041, misery loves company
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"I KNOW. I know. Sorry I'm late." Aspen exclaims rushing into Aria's living room since Aria asked them to meet up with her after finding out some stuff about her father from Meredith.

"Where have you been?" Spencer questions, "Jason and I got held up. But here you go Ri-Ri." Aspen explains handing off some necessities to the sick girl laidback on her sofa.

"Thanks Spen." Aria weakly voices with a smile on her face seeing all of the stuff Aspen bought for her.

Emily begins to pour a freshly made pot of tea for the sick girl smelling the substance with grimace.

"What is this?" Emily questions, "Some kind of herb thing. It's Meredith's cure-all recipe." Aria responds taking the cup of the Fields girl.

"I don't think it's working. You look terrible." Spencer voices, "Thank you," Aria flatly mutters sighing due to feeling exhausted.

"Oh, God... I couldn't have picked a worse time to get sick." Aria mumbles.

"Have you heard from your dad?" Aspen quizzes putting her hands in her pockets trying to hide the fresh jewellery on her finger.

"He left a message, but I haven't talked to him since he left for his conference." Aria responds.

Hanna rushes into the living room due to arriving late as well, "Hey. How's the patient?" Hanna inquires.

"Not great." Emily sympathetically says while Hanna takes a seat beside Aria and Aspen on the sofa.

"Well... I brought over everything that helps me when I'm sick," Hanna smiles grabbing things from her bag.

"Trash... Ginger ale... And three seasons of "Saved by the Bell."" Hanna continues receiving a laugh from Aria.

"Thank you, Hanna." Aria lightly says, "Are you sure you want to stay here by yourself?" Spencer quizzes.

"Guys, I'm fine." Aria responds, "Ri-Ri, you don't look fine." Aspen states.

"So I've heard." Aria utters in response, "You sure you don't want us to drive you to your mom's?" Emily asks.

"No, it's her week with Mike, so the guest room's already taken. And besides, I promised Meredith that I wouldn't tell her about Ali's diary until we talked to my dad, so if I just stay away from her, it's easier to keep that a secret." Aria explains.

"I can't believe we're trusting Meredith." Hanna mutters, "I think she's really just as devastated as I am." Aria murmurs, "You're not giving her the pages, right?" Aspen inquires.

"No. No, they're hidden in a safe place, and they'll stay there till my dad gets home." Aria voices looking around the room at the others.

"Then we'll give him the chance to tell us the truth." Aria continues sadly, "And if he doesn't?" Aspen quizzes.

"I don't want to believe that my dad could have hurt Ali. But if he did do it... This is a family secret that I can't keep." Aria says sighing due to stress and being sick.

"I'd offer you the guest room at my apartment but I'm sure you want your own bed while being unwell." Aspen voices.

"Yeah. Thanks for the offer though, Spen." Aria responds with a small smile, "Always Ri-Ri." Aspen firmly nods.

✹

THE NEXT morning, Aspen smiles noticing her fiancé walking out from the ensuite bathroom while looking at the beautiful ring on her finger.

"You okay, baby?" Jason questions, "I'm perfect." Aspen responds happily while stretching her muscles due to feeling incredibly relaxed from their nights sleep.

"Did you tell the girls?" Jason quizzes, "No. Not yet. But I'm sure this big rock is obvious and I can't hide my hands in my pockets forever." Aspen explains getting up from her position in the bed and placing her hands around Jason's shoulders looking up at the male lovingly.

"Plus, last night was for Aria and trying to get that poor girl back on the mend of feeling good." Aspen mumbles dropping her hands from his shoulders walking into the ensuite bathroom to do her usual morning routine before she meets up with the girls later on.

Jason follows her into the bathroom knowing she won't mind considering their activities the last few nights since their engagement.

"Didn't you just shower?" Aspen smirks facing the man who drops the towel from his waist.

"Yeah. But who cares when I have this beautiful woman in-front of me." Jason responds placing his hand on her naked waist before both of them step into the shower starting off their days with a passionate and lust filled shower.

✹

LATER THAT day, Aspen sits on her sofa scrolling through her laptop seeing emails from Mrs Lockman about her future designs and that she is looking forward to seeing Aspen again once she returns from Europe.

Aspen frowns hearing her phone chime on the coffee table with an incoming text.

"A" SET UP HANNA. NEED TO TALK.
NOW.
— SPENCER

Aspen doesn't hesitate in grabbing her keys and bag from the kitchen counter quickly messaging Jason about her leaving the apartment for a few hours.

"Oh my god, Han! Are you okay?" Aspen shrieks noticing Hanna icing her injured wrist, "I'm alright. Thanks Spen." Hanna confirms.

"Corin moved her store to Society Hill a month ago." Spencer explains looking at the stores website on Hanna's laptop.

"Did you tell Mona you applied for a job there?" Emily questions.

"No, I applied months ago online. She's just doing this to get back at me for cutting her off." Hanna mutters.

"No, it wasn't her. I saw her at school around four." Emily explains, "Spence? What is it?" Aspen quizzes noticing that look on the brunettes face.

"Then it was her Minion." Spencer states standing up from the vanity desk and picking up Hanna's phone looking at the A message, "Is she threatening to cut your face off?" Spencer questions.

"Or throw acid at her." Emily suggests making Hanna and Aspen share an uncomfortable look with one another, "You guys, come on." Hanna mutters in disbelief.

"Should we give this key to the cops? There's a numerical code on it. Maybe they could trace it." Emily suggests looking at the key A left behind.

"Yeah, even if they could trace it, are you ready to talk about Mona 2.0? That's what we would have to do if we turned it in." Spencer responds.

