chapter thirty six
through many dangers, toils and snares
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one month later

The girls were in the park, doing their community service, like they had been doing for the past months, except this time, this was their last community service. "Only an hour and thirty minutes to go." Hanna said dryly, making Josie groan, she hated this and wished this was over already. "I think it's more like two hours, but who's counting?" she said as she stabbed a piece of rubbish with the stick and put it into the bag she was holding. "How many hours you got left?" one of the other people doing community service with the girls said. "Six months." another one answered. "But your momma's not a big-shot lawyer getting you and your pals community service for tampering with evidence." the other one said as she looked around at the girls.

"I thought you said they killed somebody." she asked, making Josie groan, she hated how everyone knew their business. "That's what the cops think, but the cops can't prove it." one snarked. "Cops are stupid." one laughed, making Emily snap and turn to them. "We didn't do anything." she said, causing Spencer to turn to her. "Don't talk to them." Spencer snapped as she stopped picking up trash to look at her friend. "I'll talk to anybody I want to." Emily said in defence of herself but Spencer still wasn't having it, gaining the attention of Hanna, Josie and Aria as well.

"No, you won't." Spencer shot her down, not wanting Emily to encourage people by talking to them. "And who's gonna stop me?" Emily questioned, getting annoyed, making Aria groan. "Both of you just shut up. I don't want to hear it anymore." she snapped, as she, Josie and Hanna continued picking up trash. "Did you at least think about my idea?" Emily asked Spencer, stopping what she was doing to talk to Spencer, who didn't stop. "it was a bad idea when they arrested us, it's a bad idea now." she said, not looking at Emily. "We finally have something solid. why won't you use it?" Emily asked, annoyed. "Because you can't make a deal with a rattlesnake." Spencer said, hoping it would stop Emily. "Guys, stop, please, we've had enough," Josie yelled to them, but it seemed Emily and Spencer were in their own little world. "You can if you have something the rattlesnake wants." Emily said, not hearing Josie. "Can we stop talking about snakes?" Hanna begged, annoyed with the two of them.

"Listen to me, we're not going to be making any kind of a deal with 'A'. That's final." Spencer decided. "Maybe for you, the rest of us don't have lawyers for parents." Emily said before going back to picking up trash. "Meaning what?" Spencer snapped, turning around as Hanna, Josie and Aria watched the conversation go down.

"Meaning your mom may have gotten us a deal," Emily paused, turning around. "But if they ever figure out a way to charge us for killing Ali, she'll throw the rest of us under the bus to save you... and you'd let her." Emily said, causing Spencer to throw her bag of trash at her, which Emily retaliates with shoving Spencer, making the other three friends move out of the way, careful not to get hurt.

"You guys, stop!" Josie yelled out as they watched Spencer and Emily fight and eventually roll around on the floor, trying to hit each other. "You guys are acting like kids," Aria yelled out to them as cops ran over, trying to break it up. "Cut it out guys," Josie said as she rubbed her forehead. The cops eventually got them to separate and Aria was in the middle, hands out so they wouldn't go at each other again, but Spencer made a move, making Aria jumps to help the cop keep Spencer away. "Whoa! Spencer, stop!" Aria yelled out "Stop!" she said again, trying to get the two to stop fighting, while Garrett watched the whole thing.

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"How's Spencer and Emily?" Richie asked as he and Josie walked towards their next class, which was English. Josie shrugged her shoulders. "I-i really don't know, they've been fighting alot lately, me or Aria are always the one getting in between them, i can't handle that anymore." Josie said as she linked her arm with her boyfriends. "Things will be fine, you girls are like your sisters, you've been through alot together," Richie said, trying to comfort Josie as they walked into the classroom. As they sat down, Josie noticed Spencer getting up to talk to Mrs. Montgomery, Aria's mother who was their new English teacher. "Um, this is my extra-credit report on vonnegut." she heard Spencer say as she handed it to Mrs. Montgomery. "Thank you." she answered Spencer. "So it's okay?" Spencer asked, double checking.

"I look forward to reading it." Mrs. Montgomery said, and it was silent between the two before Spencer went to sit down, just as Emily passed her and they collided, making Emily drop everything, gaining the attention of the entire class, not just Josie anymore. "Hey!" Emily yelped, not expecting it. "Sorry." Spencer apologised to her as Hanna and Aria walked into class. But Emily wasn't having it so as Spencer went to walk away she pushed Spencer's things out of her hands, making Richie frown, he knew they were fighting, but this seemed worse than what Josie had explained. Mrs. Montgomery had to intervene before something worse happened. Josie sighed, as she turned her head and made eye contact with Hanna and Aria. "Stop it!" Mrs. Montgomery said, annoyed with her daughter's friends fighting. Aria took a seat behind Josie as Hanna sat next to Aria. "I'm tired of making allowances for you guys. you're supposed to be friends. Now go sit down." Mrs. Montgomery said in a hushed voice, as she walked away, Spencer and Emily bent down to pick up their books before a cell phone message tone went off.

