"Morning, Mr. Argent," said Alison, walking down the stairs into the kitchen. Adaline was still upstairs, brushing her teeth.

Adam shuffled through the mail, throwing away the junk mail. "Good morning, Alison. Sleep well?"

"Like a baby," joked Alison. "Sorry for coming over so late last night, my parents were fighting again."

Adam waved her off with the mail in his hand. "It's no big deal, Alison. You're basically part of the family. All you girls are."

Adaline rushed into Spencer's kitchen, dropping her items onto the counter. She was late, again, and the storm outside made it just as difficult to arrive punctually.

Months ago, when she stole a car, the police never got involved, but her dad took her license. Now, after months of gaining back his trust, Adaline was able to get both her license back and a new car. Grateful to no longer ask others for rides, she handed them out like candy on Halloween. She offered one to Emily, but the girl canceled it minutes ago, leaving Adaline to arrive at Spencer's alone.

"Where's Em?" asked Aria, knowing that Adaline was supposed to pick her up and bring her there.

"She texted me and said not to worry," said Adaline, shrugging. "Swim practice is running late, I think."

The other girls shrugged, knowing that Emily is an honest person, or at least she didn't tell them any lies.

"How many words do they expect you to learn in one night?" asked Hanna, shuffling through the stack of notecards in front of her. Adaline chuckled as she watched Spencer's face grow annoyed.

"Stringent?" asked Aria, flipping the notecard.

"Uh," muttered Spencer, racking through her memory. "Tough; flexible."

"It's not like you're going to use them," interjected Hanna, though nobody was listening to her.

"Meretricious?" said Aria, ignoring Hanna.

"It's not like you go to college and then-" Hanna gave the card in front of her a puzzled look. "-you start speaking a different language."

"It's about getting into college," said Spencer, being the first to reply to Hanna.

"Meretricious. Um.. Phony; Flashy."

Aria hummed in response, telling Spencer that she was right. Adaline threw her stuff onto the couch next to the Hasting's kitchen and pulled up a chair next to Spencer.

"Uh, Han, why are you still eating that?" asked Aria, disgusted.

Hanna gave her a confused look, like Spencer had just asked the dumbest question she had ever heard. "Because it's here."

"Put it in the garbage."

"Then I'd have to stand over the garbage and eat it."

Adaline chuckled at Hanna's retort, but Aria ignored it again, continuing with the next word. "Besotted."

Spencer hesitated, not knowing the answer. Adaline spoke up, however. "Infatuate; Enamored; In love with."

Aria pointed at Adaline with a smile, telling her she got the word correct.

"What did Noel say to you after the memorial?" asked Hanna to Adaline. She leaned in intensely, wanting to know all the little details. "I saw him hug you, and he did not wanna let go."

"We are taking the SATs in less than 12 hours," said Spencer, cutting off Hanna. "Can we focus?"

"Okay, Spencer," said Hanna defensively. "You do not need to know any more big words. You're already scary enough to anyone under 50."

"I'm not scary!" said Spencer, her voice cracking slightly. She looked between Aria and Adaline. "Am I scary?"

"A little." said Aria. Adaline nodded, agreeing with her friends. Spencer looked defeated, but she continued highlighting things in her book. Adaline didn't do anything like that. Passing the SATs wasn't a worry for her.

"So have you and Noel made it official?" asked Hanna.

"Official, like asked him to be my boyfriend? Or official, like..." Adaline trailed off, not wanting to say that dirty word aloud.

"Either," said Hanna, glancing around the room. She noticed the indifferent looks on each of their faces. "What! He's smart, he's cute, his Dad owns, like, half of Rhode Island. And he's got great lips."

"His father?' asked Spencer with a giggle.

"Noel," said Hanna firmly, shifting her expression to disgust. "Ew."

The girls fell into a fit of giggles, resulting in Aria hoping off the tall stool, so she didn't completely fall off. She walked around the table, to the fridge, and got out a bottle of water.

"I'm just saying," said Hana, regaining their attention. "You and Noel are cute together."

"Wow," muttered Aria. "Why am I the only one here who doesn't have a boyfriend? Or at least a boy to talk about."

Adaline and Aria shared a look. Obviously Aria had her own boy troubles, but none she shared with the rest of the group. Aria was just distracting Hanna from interrogating Adaline.

"We don't all have smoking-hot boys from the country club," said Adaline. Her, Hanna, and Aria all glanced at Spencer with gleaming eyes. The smart girl fumbled on her words and blushed a deep red.

"What is going on with you and Alex?" asked Aria, taking a sip from her water. "Is he back from that tournament."

Spencer's face was now bright red as she gathered her school supplies in front of her. "Yeah. He's back."

Adaline gave her a pushing look, wanting to know more.

"And it's good," breathed Spencer. "It's so good. I want it to last, but I'm afraid I'm going to blow it."

Adaline felt for Spencer. She, too, was afraid of messing things up with Noel, but she tried to not let it get the best of her. She told Spencer that too. Additionally, she excused herself to use the bathroom.

After doing her business, she washed her hands. With wet hands, Adaline heard her phone go off, so she pulled it out of her back pocket.

Take what you know works the best,
or this goes postal
-A

Adaline clicked the link under the message.

"Hey, Little A," said Ian, holding a camera to Adaline's face. "Say 'hi' to the audience."
Adaline smiled sloppily into the camera, saying a slurred 'hi' to the pretend audience. She obviously drank too much that night, and the little trail of white powder under her didn't assist her in showing any sign of sobriety.

"Tell me how much you want it."

Adaline turned off her phone instantly. Ian's voice was too much for her. Before she could stop it, she ran over to the toilet and threw up everything she ate that day.

Letting out a couple coughs for good measure, she stood up and flushed the toilet. Adaline wiped her mouth and turned on the sink, letting the water wash over her hands and mouth.

Adaline's memory failed to produce any recognition from that video. Cleary, it was her in the video, but she had to be blacked out drunk. There was no way she could be sober and allow Ian to say those things to her.

She failed to recognize the girl staring back at her in the video. It was her, but it wasn't at the same time.

What did the text mean? Take what you know works best?

Realization is an ugly feeling. Adaline pressed on the mirror, revealing a cabinet full of medicine. She reached for the top shelf with shaky hands. The bottle nearly fell from her grasp, but she held on tight.

The prescription was most likely the strongest in the house: valium. It was prescribed to Spencer's mom, Veronica. Perhaps she used it for sleeping problems she suffered from after Alison's disappearance.

Adaline shoved the bottle into her bra, making sure it didn't rattle when she walked.

"Hey guys, I gotta go," said Adaline, walking back to the kitchen. She ignored the look Veronica gave her, and kept her focus on her friends. "My dad texted me - Dom's freaking out starting school soon, and I'm like the only one who can calm him."

On the drive home, Adaline was grateful that her friends were understanding. They didn't question too much about the 'Argent Family'. Adaline nervously gagged a couple more times, driving around the block.

Down the street from her house, she parked her car and removed the bottle from her bra, sticking into her purse. Those pills needed to be tossed. She couldn't be caught with the pills - she would go to rehab, again.

Adaline already told her dad she was spending the night at Spencer's, so she had an alibi for that night.

She knocked three times on the door. It was late, so maybe he was asleep. Philadelphia was only a 20 mile drive from Rosewood, so it would be easy for Adaline to turn around and go home. She knocked again, but there was no answer.

Adaline reached into her bag, ignoring the bottle of pills, and grabbed out a pen and small notebook.

I wasn't sure if you were home,
but I found the paper with your address on it.
Sorry for bothering you, I just needed to talk.
Love, Addy

Adaline ripped the piece of paper out of the notebook and slid it under the door. Dropping the pen and notebook back into her bag, she walked away from the apartment door and towards her car. Her phone dinged.

Poor Addy, not even a new flame can extinguish
the old one in your heart.
If only Alison saw how pathetic you are...
-A

Adaline threw her phone into the passenger seat. A was getting on her last nerve. Feeling that her adventure was a failure, she drove back home, or back to Spencer house.

Aria, Hanna, and Spencer were still at the table and jumped slightly, hearing Adaline's knock. The taller brunette walked over and unlocked the door, allowing Adaline into the house.

"Sorry," said Adaline, hopping onto one of the stools. "I would've texted you that I was on my way back, but I forgot my phone at my house."

Spencer returned back to her seat. "It's fine, you just scared us."

"How's Dom?" asked Hanna. She now ate a bowl of pretzels mixed with M&Ms.

Adalie hesitated, forgetting her earlier lie. "Oh!" she said, jumping slightly with remembrance. "He's good, better now. He was just nervous about going back to school."

"When's he coming back?" asked Aria.

During a lot of the girl's sleepovers at Adaline's house were often joined by Dom. He was the life of the party most of the time, and the girls enjoyed his company. Hanna enjoyed him the most. Whenever she would come over, Dom would be the first to greet her, calling her the pretty girl he had seen all day.

Obviously, she wouldn't date Dom, but she appreciated his compliments when she felt down.

"He starts on Tuesday."

The following day, Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Adaline all walked into the school, following behind Veronica Hastings.

"You don't have to come inside," said Spencer to her mom, obviously annoyed by her presence. "If it were canceled, nobody would be here."

Veronica ignored her daughter and went to talk to someone who appeared to be in charge. The woman told her that the decision to take the test today hasn't been made yet. Apparently the storm outside was worse than Adaline thought. Her mind was on other things too.

Adaline hadn't had the chance to ditch pills yet, so every moment she spent with Veronica was causing her heart to beat faster and faster. The voice over the P.A. answered the worried mom's question.

They informed everyone that the test was still being held and that students should sign in for it in the library. The group began to head towards the location, but Adaline stopped, hearing her phone buzz in her bag. She quickly excused herself and went around the corner for privacy.

Jason:
Are you okay?

Last night, Jason must have been asleep, and he only saw the note she left moments before he sent the text. Adaline's heart skipped a beat. Though, it shouldn't have. Jason is Ali's older brother. It would've been weird when she was alive, but now that she is officially dead, they were way past weird.

Adaline:
I'm better now.

She didn't know what else to say. How could she talk her way out of running away to his apartment? Regardless, she didn't want for his response, turning off her phone and dropping it into the rbag, zipping it for good measure.

Adaline turned back around the corner she hid behind and bumped into a stolid figure. Though she could've cursed them out, she stopped herself, seeing that it was Wilden.

"Morning," he greeted with a firm voice. "Hear about last night?"

Adaline shook her head, thoughts running wild through her mind. Million of things could've happened last night.

"Alison's memorial was destroyed last night: tiles smashed, the monument broken with pieces missing," said Wilden, his eyes focusing on her face for miniscule changes in her expression. "You wouldn't know where Toby is, would you? He was spotted at a gas station off the interstate the other day. I guess he's still with us."

"Why would you think I'd know where he is?" asked Adaline, trying to keep her cool. She kept a tight grip on her bag, knowing the pills were still in there. Pills not prescribed to her.

"He is a person of interest in your best friend's muder case," said Wilden, not caring about Adaline's feelings. "Yet he took you to the emergency room, so he obviously cares about you."

"I don't care for what you're insinuating," said Adaline defensively. "And I think you're a couple months too early to be talking to me without my dad's permission." She pushed past him, shoving him out of the way with her shoulder. Relieved by the news that Toby was alive, she knew that the others were conspiring against him, coming up with ideas where he was A.

Adaline signed in at the front desk of the library and quickly went in search of the other girls. Spotting them across the room, she noticed that Emily was now with them, but someone stopped Adaline from joining them.

"Hey there, Argent," said Noel, kissing Adaline's cheek. "Did you get my text last night?"

Adaline raked through her memory. Last night, she could only remember getting text from A, and Noel was certainly not A. Hopefully.

"Uh, no. I don't think so," said Adaline. "I just turned off my phone. Some woman shrieked at me."

Noel chuckled, unaware that Adaline was lying, and pulled out his own phone. He showed her the message he sent her last night.

"I have a gift for you," said Adaline, reading the message aloud. She grinned to herself and tilted her head. "A gift?"

"It's a surprise," said Noel, grinning back at her. "It's also in my locker right now, so I will see you-" Noel lightly 'bopped' her on the nose. "-after the test."

Adaline's face flushed a deep red, knowing that the people around them saw the small action. Noel went around Adaline, letting his hand linger a bit too long on her shoulder. Adaline had to bite the inside of her lip to prevent a goofy smile bursting out of her face as she walked over to the table, sitting next to Aria.

"Hey," she said, still smiling. "What's up?"

"Alison's memorial was destroyed," said Aria gently. Adaline had forgotten. The bubbly feeling Noel gave her disappeared in a hast, leaving her feeling numb.

"I know, Wilden told me," said Adaline. She glanced over her shoulder and leaned in close, showing the girls that she had important, secret information. "He also accused me of keeping Toby safe, or that I would be willing to."

"He's just trying to shake us up," replied Spencer, talking like her mom. "Trying to bend our words and actions to fit his own theory."

Hanna - previously turned around, talking to Mona - spun around like her head was on fire. "God he is freaking me out! I mean who's locker is he poking into now."

Adaline whipped her head around to see Wilden talking to the women at the front desk.

"He's desperate," replied Spencer, keeping her cool. "Ali's brother is breathing down his neck."

"Ours too," said Aria. She immediately turned her head to Adaline. "I mean, what if Jason told the police Alison's version of what happened."

After the memorial, when Jason finally left, Adaline filled the rest of the girls in on what Alison told Jason. As expected, they were outraged, but they promised that they wouldn't let Adaline take the whole blame. However, she didn't tell them what Jason told her right before he left.

"He wouldn't," said Adaline. "He knows the story is bogus."

"How?" asked Hanna, whispering. "We only knew him as Ali's older brother. It's not like he would believe us over his sister."

"He knew Alison and her lies," said Adaline. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure why she was defending Jason. "I don't think he asked it to drive a wedge between us. I just think he wanted to know the truth."

"Did you tell him the truth?" said Spencer.

"I-" Adaline's voice was cut off by the arrival of Wilden.

"Sorry about the memorial," he said, faking sincerity. "I know how hard you girls worked. Shocking though - Something like that could happen and nobody saw anything."

"Everybody here was studying for the exam that we're about to take, so you might wanna look for eyewitnesses somewhere else," said Spencer, capping her marker.

Wilden nodded, clearly annoyed by the girl's attitude. "So you were all studying together last night then."

Emily's voice sliced through the air before any of the other girls could speak up. "Yes, and we were all at Spencer's-" the girls all gave each other a bewildered look.

"All of you?" asked Wilden. He noticed their expressions and drove straight in.

"Yes," snapped Adaline. "All five of us."

"Okay." At last Wilden left the girls.

Emily turned off her vibration phone as the others turned to her, concerned.

"Emily?" asked Spencer. "What is going on?"

"Where were you last night?" added Aria.

Emily chuckled nervously and smiled at the girls. "I told you, I went home last night."

"Then why didn't you tell him that?" said Spencer.

Adaline caught Emily's 'deer in the headlights' expression. She knew the girl was crafting some lie in her head, but nothing came from her mouth. Adaline spoke up.

"Wilden was obviously trying to pin the memorial being destroyed on us," said Adaline, speaking for Emily. "He knows he can't blame us all, so he's trying to see if we weren't all together."

Emily looked down at her phone. "It's my mom," she lied. Getting up, she pretended to take the call.

The others took Adaline's excuse, but still had more questions for Emily. Regardless, the storm outside made Adaline's nerves spike. She needed some release, so she walked to the lady at the desk.

"If this test isn't happening, are we allowed to leave the room?" asked Adaline with the nicest smile on her face.

The woman didn't buy it. She peered over the papers in front of her with attitude-filled eyes. "They just posted a tornado watch in Delaware County. No one's going anywhere. Have a seat."

Adaline pouted and spun on her heels. Walking back to her table, she was stopped by Noel.

"There are other rooms here that are more fun than this," he said, grabbing his things. "We could visit the music room."

Adaline playfully bit her bottom lip and agreed to leaving with Noel. While no one was watching, they stuck out the entrance of the library, and down into the empty hallways of Rosewood High.

"Do you play?" asked Noel, admiring Adaline as her own eyes wandered over towards the piano. She gave him a sly smile and walked over to the instrument.

"I took lessons when I was little," she said, sitting down on the bench and leaving enough room for Noel to join her, which he did. "I also took ballet."

"Oh, what I would do to see you in a tutu," teased Noel.

"Maybe our next date," said Adaline, laughing. Noel laughed too.

He watched intently as her fingers danced across the ivory keys, thinking that her playing was the best noise he's ever heard. That is - until- he heard her singing.

"And time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much. Are you still mine?"

Noel watched in awe, hearing Adaline's voice. To him, she sounded angelic, like nothing he had ever heard before. She continued to sing Unchained Melody, focusing more on the piano and her voice, than Noel.

However, Noel softly brushing her hair off of her neck, distracted her. She played the wrong note and gasped softly, feeling his lips brush against her collarbone. grabbing his face with both of her hands, she brought her lips to his.

"Ahem," said a voice from the door. They weren't so much clearing their voice as to catching Adaline and Noel's attention.

"Oh!" gasped Adaline, seeing Mr. Fitz standing by the desk.

"They want everybody in the library. For safety reasons," said Fitz.

Noel, though he wasn't embarrassed, flushed bright red. He gathered his things, but stopped when he didn't see Adaline moving. "Adaline, you coming?"

"I'll be right there," said Adaline, preparing herself for the lie. "I just have to ask Mr. Fitz about my Mockingbird essay."

Noel took the lie and left the room, trusting that Adaline told him the truth.

"Adaline, I gave you a 96 on your essay," said Fitz, confused. "It was the highest grade."

"I know," chuckled Adaline. "I just needed an excuse to talk to you."

Adaline sat down on the desk while Fitz joined her by sitting down in the chair.
"I know," she admitted.

"You know?" asked Fitz. A million thoughts ran through his mind. "Know what?"

"About you and Aria-" she held up her hands to stop him from talking "-I forced it out of her. I had some suspicions, and I questioned her for over an hour until she cracked. It's not her fault."

Fitz was quiet. Truely, he didn't know what to say.

"That message you saw - about 'doing' your teacher - that was me." Adaline lied like it was second nature to her. "You see when Alison was still alive, and all of us girls would text, we would leave our first initial. Alison, Aria, and I all had the same initial, so we would use our last name. Alis used 'D', Aria used 'M', and I used 'A'. That's why it was signed like that.

"But that was a cruel joke, honestly. The texts beforehand were because of all the missing work I was catching up on. Then, I sent that one. I didn't mean for you to see it."

Adaline stopped herself from talking, wanting Fitz to respond, but he didn't.

"Aria loves you, you know," she said, wanting to fill the silence. "And I won't tell anyone, I promise. Hell, you already saw the video of me and Ali fighting the night she disappeared, and that's a secret to me, so if we both know things about the other that we don't want people to know."

"I was in New York," said Fitz, cutting off Adaline's rambling. "Taking interviews for other schools."

"You were?" sighed Adaline, disappointed that she wasn't able to talk to him first.

"I wanted to get a job elsewhere, so I could be with Aria and not be her teacher."
Adaline's face lit up. Though New York was a while away, Fitz was obviously trying to be with Aria. That's what she loved, her best friend being with someone who would go above and beyond to be with her.

"Talk to her," said Adaline, placing her hand on his arm. "Tell her the truth and tell her you love her."

Fitz nodded. Not in a million years would he have expected to discuss his love life with a student, let alone his love life being a student. He quickly stood up, suggesting that Adaline return to the library before people started searching for her. She agreed, giving him a tight-lipped smile as she left.

Adaline walked back through the empty hallways, but stopped when she saw other students walking out of the library. Confused, she waited until she spotted any of her friends before asking questions.

"What's going on?" she asked, walking beside Aria, and only Aria.

"We are going to the locker room," said Aria. "Something about tornado safety. Where have you been? I saw you leave with Noel, but you didn't come back with him. Is A?"

"A is not involved, but-" Adaline glanced over her shoulder and lowered her voice. "Fitz is back. I told him that I sent the text and.."

"And what?" asked Aria, eager to hear the rest of Adaline's sentence.

"I can't say. You'll have to talk to him."

Aria and Adaline walked into the locker room, seeing Hanna talking to Mona and Spencer talking to Alex. The two sat on an uncomfortable bench. Silence filled the air between the two of them, until Aria looked around.

"Where's Em?" asked Aria. Adaline followed her actions and looked around. Neither one could find Emily through the crowd of kids.

Suddenly, the lights flickered off. Adaline and Aria saw this as an opportunity to leave. Through the slight chaos, they left the locker, followed in pursuit by Spencer and Hanna, who knew their friends too well. The four of them walked through the dark hallway, back towards the library, assuming that's where she was.

Spencer held out her arm, stopping the rest of the girls from walking. With her slim finger, she pointed at the library's entrance. Emily followed Wilden into the library, and the other girls quickly took off, but Adaline stayed, telling them she was going to find an adult.

Adaline did as she promised. She searched around the school, preferably looking for Ella, but she found someone better. "Mrs. Hastings!"

Veronica turned around, hearing her daughter's friend yelling her name. "What's wrong?"

"Wilden," said Adaline breathless. "Come on."

Adaline took off walking at a fast pace, but slow enough to allow Veronica to catch up.

"What's going on here?" asked Veronica, walking into the library. "Why aren't they with the other kids?"

"Who are you?" said Wilden, annoyed.

"Her mother." Veronica placed her hand on Spencer's shoulder. "If this is the school's idea of keeping my child safe, I'm glad I came back." She wasn't. This was surely a lawyer's tactic. "Honey.. Why is she crying."

Adaline had failed to notice the tears streaming down Emily's face. Instantly, Adaline walked over to her friend, and stepped between Emily and Wilden, disgust written on her face.

"He accused her of killing Alison," said Spencer. Veronica looked shocked, not by his actions, but his accusation.

"He went through her purse, and now he's accusing her," said Aria.

"Oh, hold it. Hold it," said Veronica, agitated. "You're questioning minors without an adult? What police department do you work for? What century are you in?"

"I would advise you.."

"Oh, no," snapped Veronica. "I would advise you to back off. Anything they've said to you is inadmissible in a courtroom. Period. Let's go. Emily, honey, grab your things."

Emily did as she was told and grabbed her bag. She wanted out of the room immediately. Adaline followed in pursuit, grabbing a piece of paper that Emily dropped.

"Hey," said Adaline softly, reaching for Emily's shoulder. "What did Wilden say to you? It's more than just accusing you."

Emily looked at Adaline with tear filled eyes, and fell into her arms. Adaline ran her hand up and down Emily's back, calming her down.

"I love her," sobbed Emily. "Alison, I loved her."

"I loved her too, Em-"

"No, I loved her more than a friend," admitted Emily. "But she didn't love me back."

Adaline jaw fell slightly. Emily just came out of the closet. She's gay. "Emily, Alison loved you. She loved you so much, it just might not have been the same as why you loved her."

Adaline made Emily stand up straight and face her. She brushed the stray tears off her face and smiled kindly.

"I love you, Em," said Adaline. "Nothing could ever change that. We all love you."

Adaline shuffled into her house, throwing her bag onto the floor. She cracked her neck and knuckles as she walked into the living room, just wanting to relax. She jumped slightly and gasped.

"How was the SATs?" Jason sat on the couch in the living room, clearly waiting for Adaline to return.

With her hand over her heart, she chuckled. "Postponed due to the storm. Where's everyone?"

"Your dad took Dom to get some food," explained Jason. "He said I could stay here in case you came home."

Adaline plopped onto the sofa next to Jason. They were dangerously close. Close enough that Adaline's heart sped up. "Did you tell him about the note?"

"Nope," said Jason, leaning back. "I assumed that was something you wanted to keep private."

There was silence. Adaline contemplated telling Jason about The Jenna Thing. Telling him could spare her from more time suffering. On the other hand, telling him could cause him to go to the police. She chose the first part.

"Alison was lying about Jenna," she said quietly. "I never forced the girls to go over, but..."

He feared the next half of that sentence. "But what?"

"About a week after we came home from Cape Cod, me and Alison were supposed to go to some party. Ian Thomas was there, and he and I did not get along-" Adaline took in a shaky breath. "-I went for a walk in the woods. I heard someone crying, and it was Toby."

Adaline explained everything she told Alison to Jason.

"I told Toby to meet me at Emily's on the Fourth of July, that's why Alison thought she saw him peeking through the window. She just wanted to stink bomb his garage, I was the one who grabbed the firecracker and lit it.

"I didn't think that they were in there! I thought it was empty and that if I just burned down the place that she hurt him, that she couldn't hurt him anymore. I didn't mean to hurt her. And Alison made him take the blame to protect me from going to jail."
Jason stared straight ahead. Knowing that she was crying, he reached out for her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Jenna knows," she whispered. "She knows that it was me, and that's why me and the other girls didn't want her talking at the memorial. We thought she was going to tell everyone the truth and Toby," she sighed. "He didn't kill Alison - he told me that he would've killed himself if it wasn't for us. That wouldn't change enough for him to kill her."

"Then, I believe he didn't kill her," said Jason, but Adaline didn't look at him. He took matters in his own hands and reached for her face, caressing her chin with his hand. "I won't tell anyone."

Every emotion Adaline had felt that day coursed through her veins - anger, fear, sadness, and happiness. Overcome with it all, she did things she normally wouldn't do. Including leaning in for a kiss.

Jason filled the gap, letting his lips brush against Adaline's. They let go of each other's hands, shifting their bodies so they were facing each other. Jason placed one of his hands on her cheek, the other on her back. Adaline did similar - cupping his face with one hand, the other finding its way to the back of his neck, pulling him closer into the kiss.

Running out of breath, they pulled away from each other, but kept their distance close enough to touch foreheads. Adaline's feelings were ever so strong for Jason. And possibly the same for Jason.

[5334 words]