(welcome back )
IT HAD ALL STARTED WHEN SHE MET ALISON DILAURENTIS. Josie's life had been pretty simple before then. Perfect family, perfect house, perfect grades. Then the summer of 8th grade, she met Alison.
Everything took a downward spiral once Alison disappeared Labor Day. At first she was too scared to even leave her home. Then she'd stay out later and later, always stumbling home drunk or on some kind of drug.
After two months, she overdosed. Her parents took her out of school and decided to take a long vacation to visit her grandmother in Vancouver. Although, Josie never stepped foot outside of Rosewood. She was hauled off to Radley Sanitarium in the middle of the night and that's where she stayed until now.
Josie Tate stood nervously outside of the office, her younger brother by her side. She watched as multiple people passed, stopping to look at her like she was some animal in a display case.
Josie could hear people muttering her name, and it became harder and harder to breathe.
"It's okay," Her younger brother, Jeremy reassured. She gave him a small smile.
"Mr and Miss Tate?"
They turned theirs heads to look at the Vice Principal, who motioned for them to follow him.
"We're glad you're back this year from your vacation," He started and Josie pursed her lips, which went unnoticed by him, as he was searching for their schedules.
"All your classes and teachers are listed here, and here are your locker numbers and codes."
Josie took her schedule and saw she had English with Mr. Fitz first.
"It's good to have you back," The Vice Principal repeated as Josie packed her things. "And hurry before you're late for your first classes."
Jeremy thanked him before they left. "What do you have first?" He asked as the bell rang.
"English, you?"
"Math," he answered with a groan.
Josie smiled, reaching her locker. "Good luck, see you at lunch, okay?"
Jeremy nodded before walking off. After she'd organized her locker, she searched for her first class. She could hear her heels clicking in the empty hallways, but all she could think about was how the name Fitz sounded so familiar.
Finally she'd found her class, and Josie hesitated outside the door.
"Come on," she whispered to herself. "Just get it over with."
All heads turned towards her when she knocked and Josie faltered. Her jaw fell slack when she saw her teacher.
When he turned to her, he had a look of shock as well. There was a long pause, the class staring at her with judgy eyes. "Uh, take a seat, Miss Tate."
Josie nodded quickly. There was only one seat next to a blonde girl.
"Josie?" the girl said as she sat down. She turned, and to her surprise, she realized it was Hanna Marin. A skinny and popular looking Hanna who was talking with Mona Vanderwaal, who had changed just as much as Hanna.
"Oh my god, Hanna?"
"You're back." the blonde girl said, and for some reason she sounded less than pleased.
Josie and Hanna had been best friends ever since kindergarten when Josie shared her new pink jump rope with Hanna. Then they discovered they lived on the same street. When Alison befriended Josie, she befriended Hanna as well.
"Yeah, how are you?" Josie said, smiling at her.
"I've been better." she said and faked a smile, turning back to Mona.
Her smile fell and she looked down. Josie heard more whispers behind her, all about herself.
She pursed her lips, glancing back in annoyance every few seconds. She turned back, preparing to confront the girls gossiping behind her, but she locked eyes with the boy sitting behind her.
Carson Thatcher. They held eye contact for a few moments before Josie turned back, embarrassed. She shifted uncomfortably. This was going to be a long day.
"SO, how was your first few periods?" Josie asked her brother, poking around her salad at lunch.
Jeremy scoffed. "They were great. So, the Montgomerys are back, too. Mike was in some of my classes."
"Yeah, I saw Aria in my English class." she replied. She sighed. "All of the girls were."
He stared at her sympathetically. "Did you talk to any of them?"
"Yeah, only Hanna." Josie paused, glancing at the table across the room Hanna, Mona and their other friends were sitting at. Hanna stared at her, and when Josie smiled at her, she gave a bitchy smile back "She's different."
"Try talking to her later," Jeremy suggested.
Josie nodded before laughing softly. "God, what are you, my therapist? I'm supposed to be the older sister."
He rolled his eyes, chuckling too. Suddenly, a girl appeared, slamming her hands down on the table.
"Josette Tate!"
"Aven?" Josie said, staring at her in surprise.