"Yeah. For all we know, it's not just Mona and her Minion. Maybe she's built this whole A army. We still don't know what her endgame is." Emily voices.

"I do. It's to cut Hanna's face off." Aspen shrugs looking at the other blonde girl with a sympathetic look.

"I get it. I hear you guys, but she still has all those pictures of us at Ali's grave." Spencer states.

"You know what? I don't care anymore. She has to be stopped." Hanna snaps irritated with Mona's action.

"Yeah. You're right. But this decision is going to affect all of us. Aria has to be in on it too." Spencer firmly states.

"Has anyone talked to her today?" Emily questions, "I tried her phone, but all I get is voicemail." Spencer responds.

"Me too. She's probably still sleeping." Hanna suggests with a soft shrug.

"I haven't tried calling her because I've been extremely busy." Aspen explains biting her lip wanting the girls to know her and Jason's exciting secret.

"Let's just wait. We'll talk about it in the morning. I gotta get ready for tonight." Spencer utters grabbing the key from Emily.

"Spence, have fun tonight. We'll worry about all this tomorrow." Emily softly says while Hanna and Aspen smile at the brunette, "Thanks." Spencer nervously responds.

"If you really want to surprise Toby, have on five-inch heels and nothing else when he walks through the door." Hanna suggests smirking receiving a shocked look from Spencer.

"Amen." Aspen mumbles fist bumping with the blonde girl.

"What? I've heard guys like that." Hanna shrugs before feeling something solid hit her fist from Aspen's hand, "Thanks for the tip." Spencer chuckles.

"Aspen Renae Harley-Fields! What the fuck is that on your hand?" Hanna shrieks scaring the shit out of everyone in the room.

"Is that what I think it is, Spen?" Emily questions shocked while Spencer quickly picks up her hand taking in the diamond placed on Aspen's finger, "Surprise?" Aspen voices with a giggle.

"Oh my god! No way! Congratulations!" Hanna exclaims launching herself at the blonde girl who smiles and hugs her back.

"No seriously. Congratulations Spen, you and Jason deserve this." Spencer states excited for her best friend.

"Thanks girls." Aspen responds while Emily looks at her cousin tearfully, "It's beautiful." Emily beams still looking at diamond on her finger.

"It really is." Aspen responds with a low sniffle before waving at Spencer goodbye since the brunette needs to get home and get ready for her anniversary dinner with Toby.

"Speaking of. My fiancé just arrived home and is asking for my whereabouts. Talk to me later?" Aspen demands kissing her hand and leaving Hanna's house to drive back to her apartment to greet Jason— who arrived back from work fifteen minutes earlier.

✹

JASON WATCHES as Aspen strolls into the apartment being greeted by Bowie happily since he picked him up on his way back from work.

"Those clouds out there are looking pretty dark." Aspen voices, "Yeah. Candles and movie night tonight?" Jason questions.

"Of course." Aspen smiles happily loving the idea of having a quiet night in with her fiancé.

A little while later, Aspen jumps as thunder cracks through the sky above the town of Rosewood.

"Jesus!" Aspen shrieks jumping out of her skin as the power goes out.

"You okay?" Jason questions lighting one of the candles on the coffee table since their movie night was ruined by the power going out.

"Fine," Aspen confirms snuggling into the male's chest once he takes a seat on the sofa couch.

"Just hold me." Aspen pleads desperately, "I'm not going anywhere." Jason responds pecking the girl's forehead.

✹

JASON TOSSES and turns while Aspen sleeps peacefully in their shared bed in her— their apartment hearing a buzzing coming from her nightstand.

"Hello?" Aspen groggily says answering the phone before sitting up straight hearing heartbreaking sobs on the other line.

"Spencer, what's wrong?" Aspen asks urgently, "Please just come to my house. Please." Spencer begs through her sobs.

"Of course, Spence. I'm on my way." Aspen responds ending the phone call and rushing out of her bed grabbing some of her things before pecking a now awoken Jason lips before whispering an urgent goodbye to the male.

"Spencer?" Aspen exclaims walking into the Hastings manor looking around the kitchen hearing Spencer's sobs upstairs, "Oh. Hi Mrs Hastings." Aspen greets seeing the woman stood in the doorway.

"Hi Aspen. She's upstairs." Veronica explains seeing Aspen nod and rush up the staircase immediately letting Spencer to full blown breakdown in her arms.

"Shush. I'm here." Aspen soothes rubbing the girls forehead, "Toby's A." Spencer whimpers while breathing deeply shocking the blonde girl.

"I'm sorry, Spence." Aspen responds not knowing what to say and just trying to comfort the broken hearted girl— whose tears are soaking her sweatpants.

"I was sobbing outside of his apartment for hours earlier. I don't know if he ever loved me." Spencer whispers sniffling.

"Oh, Spence. I'm so sorry this happened to you," Aspen softly responds still running her fingertips along her scalp.

"I'm here for however long you need me, okay? Do you want me to call the others?" Aspen questions, "No. No. Please. I just want you." Spencer murmurs.

"I'm here. I love you, Spence." Aspen mumbles with a sigh allowing the shattered brunette to relax a little bit on her lap before she falls asleep while sobbing her eyes out.

Leaving Aspen staring around Spencer's room in utter shock and betrayal that Toby's put not only Spencer— his girlfriend through but herself as well— someone he 'views as a sister.'

─────── ∘°❉°∘ ───────
TO BE CONTINUED...

𝖊𝖑𝖘 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖘 ⛧
sort of a filler chapter.
sorry for the delay in chapters.
the ending is a bit different to other books.

what do you think about this chapter?
any thoughts on what could happen in future chapters?

hope you enjoyed!

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