018 — a kiss before lying

season two —
episode eighteen

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ASPEN EXHALES FINALLY FINISHED reorganising her apartment around after wanting to keep herself busy from her thoughts.

Aspen looks outside seeing that's in now daylight and she's been working on her apartment all night long.

"Hey Han, what's up?" Aspen asks noticing the other blonde of the friend except Alison calling her mobile.

"Oh good, you're not ignoring me, the others are including Caleb, wanna come over?" Hanna questions.

"Of course I'm not ignoring you? I'm reorganising my apartment so I've been busy, and of course I'll be over in 10" Aspen explains.

Hanna's bubbly persona comes back on the phone before ending the phone call and grabbing Bowie off the couch in her living room.

Walking outside towards her car that's in its normal parking spot placing Bowie in the backseat before sighing and climbing into the drivers seat beginning the drive to Hanna's house.

After a ten minute drive due to the small town traffic going to work, Aspen arrives at the Marin's household.

Greeting Mrs Marin as she rushes out of the front door for work.

Aspen laughs looking towards Hanna who's waiting at the front door with a smile on her face seeing Aspen and the blondes puppy her ex boyfriend gifted her.

"Okay so what movie do you wanna watch? I'm down for anything Han" Aspen questions undoing Bowie's collar and letting the pup jump onto her lap and relax.

"The Notebook? Please" Hanna begs holding up the DVD, Aspen giggles and nods motioning to the television.

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AFTER LAST NIGHT ASHLEY AGREED to look after Bowie for the day knowing Aspen's coming up to her final exams before graduation.

Hanna and Aspen walk into the school's cafeteria seeing the others standing together, "So what'd you guys do last night?" Hanna asks.

"Oh, we studied for a chem test" Aria explains, "We went to Spencer's for help" Emily adds knowing that Hanna would've told Aspen about the phone call last night since the two of them spent last night together watching movies.

"So today is doomsday, huh?" Spencer questions, "Why? Did you see her?" Hanna asks alarmed.

"Han, maybe Kate wants to start fresh" Emily suggests.

"The last time I gave her the benefit of the doubt, I ended up blowing chunks on my chunky heels" Hanna explains in disgust before gasping looking around.

"Oh, my god! Is that her?" Hanna exclaims, "Em, can you pass some of those strawberries?" Aspen asks seeing Emily smile and hand her a whole pack of strawberries on her lunch tray.

"I got them for you" Emily shrugs seeing Aspen's confused face, "Oh, thank you" Aspen nods happily before looking at Hanna.

"What?" Spencer frowns looking behind her, "Never mind" Hanna states turning back towards her lunch tray.

"Hanna, come on, you need to relax" Aria mumbles.

"I would be if you guys were doing a better job keeping a lookout" Hanna responds.

"Han, I barely saw this girl—" Aspen explains looking at the others while biting into one of the strawberries.

"Hanna, I never got a good look at Kate to begin with—just like Aspen, the only time I've ever seen her was across a crowded church" Spencer states walking towards one of the lunch tables.

"What is hanging out under your sweater? Is that a dude's undershirt?" Hanna asks noticing the material under Spencer's shirt.

"Maybe" Spencer mumbles sitting down beside Aspen who looks at her knowing the pain of a breakup.

"It's Toby's" Spencer explains shyly and hurt.

Aria, Emily and Hanna all sit down at the table beside the two girls, Hanna sits down beside Aspen as said girl places her bag on the ground beside her.

"You guys, do not look at me like I'm one of those dogs with wheels for legs, okay?" Spencer pleads noticing the looks of sympathy on everyone's faces.

"Aspen wears that hoodie all the time" Spencer states motioning to Aspen and the grey hoodie she adores so much.

"Because it's mine?" Aspen frowns seeing Hanna tilt her head in amusement.

"It's not yours, it was Jason's—you stole it" Hanna voices with a smile on her face, "It's mine now" Aspen shrugs.

"Em, when is your mom coming?" Spencer questions wanting the subject changed.

"Tomorrow, I'm really excited" Emily states with a smile, "Oh my god, I forgot Aunt Pam's coming home" Aspen gasps happily.

"Hanna?" a voice is heard behind them making the girls turn towards the blonde girl.

"Kate—welcome to Rosewood High" Hanna responds looking from Kate to Aspen who nods now remembering the blonde girl from the wedding and her trying to hit on Caleb.

"Thanks, hi, I'm Kate" Kate explains introducing herself, "We haven't officially met yet" Kate smiles looking around the table at Hanna's friends.

