chapter fourteen
careful what u wish 4
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The girls watched the video again. "If the girls knew I was seeing you, oh, my god, they would not stop talking about it," Alison said. "I wish they were mature but..." she trailed off. "We don't have a lot of time, I have to get back before they wake up," she continued. "I know you wanna kiss me." she finished with a head tilt and a smirk. "She doesn't even look scared." Spencer mumbled.

"Did Alison ever look scared?" Hanna asked as they watched Alison turn the camera around to Ian. "Come closer." he instructed before they heard Alison laugh in the background. Ian was covering the camera with his hand and then the camera on the floor. They heard Alison's heavy breathing and then they heard he gasp and then they saw Alison's hand hit the ground and then Alison's hand grabbed a handful of dirt before her hand went limp.

"He pushed her, didn't he?" Aria asked. "And all that mumbling and groaning, maybe she was gripping the ground because she was—" Hanna started. "Look for a weapon to defend herself?" Spencer asked, cutting her off. "Why are you snapping at me? I'm just trying to give your creepy brother an out." Hanna told her. "In-law, okay? Ian is my creepy brother-in-law." Spencer responded as sat down on a stool. "Okay, whatever he is, he just married your sister and he might be a killer." Aria spoke up.

"That video proves that he was with the night she died." Adalind said. "Can we just watch this video one more time and figure out what they're saying?" Hanna asked as she clicked on it on Spencer's computer. "No, please, I can't watch this again." Emily pleaded. "Yeah, Em's right. Let's just give it a rest." Aria suggested and pulled Hanna from the computer and they went to sit down on the couch.

"Is anybody else freezing?" Emily asked. "I'll make some hot chocolate." Spencer offered and got up from her seat and walked into her kitchen. "Hot chocolate? What is this, camp tamarack? We can't just sit around singing 'Kumbaya'. We have to hand over that video." Hanna said. "No one is singing Han." Adalind said from her spot at the kitchen island. "What video?" Ian asked, making them all look over to see him walk in, back to Spencer's computer.

"Um, Hanna rented 'tootsie' but left it at home." Spencer lied. "Oh, well, you're welcome to hang with us in the barn." he offered. "Well, your sister picked some chick flick on demand." he added as he walked around the kitchen island, not glancing at Spencer's computer screen. Hanna motioned to the computer to Adalind who was closer to it. "Where do we keep the popcorn?" he asked spencer. "That drawer." she answered, pointing to a drawer.

While his back was to them, Adalind slowly got up. "Oh, Emily, by the way, I've been meaning to ask you. Are you ready to trade your goggles in for a field hockey stick?" he asked as he turned to face the girls. Adalind slowly made her way to Spencer's computer, since she was closer. "Yeah, we could use some speed on offence," he added. "Right, Spence?" he asked and Spencer, who had been following Adalind to her computer, looked up. "Mm-hmm." she hummed in agreement.

"Thanks, I'm still into swimming." Emily answered. "Well, you wouldn't be if you saw what they skimmed out of that pool every week." he joked and Spencer gave Ian an awkward smile as she stood next to Adalind. "What's up? Did I walk into the middle of a chick flick?" he asked as Adalind shut Spencer's computer. The girls were silent, not answering. "Okay, I get It." he said. "No guys allowed." he added before walking out of the house and back to the barn.

When he was gone, the girls let out breaths that they were all holding. "God, that was close." Aria breathed. "Spencer, how can you even sleep here, knowing that he's living in your backyard?" she asked. "We have to give that tape to the police. Tonight." Emily told them. "How are we gonna be able to explain where we got it Em?" Adalind asked.

"Forgot the salt." Ian said, walking in again, causing the girls to shut up and hold their breaths again. Adalind used one of her notebooks to cover Spencer's computer when Ian walked past the kitchen island to grab the salt. He turns to see the girls, looking anywhere but him, he gives them an awkward tightlipped smile before leaving, the girls watching him walk out. 

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"Okay, does this look even?" Aria asked as she and Emily hung up a sign for the charity dance tomorrow night. Aria looked towards Hanna, who was on her computer and Adalind who was ticking things off on a list. Hanna just ignored her. "It looks fine Aria." Adalind answered, without even looking, too busy making sure they had everything. "You didn't even look." Aria told her cousin who shrugged.

"Earth to Hanna." Aria tried getting her attention again, who finally looked up from her computer. "Sorry, what?" she asked. Aria pointed to the sign. "Oh, uh, yeah, it's fine." she answered before looking back at her computer. Aria got off the ladder she was using while Emily looked at Hanna. "Okay, remind me, how come you're the chair of the decorating committee and we're the one's decorating?" Aria asked.

"I can't climb up there, I'm saving my one good leg for tomorrow night." Hanna answered, making Adalind laugh. "And you, why didn't you help?" Aria asked, "I am helping, I'm helping Hanna make sure we've got everything we need." Adalind said with a smile as Sean walked up to them. "Hanna, the printer guy needs to be paid, did you order six Baracks and no Michelles?" he asked her. "Are you kidding? Tell him no Michelles, no money." Hanna answered. "Uh maybe you should tell him, he says this is what you ordered." Sean said.

"I'll be right back." Hanna said, giving her friends a faux smile before she got up, but before she left, she turned to her friends. "Oh, and it's a little low on the left." she told them before walking away. "Can we just break her other leg?" Aria asked, making Adalind laugh as she put her list down and went to help Emily fix the sign as Spencer walked through the door.

"Hey, are we still doing this at lunch?" she asked them in a whisper. "If by this, you mean taking your laptop to the police? Then yes, we are." Emily answered. "But no one called over there, right? They don't know that we're coming?" Spencer asked. "You got cold feet about this Spence?" Adalind asked. "It's just..." she trailed off before walking further into the room. "I was up all night thinking and... what if this is a trap?" Spencer asked, turning to her friends. "'A' could've planted this video on my laptop, knowing that we would turn it in." Spencer whispered.

"Guys, let's try not to second-guess 'A', we've been there, we ended up scared of Noel Kahn who turned out to be just a jealous freak looking for a better grade." Emily said, looking around, making sure no one else was listening. "Yeah, let's not forget 'A' also tried to kill Hanna for knowing too much, we could be walking into a trap." Spencer told them. "You are already living it." Aria told her.

"No. Ian..." she trailed off. "Might have done other stuff but he's not 'A'." she finished. "There's no way he'd want us knowing this video even exists." she added. "But it does, and the police need to know what happened to Alison that night, Toby gave Alison his sweater before she saw Ian and Toby shouldn't go to jail for a crime he didn't commit." Emily told her as Adalind sighed. She was Spencer on this one. This could be a trap, getting them into more trouble. "She's right." Aria admitted. "Hey, I'll drive you to the station during lunch." Aria offered and Spencer sighed, hiking her bag higher up on her shoulder.

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Aria and Adalind were cleaning a table after splitting from Emily and spencer. "Surprise!" Both cousins looked up hearing their mothers voices. Adalind gasped, seeing her and Aria's old babysitter, Simone. "Simone?" Aria asked, surprised as they both walked out from behind the table and approached their mothers and Simone. They both let out excited laughs. "What are you doing here?" Aria asked as they hugged her. "I wanted to surprise you two." she answered.

"She's in town visiting her parents, so me and Lorelai hijacked her." Ella told her daughter and her niece. "Mom, Aunt Ella, we don't need a babysitter anymore." Adalind told them, making them all laugh. "No, but my first period English class does." Ella answered. "Your mom invited me to speak to her class, you know, try to convince them that there's life after Rosewood." Simone told Aria, causing Aria to hum as Adalind laughed.

"And it's a very impressive life," Lorelai said, smiling at Simone. "Guess who is now a published arthur?" Ella asked rhetorically, making Aria and Adalind look at Simone with wide smiles, proud of her. "What? That's fantastic!" "That's so exciting." Aria and Adalind spoke in sync. "Okay, okay, slow down. Two short stories and an online journal and your mothers are acting like I'm J.K rowling." she joked. "Mom, Aunt Lor, why didn't you tell us Simone was coming?" Aria asked the two adults. "Well, because some of us can keep a secret." Ella answered.

"It's so weird to be back in this building." Simone said, looking around the room. "I came in and went right into auto-pilot and went straight to my old locker." she explained to the two teens. "Oh, don't tell us you miss it." Adalind scoffed with a smile. "I do. It's twice the size of my apartment in New York." she answered seriously, making them laugh. "Well, I mean, do you have to leave after my mom's class? You should come to mine and Addies too. I mean, Hanna, Spencer, Emily, were all in the same English class." Aria suggested, making Adalind smile, she missed Simone.

"Oh, why didn't I think of that? That's a great Idea, we'll be right back." Elle said, spotting Mr. Fitz enters the room, talking to a student and she walks off, taking Lorelai with her and the two sisters went to talk to Mr. Fitz. Aria and Adalind pulled Simone to sit down with them. "Your mom told me you were still painting." She said and Adalind nodded. "Yeah, just got back into it a few months back." she answered, making Simone smile. "I'm glad." she assured before looking at Aria.

"And your mom told me that you kept quite an intense journal while you were away." she said to Aria. "Yeah, well, I had to do something. It was Iceland, the sun went down in October, and it came back up in march." Aria answered, making Adalind laugh. "Don't diss it, there might be a really good story in there somewhere." she advised. "No. No, I doubt it." Aria dismissed.

"And when you win that Pulitzer you better thank me I made you turn off 'The O.C' and read 'Wuthering Heights'." Simone told her, making them laugh. "It wasn't 'Wuthering Heights' it was 'The Exorcist'" Aria responded. "Okay, volume, mothers on campus." Simone said, not wanting them to know she let them read The Exorcist. "Okay, so we're all set. Uh, Mr. Fitz is in and Simone, you are booked till lunch." Ella said happily.

"If you have time for a cup of coffee while you're in town I think he would really like to pick your brain." she told Simone, and Adalind could tell Aria didn't quite like that. "Say yes, he's very single and very handsome." she added before she noticed her daughter's face. "Am I wrong?" she asked and she shook her head 'no' and smiled, like nothing was wrong. 

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"Wouldn't have even recognized her, when's the last time you saw simone?" Emily asked Aria and Adalind as she, Adalind, Aria and Spencer walked into the courtyard, towards Hanna. "Huh?" Aria said, before sighing. "Oh, I don't know. It's been a while." Aria said with a shake of her head. "It feels like it's been years, probably has been," Adalind said. "Well, she must be doing pretty well if she's willing to sponsor all five of us." Spencer said as they approached Hanna.

"Come on, han, you can look at 'help wanted' on the way over. I hear rosewood p.D. Is hiring." Spencer said as she joked, making Adalind laugh. "Well, I do have experience with them, just the wrong kind." Hanna said as she looked from her computer to Spencer then back to her computer. "Okay, come on, we have to go, we only have 45 minutes." Emily said, wanting to hand the video into the police.

"Wait, hold on. What's this?" Hanna said, looking at something on her computer as Spencer leaned down to look. "What am I looking at?" Spencer asked, confused. "How come it shows your music library online When your laptop's on your shoulder?" Hanna asked as she looked over at Spencer. "Look, isn't that your playlist?" Hanna says as she points to a playlist titled 'spencer's playlist'. "What?" Spencer mumbles before standing up and pulling her bag off her shoulder and pulling out a yearbook instead of a laptop.

"Why are you carrying a yearbook?" Aria asked with furrowed brows, causing Spencer to look up at her and the rest of the girls. "I'm not." she denied. "Where's your laptop?" Emily asked, frowning. "It's in my bag, except it's not." Spencer said as she looked at all her friends before putting the yearbook back in her bag. "What– This is insane, this bag has been plastered to my side all morning." she said in frustration.

"What about P.E.?" Emily asked. "It was in my gym locker, but no one else has that combo." Spencer answered. "The coaches do." Adalind answered. "Ian must've heard us last night." Emily said. "Well, if he did, then he knows what's on there." Aria added onto Emily's sentence. "If he has my laptop..." Spencer trailed off. "He knows we've seen what's on there, too." Hanna said.

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"You sure you don't wanna check your purse?" Spencer asked as she, Adalind and Hanna were in line to get into the dance. "Yeah, why not?" Hanna asked. "It's sloshing." Adalind informed Hanna with an amused smile. "What do you have in there anyway?" Spencer asked. "Nothing." Hanna answered which caused Spencer and Adalind to share an amused look. "I just brought a... little beverage In case the punch bowl has no punch." Hanna said nonchalantly as she pulled a flask out of her bag making Adalind and Spencer laugh.

"You brought a flask." Spencer asked amused. "Jeez, hanna." Adalind laughed. "At least fold your people magazine around it." Spencer muttered to Hanna over her shoulder before the people in front of them moved out of the way, the three friends spotted Ian. "Excuse me. Uh, Bruce, how are you?" They heard him ask someone as he handed him his coat and got a ticket from the guy before walking into the dance.

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"You sure your laptop's in that bag?" Aria asked as she looked away from Ian to Spencer. "Well, there's only one way to find out." Spencer answered. "Okay, why would he bring It to school when he knows that we're all gonna be here?" Hanna asked. "Maybe he thought you'd bail out early, go home and snoop through his things." Emily told Spencer. "Why don't you?" Hanna asked Spencer. "Already did, we need the bag." Spencer responded.

"I know you're all eager to get started but first the rules, alright?" Ian asked, standing in front of the entire room. "Number one, there's no stopping during the dances and your chaperones will be walking around making sure you're still moving, number two–" he explained. "What if he already deleted the video?" Adalind asked. "Well, then we know for sure he's hiding something and we go to the police." Spencer told them. "With a non-video? You think they're gonna take our word for it?" Emily asked.

"Look, we saw what we saw. Something went down between him and Alison and he buried her in the yard to shut her up." Spencer responded sharply. "Now let's get this party started!" he yelled and people clapped and cheered excitedly as music started and the girls danced slowly to the music.

Later on when Aria and Adalind were slowly dancing to the music when Spencer approached them. "Hey. he checked his jacket, it's number 62, and the key ring is in the pocket," she told them as Ian looked over to them, making Adalind feel creeped out so she danced in front of her friends, her back to him. 

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Adalind and Spencer walked outside into the courtyard to see and hear Emily on the phone. "Okay. I miss you. Bye." Emily said before hanging up. Spencer and Adalind approached her. "Hey, was that Maya?" Spencer asked softly, a smile on her lips and Emily nodded. "How is she?" Spencer asked with a smile. "Amazing." Emily said. "She seems really...Happy." Emily said with a saddened smile. "So why don't you?" Adalind asked. "Me? No, I'm-I'm good. It's all good." Emily responded.

"I'm not sensing good here, Emily, what's wrong? What happened?" Spencer asked sadly. "It's just weird. It was like she was there, but... she wasn't." Emily explained with a frown on her face. "Oh, sweety," Spencer said, linking her arm with Emily's. "She's in a wilderness boot camp." she added as she squeezed Emily's arm. "You know, she's been talking to bears." Spencer joked.

"And besides, I bet her counselor was probably watching her the whole time." Adalind tried to assure her, but Emily shook her head. "No, she was alone." she told them. "Maybe she's moved on." Emily said sadly, making Adalind and Spencer frown before Emily walked away from them. "Poor Em." Adalind muttered. 

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Aria handed over the keys to Spencer and Adalind. "Thanks." Adalind said to Aria as Spencer caught sight of Ian on the other side of the room. "Come on, we don't wanna be too long." she said and Spencer nodded before they took off to Ian's office. Once they reached it, they looked out to make sure no one was looking before they opened the door and entered the room before shutting it again and they headed straight for the drawer where Emily saw him put the bag but the key wasn't working. "What the hell." Adalind muttered as Spencer tried different keys.

"Need some help with that?" someone asked, making them look up to see the new boys standing in the doorway. "I-I was..." Spencer trailed off. "It's not what it looks like." Adalind told him, standing up. "I was just looking for–" Spencer started. "A chainsaw?" the boy asked before standing up next to Adalind. "I can pick that for you if you want," he offered. "Could you close that door please?" Spencer asked but he just opened it more. "Feeling a draft?" he asked sarcastically.

"This is way too complicated for us to explain right now." Spencer told him. "What's complicated? I don't live in a cave, I get it." he told them. "The rich girls steal, the pretty girls lie, the smart girls play dumb and the dumb girls spend their days trying to be all of the above." he added. "How much money do you want to forget you ever saw us here?" Adalind asked and Caleb smirked and crossed his arms. 

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"So then we couldn't get into the drawer, none of the keys worked." Spencer told Aria as she, Aria and Adalind danced around. "What did this kid see? Did you or Addie have to pay him off or something?" Aria asked. "Surprisingly, he wouldn't take any money but we think he'll keep his mouth shut. It's not like he doesn't have plenty to hide, right? Aria?" Adalind asked before she and Spencer noticed her staring at Simone and Mr. Fitz.

"That is it! I will kick her back to New York if I have to!" Aria fumed before walking towards them. "Wait, Aria, stop before you do something you regret." Spencer tried to stop as well as Adalind. "Spence, Addie, let go of me." Aria demanded. "Aria, there are teachers here and your parents. Your parents!" Adalind said, trying to talk some sense into her. "I don't care." Aria snapped but before walking off. "Oh crap!" Adalind remarked before she and Spencer followed her.

"We need to talk." Aria said passively to Mr. Fitz. "What's going on?" he asked, confused. "Mr. Fitz, will you dance with me?" Spencer asked, walking up beside him linking their arms as she took the attention off of Aria. "What?" he asked, confused. "We're allowed. Come on." she said before dragging him onto the dance floor.

Adalind laughed at Aria's face and Spencer's quick lie. Aria, Simone and Adalind watched them, two confused, one amused. "Wow. someone's crushing on her English teacher." Simone mused with a laugh, making Aria turn to her while Aria sent her a tight-lipped smile before going back to watching Spencer and Mr. Fitz.

After the dance was over Spencer joined Aria and Adalind again. "What the hell was that about?" Aria asked. "Saving your relationship, five more seconds, and you would've ended up on YouTube." Spencer answered. "That was a suicide mission Ari, and you know it." Adalind told her as Spencer noticed something behind them. "What is going on with Emily?" She asked, making them turn to see her drunkenly messing with decorations.

The girls sighed before walking over to her. "Hey," the girls greeted their friend softly. "Whoa, okay." Adalind mumbled as they helped Emily stand before moving her to sit down. "Hey, sit down." Aria instructed softly as Emily plopped down on a seat. "Hey, I'm gonna go get you some water." Aria told Emily. "Caffeinated water." Spencer told Aria. "I'm not thirsty." Emily drunkenly denied as Spencer sat with her and Adalind stood next to the seat as Aria came back with Emily's water.

"He shouldn't be here." Emily smeared, glaring at Ian, making them follow her line of sight to see him talking to students. "He's not a chaperone. He's a killer." Emily snapped loudly, causing them to shh her. "Emily." Adalind spoke softly, trying to tell her to keep her voice down. "Why is Toby at home wearing a LoJack while this freak can go anywhere he wants, do whatever he wants," she started. "Emily–" Spencer tried to stop her. "Marry your sister." she said to Spencer.

"Okay Emily, come with us." Spencer said, pulling Emily up from the seat, trying to get her out of the dance. "Come on," Spencer added, once she noticed Emily wasn't moving, still glaring at Ian. But once they managed to get her, she got away from them, moving towards Ian, the girls instantly following her. "I know what you did, we all know." Emily drunkenly smeared at him, as the girls tried moving her away. "And you're not gonna get away with it." Emily added. "Emily." Adalind said sternly, before the girls managed to move her, but Ian caught Spencer's arm and the cousins kept moving Emily out of the room.

Soon enough Ian let Spencer go and they all collected the things they checked before getting out of the school. The girls, minus Aria, helped Emily down the school steps. "Was that tree always here?" Emily asked drunkenly, making Spencer sigh before she took Emily's keys out of her bag and tried handing them to Hanna. "Here, take these, she's not driving." she said. "No, I'm not taking her home. If her mom finds out it was my flask, I'm gonna be feeding the bears with maya." Hanna refused.

"Fine, I'll drive her." Spencer said softly, causing Emily to look at them with wide eyes. "No," she exclaimed, making them look at her as Adalind helped her put her jacket on. "I'm not going home." Emily said, shaking her head. "Just crash at my place then, okay?" Spencer said as she looked at Hanna and Adalind. "You guys too. I don't wanna be home alone when Ian walks in." she said softly, making them both nod in understanding. "Okay." Hanna said before Adalind and Spencer started helping Emily to the car when Lucas called out for Hanna. "We'll meet you at the car." Adalind assured Hanna before she and Spencer helped Emily into her car. 

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Adalind and Hanna walked into Spencer's room to see getting her phone out of her bag, obviously going to try and call Maya. "Who are you calling?" Hanna asked her. "Maya," she told them before Adalind took her phone off her. "Give it back." she demanded. "Em, you'll regret it in the morning, besides, friends don't let friends drunk dial." she said, giving her a small smile. "You'll thank me tomorrow." she added. "If she can remember our names." Hanna joked.

"Now, sit, lie, sleep." Hanna added as Emily climbed onto Spencer's bed and layed down. "If you need anything, we'll be right downstairs." Adalind assured her as she moved Emily's jacket and bag to the bedside table. "Hanna," Emily called out, making her turn to her while Adalind waited by the door for Hanna. "Those things I said to you in the courtyard, I... " she trailed off and Hanna shook her head. "No, don't apologize." she said softly. "You were right." she told her. "You know the truth is I was worse than Alison tonight." Hanna admitted, making Adalind furrow her brows, confused.

"If that's even possible. And I do know how Lucas feels about me." she added. "I was messing with him for fun, I had to." she confessed. "'A'?" Adalind asked and Hanna nodded. "Come on Hanna Banana." Adalind said, walking up to Hanna as she helped Hanna take Emily's shoes off and putting her under the doona cover before linking their arms before they left Emily to sleep. 

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"Hey, how is she?" Spencer asked Hanna and Adalind as they sat down on the couch. "Passed out." Hanna answered. "She wanted to call Maya, so I took her phone." Adalind explained as she held up Emil phone and Spencer nodded. "Smart, that could've caused some serious damage." she said as Hanna and Adalind noticed something on the coffee table, under some magazines. "Spence?" Hanna called, gaining her attention as she looked over at them while Hanna moved the papers away from it, revealing her laptop. "Was this always sitting here?" Adalind asked as she pointed to the laptop.

Spencer shook her head. "No." Spencer answered as went to sit with them. "Ian must have put it back before the dance." she said as picked up the laptop and opened it. "Well, then why didn't you notice it?" Hanna asked, confused. "He left after me." she said as she checked her emails. "The video's gone." she said with a sigh, before checking the trash. "And the trash has been wiped." she added. "Surprise, surprise." Hanna muttered as Spencer clicked on a new message, it was a picture of Ali. "Oh, my god. It's Ali." Spencer said in shock.

"What? What is it?" Hanna asked as she looked at the laptop screen. "watch your backs. I didn't. A." Adalind read out. "That was taken in your yard the night she disappeared. She's wearing the yellow top." Hanna said. "There's a shadow right there like someone was following her." Adalind said as she pointed to it. "Spence, you know who that is?" Hanna asked as she looked towards her friend. "I-I have no idea." Spencer stuttered out as the girls sat in shock.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter <3