"I was afraid she wouldn't have it done in time for the memorial." Aria said as she and Spencer pushed a huge and heavy crate into the Hastings' living room, where the other three girls sat.
"This was someone from your moms gallery?" Hanna asked while flipping through a magazine.
"Right." Aria confirmed.
"Where is your mom?" Emily asked curiously, leaving her spot by Carmen to walk over to the crate.
"There's an apartment above the gallery so she's staying there." Aria explained, her mom having left the house since her father wouldn't.
"Kinda weird isn't it?" Hanna said, still reading. "Your mom moving out?"
"Yeah, like my dad should have left," Aria said snapped at her friend. "That's what you'd expect, wouldn't it?"
"Aria." Spencer Said sternly, causing the girl to feel guilty for snapping at the blonde.
"Hey I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Aria apologized. "The whole thing just sucks."
"And only one of your parents left." Carmen mumbled, continuing to paint her nails.
"Did anyone call Shelly?" Emily asked as her an Aria started unscrewing the crate top.
"Done and I told her if she plays anything depressing, I will kick in her cello." Spencer confirmed making Emily smile.
"What about the program?" Aria turned to Spencer.
"Almost done but we should finish it before Ali's brother gets here." Spencer assured.
"Can't wait," Carmen smirked and looked up to find them staring at her. "Uh what?"
"It seems like you want to see Jason." Hanna smirked, seeing Emily go back to unscrewing the lid an ignoring them.
"Me and Jason were close," Carmen shrugged and then smirked. "Plus he's hot, although not my type." The Latina stressed the last bit for Emily's sake.
"Well he gets here tonight and he wants to see us in the morning." Spencer told her, not noticing the secret message under the stressed words.
"I barely remember Jason," Hanna said standing up and joining them. "He was just Ali's older brother down the hall."
"Behind a closed-door."
"With his hardcore punk music vibrating the floorboards." Emily laughed making the others join her.
"Jason is smart though," Carmen inserted, finished painting. "How else do you think he got into an Ivy League school?"
"So another super secret genius?" Aria teased making Carmen roll her eyes.
"It wasn't a 'super secret,' you just never asked." The Latina sighed as she help lift the crate top off. They all looked at the piece of art inside. A huge metal bowl with six metal girl figures on the edges.
"It's beautiful." Aria stated, happy of her mom's friend.
"The pedestal is already up there, next to the bench," Spencer told them. "This goes up Friday morning."
"Do you think Jason will like it?" Emily asked Carmen who smiled.
"Of course he will." She confirmed the swimmer.
"Years from now people are gonna see this memorial and that's all they'll ever know about Ali," Aria said. "She'll be the girl that they dedicated the bench to. We'll all be gone, but Ali will still be remembered."
"That's immortality my darlings." Carmen smirked, her eyes glazing over in remembrance.
The six girls were at the lake lying on the beach area. Spencer and Carmen were lying on towels, trying to soak up some sun while the rest of the girls were in chairs under an umbrella. Spencer was lying on her stomach by Hanna who was on the right of Aria, Carmen was lying on her stomach in between Alison on her right and Emily on her left.
"I wish we could choose our age and stay there." Aria declared.
"The only way to do that is to die young and leave a beautiful corpse." Alison smirked as the other girls, minus Carmen, looked at her stunned.
"You shouldn't joke like that Alison." Emily said seriously.
Alison whirled around to face Emily. "It's not a joke," the blonde beauty smirked. "Haven't you ever wondered how deliciously tragic it would be to die in some mysterious way? That would be superior."
"Is that really how you wanna go Alison?" Spencer asked doubtfully.
"Not just yet," Alison smirked, her eyes landing in Carmen's peaceful form. "I still have things to do."
"Don't talk like that Ali." Carmen mumbled. "It's depressing to think about."
"It's not depressing," Alison peered at the Latina. "It's immortality my darlings."
"Where did she even get that?" Aria asked. "A movie?"
"Ali was a movie," Carmen smiled. "Still is to."
They all stared at the art piece, remembering Alison and how she had ironically foreshadowed her own death.
The next morning Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria were in the Hastings' kitchen with Jason.
"Thank you guys for this, Mom and Dad are really grateful."
The front door opening caught everyone's attention as a disheveled Carmen appeared, hair a curled mess. How could she still look that good? Was she wearing glasses?
"Wow what happened to you and since when do you wear glasses?" Hanna laughed as Carmen glared.
"Don't even get me started. First, all my makeup and hair products just disappear! Then my straightener and curling iron decided they hate me and wouldn't work and then i dropped my contacts down the sink," The Latina huffed. "You're lucky I decided to come out of my house at all."
Jason smiled at the angry girl. "I think you look beautiful."
Carmen tried to hide the smiled that appeared but failed and rolled her eyes. "Shut up Jason," She walked up to the older boy and kissed his cheek. "How are you?"
"Would be better if the circumstances we're different." The handsome boy sighed sadly.
"Tell me about it." Carmen stated as her gaze dropped from his blue eyes.
"I know how close you were to Ali. You're practically family," Jason smiled, squeezing the girl around the waist. "We'll get through this together."
"Thanks Jay."
"Okay so here are the program schedules." He handed them all papers as Carmen sat beside Hanna.
"I emailed you the program we worked up." Spencer told him.
"I saw the draft; this is just fine tunes it," Jason smiled as Spencer raised her eyebrow. "Is this the picture for the program?" A picture of Alison's smiling face was held up.
"Yes it's everybody's favorite." Emily explained as Jason looked at it.
"It's the one I would've picked," He nodded, sadness in his voice. "I thought I was going to get my whole family down here but my mom she... It's crazy talking about this, isn't it?"
The girls just nodded as he continued. "When I think about her, I think about you," He looked right at Carmen. "The six of you, in her bedroom, laughing, keeping secrets. Long time ago." The handsome boy shook his head.
"We've done our best to make sure everything is perfect." Carmen smiled at him.
"I want you to speak. All of you," he sipped his coffee. "I'd rather hear from you then some people."
"They said if it rains, we can use the school to have the ceremony inside." Spence explained as If reading the boy's mind.
"Good. People think this is all about closure but..," Jason touched the design for the memorial slab. "There won't be closure until they find who did this to Alison."
"They will find them Jay. Whoever did this, they will find them." The Latina said covering the boy's hand with her own. Emily fought back her jealousy, telling herself that they were both hurting and taking comfort in each other as fiends. That's all it was.
"I want answers and I'm hoping I can get them while I'm here." Jason sighed holding onto the tan hand before grabbing a pen and the program paper. "In adding one more speaker." Carmen looked in shock as Jason wrote a name on the paper. Jenna.
"Jenna? As in Jenna Marshall?" Carmen asked in disbelief.
"You want Jenna to speak?" Hanna asked and Jason nodded.
"Why?" Aria voiced up the other girls thoughts.
"She asked me if she could." The lawyer explained to the shocked girls.
"Jenna asked to speak?" Emily asked but didn't expect a real answer.
"Is there a problem?" Jason noted how tense the girls seemed.
"I didn't think Ali and Jenna were that close," Carmen saved them from stuttering. "Never saw them together."
"Yeah me either but Jenna called and said my sister really helped her after the accident." Jason smiled, apparently believing that Alison had helped the girl she blinded.
The Liars just absorbed that into their heads while Jason put his things away. "Just focus on what you're going to say," Jason smiled at Carmen. "In the meantime, I'm going to chat with Detective Wilden and find out why they haven't located Toby yet."
Once Jason walked out of the room, Carmen voiced exactly what she was thinking. "Damn."
"Carmen." Emily raised an eyebrow at the Latina who rolled her eyes and mumbled something in Spanish.
"Why does Jenna want to speak? What does she have to say?" Spencer asked more to herself than anyone else.
"I don't know but whatever she has to say can't be good." Aria said as Carmen sighed.
"We are fucked." Which earned a slap from Emily.
"Where are your parents?" Emily asked as she stepped into the Torres' house.
"Somewhere in Florida last time I heard." Carmen shrugged, locking the door and clapping her hands. Emily's face scrunched up in confusion, but then resolved when the lights came on.
"That's nice."
Carmen smiled slightly as she leaned up and kissed the taller girl gently. Immediately, Emily's hands went to rest on the short girls waist, pulling the petite body closer to hers. The Latina groaned, but pulled away, noting the small whimper that escaped the Filipinos lips.
"You know I had to or this would have gotten out of control." Carmen backed away leaving Emily flushed against the wall.
"I never thought you would be the type to wait."
"Usually I wouldn't care. I would fuck you senseless but," Carmen breathed in deep as a blush blossomed on Emily's face. "This is you. I want things to go right with you. No uncomfortableness, no awkwardness. Just slow and easy."
"I wouldn't have guessed you would be a romantic." Emily smirked as she teased.
"Please. If you weren't so freaking hot and sweet and all then I wouldn't." Carmen smirked her friend.
"Is that the only reason?" Seriousness had invaded the swimmers tone.
"What? Of course not Emily. Your more than just hot. You're beautiful, smart, caring, kind, sexy, and the best swimmer of all time. Seriously, I see Olympic Gold in your future." Carmen smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around the taller girls neck and played with the long chocolate hair.
"What is this then?" Emily asked looking into hazel pools. "I need to know."
"Whatever you want it to be. Friends, Friends with benefits, best friends, girlfriends? It's all your choice Hermosa."
"You're letting me choose?"
"Yeah, but I think you need to answer something first."
Emily got a cluster of nerves in her stomach. "What?"
Carmen took a deep breath and grew some.
"Emily Fields, will you be my girlfriend?"
Emily was sitting outside of school on the bench when Maya walked up to her.
"So is your guard dog around or am I safe?"
"If you mean Carmen then no she is skipping first period." Emily said, not liking Maya's tone towards the Latina.
"And you let her?" Maya asked sitting down.
"What do you mean?" the swimmer asked confused.
"I just figured you had her so whipped that she would do anything you told her." Maya smirked.
"She's not whipped. Carmen doesn't do what people tell her." Emily defended the teens rebellious nature.
"So have you two worked things out yet?" The chocolate-colored girl asked while sitting down.
"Not really. All this Alison stuff has made it really hard for any relationships." The swimmer sighed.
"Oh right and it's not because Carmen's a player." Maya nodded mockingly while Emily sighed.
"She's not. She's really sweet and funny and smart..." Emily defended while getting a dreamy look on her face.
"Sweet? I know I haven't known her long, but that girl seems like the opposite of sweet." Maya scoffed while taking out an orange to eat.
"She is to me at least." Emily said while thinking about the times when others were around.
"Whatever you say."
"Listen, I wanna be friends with you," Emily started while playing with her hands. "But I can't if you keep talking about my girlfriend that way."
"Girlfriend? Since when?" Maya questioned. She thought the two weren't in a relationship.
Emily blushed and went to answer but a voice cut her off.
"Em!"
Carmen came running up to her (Wearing heels?) and stopped. Glaring at Maya, she put on a dazzling smile for Emily. "I've looked everywhere for you!"
"Why? And how are you running in heels?" Emily questioned, eyeing the high heels that could cause her girlfriend to trip, fall, and possibly break her neck.
"That is not important, but I want to ask you something." The Latina declared, eyes shining bright.
"What is it?" Emily furrowed her eyebrows making Carmen smirk before using her thumb to smooth out the lines on her forehead.
"Come to my car?"
Emily looked at the third girl who was trying not to make it obvious that she was listening to the conversation. "But Maya..."
