Cursed, A Pretty Little Liars Novel

3: Anywhere But Rosewood

Hanna Marin stepped into the taxi she had called. In a few short hours, she would be out of Rosewood. The town had too many unforgettable, bad memories. Like, Mona. And Alison. And, especially A.
Hanna had always wanted to go to New York. When she told Ali, Ali had laughed. "New York?" She laughed. "Han, why the hell would you want to go there?" After that, Hanna never mentioned it again, and pretended she really wanted to go to Paris.
Hanna watched as they passed the all too familiar places like Hollis College, and Ferra's Cheese Steaks. Then, the cab driver turned onto Spencer's street. That was Ali's old street, and Mona's. They drove into Philadelphia, and stopped in front of the SEPTA train station. Hanna got out, and rolled her suitcase to the ticket window.
"One ticket to New York City," she said.
"Okay," said the girl behind the counter. She had long, blonde hair that was super straight, and wore a grey hoodie that read "Pittsburg Penguins". She stared at Hanna for a moment. "Wait a minute, I know you."
Hanna prayed she wouldn't make a reference to Pretty Little Liars.
"You were in my biology class last year."
"Oh, okay," Hanna said. "And you are..."
"Bridget," said the girl. Hanna vaguely remembered a girl named Bridget, but they weren't friends or anything. Back when she and Mona were friends, Bridget was simply just another nobody.
"So, where you heading to?"
Normally, Hanna would've snapped it was none of her business, but she was in a too good mood. "To FIT," she answered.
"Cool," Bridget answered. "I'm going down to Texas."
"That's... nice," Hanna said.
Bridget handed Hanna her ticket, and she waited at the north end for the train. It was scheduled to come in five minutes. Hanna sat down on the bench, and took out her iPhone 5s. It was 7:45 pm. The sun was lower in the sky, white fluffy clouds circling around it.
Hanna heard a train chugging, and got up from the bench, with all her bags. She got a seat, and showed them her ticket. Then, she took out her iPhone. She opened up the Instagram app, and checked her followers. 5.1 K. She was Instagram famous.
Hanna fished her earbuds out of her pocket. Katy Perry's voice filled her ears. "Unconditional," she sang. "Unconditionally. I will love you, unconditionally."
The train got fuller and fuller the closer they got to New York. Finally, it was Hanna's stop. She put her earbuds back, the song was now "Peacock".
Hanna walked into the train station. There was a blonde girl sitting on a bench. When Hanna squinted, the girl looked exactly like Mona. Hanna quickly turned away, and flagged down a taxi. She had booked a room at Double Tree until the school year started and she'd have to live in a dorm. Gag.
Hanna glanced down at her phone screensaver, a picture of her Pinscher Miniature Doberman, Dot. Hanna missed him already.
Ring!
Hanna's phone rang, startling her. The photo of Dot faded, and the screen filled with an incoming call. Call from Mike Montgomery, the screen read.
Smiling, Hanna picked it up. "Hey Cutie," she chirped into the receiver.
"Hey Sexy," Mike pruned back.
Hanna giggled. "Kiss Kiss!"
"You have to come back!" Mike whined.
"I know!" Hanna said, sassily. "I want to see you babe! But you know I can't."
"Please?" Mike begged, and Hanna pictured him, back in Rosewood on his phone, making puppy-dog eyes. If only she could see them. She sighed, dreamily.
"Don't worry," she assured Mike. "I can come back for the weekend. Rosewood's not that far from here."
They chatted for a few more minutes, and then Hanna said goodbye; she wanted to get out of the gross train station and to the hotel.
Hanna slipped her phone into her Kate Spade tote, and ordered a cab.

About twenty minutes later, they stopped in front of Double Tree. Hanna got out, and walked through the revolving door. She stepped onto the mosaic tiled floor, and looked around the lobby. In the corner was a fireplace with cream colored threadbare couches spread around the carpet. Everything was spic and span, and the brass luggage carriers were so clean, they practically shined. Hanna sucked in her stomach. Nice.
She walked up to the check-in desk, her wedge heels clicking. This morning, she'd paired them with her beach dress with red and white stripes. Just because she was traveling didn't mean she couldn't look fabulous.
"Hanna Marin," she told the receptionist.
Hanna watched as the woman opened a big book of names, and located her.
She handed Hanna a key card. You have room 1213. On the twelfth floor.
Hanna's jaw dropped. "The twelfth floor?"
The woman nodded. "Is there a problem with that?"
Hanna nodded. "I specifically requested a room on one of the bottom floors." Heights terrified her, another embarrassingly true secret.
"I'm sorry, Miss." The woman pushed her glasses up her nose. "Those rooms are all fully booked."
Be mature, Hanna told herself. Act like an adult. Not a teenager.
"Well, that's okay, I guess," she said, and then walked toward the elevator.
Hanna pressed the button for floor twelve. The doors closed, and the car started to go up. The elevator dinged, and let Hanna off at the twelfth floor. She stepped into the lobby, pausing to look at a table with a vase of roses on it, and a portrait that hung above it on the interior-brick lined wall. She walked past it, and located her room. She slid her key card into the little slot, and stepped into the room.
Looking in, she saw a single full sized bed, a bathroom, and a TV. That was it? Despite the nice lobby, the rooms in this place were beyond shitty.
She set her bags down on the floor, grabbed the TV remote, and hit the power button. It immediately turned to TLC, which was currently airing Dance Moms.
She kept it on, and started fixing her hair at the mirror. Hanna looked at her reflection, and smiled. Even though she knew it sounded so Ali-like, she was Hanna Marin. And she was fabulous.