𝐴 𝑓𝑒𝑤 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟...
"LOOK, if you have any more issues don't hesitate to come to me okay?" I clasped my clammy hands together and rested them on the table before me. "I'm here for you, it's my job, plus I want to help."
The young girl, Ava, smiled softly, I liked my job. It was nice knowing I was there for teenagers, not only to help them study and revise, but some of them turned to me for their personal problems too. I didn't mind that at all, in fact it diverted a lot of my own problems out of my mind.
"Thank you Miss Montgomery, you're way better than the guidance counsellor Mr Dilaurentis." She beamed, I almost choked at his name. Jason hadn't been around during the past few weeks, curiosity got the best of me and I found myself asking a few other members of staff as to where he was; Family issues, they said.
I watched over my dark, thick lashes as Ava exited my classroom, I call it a classroom though it's more like a large office. I did have a classroom then got evicted from it when a new English teacher called Mr Fitz rocked up a snatched it from me. He's quite a looker so I didn't fuss about it.
"Knock knock." A familiar voice chirped up by the door, I glanced up and smiled as Emily and Hanna sauntered into the room.
"Hey! how are you guys?" I asked, Em pulled a chair over toward my desk and sat down, Han perched herself up on the edge of my desk. "Shitty, Mum thinks I'm a basket-case, 'A' won't seem to leave us alone." Hanna mumbled, my stomach churned at the thought as I remembered the endless notes and texts I'd been receiving from this stalker.
"Had any texts recently?" Em asked, her fingertips brushed over a pot filled with stationery on the desk. "Yeah," I sighed, flipping my phone over and switching it on to show them both.
"Remember, you utter my name to the cops, you'll be joining Ali in a casket-A"
Hanna huffed and tucked a thick chunk of her blonde locks behind her ear, "God this bitch is getting more aggressive as the days go by."
I shrugged and switched my phone back off, lounging back in my seat. "Where are the others?" I asked, furrowing my brows and drumming my fingers against my knee.
"Spencer's on the phone with her date for homecoming and Aria is somewhere...not sure where though." Emily said, I hummed in response, "You coming to homecoming?" Hanna asked, I glanced up and took a deep breath.
"Doubt it, they might ask me to cater but, I might a pull a sick-y" I smirked, the two girls huffed a laugh at my remark. The bell rang out in the halls, ricocheting through my ears and startling me slightly.
"You okay?" Em asked, gently placing a hand on my forearm, "Yeah. Just jumpy." I sighed, slowly bringing my hands up to the side of my face to rub my temples.
"Aren't we all?" Hanna groaned, slipping off of my desk and pulling the edges of her skirt down, "'A' has me walking on freakin' eggshells twenty-four-seven."
I unscrewed the lid on my bottle of iced tea and raised the drink toward her, "I'll drink to that." I mumbled before tipping my head back and allowing the liquid to slip down my throat.
"If you come tonight, give us a call." Emily moved her chair back over to where it was sat, they both sent me a quick wave before slipping out the room, leaving me to dwell in my own company and thoughts.
༄
I stared at the bottle of liquor on my dresser before undoing the lid and pouring myself a shot; The police had been non-stop questioning the girls and I about Alisons murder, only thing that seemed to calm my nerves and the fact I was on-edge all the time was alcohol.
I must've downed at least six shots by the time I finally felt like I could leave the house, I was right, the school asked me to cater and I figured it was either that or spend my night at home doing sweet nothing.
Mum is always panicky whenever I leave the house, baring in mind I am twenty one years old she treats me as if I'm sixteen all over again.
"Mum I'll be fine, it's a school dance not a club night-out." I laughed, Dad snorted earning a very sharp look of disapproval from my Mother. "Just be careful Chica, a girl as beautiful as yourself draws attention from the wrong sorts of people." She pinched my cheek lightly and leant forward to peck my nose.
I admired the way she still had her Spanish accent although she'd lived in America for years. I also thank the lord everyday I got her tan and not my fathers.
