chapter fifty two
that girl is poison
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"I thought Hanna was joining us for Dinner." Emily said to Spencer and the girls as they walked away from Emily's house. "Hanna hasn't eaten since tuesday." Spencer responded. "Should we grab a pizza and go over there?" Emily asked. "Not unless the topping is Caleb." Josie responded. "If you guys want to go see her, can you just go without me?" Aria asked, making them look at her. "I already feel bad enough that I convinced her to tell Caleb," Aria said. 

"With or without you, she was backed into a corner." Emily told Aria. "Yeah, this 'A' does not feel like a high school girl playing games." Spencer said. "Okay, well, if you figure out those rules, can you tell the rest of us?" Aria asked. "You know what? I'm not really hungry anymore," Emily said. "Me either." Josie agreed. "Yeah, my stomach's in a knot." Aria added. "So's my neck." Spencer said. "I haven't been able to brush the back of my head in, like, a year and a half." Spencer explained. "Spence, don't let Wilden freak you out." Aria advised.

"Aria's right, plus if the police really knew that we were lying about the lake house–" Josie started. "It's not just the lake house. What about the negatives of that picture, Ali's missing body, all the things we buried with her, any of that could get us arrested." Emily cut her off. "It's my neck again," Spencer remarked as a police car and an ambulance pulled up down the street.

The girls walked towards it, wanting to know what was happening. "Are they going to Jenna's?" Aria asked. "Garrett's" Emily answered. "Well, who else lives in his house besides his parents?" Aria asked. "I don't think they've been outside since he's been arrested." Emily answered. "Having a son in jail for two murders might keep you indoors." Spencer remarked as Josie crossed her arms, pulling her jacket tighter around herself.

The girls watched as Garrett's mother was brought out by the paramedics. "That's him mom, that's Mrs. Reynolds." Emily told them as they watched she was loaded into the ambulance. "Guys." Aria suddenly blurted out, gaining their attention. "What? What is it?" Spencer asked before they all looked where Aria was. "Over there, there was a hoodie watching." Aria said as she pointed to a space in between trees.

But there was no one there, least not anymore. "What are you saying?" Josie asked her. "You think 'A' was out here watching us?" Emily asked. "Are you sure?" Spencer asked her. "Why–why would 'A' care about Garrett's mother?" Emily asked. "Maybe 'A' wanted her out of the house." Josie suggested as they all looked at the scene in front of them.

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"What happened to keeping a low profile? Stay blind because she's a target?" Emily asked as she, Josie and Spencer were standing outside in the courtyard before class, watching as Jenna walked around, without her glasses on, obviously letting people know she can see and handing out something. "Look at her." Emily said. "How can you miss her? She's been gliding around school all day like a thanksgiving float." Josie remarked. "We should say something to her." Emily said before she began walking away.

"No. Wait." Spencer said, stopping her. "Did you get Aria's text about Lucas and the photo studio?" She asked them and Josie nodded. "Yeah, what was that about?" Emily asked. "Aria said that she knows the photographer who owns that studio and it's on the same block where she, Hanna and I saw Lucas on that night." Josie explained to her.

"So now we think Lucas took the photos in the graveyard?" Emily asked. "Well, maybe, but then why was he pounding to get in there?" Spencer responded. "I can't think about this now. I have a calculus test." Emily said before going to walk away. "Wait, Em, there's something else." Spencer said, stopping Emily again. "My mom left her tablet out on the table this morning." she said as she pulled a piece out of her bag and handed it to Emily. 

"What is this?" Josie asked as she and Emily looked over it. "They're letting Garrett out," she said, making Emily and Josie look up at her in shock. "To see his mother. It's called compassionate furlough." Spencer answered. "What has he done to deserve compassion?" Emily snapped. "She's probably really sick." Spencer said, referring to Garrett's mother.

"So basically they're giving him a get-out-of-jail-free card?" Emily asked. "Em, this might be his last time to say goodbye to her." Josie said softly. "At least he gets a chance." Emily snapped. She understood Emily's anger, she did, but this was Garrett's mother. "Do you want to talk about this later?" Spencer asked as Emily screwed the paper up. "What's there to talk about? We have no power, who cares what we think?" Emily responded.

