"What happened?" I demanded.
Evan stirred noisily, only just waking up. I know it seemed harsh to question him right away, but with the fright he gave me he deserved a slap, so a rude awakening was fair enough. The brunette boy squinted as the hospital lights were very bright, and he tried to prop himself up, "What do you mean? Where am I?"
"Evan, I found you last night in the church. You hit your head and were unconsciousness next to an empty bottle of whiskey. What on god's green earth did you do?" I said slowly, not knowing if the words were registering in his brain.
"I-I don't know. I was crashing at Lucas' and then I got upset about what happened between us again so I left. I stole the bottle from his parents' alcohol cabinet and must've drank it. I remember going into the church and then...I...I was pushed." Evan stammered out.
My eyes widened and I sat on the bed, "What do you mean, pushed?"
Evan stayed silent and didn't reply, his eyes filling with tears whilst he fumbled about with his hospital gown. The bandage on his head moved as he furrowed his brows in thought, "I was stood in the aisle, and then someone pushed me. They...they pushed me into the gap between the pews and then grabbed my head and then smashed it against the floor. I can't remember anything after that. I'm sorry, Yara."
My face was a picture of complete horror, "You don't remember anything because the blow knocked you out. Do you have any idea who it could've been?"
"It was probably a grown man, they were relatively strong, but I didn't see them. Or maybe I did and I don't remember. I don't know. It could've been anyone. But why? Why would anyone do that? Or did I imagine it or did I-"
I interrupted Evan's rambling, "You're spiralling. Just...breath, ok? If you recall being pushed then you probably were. Just...don't ever run away like that again. Your Grandma and I were frightened to death."
It felt as if I was speaking to a child, telling him off. But it was true, that night was one of the most scary experiences. The image of Evan, collapsed on the ground with blood around his head would forever be engrained into my mind. The feeling I got when I realised it was him was indescribable. A mixture of panic, sadness and fear was the only way I could put it into words.
"Is there still a chance. For us?" Evan asked, going to hold my hand.
I allowed him to link hands with me and I sighed, "We'll talk about us, I promise. But I just need time right now. There's so much going on with A and my family and I don't want to rush any decisions. But I know you're truly sorry for what you did, and that means a lot."
"Thank you. Do you have my phone, I want to call my Grandma."
"Yeah, it was in your pocket, it should be in your drawer." I said, getting up off the bed and opening the drawer of the plain bedside cabinet.
The phone screen beeped automatically onto text messages when I turned it on along with the missed calls and voicemails from various people. I scanned the messages, my name right at the top. I let my eyes wander down the screen, and then the message that stood out to me appeared. My stomach churned, and as I turned the screen towards Evan he paled too.
There's a surprise waiting for you in the church, better hurry before they go,
kisses,
-A
"I don't remember getting that."
"Evan, whoever attacked you was the 'surprise.'" I concluded out loud.
"I don't know who it was. I wish I did. Or was it just A setting up a trap?"
He had a point. It wasn't out of character for A to set people up. Many people came to mind when I considered who it could've been, but I couldn't pinpoint one. Whoever it was hated me, Evan or both of us. Before we could think on the matter any longer, the door opened to reveal Jason. He smiled gently but remained in the doorway, "Nearly ready?"
I turned to him and smiled widely, "Yeah, I'll be out in a sec."
Evan narrowed his eyes at Jason and looked him up and down, "Evan, this is Jason. He's Ali's brother." I explained, wanting the tension to vacate. But it didn't seem to leave. The two guys smiled awkwardly at each and with a small nod, Jason had left the room again.
"Why's he here?"
"Because, he was there last night when I found you. And he's been there for me through this all." I said simply, not wanting to get into the subject of Jason. He was just a friend. "I have to go, but I'll come back this afternoon hopefully." I said whilst handing Evan his phone.
"Okay, see you later."
~~~~~~~~
"So, what's it like between you two now?" Jason asked as he pulled up to the outside of Rosewood High.
"We're over, for now, anyway." I answered, picking my bag up from the footwell.
"On your terms, or his?"
I blew a strand of hair out of my face, "Mine. He still has strong feelings for me and I do for him but-"
"You don't think you can ever trust him again?" Jason finished for me.
