"A extended version of the video that Agent Cooper showed us was sent to Sepncer's laptop, it showed Ali, taking the video camera and turning it around on the person she was with. We planned to come and show it to you but before we could Spencer's laptop went missing. When it turned up again, it had been erased as if it was never there." I explained. It was a unanimous decision before we were brought here that to explain the trophy, we had to tell them about the erased video. I had asked for Mom to be the parent that sat in with me.
"What did Mr Thomas say on this apparent version of this video?" I was asked
"He told her to come closer, which she did then the camera dropped and we heard what sounded like struggling, her hand came into shot and it looked like she was grasping for something then it stopped." I described what I saw and raving it again sent a shiver down my spine.
"Who sent the apparent video?"
'We don't know it was sent by an anomy's source like they sent to you." Aggravation filled me, I didn't expect them to just take my word but they could make it less obvious they weren't taking me seriously.
"Why was it sent to you not us?"
"I wish I knew. We planed to bring it, but after it was gone we saw no point because it would have just been an accusation. When we found the trophy, we weren't willing to take that risk again of it going missing, of even thinking for another second about not bringing it straight to you." I then turned to Mom "We didn't even think that it might have been false, we couldn't risk it." she nodded in understanding
"How do you know Alison was at Hilton head?"
"The days she disappeared she came back looking all happy and tan, she had a Hilton head tag on her luggage. Spencer called to check when Ian was there when she noticed the same tag on a bag of golf clubs. She also asked him as well and he lied to her face." I tell them.
"See this is what i don't get. Ian was dating Miss Hastings sister, Melissa Hastings. He was a star athlete and from what i've been told a all round good guy. Why would he risk all that to be with Alison." I gulped, I was so the wrong person to be asking this of.
"Maybe he had a thing for younger girls." I tried to deflect, a sinking truth weighed heavy.
"Do you know of anyone else?"
"Yes." I answered I looked at my Mom
"He made a pass at me once." I looked back to the detective "He tried but before he could get any closer than he already was I kneed him in the crown jewels."
"When was this?"
"A few months before Alison disappearance." I admitted looking down and feeling ashamed, it was the first time in over a year I had admitted it.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I thought I lead him on, that's what he said and I believed him. I was testing my boundaries, getting my sense of style that sort of thing and I was nice to him. I figured that I had sent the wrong signals. What was I supposed to say anyway, he would have flat out denied it, said I had a school girl crush on him and flipped the whole thing on me. I bet even if you asked him now he either say he wouldn't remember it or the former of it was a school girl crush." my shoulder sagged as tears threatened to rush down
The interview ended and we headed out. Mum pulled me to the side before I could join my friends. Spencer and Aria weren't out yet.
"What you said in there about Ian, was that what Jason saved you from?" she questioned
"No, that was after. What I said in there was true, I just left out the bit about me already having a boyfriend. I told Ian this, he laughed in my face. I only told Jason and he flipped went round and punched him. Not that Ian made the connection I don't think." I elaborated and mom brushed some of my hair back.
"Why didn't you say something."
"I already said. I honestly thought it was might fault and I knew if I mentioned it to anyone else he would just lie and I would have been the bad guy."
"I would have believed you."
"Mom, I love you but you still can't believe I'm in love with Jason." I went to join my friends. Spencer was the last out and she joined us.
"Whoever said the truth will set you free never met A." Aria commented
"Jesus." we looked at Emily. "It's from the bible. Jesus said it." She clarified
"Then Aria's right because that bitch is going straight to hell." Hanna huffed
"I wasn't completely honest in there. I should have been but my Mom was right net to me and with the Wren thing, I couldn't bare myself to say that I also hooked up with Ian." Spencer admitted, she had to be joking right now. I just laid one of the truthful things even now I still feel ashamed about despite me really knowing it wasn't my fault and she clammed up.
"That has nothing to do with this." Aria sad
"It has everything to do with it. Spencer, I thought were were going to be as honest as we could without pissing off the bitch." I retort
"Calm down, Erica."
'I won't calm down because I told them the truth she didn't." I snap pointing at my friend, they stared at me
"What truth?" Em asked. I sighed
"He tried it on with me."
"What?!" they whisper yelled
"He tried but I kicked him in the balls before he could get anywhere. Oh his face, he was pissed. I told him I had a boyfriend and I would never cheat on him especially with a creep like him. He laughed and convinced me that if that was the case that was a big if because he didn't believe me. i shouldn't dress the way I do. " i pulled down the sleeves of my t-shirt.
"Wha the hell?!"
"Then what happened?" Aria wondered
"I told Jason and he flipped, he punched him. If I wasn't so scared it would have been sexy. Though I didn't mention the Jason thing."
