Secrets In Rosewood {1}

Chapter 16: Je Suis Une Amie

Avery's in her room packing her bag for school, when her dad approaches her room and says, "Ah, so it's just gonna be you and your brother tonight and, uh, he wants to order in from Sausage Heaven." Avery says, "Again? Seriously? Dad, the closest thing they have to a vegetable is a paper plate." Her dad says, "Listen, just tell Mike that it's your night to pick, okay?" Avery nods with a sigh and says, "So, you're definitely not eating with us?" Her dad says, "Uh, no, no, I, I've got this thing. Uh, and, uh, it's with the head of the department and dinner's included, so... Have a great day, sweetheart." Avery nods and her dad walks away, and she remembers something and she says, "Oh, hey, dad? I need your pledge for the dance marathon, the deadline's today." Her dad says, "Oh. Oh, right, that's right. Uh, my checkbook is in my jacket in the hall." Avery walks over to her dad's jacket and finds a ticket from the museum that she went to and her dad says, "You find it?" Avery says, "Um... yeah." Her dad walks up to her and says, "Great." Avery shows her dad the ticket and says, "Dad... what's this?" Her dad says, "Well, that's a ticket. Uh, for the museum." Avery says, "Is it yours?" Her dad says, "No, no, it's, uh, it's your mother's. Uh, her car broke down and she needed to borrow mine... to get there." Avery says, "So, she was at the museum on Thursday night?" Her dad nods and says, "Yeah. I, I mean, I, I think so. Uh... you know, actually... you should really just talk to your mom... about that. Here you go." Her dad hands her the check and she softly says, "Thanks." Her dad walks away and Avery's worried that her mom may have saw her with Ezra. Later, Avery's at school and she walks into the courtyard and sees Hanna in line for coffee, so she walks up to her and says, "Hey." Hanna says, "Hey! Cute boots, new?" Avery says, "Yeah. What is with this line?" Hanna sighs and says, "All the vending machines are on lockdown. Someone's been breaking into them after hours and stealing food. And I heard this one kid say the alarm went off at like 3:00am." Avery finds that strange and says, "What, the vending machines have alarms?" Hanna says, "It's a school. Someone's been sneaking around out of the building in the middle of the night. Which makes zero sense. I mean, who'd wanna be here any longer than they have to?" Avery says, "Well, I might. Going home just got scary. This was in my dad's coat. He said it's my mom's, but I'm starting to wonder if he was at the museum too." Hanna says, "Your dad? No." Avery says, "Why was he so twitchy when I asked? I mean, if they were both there the same night as me and Ezra--" Hanna cuts Avery off and says, "Avery, you're just on a loop. It was a coincidence." Avery says, "Is it? Han, come on, you don't think it's weird that my mom had a ticket the same night?" Hanna says, "Yes, a weird coincidence." Avery sighs and Hanna says, "Um, can you get my coffee? I'll be right back." Avery says, "Sure." Hanna walks away. Later, Avery's walking the halls when she hears her mom say, "Avery. Hi, sweetie." Avery looks at her mom and says, "Hey, mom." Her mom says, "Your ears must've been burning." Avery says, "Why?" Her mom says, "I was just talking to the principal about you and Mr. Fitz." Avery slightly frowns and says, "Why?" Her mom says, "Well, he wants to take your class to New York to see the Fitzgerald show, but the principal told him there was no money. Do you wanna walk with me?" Avery says, "Sure." They start walking and her mom says, "What's up?" Avery says, "So... dad wrote me a, a check this morning for the dance marathon." Her mom says, "Okay." Avery says, "And when I got his checkbook, I found the... ticket that was yours to the museum. I... guess it was in dad's car. You... You didn't mention you borrowed his car." Her mom says, "Oh, no, well, I didn't I had to." Avery says, "It's just know, you could've just used my car. I guess, I'm just confused. Did you go to that exhibit or not?" Her mom says, "Well, to be perfectly honest, no. I skipped it and I went out to a really nice dinner instead." Avery says, "By yourself?" Her