UNSTEADY 🅰️ LUCAS GOTTESMAN [book one]

UNM'A'SKED

...

THE girls spent the remainder of the day taking a much needed nap (except Haley who down another extra large coffee) before all getting ready for the Masquerade at the Marin house. And now the time had come and all five girls stood atop the grand staircase, looking down at the masked townspeople dancing around the ballroom.

"This is the perfect place for A to hide." Aria mumbled, peering out through her own black disguise.

Hanna looked to Spencer "Where was Melissa when you left?"

"In her pyjamas curled up on the couch."

Emily let out a deep breath "We have three hours to find out who A is before A finds us."

"We all still agreed, right?" Haley looked between them "No matter happens at midnight, we stick together and we are not giving up that phone."

Hanna smirked "It's five against one. I like those odds."

"Should we split up and look around?" Spencer questioned.

Aria nod "Let's meet back here in an hour, and keep your phones close."

Haley made her way down the stairs before spotting two familiar outfits and was quick to link her arm through Mona's before looking up at Caleb "Well, Romeo your date's over there."

Caleb grinned before the two girls watched the Rivers boy go up behind Hanna to surprise her. The pair shared a kiss before the blonde turned to her sister and friend in surprise "Wait, you guys knew? You did this?"

"Guilty." The pair shrugged in sync with matching grins.

"Now go dance with your sizzling hot toddy before he melts the room." Mona waved her off before tugging on Haley "I have one of my own."

The four chuckled as they went their separate way's before Haley and Mona loosely wrapped their arms around each others neck's, swaying slowly to the music. The Marin girl gave Mona a smile that had her laugh "What?"

"You hide behind this superficial bitch facade you've created, but you're not." Haley mused and Mona's face softened "You're a really great friend."

"That's means more to me than you'll ever know." She sighed "Thanks to Alison I didn't have any but I quit thinking about that stuff a long time ago. I have you now, and Hanna. Maybe even the other girls."

Haley nodded in assurance "You do. Always."

"You know it's funny, all that time we were in that store today in Brookehaven, I couldn't get Ali out of my mind. It was the last place I saw her, about a week before she went missing. She was in the store, she said it was a secret. That she was watching someone. I told her I wanted something in return. To be popular. So she wrote down her phone number on the back of a postcard and ripped it off. I left her a message that night, but then she went all MIA on us and she never called me back."