season one, episode one

pilot

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Montgomery house - one year later - September 1, 2010

Florence Montgomery stood at the edge of her room, staring out the window at the streets of Rosewood. The faint sound of birds chirping filled the quiet, but it did little to calm her racing thoughts. After a year away, being home felt suffocating and surreal all at once. The walls, the furniture, even the air—it was all too familiar, yet entirely different.

The neighborhood hadn't changed much, but Florence felt like she had. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shake off the unease creeping up her spine. This was supposed to be a fresh start, but the weight of the past year lingered, pressing down on her like an unwelcome shadow.

A knock at the door broke her thoughts. Ella peeked in, offering a small smile. "Hey, can I come in?"

Florence nodded, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Sure."

Ella stepped inside and perched on the corner of the bed. For a moment, she just studied Florence, as if trying to gauge how her daughter was really doing. "How's it feel to be back?" She asked gently.

Florence hesitated, shrugging. "It's... weird. Like I don't belong here anymore." She replied as she took a seat on the bed next to her mother.

"You do." Ella said firmly, her voice warm but steady. "This is your home, Florence. It always will be."

Florence's gaze dropped to her hands, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. "Nobody knows, right? About where I was?"

Ella reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her knee. "No one knows. That's your story to share, if and when you're ready."

Relief flickered across Florence's face, but it was quickly replaced by doubt. "What if they find out?"

"Florence." Ella said, leaning closer and her expression softened. She tucked a strand of Florence's hair behind her ear like she used to when Florence was little. "You've come so far. What matters is how you see yourself, not what anyone else thinks. And your family is here for you. Always. Just tell me when something is bothering you, okay?"

Florence nodded, a small but genuine smile breaking through. "Thanks, Mom."

"Your sister is going to drop your brother off for lacrosse, maybe you can go with?" Ella asked.

Florence glanced toward the door, hearing faint voices downstairs. "Yeah, maybe. I think I need to get out of the house for a bit."

Ella's smile widened, her relief evident. "Good. It might help to ease back in. Baby steps, remember?"

Florence gave a small, appreciative smile. "Right. Baby steps."

As her mom left the room, Florence took a deep breath, grabbing her jacket and shoulder bag from the back of the chair before heading down to the front door.

Downstairs, Aria stood by the door, twirling the car keys around her finger. "Finally! Thought we'd have to drag you out." She teased with a grin, but her eyes softened as they met Florence's.

"Very funny." Florence quipped, rolling her eyes.

"Mike!" Aria yelled over her shoulder. "We're leaving, so get your stuff before we drive off without you!"

"Hey, can you drop me off by the mall after dropping off Mike?" Florence asked, pulling her bag over her shoulder as she stepped closer to the door.

Aria raised an eyebrow. "The mall? Planning to buy the entire place?"

"Nope, although that doesn't sound as such a bad idea, but I need a new shirt. None of mine are matching my skirt.

Aria chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, as long as you're not planning to spend all day there, I guess I can live with it." She threw a teasing glance at Florence. "I still can't believe you're going shopping for a shirt on the first day back."

Florence smirked, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "Hey, someone has to keep the economy running, right?"

Aria laughed, shaking her head. "True. Just make sure you don't max out the credit card while you're at it."

Florence winked. "I'll do my best, Aria, but no promises."

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Florence walked through the sliding glass doors of the mall, the familiar hum of chatter and music filling the air. She pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, trying to shake off the last remnants of unease that still lingered from being back in Rosewood. It felt like every corner of this place held memories, both good and bad.

As she made her way toward her favorite store, her eyes scanned the racks of clothes, looking for something that would complement her skirt. But before she could grab anything off the shelf, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Flo?"

Florence froze, her heart skipping a beat. She knew that voice, and she hadn't expected to hear it today. Tomorrow, yes, but not today. Hanna Marin and Spencer Hastings, standing a few feet away, both looking as if no time had passed at all, well Spencer did at least. Hanna had changed completely.

Florence would definitely say she was just as close to Hanna as she was to Ali. Even after a whole year in Iceland, Florence and Hanna had kept in touch. It wasn't the same as before—things never were after everything that had happened—but they still texted and called sometimes.

Hanna hadn't told her how much she'd changed over that year. Florence hadn't seen her in months, and it was obvious now. Hanna looked different—she'd lost weight, and her clothes fit her more than they ever had before. Gone were the baggy sweaters and oversized hoodies she used to wear to cover up her body. Now, Hanna wore a fitted top that showed off her frame, paired with a skirt that made her look like she had stepped right out of one of those fashion magazines Florence flips through from time to time.

But Spencer—Spencer was still the same old Spencer, and that brought Florence a sense of comfort she hadn't realized she needed. There was something reassuring about seeing Spencer unchanged, the same confident girl Florence had known for so long.

Hanna was the first to smile, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Florence. "Well, look who's back in town." She said, stepping forward. "It's been a minute, huh?"

Spencer flashed a small smile as well as she caught Florence's gaze, her posture as straight as ever. "Florence." She greeted, her voice steady, though there was a glimmer of warmth in her eyes. "I'm glad to see you."

"It's good to see you both." Florence said, her voice a little softer than usual. She stepped forward, smiling at both of them. "I didn't think I'd run into you two today, but I'm glad I did."

"How was Iceland?" Spencer questioned, showing interest in her friend's life for the past year she hadn't been in.

Florence paused for a moment, taking a breath before answering. "It was a change. A good one, I guess."

"God, you missed so much!" Hanna spoke after a few seconds of silence. "Nathan is together with Anne, but she cheated on him with Aaron. And, oeh! Megan slept with that creeper from bio!"

Well, Hanna's love for gossip definitely had not changed.

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Alison strutted into the house, the bright summer sun highlighting her bikini as she led the way, followed closely by Hanna, Spencer, and Florence. Hanna trailed behind, her fingers reaching hesitantly toward the cookie jar on the counter. She plucked one out and raised it to her mouth.

"Are you gonna eat that, sweetie?" Alison's voice rang out, her eyes locking on Hanna with a faux sweetness that only made her words sting more. "I'm being a friend, Hanna."

Before the moment could linger, the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood announced Melissa's arrival. She walked into the room with Ian at her side, their hands casually intertwined. "Aren't you supposed to be at Alison's?" Melissa asked, her eyes darting suspiciously between Spencer and Alison.

Ian greeted them with a grin. "Hi, girls!"

"Hi, Ian." The group replied in unison, their voices a mix of politeness and discomfort, at least from two of them. Hanna and Florence shared a look with each other at the sight of Ian.

Ian's gaze shifted to Spencer, his tone lighthearted. "You still need help with your scoop, Spence? I've got my stick in the car."

Melissa shot him an annoyed look, crossing her arms. "Ian, what are you, her babysitter?"

Alison, who had been watching the exchange with a sly smile, suddenly spoke up, her words loaded with implications. "You need to tell your sister."

Melissa turned to Spencer, her suspicion deepening. "Tell me what?"

Spencer stiffened, her cheeks flushing as she avoided Melissa's piercing gaze. "Nothing." She muttered quickly, her tone unconvincing.

Melissa narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced before stepping out of the kitchen, tugging Ian behind her.

Spencer sighed, glancing nervously toward Florence, who gave her a small, encouraging nod but stayed silent as the Hasting looked over towards the blonde, who had almost just spilled her secret.. Finally, Spencer motioned toward the door. "Outside." She said, her voice firm despite the apprehension in her eyes.

Alison followed Spencer out, leaving Florence and Hanna by the counter. Florence picked up a cookie from the jar and handed it over to Hanna, while taking one herself. "Don't listen to her." Florence said softly, her voice calm and reassuring. A warm smile followed, and Hanna managed a small, grateful one in return, clutching the cookie like it was more than just a snack. "You're stronger than you think, Hanna." Hanna smiled back at the youngest Montgomery girl, taking another bite of her cookie, the sting of Alison's words fading slightly with Florence's kindness.

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The next day, as the new school year officially began, their dad drove the twins and Mike to school. As soon as the car came to a stop, Florence and Mike wasted no time hopping out.

But, Byron held Aria, who sat in the front, back for a minute.

Aria sighed and turned back toward him, her hand still resting on the door. "Look, it's the first day. I don't want to be late." she said, a hint of impatience in her voice.