"No you go, I'm about to go to class anyway." Maya waved her off in the direction of the parking lot.
"Great come on!" Carmen grabbed Emily's hand and started her running, dragging the athlete behind her. They reached the Mustang and Carmen turned to Emily. "Close your eyes."
The other girl eyed her girlfriend carefully, making Carmen roll her eyes. "Just do it."
Emily closed her eyes and heard Carmen open the car door. She heard paper rustling before the door shut. "Okay open them."
Emily opened her chocolate eyes and gasped. In front of her was an eleven white roses with one red rose. They were beautiful. "Why did you do this?"
"Well I thought when I asked you this question, these would make it easier for you to answer," Carmen explained, grinning slyly. "Will you go on a date with me?"
Her answer was Emily grabbing her jacket and crushing their lips together. Sweetness filled her mouth as Emily washed over her. The feeling of warmth, home, family, love. Things Carmen had been missing before, she felt like she had them in this moment with the taller girl.
"So yes?"
"Duh. I have to ask, why one red rose?"
"Well the white roses are for purity, beauty. Red are for love. I didn't wanna freak you out by getting you a dozen red roses so I got one to let you know I care deeply for you." The Latina explained as she watched the smile on Emily's face grow.
"That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"I wanted to make an impression." Carmen grinned, crossing her arms.
"You defiantly did. Now come on, we have class." Emily grabbed her girlfriends hand and started dragging her towards the building.
"Can't we just make out in the car? Ow!"
Later, Spencer was lying on her bed, doing homework. More like day dreaming. The brainiac opened her bedside table and took out the bracelet they had found in the woods and started remembering that day at the lake.
"Oh God, Jenna the jerk is looking at us." Alison remarked from her chair.
"That's a very...second stringed crowd she's with." Aria observed, looking at Noel Khan and his girlfriend.
"Why don't she take her diva ass and go home instead of creeping me out," Alison stated and saw Carmen smirk from her towel beside Ali. "I think she's actually looking at a certain Mexican."
"I hope you aren't referring to me," Carmen remarked even though she knew Ali was teasing her. "Cause if you were, then I'm officially offended and creeped out."
"As long as she stays away, it'll be fine." Alison said, Carmen hearing her possessive laced tone hidden by the statement. Alison had a problem with jealousy.
"If Jenna's here, then where's Toby?" Emily asked, pulling her gaze away from the Latina to look around for the mysterious boy.
"In the woods, sacrificing squirrels." Alison remarked, a smirk on her lips.
That made all the girls laugh except, Spencer.
"Do you ever get tired of shooting at people?"
"Don't ruin a perfect day, Spencer." Alison closed her eyes as the sun came out from the clouds.
"It is perfect." Hanna smiled while looking at the group.
"Friends forever." Emily added while glancing at Carmen who was now on her back.
"Even though some wish for more." Alison smirked quietly, but Carmen pulled down her sunglasses and gave her a look which caused the blonde to roll her eyes and stop.
"Even when we get really old."
Spencer was pulled out of her thoughts by the tone of a phone. He grabbed it to see a new message from an unknown number.
SUBJECT: THE DEDICATION
DO IT RIGHT. I'll BE WATCHING. JUST LIKE TOM SAWYER.
-A
"I'm ready for this to be over." Carmen mumbled from her spot by Emily's locker.
"School?" Emily asked confused. Her face was totally adorable.
"Well, yes, but I meant Ali's memorial." The Latina sighed while banging her head against the locker.
"Stop that," Emily said, gently grabbing Carmen's face to stop her. "It'll be over soon, okay? Just relax."
"I'm trying, Em, but seeing Jason just brings back memories." Carmen said as she stared at the wall across from her. Her mind started to wander to a certain night at Alison's house.
It was late; around 2 in the morning. Ali's parents were gone for the weekend, leaving Alison and Jason in the house. Ali had, of course, called Carmen over to stay. Carmen had gone to the bathroom and was stepping into the hallway when she came face to chest with Jason.
