Second Chances: The Alison Dilaurentis Story

Chapter 1: The Making Of A Liar

11 year old Jason places his headphones over 5 year old Alison's ears and plays the music as loud as possible to try and drown out the fight going on downstairs. Tears sting Alison's eyes as Jason holds her close, trying to keep her calm. This is one of the last times Alison feels remotely safe.

7 year old Alison sits, playing the piano. She hits a note and it sounds wrong, so she opens the top and finds two gifts. She opens them and finds two identical dresses. Jessica returns home and finds Alison looking at the dresses.

"I'm sorry I found them, Mama. The piano was playing wrong. You and Daddy must have got me the same gift."

"There's only one gift, Alison."

"But there's two dresses, Mama."

Jessica sits next to Alison on the couch and grips her wrist so hard it hurts. Alison winces.

"Look at me, Alison. There is only one dress. There was only ever one dress. Your father can never know anything other than that."

"You want me to lie?"

"Sometimes you are better off with a really good lie."

What starts out as small lies, prompted by Jessica, soon spirals out of control. By age 12, lying becomes all Alison knows. Lying about her home life. Lying about how glamorous her life is. She's gained popularity at school and has become the mean queen of Rosewood.

13 year old Alison runs into Spencer's house. Spencer and Emily are there.

"Can I stay here tonight? Jason and his stoner buddies are at my house being annoying."

Spencer agrees. Alison goes to the kitchen to wash a glass and sees her reflection in the window. She really does not want to see her reflection right now. Not with what really happened.

An Hour Earlier

One of Jason's buddies sneaks into Alison's room as she lays in bed, reading a magazine.

"What the fuck do you want, dickhead?"
Alison snaps at him.

He doesn't answer, instead he walks over and grabs her, slipping his hands under her shirt. She tries to push him off but he pins her down. She screams for help but her parents aren't home and Jason and the rest of his buddies are already passed out.

After it happens, the guy passes out in her bed and she runs from the house, straight to Spencer's.

Tears slide down Alison's face. She doesn't even notice Spencer and Emily walk in behind her.

"You okay, Ali?"

Alison wipes her eyes.

"I'm fine. Want to watch a movie?"

They both nod and Alison picks out a movie. They settle in with snacks and drinks but neither of the girls can shake the feeling that Alison is lying to them.

14 year old Alison sneaks into the Hastings house in the early hours of the morning. Veronica is in the kitchen and catches her.

"Alison? I thought you were in Spencer's room."

"I had to go home and get something."

"In the middle of the night?" Veronica notices Alison's lip is busted. "You're bleeding. What happened?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

Veronica wets a towel and motions for Alison to sit. She begins cleaning up Alison's face and Alison bursts into tears.

"Please don't tell my parents. It will only make it worse."

"It will only make what worse?"

Half an Hour Earlier

"Alison Dilaurentis, get your ass over here now."

Kenneth's voice is angry through the phone. Alison sneaks out of Spencer's room and over to her house. Kenneth had found a necklace she had bought for Emily.

"What the fuck is this?"

"It's just a present for a friend, Daddy."

Kenneth slaps her across the face.

"Do not lie to me, Alison."

"I'm not. It's just a gift."

"Tell me the truth, or I'll break it."

"Dad, no. Please don't break it."

"Who is it for?"

"Emily, okay. It's for Emily."

Kenneth makes a disgusted face.

"Are you some sort of dyke now? No daughter of mine is going to be a fucking dyke."

He strikes her again, busting her lip. He takes the necklace and puts it in the disposal.

"It's nothing, Mrs. Hastings. I'm just being silly."

Alison dries her tears and heads to Spencer's room.