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Emily couldn’t believe all that had just spilled from her mouth She turned to Toby His ht maybe that if there was a time to admit that he’d been Ali’s boyfriend, noould be it Instead, he said quietly, "Why are you so afraid to adhed Wasn’t it obvious? "Because I don’t want to be…you know Gay" And then, in a quieter voice: "Everyone would make fun of n Instead of pausing and rolling through, Toby put the car into park E?"

Toby took his hands off the steering wheel and stared at Ean to feel uncomfortable He seemed upset She touched the back of her neck, then turned away and looked out theThe road was silent and dead and paralleled yet another cornfield, one of Rosewood’s biggest The rain was co down harder now, and because Toby didn’t turn on the windshield wipers, everything was blurry She wished, suddenly, for civilization For a car to drive by A house to appear A gas station So Was Toby upset because he liked her, and she’d just come halfway out of the closet? Was Toby homophobic? This hat she would have to deal with, if she really thought she was gay People would probably do this to her every day of her life

"You’ve never been on that end of it, have you?" Toby finally asked "You’ve never had anyone make fun of you"

"N-No…" She searched Toby’s face, trying to understand his question "I guess not Well, not until Ben, anyway" Thunder cracked overhead, and she ju across the sky a few s up for aat a button on his jacket

"Seeing all those people tonight justin Rosewood," he said "People used to really hate ht, everyone was so nice--all these people who used toIt was like it had never happened" He wrinkled his nose "Do they not realize what assholes they were?"

"I guess not," Elanced at her "I saw one of your old friends there Spencer Hastings" Lightning flashed again, uys were such a clique, back then You really let people have it Me…my sister…"

"We didn’t mean to," Eed "You did And why not? You were the irls in school You could" His voice was sharply sarcastic

E that this was a joke Only Toby didn’t s about this? Weren’t they supposed to be talking about Eay? "I’m sorry We just…We were so stupid We did what Ali wanted us to do And I ether that next year--"

"What?" Toby interrupted sharply

Eainst theHer chest burned with adrenaline "You…you weren’t fooling around with Ali in, urade?"

Toby looked horrified "It was hard for me even to see her," he said quietly "Now it’s hard for me even to hear her nae breath When he faced her again, his eyes were dark "Especially after…after what she did"

Eain, and a stiff wind kicked up,the cornstalks sway They looked like hands, desperately reaching out for so--praying--she’d heard hiht itself and go back to being normal

"I think you heard me," Toby said in a flat, emotionless tone "I know you were friends and you loved her and whatever, but personally, I’lad that bitch is dead"

Een out of her body Soing

You really let people have it Me…my sister…

It’s hard for me even to hear her name Especially after what she did…

AFTER WHAT SHE DID

I’lad that bitch is dead

Toby…knew?

A crack started to form in her brain He did know She was sure of it,in her life Eht in front of her face, but she’d been trying to just ignore it Toby knehat they’d done to Jenna, but A hadn’t told hi time And he must have hated Ali for it He must have hated all of them, if he knew they were all involved

"Oh athering her dress in her hands as she stepped out of the car The rain hit her im suspicious about Toby being friendly to her He wanted to ruin Emily’s life

"Emily?" Toby unbuckled his seat belt "Where are you--"

Then she heard the engine roar Toby was driving down the road toward her, the passenger door wide open She looked right and left, and then, hoping she knehere she was, she dove into the cornfield, not even caring that she was getting absolutely soaked

"E

Toby killed Ali Toby was A

31

LIKE HANNA WOULD STEAL AN AIRPLANE--SHE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO FLY!

Hanna pushed her way through crowds of kids, hoping to see Emily’s familiar reddish-blond hair She found Spencer and Aria by the oversize s, talking to Ge teaht?" Gemma pursed her lips and tried to think "I’ed uneasy glances with her friends "What are we going to do?" Spencer whispered "It’s not like we have any idea where they’re going"