Hello Liars. Here's another chapter for you all.

I do not own Pretty Little Liars.

Credit to Sara Shepard and Freeform.

Please review and let me know what you think!

All week the kids at school were still giving the girls a hard time. They gave me just as equal of looks as Aria and the others since I'm friends with them, but obviously the meanness was more noticeable for the girls than it is for me. People shouldn't judge before they get all the facts. Just because the cops have a theory doesn't mean it's true. They are still working on it and should calm down the town before someone does something stupid.

After practice Saturday afternoon I head to Bobby's to hang out for a couple hours. He has a lot of work to do for school but he decided to take the time to see me. With both of us having school, me trying to fit in work and everything that's been going on I haven't seen him in over a week. Since I'm not open as much as usually because of how much sports and school has interfered he got offered a job over at Hollis as a sports equipment person and decided he would do that. So that takes time out of us seeing each other too.

"So this town is crazy." He says.

Only half listening because we are watching the Nets game on TV I slowly nod. "Yep. But it's home."

He half laughs. "How do you handle it?"

I shrug. "Just do what I can to ignore the rumors and people who like to be mean and go on with my day."

"And if that doesn't work?"

I look over at him. "Let's just say that I can be just as much of an ass as every other teenaged bully at school."

He raises his eyebrows. "My sweet little cousin being mean?"

I smile a bit. "In this town you have to find ways to defend yourself. No one gives you a pass."

"So you'll start fights?"

"I don't start them." I think for a minute. "Well…not intentionally. If someone provokes me I sure as hell won't take it."

He smiles a bit. "You definitely have changed from the shy kid that used to live with us."

"So I've heard." I look back at the TV. "What kind of shot was that!" I yell as the ball went right over the backboard and into the crowd.

I hear Bobby laugh and when I turn I see him smiling at me. The way he always does when he's proud of me.

Later that night I'm at home hanging out in our room. Aria's reading a book on her bed and I'm on mine, watching Netflix on the laptop I got for Christmas. Then I faintly hear Aria say "Come in." The door opens and Uncle Byron and Aunt Ella both walk in, so I take off my headphones.

"Hey." Aunt Ella says.

"Hey." We both say.

"Um." Uncle Byron starts. "Jessie. Can you give us a minute? We need to talk to Aria."

"Oh." I look at her and she has the same confused look as me. "Yea. Sure."

I grab my laptop and my phone then head downstairs to the family room to finish the movie I'm watching. I think I'm down there for about fifteen minutes or so when I see someone walking over to me from the corner of my eye. I look over and see Aunt Ella as she sits next to me.

"Is everything okay?" I take my headphones off.

She slightly smiles. "Aria's therapist called today because something happened when they went to see her."

"What do you mean something happened?"

"It's nothing serious. She just told us that it seems they are holding something back and rely too much on each other. So in her professional opinion she feels that Aria and the other girls need some time apart from each other."

I give her a shocked look. "That doesn't seem fair."

"Maybe not to you because you also rely on your friends for support, but when their relationship is going as far as keeping them from being able to talk to a professional or saying someone is dead without a body, it's a bit alarming."

"So what are you trying to tell me?"

"That for now she is going to have no access to her other friends and I want you to make sure she's okay and talks when she looks like she needs to."

"Aunt Ella. She's my best friend and everything, but there are things we both keep from each other because we are teenagers and that's how it works. I don't know how you expect me to be able to get her feelings about Alison or about what's going on now out if she doesn't want to talk. She still hasn't told me in her words what happened at the church."

"I'm sure you'll figure that out." She smoothes my bangs back behind my ear. "Because as you said, she's your best friend, you've known her forever. So you know her best."

After, I go back upstairs and find her sitting up against the wall from her bed. She looks really bummed out and I can't blame her. I'd be upset too if someone told me I couldn't see my friends.

I watch her for a second as she plays around with her fingers. Then I set my computer onto my bed, walk over and sit right next to her against the wall. "Hey kiddo."

She half smiles, but doesn't look at me. "Hi."

"Aunt Ella told me the shitty news."

She nods. "It's ridiculous."

