chapter ten:
keep your friends close

Charlotte Carter was a mess, everyone could see it clear as day within her eyes. The once brightness in them was dull, a very darkness rested along them. It was as if she'd snap in seconds, Hanna was the only one who noticed the coldness Charlie showed to everyone. The once friendly girl was pushing everyone away from her.

She didn't trust a single soul, not even the girls. She slammed her locker shut. It had been a month since the attack, a very long month since she lost her ways. She remembered the attack like it was happening all the time.

Moments of it flashed into her skull whenever she would think too hard. She winced as she rubbed at her throat, the loud squeak of the PA going off made her look toward it with concern.

"Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Emily Fields,
Hanna Marin, Charlotte Carter, please come to the office". Charlie gripped her bag tightly before going towards the office area.

When she walked inside the girls all sat down beside one another. Her eyes clashed with Hannas the girl smiling briefly at her.

Charlie didn't return the gesture and sat down in the small chair beside the girls. The woman who stood in front of them handed a card towards Spencer.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Agent Cooper" the girls all looked at one another. "FBI?" the woman smiled sweetly "this is my partner, Agent Randall".

Charlie wished she ditched school for the sole purpose of not having to be in this dreadful moment. She honestly didn't have the energy to care enough anymore about Alison or A.

"We're here because the Bureau was asked by local authorities to assist in the investigation of Alison DiLaurentis' murder".

The room was silent as the woman grabbed a remote she seemed hesitant for a moment.

"I wanna show you something sent to Rosewood Police Department by an anonymous source". There was that word, the one Charlie hated deeply.

Anonymous, a strong word and just with that one little word entering the air. She knew whoever sent that video was the same person who attacked her.

"Family's given me permission to show it to the five of you girls". The woman hit play and something inside of Charlie shifted, it was a darkness.

"Wanna see more? I know you want to" Alison's voice was soothing and sounded the same. Charlie blinked away her tense form as she rubbed at her throat. This was it, the same video she saw that night Alison stormed into her bedroom.

The same video she promised she wouldn't watch, but the second Alison slipped out of the room. Charlie watched every second of it, and she kept it secret for months, she wouldn't fess up now either.

As far as it goes, she's never seen this video a day in her life until now. When the woman paused it the other girls all looked distressed.

"Is there anything you can tell me about what you see?" Charlie was thankful her voice was practically broken for the moment.

She knew if she spoke the woman would be able to detect her lies. So Charlie focused on the girls.

"They're at the kissing rock. It's in the woods behind the lake". Emily smiled sadly as she looked at the screen, she felt guilty about that night.

"I think this was taken the night that Alison disappeared, she was wearing that yellow top when we saw her last".

Hanna moved forward like she was stalking the screen "that's not her sweater". Charlie grabbed her phone when it went off.

Don't tell and I won't—A

"Are you sure?" Hanna nodded even in the moment she could sense Charlie's distress. That darkness in her eyes seemed darker then before.

"Ask me what's in each one of our closets and I'll give you an itemized list. I know clothes".

Except Hanna didn't know all of Charlie's clothes, she didn't know about the muddy shoes hidden beneath her floor boards. Deep inside her closet never once touched after what happened.

She felt like she would faint just thinking about that night, the one only her and Jason knew of. She felt the throw up rising up her throat and she ran out of the room, ignoring the voices behind her.

She ran into the bathroom fast, hunching over the toilet as vomit slipped out of her lips. She didn't want to remember, she couldn't remember.

"He's practically wasted in his room. He won't care if I'm not there when he wakes up Charlie". She leaned into Jason's frame sighing "my brother will absolutely go insane if he catches us".

Jason smiled for a moment "let him catch us then, he can't do anything to hurt me". Charlie grinned as she kissed Jason, the moment was magical.

Charlie pinched her eyes shut as she let out heaps of heavy breaths. She couldn't remember, she made a promise to herself she'd forget about it all.

One wrong movement and she'd slip into the void of the memories. She kept a promise she ached to keep it locked away, but she was failing.

It came in flashes, the door opening, the shouting and then the blood. Then the mud and the ache she felt on her fingers as she dug the hole. Jason held onto her as she cried on the ground.

"He left town that's what happened, promise me you won't mention this to anyone". She nodded as she wiped the dirt off her face "we killed him, Jason we killed him....". "We need to get back before someone sees us, you need to shower I'll handle the mess before anyone notices it".

Now all that remained was the muddy shoes hidden away in her floorboard. A distant memory, a moment that was long forgotten.

Her mother never asked questions, the letters she got made her clueless. He was away, seeing the world, he'd write every time he went somewhere new. He'd wish Charlie and Jack happy birthday whenever it was time.

The letters stopped, Charlie couldn't handle it anymore. She knew she'd likely need to send one now, maybe he was in Paris seeing the Eiffel Tower with his buddies.

The door clicked open, Charlie folded into herself as she leaned into the stall wall. "Charlie, are you okay? I came the second I could".

Hanna knocked on the door but Charlie didn't move at first. Not until the memories faded away back into the darkness and she stood up.

She unlocked the stall door nearing the sink and rinsing her mouth out. "Emily was gonna come too, but she didn't wanna miss her class. Something about a test or maybe it was homework".

Charlie wiped her mouth off and sighed "right sorry you probably don't really care about that right now. I just ramble whenever I'm nervous or upset".

Charlie smiled for a second before looking at Hanna. Her eyes softened as she pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Hanna let out a soft breath, as she looked at Charlie's lips. It was silent as they looked at one another, then they leaned into one another.

Charlie deepened the kiss, Hannas hand wrapping around her. Pulling her closer as her lips ached for Charlie's. Hanna let out a heavy breath when she moved back for air, she smiled brightly.

Charlie hugged her and Hanna let out a chuckle "I gotta come in here more often, uh would you wanna go to Mona's birthday party with me?".

Charlie reached into her bag pulling out the invitation and Hanna laughed lightly. "I assume she gave it to you the second she saw you". Charlie nodded as she put it back into her bag.

"Well she knows how much you mean to me, I'm glad she put you on the invitation list. She's upset with me though, hopefully not too upset".

—

     Charlie sat on Hanna's bed, holding onto her sleeping bag as she watched Hanna pace back and forth. "I can't believe Mona did that to me! I mean I'm still gonna go to the party, A is gonna be there".

Charlie stood up from the bed grabbing hold of Hannas hands and stopping her from pacing. The girl let out a heavy breath "okay I just need to focus, I'll get the flashlights and finish packing".

Hanna left the room, when it was silent and she could hear Hanna in the kitchen. Charlie grabbed her phone out of her back pocket.

Come alone Charlotte or Hanna will be next—A

Charlie knew this night wouldn't go well if she let Hanna go with her. They were simply just keeping an eye out for A, yet Charlie wouldn't let Hanna get hurt, she would sneak off somehow.

When Hanna walked back into the room Charlie smiled at her as she grabbed her bag off the bed. "I managed to get one flashlight, apparently my mom put the other ones somewhere around here".

Hanna grabbed her phone "I'm gonna call the girls, wanna put the stuff in the car?". Charlie nodded as she grabbed hold of Hanna's bag, it was heavy and Charlie knew Hanna meant business.

The drive to the camp was long, Charlie felt nervous as she watched the sun slowly fade away. Hanna hummed along to the music as she parked the car near the woods.

"Can't let Mona see us, she would freak out if she knew I was here". Charlie got out of the car watching as Hanna grabbed her bags and began walking slowly towards the woods.

Charlie needed to go alone, she let out a slow huff as he followed after Hanna. The girl sat down patting the spot next to her as she smiled at Charlie.

"We'll wait here and if we see anything, we call the girls right away or text". Charlie sat down looking around the area, Hanna was so focused.

Charlie could sneak away if she was fast about it, "hey, do you see that?" Charlie turned frowning deeply at the car that appeared in the distance.

Hanna looked closer "I think I see someone getting in, it's.... Mr. Fitz and oh my god!". Hanna gasped as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket.

Charlie took the moment to slip away into the woods. Her feet ached from how fast she was running. "Charlie!" Hannas voice disappeared as Charlie tripped over a tree branch.

She groaned as she pushed herself slightly upwards. Her eyes widen as she felt something cold mending into her hands and shirt.

She looked at her hands gasping at the blood. She let out a whimper as she wiped the dirt away from the spot she landed in, she screamed.

Hanna turned at the sound of Charlie screaming "Charlie!" the girls appeared "Hanna! Watch out!". It happened fast, Hanna was hit by a car and slammed down onto the ground harshly.

Charlie let out a cry as she moved backward, a rock slammed into her skull and she fell towards the ground. Everything faded into darkness.