CHARISMA - the sweet unknown {PLL}

The Winner Takes It All

The last week of school started off quite inconvenient for the girls. They hadn't even reached their first classes, when Principal Garner's voice sounded from the speakers through the hall, calling them out. They were asked to come to his office immediately. But it wasn't just the five of them. Mona was also there.
"Why is she here?" Alisha murmured while they waited in front of the principals office. As much as it was concerning her, the incident actually kept them from addressing what had happened on Saturday night, which they were all glad about.
Aria gave Alisha a meaningful look, "Leave her alone, she's sitting in the same boat as us, apparently." At first Aria had thought this was about Ezra and her. But clearly the others wouldn't be here if it was. It had to be something else.
Mona glanced at Aria and a quick smile flashed across her face. They haven't talked to each other since their meeting in the park. But they both knew they had a connection now. Aria was looking at Mona differently, ever since she heard about her parents. Mona was much stronger than she had thought.
The door to Principal Garner's office swung open and he appeared in the hallway, "Oh good, you're all here already. Come in."
They made their way into his office, one after another, and sat down on the chairs in front of his desk. Somebody had prepared them, six chairs, one for each girl. Alisha wondered how many times she has been in here during the last year. Luckily she'd never have to see this room ever again in a few days.
"What is the matter?" Hanna asked. She was doing pretty good, given the fact that she had been kidnapped. She still didn't remember anything. To her it just felt like she had been sleeping for a long time. Caleb had begged her not to go to school today, but Hanna insisted to go. She couldn't miss the last week, could she?
Principal Garner sat down behind his desk and folded his hands. He was an old and serious man, yet he hasn't aged since the girls first set foot in this school. The wrinkles on his face were the effects of Rosewoods teenagers, causing all sorts of troubles in high school. Just the way it was supposed to be. He cleared his throat and said, "I'm afraid I have bad news for you." He paused and gave them a second to prepare for what was coming. "I have to inform you, that you didn't pass the finals."
"What?" Aria said in shock. She wasn't the only one who went pale immediately. Alisha felt her ears ringing and she wasn't sure if she had heard it right.
Spencer had tightened her grip around her bag and squinted her eyes, "How is that possible?"
"Well", Principal Garner was obviously uncomfortable, "it's kind of weird you're asking this. You should know."
"How could we know?" Alisha asked, "We all gave our best."
"None of you participated in the last exam", Principal Garner said and the look on his face showed that he was equally surprised as the girls, "therefore you didn't pass."
"Of course we were there", Emily protested, "just look at the signatures. We all signed that list. Together." She eyed Mona but right now she was willing to stick up for anyone.
"I checked the list myself", Principal Garner said, "I never found any exam papers, nor a signature. From neither of you."
"What does that mean for us now?" Hanna asked.
"We failed our exams, Hanna", Spencer's voice was shaking, "we're not graduating."
Hanna's mouth dropped open in shock. None of them knew what to say, not even Principal Garner. They just sat in the office in silence, staring to the ground. Nobody was able to wrap their head around what they just learned.
Mona hasn't said a word the whole time. She just sat there, next to Aria, and listened to the whole thing. She felt her heart beat heavily but not because she was shocked. Mona was angry. She formed her hands to fists and clenched her teeth, "This is all because of those stupid messages."
Aria, Alisha, Spencer, Hanna and Emily turned their heads synchronously.
"What did you just say?" Aria asked quietly.
"Nothing", Mona replied and kept staring at the ground.
"Your parents will be informed by me", Principal Garner interrupted their little conversation, "We might be able to let you repeat the exam in a few months. But it's up to you what you'll do now."
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Spencer reassured herself, "Maybe the exams just went missing?"
Principal Garner lifted his hands apologetically, "Trust me, Miss Hastings, I tried everything possible to not let this happen. But my hands are bound. No exam, no signature, no graduation."
They stood up and left his office. Principal Garner told them they were free to go home now, but they didn't feel like going anywhere.