"I agree." I slowly nod. "They think they are doing the right thing though."

"They aren't."

"Don't hold it against them."

She looks at me. "They are keeping me away from my friends, Jessie. How can I not hold it against them?"

"Because they are parents. It's a parent's thinking that this will help their kid."

"By keeping me away from my friends?"

"I never said it was smart thinking."

She half smiles and laughs a bit. "How do you manage to make something crappy into something funny."

"It's a gift."

She smiles. "If they would have told me I couldn't see you too I don't know what I'd do."

"Well they are kind of my guardians, and I live here. So that would have been hard to pull off."

She nods. "True."

I watch her for a minute. "Want to watch Doctor Who?"

She smiles a bit. "Sure."

Walking into class Friday morning one of the girls in our class is writing Goodbye Mr. Fitz on the board. We found out Monday that Mr. Fitz is leaving Rosewood High to be a professor at Hollis College. Lately I have actually been able to talk to the guy. Just some random talks here and there, so it feels a bit sad to see him go.

Aria sets the gift that Mona had asked her to get him on his desk and we take our seats.

"Who do you think will take over for him?" I ask Aria.

She shrugs. "Could be anyone."

"As long as the new teacher isn't old or strict we are good."

She laughs, but I can tell it's forced. She bonded with him better than anyone in this class. She loves the way he teaches us. She even read some of his writing that he recommended us to read if we ever wanted to take the path of being a writer.

"Thank you." He says when he opens the present before the period is over. It's a book called To Kill A Mockingbird. He seems to be lost for words for a second as he looks at us. Then he says. "I wasn't expecting this." He smiles. "To be honest, most of what happened to me I didn't expect. I didn't expect to connect with you the way I have." He shakes his head and sits on the edge of his desk, looking down to the floor. "I didn't expect to feel this type of loss over leaving you. Um..." Then he gets up and starts walking down the aisle between Aria and Noel. "I'm not going to forget you. I will remember your voices, your questions...faces." He points towards Aria to make a point. "I cherish the time I was here and I'm more grateful than I even know how to say." He looks around. "There's a quote by Joseph Campbell. It goes...You must give up a life you planned in order to have a life that is waiting for you." He stops for a second. "I thought I knew what that meant, but I didn't. Till I met you."

He watches all of us and I can feel the sadness building up a bit all around the room. This guy could possibly be the best teacher we'll ever have. We were his first class as an actual teacher and all his emotions were let out to us.

Then the bell rings and he raises his hands up. "Well...there it is." He starts walking back to his desk. "Oh." He says as we get up. "Always read. Have a good life."

I'm not sure why but that makes me want to crack up. When I turn to Aria she takes off too quickly for me to even catch up. But I want to have one last talk with Fitz as a teacher here before I go to next period. So I wait a bit as the other kids start to pile out, telling Hanna that I'd catch up to her for Math.

"Mr. Fitz."

He looks at me and smiles a bit. "Yes, Jessie."

"You've been looking out for me all year, since the first day of school."

He nods. "I have."

"When you leave, who is going to do that?"

He smiles and sits on his desk. "There are a lot of people looking out for you. Your friends, family...maybe even people you don't realize."

"That's not creepy at all."

He laughs. "My point is that there are plenty of people watching out for you even if you don't notice it."

I nod.

"Plus I'm not going far. I'll still be in Rosewood. Just not as your teacher." He puts a slight smile. "You have my number. I'm a phone call away if you ever need me. Don't hesitate to ask for a meet up."

I smile a bit. "Thanks, Mr. Fitz."

"My pleasure, Jessie." He stands. "You better go before you're late for second period."

I nod and walk away. "Hey." I turn around when I get to the door. "Got any last piece of advice as my teacher?"

He smiles. "Don't be afraid to open up."

I half smile.

"And look deeper to broaden your horizons."

I slowly nod. "As usual, Mr. Fitz, you've lost me."

He laughs. "Just live your life to the fullest and don't hold back."

After school I have an away game for basketball. I was iffy about going knowing that Aria has to head home and be bored because she has no one else to hang out with besides me now. It really is unfair that they have her limited on friends when she seems to need them right now. So while on the bus I keep her occupied by texting her.