"I do." Spencer answered. "What if 'A' put Garrett's mom in the hospital to get Garrett out of jail?" Spencer asked. "Maybe the plan is to meet up with the person who's really helping him." She added and Josie nodded. "It would explain what Aria saw hiding in the shadows last night." she said. "Em, Mona might not be the only person in Rosewood who owns a black hoodie." Spencer said when Josie noticed Jenna heading their way.

"Oh god, don't look. She's coming over here." Josie said, making Emily and Spencer look towards her. "Who?" Emily. "The float. She's carrying something. Envelopes." Josie answered as Emily moved to stand beside Spencer. "What's in them?" Emily asked. "Anthrax." Spencer snarked, making Josie bite her lip so she didn't laugh as Jenna approached them.

"Hi. Here's one for you, for you and for you." Jenna said, handing the girls an envelope each. "I haven't seen Aria, Richie or Hanna, can I trust that you'll pass them on?" Jenna asked, handing them Aria and Hanna's envelopes while handing Richies to Josie. "What is this?" Spencer asked her. "Oh, they're invitations," she answered. "It's my birthday." she explained.

"And you recovered just in time." Emily sassed. "The doctors say it's a positive outcome." Jenna responded. "No. What the hell is this, Jenna?" Spencer asked, holding her envelope. "We thought you needed protection, we had a deal." Josie said. "Well, this is the new deal. I feel a lot safer when I'm In charge of what happens to me." Jenna answered. "Hope to see you at the party." she said sweetly before walking off.

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"Here." Josie said as she approached Richie had his locker. "What is this?" he asked, taking the envelope from her hands. "It's an invitation to Jenna Marshall's birthday party." she answered as Richie shut his locker and looked at her confused. "Blind Jenna?" he asked and she shook her head. "Not-so-blind Jenna." she answered, making him more confused than he already was.

"Wait, back up? What do you mean 'Not-so-blind Jenna'?" he asked. "She can see again," she answered, making him blink in shock. "Wow, okay." he said before looking at the envelope then to her again. "Are you going?" he asked and she sighed. "I guess." she answered. "Well then I'll go as well." he told her with a smile. "You don't have to, you know?" she asked as they walked down the hall, her hand in his. "I know, but... got nothing else better to do, and plus, free food." he said, making her laugh and nod her head. "I guess so." she mused before squeezing his hand.

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Later that day, Aria and Josie were at Spencer's place. "You bought him groceries?" Josie asked Aria. "It was not groceries. It was two sandwiches," Aria responded. "And believe me, I'm still paying for it, you should have seen the look that he gave me." she added. "Well, he's your boyfriend, Aria, he's not a baby squirrel." Spencer told her. "I'm just trying to do the right thing." Aria responded to Spencer. "Totally wrong. Look, I've been there, done that." Spencer told her.

"Everything you baby-squirrel Ezra you're taking away his nuts." Spencer added. she added, making Aria and Josie look at her weirdly. "You did not just say that?" "What?" Aria and Josie asked at the same time. "I did, but I don't think I meant to." Spencer responded as Aria's phone went off. "Is that Emily?" Josie asked. "Ezra." Aria corrected.

"Oh, did he find his nuts?" Spencer asked as Aria sat down next to her and Josie as Josie laughed and Aria gave Spencer an unamused look. "Ha." she deadpanned. "He just got an invitation to Jenna's birthday party." she told them. "Wait. Now Fitz is invited?" Spencer asked. "Yeah." she answered. "Well, apparently Jenna wants to see her favourite teacher for the first time." Aria explained, causing Josie and Spencer to sigh. "What the hell is she up to?" Aria grumbled as she looked at her phone.

"Spencer, how are you able to write a paper during all of this?" Aria asked. "I'm not. I'm breaking and entering into my mom's email account." Spencer responded. "Why?" Aria asked. "Because I want to see what time Garrett's being released." she told them. "What? You want to stand outside the hospital and protest?" Josie joked. "No. I want to be inside, so I can see who he's really visiting and my guess is that face is gonna be a lot easier to read under hospital lights than a street lamp." Spencer answered. 

Later on, Hanna joined the girls at Spencer's after Spencer had called her to come over. "Well, where is my invitation? I want to at least see it." Hanna said as she entered the Hastings house. "Are you coming from Yoga?" Spencer asked, noticing Hanna's attire. "No, home." she answered. "Why are you dressed like that?" Spencer asked.

"Because, Spencer, I'm too depressed to work a zipper, all right get over it." Hanna exclaimed as turned to face Spencer before she heard talking, looking to see Aria sitting on the stairs on the phone. "Who's she talking to?" she asked. "Emily, who apparently has to work Jenna's party." Josie responded. "Seriously?" Hanna asked and they nodded. "Well, I can beat that." she remarked as she sat down on Spencer's couch.

"I have to spend my saturday night sorting out velour track suits at church." Hanna told them as Josie and Spencer joined her on the couch. "Why?" they asked. "My mom found out that I cut school, and now she signed me up for a triple shift." she explained. "God," she scoffed. "If you thought I was depressed before..." she trailed off as Aria stood up and joined them.

"It gets weirder." Aria told them. "What's up?" Josie asked. "Hey, Han, how are you feeling?" Aria asked and then she noticed Hanna's outfit. "I don't think I've seen you in sweats—" Aria started. "She can't work a zipper. Just move on, what did Emily say?" Spencer said, cutting Aria off. "So Paige is invited to the party too, and now Laurel Tuchman is shooting it." Aria explained. "Laurel Tuck-what?" Hanna asked. "Laurel Tuchman," Aria corrected her. "Isn't she the photographer whose class you took last summer?" Josie asked and Aria nodded.

"Go on." Spencer said. "Well, Emily may have overheard why Lucas was banging on that door." she told them. "Laurel fired her assistant because he was using the studio to develop his own prints." she explained. "And now he wants the negatives." Spencer said in realization. "Where are you going with this?" Hanna asked. "To an open grave that he took pictures of." Spencer answered. "And you think Lucas dug it up by himself?" Hanna asked. "The kid can barely lift his chemistry book." she added.

"Well, he's tall enough to reach the pedals on a backhoe." Aria said. "Let's just stay with Jenna, all right?" Hanna asked. "That's who Emily remembers driving that car that night. Why can't she be it?" Hanna asked. "They can all be it." Josie spoke up.  "Josie's right, why is Garrett being released the same night of Jenna's party?" Aria asked.

"Yeah, exactly, what is the purpose of this party?" Spencer asked as held an invitation. "Is it really to celebrate Jenna's birthday, or is it just to get us all in the same room so she can drop a vat of pig's blood on us?" she asked. "She's not dropping anything on me, I won't be there, no one will." Hanna said. "I mean who wants to go to that stupid party anyways?" Hanna asked and Josie sighed, looking down, messing the rings on her fingers. "Me." Aria answered. "Me as well, Richies' going so..." Josie trailed off as Hanna and Spencer looked at the two like they were crazy.

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"You ready?" Richie asked as he and Josie sat in his car out front The Brew where Jenna's party was being held. "As ready as I'll ever be." Josie answered before the couple got out of the car and headed towards The Brew. As soon as they entered they were blown away at how nice the place looked. "Wow." Richie muttered, shocked. Jenna approached them with a smile. "Richie, Josie, you made it." she said with a smile, looking between the couple.

"Happy birthday Jenna." Josie said with a soft smile as Richie nodded and soon enough they were standing in a corner, waiting on Aria and Ezra. "There they are." Richie said, pointing to them as he spotted them entering and watching Jenna walk up to them. "Let's wait till Jenna isn't around, her staring is creeping me out." Josie huffed and Richie snickered and not a moment later Aria was approaching Josie and Richie.

"Hey." she greeted and the couple greeted her back. "Where's Em?" Aria asked Josie. "The kitchen I'd assume, she's working tonight, remember?" Josie asked and Aria nodded. "Come with me." Aria said, pulling Josie's arm. "I'll be back." she said to Richie who nodded and went to get some food for them. Aria and Josie entered the kitchen. "Hey!" Aria and Josie greeted Emily but then they saw Paige as well. "Hi, paige." They greet her.

