Disclaimer: Still don't own it
Mona woke up with a groan.
As she fumbled to shut off her alarm clock, the teen was hesitant to even get up despite it being a school day.
To say it had been a long lonely weekend was an understatement; having spent most of it in her house. While both teens had been cleared of any wrongdoing the night of the dance, they were still in trouble with their parents with them leaving the dance to pursue Alison. Her mother had been furious with her and practically dragged Mona out of the police station, after a polite goodbye to the Hastings, and grounded the teen for the weekend. After a screaming match occurred between the two Vanderwaals, Mona had turned in for the night and stayed in her room in order to get away from her mother. The woman was still furious that morning with her giving the teen the silent treatment; which didn't really bother Mona all that much. She knew her mother would calm down after an enough time had passed so she just spent the day doing small chores in her room; like hanging up her A gear for a while. When she had the chance, she would need to get their things that had been stashed and get rid of them until things calmed down. Mona had placed a tracking device on them and they showed that they were still there so there wasn't a need to be worried.
During her little down time, Mona had frequented social media to see if the news about Alison had gotten out. It wasn't a surprise that it did given that Rosewood was such a small town and the entire school was buzzing about the blonde; many not sure what to even think. While some expressed happiness that Alison was seemingly gone, the rest of the student body was just plain confused. There were already conspiracy theories going around on where she could be, including a ridiculous one saying that she was with Elvis, and students were even randomly claiming that they had seen her; which was also ridiculous. It had been amusing to read that many of her peers were coming out against the blonde even though they had been her most vocal admirers; thus making them hypocrites. There was also buzz about the other girls as well; with some suggesting that they had been in on Alison's flight. When she checked their communications, it wasn't a surprise that they were in pure shock on what had happened. While they were no longer disillusioned about the blonde, especially with them believing that she was A all along, they still couldn't believe that she had actually murdered people. They were already dreading going to school because of their connection to Alison; having to deal with the fallout.
Though they hadn't spoken in person or on the phone, Mona and Spencer still managed to text one another. The one good piece of news was that her parents were okay with them dating and supported her; though she was also grounded as well. Leona had told her last night, after speaking for the first time in days, that there would be a meeting between the two families to discuss the new change in their relationship. It was obvious that the two teens would be scrutinized just a tad more, especially given their intimacy, and it would be harder for them to go out together for weekends without a chaperone of some kind. Already her mother had asked if the teens were practicing safety first when it came to sex; which had been an embarrassing conversation. At least it was assured that neither one of them could get pregnant but that wasn't much of an issue. The biggest obstacle would be coming out at school and they were expecting some buzz about it; though it might be more overshadowed about Alison which could play in their favor. So far, not one of their peers had brought up their connection to that night so it looked like the cops were keeping that part confidential. She was hoping Garret wouldn't spill the details and would have to have a talk with him at some point; which was likely to happen once Jenna became involved.
The teen sat up in her bed and yawned; deciding that it was good idea to get an early start. She really wasn't sure what the day would bring and her curiosity was more of a factor than her dread; wanting to see what the physical reaction of the school would be. After doing her morning routine in the bathroom, Mona cleaned herself up and then headed to her closet to pick out an outfit for the day. Deciding to dress a little more conservative in order to make a better appeal to Spencer's parents, given the change of status in their relationship, she picked out a simple long light blue dress with white heels; combined with only a little makeup. Truthfully, Mona understood that this was a day to stay silent and invisible so she and Spencer could observe what was going to happen at school. They had discussed it and came to the conclusion that they would stay out of things for a while; though they would keep an eye on the girls. Both were curious to see if Alison's group would stay together after what had happened or drift apart once everything had died down; especially since they did have their own lives.
Once she was dressing, Mona headed downstairs to find her mother already cooking breakfast.
"Good morning honey; how did you sleep?" Leona asked as she cracked some eggs into the frying pan. The woman wasn't yet dressed with her being still in a bathrobe; having the day free to do random things around the house.
"Okay; just curious to what the day will bring," Mona answered as she went to the refrigerator and took out a glass for orange juice. She had made her lunch the previous night so that she could have more time in the morning.