"Emily." we heard someone call.
"Garrett?" he stopped at the five of us.
"You're a cop now?" Aria and I wondered. I was glad he came because i didn't like the spotlight being on me or reliving something which I would rather forget.
"Yeah, uh look. I'm sorry they're putting you through this."
"Officer Reynolds." Detective Breyer called. He gestured to come back over
"Probably wants another coffee and a jelly donut." he joked and left us.
"He looks good in a uniform." Hanna commented. i shook my head in disbelief, she did have her times.
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The next morning I came down stairs, Mom and Dad were talking. They stopped when I came down, both staring at me.
"Uh-oh. am I in trouble again." I ask
"No, but we would like to speak with you." Dad said and I sat I front of them.
"Your Mom told me what you said last night, about Ian." he told me, I sighed, I didn't expect anything different, I was hoping they wouldn't know but I was trying to be truthful about the situation. His expression spoke volumes to me.
"You think I'm lying." I nod "I guess I should have expected that."
"No, honey we don't. but we spoke it over with the Hastings who spoke with Melissa and Ian...." I cut Mom off
"Are you insane, the guys a manipulative piece of crap he's gonna lie his way out of this just like I said he would. Melissa would believe him if he old the the moon was pink." I exclaim jumping out of my chair. I know all of us were going through a tone of shit but this betrayal hurt more to me than Dad cheating.
"Erica calm down. Please." Dad sighed
"i should have just kept my mouth shut. And you wonder why I don't tell you things." I sneered at them now on the offensive and defensive.
"Erica, let us speak." Mum asked of me . I shut up and listened
"We believe you, we do but we need to share this information. Granted we don't think it should have gotten back to him, but there is nothing we can do now. So the thing we have to figure out is, where do we go from here." Aria came down and sat next to me.
"Is this about what she said last night." Aria wondered and I sat back down.
"We're talking about where we go from here. We won't be able to figure it all out now but we will. For today, you get dressed, have breakfast and go to school." Aria and i shared a look then nodded
"I'm now regretting saying anything. I honestly thought saying what happened would help, now he's gonna twist it like I knew he would." I say as we head to school.
"You were right, none of had the guts to say anything."
"I thought Spencer would, the rest of you could say you didn't know anything. I know she's scared but the guy is a creep. Which is saying something since it sound like I'm being a hypocrite because I'm with Jason. But the two are polar opposites, what happened between Jason and I wasn't planned, it just happened and yes I was 15 but... okay I'm stopping talking because even I know it sounds stupid."
"I get, sis. There is a fine line between our tales and what happens with Ian."
"Yes, but Aria we've rationalised it because we're in love with them and we're more than sure the feeling is reciprocated. But from an outside prospective they're just like Ian. Mom and Dad keep saying they're glad I said something but I can see it they're judging me as well." i groaned "This is driving me insane. How could we not have thought A was trying to screw with us."
"I don't know but we're here now." we pulled up into school. She went to see Ezra and I went to find Spencer. She had text me this morning needing to speak with me.
"Hey what's up?" I ask
"Have your parents said anything to you about the Ian thing?' she questioned me
"Yes, the said they talked to your parents who blabbed to him. Spence you know I love your parents, sometimes in fact i wish they were mine but they're two slices short of a loaf talking to Ian and Melissa about what we or rather I said in that interview ."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. Have your parents said anything about seeing a shrink?" she questioned me and I scowled.
"no, have yours?" she nodded
"They think your crazy? That's bullshit, ugh that piece of shit makes me mad." We started walking through the halls. Hanna joined us and we told her what was going on.
"I just can't believe this is happening." Spencer told us in disbelief
"Do you want us to talk to them for you?" Hanna offered
"No, it wouldn't make any difference." Spencer huffed in annoyance, I was sometimes questionable with our parents, they wanted us to trust them and grew up insisting that we could got to them for anything and they pull stunts like this.
"What are we talking about ?" Emily wondered as we stopped in front of her
"Spencer's parents think she's nuts." Hanna told her bluntly
"Unstable. And why should they believe me? I mean we have no proof. We're the girls who cried wolf." Spencer commented
"And the wolf is living in your backyard." I retorted
"Which is why I need to get into room 214." Spencer sighed. I turned to Emily.
"Spencer thinks Jenna has a room at the Edgewood Motor court." I informed our friend catching her up and the latest developments.
"Wait did you say 214?" Spencer nodded
"And I saw the bag that Ian gave her. It's in the room." Spencer added
"Okay I think we need to take a break from playing Charlie's Angels. I don't want to spend another night with Rosewood P.D."
"Hey!" Spencer ran off.
