"So Caleb," Paige said, in a voice that sounded like one a reporter might use during an interview, as she sat down beside Emily at their usual lunch table in the cafeteria. "What's it like to be the only guy at a table full of beautiful women?"

Caleb sucked a breath in through his teeth. "I feel like the luckiest guy in the cafeteria."

They were all in their usual seats with Caleb and Paige at ether end of the table. Hanna and Emily sat on one side, with Aria and Spencer across from them. The space between Aria and Caleb where Mona usually squeezed in was glaringly empty and Emily noticed the sad way Aria glanced at it as she took her seat.

"You look awfully excited." Emily said, nudging Spencer with her foot under the table.

Spencer grinned. "I am. I have good news."

"Did Toby propose?" Hanna teased.

Aria and Emily exchanged laughing glances. Spencer rolled her eyes at Hanna.

"No." she said. "I got a letter from UPenn yesterday."

Aria grabbed Spencer's arm, her naturally large eyes wider in excitement. "Spence! Why didn't you tell us?"

Spencer pulled an envelope out of her bag. "Because I haven't opened it yet. My parents wanted me to, but I wanted to open it with you guys."

"Open it!" Paige urged.

"Drum roll please. "Spencer said nervously as she prepared to open the envelope.

Caleb tapped out a small drum solo on the surface of the table as she ripped open the envelope and pulled out the contents. They all watched eagerly, all of them hoping for the same result as Spencer scanned the letter.

"Well?" Hanna demanded.

Spencer looked up, her eyes sparkling. "I got in."

Everyone cheered and applauded, and Aria leaned over and gave her a big hug.

Emily was happy for her friend, of course, but she was a little sad at the same time. She looked around the table at each of her friends. Spencer had just been accepted to her dream school, Aria had recently gotten in to Hollis, which didn't surprise anyone, Caleb wasn't particularly interested in going to college although he was playing with the idea of applying to some computer schools, Hanna was waiting to hear from the Fashion Institute in New York, and Paige was going to Stanford on a swimming scholarship. Even Mona, who was in a coma, had a definite idea of what she wanted. Like Hanna, she had applied to the Fashion Institute, but she was also planning on going to business school.

Emily was the only one that had no idea what her future might hold. Until A had run her off the road, she had hoped that she might still have a chance at getting the last spot on the Stanford swim team. Paige had asked her to come with her and had even designed their dorm room. Emily had been really excited about the idea, and had day dreamed about living in California with Paige a lot lately. But now she wasn't sure what was going to happen. With her shoulder torn up again, she couldn't swim, and that meant no scholarship. Unlike Mr. and Mrs. Hastings, her parents couldn't afford to send her to college without a scholarship unless she wanted crazy student loans that would likely take her years to pay off.

"What's wrong, Em?" Spencer asked. "You look sad."

"I am a little." She admitted. This certainly wasn't something she had to hide from the people she was closest to. "I was just thinking about how you all know where you're going, or at least what you want, and I'm in limbo over here because of A."

Her friends all gave her sympathetic, understanding looks.

Hanna gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Em. You'll figure it out."

"Why don't you go talk to Ezra after school?" Aria suggested. "I'm sure he'd be happy to help."

"We talked about it some on Friday." Emily said. "We talked about a lot of things actually."

She hadn't seen her friends this weekend because she had holed up in her room as soon as Ezra had dropped her off after their visit to Mona. It was Tuesday and she still hadn't bothered to tell them that he had given her a ride or that the two of them had basically told Mr. Hackett to get a life.

"He told me about your trip to Philly." Aria said.

"Wait." Hanna said. "You and Ezra went to Philly? Why?"

"I went to see Mona." Emily explained. "I was planning on taking the train, but I spilled my guts about A and he thought I would be safer, or at least feel safer if he drove me."

"Did you?" Hanna asked.

"Yeah." Emily nodded. "We talked about a lot on the way there and on the way back."

Caleb and Paige, who didn't have much contact with Ezra outside of class, both looked a little uncomfortable. Both of them looked as if they were afraid someone would overhear the conversation and someone would get in trouble. Emily and the girls were way passed that stage by now.

Emily looked at Aria. "I'm really glad you met him in that bar before school started last year. I know it's caused a lot of trouble and stress for both of you, but I think it's been a lot more good than bad."

Aria smiled. "I know it has. I wouldn't trade one second of our relationship. I'm glad you have someone else you can confide in."

"How is Mona?" Paige asked, obviously wanting to steer the conversation away from the dangerous subject of the girls' personal relationships with their English teacher.

"About the same." Emily said. "I talked to her for a long time. I told her exactly how I feel about her and everything that's happened to us, and she squeezed my hand."

Hanna perked up at this. "Really?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah. I barely felt it, and it was the only sign of life other than the monitors, but I think she'd going to be okay. At least I know she hear me."

"It could've just been a spasm or something." Caleb suggested.

"Maybe, but I don't think so." Emily argued gently. "I really think she was trying to let me know she heard me."

Spencer refolded her UPenn letter and tucked it back in the envelope. "Don't worry, Em. Mona will be just fine. And I have no doubt that you will figure out your college situation."

Emily smiled at her. "Thanks."

She suddenly felt like the lucky one at the table. She may be in a crappy situation regarding college and the whole A/Ali thing, but at least she had this wonderful little support group of people that loved her and encouraged her. Some people didn't have that.