"I love you, Aria. You know that, right?"

Aria's expression softened just slightly, but she kept her tone guarded. "Yeah, I know."

"And you know that I love your mom." Byron continued, his voice quieter now.

Aria tilted her head, her gaze sharpening. "Do you?"

"I made a mistake, okay? And I'll be sorry about it for the rest of my life. I just hope that someday you'll be able to forgive me." Byron said, his voice laced with regret.

Aria looked at him for a moment, her eyes searching his face before she finally replied. "I hope so too." She said simply but she nearly jumped out of her seat when Florence suddenly appeared beside the window, startling her.

"First day of school, sis. Don't want to be late." Florence said, and despite being adopted, it still surprised Byron how alike Florence and Aria were at times. Not just in appearance but at everything: clothing style, speaking at the same, saying the same thing, the same expression on their faces,..

"Right." Aria nodded as she got out of the car and followed her sister to the front of the school, but once inside, Emily spotted them from across the hallway, her eyes lighting up with surprise. "Aria? Florence?" She called out, walking over.

Aria turned toward the familiar voice, a smile tugging at her lips. "Emily."

"Hey." Florence also replied, with a small smile.

"When did you guys get back?" Emily asked, stopping in front of her.

"Yesterday." Aria replied.

Emily tilted her head, studying them for a moment. "I almost didn't recognize you two. I think the last time we saw each other, you both had a pink stripe in your hair."

Aria let out a small laugh, shrugging. "Well, when your parents want you to 'be yourself,' but you don't really know who you are..."

Florence raised an eyebrow and smirked, jumping into the conversation. "Speak for yourself, Aria. I think we rocked those pink stripes."

Emily grinned. "I agree with Flo. You both wore it well. One of you should've called. It's so weird just running into you two here."

Aria's smile faltered slightly. "Well, we kind of lost touch, Emily. Remember?"

Emily's expression softened. "That's what we had to do."

Aria hesitated before saying, "I saw a poster of Alison yesterday."

Both Florence and Emily's faces grew somber. "It's awful. I mean, we all know she's dead, right?"

Aria looked at her. "I just never heard anyone say it."

Florence shifted uncomfortably, glancing between Aria and Emily before speaking softly. "It's like... saying it makes it real, you know? Like admitting it out loud means she's really gone."

"So, I hear the new teacher's really hot." Emily said as the three girls made their way into the classroom, but before either Aria or Florence could respond Hanna strolled in, turning heads as she made her way to a seat.

"Is that... Hanna?" Aria asked, her voice tinged with surprise as she turned on her seat to look at Emily, who sat behind her sister.

Emily nodded. "She's the 'it' girl now." Right behind Hanna came Mona, walking confidently over to her best friend. "And where there's Hanna, there's Mona." Emily added.

Aria blinked, hardly recognizing the girl she once knew. "That's Mona? Wow. Talk about a makeover."

Emily smirked. "Crazy, right?"

"She looks hot." Florence chimed in, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair.

Both Aria and Emily turned to her in surprise, their eyebrows raised.

"What?" Florence shrugged, a teasing grin tugging at her lips. "Come on! This look suits her way better than those long plaits she used to wear all the time."

Hanna spotted them and gave a quick wave.

"What's up with her?" Aria asked, frowning. "Are you two fighting?"

Emily sighed. "We didn't just fall out of touch with you two. We all fell out of touch with each other."

The door opened again, and Spencer entered the room. She smiled at Hanna, but it wasn't the warm, familiar smile the twins remembered. Hanna shortly acknowledged her before turning back to Mona.

"They're not so close anymore either." Emily spoke with a small shrug.

Aria tilted her head. "So, they're friendly... but not friends."

Before Emily could respond, the school bell rang one more than and with all the catching up the three girls in the back had done, they hadn't even noticed the new teacher writing his name on the chalkboard. door swung open one last time. The new teacher walked in, his movements brisk and purposeful. Then he turned around, and Florence could see Aria's smile drop.

And she wasn't the only one caught off guard. Standing at the front of the classroom, the new teacher—Mr. Fitz, as he had just written on the board—froze in place. His eyes locked on Aria, his face paling slightly.