"That is understandable; I can't go anywhere and not hear all about Alison DiLaurentis and the hunt for her," the mother commented though the teen could hear a little snarkiness in the tone though it was subtle. She had been to a town council meeting and it was the first time ever that Jessica DiLaurentis had been absent.
"Hopefully the cops find her and lock her up for good as well as anyone else who decides to help her," Mona commented offhandedly even though she knew full well that the blonde was really gone for good. It was crucial to make it look like she and Spencer didn't know where Alison since they would still be looked at by some.
"Well you and Spencer don't need to worry about Alison anymore; it is best that you two just focus on your futures from now on," her mother stated and Mona heard the subtle indication of a command in the older woman's tone. It was understandable though since Alison had caused enough grief in their family as it was.
"Well I am kind of wondering what will happen to the other girls now that Alison is gone; I can kind of imagine what it will be like for them to be on the receiving end of all this drama," the teen speculated; knowing full well that they will probably be connected to the blonde's murderous acts one way or another.
"As much as I feel sorry for them, they dug their own graves by hanging out with Alison in the first place. It should not be your concern what happens to them; are you still picking up Spencer for school?" inquired Leona as she plated their food and sat down to eat. Truth be told, she was rather tired from all the drama going around and looked forward to things calming down in the weeks to come.
"Yeah; is it still okay for us to head to Ravenswood next weekend or is everything still up in the air?" Mona asked her mother as she ate; not sure on what the answer would be. To say things were now complicated was an understatement; especially when it came to the Hastings in their relationship.
"Well that will be up to Peter and Veronica though I think you girls should bring someone else so they could feel more comfortable. You girls are still under eighteen and considered minors so any closeness will be looked down upon," the mother answered though she wasn't wholly against it and was willing to let them still go. Though she had some major reservations on her daughter's behavior as of late, she knew that the teen would be careful in that particular area.
"I think Spencer and I will be pretty good; everyone will be too busy talking about Alison to even notice us. I suppose the bitch did me a favor my murdering Wilden and Bethany Young," stated the teen and her mother gave her a disapproving look; though inwardly she might have agreed. It was unfortunate that things ended up this way with people now dead because of what the blonde had done.
When she was done with her breakfast, Mona gave her mother a kiss goodbye and grabbed her keys from the counter. It was nice stepping into the warm sun despite the cold chill of the air and it was also great to be out of the house for the first time in several days. Her car was parked where she last left it and the ten got inside, starting it up to head out. As she drove, Mona looked around and didn't see anything unusual as she passed a few of her peers heading to school; though she didn't really expect to see all that much until she actually got to Rosewood High. Still she had expected to see a few more people gossiping on the street; though that might have already happened on the weekend. Upon arriving at Spencer's block, she spotted a few patrol cars parked and facing the DiLaurentis household. That was not a surprise and she wondered if anyone was home or if the entire family had fled town until things calmed down. Spencer had mentioned that Jason had been home for a day or two but it wasn't known if he was still there or had left along with his parents. The space in front of her friend's house was still clear though so the teen pulled right in front and waved to Garret and Barry who happened to be a few spaces up from her; no doubt watching the place for the morning along with the other officers.
Knocking on the door, it was Melissa who answered and let her inside.
"How long have they been out there?" Mona asked the older sister as the front door was closed behind them. Melissa was dressed in her sweats and tank top which told her that she had gone out jogging.
"Ever since Friday night; coming in shifts and watching the neighborhood. I don't see why they have to be out there since Alison won't be back," Melissa stated in a haughty tone as if the police presence was a bother. It kind of was if one thought about it since it made everyone feel like it was them that were being scrutinized.
"She would be kind of stupid to do though there is a chance that they are watching if Mrs. DiLaurentis did anything unusual. They are probably paying very close attention to their bank accounts in case they are sending Alison money," the teen suggested and the older sister nodded her head in agreement. As they entered the kitchen, Veronica, Peter, and Wren were all seated eating their breakfast; which looked to have been prep by some fancy cook.
"Good morning," Mona greeted sheepishly, slightly nervous on how she would be treated given the change of status. She was no longer just Spencer's best friend and was officially the girlfriend dating their daughter.