"I'll see you tonight!" I called, slinking out the door and heading down the porch steps toward my cab. I figured take a cab there and back, plus I'd already been drinking. I just prayed nobody got a whiff of the bottle I'd snuck in my handbag.
The school hall looked entirely different I had to refrain from rubbing my eyes, which I'm glad I didn't do as my mascara and eyeliner smudged would've made me look like something from a horror.
"Miss Montgomery! Thank you so much for coming." A teacher from the Arts department bounded over to me, "Of course, now what do I need to do?" I asked, clutching my bag tight as the sloshing coming from inside was getting louder by my every movement.
"If you could co-host the wheel spinner that would be wonderful, I'll see you shortly." She smiled brightly before skipping off somewhere else, seriously happy people scared me. There's happy and then there's freakishly happy. She was the latter.
Regret consumed me as I strolled over to the wheel-spinner stall, why didn't I just stay in bed? I pulled open the door round the back and stepped inside, glancing around the place and carefully dropping my bag to the floor. I pulled off my coat and draped it delicately over the opening of my bag to hide the toxic lying inside.
"Ah! Are you...working this?" A male voice called up behind me, once again, I jumped out my freaking skin before turning around quickly. "Oh, sorry didn't mean to scare you." A tall man with dark brown hair combed to the side stood upright.
"Ezra Fitz." His hand outstretched toward me, I sighed in relief and placed my hand in his own, shaking it firmly before dropping it back to my side. "Quinn Montgomery." I forced a small smile out of politeness, his eyes widened slightly after I spoke my name.
"M-Montgomery?" He asked, brows furrowing, I nodded and turned to the front of the stall to scope out what the rule of the game was. "Are you related to Aria Montgomery by any chance?" He then asked.
I craned my head over my shoulder, "She's my little cousin, she a student of yours?" I asked, Ezra nodded and smiled briefly before crouching back down and tightening a screw on the bottom of the wheel.
"I'm running this for the entire dance, whereas you'll be swapping with students whom are volunteering to help work on the stall." Ezra said softly, reaching over to a small table at the back of the stall and picking up his plastic cup with a yellow coloured beverage inside.
"What time will I have to go?" I asked, "Well, dance starts at seven, so seven-thirty the first volunteer will be coming over." He said into his cup before tipping his head back and downing the rest of it.
I was so relieved that I was leaving the stall only after thirty minutes, don't get me wrong, Ezra's a nice guy but how awkward is it when you're practically trapped somewhere with someone you've just met. No thanks, I want out.
༄
I'd finished my shift at the wheel-spinner and had done a thirty minute shift on food-catering. I'd been given a break and I figured this was my chance to dip.
"Spence!" I called, craning my head over the crowds of students dancing around me, I weaved my way in and out of everyone before reaching the girls and their partners.
"He-You alright? You look flustered." Hanna turned to me, I rolled my eyes and she giggled lightly, "Hi Sean." I smiled at the blonde boy beside her, he sent me a short wave.
"This is Alex, my date." Spencer gestured to the shy brunette beside her, he shook my hand firmly and smiled. "Where's Em?" I asked, glancing around our little circle that was missing one.
"She's not here yet, does anyone know who she's coming with?" Aria asked, I shrugged as did the others. But just as we did my eyes glanced over to Hanna whom was staring up at the halls entrance.
"Oh my god." She gasped, I quickly snapped my head over and held the same expression she did. "Is that Toby?" My mouth dropped agape, "And Em?"
As they headed down the steps hand-in-hand toward us I rapidly glanced around at the girls. All our faces mirrored the same expressions, "what the hell?" Aria mimed to me, I shrugged in response.
Emily slivered her way into the circle, we all sort of stepped back slightly as Toby joined her side. "Hey guys." She smiled anxiously, if it wasn't for the loud chatter and music cascading around us, you would've heard a pin drop at how silent we all were.