"Hi." She greets them with a smile but Josie could feel the tension in the room. "What's up?" Emily asked them as Josie and Aria looked between them. "Nothing. We'll talk later." Aria said and they were going to leave. "You know, I'm leaving, I shouldn't really be back here anyway." Paige said, stopping them. "It's a no-friend zone." Paige said pointedly to Emily before leaving, making Emily sigh.

"What was that about?" Josie asked as Aria started looking for something. "Nothing," Emily answered Josie before looking at Aria. "What are you looking for?" she asked as she refilled glasses. "Laurel's equipment, she said it was back here." Aria answered. "Is that why you wanted to know where Em was?" Josie asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, it's right there." Emily nodded over to it and Aria took the glass that Aria was rilling and walked over to Laurel's equipment. "Aria what are you doing?" Josie asked cautiously before Aria poured the drink all over the equipment. "What are you doing!?" Emily exclaimed. "I'm getting into her studio tonight." Aria explained and Josie sighed.

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Josie and Richie were standing and around talking when they heard something fall to the ground, making them turn to see Paige falling and knocking something down with her. "Are you okay?" Emily asked as she reached Paige as Josie and Richie walked towards them in case they needed help. "Are you okay?" Emily asked again. "Oh, my gosh." Emily exclaimed as she noticed Paige was bleeding on her head. "Can somebody get some ice, please?" Emily yelled out. "Everybody back up!" Some guy called out, who was on the floor with Emily and Paige.

"Are you okay? Don't move, be careful," Emily told Paige. "Is she one of your friends?" the guys asked. "Yes." Emily answered. "We should get her out of here." he said as Richie moved towards them. "Come on, my cars just out front, we'll take her to the hospital." Richie said and Emily nodded. "Come on Em," Josie said softly as she helped get Paige up and into Richies' car.

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Emily, Josie, Richie and the guys, who Josie learned was Nate, were standing around in the hospital. "Hanna," Emily called out, and Josie, Nate and Richie turn to see Hanna walking towards them. "Hey, where's paige?" Hanna asked. "Getting stitches," Emily answered before she noticed Hanna looking at Nate. "Um, this is Nate, Maya's cousin." Emily said, introducing him to Hanna.

"Hi," Hanna greeted. "Hey," Nate replied and it was awkward for a moment before Emily turned to Nate. "Nate, would you mind getting us some coffee? They said it was gonna be a while." she asked and Nate nodded. "Yeah." he said. "Thanks." she replied as he walked off, leaving them alone.

"I thought Spencer was here." Hanna said to them. "She was, she bumped into Wilden and he scared her off." Josie answered as she held onto Richie's hand as Josie watched Hanna hesitate to do something. "Han?" Josie asked and Hanna sighed before pulling a jacket out of her bag and giving it to Emily. "This was at the church?" Emily asked. "Is it yours?" Hanna asked.

"Mine had a rip in the pocket that I sewed with a pink–" Emily started but cut herself off as she found the line of pink thread. "Thread." she finished in a whisper. "This is mine." Emily said in shock. "Well, it hasn't been anywhere near a fire." Hanna quipped. "I thought you and Spencer burned everything that night?" Josie asked. "We did. How did this get to the rummage sale?" Emily asked.

"That can't be a coincidence, Spencer was right, this 'A' definitely has an agenda." Emily added. "When did you take it off that night? Because you didn't have it on at the graveyard, Emily." Hanna asked her. "Yeah, when we found you, you were shivering." Josie said. "I know I wore it to Spencer's house, that's all I remember." Emily admitted. "Did you have it in Jenna's car? Did you leave it there?" Josie asked. "Because if she's out pal now, why didn't she just give it back to you?" Hanna asked.

"I don't know. Maybe..." Emily trailed off. "Maybe Jenna wasn't the only person I saw that night." Emily said just before Hanna's phone went off, making her pull it out of her bag. "It's my mom." Hanna said with a sigh. "I've got to get back to the church or I'll be sorting old panty hose for the rest of my life." Hanna added before walking off. "Yeah, we should get going as well, let me know how's paige is okaY?" Josie asked and Emily nodded before the two of them followed Hanna out of the hospital.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter, here we go, things are getting good !!!