Aven Mackenzie was a year older than herself and they'd been friends since Josie had joined the cheer squad two years ago. Aven had taken it upon herself to mentor Josie until she was perfect. While she might've been a pain, Josie really did like having Aven around.
"There's some spots open on the team," Aven said quickly. "You're coming to tryouts after school."
Josie hesitated. "I don't know, I-"
"Great! You're coming."
DESPITE not wanting to, Josie ended up going to the tryouts. She was greeted by an overly enthusiastic Aven as she stepped onto the field. "You actually came!"
Josie smiled. "I needed things to be back to normal, starting with cheer."
"Okay, we have two spots open, so you better do good because I don't want anyone to think I'm picking favourites." Aven said, pointing a demanding finger at her. Josie nodded quickly and set her things down.
"Okay! There are only two spots open on the team, so I expect everyone to do their very best," Aven announced to the crowd of girls, repeating what she'd told Josie. She quickly explained the dance. "Let's start!"
They quickly formed into a line as she started the music. Josie did her best to keep up with the other girls, but it wasn't like she'd had much practice after being stuck in Radley for a year. She tripped over her feet, and quickly caught herself before she could fall.
Aven, who'd been scanning each of them turned off the music, noticing her mistake. "I think it's time for a 5 minute break." Then she gestured for Josie to come over. "What was that?"
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I-I just need more practice. I promise I won't let you down."
The brunette sighed. "Just try to keep up."
As Josie was walking back to her things, she noticed Hanna and Mona coming out of the bleachers of the lacrosse game right beside the field. She glanced back at Aven before jogging over to them.
"Hey!" She called, and the two turned around, their chatter dying.
She was about to ask something, but she shifted awkwardly noticing the looks they were giving her. "There's cheer going on. You two should totally try out."
Mona scoffed. "Yeah, no thanks."
"Why not, you'd both look so good in the cheer uniform," she tried again.
"Cheer is just your thing," Hanna replied through a tight smile.
Josie nodded uncomfortably. "Oh, well what are you guys doing? Maybe we can hangout later."
"We're busy."
"Okay. Maybe another day, then."
Hanna and Mona shared glances before the blonde scoffed loudly. "Okay, I don't know what you're doing, but you should drop it. We aren't friends anymore, Josette. You left, remember? So just leave us alone."
Josie silently watched as they marched off, frowning. Why was Hanna being like this? She was her best friend, how could she say that?
She stood alone, hearing the music come back on behind her. Then her phone beeped.
Poor Josie, always last choice. Don't get too upset
about it, you don't want to end up in that place again.
— A
Her eyes widened and she glanced around nervously. Who would know her secret? Who was A?
"Alison?
AFTER finishing auditions, she trudged home, upset and annoyed by how her supposed best friend was acting. It wasn't her fault she was hauled off in the middle of the night.
As soon as she walked into her childhood home, the sound of yells already met her ears. Josie walked upstairs, sighing as she shut the door to mask the yelling of her parents.
It had been this way for a long time, but never as bad as it had become now.
A little while after she started her homework, a knock came from the other side of the door. Without Josie's reply, her mother entered and sat at the end of her bed. "How was your day?"
"It was fine," she muttered, not looking up.
"Jeremy said you went to cheer practice," Julia continued, trying not to sound too pleased. "I'm happy that you started again. I didn't know if you would, since..."
Josie spun her chair around and forced a smile. "I want things to go back to normal. Since before Alison disappeared and you and dad had me thrown into a mental hospital for a sickness I don't have."
Julia grimaced and Josie could tell she didn't like what she said. Julia Tate was a problem solver. If there was a problem, she'd fix it immediately. She didn't like messes, so she always made a choice. Even if it was the wrong one.
"We all want things back to normal," Julia said firmly. She glanced at the work behind her and stood up. "I'll let you do your homework then. Dinner will be ready soon."
Josie rolled her eyes, turning back to her desk. Her entire family was treating her like she was made of glass. They all seemed on edge when they talked to her, like one wrong move and she'd shatter.
