Pretty Little Liars: The Beginning {Episodes 1-10} (REVISED)

37. Hanna 💋

"It makes it look like we have something to hide," Spencer said.

"You're worried what other people think?" Emily asked.

"Aren't you? Do you really want to give that creepy detective more reasons to question us?" Spencer shot back.

Hanna elected to ignore that question and continued down the path. Wilden had been practically living at Hanna's house for a while now, and any mention of him made the secret want to come bursting out of her mouth. She couldn't say anything though. It was too awkward and embarrassing, and frankly, her friends didn't need to know about her mom's fling or whatever it was. The only reason she had even confided in Mona was because Hanna was sure she had been caught too.

"Hanna, why are you so quiet?" Aria asked, as the group followed her down the path.

"I'm trying to keep the bugs in my nose and out of my mouth," she said impatiently.

"You're allowed to have an opinion on this," Emily said.

"You want my opinion?" Hanna asked, turning abruptly to face Emily. "I say we hold off and not remember her until we know for sure she's not still here."

She had expected the look of utter shock on each of her friends' faces. Hanna stood her ground though. To be honest, she wasn't entirely sure if Ali was actually gone. Maybe it was denial, but the texts from A were just too much like her for it not to be.

"What?" the girls said in unison.

"What are you talking about?" Aria asked.

"You think she's still alive?" Emily asked.

"Hanna, they found her body," Spencer said, an eyebrow raised.

"Okay, stop," Aria said. "I'm officially scared. Can we not—?"

"Okay, you know what?" Hanna interrupted. "You asked for my opinion. I don't believe she's really gone."

She turned and continued down the path. "We went to her funeral!" Spencer called behind her.

Hanna was officially over this conversation. She knew that she must be crazy to think that Alison was still alive, but the circumstances just seemed way too fishy to her. "Yeah, and when we left, we all got a text from her," she said.

"It wasn't her," Emily protested. "Someone is messing with us."

"How do you know?" Hanna snapped. "And what about all those nasty messages? I mean, how does this A person know stuff only Ali knew?"

"This conversation is giving me a hive," Aria sighed.

"That's a bite," Hanna said, stopping again and turning to her. "Mosquito."

"Spencer, have you gotten any more messages?" Emily asked.

"Haven't you?" Spencer replied.

A branch snapped, not too far away from where they were standing. They froze, instantly feeling the sense that someone was watching them. Of course, they had felt like that ever since that text at the church, but they could almost see a shadowy figure standing in the woods, eyes fixed on them. Hanna's heart pounded in her chest as leaves rustled further into the woods. "What was that?" Emily asked. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, I heard that. I'm standing right next to you," Aria said shakily.

Hanna scanned the trees, searching for any movement, any sign of life that might give away their stalker's position. A glimpse of hair, a peek at their face, even a hoodie or something to give them some proof that they weren't losing their minds. "Hello?" Hanna called. "Is anybody out there?"