"Hey there."
Carmen looked up into blue eyes that resembled those she loved. "Hey, Jason."
"What're you doing up?" the boy jumble out. He was drunk. Carmen could smell the beer on his breath.
"Bathroom." Was her , Jason was nice to her, but she didn't ant to see what he would be like drunk.
"So get tired of my sister yet?" He smirked. Most girls would have melted right then. Not Carmen.
"No, she's my best friend."
"You could always come hang out with me in my room," Jason suggested. "I'm sure I could keep you entertained." So that's how he woud treat her then.
Before Carmen could answer, a sharp voice cut her off. "Jason!"
Alison strutted right in front of her girlfriend, standing up to her much bigger brother, glaring at him with steel, blue eyes.
"What do you want?" Jason scoffed, not wanting to be bothered by his little sister.
"Carmen, go get back in bed," Alison commanded and seeing the look in Ali's eyes was enough for Carmen to obey. When the bedroom door closed, Alison's eyes burned with cold, blue fire. "Stay away from her."
"I don't think she needs you deciding what she can do. Besides, she's pretty hot and I'd love to-"
"Don't you dare!" Alison gritted her teeth. Her jealousy was showing, rearing its ugly green head back to strike. "If you go anywhere near her, I will put you through hell."
Jason smirked at his sister. "Aw, does Ali have a crush?"
The blonde glared at her brother before whipping around and marching to her room. Carmen looked up from the bed as the blonde stared at her.
"Ali?"
A blonde blur tackled the Latina on the bed as red lips claimed her own. Alison stopped kissing and moved down the Latinas neck to bite and suck on the tan skin.
"He can't have you," Alison growled out possessive. "You are mine and only mine. Got it?"
Carmen gasped out in pain and pleasure, hips lifting to meet the blondes, as Alison bit at her pulse point. "Yes A-Ali- Fuck!"
Alison showed her claim that night on Carmen, with her brother down the hallway, punk music turned down low.
Carmen was shook gently, snapping her out of the memory. "What?"
"I asked if you were okay?" Emily said with concern in her beautiful orbs.
"Of course," Carmen scoffed. "Just...remembering some things."
"About Alison." It was a statement and not a question because Emily already knew the answer.
"Let's go to class."
"Well, that was painless." Jason said as him, Spencer, Emily, and Carmen came out from the Principals office.
"Not for Principle Hartman." Spencer remarked from behind him.
"He means well, but he needs to know who's in charge." Jason smirked, putting his hands in his pockets.
"I think we all know that."
Jason turned around to the girls. "Is there a problem?"
"There's no problem," Emily answered for Spencer. "You're Alison's brother, you should have the last say, but..."
"You're not the only one who this affects." Carmen finished, boring into Jason with her hazel pools.
"There's that closed-door again," Jason smirked at the Latina. "The secrets of the girls cuddled up in Alison's bedroom. Do you think that means you knew her better than I did?" Anger started to seep into his words.
"No, it means we knew her differently than you." Carmen said, not backing down from the big boy. Jason stayed silent, staring into Carmen's eyes that held sadness, anger, hurt.
"What are they doing?" Spencer suddenly asked, breaking the tension from the group. She was looking at Toby's locker where Wilden was with some cops.
"That's Toby's locker." Emily said, eyebrows scrunching together.
Jason locked his jaw And started making his way to the detective, the girls following closely.
"Detective Wilden."
"Oh, you'll find this interesting," Wilden smirked as he started digging through Toby's stuff. "We're having a look through Toby Cavanaugh's locker."
"Why?" Jason asked, voice stern. "Think he's hiding in there?"
"He's a suspect." Wilden stated, clearly annoyed with the boy.
"I hope your investigation turns up more than Toby Cavanaugh's old gym socks." Jason said as Wilden looked at a couple of CDs.
