You guys, I am seriously on the verge of a total nervous breakdown. It is not even 10:30 in the morning and I somehow have to wait until 8:00 tonight?! Ugh. So here's a chapter that will hopefully give you all something to pass the time until tonight. As for the reviews...

Pinkpoodle8 - Thanks! Those questions will be answered in a few chapters.

nick2951 - Yes they do! And I think that follows canon, because I do recall Mona's parents (plural) being mentioned a few times. I guess I just figured he's away on business a lot or something?

Siren of the Dark Seas - That is a very interesting thought...hmm...

Chapter 6

"Okay, I give up." I throw my pencil down and roll over onto my back. "I'm good at chemistry but I can't figure out stupid geometry. Go figure."

Mona sighs and pulls my geometry book over to her to write something on it. "Here. You just need the equation to find the area of a trapezoid."

We are sitting on the floor of her bedroom working on homework. Fortunately for me, Mona is a genius who can help me with every class. Unfortunately for her, I am a grade below her and have not taken any of the classes she's in. Not that she needs my help or anything.

I sit back up and groan, "How do you remember that? I barely remember what I learned in class last week."

She smirks at me and goes back to her own work. "Just don't tell anyone."

Maybe it's because I'm really bored of doing homework, but that statement concerns me enough to keep talking. "Why not? Why do you always hide the fact that you're super-smart? You're smarter than, like, Spencer Hastings. If it was me I'd want everyone to know."

"Viola." Mona folds her legs under herself and faces me. "I spent years as a smart, nerdy loser. I've finally turned myself into someone different, someone who doesn't get made fun of. Why would I want to go back?"

I shrug and close my math book, moving on to English. "I just wish you'd feel comfortable being yourself."

She closes her eyes for a moment, then says sharply, in the same bitchy tone that I've gotten very used to, "Well, that's easy for you to say, isn't it?"

I flinch and redden. I hadn't meant anything rude by it. But I lean forward and look at myself in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of the door. My dark hair is naturally straight and frizz free. My eyes are dark green, unlike most of my immediate family, and I have never even touched a contact lens in my life. My skin is olive and clear – I was lucky enough to never go through an awkward acne phase, even in middle school.

I've never thought of myself as exceptionally pretty or anything, but I guess I could look worse. I've never been labeled as a "loser," that's for sure. And people generally think I'm the older sister because of height differences, which probably doesn't help.

I look away from my reflection and glance over at Mona. "You're right. I'm sorry. I know you went through a lot."

She looks up at me, and looks for a second like she's about to say something nasty in return. I brace myself. But to my complete shock, the look fades and she laughs. "Oh my god, you're still talking about this? It's totally not a big deal." She takes my pencil and tosses it at me.

I cannot believe that I was not just screamed at, but I'm so relieved that I laugh, too. This is the most normal conversation we've had in months. I grab the pillow that I had been leaning against and throw it at her head just as our mother walks in.

"Getting any studying done, girls?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. But she's smiling, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't really care because she's so glad to see her daughters getting along for once. Without waiting for a response, she leans against the doorway, and adds, "I think there's something going on down at the church."

"What?" we exclaim at once, and I add, "What do you mean by 'something?'"

Mom shrugs, frowning. "I don't know. I've been hearing sirens for a while, and just a minute ago a few ambulances went by in that direction."

"That's weird," I comment just as Mona says, without looking up from her work, "Someone probably just fell or something."

My mom looks at us for another moment, and finally smiles and says, "That's probably it." She leaves, shutting the door behind her.

The second the door clicks closed, my sister is on her feet, pulling on a jacket and silently shoving open the window. "What are you doing?" I ask in alarm, scrambling up as well.

She tosses me an extra jacket from her closet. "We're sneaking out. Hurry up."

I am completely clueless but comply, tugging the jacket on over my long-sleeved shirt. I'm already in my pajamas but I'm too surprised to care. "Where are we going?" It's chilly outside and I still have two pages of an English essay to write.

Mona is already halfway out the window and looks at me like I'm completely insane. "Where do you think?"

…

"You know, the more I learn about Rosewood, the less desire I have to ever go there."

It's Sunday morning, and I'm leaning against the wall of the gym where gymnastics class takes place. Justin is standing next to me and we're looking up at the small TV in the corner, up by the ceiling. It's cracked in several places from where it was hit by a basketball a few years ago.

The sound is muted, but the headline says enough: "Rosewood News: Four Teen Girls Suspected in Disappearance of Ian Thomas."

My mind is still reeling from last night. By the time Mona and I had gotten to the church, the ambulances had left but a huge crowd had gathered, with Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna right in the center of it. Everyone already knew the story.

