chapter sixty one — she's better now
[ season three, episode fourteen ]
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"So this is the new world order?" Aria asked. "We're gonna have to face-off with Mona in school every day?" Josie added. The thought of being anywhere Mona, freaked her out. Because she had been the one to stalk them, run Hanna over and so much more. "Yeah, she told Hanna that she's better now. Better at what?" Spencer scoffed as they added milk and sugar to their coffee.

"I'll tell you what? She sneaks into my house past midnight, I'm sleeping with a crowbar under my pillow." Aria said. "Do we ignore her? Or do we ... not?" Josie asked, looking at them. "Here's a hint. Yes." Aria answered, putting the lid to her coffee back on before grabbing her bag. "Mona had serious insight into what happened to Maya." Spencer pointed out. "What if she could tell us why Garrett was killed?" she asked as they sat down at a table together.

"So now you think Mona's the keeper of more secrets?" Aria asked. "She certainly knows all of ours." Josie said, agreeing with Spencer. "What if she has some kind of connection to the N.A.T. club?" Spencer asked. "Spencer, that club ended, while she was still loser Mona." Aria said. "Pre-lasik and metal mouthed." she added. "If those pervs didn't even wanna peep in her window, why would they wanna hang out with her?" Aria asked as Josie texted Richie back. "Maybe she was peeping at them." Spencer said, making Aria confused.

"I think what Spence means is, that two members of that pervy club are now dead, six feet under." Josie explained. "Maybe the person who killed Ali is still panicked that there might be a video out there." she added. "Did you ... Did you ever ask your dad?" Spencer asked.

"Ask him what?" Aria asked. "About what Garrett said." Spencer explained. "You know, about him meeting up  with Ali that night." Spencer continued and Josie knew Spencer should've kept her mouth shut about it but she also knew Spencer wanted answers. "My dad and I are finally getting along." Aria said, getting up. "I'm not gonna slap him with some whacked-out story Garrett made up so he could clear his own name." she said as Spencer and Josie stood up as well.

"Aria, we hear you, but–"Spencer started but Aria cut her off. "But what? Spence, Garrett lied about a lot. Why are we suddenly gonna believe anything he ever said?" she asked before walking out of The Brew. Josie sighed. "Well ... that went well." She said sarcastically and Spencer shot her a look before they followed her out of the cafe.

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"I'm basically under house arrest. My mom's now using my dad to squeeze information outta me about Halloweeen, The Lighthouse." Emily told the girls as they walked to the bike rack out front of the school. "What have you told him?" Spencer asked her. "Nothing." Emily responded. "If he knew half the crap we'd been through, he'd ship me off the guam." She added as she parked her bike in the bike rack while Hanna joined the group.

"Hey Han," Josie greeted. "Thought you were playing Mona's bodyguard." Aria remarked. "Okay, I said I'd be around for her." Hanna defended herself. Josie understood it, Mona was there when they weren't and she probably felt a responsibility for Mona. "I'm thinking maybe we all should be her friend." Emily said. "I mean, if Mona knows why Garrett died, right after he told that story about Aria's dad–" Emily continued but was cut off.

"Stop." Spencer said, warning her that Aria's dad was a tough topic and not up for discussion. "What's going on?" Hanna asked. "Nothing. We're not gonna talk about that." Spencer responded as Josie bit the inside of her cheek, nervous. "No, go ahead. Talk about it. Just do it when I'm not here." Aria said snappily. "Aria–" Josie tried. "What's next? Are we all gonna start wondering if my dad was on the Halloween train, too?" she asked sarcastically. 

"What?" Hanna asked, confused. "You actually believe that my own dad would drug me, and then lock me in a box." Aria said, looking at Spencer before scoffing and looking around at her friends before going to walk away but stopped, spotting Mona on the steps, a bunch of people whispering about her as she stood awkwardly. The girls watched as Aria went to walk past her, and as Mona smiled and said something to her, probably a 'hello' but Aria stared at her before walking into school. "Welcome to Mona 2.0." Spencer said. "It's gonna be a rough year." Josie added.

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As Josie sat in her first period class and she was very aware that the teacher was the woman Aria's dad cheated on her mother with. "The check and Balance system was established so that no branch could wield absolute power over another branch." Meredith said, teaching the class, but Josie noticed that Aria and Hanna seemed to be on their phone, and Mona was watching them.

Having her this close to her made Josie feel uneasy. "Why do we think this was so important to our founding fathers?" she asked the class, "Aria." she called out, making her look up from her phone. "What?" she asked. "Look, guys, I don't know what Mrs. Grazzuti's take was, but while I'm here, no phone in class." she said. "I wasn't ... I wasn't on my phone." Aria lied, making Josie sigh.

"Yeah, you were." Meredith said. "Tell you what. Give it to me." she said, stopping in front of Aria and holding her hand out, and slowly, Aria gave Meredith her phone. "This way you won't even be tempted." Meredith said before walking back to the front of the class and started teaching again as the girls looked at Aria. "It was important to our founding fathers because they wanted to be sure that no one had absolute power." she said before the bell rang, signaling the end of class and everyone began packing up. "Aria." Meredith called out, making her turn to her. "Can you stay for a few minutes, please?" she asked.

As Aria stayed where she was, the others did as well, including Richie, who stood behind Josie. Them wanting to be there for Aria, making Meredith laugh. "I guess since you travel in a pack, you can all stay." she said, making Josie furrow her brows. Did she just compare us to wild animals? She thought, sharing a look over her shoulder with Richie before looking back at Meredith as she walked towards Aria. "Just so we don't get off on the wrong foot, let's be clear," she started. "I have a job to do, and if you ladies want to graduate, so do you." she added, looking from Aria to the others.

"Look, I saw what you were texting, you're in this class to discuss American history, not mine. Got it?" she asked and Aria nodded, "Yeah." she responded before Meredith held out her phone to her and Aria took it back. "Thank you. Have a nice day." Meredith said before the girls walked out of the classroom.

"Mona, wait. Mona, I couldn't leave Aria," Hanna said to Mona as she tried to catch up to her. "No, that's okay. I get it. It must be really tough for her." Mona said before opening her locker, only for her and Hanna to gasp. Someone had stabbed a dead animal's brain to the inside of Mona's locker. "Oh, my god." Josie uttered, before shutting her locker as Spencer and Aria joined them, staring at it in shock.

"Mona, what is that? Is that a brain?" Hanna asked frantically. "Close your door." Hanna whispered as everyone watched on. But, Instead of closing the door, Mona stepped forward. "Come on, let's get out of here. What are you doing?" Hanna asked as Mona ripped the knife, still with the animal brain on it, off the cork board of her locker and walked through the hallway, as people moved out of her way and whispered and gasped

"What the hell is she doing?" Josie asked Hanna as they watched Mona continue her walk before dumping the the brain in the bin, before turning around, holding the knife still, freaking everyone out more, before she threw that in the bin as well before walking up to Lucas, saying something that the girls couldn't hear before walking off, grabbing her fallen books and closing her locker on the way. The girls shared a look before Hanna made her way to Lucas. "That was..." Richie trailed off. "Yeah," Josie muttered. 

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"So wait, wait, someone stole that from the bio lab?" Aria asked as the girls, minus Hanna walked into the girls bathroom. "They have cow brains up there?" she asked. "I didn't even think–" Aria started. "That's because you got excused from dissection based on vegetarian grounds." Spencer said, amused, making Josie snort as Aria gave her a look. "Guys, people are gonna think we put that in her locker." Emily stated, making Josie look at her, frowning. She knew Emily wasn't wrong. 

"It wasn't vegetarian, it was humanitarian." Aria responded to Spencer. "Are you still hating on me?" Spencer asked. "Possibly." Aria responded. "Guys." Josie said, making them turn to her. "Pay attention." she said. "People are gonna think that was us." Emily repeated now that she had their attention. "How? When? We were all being held hostage by Meredith, it wasn't in her locker before first period." Spencer responded.

"So now we're depending on Meredith to be our alibi? See you in jail." Emily quipped. "I gotta say, Mona's a lot stronger than me, I would have lost it." Aria remarked. "Surprised she didn't." Josie muttered. "I kinda feel sorry for her." Aria added. "Yeah, me, too." Emily said. "Okay, are we done feeling sorry?" Josie asked sarcastically. "Because she's done a lot worse to us, especially Han." she continued and Spencer nodded in agreement.

Before any of them could respond the door opened, making them look to see Mona walk in. "Hi." she greeted them as Aria moved away from the sink for her. "Hey," "Hi." Spencer and Aria greeted her as Emily and Josie stayed quiet. Mona walked to the sink, fixing her hair, the girls watching. "Mona, you don't think we had anything to do with that, do you?" Emily asked.

"Of course not. Why would you dump on me after I helped you?" Mona asked, making Spencer, Aria and Josie look between the two of them. "Help me?" Emily asked, confused. "Figure out who the creep was that killed your girlfriend." Mona responded, slowly  turning to face them. "But I know that there's still bad blood between us. And I know that I have to earn your trust, to prove that I'm worthy, but I will. You'll see." she said. "I'm better now." she smiled before leaving the bathroom.

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"You sure you didn't tell her?" Aria asked as she, Josie, Richie, and Hanna moved to sit down in The Brew, Emily following them, but she was on shift. "Okay, why would I tell Mona that Ezra has a kid?" Hanna asked. "I don't know but I'm telling you if Ezra would've opened that door–" Aria started. "But he didn't Aria, so calm down." Josie cut her off. "What'd you do with the basket?" Hanna asked as Aria sat down. "I trashed it. Why? Did you want the jelly beans?" Aria asked.

"Aria's right, Hanna, Mona's up to something." Emily said while Josie and Richie sat down, cuddled up on an armchair. "It's not a coincidence the first day she's back, Harold's also there, and somehow doesn't recognize us." Emily added. "Look, I'm not saying it wasn't weird. I just think maybe he took the job because he wanted to see her." Hanna said as Emily sat beside Aria.

"Why would he want to see her?" Josie asked. "She spent a lot of time there, maybe they were buddies." Hanna responded. "Yeah, well, the buddy-moon's over." Aria remarked, making Richie snort quietly at her wording. "We need to bust into creepy's closet and see what else he saved for her." Aria said as Caleb joined them. "Hey," he greeted Hanna, "Hi," Hanna greeted him back as he kissed her cheek.

"Did you talk to Lucas?" Hanna asked. "Uh, he's not feeling very chatty. But I did find something else." Caleb responded, pulling something out of his bag. "What is it?" Aria asked. "It's a transcript from the meeting the principal had with Mona and her parents last week." Caleb answered, handing it to Emily and the other gathered around it. "How did you get that?" Richie asked.

"There's perks to knowing the school's pass code." Caleb responded as Josie, Aria and Emily read the transcript. "Okay, what are we looking for?" Hanna asked. "Page two." Caleb answered as Josie took it from Emily. "Turns out Mona's parents did not want her to come back to Rosewood High. It was Mona who begged to come back in." Caleb said as Josie read page two.

"Wait, I thought she told you her parents were forcing her?" Aria asked Hanna. "I'm guessing she lied. Mona's back to take care of unfinished business." Caleb responded. "I gotta go." Emily sighed as she stood up walking over to the counter. "Hey, feed me, I'm starving." Caleb said, following Emily, making Josie laugh. "Did Mona sign that card on the muffin basket with 'M' or 'A'?" Aria asked.

"Look, can we just... take a second before we start–" Hanna started as she sat down. "Before we what? Let her destroy our lives again?" Aria asked. "No. If Ezra finds out that he has a kid through 'A' –" Aria answered. "Don't let 'A' have so much power Aria," Josie advised. "She's right, tell Fitz he has a son." Hanna said. "I can't," Aria said. "Why not?" Richie asked. "Because that son has a mother, and she asked me not to." Aria responded.

"Yeah, and every day that goes by is another day that kid goes without meeting his dad." Hanna said before she turned and looked at Caleb, making Josie tense up. "And believe me, that kid might be dealing with it for a long time." she added before looking back at her friends.

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"She shoots, she scores." Josie looked up as Calebb joined her and Aria. "Un-Freakin'-Believable." Aria scoffed. "By tuesday, that'll be playing in airports and doctors offices." Caleb said. "We need more bottles." Josie said before Caleb tapped her shoulder, making her look at him before following where he was looking, Aria noticed as well. Mona was surrounded by people. "I don't believe it." Caleb remarked, shocked. "What is she doing here?" Aria asked but neither answered her.

A little while later, Caleb and Richie were getting more bottles of water and gatorade when Aria and Josie joined them. "She's such a piece of work." Caleb scoffed, referring to Mona. "Yep, and that's what we call greeting your converts." Josie jokes. "Can I ask you something?" Aria asked Caleb, who looked at her and titled his head in response. "Have you ever... thought about what your life would be like if your dad had been around when you were like six or seven?" Aria asked, and Josie and Richie shared a look that spoke volumes. Keeping the secret about Caleb was burning a hole through Josie, but with this new 'A' and Mona being back, she doesn't know if she'll ever find the right time to tell him.

Caleb laughs out a scoff, looking away, making Aria cringe. "Dumb question. I shouldn't have asked that." Aria said. "No. No, it wasn't dumb." Caleb said. "When I was young, I... I looked for him everywhere. In the streets, In stores. I even looked for him in my sleep." Caleb responded to her question, and Josie started messing with her necklace out of nervousness.

"But when I was about 13, I just stopped," he added. "Why?" Josie asked, making him look at her. "I guess I was just tired of... using all that energy, ya know, I just needed to focus on me. And I'm totally fine with the way things turned out. Really." he answered. "But.. I'd be lying if there weren't days that I wish I could replace the guy I made up in my head with a real person." he added before the conversation stopped.

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Josie and the girls were standing in the mass of students about to run for the fundraiser. "If you look at your maps, you'll see four checkpoint stations. The run will end in front of the school where you'll pick up your medal and a complimentary swag bag." the swim coach said. "We'll begin in three minutes." she added as Hanna's grandmother went up the microphone.

"Excuse me, who's singing the national anthem?" they heard her ask. "Oh, we really didn't plan on doing–" the swim coach started. "I'll do it," Hanna's grandmother said, pushing her out of the way. "O, say can you see–" the singing was drowned out by Spencer talking. "Look, you guys. If we ditch the track right before checkpoint two, we can cut through the wood behind school." She said, "How are we getting in?" Hanna asked. "It shouldn't be locked." Josie responded and Spencer nodded in agreement. "It won't be. They're keeping the bathroom's open for people working the finishing line." she said. 

"Are you sure that Emily can't meet us?" Spencer asked Aria. "Yeah, unless she can escape fort fields." Aria scoffed. "Why is your grandmother singing?" Josie asked Hanna. "Because she can." Hanna responded as they watched her grandmother continue to sing. "I think Mona was on the halloween train that night." Hanan informed them. "Say that again?" Aria asked, confused but Hanna never answered. The swim coach, having enough of the singing, fired the gun to start the race and they all began running.

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The girls were walking into the basement, having left the track before checkpoint two. They walked in to see Emily trying to pick the lock to the janitor's office. "Emily?" Josie asked, confused, thinking she was still on house arrest. "Em, how did you get here, I thought–" Hanna asked. "Long story. Just do me a favour, don't call or text me until tomorrow." Emily said, making Josie furrow her brows, confused. "This isn't working." she said, holding  up a paper clip to Spencer.

"That's because it's a paper clip, you have to use a bobby pin." Spencer scoffed, moving so she could unlock the door with a bobby pin she took out of her hair. "Come on, have I taught you nothing?" she asked, putting the bobby pin into the lock, and after a second the sound of the door unlocking was made and Spencer quickly opened the door.

The five girls quickly filed into the room after one of them turned the light on. "The bag was right here, wasn't it?" Hanna asked as Aria closed the door while Spencer noticed something on the desk. "That's the book he was writing in." Emily said, noticing Spencer had picked up a diary from the desk, but it didn't look like a normal diary, it looked like a teen girl's diary.

"What does it say?" Aria asked, walking up to Spencer. "Looks like he was writing a long letter to Mona cause he thinks this is her diary." Spencer responded. "Is it? Was this in the motel room?" Aria asked. "Yeah, it was, but, you guys, this isn't Mona's, this is Ali's." Spencer said, causing the girls to share a look. "Is this the same one you saw in Mona's lair?" Hanna asked as Spencer flipped a page and found a gum wrapper. "Positive." she responded.

"Let me see this." Aria said, grabbing the diary off the table and she and the girls read an entry over her shoulder. "Aria, is this about your dad?" Josie asked and the girls shared a concerned look as Aria stared at the entry. "Aria–" Spencer started. "Don't." Aria remarked before a banging sound was heard, making them whip around, scared. "Emily, put this in your jacket." Hanna said, handing the diary to Emily. "Maybe we should leave it here. If he knows that it's missing, he'll think it was one of us." She suggested, not taking the diary from Hanna.

"Us? He doesn't even know who you are, just take it." Hanna scoffed. "Give it to me." Aria said, taking it from Hanna before ripping the entry about her dad out of it before putting it back on the desk and the girls made a quick exit of the office. As they were walking out, they were stopped by Harold, standing in front of them, and Aria had the pages in her hand still. Crap Josie thought. "What are you doing down here?" he asked. "Um, all of the bathrooms upstairs were full so we came down here, but we can use the ones on the second floor." Spencer lied, "We're sorry. Come on guys." Josie said, moving past Harold, but he stopped Aria.

"What have you got there?" he asked, grabbing her arm as she passed, taking the paper from her. "Give it to me." Aria demanded but he moved it out of her reach. "Spencer?" Toby asked, walking out from behind them. "What's going on? Are you guys okay?" he asked, confused, seeing the scene. "Yeah, we're fine, we just had to get something I accidentally threw away." Aria answered, grabbing the papers from the distracted Hector before the girls made a b-line out of the basement, Toby following them.

"Thank god you came down there." Emily said to Toby as the six of them walked out the front of the school. "How did you know we were down there?" Hanna asked. "I got to the finish line early, and then I saw the four of you go in that back door," he answered. "It doesn't even matter. We're so just lucky you were here," Spencer said, hugging Spencer as Richie jogged up the stairs and joined them. "Was wondering where you guys went." he said, kissing the crown of Josie's head.

Suddenly there was an explosion, making them turn at the sound of screams and glass breaking. The seven of them jogged down the steps, closer to the accident, wanting to see what happened. "Oh, my god!" Emily muttered. "Mona!" "Stay back. Get back." "Mona." People were yelling. "What the hell happened?" Josie exclaimed, confused.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter <3 | uh oh