Ali's Pretty Little Lies (Prequel)

Twenty-Four: Hanna's Let's It All Go.

The following evening, Ali placed the last bowl of chips on the table and stood back for the effect. "Do people even eat Doritos anymore?" she asked aloud, then spun around and glanced at her friends. Too bad Hanna wasn't among them; otherwise, she would have made a snarky comment.

"It looked great, Ali," Emily said, adjusting the daisy behind her ear, which she'd picked from Ali's side yard. Emily had dressed up for the party—for her, anyway—wearing a pair of crisp jeans without any holes in them and an almost-tight T-shirt she'd borrowed from Aria that said Irish Girls Do It Better. Ali was sure that if Emily's mom caught her wearing it she'd be in huge trouble.

"The Christmas lights were a nice touch," Spencer said. She still had her eye on her house next door, probably waiting for Ian, who had a date with Melissa tonight, to show up.

"Thanks," Ali said. Her dad had brought up a box of Christmas lights from the basement this morning and strung them all over the patio—Ali had first seen the effect at a restaurant in Little Italy in New York City. After that, her dad had offered to pick up any guests who didn't have rides and grilled burgers for them. Guilty much? Ali had wanted to snap, not taking the bait. It was obvious he was trying to atone for her twin's arrival the following Tuesday, but nothing could make up for that.

She lit a few more candles and placed them on the tables, then checked to make sure the stereo was cued up to a peppy, dance-friendly playlist and that the deck had been swept clean so everyone could dance. She touched Aria, who was standing in the corner, looking at the texts on her phone. "Everything okay at home?"

Aria paled, glancing around at the other girls on the deck. "Fine." She almost sounded annoyed. "I was just texting my mom what time I'd be back."

Ali flinched. That was what she got for trying to be nice? Fury welled up inside her. Fine. If Aria thought Ali was a bitch, then she would be a bitch. "So do you know who that girl was?" Ali asked, easing closer, barely recognizing her own voice.

Aria's mouth snapped into a tight line. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do you think your mom knows? Everyone at Hollis?"

Aria gave Ali a pleading look, then shoved her phone in her pocket and walked away. Ali watched her go, grinding her teeth. She wasn't sure if it was Aria she was really angry at—all she saw, when she shut her eyes, was her mother's hand reaching out to give that slap. But the meanness felt good, right. She felt in control.

She tipped her head to the sky, admiring an airplane flying high above. The night was clear and cloudless, with just a hint of chill, which was perfect for couples who wanted to snuggle up. But that was the only bummer: Even though Nick had asked, he hadn't been able to get the night off work. Maybe it was better that way, though. It wasn't as if Ali had told anyone about him yet—she still wasn't sure where they stood, and she didn't want to tell her friends about him prematurely. And anyway, tonight she had work to do.

The doorbell rang, and Ali darted back into the house and yanked it open. Hanna and Josie stood on the porch, both in similar print dresses that Ali had seen hanging on the racks at Otter. "Welcome!" she said cooly, pushing her disgust and jealously down deep. Hanna had never been twinsies with her.

She stepped aside to let Josie and Hanna in when more guests appeared at the curb. James Freed and the new boy, Mason Byers, spilled out of James's dad's BMW. Kristen Cullen and Lanie Iler, who were always on the fringes of coolness, started up the path next, followed by Sean Ackard. For a few moments, everyone convened in the foyer, Mason meeting Lanie, James giving Kirsten an I-like-you-but-I'm-going-to-pretend-I-hate-you poke, and Hanna skittering away, mortified to be in the same room as her crush. Josie, however, lingered and shook Sean's hand. "What grade are you in?" Ali heard her ask him.