"Hey, I'm Aria" Aria says, "Emily" Emily smiles, "Spencer" Spencer adds.

Aspen notices Kate looking at her, "Aspen, we met at the wedding" Aspen explains seeing Kate gulp and nod.

"Indeed we did, hello—so, I got my schedule, and first period, I have history with Mr. Barocas" Kate explains looking at the paper in her hands.

"Oh, yeah, Mr. Barocas, he's easy, everybody likes him" Aria smiles politely with a small nod.

"Um, I can show you where it is, I'm actually in that class, too" Hanna explains looking at Aspen with pleading eyes.

"I'll walk with you, I have class that way too" Aspen explains seeing Kate smiling at both of them.

"Yeah, Kate, um, have we actually met before?" Spencer wonders.

"You're right, we have, at the wedding—it's nice to have met you all, bye" Kate responds turning around and following Aspen who takes the lead.

"Thanks for doing this, I wouldn't have blamed you if you decided to make me fend for myself" Kate says while the three of them are walking in the school hallway.

Aspen frowns hearing her phone ding along with Hanna's, "Yeah, don't worry about it" Hanna smiles awkwardly.

Hanna looks at Aspen before both of them are pulling out their phones looking at the new text message.

CALL OFF YOUR TECHNO-BOY TOY
AND BEST FRIEND OR
I TELL THE COPS WHAT
YOUR MOM KEEPS IN THE LASAGNA BOX
— A

Aspen frowns looking at Hanna who visibly gulps with an exhale, "Are you two okay?" Kate asks.

"Yeah, oh, yeah, it's just my mom, wondering what time I'll be home for dinner and what time Aspen can pick up Bowie" Hanna explains confusing Kate.

"My puppy" Aspen speaks up seeing Kate nod now in understanding.

"Good luck today, see you at lunch Han" Aspen smiles leaving the two step siblings at their class together and walking toward her own.

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ASPEN WALKS INTO THE COURTYARD noticing Hanna walking outside as well towards the others, "Hey" Hanna says.

"Hey" the others say noticing Noel staring at Aspen, "Ew" Aspen scoffs facing her back away from the male.

"Where's the monster?" Emily asks, "Who?" Hanna wonders confused, "Kate" Aria explains.

"Oh, she's at orientation, and she's being freakishly nice to me" Hanna frowns, "So why do you look like that?" Spencer questions.

"Do you think that Caleb still has that video file somewhere? Because A thinks he does" Hanna voices seeing Aspen stand beside her once again.

"What are you talking about?" Aria asks, "Aspen and I got a text saying to call off my 'techno-boy-toy and best friend'" Hanna explains.

"A maybe just got their wires crossed" Spencer suggests, "Yeah, maybe they're just like a step behind or something" Aria adds looking away from Aspen who squints seeing through the nervousness of all three girls.

"Since when is A ever a step behind?" Aspen shrugs.

The bell rings signalling lunch is over and for those who have class to get to it immediately.

"Where are you guys going?" Hanna questions, "Uh, we have chem" Emily explains.

"Um, we'll talk to you both later, okay?" Aria smiles holding onto her books.

"Look, Hanna, Aspen, I know it's not great timing" Spencer starts to explain.

"Where are you going? To hang out with your family?" Hanna scoffs.

"What?" Spencer asks stopping from walker into the school hallways.

"Spence, we used to be members, I know you guys are pissed at me for destroying the flash drive, but you can't just shut me and Aspen out, I did this to protect Caleb, and I would do it for any one of you if I could, at least Aspen understands" Hanna voices with a hurt voice.

Turning towards Aspen who nods and the two of them walk into the school towards their lockers.

Getting out of her car walking into her apartment after grabbing Bowie off Ashley and thanking her for looking after him for the day.

Aspen sighs sitting on the living room sofa exhausted hearing Bowie whine and jump on her lap cutely.

"You're so goddamn cute" Aspen states in a puppy voice laughing seeing Bowie's head turn at the voice.

After a while of sitting around studying in her apartment Aspen walks downstairs to wait for her take-out.

Since she couldn't be bothered to cook for the night and to grab some puppy treats from her friend in the kitchen.

"Thank you so much" Aspen smiles taking her order off the waitress and walking back towards the staircase not watching when she's going and bumping into a hard chest.

"Asp" a familiar voice states sending shivers and flutters into Aspen's stomach.

"Jason?" Aspen scoffs pushing off him and walking back into her apartment upstairs without offering a goodbye to the male.

Only a slam of her apartment door alerting Bowie that she was home and angry.

