❝ I genuinely thought the worst of this nightmare was over ❞
Halle Brewster told a lie, and the secrets kept growing. After slaying one stalker, another reared its nasty head, and Halle was starting to wonder if she'd ever be free from the friendshi...
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Spencer dithered despite the steam that poured down the hall from the bathroom. The white bathrobe clung to her sweaty and wet body as she trembled beneath it. Aria had managed to get her to relax, only slightly, by constantly being at her side. The petite brunette stood next to Spencer, who sat upon the bed, toes dug into the patterned ottoman at the foot of it.
Downstairs, Halle and Emily arrived in great haste. The moment the pair entered through the side French-doors, Halle was already calling out for her friends. "Spencer! Aria!" Her eyes darted around the dark, bare kitchen to the Hastings' house only to hear a shout from upstairs.
"Up here," Aria called back.
Quickly hurrying, Halle and Emily both clambered up the staircase and up onto the landing. Their feet banged against the carpet and carried them all the way into the lilac bedroom. Emily was first inside, going straight to Spencer. "Oh, my god, are you alright?" Emily asked and went to instantly hug the shaken girl.
"Yeah," Spencer answered, distant. Her arms worked slowly as she met Emily for the hug, just not as tight not as willing as Emily was. While it happened, Halle had gone to Aria, the latter girl just seconds away from breaking down, and Halle pulled her into her embrace.
"It was horrible," Aria squeaked into Halle's shoulder.
"Thank God Aria got here when she did," Emily said in relief.
"What happened?" Halle asked. She pulled back and flipped her head between the two girls, questioning them.
"I got locked in the steam-shower—" Spencer shook, her face a ghostly sort of pale. "I couldn't breathe."
"Christ!" Halle breathed out drastically.
Emily, full of worry, asked next, "Where's Hanna?"
"I don't know," Aria answered. She held her hand to her opposite forearm, her wrists shackled with beaded bracelets rattling as she did so. "She won't answer any of my texts or calls."
They were all staring at Spencer, who looked more withdrawn than ever. She appeared defeated, life sucked from her, in agony but trying to conceal it poorly. There was a brief silence before Emily broke it.
"So, who it?" she asked, getting to the point. "Who's helping Mona?"
Spencer's eyes had snapped to Emily when she first spoke but shifted afterward. They flittered person to person uncomfortably, and then Spencer ducked her head. "We should wait for Hanna."
"No," Aria jumped in strongly, "this is too important to wait."
"Okay—" Spencer's voice trembled as her pleading eyes flashed up to them, "but you guys need to know that I've been warned not to tell you."