"I'll go get us some drinks." Toby muttered in her ear, he eyed us all suspiciously before disappearing off into the crowd.
All eyes panned to Emily who clutched her purse tightly, "Em? What the hell?" I hissed, eyes thinning at the fact she'd brought the potential 'A' with her to homecoming.
"Either you've got some genius plan, or sleeping with the enemy, or you have lost your mind!" Aria added, "You don't even know him." Emily replied calmly.
"What is there to know?" Spencer huffed, folding her arms tightly over her chest, "Who else could've helped Jenna? He has every reason to hate us!" Spencer whisper-shouted.
"Well he doesn't." Emily defended, "Emily! Walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a freaking duck!" Hanna said sharply, I bit my bottom lip to stifle my grin forming, she always said the most random shit at the worst times.
"Wow, I thought at least you'd understand." Emily glared daggers at Hanna, I furrowed my brows and looked between the two, Em moved forward and pushed past Han and I, Hanna spun round and grabbed her arm.
"Just wait!" Hanna pleaded, "Why are you doing this?" Em asked, her voice was weak, I felt quite bad for the girl. "Aren't you the one who told me to 'follow my feelings' and not let other people's opinions stop me?" Emily said.
"Yes! Yes I did but that's when I thought you were taking Maya!" Hanna retorted, "Maya? Why would I take Maya?" Emily asked, Hanna stayed silent and glanced around the room.
Toby soon came back in sight and pulled Emily away from us; I turned back to the group and tiredly rested my head on Arias shoulder, "I think it's your turn to go do the volunteer-at the-stalls-thingy." I mumbled, she groaned and slinked off into the crowd.
I chatted with Sean, Spencer and Alex for a few moments, Hanna was in her own little world, soon Melissa-Spencer's older sister-came over to us and pulled her for a chat. I decided to help Spencer out and keep Alex talking so he didn't feel ditched.
"We need keep watch of Emily, I don't like leaving her with him Han." I whispered to Hanna, she nodded and scanned the room before staring straight at the pair at one of the stalls across the room.
I headed off to the bathroom to freshen up, telling Hanna and Spence to message me if anything happened.
It was strange, wandering the halls of Rosewood High this late at night, I went to the far end bathrooms so I didn't have to deal with giggling girls re-applying their makeup in the main toilets by the sports hall.
My eyes were drowsy, I'd been pouring an excessive amount of alcohol into my drinks every time anyone around me turned their back. It's not like I wanted to get drunk, I like getting tipsy, it makes shitty nights go quicker in my opinion.
I ran my wrists under cold tap water, a skill I learnt as a teenager whenever I got too overwhelmed in situations. The tap screeched slightly as I turned it off, my phone vibrated in my purse, pulling it out I was met with an 'SOS' text from Spencer.
༄
"What's going on?" I asked worriedly, arms outstretched to show my state of confusion. Spencer looked awfully pale and terrified, as did Aria and Hanna. I glanced at the open file Aria held and read a few lines.
"Toby and Jenna? A thing?" I gasped, "So that's what Ali had on him?" Spencer questioned, I glanced round at each of the girls. "Enough for him to want her dead, and us." Aria mumbled.
"Where did you get this?" I asked, Hanna waved off the question and sighed heavily. "Em is alone with him, oh my god."
Aria fumbled to get in her purse but pulled her phone out fast enough, she rung Em straight away as we all waited for her to pick up. "She's not answering." Aria huffed, "Text her!" Spencer pushed.
"We have to find her, come on!" Hanna looped her arm through mine. We ran out of the mirror-maze and through the corridors, our heals clicking harshly against the floor.
"Where the hell is she?" I called, running behind Spencer and into the Cafeteria, "Maybe they left." Hanna suggested, looking around the room rapidly.
An agonising scream echoed out through the halls, we heard it clear over the music, "Emily!" I shouted, running out the Cafe with the girls trailing behind me.