can't tell Aria and Spencer about."
"Why me?" She gives me a confused look. "You should hate me."
"Because you're the only one I really know I can trust."
"But why can't you trust-?" Emily furrows her brow.
I cut her off. "You care about Lindsay, don't you?"
Her face turns red. "Yeah, of course. She's my friend."
"Then listen." I blow hair out of my face. "They don't care."
"Did something happen?" Emily glances over my shoulder, as if she expects to see someone else there. I wouldn't be surprised if there is.
I take a deep breath. "After I left, I talked to Lindsay, and I sorta ended up sleeping over at her house."
She looks perplexed. "What relevance does this have? I thought something happened?"
"Something did." I close my eyes, trying not to seem too annoyed. "I don't really remember much, but I do know that I woke up and Alison was there."
"What? Did Lindsay see her?" Her eyes are wide. "Wait... Are you drunk?"
"No, I am not drunk." I roll my eyes. "And I don't know if she did. I don't even know if Alison was really there." Emily opens her mouth like she's about to say something, but I don't let her. "But I do know that at one point, Lindsay came into the house and she looked as though she'd seen a ghost."
"You think she talked to her?" Emily's arms are crossed, but I can still tell she's worried by the look on her face.
"I do."
"Did Alison... Say anything to you?" Her uncomfortable posture makes me nervous.
"What do you mean?" I raise an eyebrow.
"You're not the only one that saw Alison last night." Emily turns so she's looking me directly in the eye.
I gape at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Alison came to see all of us last night. She thought you would be at Spencer's house, too, but you weren't. Ali said to tell you what she told us." She shifts from side to side.
"And what was that?" I lean forward a little in anticipation.
Looking completely serious, Emily replies in a hushed tone. "Alison wants us to leave Rosewood." She pauses. "Wait. Why can't you trust Aria and Spencer?"
My eyes still wide, I reply in the same way she just spoke. "I think one of them might be ~A."
