"How bad did your mom bust you for wrecking Sean's car?" Spencer asked Hanna as the girls all walked through the park, finding a bench to sit on.

"Okay, I did not wreck it," Hanna corrected. "I damaged it. And, actually, everyone's being really mature about it."

"Oh."

"There's no 'Oh,' we're just being grown-ups, that's all," she assured.

"Okay, so the town is gonna put in a new bench and we'll plant the flowerbeds and there's gonna be a pathway of art tiles," Aria explained, telling the girls the ideas for Alison's memorial.

"Art tiles?" Spencer asked, sitting down. Aria nodded.

"Messages, pictures, memories of Alison," Emily explained.

"Oh, like little headstones," Hanna commented.

"Hanna!" Aria scolded.

"What?"

"We should each do a tile," Emily said, bringing the conversation back to where it needed to be.

"You know, I've had Alison's bracelet since the day we found it in the woods, and I don't want the responsibility anymore," Hanna pulled the bracelet out, holding it out for one of the other girls to take.

"I don't want it," Aria said.

"Seriously, somebody take this," Hanna said.

Spencer sighed, taking the bracelet from the blonde. "Look at us. Bunch of babies." She took a moment to look at the bracelet, a newfound determination in her eyes. "There's nothing that A can say or do to get us into trouble without making trouble for herself."

"Are you sure it's a her?" Hanna asked.

"Him, her, it doesn't make any difference," Spencer dismissed. She pulled her laptop out of her bag, quickly typing something into it.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna block all messages from people that I don't know," Spencer said. "IMs, texts, e-mails, everything. Screw A." She looked up from her computer with a smile. "Who's next?" Emily took the computer next, taking Spencer's spot on the bench as she stood. "I spy with my little eye something that begins with F."

Mr. Fitz was taking a morning bike ride down the street.

"Hey, Mr. Fitz," Hanna greeted with a wave. Mr. Fitz gave a lazy wave back, continuing his exercising.

"Looking good, Mr. Fitz," Spencer called after him. Aria quickly turned, taking her turn on the computer next. "There are teachers that you don't wanna see on a bike, and there are teachers that you do wanna see on a bike."

"I would not wanna see Mr. Gilardi on a bike," Hanna commented.

"His own wife wouldn't wanna see him on a bike," Star spoke, taking a seat on the top of the bench, resting her arms on her knees.

"I don't wanna think of Mr. Gilardi in motion of any kind," Emily said with a chuckle.

"Ah, Mr. Fitz," Hanna gushed.

"Hanna," Aria called. "Your turn."

"Yeah, I don't see it," Alexandra said, arms crossed.

"Because you're blind, clearly," Spencer said, nudging the girl with her arm. She looked at Emily. "You talk to Ben?"

"Nothing to talk about," Emily replied.

"So you're really done?" Aria asked.

"It's okay," Emily assured. "I'm fine."

"Okay, if you say so," Aria said.

"I wish we had a drum roll for this," Hanna sighed, finishing up on the computer. "Alright, here it goes. We are officially A proofed."

"Took y'all long enough," Simone said, hands in her pockets. "We blocked A right after that group text at Alison's funeral."

"Listen, all those little messages zipping through the air all around us," Spencer said.

"Yep, and none of them from A," Aria added.

"This feels like a good thing," Emily said.

"Of course it's a good thing," Hanna smiled. "Out of mind, out of sight."

A stray piece of paper blew to the girls' feet. Aria picked it up. It was a missing poster of Alison, her picture drawn over in red marker. Ding dong, the bitch is dead.

Alexandra furrowed her eyebrows as the girls all looked around, searching for the perp. "This is too much. I can't–" she stood from the bench as Aria balled up the paper.

"Wai–Alex," Aria threw the paper onto the grass, going after her neighbor. "Alex!"

"No, I did not sign up for this," Alexandra said, walking away from her. "I can't do this."

"You think we did?" Aria asked.

"This is your drama," Alexandra said, running a hand through her hair. "This is not my problem. I didn't even know Alison! I shouldn't be–" Aria cut her off, pulling the girl into a hug.

"Listen, this is just what A wants," Aria said. "Just ignore it. We don't have to worry anymore."

"I'm sorry," Alexandra shook her head. She pulled away from Aria. "I just–I don't see how–"

"It's over," Aria assured.

Alexandra sat on top of one of the tables in the cafeteria, writing in her notebook. She hummed a small tune.

"What's that?" Star asked, leaning on the table next to her.

"Something like a song," Alexandra answered, closing her book. "Not really for the public eye."

Star nodded. "So you're a singer singer?" She looked at Alexandra with a smile. "Me too."

"So I've heard," Alexandra chuckled.

"Spence, why didn't your folks take you to New York with your sister?" Hanna asked. "I mean, you deserve some retail therapy, too."

