Secrets |Toby Cavanaugh|

Chapter 1

"So do you. You've really grown up since the last time I saw you." Aria replied.

"Yeah, well, it has been a year." I replied.

The bell rang and I sat down as Mr. Fitz wrote his name on the chalk board. He turned around and smiled at us, at least, until he saw Aria,

"Holy crap." Everyone in the room stared at her and her phone rang.

She quickly grabbed it, "Sorry."

"Uh, I'm Mr. Fitz, your new English teacher."

...

After school I drove home and my mom was there, answering some emails. I went upstairs and did my homework. She called me down a few hours later for dinner. I told her about school, and Aria coming back.

I pushed the food around on my plate, making it seem like I ate some of it. And when my mom wasn't looking, I put some in the napkin that was on my lap.

"So, where's dad?" I asked.

"He had to work late tonight. But, your father promised he would be home early tomorrow so we can eat dinner together, like a family." She answered.

I nodded before putting my napkin on my plate and standing up, "Well, I'm stuffed. Thanks for dinner, mom, it was great."

I threw away my left over food before cleaning my plate and jogging up the stairs, "Night!"

Once I got into my room, my phone buzzed, telling me I had a text.

Only if mommy knew that her daughter wasn't so perfect -A

I looked around, really confused. Was someone watching me? Who's A?

...

The next day I quickly put on a pair of black jean shorts, converse, a low cut black and white striped t-shirt, and my black leather jacket before heading over to Spencer's house. We grabbed some coffee and headed towards school, the whole time Spencer told me about how Melissa and her boyfriend moved into the barn that was supposed to be hers.

School was school, and when I got home mom was preparing dinner.

"Where's dad? I thought he was going to get off early tonight?" I questioned.

"He'll be here." Mom assured me.

He never came.

I sat awkwardly at the dinner table with mom, poking my roast with my fork. Neither of us ate. I sat on the stairs, listening to my mom put the leftovers away in the fridge. I heard her sigh before walking into her office and slamming the door.

Later that night, I went to the kitchen for a glass of water and saw my dad at the counter, eating the roast.

"Mom said you were supposed to get off early." I stated, leaning against the doorway.

"I know. There were some meetings I couldn't miss. I meant to call, but I just-"

"You forgot." I interrupted before grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

"Yes." My dad cleared his throat, "So, how was school?"

"It was fine." I answered.

"I heard Aria moved back to Rosewood." He said.

"She did."

My dad sighed, "Grace, are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

"Well, it's been a year since Alison went missing and-"

"Dad! I'm fine. Like you said, it's been a year. I've moved on." I said before going towards the stairs,

"They found her body."

I stopped and turned around,

"What?"

"Alison's body. Construction workers who are working in the Dilaurentis' backyard found the body." Dad said.

"Is that why there were so many police sirens?" I asked and he nodded.

That weekend was Alison's funeral. I wore a black dress that went down to my knees and zipped up in the front with black lace tights and black heels. Spencer and I went to the church together and greeted Alison's parents before sitting in the front row. Soon Hanna and Emily joined, and Aria.

"Poor Ali." Emily said.

"Can you believe what a scene this is?" Hanna asked.

"Alison would have loved it." I said.

"Popular in life and death." Spencer commented.

Hanna grabbed a flask from her purse and handed it to Emily,

"No thanks. I don't-"

"Today, I think you do." Hanna smiled softly.

Aria's phone rang and we all looked at her, "Anyone we know?"

"No, it's just a text from my mom." She answered before looking at us, "Emily and I aren't the only ones who got a message from A, are we?"

People began talking and Spencer turned around, "Oh my god. It's Jenna."

We all turned around and saw Jenna being sat down in one of the rows. We turned back around as Mr. and Mrs. Dilaurentis sat next to us,

"Did you see that Jenna Marshall was here?" Ali's mom asked, "I didn't realize she and Ali were friends."

"They weren't." I told her.

After the funeral, the five of us walked outside together and a man in a suit stopped us

"Do we know you?" Spencer asked.

"I'm Detective Wilden." The man showed us his badge, "I understand you were all good friends of the victim."

"Yeah, we were." Aria replied.

"I'm gonna need to talk to each one of you." Wilden said.

"We talked to the police when Alison went missing." Spencer responded.

"And I intend to go over everyone of your statements. This is no longer a missing persons investigations. It's a murder." Wilden informed us, "Rest assured, I will find out what happened that summer."

Wilden walked away and we all looked at each other,

"Do you think he knows about-"

"No. How could he?" I asked Aria.

Then, all of our phones rang and we opened the text message.

"Oh, my god."

"It's from-"

"I got one, too."

"I'm still here, bitches..." Spencer began.

"And I know everything. A." We all said together.