Back again!
Chapter 9: Raising Stakes
There was nothing Aria hated more than the hand she was dealt with in life. It all started when her mother got cancer when she was pregnant with her. Mrs. Montgomery was one of the candidates selected for a new trial drug to cure cancer. Of course, the drug was a failure, because Aria's mother died the day after Aria was born. Because Mrs. Montgomery had died so soon, Aria was never put on record to have come from "a witch." This is how she was able to live her life normally all these years. Aria is a living example that witches are innocent and there is nothing to fear, but she had decided to keep this story to herself to avoid the risk of being captured or killed. Aria's father, however, had always been skeptical about her. Anytime Aria acted out as a child, he assumed it was because she was cursed from the effects of the drug her mother had been given.
At the age of fourteen, her father had abounded her. Aria spent many years blaming herself for her father leaving her. Growing up, Aria's best friend, Holden was suspected of being a witch. His mother had the drug before getting pregnant. Holden was a marked witch so any playdates Aria had with him came limited and secret. At the age of fourteen Holden had been caught and turned into Tanner. They killed him. That is why Aria had decided to pretend to go along with the public hating witches. She did not want to risk becoming friends with another witch with fear they would end up dead like her friend. That was why Aria had been so mean to Spencer in the beginning. She did not want to like Spencer. Just like every person Spencer met, Spencer found a way to charm everyone. No matter how hard she tried, Spencer grew on Aria. Though she never admitted it to Spencer until it was too late, she did consider Spencer a friend. Aria spent most of the time being a crappy friend to her. Aria regrets it.
The worst part in all of this is here Aria is now getting all dressed up to attend the wedding of her other best friend who is going to marry the person that turned Spencer into the authorities. Hanna and Aria have been close friends since high school so saying no to be her maid of honor seemed wrong. She doesn't approve of Hanna's choice to marry Caleb, but Aria doesn't want to risk losing any more friends. Aria put on her best happy face and her best dress to be there for her friend.
Aria sat in the bride's dressing room waiting for Hanna to come out in her wedding dress. Hanna's mother stepped out to chat with the wedding planner. After what seemed like ages, the dressing room door opened, and Hanna glided out in her big puffy white dress. Her eyes sparkled and she had a huge grin painted on her face.
"How do I look?" She asked.
"Like a marshmallow." Aria smiled then reached to hug her. "But a very beautiful marshmallow."
Hanna laughed, "thank you."
Aria took a step back to admire her. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks," said Hanna. Her smile faded, "hey, did you happen to see� Out there?"
"No," Aria was sympathetic. "I didn't see Emily out there."
Hanna sighed, "I don't know why I thought she'd come."
Aria touched her shoulder, "you know, it was still pretty early when I checked. Maybe she is coming."
"Please," Hanna rolled her eyes. "We both know whose side Em is actually on here. Not that I blame her."
"Hanna, I know you say you forgive Caleb, but are you really sure you want to go through with this wedding?" Aria asked.
Hanna nodded, "I'm sure, and I'm sorry. I know you guys don't understand my choice, but despite all the terrible things he's done, I can't help it. I want to be with him."
"Have you ever thought about what he would do to Emily or even to me if he knew the truth about us?"
"Aria," Hanna pulled away from Aria's hold. "Can we please not do this right now. It's my wedding day."
"Right," Aria's eyes fell. "I'll go check the crowd again. Catch up with your mom. See if she needs help with anything."
Aria left Hanna to finish getting ready. When she left the room, Aria found a coat closet to hide in for a minute. She needed a second to let out her feelings of frustration at Hanna for still wanting to do this. Hanna was without a doubt her best friend. It sucks that Hanna would go through marrying a guy who would kill her just because of a stupid superstition. Caleb knew Spencer. He knew how kind she was. He knew about her past and how much she was tortured by the academy. He knew about all of that, and Caleb still turned Spencer in. It wouldn't matter to Caleb at all knowing that Aria was Hanna's best friend. Nothing would matter.
Aria collected herself and exited the closet. When she came out, she could hear people whispering frantically next to Hanna's dressing room. Aria walked down the hallway and spotted Hanna's mom very agitated arguing with a security guard.
"Mrs. Marin," Aria caught up to her. "What's going on? Is Hanna okay?"
"She's not in there!" Said Mrs. Marin.
"What do you mean? I just left that room ten minutes ago and she was getting ready."
"Ten minutes was all it took."
Aria was confused. Did Hanna end up running away from her wedding? Had she finally come to her senses that marrying Caleb was a terrible mistake? Aria entered Hanna's dressing room and gasped. The room was a mess! The makeup table was on its side as if it had been knocked over during a struggle. A couple chairs had been knocked over and broken glass from a window glistened on the floor.
"Get out of my way!" A voice from down the hall yelled. "Let me through!" Caleb pushed his way through the crowd to get to Hanna's dressing room. He overheard someone say Hanna was missing while he stepped out to check a phone call from Lucas. When he saw the mess in Hanna's dressing room, he became frantic.
"What the hell!" Caleb pointed at a bald-headed security guard. "What happened? Who did this?"
The man shrugged and said, "we don't know. We came back from break, and we heard a noise from inside. The door was locked so we couldn't get in. When we finally broke the door down, she was gone."
"Who would do this?" Mrs. Marin cried. "Who would kidnap my baby?"
"Mrs. Marin, we don't know that's what happened," Aria said.
"You think Hanna would have done this herself!" Caleb snapped.
"Mr. Rivers." Officer Garrett Reynolds walked over carrying a white envelope signed to him. "This was taped to the mirror in the bathroom."
Caleb tore it from the guys hand and ripped open the envelope. He read the note inside wide-eyed. When finished, Caleb dropped the letter and ran out of the room cursing.
"That son-of-a-bitch."
Aria picked up the letter that Caleb had dropped and read it to herself.
I have her.
If you want her back alive.
You better do what I say. -Toby
How about that cliffhanger? What do you think Toby has planned? Let me know in the comments.