"All good?"

"Yea." She replies quickly for once. "Just about to fix up my drawing a bit for art class."

"I thought it looked fine."

"Fine isn't as good as perfect."

"You're too much. You know that?"

"Yep, and you love me."

I smile to myself. "Always and forever." I reply back.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and look at Luna, who's sitting next to me on the bus. She's saying something to me that I can't hear. Then I remember that I'm listening to music and take off my headphones.

"Sorry, what?"

"How are you?"

"Good?" I give a confused look.

She half smiles. "Just meant about everything."

"Such as?"

"Such as dealing with what's been going on with Aria and the others. Or Mr. Fitz leaving."

"Oh."

She nods.

"Well when it comes to the girls I'm just trying to be there for them. When it comes to Mr. Fitz. I don't know what you want me to say to that."

"I'm asking because of the fact he's part of your history, so to speak. It must not be easy to see him leave knowing how much of an impact he was on your life...literally."

I half smile. "Luna, I'm fine. He's leaving the school, not the town. If I need to talk to him he'll still be around."

She nods and gets quiet as I start texting Aria again. Then I get a call from Uncle Byron.

"Hello?"

"Hey kiddo."

"Hey."

"What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"I don't know. What are the options?"

"Me and Mike want Chinese. Your aunt and Aria want the usual from the Grille."

I start to think. "I'm with you and Mikey."

"Majority rules"

"Yes it does."

"Okay. Well good luck at your game."

"Thanks, Uncle Byron."

"Go big."

"Or go home."

That has always been our thing before a game. I still love hearing him say it. Especially after them being gone for so long.

When I get off and look back to Luna, I see her looking at my phone. "So how are Aria and the others?"

I shrug. "Alright I guess."

"You guess?"

"They don't show their emotions much."

She nods. "Then how do you think they are?"

"I'd say not as good as I'd hope they would be."

"What makes you say that?"

"The fact that people still give them those looks because of the whole Ian thing. Then their parents backing up the idea to keep them away from each other." I shake my head. "If that doesn't sit well with me, imagine how they all feel."

"Well at least the good thing is they still have you. That must help a bit."

"Except that I can't be with them all at once, so it can be a handful to be there for all four of them."

She nods. "Well if you think about it, even when you could be with them all at once half the time you weren't around because they were doing their own stuff."

"Or hiding things from me."

"Yes. That too."

"They still do at times. There's always something distracting them that they don't want to talk about."

"They have a lot going on. Don't think too much into it."

I'll say now that our excitement level for the game goes from one hundred to zero as soon as we realize that the team we are playing against went from the worst team last year and most of the beginning of the season, to one of the best. Coach warned us that their numbers are a lot higher than they used to be, but we did not expect them to be on the same level as us. We had versed them twice already, but this game is a makeup for being cancelled from a snow storm. We are actually heading to the last round of the championships next Friday.

The first half of the game we are on point, tied at thirty-eight when half time comes. The second half however is a disaster. We are getting creamed. In the fourth quarter we are down by twenty, seventy for them and fifty for us.

"Rachel, will you block her!"

This had to be at least the seventh time she let her girl pass her and score in the second half of the game. It's starting to piss me off because it seems like she is doing it on purpose.

"Don't yell at me, Brant!"

I ignore her as Luna has the ball, dribbling closer to our defensive side of the court. I fake out my blocker and get free so Luna can pass it to me. Thank God her eyes are quick as she notices my thinking to pass it to me and gives me time to shoot a three.

Coach, the girls on the bench and the fans that are there for Rosewood go completely nuts. If we can keep getting threes and keep their team from making any more shots we can tie or win this game.

"Tor!" She looks at me as the other team is coming down the court with the ball. "Left side!"

Her girl switched sides on her and ran the opposite way from where she normally went. Tori's just able to make it to her on time as they pass it and then she swoops in to grab it. She looks over for an opening and sees Kelly racing down the court at top speed. Kelly is the fastest person on the team, so when Tori sees her she gives a good strong throw to her and gets a layup for two.

