ARIA'S P. O. V

"So mom, have you decided what nightmare road I'll take?" I asked my mother.

I was pleading for the needles but I am still not sure of what they have thought of.

The surgery sure sounds interesting for the fact of many risks, but the needles

sound awful too, just stabbing yourself everyday with some type of drug.

"We have actually. We just wanted to talk to you about it together. But since your

dad has work the entire week, I will have to tell you on my own-" my mom said.

"Your father and I know how much you wanted the needles. But we can't afford

them. So we need to go with the surgery."

My heart starting racing like a non-stoppable rocket that needs to get to the

moon. My eyes winced at the sound of those poisonous words; but on the other

hand, I will live right? I felt my tan hands shaking like never before. I narrowed my

eyes right onto my mother's and stared at her with an angry feeling.

"How dare you?" I screamed rising up.

"Have you thought that maybe I don't feel good about this?"

"We can't exactly afford the needles. We would if we could have." my mom said.

"Can't exactly? Yes you can! Dad works 24/7! He's a business man. You are a

teacher at Rosewood High! What do you mean you can't?" I asked.

"You're both just selfish bastards!"

My mom looked at me with a pale look, in her expression I read: 'How could you?'

I sighed deeply and ran out of my hospital room, shocked at what I just said.

I ran through the stairs and hallways; feeling empty and alone. My heart

shattered into a million pieces and my thoughts did too. My heart pounded as I

opened the front doors; feeling guilty and sad.

"Aria no!" cried Dr. Herald behind me.

I looked at him, shocked at his expression. But I couldn't stay in this caring prison

cell anymore. I needed to run away; as far as I can go. I pushed the doors again

and ran out; towards Emily's house.

-30 minutes later-

I banged Emily's front door; my cheeks on fire from the running in the hot air.

Emily opened the door to find my eyes staring back at her, all I can hear was a

gasp; coming from Emily's mouth.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" asked Emily; looking at my white robe.

"I need help. I need it now." I said and stormed inside her foyer.

"What happened?" asked Emily as I ran upstairs; into her room which was piled

with photos of us less than 2 years ago with Alison.

There was Ali, Hanna, Spencer, Maya, Paige, herself and me. Me. That's what

bothered me the most. All of that will be erased as soon as an hour from now.

"My life is awful. So I'm running away from this mess. I'm just asking for some

clothes I can change into. Perhaps some water as well." I explained.

"Aria, you're sick! You have all of that inside of you. I'm not letting you run away

even if you were 100% healthy." said Emily.

"I know I'm sick Em. I am sick mentally as well." I told her.

Emily's eyes widened onto me, I felt pressured from her words. I couldn't stay

here! My life is a complete mess. I sighed and faced my back to her as I entered

her small closet. I picked out a dark blue t-shirt, a black sweater, a pair of sweat

pants and a small backpack. Once I turned around, Emily was standing in front of

me, with some money and two water bottles.

"Oh thank you." I said and started pulling the things from her; but she didn't let

them go. She just stared at me.

"Don't you feel a bit of guilt?" asked Emily.

"I can't let you run away. Especially knowing I let you."

"But you'll know that I appreciated it." I told her.

I pulled the items away from her and put them inside Emily's brown backpack.

I changed into the clothing I picked out and stuffed the robe into the garbage.

"Thank you so much Em. Especially for the 50 bucks you gave me." I said.

"I still cannot believe you are doing this." said Emily.

"Do you atleast have your cell?"

"Yeah, it's in my pocket." I answered.

She nodded and escorted me out of her house. Once I was out on her front porch,

I looked around. This is it. I am leaving Rosewood; in the search of a new life: In

the nature. I started walking towards the Rosewood Park. I'm going to spend

the night at the barn, where Alison disappeared. As I walked towards the dusty

park, a tap on the shoulder made me turn around, to find: Spencer and Emily.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked them.

"We cannot let you go out on your own. It's dangerous." said Spencer.

"Especially because of A."

"No way! I am going on my own. I don't need you guys to die too." I told them.

"We will die for you any day Aria." Emily said with a huge smile.

My eyes started to tear up, all of this happened way too quickly. Just 45 minutes

ago, my mom and I were arguing. I hugged both of them; tightly. I gave them a

smile. But once I noticed a passing figure behind them, my knuckles stiffened.

"What's wrong?" asked Emily; noticing my pale face.

"Um, probably nothing. I thought I saw something. Someone." I answered.

"Who?" asked Spencer; looking behind her.

"Someone skinny and blond." I replied: Hanna.

Beep! Twinkle! Bloop! Our phones sounded quickly. I pulled my LG out of my

loose pocket and clicked 'READ' on a 'NEW MESSAGE'. These words stood in front

of my eyes: 'Hallucinations, hallucinations everywhere! Or was it real? Hm, better

find out sometime eh? –A.'

"What exactly does that mean?" asked Emily.

I looked bare-faced at Spencer who looked right at me. She nodded and I said,

"Last night at Noel's party, Spencer and I thought we saw Hanna. When she ran

away, we followed her. We didn't find her but we did find footsteps and beside

them, was a note that said: Keep your hopes up bitches! –A."

"Now there's this too." added Spencer.

"You guys think it's Hanna?" asked Emily.

"It can't be, but it looks like her. A lot." I answered.

"Maybe it's someone playing with you guys." suggested Emily.

"I think I know who it may be: A." said Spencer.

"Or it could be Hanna. The Hanna who we thought died in Spain." I said.

"Are you actually running away anyways?" asked Emily.

"Maybe not far. But I'm not, repeat not going to go back." I told them.

"I was planning on to spend the night at the barn."

"Are you crazy? That's just too much!" cried Spencer.

"I'll be fine. You guys could go back." I said.

"No, if you're going, we are too." said Emily.

I gave them a smile. Maybe it was fake; maybe it wasn't. I am talking about my

smile and Hanna. It's Hanna. But then it can't be. We heard her dying. We heard

her pain.

-2 hours later-

As the sun started setting Spencer, Emily and I decided to go spend the night at

the barn; since I begged them to. If my parents start looking for me, the police

will come to Spencer's and Emily's houses first.

"Did you bring any sleeping bags?" asked Spencer.

"I didn't." I told them.

"I did. But I brought one for myself. On the other hand, I brought a bunch of

blankets. So you can make a little sheet from that to sleep on." said Emily.

As we arrived at the barn, we opened the wooden door that creaked loudly.

Emily, Spencer and I pulled out some stuff that we share together. Spencer even

brought her iPad 2. Spencer put on a movie on her screen called: Harold & Kumar

Escape Guantanamo Bay. I watched it once with Ezra and I thought it was

hilarious. Emily said she saw it once too and her favorite part was of the naked

girls. Which wasn't surprising at all; since she's lesbian. While Emily and I started

watching, Spencer set up the sleeping bags and blankets. The food and water was

set up on the far corner; which was where all of us had our popcorn during that

horrible night. There was a TV in the barn, but it didn't work since that night

because Alison dared Hanna to damage it with a fat stick; which Alison nicknamed

'Hanna'. BANG! A sudden noise outside of the barn made us listen and gasp.

"What was that?" I whispered.

"I don't know." said Spencer.

My head throbbed as it did more than 3 weeks ago. As I closed my eyes, I felt

my head hit the dusty barn floor while going into a black zone.

-10 minutes later-

"Psst, Aria? Oh my god Aria!" cried a voice.

I opened my eyes to find myself in the barn just like I remembered, Emily and

Spencer were staring at me.

"What happened?" I asked them.

"You fainted; again. It's just from the oxycodone. It'll be okay." said Emily.

"Do you want me to call the ambulance?" asked Spencer.

"No! Don't." I answered; sitting up.

"I heard a sound before I fainted. What was that?" I asked.

"We didn't go outside. It was probably just a branch falling. It's sort of windy out.

Don't worry about it." answered Spencer.

I nodded as they helped me stand up. Once I was up, our phones got texts.

'That wasn't a random branch Spence. It was someone trying to run. –A'.