mom says, "No, uh I was with a friend. I have to get to class. I'll see you later." Her mom walks away and Avery sighs in relief that her mom didn't go to the museum. Later, Avery's on her bed holding the museum ticket with Hanna on the ground filing her nails. Hanna says, "Just don't think about it, it'll make you crazy." Avery says, "How am I supposed to not think about it? It's too freaky. If my mom's car hadn't stalled." Hanna says, "Well, it did. Don't look a gift card in the mouth. The universe gave you a pass." Avery says, "That's not the universe I know." Hanna says, "Well, look, it all worked out, okay? And that's what counts. Maybe the universe got a little help from someone. Someone with really good intentions." Avery hears a door open, and she gets up and walks towards her door and hears her dad say, "That's great, I can pick you up. I can find you in the dark. I've done it before. Okay, I'll see you soon, bye." Her dad hangs up and Avery opens her bedroom door and says, "Hey. So, you're, you're not going to that department dinner anymore?" Her dad says, "Oh, no, no." As her dad goes to walk away, Avery says, "Was that mom you were talking to?" Her dad says, "Uh, no, no, no, it wasn't. So, you are guys are gonna be okay here alone tonight?" Avery nods and says, "Yeah." Her dad says, "Okay." Her dad walks away. Avery closes her door and Hanna says, "Okay, look, Avery, even if it wasn't the universe--" Avery shushes Hanna and she waits until the front doors closes and she rushes over to her window and Hanna continues to say, "I'm just saying if it's not a coincidence, then maybe..." Avery says, "Come on." Hanna says, "Where are we going?" Avery says, "To follow my dad." Hanna says, "Where?" Avery says, "If I knew that, we wouldn't have to follow him." Hanna says, "Avery--" Avery cuts Hanna off and says, "Han. My dad's about to have dinner with somebody in the dark. Come on." Later, Avery and Hanna are in Hanna's car and they follow her dad outside of the high school and they watch him get out. Avery says, "Why is my dad walking into our high school? Okay, weird." Hanna looks at Avery and says, "Not really. I mean, think about it he's probably just going to see your mom." Avery says, "That's ridiculous." Hanna says, "People lie, Avery. I mean, hello?" Avery says, "I wonder what they're doing?" Hanna says, "Call your mother." Avery says, "What?" Hanna says, "Right now, call your mom." Avery calls her mom and puts the phone on speaker and her mom answers and says, "Hi, Avery, honey. I was just thinking about you. Is everything okay?" Avery says, "Yeah, why, why wouldn't it be, okay?" Her mom says, "Uh, well, I didn't mean to suggest that everything wasn't okay. I was just, you know asking, checking wondering, like moms do." Avery says, "Where are you?" Her mom says, "Home. Where are you?" Avery says, "Home. Okay, so everything's okay then?" Avery says, "Yeah." Her mom says, "Okay. I'll talk to you later, sweetie. Bye bye." Avery softly says, "Bye." Her mom hangs up and Hanna says, "Okay, well, she says she's home. Do you believe her?" Avery says, "I don't know." Avery gets out of the car and Hanna says, "What are you doing?" Avery walks over to the school with Hanna right behind her and they go into the library and Avery finds her parents making out and she hears her dad says, "Listen, we should just tell the kids." Her mom says, "We can't tell them until we know what this is. Okay, I think I got everything. Let's go." Avery and Hanna see her parents walking towards them and they hide. Avery says, "Oh, my God, my parents are having an affair with each other." As Avery walks away, she notices Hanna not right behind her, so she walks back into the library and finds Hanna in an air vent and she says, "Hanna. Hanna?" Avery says, "What are you doing?" Hanna says, "Come up here." Avery climbs up a chair and sees that someone has been living in the vents. Hanna dumps out a bag and sees a few phones and a rolled-up wad of cash. Hanna says, "Someone has been sending a bunch of texts. Spencer's laptop disappearing? Our lockers broken into? All this stuff happened at school. This is A." Avery's a little