chapter ten
keep your friends close
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The girls stood with Hanna at her locker as she looked into her mirror. "Okay, I need to ask you guys something and I need you guys to be totally honest with me." she said as she turned to her friends. "Alright" Josie said, along with agreements from the other girls. "Is this side of my face fatter than this side?" She asked as she showed them both sides of her face. "No." they all replied in unison before Aria looked out into the hall. "Is that Ian?" she asked, all of them looked over to see him standing in the hallway, shaking hands with a student. "Yeah." Emily responded.

"I hear he's the new field hockey coach. Does Melissa know he's back?" Emily asked Spencer. "I don't know why she ever broke up with him." Hanna pointed out. "She didn't. He broke up with her." Spencer clarified just before Mona came over to them and handed us envelopes. "Hey! The first one is for my bestie. And one for each of you, my bestie's other friends." Mona said as she handed out invitations. "Oh, uh, what's this?" Aria asked, confused.

"Oh, nothing. Only an invitation to the most awesome birthday party ever. Camp Mona." She said excitedly. "Camp Mona?" Josie questioned. "Don't let the camping part scare you. It's glamping, not camping. M is for Mona and massages, not mosquitoes." She clarified before she walked away to hand out more invitations. "Why is Mona inviting us to her birthday party?" Spencer asked, an amused smile painted her lips. "Well, she knows that we're friends again and she's just....trying to reach out to you. She's trying to be nice. So are you gonna go?" Hanna asked, but her friends were quiet for a moment.

"I know she's your friend, but..." Spencer trailed off, not wanting to upset Hanna. "I think I'm gonna have to pass. I've got this..." Aria trailed off, not knowing what to say. "I just have a lot to do this weekend." Spencer said, saving Aria. "Me too." Aria, Josie and Emily added but before Hanna could say anything, our phones rang.

UNKNOWN ID
Camp Mona's a scavenger hunt
and I'm the prize.
Come and find me, bitches.
⎯A

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Apparently cops were at the school. great. "What could they have found?" Hanna asked as she, Emily, Spencer and Josie stood in the hallway talking about it. "I don't know." Josie muttered as Aria joined them. "Hey, what's going on?" She asked. "The cops are here." Hanna told her. "I heard they found something of Alison's." Spencer let out before the loudspeaker started talking.

"Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Josette Carmen, Emily Fields, and Hanna Marin, please come to the office." the announcement said, which caused the girls to share a look. As they sat in the office waiting for someone to come in, Hanna checked her phone. Apparently she was meant to meet up with Mona when a woman and a man walked in. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Agent Cooper." She introduced herself as she handed her card to Spencer. "FBI?" Spencer asked, making everyone confused. Why were the FBI here? Josie thought as the girls shared a look.

"This is my partner, Agent Randall and we're here because the bureau was asked by the local authorities to assist in the investigation of Alison DiLaurentis' murder. I wanna show you something that was sent to the Rosewood Police Department by an anonymous source." Agent Cooper said as she turned the t.v on. "The family has given me permission to show it to the five of you." She said as she pressed play, making the friends look over at the t.v seeing Alison wearing the yellow top, the one she wore the night she was killed but she also was wearing an army green jacket on, one that the girls didn't recognize, they also noticed that she was at the kissing rock.

"Wanna see more? I know you want to. If the girls know I was seeing you, oh my god, they would not stop talking about it. I wish they were more mature, but," she cut herself off. "We don't have a lot of time. I have to get back before they wake up." She said as she smiled at whoever was on the other side. "I know you wanna kiss me." She said, but that's where it stopped on her smiling face. "Is there anything you can tell me about what you see?" Agent Cooper asked. "They're at the kissing rock. It's in the woods behind the lake." Emily replied. "I-I think this was taken the night Alison disappeared." Aria stammered. "She was wearing that yellow top." Josie said. "Wait, That's not her sweater." Hanna said.

"Are you sure?" Agent Cooper asked. "Ask me what's in each one of our closets and I'll give you an itemized list. I know clothes." Hanna replied. "I think she's talking to the older boy." Spencer said. "So called, uh, mystery boyfriend?" Agent Cooper questioned. "Alison didn't want us to know who he was." Spencer replied. "Was he an older high school boy?" Agent Cooper asked. "She only told me enough to make it a secret." Spencer replied. "Hm. Alison liked secrets, huh?" she asked. "She thought sharing secrets kept us close." Emily replied. "They do, but secrets are made to be found out with time." Agent Cooper finished.

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"The fbi? seriously?" Richie asked, shocked. "Yup" Josie said, popping the 'p' on yup. "But onto something else, less disturbing. Mona invited me and the girls to her birthday party," Josie said as they sat down in the courtyard. "What?" Richie asked as he looked up his friend in confusion. "Yeah, weird, but she's Hanna's friend and I think she's trying to include us so she doesn't lose Hanna" Josie replied as she unscrewed the cap of her water bottle.

"I suppose. Are you guys going?" He asked but Josie just shrugged. "No idea, it's a kind gesture but even if it is glamping and not camping I hate it, remember when my dad took me when I was seven? I came back terrified." She said as she cringed at the memory of her slipping over in mud and getting bit by bugs. "Yeah I remember, your mother went off on your dad about it" he said as they shared a laugh. "Speaking of your father, have you heard from him recently?" he asked. "Sent flowers when he heard about Alison and he called but not since, he's been pretty busy lately." She replied and Richie nodded as they continued to make small talk till the bell rang.

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The girls filled Josie in, saying that they were going to go to Mona's party and hunt for A and that's why they met up at Spencer house. The girls saw Melissa and Ian talking in the kitchen. "I just want to take you out for coffee." Ian told her but Melissa just ignored him and turned Spencer and the girls. "You guys are going camping? Cute." She said before going for the stairs. Spencer went after her while the girls watched as they talked and Melissa eventually gave in. "Coffee. That's it." She said, "Okay." he said as they walked out of the door. "Since when are you mending Melissa's relationships?" Aria asked her. "I kind of owe it to her." Spencer shrugged. "What's she ever done for you?" Emily questioned.

"It's more about what did I do to her." She said but when she saw the girls staring at her, making her sigh. "I'm the reason Wren and her broke up. We had a moment and...Melissa saw us.'' Spencer said. "A moment?" Emily asked. "Yeah, and it gets worse." she said as she looked at her hands. "Melissa doesn't know this part. I also had a moment with Ian." she confessed. "Shut up." Hanna said in disbelief as she stared at Spencer. "He's such a creep," Josie muttered. "It was early in the summer before Alison went missing. It was just one kiss but after they broke up, we started seeing each other. I feel like the poster child for poor judgement." Spencer revealed before she started putting stuff on the counter. "You could've told us, Spencer." Emily Josie said softly.

"Really? 'Cause Ali knew about the first kiss and she thought I was awful." Spencer told them. "Well, we are not Ali." Aria replied. "I should not tell Melissa, right?" Spencer asked. "Right." All of the girls said in sync when suddenly Alison's picture was on the TV screen. "Spence, turn the TV up." Hanna asked. "Authorities searched the family home earlier today and initial reports have confirmed that a bloodstain on the sweater is a match to the victim's. If you just tuned in, the police have issued a warrant for the arrest of missing Rosewood teen, Toby Cavanaugh. He is wanted for the murder of Alison DiLaurentis." The reporter said, making the girls share a look. "The sweater is Toby's." Hanna let out.

"No, Alison was not dating Toby. There's no way that that's the guy she's talking to in the video." Aria said, as Josie shook her head, trying to clear her head. "Aria, you saw the news. They have proof." Hanna spoke. "If it's Toby's sweater, then he has to be the boy at the kissing rock." Spencer added. "Is it finally over?" Emily asked. "No. Toby's been missing for weeks. It won't be over until he's behind bars." Spencer replied.

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Spencer, Aria and Josie arrived at Camp Mona. "Welcome to Camp Mona!" She exclaimed as they handed her their gifts. "Aww, thank you! Whatever you got me, I'm pretty sure I'll love it, and if not, I'll return it." She replied. Before she turned and grabbed three bags for each of them. "Swag." she said as she handed them large 'swag' bags."Thanks." the girls said in unison as Josie pulled out a shirt from the bag that said 'camp mona', "Oh, it's, um... subtle." she joked, making Mona smile. "Okay, tour time. So, over here, we have the massage tent, the mani-pedi area, the blow me bar, and the mini bags," she said as she gave us a tour when she became distracted. "Excuse me." she said to the girls before walking off. "Um, did I just see you eat a cookie?" she said and walked over to some girl causing Spencer, Aria and Josie shared a look and scoffed.

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When Emily showed up and she explained to them Toby cornered her and explained that Toby had come to her and explained everything. "He came back to tell me that he's innocent and that he didn't hurt Ali." Emily said. "He's lying." Spencer deadpanned, as Josie sighed. "We have to tell the police." Aria replied as she looked at her friends when her phone suddenly went off. It was Hanna. "Hey." Aria answered as the rest of them watched Aria talk to Hanna. "Hey, how's my friend mona?" Hanna asked from the other side of the phone. "uh... she's mona." Aria trailed off. "Well, I'm leaving in ten, and if 'A's watching you, i'll be watching her," Hanna replied. "

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Aria asked, concerned but Hanna brushed her off "Aria, I went to fat camp for five summers, I can handle some woods," Hanna replied, assuring her friends she was fine. "Hanna, listen, Emily saw Toby." Aria said but when Hanna didn't reply she spoke again. "Hello?" she asked but it was clear the call had ended. "God, service out here sucks," Aria said as all their phones rang again. "It's A," Josie said.

UNKNOWN ID
You found my bracelet,
Now come find me.
Good luck, bitches.
⎯ A

"I think we're supposed to go where we found Ali's bracelet." Josie suggested. "That was in the middle of nowhere." Aria replied. "Uh, actually it was 15 steps east of the half point tree which is 136 steps from the main road." Spencer told us. "You're a freak and I love you." Aria told her, making Josie laugh. As they stood up to go but Mona peaked her head in the tent. "Emily, Aria, it's your turn to get blown." Mona said. "Well It has to look like we're here for the party so go glamp and we'll be back before it gets dark." Josie said to them as she and Spencer headed out of the tent and went looking.

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After searching and ending up finding a bracelet with Jenna's name on it, with a note, the two headed back to find Aria and Emily, who were walking out of a tent with their hair done."Wow" "Oh god." Josie and Spencer said in unison, as they tried to stop themselves from laughing. "Shut up." Aria huffed. "What happens if you touch it?" Spencer asked as she and Josie reached for it. "Did you find anything?" Emily said them with crossed arms after they had pulled their hands from their hair. The girls nodded and gestured for them to come to the side. "Guy's check it out," Spencer said as she pulled out the pouch, pulled out a bracelet with 'JENNA' on it. "Is Jenna telling us that she's A?" Emily asked. "I don't think so. There's something else." Spencer replied and showed them the note, which read. "You're as in the dark as Jenna, looking for me in all the wrong places.' "Well, if this is the wrong place, then what's the right place?" Aria asked, causing Josie to shake her head. "I have no clue," she said with a huff.

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Spencer and Josie were sitting at the small fire at camp mona. The letter was still fresh in Josie's mind as thought of the message, it didn't make sense, until it did, if they were looking in the wrong places maybe they had to look in the right places. Wright playground. Josie gasped and hit Spencer, who was next to her on the arm, making the girl turn towards her in alarm. "What Josie-stop hitting me." Spencer said, as Josie stood up. "A says we were looking in the wrong place right? But what if we were to look in the right place?" Josie said, and for a moment it was silent as Spencer figured it out, as when she did, she stood up as well. "Wright playground" Spencer said, making Josie nod and the two took off in the way of Wright playground.

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Spencer and Josie had made it to the playground. "I think you're actually enjoying this." Josie said as she and Spencer walked through the woods and soon enough they got to the playground. They looked around, trying to see if they could find something before they heard a noise behind them, causing them to turn around seeing a swing in motion. "This is pointless," Josie huffed as she shone her flashlight around the playground and as they were walking around Spencer caught sight of something. "Jo," she whispered, getting Josie's attention as she walked towards a tree, Josie following her. On the tree was "ALISON +" but they couldn't see the rest, so Josie picked up a stick and moved the leaves of the way, making them able to see the full sentence. "ALISON + IAN" the two girls couldn't say anything because Hanna had sent them a text.

Hanna Marin
S.O.S. I know who 'A' is.
Heading to the parking lot.

Josie had never run as fast as she had just now as her and Spencer took off to find Hanna. After meeting up with Aria and Emily, the girls ran to the parking lot, catching sight of Hanna as they ran to meet with her but all of a sudden a car came speeding through the parking lot. "Hanna! Watch out!" Aria screamed, making Hanna turn just as the car hit Hanna, making the girls scream as they watched Hanna slump to the floor. "Hanna!" The girls yelled out as they ran to her as the car sped off. "Call 9111" Spencer said as she and the girls reached Hanna and as they tried to call for help when their phones went off.

UNKNOWN ID
She knew
too much
⎯ A

Josie cried as she held Hanna's hand as she and the girls waited for help. It had been a shit night. Her and Spencer finding the tree now hanna being run over, she wanted this to be over already.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter <3