Pretty Little Liars

Chapter 32: The Boy in the Shadows

The Firestone house is booming with music that no one is dancing to because apparently people don't really dance at parties anymore. They stand around smoking and drinking and Instagramming. Neah walks up the circular driveway, looking up at the mcmansion that is the Firestone estate. A huge field is behind the house with acres and acres of land and a pond splashed right in the middle-- sparking a group of field hockey guys and girls to strip down and go skinny dipping. The entire school is almost here, rolling blunts or erupting into laughter in all areas of the inside and outside.

"Maybe we shouldn't have come," Dakota tells Neah, looking around them with her upper lip raised. "I haven't been to one of these since Ali."

Neah can relate. She glances down at her black denim shorts and red camisole, hoping she looks the part-- not like Sabrina, who's standing with some girls from the theater department wearing a maxi dress and sandals.

"Trust me, you aren't alone," Neah replies.

"So, what should we do?" Dakota glances around again, a whoop of cheering going on in the backyard. "Eat or something?"

"You should find Tyler," Neah suggests with a smirk, knowing he's the only reason Dakota wanted to come to this thing in the first place.

Dakota deadpans. "He has a girlfriend."

"Doesn't mean he can't have girls that are friends." Neah winks. "Besides, I already told you that he's into you."

"And I already told you that we don't know that for sure." Dakota fiddles with her feather earring. "Plus, I don't want to leave you alone."

"I'll find you in a bit," Neah promises. "I think I'm just going to chill outside for awhile. Maybe I'll find Sage and annoy him."

"Okay." Dakota squeezes Neah's elbow and heads inside.

Neah stuffs her hands into the back pockets of her shorts, heading for the backyard, where the life of the party seems to be. She may have been out of this party game for a long time since Ali went missing, but it might not be that bad. Tony was right-- she should try loosening up. She shakes him from her thoughts. She promised herself that before coming, she wasn't going to let her complicated feelings for him ruin her night. She is going to come here, drink a little, leave with Dakota, and call this whole thing a success story.

She's been avoiding Tony since their last awkward conversation. They only make small talk when their parents or Sage are around and they seem to be on the same page when it comes to that. No one suspects a thing.

Neah spots Remy lurking in the shadows near the large shed in the back of the yard, his usual hood pulled up over his head as he blankly stares at the party from afar. She bites the inside of her cheek. Another guy she has been avoiding since her last awkward conversation with him. Maybe she'll even use tonight as an opportunity to smooth things over with him, too.

"You're quite the observer, aren't you?" Neah asks bravely, regretting not getting a drink before approaching him.

Remy almost jumps in surprise at her presence. "I am. I find the drunkenness of teenagers somewhat fascinating. Makes me feel intelligent."

"I feel the same way when I watch trashy reality shows," Neah jokes, attempting to lighten the mood in this dark corner of the party. Remy stays silent and it makes Neah wonder if she should leave him alone or if she should try continuing to chat. It's obvious no one else around here is talking them up yet. "So about you standing outside my house the other night... were you trying to observe something then, too?"

"I have this theory," he claims, the whites of his eyes beaming in the dark.

"And what is that?"

"That the tiny honey bees start to crumble once their queen is dethroned."

Neah clucks her tongue but she decides to play along. "Interesting hypothesis you got there. Have you come to any conclusions yet?"

"The quiet one is lost," Remy begins knowingly. "The popular one is stronger, the lonely one is bolder, and the smart one seems more level headed."

Neah feels a muscle in her neck twitch.

"But with all that, it doesn't mean they aren't going down sooner or later."

Neah knows for a fact that if any of the other girls were to hear him say this, they would be more convinced that he's A. Neah, on the other hand, needs a little more evidence before she goes pointing fingers.

"Hate to break it to you, but it's in our blood to shatter at some point," Neah states. "Human nature, if you will. Strength comes from anger, while boldness bleeds with recklessness. The lost either wander aimlessly until they either get found or they make too many dumb choices on their own, and levelheadedness is not only practical but it only breeds resentment from playing it safe and concludes to a whole web of missed opportunities."

"Interesting," Remy murmurs.

"So which one are you hoping breaks first?" Neah asks bluntly.

"I don't really care," Remy answers, leaning against the wall of the shed. "Now that the queen is gone, I got what I wanted."

Neah swallows, wondering if he's hinting at something having to do with Ali's death. Could he actually be responsible for what happened? He would have the perfect motive, and the others would be right about him.

"What are you thinking?" He's studying her closer now when Neah remains quiet.

"What makes you think I'm thinking of something?"

"Like you said, I'm quite the observer."

"You're hard to read," Neah says honestly. If he's guilty of anything when it comes to Alison, then maybe being truthful with the guy might make things a little less stressed around here. "I feel like I should be scared around you, like I should know you hold a grudge against me and my friends. But I'm having an oddly hard time coming to that conclusion."

He steps closer. "Then maybe you're not as smart as I thought. Everyone is a little dangerous. The jealous wife, the unqualified nanny, high school victims..." He pauses. "Pretty girls. Liars."

"Okay." Neah challenges. "So between the two of us, who's more dangerous? You or me?"

"You," he answers, and then disappears as fast as his words.