Pretty Little Liars: 17 and Pregnant

Chapter 9: Cheese Fries Smell Gross

Disclaimer: All PLL rights go to respected owners! 

Emily and Hanna strolled into the Apple Rose Grille, where Spencer and Aria were already seated and sipping on coffees, talking in hushed voices. Emily and Hanna walked towards the table and sat down across from their friends.

"Hanna!" Aria exclaimed as soon as she saw her friend. "Where have you been? We've all been calling and texting you all weekend, we were worried something had happened to you!"

Hanna inhaled deeply and let out the breath slowly. 

"I've been busy. My, um.." She trailed off, trying to think of a good explanation. "My uncle died," She said finally.

Really? "My uncle died"? You couldn't think of a better lie? She thought to herself, exasperated.

"Oh my god, really? I'm so sorry!" Aria said. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine," Hanna told her. "I just needed some time alone. I'm sorry for not answering you guys,"

Spencer looked up from her laptop with a skeptical look.

"Which uncle?" She asked.

"What?" Hanna questioned, confused.

"Which uncle died," Spencer replied.

"Um.. my mom's uncle. So... my great uncle?" Hanna answered, her sentence ending in a question. Spencer cocked an eyebrow dubiously but returned back to her screen. Emily stared at Hanna. She could tell Hanna wasn't telling the truth, but didn't fight it. The girls had more important things to worry about.

"So, Spence, what did you want to talk to us about?" Aria said, trying to change the subject.

"Right. So, remember, like, 3 months ago, when Grunwald told us how one of us had been touched by the one Ali feared the most?" Spencer told them. The other girls paused for a moment before remembering.

"Yeah?" Aria said.

"Well, I've been thinking about that. Hanna, it couldn't have been Caleb, because he didn't even live here when Ali went missing. Em, same with Maya, but it could still have been Ben, I guess, although I don't really see any connections." Spencer explained. A flicker of pain danced through Emily's eyes when Maya's name was mentioned, but it disappeared quickly and Emily nodded.

"So Aria, that leaves you and me. I really don't think it's Toby. It could be Ian, or Wren, I suppose. We'll look into that. But Aria, it could be Jake, Ezra..." Spencer trailed off as Aria gave her a pointed look.

"What, I'm just saying! We have to cover all our bases," Spencer justified.

"That doesn't mean you have to say that A is either my boyfriend or my ex!" Aria exclaimed.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. It was just a thought," Spencer said. 

"Let's get some food, I'm starving!" Emily said, trying to be the peacemaker. Aria nodded.

"Me too."

The girls placed their orders quickly and continued discussing Spencer's idea.

"It could also be friends," Aria pointed out. "Lots of people have literally touched us. The amount of people that have bumped into me in the hallways is insane." She continued.

"Probably because you're so short," Spencer teased. Aria gasped dramatically.

"You're only, like, 3 inches taller than me!" She protested. Spencer looked at her incredulously. 

"Um, more like six, actually," She said, laughing.  "You have a point, though. Grunwald could've just meant touched, like, made physical  contact with," She reasoned. The other girls nodded. They were interrupted, however, when Spencer's club sandwich, Aria's cheese fries, Emily's pasta, and Hanna's caesar salad arrived at the table.

"Finally!" Spencer smiled. "Bon appetit," She said. Hanna wrinkled her nose.

"What does that mean?" She said, scoffing playfully. Spencer rolled her eyes.

"It's French. It directly translates to "good appetite", but it's more-" Spencer started to explain, but Hanna interrupted.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Let's eat!" She said. Spencer rolled her eyes again but began eating. The girls enjoyed their first few bites, laughing and chatting away. Hanna was starving; she hadn't really eaten all weekend, and caesar salad was one of her favourites. Suddenly, however, she got engulfed by a wave of nausea. The overwhelming smell of Aria's cheese fries caused Hanna's stomach to turn, and she could feel the vomit beginning to rise up in her throat. Hanna set down her fork and quickly got up, her usually rosy face turning a pale shade of green.

"Hanna? Are you okay?" Emily asked, concerned. "I'm fine, I just... washroom," Hanna answered, gagging, before rushing away. The three girls who remained at the table looked at each other worriedly before rising from their seats and hurrying after Hanna.