Here's another chapter for you guys.
I don't own PLL. Belongs to Sara Shepard and Freeform.
Please review.
It's the morning before the Masquerade Ball, and the day I'm going to get the okay to walk around without a boot on…finally! I couldn't be happier to get this thing off. The sound of the thud it makes every time my foot hits the ground is getting really obnoxious.
Now what has me pretty excited is that I'm hanging out with Bobby tomorrow night. Yea, I decided it would be better to hang with my cousin who I don't see very often. The only thing that sucks is that even though I should be out of my boot I still really can't get on any of the rollercoaster's until I'm told that I can start doing physical stuff.
I'm extremely exhausted today as I lazily I get out of bed. All the A madness is taking its toll on me, and I can't keep up with it anymore. But the bright side is that Amber, Tommy and their friends got themselves suspended so I don't need to worry more than just doing school stuff. The down side is that it happened because they were bullying some freshman so bad he killed himself. They've been gone for about a week and won't be coming back till another couple weeks.
After school Aunt Ella takes me to get checked out with the doctor and thankfully I'm all good to not need the boot anymore. Then she drops me off at Spencer's to help the girls out with a few things A related. I'm still a bit shocked that they are letting me help without any arguments, even if I did make a good point why I should.
This meet up has to do with clues they got this morning before school while at Spencer's. I wasn't there though. I had some stuff to help Miss Marks with for softball since I wouldn't be at their game today due to going to the doctor, so I was out of the house earlier than Aria.
The first text they got was right after Melissa left the kitchen. Aria hands me her phone and I read, "You still have something that belongs to me. Bring it, or one of you leaves in a body bag. -A"
First of all, A is a Crazy Bitch. I mean, Crazy with a capital C. First this person almost kills Hanna and puts her in a cast for a month because she "Knew too much". Whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. Now they are being threatened to die if they don't give A back the cellphone. I really got myself into a messed up situation.
Now they've had their share of crazy suspicions of who A could be, and this time around they feel it's Melissa. So they think that she sent it right after she headed back to the barn. But they have a habit on thinking that everyone may be A, so I can't even tell you if I agree.
The next message is an invitation for the dance, which says…
You Are Cordially Invited To The
Rosewood Junior Society Masquerade Ball
Eight O'clock To Two O'clock
Costumes Required
Old Road Warehouse
2945 Industrial Avenue
Rosewood
I look at it and what catches my attention is that it starts at eight and ends at two. Why does that catch my attention? I have no idea, but talk about a long night.
Then I see a note that came with it and it says. "Be there when the clock strikes midnight. -A"
"So you guys have to be at the dance looking for A by midnight tomorrow night?"
"Seems to be so." Spencer says.
It gets a bit quiet. They had changed their minds about going to this dance after awhile, but now A is telling them otherwise.
Hanna asks me what I'm going to do since I'm not going to the dance and I tell them the plans I made with Bobby. They think it's good I'm getting out of town because they think it's better than getting thrown into something that could get me killed.
Last week they got a text from A about being disappointed that they've been telling me enough to keep me in their detective work, then threatened more than their secrets if they slipped up again and told anyone else. Reminding them of Dr. Sullivan and putting the number one thing on the list that I'd be out of the picture in no time, which scared me, but not enough to stop helping.
Em is kind of distracted though. Maya had come back during the week to see her and told her that she found out that she was seeing a guy while at the rehab place and apparently she's still smoking what she always did. I had no idea that Maya was bi and neither did Em, so that kind of got her a little weird. But now Maya hasn't been seen since the party that Hanna had at her place a few days ago. No answer from her cell and no one has seen her around town. Of course always being one step behind A, she fears the worst.
Later on we go to chill at Mr. Fitz place because he's out of town and Aria is looking after it. Yes. I feel awkward being at Mr. Fitz's house, or Ezra to make Aria happy. It's not the typical day I was hoping for, but she begged and I can almost never say no to her. So here I am.
"This is too cute." Em says.
I look over at her from the couch and see she is looking at a photo album, sitting on these stairs that leads out to the balcony from the sliding doors. His place is really small. It is literally only has one room that is his is bedroom, kitchen and living room all in one big squared room. Then a door that leads to the bathroom.
"Look at baby Fitz." I say when I decide to get up and look over her shoulder.
"Fitz is really a sucker for tragic love stories." Spencer says as she looks through the books on the bookshelf. Then she realizes what she said and turns to Aria. "I so didn't mean that how it sounded."
I watch her shake her head and shrug, putting her hand up like to say No it's fine as I head over to the bathroom. When I come out Hanna lays back on Ezra's bed in frustration.
I'm about to ask what's wrong when Aria says. "Hanna, do you mind? It's kind of sacred ground."
Hanna sits up straight. "It is!" We all yell.
"Man, you sure can keep a secret." Spencer says.
Aria makes eye contact with me and my eyebrows just go up. I don't know what else to do other than that.
Eventually the girls start putting clues together, but it not from A. It's from a bag they had gotten from Jason a while ago with Alison's things.
"Hey Em, can you grab my computer?" Spencer asks.
"What is it Spence?" She asks.
"Could you look up Dougherty's Landing?"
Hanna is the one who grabs her laptop instead and when I'm about to sit down with them to see what it is my phone rings and I see it's Andrew.
"Crap." I say. "I'll be right back." Then I head to the door and walk into the hallway.
When I walk back inside after ten minutes they tell me it has to do with some motel they think Ali had gone to.