"You made it quite clear the other day that you weren't happy with the pace of the investigation," The arrogant detective handed the police the CDs. "I'm gonna give that to you."
"Yea, you have nothing." Carmen inserted, glaring holes in the man. "Been to busy harassing us."
"I've asked questions," Wilden smirked at her. "I wouldn't expect you to know anything about these things."
"Watch your mouth detective," Jason defended the Latina, moving to stand in front of her. Doing that action, Jason reminded her of Alison. "She knows more than you. Her dad is a fantastic lawyer."
"Listen, we hold back information on the investigation to avoid interruptions." Wilden said, turning his attention back on the lawyer.
"The only reason you're tearing this kids locker apart is because he's not around to object." Jason retorted, hands going to his pockets.
"Toby Cavanaugh called your sisters cell phone the night she disappeared," Wilden revealed, making everyone go into shock. "She took the call."
"Wait, Toby called Alison the night she died?" Emily spoke up, not quite grasping this fact.
"He did," Wilden nodded, looking at Spencer and Emily. "Or somebody else did using his phone."
This caused all three girls to glance at each other, one thought going through their heads.
A.
Later, Emily was in her room, getting ready for her date with Carmen. She picked up the bracelet the Latina had gotten her and clipped it on her wrist. Looking in the mirror, Emily couldn't help but think of something that happened before Alison disappeared.
The girls were at the lake, lounging around. Emily saw Noel and his girlfriend start walking away somewhere.
"There goes Noel and Prudence off to the kissing roc,." Alison stated to the swimmer. "People have been sneaking off to the kissing rock for hundreds of years."
"You're making that up." Carmen said from her place to the right of Alison.
"Just because I make it up doesn't mean it's not true," Alison said, running her eyes along tan skin. "You go with somebody and you can feel the ghost of the other lovers spying on you, pushing you to do it. You should never disappoint a ghost."
"It's just a dusty old rock." Emily said, making Alison turn back to her.
"Who do you want to take there?" Alison smirked, tilting her head to Carmen, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Emily, who just stared into the blonde's ocean blue eyes.
Emily blinked and she was back in her room. Shaking the memory from her head, she fixed her hair and took a deep breath. Being nervous was enough. Remembering Alison was tough.
A knock on the door was heard and Emily grabbed her purse and phone then headed downstairs.
"Have fun sweetie." Pam smiled at her as she passed.
"Thanks mom," Emily opened the door to show Carmen in tight jeans, a satin sash off shoulder red chiffon top, with black flats. "Hey."
"Hey Em, Mrs. Fields," Carmen smiled to the older woman, thankful that she let Emily go with her. "Thank you for letting Emily go out with me."
"No problem dear just be careful." Pam said, trying to be nice to her daughters friend and telling herself that that is all they were. Friends.
"We will," Carmen smiled at her girlfriends mother before looking back at Emily. "You ready?"
They got their tickets for the movie, popcorn and soda, then made their way to the seats.
"So what's your dads rank again?"
"Lieutenant Colonel, National Guard." Emily smiled, proud of her dad. He was a hero in many people's eyes, including her own.
"And he's in the middle of it?" Carmen asked, curious about Mr. Fields station.
"Camp Phoenix in Cobble." Emily answered as they sat down.
"When's he coming back?"
"Ten days." Emily smiled, she could hardly hold in her excitement.
"When I see him, I'll be happy," Emily turned to Carmen. "When he's really home." Emily grabbed some popcorn from the tub Carmen was holding.
"Do I get to meet him?" Carmen asked curiously, wondering how Emily would introduce her to her father.
"You've already met him." Emily smiled at her, but was confused by the question.
"Yeah, but now he probably just knows me as the Mexican who ran off back to Mexico." Carmen sighed, not really liking the impression she could have made on Mr. Fields.
"You can meet him...as my friend." Emily said softly as the movie started. She could tell that bothered the smaller girl, even if she didn't show it. She didn't want Carmen to be her dirty secret, but she couldn't bear telling her dad the truth.
