After me ~ Pretty Little Liars Fanfic

fourteen

I sit in my cell reading one of the books they hand out to inmates. Aside from the ripped out pages and death threats written inside, the story seems kind of interesting. It's about a girl who disappears and her friends piece together the clues to finding her. Pretty much Alison's life story but in this version A isn't a thing and they definitely aren't as cunning and devious as our frenemy. I've decided that A has to be a friend of the girl's. I mean, how else could someone know absolutely everything about us who isn't close to us. Or was close to us.

"Hey Hastings" I hear beside me. The cell doors are open and inmates are free to roam the halls. Alison is currently conversing with an illiterate inmate who said she'd braid Alison's hair if Alison would help her write a letter home. I'm glad Alison is making friends- it's kind of draining having to spend 24 hours, 7 days a week with the one and only Alison DiLaurentis. I'm shocked to see my pink haired bully stood in the doorway of my cell.

"Hi" I say looking back to my book. I feel her sit down next to me, looking over my shoulder. "Can I help you?" I say slightly scared. I would never let it show that is.

"It's a good book right?" She smiles. Wait, did I just see her crack a smile? I've never seen her mouth form that shape before. "I love that author. He's so compelling and captivating" Compelling and captivating? I didn't think those words would be in her vocabulary.

"Yeah" I mutter.

"Look, I came here to tell you that I told those buffoons to back off you" She says, making me look at her. She has a slight bruised eye forming on the left of her face. "And that I'm sorry I was so hard on you. You're just a kid. You're younger than any of us were when we first got in here. We all struggled so I can't even imagine how you feel."

"Thanks" I say awkwardly. I can't tell if she's being genuine or not.

"You've got someone to look out for you in here. You and your friend. I believe that you didn't kill that girl."

"I thought we weren't supposed to know what everyone did to get in here?" I say, completely contradicting my earlier actions.

"I have a friend that happens to be an officer here. Give me a shout if you ever want an extra pudding cup" She laughs a full hearted laugh. Her words make me smile. "I thought we could have a fresh start. I'm Mason." I frown at her masculine name. "I know it's a boys name. My folks wanted a son."

"Mackenzie" I smile in response. She already knew that. "Can I ask what brought this on?"

"I have a daughter" Mason says looking to the ground. "I had to give her up when I got put inside 7 years ago. She'd be your age now. I couldn't live with myself if I knew she was being treated like that."

"Well thanks" I smile. "It's nice knowing that I can sleep easier at night"

"Sorry for everything"

"It's okay" I say, fully meaning it. I'd beat me up too. I'm a mouthy little cow sometimes. I take after my sister. "How'd you get the bruise?"

"Let's just say I had to throw a few punches to get my way. I had to take a few too."

"Wow"

"I was raised in the hood" She laughs. I didn't think people actually called it 'the hood'. "I grew up with these kinds of people."

"Interesting" I say purely because I don't know what else to say.

"If you want, I could show you how to, you know, defend yourself?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I laugh softly.

"Just that you look a bit scrawny, you know. You should probably learn to throw a few punches rather than just take them all the time."

"You know what? You're probably right" I say with a smile.

***

I spend the next 2 weeks listening to Alison talk about herself and learning how to fight from my new friend Mason. I feel like a new and improved Mackenzie. Mike got clearance to bring me some online algebra work because he couldn't put up with my constant complaining that my brain is turning to mush. He's visited me almost everyday since Mona went missing. There's still nothing on her vanishing meaning there's still nothing on Alison's release. Ali's got a few burns from people who hold grudges on her because of something she said to a second cousin, 6 years ago. I soon set them straight though. It seems like the iron is the favourite weapon in this section of the prison.

I change into the grey suit and pink blouse set out for me. Today is the start of my trial. Mom requested to send in one of my own outfits to make me feel more relaxed. As if an ancient suit of Spencer's that smells of sweat and liquorice would make anyone feel relaxed on the day that could change their entire life.

"Don't worry about a thing Kenz" Alison reassures me as she brushes my hair through under the watchful eyes of Officer Carlson. "Everything is going to go your way"

"I hope"

"Mike's going to be there." She sings. "You still like him right?"

"I think that's the least of my worries" I shake my head. I've said this too many times about Mike to even count. "Plus, Mona's still missing and I can clearly see his heart is broken."

"Then put it back together." She smirks. "Sex is always the way to a boy's heart"

"I'm not sleeping with him" I exclaim. "He sees me as his little sister."

"But you aren't"

"Can we talk about something other than Mike Montgomery? I'm freaking out here." I sigh. What if I'm found guilty?

"30 seconds" Officer Carlson informs me.

"Good luck Kenzie. If you get out of here then promise me that you won't give up on me and you'll let me keep those algebra papers you have" Alison hugs me tightly.

"I won't give up on you" I promise her. "I'll find a way to get you out of here" I hug her back as I feel myself being dragged away from her.

"Good luck" She calls after me. I walk through the hallways, guided by my favourite officer- if that's even a thing. Inmates wish me luck as I stroll past their locked cells. I stop quickly outside Mason's cell. She smiles brightly and gives me a nod of good luck as the large metal door buzzes open and I'm pushed through.

I guess it's now or never. I've just got to think about what I say before my big mouth lets the wrong words slip out. Ever since Mike told me that I'm completely innocent I've had this weird feeling in my chest. I guess I'd doubted myself to start with. I have weird memories of being in the middle of the woods that night. I'm looking around but there's no one to be seen. I'm sure I never saw anyone out there but I can't remember why I'm there or who I'm supposed to be meeting.

I'm lead through tall, heavy wooden doors into the court room. I've been here once before when mom made Spencer and I do work experience with her on an extremely gruesome murder case that still haunts me to this day. I walk down the thin isle towards the front of the room. I sit down next to my mother- the lead lawyer on this case. My father sits behind next to Melissa, Wren and Spencer. Melissa still doesn't trust Spencer and Wren together after she caught them shirtless making out of the barn floor. I must admit, that wasn't one of Spencer's best moments but when everyone turned their backs on her it almost killed me. Spencer's always been my favourite. Spence smiles warmly at me as I scan the audience. I smile back. I'm slightly annoyed that she never came to meet me in the 2 months I was inside but I suppose she has her reasons. I don't think I'll ever be able to hate Spence. I look behind her to see Hanna, Emily, Aria and Mike all sat waiting in anticipation for the trial to start.

"Remember what I told you?" My mother leans into me, taking my gaze away from my friends.

"Focus on one jury member. If I can get one of them to feel uncertain then the whole jury falls apart." I repeat. That was drilled into me from a young age- it's sort of a Hastings' motto.

The judge walks in and everyone in the room rises. Here we go.

A, please don't throw me back inside again.

A, please don't throw my life away.