JOSIE got up early the next morning, with a strange feeling that she couldn't shake. Deciding to ignore it, she got to school earlier and made it through all of her classes without any awkward run-ins with Hanna. Anxiousness built in her stomach when she saw Aven posting the list onto the blackboard after school.
Josie crossed her fingers, scanning the list. The two spots went to Josette Tate and...
"Oh my god!" Josie exclaimed happily. Her eyes met with Hanna, who was standing across the hallway staring at her in annoyance.
Josie wasn't going to let Hanna ruin this for her. Instead of ignoring it like she always did, she approached the blonde. "Hi."
Hanna scoffed. "Okay, what didn't you-"
"I got the message," she interrupted. "And if you don't want to be my friend, fine. But I can make your life much harder. Alison chose me, remember? You came along as a package deal. So unless you want to go back to feeling like Hefty Hanna, don't bother talking to me." She paused, seeing Ezra, who was packing things in his classroom. Josie turned back to Hanna with a smirk. "Do you get that?"
She walked away, replaying the shocked look on her face as she entered Ezra's classroom. Josie knocked on the door, catching his attention.
"Josie..." he trailed off awkwardly. "What do you need?"
"Answers." She replied. "Like, what are you doing teaching here, in Rosewood? And why are you saying your name is Fitz?"
"I wanted to get away from that life," he told her. "Away from my mother."
Josie raised a brow. "Why Rosewood?"
"Well, after I graduated from Hollis, I just kind of ended up here." he revealed. "I went to your house, but you'd already left..."
She was quiet for a moment. "And how's Wesley?"
"He's fine," Ezra assured. "He misses you." Josie smiled. She spent a little while longer talking to him, catching up before she walked home, finding her parents arguing—again.
THAT night, Julia decided she wanted takeout, so Josie volunteered to go pick up their food. She didn't mind the walk, it would give her time to think—think about A. Besides, she wanted to get out of the house and away from her family, and she didn't have her driver's license yet, either, thanks to being in Radley.
However, Julia still wasn't quite ready to let her go alone, so they drove over to the Apple Rose Grille, Josie sitting annoyed in the passenger's seat. On their way back, they drove down Alison and Spencer's street.
She went through the numbers in her phone until she reached Ashley Marin, Hanna's mom. She'd heard that Hanna was taken to the police station about an hour ago, and was debating on calling to make sure if she was okay or not. She didn't get to choose, though, because flashing lights caught her attention.
More specifically police lights.
"Oh god, what happened now?" Julia muttered, stopping when they saw the police cars blocking the road. Josie breathed in sharply, realizing that this was Alison's house. She glanced around, seeing Spencer and Aria across the street.
"Josette!" her mother called, but Josie ignored her, jogging across the street to stand with her old friends.
"Is it—" she was cut off by a slow nod from the two of them.
Josie watched the body bag containing her friend be dragged away in shock. It was silent until Aria told them, "I heard the cops took Hanna to the police station today."
Spencer glanced at her. "You don't think she'd ever talk about..."
"The Jenna thing?" Hanna finished her sentence, standing beside Josie. Her eyes stayed on the crowd in front of them. "We made a promise."
JOSIE sat in the living room, watching the news report about Alison a little while after they got back. "Current owners of the residence were in the process of demolishing the structure to make room for a renovation project when workers made the gruesome discovery. The parents of the deceased were unavailable for comment, but a family spokesperson has confirmed the gazebo was under construction the summer 15-year-old Alison DiLaurentis disappeared. Tonight the family is asking for privacy as they come to terms with the sad ending to a year-long mystery and local authorities with the fact a killer is at large in Rosewood—"
The TV screen suddenly turned black, and she turned back to see her mother holding the remote. "This is the exact opposite we needed for you," she said, pouring herself a large glass of wine. "This had to happen right when we got back?"
Josie scoffed at her words. Why didn't she care that her friend was just found dead instead of how it affected her? "Whatever." Josie muttered, making her way to her room.
"Jesus, Julia, your daughter's friend was just found murdered," she heard Robert say in annoyance as she walked up the stairs.