"Not as much as Melissa," Spencer said.

"Yeah, I bet," Alexandra muttered under her breath. She shoved her book in her bag.

"Ooh, hot scarf, Em," Spencer complimented the red scarf draped around Emily's neck as she walked up to them.

"Thanks," Emily replied.

"Is it new?" Hanna asked.

Emily hesitated for a second. "No."

Alexandra furrowed her eyebrows. That seemed like a lie, but she didn't press. A scarf is a dumb thing to lie about.

Hanna's phone started ringing in her bag. She slowly pulled out her phone, looking around at all of her friends.

"Go ahead, answer it," Aria urged. "We know who it can't be from."

"Hanna," Emily called.

"It's my dad!" Hanna finally looked up from her phone. She gave a surprised chuckle as she answered the call and walked away from the group.

"Why is she so surprised to hear from her dad?" Alexandra asked.

"He went ghost. Left her behind," Star told her.

"Ouch."

"Has she...even, like talked to her dad since he walked out on them?" Emily asked.

"I don't know," Spencer answered. "And then, her father, it's one of those 'Don't ask, don't tell' situations."

"We shouldn't stare at her," Aria nudged Alexandra and Emily. "Come on." She groaned as she got an alert on her phone. "My brother's post just showed up on my loop."

Spencer chuckled. "You added him as a favorite?"

"Yeah," Aria rolled her eyes as she walked past a line of tables. "Moment of weakness."

"Yeah, I made that mistake," Alexandra said. "It's safe to say, your brother is now blocked." Aria chuckled, hooking arms with her. "Hey, you think you can come with me to Fitz's class? I think I left my pouch in there."

"Uh, sure," Aria smiled. "I was headed there, anyway."

Aria stood in the doorway of Mr. Fitz's room. "Two visits in one day?" Fitz smiled. "I must be special."

Alexandra knocked on the doorframe of Mr. Fitz's classroom, watching as his eyes briefly widened. She sent him a quick smile. "Hey," she greeted.

"Ms. Crane," Mr. Fitz cleared his throat.. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen a small mauve pouch at my desk?" Alexandra asked, walking further into the room, Aria behind her. "I think I left it in here."

He pointed a finger at the dark girl. "You're in luck." He reached inside one of the drawers on his desk, pulling out a pencil pouch.

She sighed with relief. "I've been looking for this thing everywhere! Thank you."

"You might wanna put a strap on that thing," Fitz chuckled. "Or keep it in your bag."

Alexandra nodded. "I know," she groaned. "Thanks again! Come on, Aria." She grabbed Aria's hand, noticing her face starting to flush. The two left the classroom. "What was that about?"

Aria shook her head. "Nothing." Her eyes lit up for a brief second. "Are you doing anything after school? I-I have a date tonight."

"Oh?," Alexandra replied, teasingly.

"Yeah," Aria answered. "And-and you've got great style, you know? I mean, total bombshell!" She laughed nervously, eyeing Alexandra's expensive outfit. "Think you can, I don't know, help me pick an outfit?"

"Don't sell yourself short, Aria," Alexandra said. "You've got style, too. But, yes, I will be at your house after school." Aria smiled.

"Hey," Aria greeted her mother as she walked into the house. Her mother was in the kitchen, currently shaving a carrot.

"Hi," Ella responded brightly.

"Hi, Ms. Ella," Alexandra waved.

"Alexandra, hi," Ella smiled. "I didn't know you were coming over today."

"Yeah, I, uh, needed a study buddy," Aria said. She noticed the ingredients her mom was chopping up. "Chicken oh-my-gosh in the middle of the week?" Alexandra chuckled and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I felt like making a little treat for your dad, something special," Ella said, walking to the fridge.

"That's sweet," Alexandra smiled.

"Are you okay with veggie burgers?" Ella asked. "What about you, Alexandra? You like veggie burgers?"

"Actually, I-I said I'd have dinner at Spencer's," Aria lied.

"Oh. Okay," Ella said. "And Mike is gonna be out too, so I guess your dad and I will have the place to ourselves."

"That's great," Aria smiled. While her mom's back was turned to the stove, her smile faded. "Come on, Alex."

Alexandra noticed the dip in Aria's voice, like something put a damper on her mood. "You okay?" she whispered as they went upstairs.

"Yeah, just family stuff," Aria dismissed, sitting down on her bed. "Nothing I wanna bore you with."

"You sure?" Alexandra asked, starting to look through Aria's closet. "I'm a great listener."

Aria sighed. "No, it's–it's fine."

"So, who's this mystery date you don't want your mom to know about?" Alexandra asked, turning away from the closet to smirk at Aria. Aria's face flushed. "Don't think I didn't know you just used me and Spence as your alibi. Now, I don't know about Spencer, but if I'm gonna be used as an alibi, I need to know what for." She handed Aria a top. "Put this on."