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SITTING IN THE CAFETERIA AT the school with the others including Kate talking about certain things.

"So you moved here from Baltimore?" Aria questions looking at the long haired blonde girl.

"Yeah, so I can still go home on weekends and visit my friends" Kate answers with a cheery smile.

"That's nice" Emily says, "Do you have any family in Maine, by any chance?" Spencer asks, "Nope, no, all in Maryland" Kate mumbles.

"Have you ever been to Maine? The northeast harbor area?" Spencer questions earning confused glances from the whole table.

"Nope" Kate says shaking her head nervously.

Hanna clears her throat capturing Spencer's attention signalling for her to be quiet.

"So, Kate, will you be joining any clubs or sports teams?" Emily questions.

"Yeah, I was actually thinking—" Kate says, "Debate!" Spencer loudly exclaims with a clap cutting the blonde off.

"Orchestra" Kate shyly mumbles.

"Sorry, I thought I must've seen you at a debate" Spencer apologises making Kate chuckle anxiously.

"Are you sure that we haven't met before?" Spencer questions again.

"Pretty sure" Kate confirms firmly before looking at Aspen and Hanna seemingly as the both of them have made the most effort to show her around.

"So I'm gonna head to class early and introduce myself to the teacher, I will see you all soon" Kate explains with a smile.

"Bye" all five girls smile awkwardly watching Kate walk off towards her class.

Hanna directly looks at Spencer, "What are you doing?" Hanna snarls.

"I know her, I know I know her, I just don't know where I know her from" Spencer explains with a squint in her eye.

"Can you back off? I'm not gonna let her complain to my dad that my friends are giving her the fourth degree" Hanna states firmly, "It's the third degree" Spencer mutters.

"Whatever, just stop giving her degrees, okay?" Hanna snaps looking back at Aspen who looks at her food in disgust.

"Oh what the hell is going on with you?" Hanna questions snapping Aspen out of her staring contest with her celery.

"What? Oh nothing" Aspen mutters grabbing her back off to ground and walking towards her locker leaving the others in the cafeteria.

Aspen smiles seeing her Aunt Pam and Emily in the hallway walking towards her, "Aunt Pam!" Aspen shrieks excited to see her aunty.

"Look at you! You're glowing Asa!" Pam smiles embracing her niece in a tight hug, "You too" Aspen smiles looking at Emily with a smile.

"I'll talk to you soon Asa, you both should get to class" Pam suggests knowing that their next class is together for sport.

Aspen walks into the girls locker room smirking at Hanna who gapes at her phone.

"What? What's wrong?" Aspen frowns seeing her best friends look.

"Nothing" Hanna shrugs confusing the blonde who gets changed into her gym clothes.

"Hey, come on, you guys, let's go" Aria demands leaning against the wall seeing Hanna and Aspen putting their gym bags away.

"Hanna, come on" Aria demands, "Girl, be patient, we're coming" Aspen groans hating this class with a passion.

"Spence, you coming?" Aria asks after sending an annoyed smile at Aspen.

"Uh, yeah, I'll see you guys in there" Spencer says, "Come on Ria" Aspen says walking out of the locker room ready to sweat like a pig during gym class.

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AFTER SCHOOL ASPEN RECEIVES A phone call from her Aunt Pam explaining dinner tonight and that she should join her, Emily and Maya.

Aspen happily agrees and gets ready for dinner at her apartment since the dinner is happening below in the Grille.

Aspen comes down the staircase noticing Noel and Maya smiling at laughing together.

"Hey Maya" Aspen smiles getting the brunettes attention.

"Aspen, hey" Maya smiles hugging the blonde who's glaring daggers at Noel, "Spen, how are you doing?" Noel smirks in a taunting way.

"Maybe you should ask your brother?" Aspen responds in a smug way shutting the Kahn boy up and stomping out of the Grille with a pissed off look on his face.

"Oh hey Em" Aspen smiles letting her cousin and Maya have some time together while she goes over to Pam grabbing their table.

"You look gorgeous!" Pam voices looking at her niece's extremely skinny figure in jeans and a nice long sleeve top.

"Thanks" Aspen smiles following the woman towards their table sitting down together.

After a while of eating and conversation between the four of them.

Maya's phone continues ringing to the side of her of her alerting Aspen, Emily and Pam at the constant ringing.

"Sorry about that, it's just my stalker" Maya states muting her phone shocking all three of them sat at the table, "Excuse me" Pam voices.