Apparently, for some reason unknown to everyone, the girls called the police claiming that Ian Thomas was hanging by his neck from one of the ropes in the church bell tower. They didn't explain how or why he got there, but when the police showed up, the bell tower was conspicuously lacking in bodies.

It was pretty obvious to everyone that they lied about the entire thing.

To everyone but me. It seemed strange that they would make something like this up, especially considering Ian recently married Spencer's sister, Melissa. The thought of Ian Thomas actually being dead is not completely unappealing to me.

No, I'm not a sociopath, but at least I wouldn't have to see the face of the person who tried to sexually assault me every day at school anymore. It was driving me out of my mind.

But dead or not, he's gone, and no one aside from the four girls knows what happened. According to the news, the police have tried to contact Ian multiple times with no result. So he most likely didn't get up from the rafters and walk away.

Mona swore to me last night that she had nothing to do with this, that this wasn't some stupid "A" thing. She promised about ten times, and I even woke her up in the middle of the night to ask again, just in case. I'm pretty sure I believe her.

I told all of this to Justin as soon as break started ten minutes ago. Well, everything except for the parts about me being assaulted by a grown man and my older sister cyber bullying the girls who once bullied her. My life probably sounds crazy enough as it is. He doesn't need to know everything.

"It's really not that bad, on a day to day basis," I try to reason. "I mean, we've got the usual elites and rich kids and drama at school, but all the lying and murders and possibly lying about murders is a pretty new thing."

Justin grins at me and I'm pretty proud of the fact that my heart barely even skips. I'm actually getting used to being around him, and I like his actual personality more and more each time. Mostly, I'm just surprised that he still talks to me.

"Well," he says, leaning against the wall beside me and taking a sip of water, "you guys might have all that, but we definitely have something you don't."

Now I'm intrigued. I smack him on the arm. "Okay, you can't just say something like that and then not tell me what it is. Come on."

"Okay, okay, fine." He pauses for a long moment, and I groan, shoving him. He laughs. "It's this creepy little store in town." He stops and thinks for a second. "Actually, I take that back. It's not even a store. It's a doll hospital."

"A doll what?" I ask, smiling.

"A doll hospital," he repeats. "But it's real old and pretty much closed down by now. I've seen the old lady who owns it a couple times going in there, but it's never open. And that's not even the best part."

This story has nothing on what's been going on in Rosewood for the past few months, but I can't remember the last time I've been this entertained. "Go on," I urge.

He grins, clearly loving being the one to tell the story for once. "You should see the window display. It's filled with these old, creepy dolls. Like porcelain ones, you know."

"Oh, come on, that doesn't sound that bad," I interrupt, rolling my eyes.

He shakes his head vehemently. "Oh, no. You don't get it. Half of them have disembodied heads, or are hanging from the ceiling, stuff like that. It's really demented."

I try to picture this and shudder. "Ew. Okay, that does sound creepy."

He shrugs. "It's better when you really see it. The place is actually only a few blocks away. How about we walk there after class?"

I feel my eyes widen. Am I crazy to actually see this as a date? Probably, considering we're going to see the window display of a crazy old doll hospital. But still, Justin's never asked me to do anything one-on-one before, so if this is it, I'll take it.

"Yeah," I say, trying to sound casual. "I think I need to see this for myself."

He looks almost as excited as I feel. "Cool." Beth blows her whistle, signaling the end of break, and as soon as Justin turns his back to throw out his empty water bottle, I grin and pump my fist up. Just a little, though.

I wouldn't want to seem desperate or anything.

…

A week later, most of the drama surrounding Ian Thomas has settled down. I don't know most of the details, only that Ian's body was found with a suicide note and Spencer was suspected to be involved.

His funeral was a few days ago, and I couldn't have stayed far enough away. I spent the day hanging out with Justin instead, claiming I just needed a break from the craziness of Rosewood. I spent the whole afternoon hoping he would finally kiss me.

He did not.

But at least one of the biggest banes of my existence is gone. That sounds horrible, actually being relieved that another person is dead. But the last week at school has been so peaceful, walking through the hallways and around the cafeteria without having to keep one eye pealed for Ian, just in case I needed to duck into a bathroom or under a lunch table or something.

Now I pause outside the Apple Rose Grille, glancing at the menu taped to the window. It's only twelve o'clock and I'm starving. Maybe even too starving to make it back home.

As I'm studying the lunch options on the menu, I catch sight of something inside the restaurant. Hanna, Emily, Spencer, and Aria are sitting at a table together, along with…Mrs. DiLaurentis?