"Exactly." I said shortly.
The same piece of hair from earlier had gone back into my vision, and Jason reached out and brushed it from my face gently. I was surprised at the action to say the least. Blushing, I swung my bag onto my shoulder and opened the car door whilst Jason wore a boyish grin on his face, "Call me later?"
"Of course, thanks for...well, everything." I smiled, shutting the car door in one quick movement.
The car juddered to life, he waved again, and then sped off down the road. Did Jason like me? In a romantic way? I'd never even considered being anything more than friends with him, apart from the small crush I had on him ages ago. But I was still hung up on Evan, and there was no way I'd be getting over him anytime soon.
~~~~~~~~
School went by in a flash that day. Currently, I was in Aria's room with her and Hanna. Han and I were laying on our stomachs flicking through magazines whilst Aria was staring down her wall. Turns out I had missed visiting hours at the hospital and had to just ring Evan instead. We had a long conversation about random things; hospital food, when he'd come home and most importantly who he could've been attacked by.
After I'd hung up and said goodbye, I turned to my friends, "A has found a way to hurt Evan and there's nothing I can do. What if it happens again."
Aria smiled sadly, "It's A's way of trying to scare us."
"And it's definitely working." Hanna added.
Mr Montgomery passed by the partially open doorway, deep in a phone conversation. I was about to say something else when Aria suddenly darted towards the door and held her ear to it, listening in on her dad's conversation. Hanna and I shared a glance, and then she realised I didn't know why Aria was being so jumpy, "Mrs M got a ticket to the same museum opening Aria and Ezra went to. Mrs Montgomery's car stalled so she couldn't get there."
"Probably A again." I sighed, flipping a page of a magazine.
Aria opened the door and began talking to her Dad. Talk about Nancy Drew. The girl interrogated him, whacking out question after question about where he was going. Once shed finished Aria whipped round to both of us, waited for the front door to slam and then spluttered out, "Come on!"
Hanna sat up from her previous position on the floor and groaned, "Where are we going?"
"To follow my Dad." Aria said, gesturing wildly at the door.
I got up and shut the magazine I was reading, "Where?"
Aria picked up her handbag, "If I knew, we wouldn't have to-"
"Aria..." Hanna began, not budging.
"Han, my Dad's about to have dinner with somebody in the dark." She looked at me, "Move it."
~~~~~~~~
The three of us were sat outside Rosewood High. Aria had just phoned her Mother after we'd seen Mr Montgomery walking into the school. She'd told Aria that she was home, but the small brunette wasn't convinced. I was practically asleep in the backseat, but the opening of a car door and Hanna whining, "Okay, what are you doing?" woke me abruptly.
We soon found ourselves inside the library, looking through the shelves like a bunch of spies. Aria winced whilst we watched her parents make out and I had to stop myself from gagging. The two of them were apparently on a break since the whole cheating scandal, but from the looks of it, it seemed they were closer than ever. Romantic, but ultimately still gross to watch. The pair shared another intimate moment before muttering a few words. They began teetering in our direction so we hid against a shelf. After they'd definitely gone, the three of us all left the corner and shared confused looks. "Oh, my God, my parents are having an affair with each other." Aria gasped.
She started to walk off and I began to follow, but Hanna didn't seem to be moving. I turned back around to see the blonde girl climbing up an air vent, "Hanna, what are you doing?" I hissed.
Aria was close behind me, "Hanna?"
"Come up here!" Hanna whispered back as she turned around.
Aria and I climbed up onto the shelf and peered into the vent. An array of objects littered it, and Hanna lifted a small, paper bag up and a handful of mobile phones fell out, "Someone sending a bunch of texts? Spencer's laptop disappearing? Our lockers broken into? I mean, all this stuff happens at school. This is A."
I raised my brows and nodded, it made perfect sense. I'd always suspected that A was most likely someone who frequented the school, it was the only logical explaination. We began to descend back down, the thought of A maybe being near not making us want to be around for much longer. Hanna shut the vent just before grabbing a roll of cash and dropped back down too.
"Hanna. You're taking that?" Aria questioned.
