Love, Secrets and War~

9. A Perfect Storm

A/N: Are you team Noessa or Jalyssa?

*

"This is insane," Hanna complains, "How many words do they expect you to learn in one night?"

Aria looks up from my light blue flashcards and raises her eyebrows at her. She is testing Spence with the vocab, whilst Spencer is scribbling down notes at a frantic pace. I look down at the practice test I have just completed. My calculator located next to the closed answer booklet. I open it and start marking my paper.

"Stringent," Aria quizzes, looking at Spencer expectantly.

I pause midst marking to answer, "Tough. Inflexible." I don't even look up from my work.

Aria sighs at me. I wasn't meant to answer, even if I knew the answer. She was testing Spencer and Hanna. Not me.

A low rumble sounds from outside, causing a shiver to crawl up my spine. This is the biggest storm I have witnessed since Alison's disappearance. I used to love the beauty of a storm but now it always puts me on edge.

Hanna doesn't look up from the highlighting she is doing. "It's not like you're going to actually use 'em," She grumbles.

"Yeah I know. But collages like them," I respond, finishing my marking. I catch Aria looking at me. "I promise I will not answer any more."

She regards me carefully before continuing, "Meretricious."

We are studying for the SAT's, each of us with varying degrees of stress. Spencer's and I's stress levels are currently off the charts. Both of us well aware that this is a major stepping stone to get into collage. These could make it or break it for us. On the other hand, Aria and Hanna are less stressed, not wanting to go to Ivy's their scores have to be respectable but not extremely high.

For some reason Emily isn't here. Her anxiously about these exams is high too. And it's not like her to miss a study session.

"Meretricious, um, phony, flashy?" Spencer says. Looking up at me for confirmation, which I give.

"Oh, Hanna, why are you still eating that?" I question. She is picking at the leftovers from about three hours ago. It's fair to say that they aren't in the best condition.

Hanna's face contorts with disgust as she tastes the left over food. " cause it's here," She says, her mouth full.

"Put it in the garbage," Spencer suggests.

"Well, then I'd have to stand over the garbage and eat it."

We all snigger at this. I get a mental image of  Hanna cowering over the bin, eating left overs like a wild animal. A raccoon perhaps.

"Besotted?"

"Infatuated, enamoured, in love with," Spencer lists. I don't know why she is worried. I think she has the SAT's nailed.

"Talking about infatuated.. how are you and Noel doing Alyssa? Have you kissed yet?" Hanna asks me.

"Hello?" Spencer interrupts, indignant Hanna deigned to stop studying, "we are taking the SAT's in less than 12 hours. Can we focus?"

"Okay Spencer. You do not need to know any more big words.  You're already scary enough to anyone under the age of 50," Hanna says.

"I'm not scary!" Spencer protests directing her attention to Aria and I, "am I scary?"

"A little," Aria and I chorus, completely in sync.

"Hey, I saw Noel hug you and he did not want to let go," Hanna redirects the conversation back to Noel and I.