𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘||𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐆𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐘

𝟏𝟎. 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢'𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫

But this time she didn't even have the chance to fall asleep. The knock woke her up so abruptly that sleep was long forgotten as the pair quickly sat up, the pair suppressing groans. "Yeah, one second in just getting changed." He called to the person behind the door, considering the weight of the knock, Brooke assumed it would be his dad.

Mike pressed a kiss to her lips and handed her a jumper that he grabbed off the back of his chair before she had the chance to climb back down the window, whispering that he would see her tomorrow and to use the sleeves of the jumper to keep her hands clean.

And just like that, they were back to the routine they both loved and hated at the same time.

✧

BROOKE STARED, UTTERLY CONFUSED as she watched Hanna poke and prod at her face, while she herself was staring into the mirror that she had magnetised into her locker. Aria was stood beside the brunette, the pair had been having a conversation but it came to an abrupt halt when they simultaneously noticed the blonde in their peripheral vision. "Han, are you okay?" Brooke asked after a few moments of watching her.

She turned to the pair that were already staring, attracting the attention of the other two also. Sighing she turned to face them all, "Okay, I need to ask you guys something, and I need you to be totally honest with me." She said with a face that said she was serious but Brooke and Aria were still thrown by her poking only moments ago.

A series of, "Of course, sure, what's up and are you okay?" Followed as they all chorused answers, all equally confused as they waited apprehensively for whatever the blonde was about to drop on them.

Cupping her cheeks and smushing them together and letting go again, she looked serious. "Is this side of my face fatter than this side?" She sighed, turning her face from left to right so they could compare the two sides. Meanwhile each of the girls around her visibly deflated upon hearing her question now they were aware that it didn't have anything to do with A or Alison or any of the other issues they had going on in their extremely chaotic lives.

Narrowing their eyes and looking pointedly so the girl couldn't accuse them of not doing so, they all murmured, "No." Expecting her to be relieved but she didn't seem convinced, cupping her cheeks again and letting out a whine before turning back to the mirror in the locker once again.

Once Hanna had moved back in the direction of the mirror, Arias gaze fell to the person stood down the hall behind her. "Is that Ian?" She asked narrowing her eyes. Brooke's stomach dropped as soon as the name slipped from her lips.

"Yeah. I hear he's the new field hockey coach." Emily explained, completely un phased by the return of the man, her face a completely different image to those of Spencer and Brooke. "Does Melissa know he's back?" She asked the younger Hastings who was staring at him.

Hanna dropped onto her hip as she looked around her locker door to see him. "I don't know why she ever broke up with him," She gushed, not so discreetly checking him out.

Brooke's nose scrunched in distaste, "Ew, Hanna, no," She cringed, looking disapprovingly at the blonde, seriously considering her taste in men what with Sean and her school girl crush on Ian. "His hairline is seriously receding, not to mention his general lack of any and all attractive traits."

"She didn't. He broke up with her." Spencer corrected, her eyes also lingering on the man who was dapping up a few of the people he knew and a few that he previously coached.