"And there goes Lucy Lu." Hanna commented
"If we were angels who would be our Bosley?" I wondered out loud getting strange looks from the other two.
"Like it didn't cross your mind. By the way I'm Drew Barrymore. Any day." i pointed at them
"Whatever you say." Emily chuckled shaking her head
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After school I was doing some homework when my phone rang. I picked it up and saw that it was Jason.
"hey."
"Hey, I got your text, what the hell happened." I explained everything, from the trophy, the video, taking it to the cops, them coming to our school, then questioning us.
"Erica." he breathed "I honestly don't know what to say."
"I told them about Ian, how he made a pass but not about you, I left you out of it. With the police but I told My Mom, who then told my Dad."
"How are you feeling?" he asked me
"Honestly? Scared. Every time I seem to tell the truth whether it is willingly and forced it burns. And people never take it in the way it's meant to be." I picked at my bedding
"I wish you were here." I start to cry. "Sometimes it feels like your the only one who knows what shit is like in this town." I sniffed. There was a knock on my door. I wiped away my tears as the door opened it was my Dad.
"Yeah." I cleared my throat
"I um, dinners ready." he told me.
"Okay." my voice cracked "Just let me finish this last question and I'll be right down." he nodded and left. I brought the phone back to my ear.
"Hey, I gotta go." I told him.
"I heard. i love you." I smiled slightly.
"I love you too, bye." I hung up and went to the mirror and fixed my appearance.
"Showing them you're weak will help them strike - Alison Dilaurentis" I mutter to myself. I went downstairs and took my seat. I felt a pair of eyes on me and I looked up to Dad.
"What?"
"Nothing just...You're un grounded?"
"I am?" I asked in confusion "Why the early release?" he shrugged and never gave me an answer, just continued dishing up. Aria leaned into whisper.
"You think he's okay with you know who?"
"Hardly, but I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth." I reply.
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The next Day Aria and I were over at Emily's hanging out and flicking through catalogs, well the other two were i was raiding Emily's closet.
"We want?" Ri asked
"We need." Em replied
"Em sweetie, I love you, but honestly you need and upgrade. Every girls wardrobe should be up to date, like Hanna and myself." i glance over at them "Which reminds me. I need to go shopping at some point." i added of hand Emily's phone dinged. I saw her smile
"Anyone interesting?" Aria questioned
"I haven't decided yet." Em replied.
"Maybe we can help.' i came over san sat on the bed. Then Aria's phone went off, she glanced at it and then put her phone down.
"I thought your Saturday afternoons were saved for coffee and cartoons with Fitz? Why are you avoiding him?" Em wondered
"Haven't you heard, he's pissed her off." I jumped onto the bed to join in with the conversation.
"I wouldn't say pissed off and I wouldn't say avoiding him." She muttered
"Sis he's called you three times since we got here. Now spill." she sighed and readjusted her self to sit up more.
"Okay, i'm avoiding him. He's helping Jenna with this thing and he keeps asking questions about her." she told us "Was it really Toby's fault? Can you imagine how hard her life must be? I mean oh my god." she vented
"So what do you say?" Em questioned
"I lie. Over and over again."
"Do you want to tell him the truth?" I wonder.
"Doesn't matter we promised." I sigh and rested on my knees
"Aria, listen to me. Yes we made a promise but some secrets are meant to be shared. Take my advice if you trust him tell him but make sure he knows what he's getting into." I advised her, she gazed and me baffled.
"What do you mean?" Aria wondered
"Jason and I made this deal, we have our secrets but if they ever become too much or we feel like the other should know, we say something. We know the other isn't always gonna be 100% but we take that risk." I told them.
"You do that?" Em sat up.
"Yeah and it's worked so far. You'd have to be dumb not to accept the fact that if and when your in a relationship, there is gonna be secrets and lies. You just have to trust each other, that if and when you need to know something, you'll know it. Especially in this town, this town brings out the worst in people."
"When did you become so wise?" Aria smiled softly.
"I met a boy." I chimed "Okay now, who wants to go shopping?" I wonder
I walk into the house with a bunch of shopping bags. struggling slightly
"Can someone help." I grunt. Mike came out and took a few things.
"What, did you buy the whole store?" he joked
"No and be nice I got something for you." he helped me take the bags upstairs. I was in the midst of trying he stuff on again when my phone beeped. I picked it up
Spencer- S.O.S
"shit." I changed quickly and ran out of the house. When I got there the police where outside. I was the first here. Aria and Hanna quickly joined then Emily
"What's going on in there?" Em asked
"I don't know. She just sent the S.O.S." i replied all of our phones we off
Breaking news bitches, Spencer Hastings is now a person of interest in my death -A