A couple of days later (9.30 am Thursday)
It has been a couple of days since Ali was found and since then, Hanna, Spencer, Emily and I have reconnected. The principal canceled school for today as the Dilaurentis family decided to have Ali's funeral today and because Ali was a part of the school community. So here I am, standing out the front of the church with hundreds of people who probably didn't even know Ali.
There are news vans lined along the street. I walk into the church and see Emily's and Spencer's family inside. "I think I need some air" I whisper to myself.
I open the door to the rectory and I escape there. I walk over to an open window and stare outside.
"Was she a friend?" I hear someone ask. I turn around to see Ezra standing in the doorway. He steps in and closes the door.
"Do you care?"
"I'm not even sure what I feel worse about. Having to stay away from you or being a jerk about it"
"She was one of my best friends"
"I'm sorry"
"For Alison or for being a jerk?"
"Both"
"Thank you"
"How can you only be sixteen?"
"It's just a number. It doesn't define me"
"There just can't be a happy ending for us"
"I understand" I say as I look up at him. "I would never want to do anything that would get you into trouble" I say before I walk towards him. I give him the slightest kiss on the cheek. My body lightly brushes up against his. "Goodbye, Ezra"
I turn to leave but I feel him grab my wrist. He pulls me closer and we give into the moment. Its intense, exciting and passionate.
After a moment I gently pulled back from him. I brush a wisp of hair from his forehead then quietly walks out of the rectory.
I enter the sanctuary and I see Mr. & Mrs. Dilaurentis, they are both wearing black and are talking with guests. I walk up to them.
"Mrs DiLaurentis?" I say as she turns around and sees me. A smile comes across her face.
"Aria," She says as she hugs me. "I'm glad you came. I asked the other girls to sit together up front. It's what Alison would have wanted"
"Of course" I say before I walk down the center aisle, towards the front of the sanctuary. I pass by most people I know.
I get to the front and I see the closed casket with Alison's photograph perched on top of it. The reality of this moment starts to hit me. I feel a hand grab mine and I look down to see Hanna grabbing my hand. I see Emily and Spencer look up at me. I scoot in next to Hanna.
"Poor Ali," Emily says.
"Can you believe what a scene this is?" Hanna says in shock.
"Alison would have loved it" I say.
"Popular in life and death" Spencer charms in.
Hanna and I both look over at Emily and can see she is barely holding it together. Hanna reaches into her bag and pulls out a flask. She then hands it to Emily who waves it away.
"No thanks. I don't...." Emily says.
"I think today you do" Hann replies as Emily takes the flask.
Next minute my phone buzzes and I can feel the three girls' heads all quickly turn to me.
"Anyone we know?" Hanna asks.
"Just my Dad" I say as I get my phone out and look at it. It's this big message telling me to get home right away. I place my phone back into my bag. "Emily and I aren't the only ones who got messages from 'A,' are we?"
Next minute a chatter buzz fills the sanctuary. Spencer turns to see what's going on. She looks on in disbelief.
"Oh my God" Spencer says as we all turn our heads. We look down to the back of the chapel and see a stunningly beautiful sixteen-year-old girl. Her eyes are hidden behind a pair of large framed, dark sunglasses. As her brother leads her down the aisle, we then realize she is blind. "It's Jenna," Spencer says.
Her brother, Toby is good looking but projects an attitude that reads, 'stay away.' As they sit, Toby looks to the front of the room. He then looks at us with a disgusted look. The four of us then slowly turn back to face Ali's coffin.
Alison's parents then sit down next to me.
"Did you see that Henna Marshall is here? I didn't realize she and Ali were friends" Mrs Dilaurentis says, shocked.
"They weren't," Spencer replies as the minister approaches the podium.
"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" The Minister starts.
1 hour later
The service is finally over and the four of us are now standing outside the chapel.
"Emily, Spencer, Aria and Hanna" We hear this guy say as he walks up to us.
"Do we know you?" Spencer asks as he reaches into his pocket which gives us a glimpse of his gun. He pulls out a business card and hands it to Spencer.
"I am Detective Wilden. I understand you were all good friends with the victim" He starts.
"We were," I say.
"I am going to need to talk with each of you," Wilden says.
"We talked to the police when Alison first went missing," Spencer replies.
"And I intend to go over every one of your statements. This is no longer a missing persons investigation. It's a murder and you can be assured, I will find out what that summer" He says before he walks away.
We watch as Jenna and Toby exit the chapel. Toby guides Jenna to a waiting car. We watch Jenna leave. I then notice Wilden watching us.
"Do you think he knows about...." I say.
"No" Spencer says as she sounds certain.
"How could he?" Hanna chimes in.
Emily looks over at Wilden and he finally looks away as she catches his stare. Just then there is a buzz from each of our phones. We all look down at our screens.
"Oh my God" I say in shock.
"It's from" Hanna cuts me off.
"I got one too" Emily chimes in.
"I'm still here, bitches." Spencer reads.
"And I know everything. - A" The four of us read out loud.
YOU ARE READING
Ezria - Broken
FanficThis story is about the struggles Aria has to face after her mother moves on from the family and she has to deal with her abusive father after Byron, Mike and Aria move to Rosewood because Byron's sabbatical finishes. She also has to deal with the u...