"Good morning Mona; how are you?" Peter asked casually from his smartphone, not looking up from it as he said that to her. It wasn't rude in any way and he had done something like that in the past so Mona didn't think anything of it.
"I am good; is Spencer ready?" the teen wondered and she caught the brief look between Melissa and Veronica; wondering if it was because her now dating the taller teen. Wren looked pre-occupied with the newspaper and seemed to be trying to stay out of it all.
"She'll be down in a minute; how was your weekend?" Spencer's mother asked as she sat down by her husband and sipped her coffee. The woman looked like she was ready to leave for the office and it was a bit strange that she had not already left given that it was Monday; a day that Veronica often left early on.
"Quiet; I suppose yours wasn't?" Mona returned politely in an attempt to turn things around from herself. According to Spencer, her parents didn't mind that they were now dating but being surprised by it had slightly irritated them.
"The police practically destroyed my plants when they search the DiLaurentis place next door and only have now left," the older woman muttered and Peter gave his wife a sympathetic look while Melissa also looked angry. Spencer had mentioned that her parents were in a dark mood over that and blamed Alison for the mess.
"I wonder if they found anything given the intense search they were conducting," Wren wondered out loud suddenly, deciding to get in on the conversation. He had done his best to stay out of all of it but his wife had insisted that he take a more active participation in the family's affairs; that is until their own place was finally finished.
"My contact in the DA's office says that the evidence against Alison for Detective Wilden's shooting is solid while there is a good case against her for Bethany Young's as well. I really hope all of this drives that family out of this town for good," Peter stated with a satisfied smirk on his face; as if he was glad that things turned out this way. Thinking about it, Mona considered Peter Hastings feud with the DiLaurentis another loose end that remained a mystery.
"If that happens, I wonder if they could actually sell the house," Spencer stated as she appeared from behind Mona and Melissa. Like Mona, she was dressed a little more conservative as well with her in a type of business suit dress that was a lighter shade of grey.
"Morning; I've missed you," Mona said to her girlfriend as they grasped each other's hands in an affectionate way. They would have kissed but they felt it wasn't yet time for a major PDA in front of the family just yet.
"You too; are we ready?" inquired the taller teen as she went to the refrigerator to grab her lunch for the day. Like Mona, she had prepped it the previous night and it was made up of leftovers placed in a Tupperware.
"You girls come straight here after school; with all the media buzz around town, it will be best if you two stay out of the limelight," Veronica ordered the two in a commanding way in which both teens nodded in compliance. Both teens' parents were pretty adamant about the girls not being exposed to the media in case they said something that could cause problems for them.
"It is going to be an interesting day," Mona told her girlfriend as they walked out of the house and headed towards her car. They took a moment to wave to the cops watching the house next door and kind of felt sorry for them; especially since it was a useless thing to do given that Alison wasn't coming back.
"I know; I wonder if Principal Hackett will hold an assembly or say something about what is going on?" Spencer inquired out loud while her girlfriend started the car and then pulled out onto the street. The traffic was rather good for the morning as they drove; though the increased police presence probably contributed to that.
"I don't know; if he is going to try and stop the buzz then that is a waste of time. He is better off just letting things be," stated the other teen, wondering the same thing. She was more curious about the aftermath in terms of the other girls more than anything else.
It was about ten minutes before they arrived at Rosewood High and pulled into the parking lot; which had some police tape around the transformer. Given that the police never bashed down her door or even mentioned it in their reports, Mona assumed that they never found her little device; or if they did, believed that Alison was the one who planted it. Getting out of the car, they made their way to the entrance and noticed that everyone was silently whispering in groups; mentioning Alison several times. No one was paying attention to them, even ignoring when they held hands on purpose as if the deceased blonde was the sole focus of their attention; which she was. When they separated, Mona headed to her locker and continued to listen to her peers as they talked about what was going on; which was rooted in pure gossip. While the murder of Bethany Young was briefly mentioned, it was mostly centered on Wilden and his shooting; which they seemed to get wrong. The official story was that he was killed in a shootout with Alison and that she was in hiding while being supported by her family.
After grabbing her things from her locker, Mona went to meet up with Spencer for their first class when she spotted the rest of the girls; hanging out in a group at Aria's locker. Stepping off to the side behind a few students, the teen watched as the three girls talked in hushed whispers; noting the looks they were getting from the rest of their peers. It was the general consensus from the student body, or the ones she happened to overhear, that the other girls were involved somehow in Alison's escape from Rosewood; which they were wrong about. It forced Aria, Emily, and Hanna to remain on the defensive and while they were innocent, there really wasn't anything they could do. Mona had no doubt that they will be ostracized for a while until things calmed down and believed that might stick together out of necessity for the time being; though they still had their significant others to rely upon. It was tempting to go over and say something to them, which she had no idea what, but decided to simply wait. Beth she and Spencer had yet to agree on what to do in regards to the other members of the posse for the time being.
Meeting up with Spencer in front of their class, they went inside holding hands which again was not noticed. When the teacher started class, he didn't even bring the Alison matter up and that was another sign that the school was letting the issue go; at least for now. It was expected that the blonde still had a few supporters out there but it seemed that her critics were now the ones taking advantage of the chaos. Already, many of her victims were spreading rumors on how Alison killed even more people over the years and had buried the bodies under her own house as well as around town. It was absolutely rubbish but rumors like that were spreading like wildfire around school. During their second period, the teacher had to chastise a student who was saying in class that Alison was a Devil Worshipper who sacrificed babies along with the rest of her posse like a cult; which caused a few laughs until the teacher threatened detention. It was only a matter of time before the school clamped down on the students before the rumors got too out of hand or until they drew complaints from the DiLaurentis family.
It was amusing that Noel Khan was trying to shield himself from the rumors by stating that he had been bewitched; which seemed to placate her peers for now. It worked in his favor that he had broken up with Alison only weeks before though the students were now openly wondering if there was now more to the breakup than reported. As they watched Noel, when encountering him in the hallways of the school, he seemed to be spending most of his time bashing Alison; saying nasty things about her like she was a horrible kisser to sending him dirty pictures. It was risky hearing him try to spread such interesting rumors about the blonde given that if Jessica or Kenneth found out about them, he would be in trouble. However, Noel was not known for his hindsight so it was only a matter of time before he got into trouble for his comments. Which Mona and Spencer couldn't care less about given that he was no way a friend of theirs anyways given their history.
When lunch came around, the two decided to eat closer to their peers for once to observe the rest of the posse; who had Paige and Caleb with them.
"Well we are definitely under the radar," Spencer stated as she held her girlfriend's hand during their lunch. It was out in the open and no one seemed to notice; instead watching the other girls in Alison's group as if they were a lab specimen.
"We could always make out; that might draw their attention," Mona speculated as she noticed an unusual gathering of Alison's victims not too far away. They seemed to be watching the other girls closely and more joined their numbers every second.
"We could; but I am not there yet. My parents gave a green light for Ravenswood but we have to check in; a lot and use protection," the taller teen told her girlfriend; which caused the other teen to sputter her drink. Mona looked at Spencer with shock and amusement at what was just said to her.
"Your parents actually said that?" Mona asked though her own mother had brought the subject up as well. It wasn't a big deal to the teens since each was their first; thus they were rather clean of issues.
"My mother did when my dad was out of earshot. It was rather embarrassing but at least they are okay with us being together. Even Melissa doesn't seem to have a problem with us and that is good; though she suggested that I leave the door open when we are together at my house and that you stay on the couch," Spencer informed dryly and Mona rolled her eyes at that; cursing Melissa under her breath. It was stupid to think they would risk being intimate in a house full of people; especially during sleepovers.
"Looks like we have trouble gathering," Mona stated after a few minutes of eating as she watched the crown of anti-Alison members make their way to the other girls. Hanna saw them coming but it was too late and they were cut off.
"So do we watch or intervene?" Spencer asked Mona, not sure what to do herself. While she was still resentful of them and how they sided with the blonde in the first place, it was wrong for them to get all the blame none the less; thus she kind of wanted to speak up.
"It's time we shined; let's go," Mona answered and smiled, standing up and reaching for her girlfriend's hand. Spencer smiled back and stood up as well; knowing that they were about to make another change with their lives.
As the shouting began, the two teens went to intervene hand in hand.
Please Read and Review; also a shout out to my friend Paraddicted for the pre-read!