"Yes, A owes me. Hospital bills. Pain and suffering. Tire marks on my cleavage." Hanna stated.
After she'd said that, the all lights turned off, leaving us in darkness. We all looked up in fear, "Guys, it's nothing, the lights are...probably just on a timer." I reasoned.
In response, a lamp fell off of a nearby desk. All of our eyes were wide open as we all shared a look that shouted 'we should leave.' But, as we were about to start going, footsteps drew our attention to a different corner of the library. A hooded figure appeared around the corner.
All of us screamed before grabbing each other and running towards the doors. I pummelled into the exit and we stumbled through, the person not far behind. Aria tried a fire exit, but to our dismay it was locked, so we shot back the other way. The three of us ran clumsily down another corridor and Hanna pushed a cleaning cart over so it partially blocked the corridor, sending mops and buckets flying, but there was no way it would be stopping the person. Obviously, they managed to jump over it cleanly, and carried on the chase. Hanna screeched loudly as we reached the door, and my face fell immediately at the bulky, metal chains keeping the exit shut. The chaser had slowed down to a walk now, cornering us. Hanna grasped at her bag, shoving her hand in.
She must've found the thing she was looking for as she sighed in relief and pulled out a can of hairspray, spraying the attacker in the face.
~~~~~~~~~~
Groans if pain erupted from Caleb, a sketchy new guy who apparently repaired and upgraded phones. Hanna said she knew him, and Aria softly asked how his eye was feeling, "Still burning. Ugh, you want a sharp stuck for the other one?" Caleb sarcastically replied.
"Hey, you know what? It was just hair spray. It was light hold. What were you doing in there anyways?" Hanna retorted.
"I'm sort of, um...I'm crashing here." Caleb explained, trying to open his eye properly.
"You are? Why?" I said, still standing up.
Caleb rolled his eyes and glared at me, "What does it mean to you?"
I then noticed the absence of a bag on my shoulder, "Guys, I left my bag in the library, I'll be back in a sec."
Hanna and Caleb didn't seem to listen, so Aria got up and we went off, walking as quickly as we could. The school was extremely scary at night, even though it was only Caleb chasing us, A could still be here. We stepped into the library and I made a beeline towards the area I knew I put it down in. Aria was close behind. Suddenly, the loud banging of the far exit doors echoed throughout the room. Someone had just been in here. Finding my bag, we both peered at the doors, and Aria tiptoed around a bookshelf.
For what felt like the millionth time that night, Aria shrieked incredibly loudly, switching the torch of her phone on. I darted round the corner to see what she had seen and a small, 'oh my god' left my lips. Aria's torch was on the face of Adam Baker, the same Adam who had stabbed me that night in the woods. But, the tables had turned, as a large knife was sticking grimly out of his chest. His face was a ghastly pale, and Adam was laying flat on his back. A billion thoughts flew through my mind all at once as I looked at the horrific sight.
Aria began to call the police but I grabbed her hand to stop her, "Don't! If they know I was here I'll be at the top of the polices' suspect list!"
"I'll call in anonymously." she hissed back, tears already coming out of her eyes.
"Let's go!" I said, linking arms with her and dragging her away.
"I'd like to report a body at Rosewood High. In the library." I heard Aria say down the phone, and she hung up immediately after. Stumbling along, we soon found Hanna and Caleb. We would have to all leave as quick as possible to avoid being caught by the police. Things were already looking bad for us.
Caleb and Hanna looked up at us curiously. Aria was shaking and still crying, and if I wasn't trying to keep her together I'd be a crumbling mess myself, "We have to go!" I whisper-shouted at the pair.
"What happened?" Hanna said, leaping up and engulfing Aria in a hug. Aria started sobbing into Han's shoulder, gripping onto her shoulders. Caleb looking extremely confused and I picked up Hanna's handbag for her.
"There's a body, in the library." Aria cried out, pulling away from Hanna.
"Who is it?" Caleb questioned, getting up and looking at me anxiously.
"Adam Baker."
~~~~~~~
thanks so much for reading, it means SO MUCH to me. I try my best to update, and I'm sorry for being gone, so I updated two days in a row :)). Ly all xxo.