chapter twenty nine
surface tension
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"I thought you were getting your own room." Aria said to Emily as they all stood around in Hanna's kitchen. "That was before the pipes went off behind the walls." Emily said as Hanna handed her a cup of coffee. "They had to fix the pipes and put the wall back in, so we're roomies till then." Hanna said with a big smile. "It'll be fun." Emily said, returning Hanna's smile.

"I know, it's gonna be like a sleepover that never ends." Hanna replied, causing Spencer, Aria and Josie to share a look. "Has Garrett called you about Ian's messenger?" Spencer asked Emily. "Not a sound." she replied. "Guys, we did this. We dragged Garrett into this. we just gotta trust him." Josie said.

"We're trusting him with Ian's $10,000, and I could've used some of that to replace Melissa's ring." Spencer said sadly. "And if they traced the money from Ian to you? How would you explain that?" Hanna asked as she crossed her arms. "I just don't like waiting. You know, if we're too quiet, 'A' will get bored and stir the pot." Spencer admitted as Josie nodded in agreement.

"And if we say something, 'A's gonna smack us down. I don't wanna walk into another "a-stravaganza" like that fashion show." Hanna said, while looking at Spencer while Emily scoffed. "God. The look on mrs. dilaurentis's face." she said with a shake of her head before the doorbell rang, causing Hanna to go answer it.

"This isn't about making us look like bitches anymore, is it?" Josie asked as she sat on top of the kitchen island. "No. It's about keeping us quiet." Spencer replied, making the girls sigh. "Why?" Aria asked after she had poured herself some more coffee. "Because 'A' might really be the one who killed Ali." Emily said, making Josie look down with. frown. "I mean, that's what we're all thinking, isn't it?" she asked as she looked at her friends.

"Why else go through all the trouble of setting up ian?" Spencer asked with a shrug of her shoulders as Hanna came back into the room. "You guys." she said, holding a gift basket. "Look at the card." she said and Emily took the card out of the basket, reading it out loud.

what fun, two little liras
under one roof your making it so easy
⎯ A

"It's not even good candy." Hanna complained before throwing it in the bin, making Josie sigh and shake her head.

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"I still feel so bad for Mrs. DiLaurentis," Josie said as she and Richie sat in the courtyard outside of their highschool. "It wasn't your fault, or the girls, you guys looked like a bunch of deers caught in headlights." he said, making her chuckle at the analogy. "Thank Rich," she said before she took a sip of her water. "How's your mom been, since you know, finding out you've got a half-brother?" he asked as he looked at his friend.

"She's okay, I don't think she cares much that he cheated or anything. I think it's the fact, he hasn't been there for him and has been there for me." she said, making Richie sigh. "Well, your mother can be a scary woman, she most likely threatened him." he said, causing Josie to laugh and nod her head. "Probably." she said.

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Josie was over at Hanna's, trying to study with her and Emily but Hanna's singing was beginning to annoy Emily and Josie. "I want you to say my name. What is it gonna take?" Hanna sang, making Josie sigh as she turned to Emily who held the same look of frustration. "Tonight, I'll tear you apart." Hanna basically yelled instead of Singing.

"Hanna." Emily called out, hoping to stop Hanna from singing out loud. "Off the charts" she continued to sing. "Hanna!" Emily yelled out again. "I will break." Hanna sang and Josie was getting annoyed so she grabbed a pillow and threw it at Hanna, causing her to look at the two girls. "Hey, okay, my earbuds were in. you couldn't even hear my music." Hanna complied, making Josie chuckle. "That did not stop you from singing Han," she said and Emily pointed to her in agreement.

"How'd I sound?" Hanna asked after a moment of silence. "Loud." Josie said as she turned a page in her book. "You know, we should do a video together, like all of us." Hanna suggested as Emily reached for more of her cream for her shoulder. "Not tonight." she said. "Are you okay Em?" Josie asked frowning in concern for her friend. "It's nothing." she dismissed before looking at Hanna. "What was going on with Caleb this morning?" she asked, confusing Josie in the slightest. "Business." Hanna answered, causing Josie to turn to her.

"He still has the business?" she asked. "Yeah, he does." Hanna answered. "How do you feel about that?" Emily asked her. "You sound like Dr. Sullivan." Hanna said with a scoff. "And you didn't answer my question." Emily countered before Hanna put her headphones back on and layed on her stomach and flipped through a magazine.