freaked out and says, "Let's get out of here. Come on." Avery gets off the chair as does Hanna and she sees Hanna took the wad of cash and she says, "Hanna, you're taking that?" Hanna says, "Yes. A owes me. Hospital bills, pain and suffering tire marks on my cleavage." Then the lights turn off and Hanna says, "It's, it's nothing. The lights are probably on a timer." They then heard a noise and turned to see a lamp fall. Hanna breathes heavily and says, "We should go." They then turn to see someone in a black hood and they scream and run away. They run out of the library and go to the doors to leave, but they're locked. They run down a hallway and find the courtyard doors locked up with chains. The hooded figure walks closer to them, and Hanna sprays the person, with hair spray and they scream. The hood comes off and it's Caleb. Hanna says, "Caleb?" Later, they're all sitting in the hallway and Avery softly says, "How's your eye? Any better?" Avery hands him a tissue and Caleb says, "It's still burning. You want a sharp stick for the other one?" Hanna says, "Okay, you know what? It was just hair spray. It was a light hold. What were you doing in there anyways?" Caleb says, "I'm sort of, um... I'm crashing here." Avery says, "You are? Why?" Caleb snaps, "What do you care?" Hanna says, "Okay, you know what? Don't snap at her like that, I have more." Hanna holds up the hair spray and Caleb says, "Fire away. Just give me my money back first." Avery says, "I mean, where do you parents think you are?" Caleb chuckles and says, "My foster parents don't care where I am. As long as they keep their getting checks." Hanna says, "Wait, I thought all that stuff about the social worker was a joke." Caleb says, "Believe me, my social worker is a joke but yeah, I do have one." Avery says, "This is crazy. You can't keep staying here." Caleb says, "Why? There's hot water, vending machines. The principal's couch is pretty comfortable." Hanna says, "Well, they know someone was here last night." Caleb sighs and says, "Yeah... I got sloppy." Caleb stands up and Hanna says, "Where are you going?" Caleb says, "Grab some dinner, then back to bed." Hanna hands Caleb his money and Caleb says, "You know your way out, right?" Caleb walks away.

The next day, Avery's on the benches in the pool area with Spencer, Hanna, and Caleb watching Emily's swim meet. Hanna says, "When's Emily gonna jump in?" Avery says, "She's the anchor, she swims last 'cause she's the fastest." Emily goes and she has a quit time, and everyone cheers for her." The meets over and Avery walks out the door with Spencer and Spencer says, "Um, you know what? I'm going to take the long way home." Avery says, "Okay, I'll see you later." Spencer walks away and Avery's phone beeps and she checks it and it's a message from A that says, "Almost got you busted. Wanna know how? Ask Hanna!" Avery's confused and looks around at all the students because anyone of them could be A. Later, Avery walks into the courtyard and sees Hanna and she walks up to her and says, "Hanna. Hey, there you are. You're not gonna believe what this sick freak did now." Hanna says, "What are you talking about?" Avery shows Hanna the text from A and she continues to say, "I mean, I have to say, A is smart trying to pit us against each other. I mean, it's relentless. Every time we shut a door, A kicks open a window." Hanna says, "I gave your mom the museum ticket." Avery can't believe this and she says, "What? Why would you do that?" Hanna says, "A made me do it. I mean, A has something on me, and--" Avery cuts Hanna off and says, "A has something on all of us, Hanna. But there's nothing... that A would threaten me with that would make me do that to you. You're supposed to be my best friend." Hanna says, "I know, and as soon as I put that ticket in your mom's mailbox, I did everything I could do to undo it. I mean, the reason your mom didn't get to the museum--" Avery cuts Hanna off and she says, "Stop. There's nothing you could say that would change the way I feel right now." Avery walks away. Later, Avery's on her bed writing in her journal, when her phone rings and it's Hanna. Avery clicks ignore and sighs.