chapter six
there's no place like homecoming
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The four girls walk into Aria's room only to see her lying in her bed facing away from them, with headphones in and blasting music from her phone. Josie sighs before leaning over Aria, taking the headphones out of her ears, making Aria groan and turn around to protest, "what are you doing?" she asked. "An intervention," Spencer answers simply, crossing her arms. The girls decided to try and cheer Aria up the best while her parents were working their stuff out. They had noticed how much of a toll it was taking on her and they wanted to be there for their friend. "We brought takeout and rag mags," Emily throws the magazines on her bed. "But you cannot have any of those until you get out of these sweats," Hanna says while standing next to Josie who had taken a seat on Aria's bed.

"What's wrong with these?" Aria asks, sitting up against her headboard. "Nothing, but" Josie trailed off and looked towards Spencer for help. "Except they're starting to graft to your skin," Spencer replied bluntly, getting a nod of agreement from Josie. "Well, they're comfy," Aria says, trying to defend her choice of clothing. "So are mom jeans and platform flip-flops." Hanna says making Aria chuckles lightly, making Hanna smile feeling accomplished that she put a smile on her friend's face. "Plus, how are we gonna help you choose a homecoming dress if you don't try some on for us?" Emily asks.

"It's simple," Aria shrugs while looking between the girls, "I'm not going." Aria said, making her friends look at her wide eyed. "what do you mean you're not going?" Spencer said. "You can't just not go," Hanna said while shaking her head. "Aria, you've gotta live your life" Josie told her friend which made Aria glance at her. "What are you doing instead?" Emily questions. "I don't know," Aria shrugs while looking down at the magazines on her. "I guess I'll just read these and then inhale a gallon of chunky monkey." Josie sighs looking down at the Montgomery girl who was sitting on her bed. "Hey, look, cutting yourself off from the rest of your life is not gonna help your parents, beside they still might work it out," Spencer spoke, making Aria sigh, shaking her head. "They're barely speaking to each other," Aria says as she pulls her legs up, hugging them to her chest.

"People get angry. They blow up, doesn't mean it's over." Emily says, trying to stay positive. "Emily, they didn't blow up over her dad missing their anniversary. He slept with one of his students," Hanna says as she turns to Emily as Josie kicks her shin causing Hanna to look back at Aria. "Sorry," she mutters. "I'm just saying things can look over on Friday, and by Monday all is forgiven," Emily replies and gives her friend a warm smile. "some things just take time." She adds. "Yeah, maybe." Aria mumbles. "Okay, so you're coming!" Spencer says in Excitement. "Come on!" Spencer starts to drag Aria out of her bed making her groan, "God... I'll think about it."

"If you're not coming, can you at least cast an absentee ballot?" Hanna questions causing all the girls to give Hanna a look. "what? I need her vote." she said, defending herself. "Hanna, stop already!" Spencer says with a chuckle as she takes out all the Chinese food so they could all eat, "you've got homecoming queen locked down." Hanna looks at Spencer with happiness all over her face. "really? You can rig the election?" she asked with a smile. "Sorry, I have enough to do already, thanks," Spencer replies as she sits down on a chair. "I'm head of the committee, half of which is out sick with the flu, so I'll be restocking the ice and refilling the hummus bowl and I still need to find a way to look cute for my first official date." she explained.

"With Alex?" Emily asked as she looked at Spencer who nodded shyly before looking down with a smile playing on her face. "Wait, you're bringing him to homecoming?" Aria says as she snaps her head up from resting it on her legs to look at her friends. "so, this is real!" Aria says as she snaps her head up from resting it on her legs to look at her friends. "so, this is real!" she said, excited as Spencer shrugs shyly, making Hanna smirk, "look at her blush!" Hanna teases, making everyone laugh. "Stop!" Spencer tries to demand but doesn't work. "Damn!" Aria chuckles and smiles sitting up. "Now I have to come."

"yep, this is gonna be a fun homecoming" Josie hums. "Seriously, you guys, he's not gonna know anybody there, so can you just do your best to make him feel included?" Spencer begs, looking between her friends. "Sorry, no can do. Our whole plan was to freeze him out for the whole night," Josie says sarcastically, making the girls laugh as Spencer pushes her playfully. Spencer rolls her eyes playfully, "Em, who are you gonna bring?" Spencer asked, changing the topic. "I think I'm gonna go stag," Emily shrugs while looking at her friends then down at her food. "I will, too," Aria replies and nods in agreement. "I would but, I've got a date." Josie says as she eats some of her food.

Spencer looks over at Josie, hoping it was Richie, she wanted someone who treated her friend right and Richie is that person. "Who asked you?" she asked. All her friends looked at her as she finished some of her food before replying. "Richie asked me." she says shyly while smiling, making her friends giggle. "How did he ask you?" Hanna asked as she looked towards Josie. The Marin girl was happy for her friend, she loved seeing her friends happy. Josie laughed before talking. "We were watching a horror movie, as usual," she pauses as her friends laugh. "I could tell he was nervous for some reason so I paused it and he asked me, of course I said yes." she finished, making the girl 'aww', they were happy for her. They've known since they met Richie, and seen how they interact that Josie and Richie were destined to be more than friends.

"Why don't you guys come together?" Josie asked as she pointed from Aria to Emily. "Oh, you'd make such a cute couple." Spencer teased making the girls laugh. "How did i just go from wearing mom jeans to being Samantha Ronson?" Aria asked with a smile and a chuckle. "Who cares who anyone goes to this thing with? I mean, it's just a dance. you should bring someone who you have fun with." Hanna while looking at Emily. "I might want to go with someone," Emily admits. "I just don't want people thinking it means more than it does." She finished. "Are you and Ben back together?" Spencer asks with worry in her tone, looking away from food in her hand. "No. No," Emily scoffs. ''Of course not." she says, making Josie sigh in relief. "Thank god, he was an asshole." the brunette mumbled loud enough for her friends to hear, making them laugh.

"So, who's the mystery dude?" Aria questions as she eats her food making the girls look at Emily but before she could say anything Hanna changes the subject. "I'm starving," Hanna says, grabbing the bag of fortune cookies that was sitting on the small table. Hanna breaks the fortune cookie taking the piece of paper out to read her fortune, her face dropping as she reads it, making the girls look at as they notice. "What's wrong? Bad fortune?" Emily jokes. "Yeah, Confucius says stop being such a drama queen," Spencer jokes as she ate the Chinese food and the girls laugh but Josie turns to Hanna, sensing the sudden dread. "Han, what's wrong?" she asks softly. "Lions and tigers and bitches, oh my! There's no place like homecoming. See you there. A," Hanna reads out. Spencer quickly grabbed the bag and opened all the cookies to find the same message inside each of them.

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Hanna and Josie were sitting in the cafeteria. Hanna had finished telling about the club she had just participated in, it made Josie want to laugh, but she didn't because she knew Hanna just didn't want to lose Sean so she said nothing but was supportive of her. Hanna was currently putting on lip-gloss while Josie was eating her food and texting Richie who was sick at home when suddenly Spencer came storming over to them, making Hanna and Josie jump, "way to sneak up on people." Hanna told her as Spencer sat down.

"Sorry," Spencer says unapologetically, "look, can you get it today?" Spencer says as she looks towards Hanna. "Get what?" Hanna furrows her eyebrows while Josie just tries to ignore the eager Spencer and continues texting the Myers boy. "Jenna's file," Spencer states like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "No," Hanna shakes her head, "they canceled my shift at work."

"Well, go in any way!" Spencer whispers frantically. "It's a therapist's office." She finishes. "You could pretend to have a nervous breakdown to get inside" Josie suggests causing Hanna to look at her friend offended but then looks at someone else across the cafeteria. "Well, if I lose the crown to Heather Perez, I won't have to pretend," Hanna glares at Heather.

"Hanna, I'm serious," Spencer snaps. "that file might be our only chance to find out what Jenna knows about that night, and if she and her creepy step brother are planning revenge." Spencer rambles. "Spence, are you, like, alright?'' Josie asked after she had shared a look with Hanna. "Spence, I'll get it," Hanna tries to assure her.

"Is it because of the fortune cookie?" Hanna asks, looking at the Hastings girl but she shakes her head and looks at Hanna and Josie. "It's because Toby Cavanaugh, who has never had a date in his life, just bought two tickets to homecoming," Spencer whispers looking in between Hanna and Josie. "So, Jenna's coming, too," Hanna nods slowly, taking in all the information as Josie just continues to eat her food, trying not to worry about their current problems.

"Well, they did promise to see us there, right?" Spencer says but before the girls could respond Mona walks up to the trio with a bright smile on their face, "hey, Han." Mona's eyes then land on Spencer as she takes a seat beside Josie and in front of Spencer, "Spencer, so, is it true you're taking the country club's towel boy to homecoming?" Mona asks rather bluntly and rudely. "His name is Alex, and yes, I am," Spencer's replies as her gaze hardens, not liking the way she was talking about him. "Knock it off, Mona," Josie argued with the girl sitting next to her.

"What? I think it's cute she's taking her Cinderfella to the ball," Mona smiles tightly at Spencer, getting fed up with the way Mona was treating Spender Hanna snaps her head to Mona and smiles at her innocently, "can you go get me a fro-yo with sprinkles?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

Mona's face drops slightly but stands up anyway walking off to get Hanna some frozen yogurt, "wow, that was exactly the reaction I want to avoid." Spencer mumbles. Hanna sighed and looked at Spencer. With a sad smile. "Don't pay attention to her. She's just insecure." Hanna defended Mona. "Yeah, like a pit-bull." Spencer retorted. "Why are you friends with her?" Spencer looks at Hanna.

"Once you get to know her, she's really funny," Hanna shrugs. "And she's always there for me, even if it's just to watch me try on shoes," Hanna says genuinely. "she was the one that got me." Hanna said softly.

Josie smiles softly at Hanna, she understood her and Mona, she was her rock through the year, while Richie was hers. Spencer stares off in the distance, quickly slapping Hanna and kicking Josie 's leg, "what the hell spence!" Josie exclaimed and glared at Spencer. "Okay, you need to chillax, or I-" Hanna starts but Spencer cuts her off. "Shh"

Josie and Hanna follow Spencer's eye line and see that she's looking at Toby but more importantly his tattoo which reads. '901 FREE AT LAST.' "What is that?" Hanna whispers, still looking at Toby who pulls his shirt down, looking down at his phone still unaware of the three pairs of eyes on him. Josie and Spencer shrug, not knowing

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It was now time for the dance. Josie wore a nice soft silver dress, with matching silver heels. She stood with her friends and their dates as they talked but Josie was the first to spot Aria and wave her over to them. "Hi! There you are." Spencer smiled. "I was worried you were going to bail." She said.

She sighed. "No! No, I'm ready to have a fantastic time tonight." Aria said with a smile. "With no date? My, how the mighty have fallen." Mona said, "who cares she can share my date." Josie and Hanna say in unison as they gesture to Richie and Sean. "Yeah, I don't have a problem with that." Sean says while Richie offers the Montgomery girl a small smile and a nod. Soon the other girls followed suit. "And mine." Spencer says as she gestures towards her date Alex who smiles and nods. "Yeah"

Aria suddenly realizes she hasn't introduced herself to Alex. "Hey, I'm Aria." she says with a smile. "Alex, nice to meet you." he says as she smiles back. "You too." Josie and Richie shared a look as it became silent, until Spencer started speaking. "Unfortunately, you have to work the first shift at the bean bag toss!." Spencer said to Aria. The Hastings girl pushed the Montgomery girl towards the booth. "Well as fun as this is, we're gonna go dance, we'll see you guys later." Josie says as she smiles at her friends as she pulls Richie towards the dance floor as her friends smile at the pair of friends.

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"If i haven't said this already Jo, I think you look really beautiful tonight" he said as they slow-danced. She smiled at him while she could feel her cheeks heating up, hoping he didn't notice. "You handsome yourself rich" she told him as she smiled at him, her tone was as soft as his was and he was about to talk again until a very anxious Spencer Hastings comes up to them

"I'm so sorry to interrupt this but can I borrow Josie for a quick second?" Spencer walks up to them, Josie, about to decline, wanting to keep dancing with Richie but Richie just nodded. "It's fine, I'll see you later Josie, if I don't I'll meet you at your place after alright?" he asks and Josie nods before letting Spencer drag her up the stairs by the entrance being met by Hanna and Aria. Spencer gave a quick rundown of what happened after she left. All three girls look at Spencer confused, wondering why the tall brunette dragged them away from the dance, "what's going on?" Josie asked , she could tell the girls were anxious which in turn made her anxious.

"I figured out what Toby's tattoo means," Spencer crosses her arms looking between the three girls. "What?" Hanna questions as she looks at Spencer with wide eyes. " '901 free at last?' It's September 1st," Spencer says, making the three girl's eyes widen, realizing what it meant. "That's the day Ali disappeared," Aria mumbled before looking over at Hanna, "Hanna, you've gotta get that file."

"Tonight?" Hanna sighs, her lips falling into a frown. "Emily's not going to believe us without proof," Spencer shakes her head, "she could be walking into a trap." Spencer says Josie just sighs before Hanna speaks up, "could we do it after they announce the homecoming queen?" Spencer scoffs in disbelief at the sentence that came out of Hanna's mouth.

"Fine," Hanna groans glancing at Spencer, "I'll get it. Keep an eye on Emily until I get the file." Hanna says but before she could leave, Josie grabs her wrist to stop her. "I'll come with you, so your not alone." making Hanna smile, glad that someone was coming with her. Aria spoke up before they could even leave. "Wait, what about me?" Aria asked. "Keep an eye on Sean," Hanna says looking at Aria seriously, "I can't exactly tell him where I'm going. If I make something up, he'll want to come with me. Just keep him busy." Hanna says as her and Josie start to walk away.

"How am I supposed to do that?!" Aria exclaims. "I don't know," Hanna shrugs before turning back around for a split second, "just figure it out!" Hanna yells before she and Josie quickly turn around and leave the school. The two girls sigh as they watch the two friends walk off to get the file. The three best friends share a look before they all split up

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As the friends were outside and Hanna was calling a cab for them to get to the place she works, they heard someone come up behind them, so they turned to see Lucas. "Hey." Hanna says as Josie just waves. "The homecoming queen is leaving?" he questioned Hanna. "Nominee, and yeah, sort of." Hanna replied as Josie just watched the conversation. "Isn't that kind of like Han Solo abandoning the Millennium Falcon?" Lucas asked making Josie giggle. "Uh, honestly, I have no idea." Hanna and Josie replied, having no idea what the boy was talking about

"Why are you leaving?" Hanna asked as she looked at Lucas. "Got enough photos for the yearbook." He simply replied while shrugging her shoulders. She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You came just to take photos?" She asked and lucas shrugged. "Yeah. And to cast my vote for you." He went to walk away but Hanna stopped him. "Listen, um, I left a check for the band at the office where I work. Would you mind driving us there and back?" She asked, pointing to her and Josie. "It's either that or watch the new Hoarders episode with my parents, so yeah." He took his jacket off. "Here, uh, you look cold." He said as he handed her his jacket, and she took it. "Thank you, let's go"

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They arrived at the dentist's office. They opened the door onto the floor that they needed to be on since the elevator was locked. "Hanna, tell me why they lock the elevator again?" He questioned but she didn't answer him, too busy thinking about getting the file.

Once they reach the room Hanna opens the door then turns to Lucas as Josie waits for Hanna to enter so she can to cause she's blocking the door. "Could you wait here? We'll only be here for a couple of minutes, okay?" She asks and he nods so Hanna opens the door for Josie to enter and then Hanna enters too. "Oh, yeah, take your time. Hoarders always has, you know-" Hanna closed the door as he was mid-sentence. "Han," Josie quietly scolds the blonde for being so cold towards lucas.

Hanna and Josie shuffled through folders, but they couldn't find anything, so Hanna decided to call Spencer. "Hey, I'm looking through the entire 'M' section, and there's no Jenna Marshall." Hanna tells her and Spencer says something, but she couldn't hear her. "Hey, my phone's dying. What did you say?" Hanna asks

Josie could just hear Spencer say something about Cavanaugh. "But what if the...?" Hanna's phone died suddenly so the twins searched the 'C' part in case, and they found a folder but not Jenna's, Toby's making Hanna and Josie share a look. Hanna, Josie and Lucas left the dentist's office and went back to the school. Once they arrived Josie Waved by to Lucas while Hanna hugged Lucas.

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The friends ran and found their friends as they went to the area where the dance was being held and pulled their friends away so they could show them what they had found. "Is that Jenna's file?" Spencer asked once they closed the door to the room, they were in. "No, we got Toby's." Josie told Spencer and Aria. "Turns out Jenna wasn't the patient. The therapist had her come in for one session to see how she felt about Toby coming back home." she explained. "Oh my god. Well, what else does it say?" Aria asked. "Well, the dates prove he wasn't away at school when Ali disappeared. He was still here in Rosewood." Hanna explained the things she and Josie were able to read. "What else?" Aria said, grabbing the file.

"See for yourself," Hanna said. "Session 12, August 15th", She trailed off as Aria read out what was on the file. "So that's what Ali had on him?" Spencer asked as she looked at Hanna and Josie. "It's enough to want her dead." Hanna said and shook her head. "And us", Aria added and all of sudden realisation crossed over Josie and her eyes widened. "Emily." she said before Aria reached into her purse to get her phone, trying to call Emily but she didn't answer. "She's not picking up." she said to her friends before she pulled she started texting Emily. "We have to find her, come on." Hanna breathed out before running out of the room, and went looking for Emily.

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The four girls ran around the school hallways, which at the moment seemed longer than usual. "Where is she?", frowned Aria, looking all around her. "Maybe they left." Hanna suggested with a shrug but the possibility only scared the four girls more, suddenly a familiar voice echoed from the staircase, causing the girls to share a scared look. "That's her." Spencer said before the girls rushed towards the staircase. "Somebody help me, please! Get away from me!" they just heard their friend scream.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
finally updated!!