"Oh, nothing, I'm just kidding, I dated this guy at true north, and he's having trouble accepting that it's over, but it's cool, everything's fine" Maya explains seeing Aspen nod biting her lip.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that" Pam says awkwardly.

Aspen watches with a frown Maya's weird behaviour before excusing herself and hugging her aunt and cousin goodbye and waving to Maya walking upstairs to her apartment exhaling at the wild dinner that just happened.

Seeing Hanna waiting at her doorstep, "Han?" Aspen frowns noticing the tears and frustration on the blonde's face.

"I'm not staying long, Caleb's coming over but I just wanted to tell you, Spencer and the others went behind our backs and are still working on the phone" Hanna explains seeing Aspen nod overwhelmed.

"Wait, Caleb too?" Aspen gasps seeing Hanna nod and gesture for a bottle of water in which Aspen nods silently telling her to help herself.

"Well, good luck Han and if you need me, I'll be here—watching god knows what and avoiding Jason" Aspen states seeing Hanna look up wide eyed.

"Jason's back? Oh my god that's why you've been weird all day!" Hanna gasps.

"Oh yeah, his back and still calling me Asp and thinking everything's okay when it's not" Aspen grunts frustrated.

"Just don't hurt yourself please Spen, and same goes, I love you" Hanna states hugging Aspen goodbye and leaving the apartment to go talk to Caleb about going behind her back.

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LATER ON THAT NIGHT ASPEN drives around town after dropping something off at Pam and Emily's house.

Seeing Caleb on his bike heading towards the Cavanaugh house, hearing a siren wail blocking Caleb's bike from riding away.

Aspen frowns pulling over seeing Garrett talk to Caleb which looks more than a threat than anything.

Aspen scowls having enough of Garrett pulling the car forwards trying to hit the male.

"Yo! Garrett, keep going like this and I'll take your job" Aspen snarls filming what the deputy is doing to the male.

"Caleb, put your bike on the back of my car and let's go" Aspen demands looking her best friend who nods placing his bike on the back of the vehicle and gets into the passenger seat.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into Aspen" Garrett voices.

"You think trying to hit someone with your squad car is threatening to me? You're wrong Garrett, you let Jenna ruin you! Good luck finding a job if you continue harassing all of us" Aspen taunts with a smile before getting back into her car and driving away from the angry police officer.

"You okay?" Aspen questions looking at Caleb who nods, "Yeah, thanks" Caleb responds.

"Always" Aspen smiles pulling up to her apartment.

"You're staying here tonight, okay?" Aspen demands seeing Caleb nod and follow her into her apartment immediately being greeted by Bowie at the front door.

"Guest bedroom is set up for you" Aspen explains motioning to the bedroom.

"Thank you, Aspen" Caleb smiles grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and walking into the bedroom with Bowie following him.

"I've gotta go to Hanna's, feel free to do anything here Caleb, wifi password is on the fridge" Aspen explains.

"Thanks Spen" Caleb responds patting Bowie's head hearing his owner leaving the apartment.

Arriving at Hanna's house Aspen lets herself in and walks into Hanna's bedroom seeing Spencer looking at her nervously.

"I'm sorry" Spencer voices seeing Aspen walking towards her with open arms.

"Shush, nothing to apologise for" Aspen states hugging the Hastings girl seeing Hanna climbing onto her bed with cups of tea to help them relax.

"I was so stupid, I thought if we could use the phone to nail A once and for all, it'd be worth the risk" Spencer states, "Makes sense" Hanna shrugs.

"I don't know, we got nothing from the I.D, It was a complete dead end" Spencer explains.

Aspen looks at Hanna knowing what she's gonna say due her being with her that day.

"I'm not so sure, I didn't tell you this earlier 'cause I was mad, but Aspen and I have seen Ali with dark hair before" Hanna reveals.

"You have?" Spencer frowns looking at both blondes who nod, "Yeah, about two years ago" Aspen comments.

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'ASPEN SUGGESTED TO Hanna that the two of them go to the hairdresser together—the one Ashley made an appointment for Hanna and Aspen just made herself one.

Hanna immediately accepted feeling the closest the to the eldest friend.

"Vivian, listen to me, it's fierce" the hair stylist states to a brunette sitting beside Hanna and Aspen.

"Can you please get miss Darkbloom a cup of coffee?" the same stylist asks his apprentice who nods with smile.

"Oh, it's your first time here, isn't, honey?" the stylist questions seeing Aspen already begin with her cut and change of hair-colour.

"Yeah" Hanna shyly responds, "Okay" the stylist smiles stepping to the side seeing the woman hand the brunette a cup of coffee.