"Holy crap." He muttered under his breath, but the problem was he hadn't done it quietly enough. The entire class heard him loud and clear, and a ripple of whispers started spreading across the room as they looked from Aria back towards the new teacher.

Aria felt a flush creep up her neck as the room seemed to hold its breath. Her phone buzzed loudly, breaking the silence. She fumbled to silence it, her cheeks burning.

"Sorry." She mumbled, sinking into her seat.

Ezra cleared his throat, gripping the mug more tightly in his hands. "Uh- I'm Mr. Fitz, your new English teacher."

Aria's hands trembled as she glanced down at her phone. She opened the message, her eyes widening as she read it.

"Maybe he fools around with students all of the time. A lot of teachers do. Just ask your dad. —A"

Her heart seemed to stop for a moment, and she whispered, almost to herself, "Alison?"

But she wasn't the only one who'd heard her. Florence, ever the observant twin, caught the mention of her best friend's name and immediately shot Aria a confused look. She tilted her head, brows furrowing. "What's going on?" she asked softly, clearly noticing the way Aria had frozen up.

Aria quickly glanced around the room to make sure no one was paying attention. She didn't want anyone overhearing, especially not with Mr. Fitz still awkwardly standing at the front of the class. She leaned toward Florence, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Nothing." Aria murmured, trying to sound calm, but there was no mistaking the panic in her eyes. And Florence didn't push the matter.

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School had finally ended, and Florence made her way to their secret spot by the lake, the place where she and Jason had spent so many quiet afternoons together. The late afternoon sun reflected off the water, casting a warm, golden glow across the trees. It was their place, where they could escape the world, no one to judge them, no one to interfere.

Florence sat down on the moss-covered rock, pulling her knees up to her chest. She closed her eyes, remembering the first time Jason had brought her here. He had a way of making everything feel safe, like nothing else mattered except for the moment they were sharing. His voice, soft but full of that quiet intensity, had always made her feel like she was the only person in the world. Florence let her mind drift back to that day, when everything had felt simpler.

It was a warm summer afternoon, and the air had been thick with the scent of pine and fresh grass. She remembered walking alongside Jason, not knowing where they were headed, but trusting him completely.

When they reached the lake, she had stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. The place was breathtaking—a hidden spot, tucked away from the rest of the world. The water shimmered, reflecting the bright sky, and the trees seemed to lean in, creating a canopy of shade above them. It was like stepping into a dream.

Jason had looked at her with that playful grin, the kind that made her heart race. "This is it," he had said, gesturing to the quiet, secluded spot by the water's edge. "I thought we could use a place like this. Somewhere... just for us."

She had smiled, her nerves easing as she sat down next to him. Jason had carefully placed a blanket on the ground, his movements slow and deliberate, like he wanted this moment to last forever.

They had talked for hours, sharing stories about their lives, their dreams, and everything in between. Jason's voice had been soothing, each word carrying a weight that made her feel heard in a way she never had before.

She could still remember the way he had looked at her, his eyes dark with something she couldn't quite place. "You know," he had said softly, "this place, this is ours. No one else needs to know about it. It's our secret. And I don't think anyone else really knows about this place anyway."

Florence had laughed, a mix of disbelief and warmth flooding through her. "I thought you didn't believe in secrets."

"I don't," Jason had replied, a wicked grin tugging at his lips. "But this one... this one's different. It's ours. I know it's difficult for you to hide our relationship for your friends and sister, so,..." He looked over the lake and just for that moment, she believed him. It felt perfect—like the world had stopped spinning, and it was just the two of them, wrapped up in their own little universe.

No judgment. No expectations. Just peace. And the feeling of his lips on hers. "I love you, Flo." He softly spoke as her head laid on his shoulder while his arm was wrapped around her waist, his finger softly stroking up and down her side.

Now, sitting alone at the exact same spot, Florence couldn't help but feel the weight of time. That simple, perfect world was slipping away, replaced by the mess of everything that had followed. But for a moment, she let herself remember—let herself hold onto that feeling of being safe in , of being cherished. It was all she had left.

The sound of her phone buzzing in her pocket jolted her out of her thoughts. Reluctantly, she pulled it out, the screen lighting up with a message.