"Am I tagging along for this?" I ask.
They all look at each other for a few seconds and then stare at me, seeming to debate the issue.
Finally Spencer shakes her head. "No. No, I think we should do this one on our own."
"But we'll keep you in touch." Aria says.
As much as I hate the idea, I nod in agreement.
Saturday morning I wake up and I know immediately what day it is. I don't wake up groggy and dazed like I normally do as I try to figure out what day it is. It's concert day, and I'm pumped!
When I look to the side I realize that Aria isn't in bed, so I go downstairs. No one is home, not even her and now I'm a little freaked. All four of the girls went to that motel for another A witch hunt last night and never let me know when they got there. They haven't even got in contact to tell me when they were leaving.
It's after 4:30 and she still isn't home. She must have let her parents know something though because they weren't worried. Uncle Byron never text or called me from work and Aunt Ella came home around noon from the store, cooked lunch and then headed back out to do a few more things without a peep of being worried. I don't want to freak them out or freak myself out more since she never answered my last text to her hours ago but I'm scared.
As I'm about to grab my phone to call her the door knob jiggles and she walks into the house, the girls right behind her. "Mom and dad home?"
"No…where the hell have you been?" My voice rises a bit in anger.
"We were at Spencer's." she doesn't sound too worried about me being upset, she just looks too tired to care.
"And before that?"
"Long story that led nowhere."
"Did it really lead nowhere or are you hiding something from me again?"
"It really led nowhere."
My phone rings and I look to see that it's a text from a blocked number. My first thought is A, but when I open it I'm relieved that it isn't.
"Hey, cuzzo." The text says. "It's Bobby. My phone died while at school and I left my charger at my apartment. My last class got canceled, so I'll be able to come home early. Meet me around six at my place. I have left over pizza that we can take to go. Then we'll hit the road ASAP!"
I start laughing at his excitement and replay with. "Kay. See you then." His last class would usually be starting around five and ends at six thirty, sometimes longer. So we were gonna meet around seven unless told otherwise. Couldn't have planned it better myself.
"Who was that?" Aria asks.
"Bobby. His last class of the day is canceled so he's heading home soon."
"Sweet." She says but has a bit of a sad face.
"What?"
"We were gonna hang out for a bit today. I'm sorry I took so long to get back."
I smile. "It's okay. Next time."
Before leaving for Bobby's I decide to take a quick shower and then get dressed. I chose blue jeans and a new Paramore long sleeved shirt I got from the mall the other day. It isn't supposed to be lower than around 60 degrees today but I figure I should bring along a zip up hoodie just in case I need it.
When I get out of the bathroom and head into our room I see the girls are now hanging in there. They are scattered on the floor going through some of their clues again, trying to see what they missed. The motel seemed so important to them.
I walk over to my closet and grab one of my hoodies, "Where's Mona?" I ask when I notice she's not here as I tie it around my waist.
"I asked her to join us but she never answered my text." Hanna says.
"That's not really unusual though. Mona doesn't always answer her phone." Spencer says. "Plus it's the day of the dance."
"I mean you're right, but she wouldn't miss a day of A research if I ask. Especially since it was still pretty early when I asked a half hour ago." Hanna says and tries calling her this time. "Still no answer." She tries one more time and nothing.
They all look at each other and don't say a word for a good minute. Then they practically kick me out thinking back to the message from the day before about body bags. Mona and me are the only ones outside of their group that knows and it could have even referred to one of us. I try to argue it but they don't want to hear it.
"It's almost time for you to go to Bobby's anyway, so just don't leave until you guys have to okay?" Aria says.
I look her in the eyes and see the fear. So I nod. "Yea, okay."
"Good. I'll drop you off."
The whole ride she doesn't say a word. I think she's too freaked to say anything. But when she pulls up to his building she just smiles and then hugs me. "Be careful."
"Of course." I get out and turn back to her before I close the door. "Keep me posted okay?"
She smiles and nods. "I will. Let me know when you guys get there."
"Will do."
"Have fun."
I smile. "You find that asshole okay?"
She nods and watches me head to the front doors to the building to ring the bell to his apartment. I look back at her and the scared look on her face is still there so I smile at her reassuringly as he buzzes me in. I open the main door and watch her drive off down the block as her dark car starts to blend into the almost complete darkness of night. It gets to the corner of the block and turns out of sight.
I watch that spot for a few seconds and then head inside. I have so much adrenaline going through me that I decide to take the stairs instead of the elevator. I run them two at a time till I get to the third floor and I knock on his door repeatedly like a maniac.
"Let's grab this pizza and hit the road!" I yell.
The door slowly opens up and when it gets all the way open I see Bobby walking away towards the TV without a word. It's on the news channel. "Fire bursts in terrifying stage in the town of Jersey City, New Jersey." The news man says.
My heart kind of drops because that's where Bobby's mom and most of our family lives. "Bobby." I walk in and close the door behind me. "Did you call to make sure your mom and everyone are alright?"
He just stands there, not moving an inch. It's as if he didn't even hear me. I start to walk closer and realize he's wearing a black hoodie with the hood up and black leather gloves.
"Dude. It's not cold in here. Are you sick?"
He still doesn't answer and doesn't turn around.
"Bobby. What the hell." I get even closer and notice something weird, he's shorter than me. "You're not Bobby."
For a second this person doesn't move and I start to back up as my heart races in a bit of fear. Then whoever this is spins in the spot so fast that I don't even have time to react as I see something metal whack me right across the face and makes me black out.