Page 11 (1/2)

Hanna unwound her arm froave them what they wanted too quickly, she’d look like a pushover "I’ll have to think it over," she said apathetically

Naomi let out a whine "Co"

"We’ll take down that Facebook page," Riley blurted

"We’ll clean Psycho off your locker," Naoed both of the theruer Psycho"

"Oh, okay Whatever," Hanna said lightly She started to head for the door

"Wait!" Nao Hanna back down by the sleeve of her blazer "Are you taking us or not?"

"Muess"

"Yes" Naoazed at theements to meet Thursday after school at Hanna’s car, when they’d drive to the Aet dinner after the show? The Waverly Inn? Soho House?

Hanna left the the door tight She leaned over the sink, nearly knocking over Kate’s myriad bottles of cleansers, toners, and mud masks, and smiled at her reflection She’d done it For the first tiain

When she opened the bathrooht Hanna halted, her heart ju to her throat "Hello?" she whispered weakly

There was a rustling sound Then Courtney stepped into the light Her eyes were round, and there was a ghostly smile on her lips

"Uh, hi?" The hairs on Hanna’s arms stood on end

"Hey," Courtney said She walked up to Hanna, stopping inches from her face The hallway seemed even darker than it had moments before Courtney was so close that Hanna could smell her rum-scented breath

"Um, I heard you knew Iris" Courtney tucked a strand of pale blond hair behind her ear

Hanna’s stomach did a flip "Uh, yeah"

Courtney put her hand on Hanna’s arers were ice-cold "I’lad you got away from her, too"

Then Courtney slid back into the shadows Her bare feet made no sound on the plush carpet The only way Hanna could tell she was still there was by the glowing ticking hands on her Juicy Couture atch Hanna watched the eerie green glow glide down the hall until it vanished, ghostlike, into Kate’s room

11

A SYMPATHETIC EAR

After school the following day, Aria screeched into the parking lot of the Rosewood YMCA, an old iant carriage house that had once held twenty Rolls-Royces Mr Kahn had needed Noel’s SUV for the afternoon, and Aria had offered to pick Noel up fro to tell Noel about the slinky, twenties-style red dress she’d found at a vintage store in Hollis this afternoon Silly as it was, the Valentine’s gala was the first school-sponsored dance Aria had ever attended, and she was surprised by how excited she was

Sheso as not to hit a Mercedes SUV whose driver was backing out of a space without bothering to check behind hie radio station went silent "We have an update on the Rosewood Serial Killer," a reporter broke in "Billy Ford, the alleged ht Alison DiLaurentis went h was killed Police will look thoroughly into these findings If his lawyers can prove his alibis, he ators thought was an airtight case"

The double doors to the Y opened wide, and Aria looked up A crowd spilled down the massive stone steps Two people walked apart fronized Noel’s dark hair right away The person with him had a mane of blond hair When she pushed her hair behind her ear, Aria gasped It was Courtney

She wanted to duck, but Noel had already spied the Subaru and was on his way over Courtney followed Aria watched theht in a jar

"Hey," Noel said, opening the passenger door "You wouldn’tCourtney home, too, would you? Her mooing to be really late"

Courtney waved at Aria sheepishly, lingering a safe distance away Aria scra fast enough "Fine," she muttered

Noel mouthed Sorry But he didn’t look particularly sorry He shut the front door and cla for Courtney to follow Anger surged into Aria’s chest--were they both going to sit in the back and make Aria look like a chauffeur?