Constellations

| 11 | Salt Meets Wound

The girls were all gathered in the kitchen of the Marin house. Valerie was sitting at the kitchen counter while Hanna was sat in her wheel chair, picking at the sticker on her cast covering the A message. The other girls were carrying in the gifts Hanna had received at the hospital.

"Why are you taking that off?" Aria asked, carrying in a pair of crutches for Hanna.

"I'm not. I'm trying to keep it on." Hanna mumbled, attempting to flatten the sticker on her leg, "Believe me, I don't wanna see the autograph underneath it."

"Well we can get you another sticker." Spencer offered.

"Yeah, this time why don't you try something mellower." Aria said, "Like, save the planet."

"Hey, there were not a lot of choices. Okay? It was easier humpty dumpty or Jesus is coming look busy." Spencer argued.

Hanna kept peeling back the sticker, "Oh god, it's still there." Hanna complained.

"Well, it's not just gonna magically disappear." Valerie teased.

"I know." Hanna sighed, "What's going on with Noel Kahn?" Hanna asked Aria, "Have you talked to him?"

"I avoid him. I keep telling him I'm busy. Busy freaking out every time I look at him." Aria muttered.

"Yeah, well try being run over by him." Valerie said sarcastically.

Emily cleared her throat awkwardly, "Who got you these flowers Val? Aren't they your favorite?" She asked, admiring the dahlia's that were planted in a beautiful pink tinted glass vase.

"I'm not sure." She said, "They were there when I woke up with a note, but it didn't say who it was from." Valerie shrugged.

"Hm." Emily hummed. She picked the note that was sitting in between the stems of the flowers and read it. "Aw, this is really sweet. Whoever wrote it must really like you." She said.

"Let me see." Hanna said, holding out her arm for the note. Emily handed it to her and Hanna's face instantly lit up when she finished reading it, "Damn, I wish someone would write something like this for me." After Hanna finished reading, the other girls were now interested in it too. It got passed around a few more times with plenty of teasing comments to follow.

"Anybody else starving or is it just me?" Hanna asked.

"Your mom said she left a special dinner for you in the fridge." Spencer told her.

"Ew, pass. No, I wanna pop tart." Hanna exclaimed. Spencer gave her a look, "What? I have been on hospital food for three weeks. I wanna eat something that doesn't look like it's already been chewed." She complained.

"Okay, well, why don't you eat while we get the rest of your stuff." Aria smiled, as her and the other girls went to grab Hanna's things. Valerie stayed seated at the island while Hanna wheeled her way over to the cabinets. She grabbed one of her crutches, reaching for the pop tarts on the top shelf.

"Let me help." Valerie offered as she stood up. Hanna ended up knocking over a few boxes when Valerie got over there. She saw a box of pasta with a bunch of hundred dollar bills sticking out. Hanna picked up the box and pulled out more pasta pieces, and between each one was more money.

Hanna and Valerie heard the door open again and Hanna looked at Valerie worriedly, "Don't say anything please." Hanna begged.

"I wont." Valerie promised, shaking her head. Spencer walked in carrying an orchid in a very large pot.

"So if you're gonna stay down here tonight—"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Down here's good." Hanna stammered.