"Oh, uh," Aria said. "He goes to Hollis–"

"A college student?" Alexandra asked. She turned from the closet full of clothes. "You're going on a date with a college student?"

Aria gave a small smile. "Yep." She noticed the incredulous look on Alexandra's face. "What? He's a freshman."

"Yes, because that makes me feel so much better," Alexandra sat down next to Aria. "You can't go on that date."

"Why not?" Aria asked.

"Are you serious?" Alexandra asked flatly. "Hmm, let's see. How 'bout the fact that you're a minor? Or the fact that that's illegal? I mean, what could you possibly have in common?"

"He likes books," Aria shrugged.

"Does he know your age?" Alexandra asked.

"Yes," Aria answered.

"And on that note," Alexandra stood up. "I'm going home. Enjoy your date."

"Hey, hey," Alexandra greeted as she walked into the classroom. Her eyes found Hanna, and she brightened. "Ooh! How'd it go with your dad?" She pulled the blonde into a hug.

"It was great," Hanna replied as the bell rang, starting class. "I'll tell you after class."

Alexandra smiled, sitting in between Spencer and Star. Mr. Fitz sighed as he leaned against his desk at the front of the classroom. "I'm wondering," he started. "Is anybody else bothered by Atticus' hypocrisy at the end of the novel? No? Well he's Mr. Due process when it comes to Tom Robinson, then as soon as Bob Ewell gets stabbed, he's willing to buy into the sheriff's cover-up."

Spencer raised her hand. "He was protecting Boo Radley," she said.

"Protecting him?" Fitz repeated. "From..from what, the justice system? Atticus is an officer of the court and he's conspiring to cover up a crime. And he's willing to let his own son take the fall for something that Boo Radley did?"

"It was a trade," Aria spoke up.

"What was a trade?" Fitz asked.

"Mr. Ewell would have killed those kids," Aria said. "Boo saved them." Mr. Fitz grew closer to Aria's desk as she continued. "And Atticus was still feeling guilty over Tom Robinson, so he offered Jem to take Boo's place. Almost like a sacrifice."

"Oh. Very noble," Fitz replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Too bad Jem was unconscious. You think he might have had a different opinion?"

"No, Jem would have said yes," Aria argued.

"You're sure about that?" Fitz asked.

"He was brought up right."

A weird tension settled into the room as Mr. Fitz and Aria shared a gaze that was half a second too long. The same gaze Alexandra noticed on the first day of school, and the gaze that was shared just yesterday.

Star cleared her throat, turning her head toward the window.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Davis, do you have something to add to the discussion?" Fitz asked. "Aside from phlegm?"

Star raised a perfectly arched brow. "It's more like a question," she said. "Can you, like, back up? I can smell the coffee you've been drinking from here, so I know Aria is suffering." Alexandra elbowed her arm. "What?" A few stray giggles went through the classroom.

Mr. Fitz pursed his lips, taking a step back from the desk.

"But, to actually add something of value to this discussion," she went on. "Good upbringing has nothing to do with it. People can have the best upbringing in the world and still be shi–terrible people. Just like people with the worst upbringing. At the end of the day, you choose what's right and wrong."

"And since Jem was unconscious," Alexandra added. "We'll never know what his version of right and wrong was."

"Really?" Fitz asked. "The whole book is about what shapes us into adults."

"We know that," Star said flatly. "Choices you make as you develop and the effects of those choices shape you into adults. That's why two people can grow up in the exact same way, in the exact same house, and turn out completely different–"

"So you're saying Aria is wrong?" Mr. Fitz asked.

"I'm sorry, what exactly does Aria have to do with this discussion question?" Star asked. "If you'd let me finish my point, you'd have heard me say it's about interpretation. Not upbringing."

"It's also easier to get a child off than a full grown adult," Alexandra added.

Mr. Fitz gave a slow clap as he retreated to his desk. "Now that's how you have a discussion."

Star furrowed her eyebrows, looking at Alexandra. Alexandra looked at Aria, who quickly looked down at her book.

"I got here as fast as I could," Alexandra huffed as she jogged into Spencer's room. Spencer had sent all of the girls an S.O.S text, telling them to meet at her house. "What's wrong–?" She stopped short, seeing a message written in bright red lipstick on Spencer's mirror.

It won't be that easy, bitches

–A

"Is that jungle red?" Hanna asked, staring at the mirror.

"Alison's color," Emily said.

"No," Alexandra walked out of the room. "I'm not doing this." She grabbed her phone from her back pocket.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Aria was the first to follow her down the stairs.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Alexandra replied. "I'm calling my dad."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Damn, this took a long time to update. My bad! I lost motivation for a hell of a long time. Not much happened here, but still. Let me know your thoughts!