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The next day at School, Josie and Richie were with Aria and Emily at Emily's locker. "So, you having fun at Hanna's?" Aria asked, making Emily smile as Josie snickered, remembering last night. "Every night's a sleepover, even school nights." Emily said, making Aria raise her brow at her. "Uh-oh." Richie commented, causing Josie and Aria to chuckle. "No uh-oh." she said to him. "I'm lucky it worked out the way it did. very lucky." she said, but seeing Aria's face, one that didn't seem to believe her. "Seriously." Emily said as Spencer walked up to them. "Morning." Spencer greeted the four of them as Richie waved with a smile. "Morning." Josie said with a smile as Spencer turned to Emily. "Hey, did you talk to Garrett yet?" she asked, hoping for a good answer. "Not yet. I've been slammed with practice and the new workout." Emily explained

"Okay, uh, well, do you want me to try?" Spencer asked as Emily nodded. "Yes. you're better at getting people to talk, anyway." she said. "I am?" Spencer asked and Richie nodded. "You are." he said with a nod. "Yeah. Tag up later, okay?" Emily said before she walked off. "Okay, bye." "Bye." Aria and Spencer said in unison. "We should go as well, we don't wanna be late for class, but let me know how it goes with Garrett." Josie said. "Sure," Spencer said before Richie and Josie walked off, heading to their next class.

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Josie was hanging out with Hanna and Emily at Hanna's as Hanna explained her conversation with Caleb. "He's never told anyone, but he told me." Hanna said as she laid on her bed, facing the two girls. "Because he trusts you Han," Josie said with a smile as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail, she was starting to get a headache.

"Do you think so?" Hanna asked unsure. "Yes." Emily answered. "So, you don't mind that I tell you he told me this thing, but I can't tell you what it is?" Hanna asked, making Josie chuckle quietly. "Han. it's fine, it doesn't bother me," she said with a smile as Emily nodded in agreement. "I don't mind. I've got all the secrets I need right now." she said with a sigh.

"Look, it'll be okay, em. you'll do great this year, and Danby will offer you a scholarship, and your folks will never find out. we'll make sure of it." Hanna said, trying to reassure Emily. "She's right," Josie said with a smile. "I'm glad I'm here." Emily said, giving Hanna a smile. "So am i." Hanna replied. "And I'm glad Caleb came back for you." Josie added with a teasing smile as she looked back at Hanna.

"yeah. he came back for me." Hanna said with a smile before they heard a door open and some giggling, it sounded like Hanna's parents, making Emily and Josie share a look as Hanna got off her bed, the girls following her as she opened the door to peek out of it. They saw Ashley and Tom kiss before going up the stairs, causing the girls to go back into Hanna's room, so they didn't get caught.

Hanna sat on her bed while Josie shut her door before she and Emily looked over at Hanna who had a frown on her face as she looked at the floor. "Is your dad getting back with your mom?" Emily asked and Hanna didn't know so all she could do was sigh and shake her head before Josie pulled her into a hug.

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Richie was with Josie at her house after she had left Hanna's, quietly so she didn't disturb her parents. "wait but isn't he getting married to the woman he cheated on her with?" Richie asked as Josie explained what had happened. "Yeah, he is." she said with a sigh. "I hate her dad," she said with a frown. "Hey, everything will work out the way it's supposed to, alright?" Richie said as he sat next to her bed and pulled her into a hug.

As Josie pulled back from the hug, Josie's eyes once again flickered from his eyes to his lips and his did the same and she looked away, hoping he didn't notice but he had. "Oh fuck it," he mumbled before crashing his lips onto hers. Josie hadn't heard what he had muttered before he had leaned down and kissed her, making her eyes go wide before she relaxed and kissed back as she held onto his shirt. It was over before she could comprehend. He had pulled back, eyes wide.

"Oh my god I'm so sor–" he started rambling before she cut him off by sitting up and pulling him back into another kiss before she pulled away and rested her forehead against his. "Don't be sorry," she said softly before kissing him again, causing him to wrap his arms around her waist.

Neither of them knew what had happened, maybe it had been building since they were young enough to understand the concept of a crush, they really didn't know but what they did know is, they enjoyed kissing each other more than they'd liked to admit.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter ! THEY KISSED! i had originally had this in a chapter towards the end of season one but i thought season two was better.