Why would they be having lunch with Alison's mother? I didn't even realize that she was back in Rosewood. After Alison disappeared, the DiLaurentis family got out of town very quickly. Apparently they didn't feel right staying in that house without Ali.

She stands up from the table, smiling, and hands out thin white boxes. Under the guise of looking at the menu, I watch as they each open their box and pull out very fancy looking dresses. I wonder immediately if they once belonged to Alison, and my assumption appears to be true, judging by the looks on their faces.

Mrs. DiLaurentis beams around the table and talks for a few more minutes before getting up and heading out. I turn slightly away as she passes me, even though I'm pretty sure she has no idea who I am. Then I push through the door and beeline right for the girls.

"Hey," I say, plopping down in Alison's mother's abandoned chair.

"Hey yourself," Spencer answers, raising her eyebrows. "I saw you watching us through the window."

I wince. Nothing gets by her. "Uh, yeah, I guess I was just surprised to see Alison's mother back in town. I don't think I've seen her since around the time of the funeral."

"I don't think this town has the happiest memories for her," Emily says a little sharply.

I ignore that and ask, nodding toward the boxes stacked on the table, "So what's with the dresses?"

Hanna takes a sip of water, looking uncomfortable. "Ali's mom asked us to wear them in the fashion show."

My eyebrows shoot up. The Rosewood Charity Fashion Show is a huge annual event – practically everyone who's anyone in town shows up, not just to donate to some good causes but also to show your friends and neighbors just how kind-hearted you are by giving the biggest donation.

But this is one crazy Rosewood tradition that I can't really complain about. I mean, it's a huge popularity contest like everything else, but at least this time it actually benefits other people.

"She wants you to wear Ali's old dresses?" I ask, shuddering a little despite myself. "That sounds a little…"

"Creepy?" Aria fills in for me. "Yeah. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it."

"She's on the board for the fashion show," Spencer explains. "She wants to make it a tribute to Ali."

I'm a little surprised that I don't know this, as creepy as it seems to me. "Really? Mona's on the committee for the show. I'm surprised she didn't tell me."

"I'm on the committee, too," says Spencer. "But I've missed a few meetings lately."

"Come on, Spence," Hanna says, rolling her eyes not unkindly, "you've had a few other things on your mind."

"So are you guys really going to parade around in Alison's dresses?" I ask. Just the thought makes me a little nauseous. I can't imagine they're actually comfortable with it.

None of them look the slightest bit comfortable, as a matter of fact, but they all nod slowly. "It's the right thing to do," Emily says. "For Ali's mom. She really wants this."

I shrug, tracing one of the wooden crevices on the table with my finger. "That makes sense. I'd probably do the same thing."

For a second everyone is quiet. I can tell they want me to leave, and I'm just about to do so when Spencer speaks up. "Have you gotten any more texts? From 'A'?"

I freeze and drop back into my seat. "What?" I stutter, hoping my face hasn't gone completely pale. "No. Why do you ask?"

"We're still getting them," Aria whispers, leaning closer. "And we saw Ian's suicide note. We think that 'A' faked it."

They're all staring at me, waiting for my reaction. I lower my gaze to the table, trying to keep a neutral expression on my face. So "A" was involved in Ian's death, somehow. I am going to murder Mona when I get home. But I need more information first. "Why do you think that?" I mutter, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"The letter was completely made up of 'A' messages," Spencer tells me intently. "We think that 'A' did that on purpose, that whoever it is murdered Ian and tried to blame me for it. Why else would they take the body from the bell tower?"

My head is starting to feel a little foggy. I finally glance at each girl in turn, then say, "So you guys weren't lying that night? Ian really did try and kill you in the church?"

"He tried to push me off the bell tower," Spencer confirms. "But someone pushed him first."

"It had to have been 'A,' though, right?" Aria interjects. "This was all some elaborate plot to get us all thrown in jail."

I feel a little like I'm going to throw up. Every time I talk to these girls, it seems like things make less and less sense. Mona couldn't have pushed Ian off the bell tower. She was with me that night.

But I can't tell them that. I've kept the "A" secret for too long, and things have spiraled completely out of control. There's no way I can spill the beans now and walk away completely innocent.

So I try my best to ignore everything that just happened and stand up, nearly knocking over Hanna's glass of water in the process. "You know what?" I blurt out with a sharp laugh. "I just remembered. I'm late for a dentist appointment. I've gotta go. See you guys later."

I can feel their eyes on my back as I flee the restaurant, but I don't stop until I'm around the corner, out of sight.