The youngest liar

Reality bites me

Me and the other four girls sat in the Hastings kitchen. I sat next to Aria on the couch whilst she was re-reading the letter she had in her hand for the 100th time. "This is the letter "A" sent my mom." Aria told us. "You know it's not your fault, right?" I tell her while I rubbed her arm in attempt to make her feel better. "It's your dad's mistake, totally." Emily adds. "No, it is my fault." Aria says. "You did not hook up with her and then ask your kid to cover for you." Spencer exclaims. "Spence." I warn her with a look telling her to be sensitive. "Ali said I should've told my mom right after it happened." Aria says. "Ali? Alison knew?" Emily questions. We all look at Aria waiting for her to continue. "Yeah, she was with me." Aria tells us simply. "So, Alison saw this Meredith person?" I ask. "Meredith? Her name is Meredith. Ew. That's not even a cute girl name. I'm seeing big pores and mousy roots. " Hanna laughs. "Han, I think it's a little too soon to joke." Spencer warns her. "I'm sorry, but if you're gonna cheat, you might as well do it with somebody who deep-condition her hair occasionally." Hanna tells us. "Here, put something in your mouth besides your foot." Spencer hands Hanna a freshly toasted bagel. "I'm sorry. Okay? Look, all I'm saying is when my dad left, laughing sometimes helped. So did crying. " Hanna says to Aria. "My father hasn't left, guys." Aria says standing up abruptly. I stood up and joined the group. "Do you want something to eat, Ev?" Spencer asks. I shake my head. "No thanks Spence." "I mean, this happened over a year ago..." Aria continues. We all smile at aria sympathetically. "You think he's gonna leave?" Aria said. "Look, whatever happens, we're here for you." Emily says. "Yeah, we'll always be here." I tell her. We all smile at each other. "Thank you guys for staying here. Me and Ev didn't want it to be just us." Spencer tells the group. "When's your family getting back?" Hanna asks. "This afternoon." I answer. "Weren't you gonna clean off the mirror before they get here?" Aria says. Me and Spencer both have terrified looks on our faces. "Want me to come with?" Emily asks. Spencer nods and takes a deep breath. "We should all go." Aria says. "You know what. It doesn't take five of us to clean a mirror, so why don't you three go, and me and Ev can just wait here." Hanna says. "Fine. You stay down here. And A can just walk in..." Aria starts. "Make sure you be careful." Spencer jokes. "Great. You spray, I'll wipe." I says following the girls upstairs with Hanna not far behind me. Hanna's phone starts ringing and we all turn to her waiting for her to read the contact. Hanna looks at her phone and the ringing stopped. "Well, the creature's back." Hanna says. We all crowed round Hanna to read the text. "We should have never unblocked our phone." I say. I look at Hanna's text.
𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍?
-𝙰
🖇Attachment...64397.mov
"Open the attachment." Emily says. "Hanna clicks on the link and it brings up a video of the moment we saw the message on the mirror. And A was in Spencer's closet. "That's us!" Aria exclaims, "was that shot from inside your closet?" We all look upstairs warily. ""A" was watching us." Spencer said.

Spencer leads us into her bedroom and we all still see the lipstick written message on the mirror. Spencer walks over to her closet and flings the doors open. Something falls from the shelf and we all shriek in fear as it crashes to the floor. "Guys." Aria notices something in Spencer's closet and goes to pick it up. She held a lipstick out for us to see. "Check it out." Aria opens the lipstick and puts some on her hand to compare it to the shade on the mirror. It matches. "That means "A" was in our house." I say slightly scared that "A" knew how to break in now.

The next day at school, we all stood by Spencer's locker and Hanna applied lipgloss for the 10th time today. "You can't seriously think that a blind girl broke into our house. That would take a lot more than a talking GPS." Spencer says. "Well, I didn't say that Jenna was alone." Aria tells us. "Let's not go back to the Toby place, okay?" Emily said. "You guys think her guide dog left behind his lipstick?" Aria questions. "Yeah, do you want to ask what your lab partner was doing last night? You know, maybe he took a break from sitting on his porch pulling heads off of squirrels." Spencer tells Emily. "Spencer! Sorry, ladies, I didn't mean to interrupt, but I hope you're as proud of your friend as I am." Say Spencer's history teacher as he hands her a certificate, "congratulations. My instincts were right. This just makes it official." He walks away and Spencer stuffs the envelope in her locker. "What's that about?" Aria asks. "An essay contest." Spencer replies. "Wait, did you win it? Aren't you gonna at least open the envelope?" Emily asks. "Why should she? She wins an award for walking up." Hanna says. The bell rings and we walk to class.

Me and Spencer walk into the house after our after-school activities. Spencer was at field hockey practice and I was at dance class. We see our dad sat on the couch. "Hey." He addresses us. He's doing something from his phone so he's not really paying attention. He looks us and then motions to a box of the table. "Those are for you both. Butter creams. They're your favourite, right?" "Yeah, they were... when we were, like, seven and five." Spencer tells him. "Thanks dad." I say putting my bag down and walking to the living room. "So, you finally spoke to Wren?" Spencer asks. "No, but I spoke with Mr. Sheldrake. You didn't really think that you would be able to keep this essay secret, did you? Spencer this is a coup for you. I mean, if the ivies weren't onto you already, they are now. I'm seeing a cage match between Harvard and Yale." Dad tells her. "Dad, it's really not that big of a deal." Spencer assures him. "Oh, now you tell me. Your mother's already taken out a full page AD in the club newsletter. I'm kidding. Come on." Dad says taking the box from the table and offers me and Spencer one. "Have a buttercup." We both take on reluctantly. "I'm proud of you girls. At least let me brag about you tomorrow. " Dad said. "What's tomorrow?" I ask. "I'm talking Russell Newhoff to the club. He's a potential new client. Either of you up for playing doubles if he brings his daughter along?" I look at Spencer then back at my dad. "Sorry, dad. Lots of homework." I say. "Ok then. Guess it's me. I'm up for it. Hey, you want to volley with me?" Spencer asks dad. Dads phone starts ringing, "oh, I'd love to, but... I have a bunch of calls to return, and a prize-winning essay to read. Don't forget to put it on my desk, ok." "Oh, dad, I- - you don't have to read this one. It's really not one of my bests." Spencer tells him. "Somebody sure thought it was. They don't give these awards to people who don't deserve them." Dad leaves and me and Spencer are standing alone. "What're you gonna do to cover yourself this time?" I ask her.

The next day, Spencer went to the club with dad and mom was at work so I was left alone. The house was quiet so quiet so I decided to get some homework done. I got through most of my homework then I got hungry. I went downstairs and looked in the fridge and saw some left over cake from yesterday. Then I got a text.
𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚐𝚊𝚛. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝙳𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞?
-𝙰
I look down at my stomach and decide against the cake and just go hungry. I went back up to my room and looked in my mirror. Am I fat? Oh god. What if "A" is right? I lie down on my bed and decide to get an early night. I slowly drift off to sleep not even changing out of my clothes.