Carmen stayed silent for a while, watching the intro to the movie. She was spacing out when she felt something touch her hand. Looking down, she saw Emily's fingertips touching her. She smiled slightly before interning their fingers together on the armrest. Carmen turned her gaze to the swimmer, hardly making out her eyes staring back. Emily just smirked before turning back to the movie.
An hour later, the screen showed two women walking in a cornfield at night. Carmen couldn't have possibly told anyone what had happened for the last fifty minutes. She was too busy macking on Emily. It started out as a quick, gentle kiss which became much more really quick. Carmen's hands were tangled into dark brown locks as Emily hand rested on her thigh. The taller girl's tongue was exploring every crevice of Carmen's mouth, absorbing the exotic taste of the Latina. Emily was taking over, but Carmen had no problem with that. In her opnion, Emily was hot when she was dominant. The swimmer's perfume made Carmen's head whirl as she gently bit the swimmer lip causing a low moan. This date was perfect, even if they didn't watch the movie. They were relaxed; not caring about the people around them. Of course, the moment was ruined by both of their phones vibrating.
"We should answer it." Emily whispered breathlessly as she parted from Carmen who was more than ready to get back to their earlier activity.
"I really don't want to." Carmen murmured against soft lips.
"It could be an S.O.S." Emily reasoned. It's not like she wanted to stop making out with the Latina. Carmen was an amazing kisser.
"Fine, check the damn thing," Carmen sighed as she leaned back in the chair as Emily pulled out her phone. "S.O.S?"
"Yeah, from Spencer."
That's how Carmen found herself cursing in Spanish as she pulled up beside the Hastings' house. Emily gave her the 'look' before getting out of the car and walking throught the back door.
"This better be important." Carmen made her presence known. Hanna took the time to notice how Carmen an Emily arrived together and how the lip gloss smeared on Carmen's lips looked really similar to the lip gloss on Emily's lips.
"Carmen, your lip gloss is smeared." Hanna smirked at her as Emily's face reddened at being caught. Carmen quickly fixed it before she turned back to Spencer.
"It is important, otherwise I wouldn't have told you to come," Spencer rolled her eyes. "Apparently, Alison told Jason that I blackmailed Toby that night."
"Why you?" Emily asked as Spencer sat down.
"Because Spencer was the only one that could stand up to her and she didn't like that," Aria explained, but saw the girls glancing at Carmen. "Besides Carmen that is but we all know Ali had a soft spot for her."
The girls nodded as Carmen huffed, knowing it was true.
"This is officially insane!" Hanna announce as she flopped down on the couch.
"Is that what she told Jenna when she was at the hospital?" Emily asked, moving to sit beside her blonde friend.
"I don't know," Spencer sniffed. "I think so, but I don't know."
"So one minute she trying to cover it up, then the next she ratting us out to her brother?"
"She wanted Jason to know the fake story if anything happened to her." Emily said worriedly. Something had happened to her.
"Why?" Hanna asked the group.
"So they would know who to blame." Carmen stated quietly. She didn't want to think bad of Ali. She never had.
"This is still Alison's movie and we're just filling up the screen." Aria stated as the girls looked at each other.
"It always has been."
Thundered echoed down the hallways of Rosewood high. Everyone was gathered in the cafeteria, waiting for the memorial to start. The five girls were sitting in front on the right while Jason and Jenna were on the left.
Spencer walked up to the podium first, starting the intro. She flipped through her notes and looked up only to see a familiar face. The other girls had noticed Spencer's eyes widen so they looked back to check it out.
"Is that Ian?" Aria asked out loud.
"Melissa's Ian?" Hanna asked, disbelief laced in her voice.
"Things just keep getting better and better." Carmen murmured sarcastically as she turned around as Spencer started her speech.