You were always my favourite.

Want to make a deal?

⎯ A

Emily then stood up, after checking her phone, which had been the one to go off, she looked around before seeing Mrs. Montgomery, talking to another student, she took a piece of chalk and circled the yes on the board, hoping it would give 'A' the answer it wanted before sitting down. Richie had watched the entire thing confused, why circle something on the board he thought before he looked around at each of the girls, it was clear that Spencer and Emily were fighting but Aria, Hanna and Josie were fine with each other, he sighed before deciding to talk to Josie about it later.

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"What was that?" Richie asked as he approached Josie at her locker, making her turn to him. "What was what?" she asked, confused. "The entire thing in English?" he explained, making her sigh. "Nothing, I've told you Spencer and Emily have been at odds lately, you know this," she said, shutting her locker and turning to her boyfriend, who shook his head. "No this seems different, somethings happening, what's happening?" he asked, hushed so no one else could hear their conversation. "Nothing is happening, we're just going through alot right now, okay, and I have to head home alright, mums got a late shift and I wanna see her before she has to leave, I'll call you later." Josie said before kissing him then walking off as Richie watched her go, not believing a word she said.

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Later that night, Josie was in greenhouse with Aria, Hanna and Spencer, waiting on Emily, when they heard the door to the greenhouse open, making them move from behind where they were, seeing Emily, Josie let a smile slip onto her face as they all met in the middle of the greenhouse as Emily pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket before handing it Aria and the others read it over her shoulder. "You were always my favourite, want to make a deal?" Aria read out with a smile. "'A' took the bait" Emily said as she and the girls shared smiles. "We pulled it off." Spencer said, impressed. "'A' totally thinks we're not friends anymore," Emily said as she walked around the table and the girls stood in a circle. "They think we have real evidence." Spencer piped up, making Josie laugh quietly, still proud they tricked 'A'.

"Look, does it bother anybody that we don't actually have anything, we're just making it up?" Hanna asked, looking around at her friends as Josie shrugged. "Jenna and Garrett don't know that Han," she said with a smirk. "I don't know, it just scares me that Emily's doing this alone." Hanna said, frowning. "No, No, she's not gonna be alone, we'll be outside," Aria said, hoping it would comfort Hanna that we weren't leaving Emily alone. "Yeah but it's just the five of us," Hanna said, making Emily sigh. "Hanna, everything we ask someone for help they end up as collateral damage, like Dr. Sullivan" she said. "Or a traitor, like garrett." Aria added. "It was so creepy to have to talk to him, but it was totally worth it to rattle the cage." Spencer said to Hanna as Josie shifted on her feet, nervous.

"So, Tomorrow." Aria said with a smile as she looked at her friends. "And everyone that's watching is going to believe that Emily totally went rogue and that she wa nts the box that Jason gave me." Aria said, retelling the plan, to make sure they've got everything sorted out. "The one with the evidence," Spencer said with a nod and a smile. "That doesn't really exist." Josie added as she linked her arm with Hanna's to comfort her. "Are you sure that 'A' is gonna follow Emily?" Hanna asked as she looked at her friends, who nodded. "Absolutely." Spencer said with a nod. "I'm the weakest link and the weakest link wants some payback." Emily said with a smirk.

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The next day, Josie was standing with Spencer waiting on Aria, because she had to be here if their plan was going to work. Hanna walked up to them while Spencer was trying to call Aria. "It's last event, the last heat." Hanna informed Josie and Spencer. "Where is Aria? We said that we were gonna do this together." Spencer said in frustration as she tried calling her still just as Aria showed up. "I'm sorry, it's complicated." she said, as she stood between Josie and Hanna. "So is this," Spencer replied. "She's here, it's fine." Josie said, calming Spencer down as Aria gave her a thankful smile as the doors opened, which means, plan is in motion. The girls saw Emily walk out, making them straight up.

Emily walked towards the girls as Spencer went to walk away, Emily grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. "Okay, it's every man for himself," Emily said, gaining the attention of people around them, especially Caleb and Richie who were standing together. "I want the box Jason gave Aria," she demanded. "Well you're not gonna get it," Spencer snapped, making Emily shake her head. "Guys, Spencer's only looking out for herself, we have to cut a deal with-" Emily's sentence was cut off by Spencer. "Shut up, Emily." she snapped, making people turn to them, more than before. "Where is it?" Emily asked. "It's safe," Aria said, joining the conversation. "Where?" Emily asked again.

"Don't tell her," Hanna and Josie said in sync. "It's hidden." Spencer said, hands on her hips as she stared at Emily. "And it stays hidden until I want it found," she added, causing Richie to raise an eyebrow as he watched the conversation unfold. "You forget, we all learned to keep secrets from the same person." Emily said. "I bet I know where it is," she added. "Good luck," she said, before walking off, leaving the other four surrounded by people and Josie accidentally made eye-contact with Richie and she hated the look he was giving her. "Hmm." Spencer hummed with a false smile. "Let's get out of here." Spencer said before the girls walked away as well.

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Josie was about to leave her house to get to the greenhouse, she first had to pick up Hanna but she was stopped once she saw Richie in her living room, making her sigh. "Richie, I really don't have time right now, okay, I have to meet the girls." she said as she went to leave but Richie stopped as he jumped up and stood in front of her. "Josie, talk to me, please." he begged, making her sigh as she stepped back and ran a hand over her face. "Richie, please, i've got to-" her sentence was cut off by Richie. "Spencer reminded me a lot of Alison today." he said, making her freeze and turn around to look at him. "And I know somethings up, because I know your mother didn't have a shift yesterday, I asked my mom." he said, making her sigh as she leaned back against the wall. "Why'd you lie?" he asked as she sighed. "Richie please, i will explain everything when i get back okay, please." she said as she moved to hold his face in her hands.

"Fine," he said reluctantly, causing her to sigh in relief and kiss him briefly before leaving the house. It hadn't taken Josie long to drive to Hanna's, she texted her she was there and soon enough Hanna came out of her house, but she looked like she had seen a ghost, making Josie frown. "Han, what's wrong?" she asked as she put the car into drive and headed to the meeting place. "My dad's moving to rosewood, with Isobel and Kate." she deadpanned, making Josie gasp as she kept driving. "What!?" she asked in shock as Hanna nodded. "Yep," she said, popping the 'P'.

"Richie knows' something's up, he was in my living room before i left, made a promise to try and expl-" Josie's sentence was cut off when she had hit something or more like someone. "Oh God!" She and Hanna exclaimed as Josie stopped the car as she and Hanna watched the person run off before they could even get out and soon enough they saw the girls run out of the greenhouse, causing Hanna and Josie to get out of the car to see what had happened. "Hanna! Josie!" Spencer yelled out as she, Aria and Emily ran past them, causing them to follow as well, chasing after 'A'.

They ran through the woods after 'A' for what felt like hours but eventually they stopped, it was no use, 'A' was faster than any of them, making them lose sight of 'A'. "My god, I don't believe this!" Spencer screams in frustration. "Hey, you okay?" Aria asked Emily softly as everyone caught their breath. "Yeah, I think so," she replied, out of breath. "Did I just hit who I think I did?" Josie asked, panicking as she looked at her friends. "Yes!" Spencer screamed in reply, making Josie let out a shaky breath. "And now they're gone! We've got nothing!" Spencer yelled out. "We've got nothing!" she said again and eventually the girls circled back to the greenhouse. "Was it Garrett or Jenna?" Hanna asked.

"How could it be Jenna?" Josie asked, confused as to why she thought it was Jenna when the girl was blind. "I couldn't tell." Emily answered Hanna's question, still out of breath from running. "Well, was it a boy or a girl?" Hanna asked again, making Josie let out a groan. "I don't know!" Emily answered, frustrated. "Any sense of boobs?" Hanna once again asked, making the girls stop as Spencer turned to her. "Hanna." she said, making the girls look at her. "What? It could be a clue." Hanna said, defending her questions, making Spencer sigh before she looked away, but also seeing something on the ground, shining her flashlight on it, gaining her friend's attention. "It's not mine." Spencer said as they all stared at the phone. "It's not mine." Emily added. "It's none of ours," Hanna said as they shun the flashlights on the phone on the floor as they shared a look. "Do you think when 'A' bounced off the car.." Aria trailed off. "That's 'A's cellphone," Spencer said in shock, with a smile, they finally had something.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapters <3 also countdown till season three: eleven chapters