Page 14 (1/2)

"Hey"

Spencer screa from her hands

"Jesus" Melissa stood in the doorway "Calm down"

"W-Why aren’t you in class?" Spencer asked, her nerves vibrating

Melissa wore dark pink velour sweatpants and a faded Penn T-shirt, but her blunt-cut, chin-length blond hair was held back by a navy blue headband Even when Melissa relaxed, she still ht "Why aren’t you in class?"

Spencer ran her hand along the back of her neck, finding it sweaty "I…I forgot soave her a mysterious smile Chills ran up Spencer’s spine She felt like she was on the edge of a cliff, about to topple over "Well, I’ht about what you said on Monday I’ too"

"Oh," was all Spencer could think to say

Melissa lowered her voice "I mean, we really should be nicer to each other Both of us Who knohat ht happen in this crazy world? Look at what happened to Alison DiLaurentis Itabout seem sort of petty"

"Yeah," Spencer murmured It was sort of an odd comparison to make

"Anyway, I talked to Mo around"

"Oh" Spencer ran her tongue over her teeth "Wow Thanks That means a lot"

Melissa bea pause, and then Melissa took another step into Spencer’s bedroohboy dresser "Sooooo…what’s going on with you? You going to Foxy? Ian asked o I’m probably too old"

Spencer paused, co? These weren’t the types of things they usually talked about "I…uh…I don’t know"

"Daave you that" She pointed at Spencer’s neck

Spencer ran to her e, purple hickey near her collarbone Her hands fluttered frantically to her neck Then she noticed she was still wearing Wren’s thick silver ring

Melissa used to live with Wren--had she recognized it? Spencer yanked the ring off her finger and shoved it into her underwear drawer Her pulse raged at her te, and Melissa picked it up in the hall Within seconds, her head was back inside Spencer’s room "It’s for you," she whispered "A boy!"

"A…boy?" Was Wren stupid enough to call? Who else would it be, at nine-fifteen on a Thursday ? Spencer’s mind scattered in twenty directions She took the phone "Hello?"

"Spencer? It’s Andrew Cah "Frolanced at Melissa "Um, hey," she croaked For a split second, she couldn’t even recall who Andrew Campbell was "What’s up?"

"Just wanted to see if you have that flu going around I didn’t see you at the student councilYou’re never, um, not in student council"

"Oh" Spencer sed hard She glanced at Melissa, who stood expectantly in the doorway "Well, yeah, but I…I’m better now"

"I just wanted to say that I offered to pick up your homework for your classes," Andrew said "Since we’re in all the sa froyym "For calc, we have a bunch of end-of-chapter problem sets"

"Oh Well, thanks"

"And do you o over soe of our grade"

"Uave her a hopeful, excited look Hickey? sheat Spencer’s neck and then at the phone

Spencer’s brain felt like it was plodding through yogurt Then, suddenly, she had an idea She cleared her throat "Actually, Andrew…do you have a date for Foxy?"

"Foxy?" Andrew repeated "Uuess I didn’t have any pla--"

"Do you want to cohed; it sounded like a hiccup "Seriously?"

"Um, yeah," Spencer said, her eyes on her sister

"Well, yeah!" Andrew said "That’d be great! What ti out with any friends beforehand? Are there any after-parties?"

Spencer rolled her eyes Leave it to Andrew to ask questions, like he was going to be quizzed on it "We’ll figure it out," Spencer said, turning to the

Then she hung up, feeling winded, as if she’d sprinted miles and miles for field hockey When she turned back to her door, Melissa was gone

13

A CERTAIN ENGLISH TEACHER IS SUCH AN UNRELIABLE NARRATOR

On Thursday, Aria hesitated in the AP English classroorabbed her arotten any…?"