"I can't remember not knowing Alison. Not having her as a friend. She was the first person I knew long enough that I felt I could be angry with without worrying that I would lose her. It made me feel like something was gonna last and you need that. Especially when you're a kid."
Next was Hanna.
"Friends can be hard on you. Maybe they expect more from you than strangers. Strangers see you the way you want them to see you, but you can't fool friends. That's what makes them friends."
Emily.
"That corner of the park will be a safe place where you can sit, read a book, just think. You should think about Alison while you're there. She would want to make sure you wouldn't forget about her."
Aria.
"When you do something like this, a memorial, it's partly because you don't understand what's happened. So you plant flowers and you paint tiles and somewhere in the middle of all that work, you stop crying. I guess that's the point."
Finally, Carmen.
"Alison was my friend for as long as I can remember. Most people think that they knew her, but...they didn't. Alison had a whole side of her that she kept hidden away from people, afraid they would take advantage of that. She would have loved all of this attention. I left when she went missing. Mostly because I was confused. She was here and then she wasn't. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. I also cried. A lot. When something like this happens, I guess you try to deny it and that's what makes it hard. To accept the truth and when you do that, it only gets harder."
Spencer went up again after the Latina.
"She would love that you're all here. She would have liked the attention. It would've made her laugh and Alison laughing... That was amazing."
Spencer sat down in her seat, leaving the last person to talk. Jenna.
"We think we know who we are, but we don't. Not until something bad happens to us and all the useless things fall away and we're left with who we really are. I learned that from Alison DiLaurentis. My whole life, I thought I knew who she was, but I found out the truth when she talked to me in the hospital. I found out that she was the stronger person I had ever met and it is her strength that touched so many people. That's her real legacy. That's how her memory will endure in the actions of those she inspired in so many ways. From all of us. Thank you, Alison."
"I need sugar."
"Me too."
"I'm buying."
"Just give me Tequila."
"Carmen."
"Fine."
"That was my folks," Jason said as he walked in behind them to the Hastings' kitchen. "They say thanks. So do I."
"Your welcome." Emily replied for all of them.
"Here Carmen, I want you to have something," Jason dug in his pocket and produced a cloth bag. He pulled out something and layed it down on the table. It was the purple cloth bracelet that had the name Carmen written on it. The bracelet that was suppose to be in Spencer's room. "The police returned this to my family and I think you should have it."
"The police gave that to you?" Emily questioned as Aria picked up the bracelet.
"Alison was wearing it. She always wore it," Jason told them, glancing at Carmen's wrist. "I see you still wear her's too."
"Never took it off." Carmen told him, swallowing down the lump in her throat.
"You mean when they found her?" Hanna asked confused as Emily and Aria looked the piece of fabric over.
"After listening today, I just thought you should have it," Jason explained as Carmen looked at him in shock. "I'll be in touch." Giving Carmen a quick hug, the boy let himself out.
"If that's Carmen's bracelet, what about the one we found in the woods?" Emily asked Spencer.
"I don't know." Aria answered for her, still looking the cloth over.
"Someone made a copy of Carmen's bracelet." Hanna stated. It had to be the only explanation for two identical bracelets.
"And made sure that we would find it." Spencer said bitterly.
"This is crazy." Whispered a hurt Latina, who buried her hands in her hair. The girls were still in shock. Who would do such a thing? How did try make sure the girls would find it like they did? So many questions, so little time.
Across town, at the memorial bench, candles were glowing gently on the tiles that shined. A shadow pasted over them, an object in their hands. Raising it up, they started breaking the tiles and destroying the memorial. Nothing was safe in the town of Rosewood.
I'm sorry! I know it's been like 2 months since the last update, but I will not abandon this story. I've had school and family issues going on which explains my late chapter.
There also might be a lot of mistakes. I read over it but my word processor disappeared on me...
Anyway, hoped you liked it and feel free to give ideas or whatever.
Again, I am sorry so don't be too harsh on me.