"Still pining over a guy who got you addicted to drugs? Poor you. I thought you'd learned better by now, Flo. - A"

Florence's breath hitched, her chest tightening as she stared at the words. The warmth of the sun, the peace of the lake, and the sweet memory of Jason all seemed to vanish in an instant. With shaky hands, she shoved the phone back into her pocket.

For a moment, she stared out at the water, but the peace that had been there just a moment ago was gone. She stood up, brushing the dirt off her skirt, and took one last look at the lake.

Jason and her secret spot... She wasn't sure how much longer it could stay that way.

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Aria, Emily, and Florence sit on a swing chair tucked beneath the flight of steps of the Montgomery house. The evening air is still as Florence leans back slightly, her arms crossed loosely, listening quietly as Emily fidgets with the hem of her sleeve.

"I'm sorry for just stopping by." Emily says softly, glancing between the two girls.

"No. Anytime, Em. Come on, you know that," Aria replies, her voice warm and reassuring.

"You're always welcome here, Em." Florence added as well, her hand taking Emily's as she saw how nervous the girl was.

"Somebody left a note in my locker." Emily says, hesitating for a moment before looking up.

Aria's expression shifts to concern as she exchanges a look with Florence. "From 'A'?"

Emily's gaze sharpens. "You too?"

"Yeah." Aria admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Wait. Are we all getting messages now?" Florence asks, her brows furrowing as she sits up straighter, an uneasy feeling coming over her.

Emily nods, her voice uneasy. "Do you really think it's her? Is it possible?"

"I don't know," Aria says, exhaling sharply, "but only Alison could have known."

"Known what?" Florence asks, leaning forward slightly, her tone cautious but curious.

"It was...." Emily hesitates, her voice faltering as she looks down, not really knowing if she was even ready to say it.

"Personal?" Aria prompts gently.

Emily nods, her eyes flicking to Florence before looking away. "I really believed she was dead," she whispers.

"Yeah. Yeah, we all did." Aria agrees, her tone tinged with disbelief.

"Could she really be back?" Emily asks, her voice shaky.

Aria shakes her head, her voice firm. "I think she's playing with us."

"Why would she do that?" Emily asks, almost pleading.

"It's Alison we're talking about." Florence says, her voice steady. "She always loved stirring the pot."

"Exactly," Aria agrees. "It's like a twisted game to her. I mean, wasn't that her favorite sport?"

Emily looks between them, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Should we tell someone?"

"I don't... I don't know about you." Aria says hesitantly, "but... I can't." She shook her head as she looked at her twin sister, who sat in the middle of them. "You?"

"Oh, no." Florence quickly shook her head as she felt Aria's gaze on her. "And besides what would we even say? 'Hey, we think our missing friend is sending us creepy notes'? They'd think we're losing it."

Emily exhales deeply, then smiles faintly. "I'm glad you two are back." She spoke and somehow even though they were talking about Alison, it felt like before. She could always count on Aria's words to reassure her and Florence's, which somehow always made every situation feel slightly less hard. The girl always knew how to say something funny to lighten up the mood.

Aria chuckles softly, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "It's funny... I mean, even though I grew up here, I feel like a total outsider."

"Me too." Emily says, her tone filled with vulnerability.

"Maybe we're all outsiders." Florence says with a small smile. "But at least we have each other, right?"

After Emily left, the two Montgomery sisters stayed in their spots on the swing, the air growing cooler as the sun began to set. The quiet sound of the swing creaking was the only thing breaking the silence, until Aria let out a heavy sigh.

"Flo... I need to tell you something," Aria began, her voice unsteady, almost hesitant.

Florence turned to her, brow furrowed with concern. "What's going on, Aria?"

Aria paused, looking down at her hands before meeting her sister's eyes. "I... I hooked up with Ezra."

Florence's eyes widened, and she immediately sat up straighter, the swing coming to an abrupt stop. "Wait... what? Ezra? Our English teacher?"

Aria nodded, biting her lip nervously. "Yeah. I know it's messed up, but it happened, Flo. I couldn't stop it and I didn't know that he would be our teacher!"

Florence's heart pounded in her chest, a wave of disbelief and concern washing over her. "Aria, that's... that's not okay." She said, trying to find the right words. "He's your teacher! You can't just—" She stopped herself, shaking her head. "This is dangerous, Aria. You know that, right?"

Aria's gaze dropped, her fingers nervously twirling the hem of her shirt. "I know it's wrong, Flo. Believe me, I do. But when it happened... it didn't feel like I could stop it. It felt like we were just... two people in a bar who connected. And now I can't stop thinking about him and now he doesn't want anything to do with me."

Florence exhaled sharply, her mind racing. "Aria, you could get hurt if you still go for him.

Aria's gaze shot up, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I know, I know... I'm not stupid, Flo. I get it. And now it's like I'm stuck with all these feelings, and it's just so confusing."

Florence's voice softened, trying to keep the concern in check. "Aria, I'm not saying you're stupid. I'm just saying that you're walking into something dangerous. Ezra is your teacher, and this... it's going to cause problems, not just for you, but for him too. I mean, think about it. If anyone finds out, both of you could end up in serious trouble."

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As the two agents wheeled the body bag on a stretcher past, Florence could feel her heart beating faster. She didn't know why, but something about the whole scene felt off. Her eyes flicked to Hanna, who was sneaking around, trying to blend in with the crowd. Florence could tell she was up to something, and when she looked down at the stretcher again, her stomach dropped. Was that... a body?

Without thinking, Florence grabbed Aria's arm. "Do you see that?!" she whispered, pointing at the stretcher. But before Aria could respond, Florence was already walking toward Hanna. She couldn't just stand there.

"Hanna!" Florence called out, making sure she wasn't too loud. She didn't want anyone noticing her. Hanna turned around, her eyes wide and a little panicked.

"Flo." Hanna said, trying to act like everything was normal, but Florence could tell she was freaking out. Florence eyes went back towards the stretcher with the body bag and she could feel tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Is that-" The girl didn't even need to finish her sentence when she saw Emily crying in another girl's arm on the porch of the DiLaurentis house. "Oh, my God." Flo softly whispered out as she shook her head, not wanting to believe it.

Florence hesitated for a moment, torn between Hanna and the sight of Emily on the porch, her shoulders shaking as she cried in another girl's arms. Her heart ached, and before she could stop herself, she turned and made her way toward Emily.

"Em." Florence called gently as she got closer, her voice soft but steady. The girl holding Emily stepped aside slightly, giving Flo space. Emily looked up, her face wet with tears, and seeing her like that made Florence's chest tighten.

Without thinking, Florence crouched down in front of Emily, placing a comforting hand on her knee. "Hey," she said quietly, her voice full of concern. "Emily... is it true? Is it—"

Emily broke into another sob, her face buried in her hands. Florence swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm for her friend. She sat down beside Emily on the steps, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

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The air was thick with the scent of flowers and the soft murmur of people whispering their condolences. Florence walked beside Aria, her heels clicking softly on the tiled floor as they entered the room. The sight of Alison's coffin at the front of the room made her stomach twist, and she felt a lump form in her throat.

Aria spotted Mrs. DiLaurentis standing near the entrance, greeting guests as they arrived. She gave Florence's arm a small squeeze. "I'll meet you inside." She whispered before walking off toward the front rows.

Florence hesitated, watching Aria disappear into the crowd before turning her attention to Mrs. DiLaurentis. The older woman's face was pale, her eyes red and tired.

"Mrs. DiLaurentis," Florence said softly, stepping forward.

Mrs. DiLaurentis turned toward her, and for a moment, her expression softened. "Florence, honey." She said, her voice trembling. "I'm so glad you came." The woman spoke as she wrapped her arms around the girl who had spent so much time with Ali over at their house.

"Of course." Florence replied, her voice shaking slightly. "I couldn't not be here. Ali, she meant a lot to me."

Mrs. DiLaurentis gave a  smile, reaching out to place a hand on Florence's arm. "You were one of the few who truly cared for her." She said quietly, barely being heard by Florence.

Florence blinked, caught off guard by the comment. "She... she was complicated, but she was my friend." she said, her voice thick with emotion.

"Go sit with the others." Mrs. DiLaurentis said gently, patting Florence's arm. "Ali would've wanted you all to be together today."