As she laid in bed, she felt guilty. And it wasn't about anything she should be feeling, she felt guilty because she didn't care. She didn't care that her friend was just found after a year. She didn't care that Alison DiLaurentis was dead, and that scared her.
"THE discovery of her body rocked this community, and today, hundreds of mourners gather to say goodbye to Alison DiLaurentis." A newscaster spoke outside of the church that was holding the funeral for Alison.
Right before they entered, the Tate family bumped into Hanna and her mother. Julia let go of Josie's arm and hugged Ashley in greeting, leaving Josie and Hanna to stare awkwardly at each other. They entered the church together, finding Mrs DiLaurentis in the middle of the aisle, accepting condolences from people who passed.
"Mrs DiLaurentis." Hanna cleared her throat, catching the woman's attention while Josie flashed her a sympathetic smile.
"Josie, Hanna! I'm so glad you came." She hugged them tightly.
"We're very sorry about what happened to Alison," Josie said quietly. "She's going to be missed."
Mrs DiLaurentis nodded sadly. "I asked the other girls to sit up front, it's what Alison would have wanted."
They nodded, informing their parents they were sitting in front, leaving them to talk to Mrs DiLaurentis. They silently walked up front, stopping when they saw her casket with a picture of Alison smiling at the camera framed.
Josie sat down beside Spencer and Hanna followed, leaving the four to give each other quick greetings. Soon after, Aria came to the front, too and Hanna reached for her hand, catching the girl's attention.
They scooted down, making room for the Montgomery to sit.
"Poor Ali," Emily said after a moment with a soft sigh, staring at the coffin.
"Can you believe what a scene this is?" Hanna asked, shaking her head.
"Alison would've loved it," Josie muttered, staring at the blonde's picture.
"Popular in life and death," Spencer said. Hanna glanced at her, then noticed Emily's sad expression. She reached into her bag and pulled out a flask, holding it out for her.
"No thanks," Emily declines. "I don't—"
Hanna cut her off. "Today, I think you do."
Suddenly Aria's phone rang, causing them all to turn at her anxiously. She pulled it out and read the text before Hanna asked, "Anyone we know?"
"No, it's just my mom sending me a text." She trailed off, glancing between Hanna, Josie and Spencer's nervous looks and remembered her conversation with Emily from before. "Emily and I aren't the only ones who got messages from A, are we?"
No one answered. Josie glanced around the church, gasping softly when she saw a familiar face. "Oh my god. It's Jenna."
The other four quickly turned, watching Jenna sit down with help from a boy. Suddenly Mr and Mrs DiLaurentis slipped into their row, causing them all to turn around and mask their shock. "Did you see that Jenna Marshall was here?" Mrs DiLaurentis asked. "I didn't realize she and Ali were friends."
"They weren't," Spencer told her and then the mass begun.
AFTER it had finished, the girls exited the church together. Everywhere Josie looked, she could see people crying into their tissues, but she knew most of it was an act. No one in Rosewood actually liked Alison DiLaurentis. Some tolerated her, but none liked her.
A police officer approached them, calling out their names. "Emily, Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Josie."
They turned to look at the man, all confused on who he was, except Hanna. "Do we know you?"
"I'm Detective Wilden," He introduced, handing Josie a business card. She glanced at it before looking up at him. "I understand you were all good friends with the victim?"
"Yeah, we were," Aria nodded, still slightly confused.
"I'm gonna need to talk to each one of you."
"We talked to the police when Alison went missing," Spencer was quick to inform him.
Wilden narrowed his eyes, looking over each one of them. "And I intend to go over every one of your statements. This is no longer a missing persons investigation. It's a murder. Rest assured I will find out what happened that summer."
The girls watched him walk away, their eyes wandering to Jenna Marshall who passed, being aided into a car. They turned away, seeing Detective Wilden watching them closely.
"Do you think he knows about—"
Hanna cut Aria off. "No. How could he?"
Suddenly their phones began to ring simultaneously and they quickly pulled them out, frightened as they already know who it was from.
"Oh my god," Aria breathed out.
Josie quickly read the text over. "It's from—"
"I got one too," Emily cut her off.
"I'm still here, bitches..." Spencer read out.
They finished together, "And I know everything, A."