All hope starts to go downhill when there's two minutes left on the clock. We are still ten points behind, but we continue to fight. It's like a domino effect as we make plays one after another. I make a three point shot then Luna steals the ball before they even get half way down the court and gets two. The other team gets two points back then Kelly shoots a three. Four points behind and Rachel finally blocks her girl and throws it down the line to me. I make the three, one point game. Fifteen seconds on the clock and the other team is rushing down the court with the ball. Before I can get Rachel's attention for a move that always works to keep the other team from making a shot she slams her hand down to hit the ball, but instead she catches the girls arm and the whistle is blown with ten seconds left.

"Foul!" The Ref yells. "Two shot free throw."

My heart completely sinks. The girl Rachel fouled is amazing at free shots, so whether she misses them or not there's almost no way to get anymore points in with only ten seconds left. We are going to lose this one.

The girl steps up to the foul line. I can feel my heart in my ears as I stand in my spot behind the shooter. Maybe if she misses the second shot they can grab it and quickly pass it to me so that I can make a run for it. Wishful thinking though because there's no way I can make it down the line in ten seconds and still have time to get the shot in.

Then I get an idea. "Time out!"

The whistle goes and we head to the sideline. I sit on one of the chairs and grab my water bottle, completely out of breath.

"You okay?" Coach asks.

I nod. "I have an idea." Everyone watches me. "Switch me and Kelly around."

He looks at me with raised eyebrows. "Why?"

"Kelly has better speed than I do."

"Everyone knows that." Luna says.

"Okay. Well my thinking is, if she misses we can try to get the ball back and pass it to her so..."

"She can run like hell to the hoop." Coach finishes for me.

I nod. "Exactly. But if she doesn't miss either of the shots then we gotta get it to her as fast as we can once they blow that whistle." I look at Kelly. "And you would have to try for three if we want to tie this game."

She looks terrified but nods. "Okay."

"Alright." Coach says. "Bring it in."

"On three." I say. "One! Two! Three!"

"SHARKS!" We all yell and then run back onto the court.

Kelly's spot is right underneath the hoop. So I just concentrated on getting myself to grab the ball as soon as she lets go.

The Ref tosses the ball to the shooter. She bounces the ball and spins it in the air a few times, then bounces it again. She looks intensely at the hoop, bends her knees and then shoots. SWISH, nothing but net as it goes in. My heart pounds even louder now as she goes through her routine again and shoots. The ball tips the rim this time and spins around it. I'm already jumping up to get it until I notice that it's about to go in.

No. Is all I can think as it falls into the net.

The crowd for their school cheers so loud I can barely hear my own voice as I tell Luna to throw in the ball to me so that Kelly can position herself where we need her.

"Ready!" I yell at Luna as we wait for the Ref to hand her the ball.

She smiles, nods and puts both thumbs up. I turn around to Kelly and see her standing not too far down from me. I give her a nod and she gives me a scared smile.

I turn around as they give Luna the ball. Then he blows the whistle and she throws it to me. I turn and one hand throw the ball to Kelly as hard and fast as I can to her. She grabs it, dribbles a few steps and gets blocked and bumped by the girl blocking her. For a good second I think she won't be able to get in the shot, but then she fakes her out and shoots. It feels like slow motion as we all watch the ball slowly head to the hoop and catch nothing but net! The excitement is on overload when we hear the buzzer. Until the scoreboard changes and notice that we lost by one point instead of tied it up.

"What?" I say in confusion.

"She was on the three point line!" Coach yells at the ref.

I see the ref say something but I don't catch his exact words because he gets drowned out by the crowed screaming. Then he walks away and I see the anger in coach's eyes as he slams his foot into a garbage can and walks off.

My mouth is open so wide that it probably looks like my jaw is going to hit the floor, like the way they do in cartoons. I'll tell you right now that I feel numb from shock. She shot it from the line. They must have seen it wrong.

"Jay."

I look and see Kelly standing next to me.

"Sorry. I tried." She has a bit of tears in her eyes.

I smile. "Don't be sorry. That was an amazing play." I see everyone from both teams lining up to congratulate each other on a good game. "Come on." I put my arm around her shoulders. "Let's show some sportsmanship."