"Of course." Florence said, giving a small nod before turning to head toward the front rows. As she walked away, she could feel the weight of Mrs. DiLaurentis's and everyone else's gaze on her. As she walked to the front, her eyes landed on Ali's picture next to the girl's coffin and Florence was once again reminded of the harsh reality. Her best friend was really gone and she wouldn't come back.

She felt a hand grip hers, making the girl snap back into reality. She gave Hanna a thankful smile as she sat down next to her, while the other two girls moved a bit to the left so that there was enough space for her and Aria.

The atmosphere in the church was heavy as the girls sat together in the wooden pews. Emily's eyes were fixed on the coffin, her expression a mixture of grief and disbelief. "Poor Ali." The girl whispered, her voice fragile.

Hanna glanced around, her gaze flickering over the crowd. "Can you believe what a scene this is?"

"Alison would've loved it." Aria murmured as she took a seat next to her sister.

"Popular in life and in death." Spencer added quietly, her words tinged with bitterness.

Florence stayed silent, her eyes darting between the coffin and Mrs. DiLaurentis, who had taken a seat on the right sight of the church.

Hanna leaned back slightly, pulling a small flask out of her bag and offering it to Emily. "Today, I think you need this."

Emily hesitated, glancing at the flask as if it might burn her. "I don't—"

"Just take it." Hanna urged, giving her a reassuring smile.

Emily reluctantly took a sip, grimaced, and handed it back to Hanna, who made a sign to Flo to take a sip as well, but the girl shook her head with a frown, knowing that she couldn't accept Hanna's offer, even if she wanted too.

Suddenly, Aria's phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out quickly, her face stiffening as she read the message.

"Is it someone we know?" Hanna asked, her tone immediately suspicious as she saw Aria's face.

Aria shook her head quickly. "No, it's just my mom sending me a text." She glanced around nervously, seeing Spencer and Hanna look around with panic all over their face . "Emily, Flo and I aren't the only ones getting messages from 'A,' are we?"

"Oh, my God." Spencer softly whispered out as she looked at the exit of the church. "It's Jenna." She added, making the other four look around as well, almost at the exact same time, three matching Spencer's worried look as one just looked up in surprise, wondering why her friends were this flabbergast by Jenna's appearance together with her brother.

Not much later, the five girls walked out of the church and Florence finally felt like she could breath normally again. Her arm was linked with Spencer's and Emily's as they came to a stop by a voice calling out one of their names.

"Emily!" The girls turned around, and Florence felt her heart drop at the sight of Wilden in front of them. "Spencer, Aria, Hanna and lastly but not least Florence."

"Do we know you?" Spencer asked, not noticing Hanna looking down because of what she had witnessed happening a few days ago between her mother and the police officer in front of them.

"Detective Wilden." The man said firmly. "I understand you were all good friends with the victim."

"Yeah, we were." Aria said, speaking for all of them;

"I'm going to need to speak with each of you." Wilden continued, his sharp gaze scanning the group.

"We already talked to the police when Alison went missing." Spencer said, her tone defensive.

"And I plan to review every one of your statements." Wilden replied, his voice calm but firm. "This is no longer a missing person's case. It's a murder. Rest assured, I will find out what happened that summer." And with that, he turned, but not after giving Flo one last look and walked away, leaving the girls standing in stunned silence.

As the group watched Wilden leave, they spotted Jenna being helped into a car by Toby

"Do you think he knows about...?" Aria began nervously.

"No. How could he?" Hanna said, but her voice lacked confidence.

"Knows about what?" Florence asked, curiously as she watched their nervous faces.

But before anyone could respond to her question, all their phones buzzed simultaneously.

"Oh, my God." Aria whispered, her hands shaking as she checked her screen just like the others.

"I'm still here, bitches. And I know everything. –A." The five girls spoke at the same time sharing a worried look with each other as they looked up, not even noticing that Wilden was still watching them.

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Hi guys, welcome to my new book! I hope you enjoyed it! I have wanted to write my babies Jason and Flo for so long!

Be sure to comment and vote if you want. I love reading them and your support keeps me so motivated!

Katherine x

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WORDS: 5778

POSTED: THURSDAY 09/01/2025

REPOSTED: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2025

WRITTEN: 21/12/2024 + 09/01/2025