"You want cream or sugar, Vivian?" Luke—the stylist wonders.

"No thanks, I don't like it sweet" the brunette answers while Aspen and Hanna look at one another recognising that voice anywhere.

"Ali?" Hanna questions out loud, "Hanna? Spen? What are you two doing here?" Alison in her Vivian costume asks stunned seeing the two sitting beside her.

"This is my hair stylist, I've been coming here since I was 12" Aspen explains seeing Alison nod.

"My mom made me an appointment, I didn't know you came here, your hair looks great, I didn't even recognize you" Hanna responds quietly.

"Just trying something new, testing the waters, here's the thing, I'm pretending to be someone else, so play along" Alison smirks seeing Aspen sigh loudly and thank the woman handing her a cup of mineral water.

"Okay, but why?" Hanna frowns.

"Because I'm bored, I do it a lot, you should try it some time, Aspen does it sometimes too, I mean, aren't you just sick and tired of being you?" Alison chuckles seeing Aspen look at her and nod with smile.

Hanna smiles unsure before getting back to her hair appointment with Luke.'

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"I guess Aspen and I never told you guys before because we thought it was just typical Ali weirdness" Hanna shrugs.

"That was a weird appointment, her comment about me pretending to be someone else, weird" Aspen frowns confused before noticing Spencer's stunned face.

"What is it?" Hanna asks, "It's the name on the I.D—Vivian Darkbloom, it's gotta be, now if we can only find out where she used it, maybe we can figure out why" Spencer explains typing the name into Hanna's laptop.

"'Vivian Darkbloom' gets over 300,000 hits" Spencer states, "Is that good or bad?" Hanna shrugs.

"'Vivian Darkbloom' is a pseudonym for Vladimir Nabokov, it's an anagram of his name" Spencer reveals.

"Speak English, there were like ten big words in there I didn't understand" Hanna groans.

"He's an author, he wrote Lolita" Spencer explains.

"Is that the book with the heart-shaped glasses on the cover?" Hanna wonders curiously.

Aspen and Spencer look at the blonde shocked, "Yeah, how did you know that?" Spencer asks.

Hanna grabs something from her bookshelf showing the book itself, "I stole it—from Ali" Hanna states, "What? Why?" Aspen frowns.

"I didn't really steal it, I borrowed it, but I kept seeing her with it, and I was curious, I was supposed to give it back to her, but I never got the chance" Hanna explains watching Spencer flip open the book looking for any certain clues.

"Wait Spence! Look" Aspen exclaims seeing a claim ticket on one of the pages of the book.

Spencer, Hanna and Aspen all look at one another shocked finally finding something that could clue into Alison since her disappearance.

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THE NEXT DAY AFTER ASPEN and Spencer left Hanna's house they meet up in the hallways of school.

"Hey Spen, thank you for letting Caleb crash at yours last night" Hanna says.

"Of course, Han, I don't think Garrett will be messing with me anytime soon" Aspen chuckles hearing her phone chime in her hand seeing an incoming text from Hanna.

"Han, no! Oh my god" Aspen groans confusing Hanna in front of her.

"Thanks, Marin, you made my day" Noel states with a smirk, "What?" Hanna asks confused.

"You really are the biggest pig ever" Aspen says looking at Noel before gagging seeing Emily rushing towards her and Hanna.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Emily exclaims shocked, "About what?" Hanna questions.

"If that's taking the high road, what's the low road?" Emily wonders.

"Did you have a stroke? You promised you wouldn't say anything" Spencer gasps standing in front of the blonde Marin girl.

"Hanna, why would you do this? You're gonna be in so much trouble" Aria comments.

"Can one of you guys please tell me what I did?" Hanna shrieks panicked.

Aspen hands Hanna her phone since she's holding onto it showing an explicit photo of Kate taken in the locker room.

"I didn't do this, where would I have even taken that picture?" Hanna asks shocked handing Aspen her phone back.

"It looks like it was taken in the girls' locker room" Emily explains while Aspen notices the panicked look anywhere.

Hanna didn't take that photo and someone is framing her, "No, I did not send this to you guys" Hanna mutters.

"Hanna, you didn't just send it to us, you sent it to everybody in your address book" Aria explains hearing Hanna sigh horrified and noticing everyone looking at her in disgust in the hallway.

"If you didn't send this—" Aria suggests, "Do we even have to ask?" Spencer mutters in a slight whisper watching everyone laugh, sneer and look at Hanna and them in pure shock.

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TO BE CONTINUED...