Perfect (Book Two)

Twenty-Nine: Let It All Out.

Spencer wordlessly led Hanna out of the bathroom and past a clump of kids. Then she noticed Aria standing near the bar, alone. "You're coming too."

Hanna dropped Spencer's hand. "I'm not going anywhere she's going."

"Hanna, you told everyone you dumped Sean!" Aria protested. "In English?"

Hanna crossed her arms over her chest. "It didn't mean I wanted you to come here with me. It didn't mean I wanted you to steal him."

"I'm not stealing anything!" Aria screamed, raising her fist. Spencer worried for a second that Aria might try to hit Hanna and inserted her body between the two of them.

"That's it," she said. "Just stop it. We have to find Emily." Before they could protest, she dragged them past the ice sculptures, the karaoke line, and the jewelry auction tables. Spencer had just seen Emily not twenty minutes ago, but now Emily was gone. She passed Andrew, sitting at a long, candlelit table with his friends. He noticed her, then quickly turned back to his friends and barked out a loud, fake laugh, obviously for her benefit. Spencer felt a twinge of remorse. But she couldn't deal with him now.

Tightening her grip on the girls' hands, she strode past the tables out to the terrace. Kids were gathered around the fountain, dipping their bare feet, but still no Emily. By the giant statue of Pan, Hanna started to moan. "I have to go."

"You can't go yet." Spencer pushed Aria and Hanna back into the dining room. "This is important for all of us. We have to find Emily."

"Why is that so important?" Hanna wailed. "Who the hell cares?"

"Because." Spencer stopped. "She's here with Toby."

"So?" Aria asked.

Spencer took a deep breath. "I think...I think maybe Toby's going to try to hurt her. I think he wants to hurt all of us."

The girls looked shocked. "Why?" Aria demanded, her hands on her hips.

Spencer looked at the ground. Her stomach felt tight. "I think A is Toby."

"What makes you think that?" Aria looked angry.

"A sent me a note," she admitted. "It says we're all in danger."

"You got a note?" Hanna shrieked. "I thought we were going to tell each other!"

"I know." Spencer stared at her pointy Louboutins. Back inside the tent, some of the boys were having a break-dancing contest. Noel Kahn was trying to do a kickworm, and Mason Byers was doing some sort of butt-spin. Wasn't this supposed to be a civilized function? "I didn't know what to do. I...I actually got two notes. The first one said that it would be better if I didn't tell you guys. But the second one really sounded like it was Toby...and now Toby's here with Emily, and—"

"Wait, the first note said we were in trouble, and you did nothing?" Hanna asked. She didn't sound angry, exactly, just confused.

"I wasn't sure it was for real," Spencer said. She ran her hand through her hair. "I mean, if I'd known—"

"You know, I got a note too," Aria said softly.

Spencer blinked at her. "You did? Was it about Toby too?"

"No..." Aria seemed to consider her words. "Spencer, why were you at the yoga studio Friday?"

"Yoga studio?" Spencer narrowed her eyes. "What does that have to do with...?"

"It was a little too much of a coincidence," Aria went on.

"What are you talking about?" Spencer cried.