Frozen in Time

Chapter 23

When I got home Spencer and Hanna were waiting for me.

"Where's Emily?" I asked.

"She said she had to see some girl named Maya, I don't know, but that's not the point. We need to go to New York!" Spencer said.

"May I ask why!" I said.

"Because Alli's not dead!" Hanna said.

"Are you guys high? We just saw Alli in a body bag!"

"No! We saw a body bag! We don't know if that was Alli!" Spencer said.

"Well the police think it is and they actually saw her face!"

"Just show her the text Spence," Hanna said.

Spencer pulled out her phone and showed me a text dated for thirty minutes earlier.

New York New York the place to be, New York New York come help me!

"It doesn't say 'A'," I said.

"I know, that's why we think Alli sent it," Hanna said.

"It could just be 'A' messing with us," I pointed out.

"It could be, but do you really want to take a chance at bringing Alli back home?" Spencer asked.

~•~

I started packing for New York as soon as a I got in my room. I didn't pack much, just whatever I needed for an 'A' attack or an Alli reunion.

"Where are you going?" Dad asked.

"Spencer's! I'm spending the night there tonight."

Alli always said 'sometimes all you need is just a really good lie' and she was right. Sometimes.

"Well, make sure you're home by dinner tomorrow. It's my party for Hollis."

"I'll try," I smiled a half smile, almost feeling guilty.

Then I left.

~•~

Bzzz bzzz bzzz

My phone buzzed in the cup holder. I picked it up and turned it off if vibrate before I answered it.

Ezra's voice came through the speakers, "hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me tonight?"

"A date? You do realize that your my teacher right? That if someone see's us together you could become a convicted felon."

"I do realize that. That is why I am asking you out on a date for the next county up. No one will no us. No will care."

"That does sound amazing,but-"

"But?"

"But, I have to go out of town tonight."

"Out of town? As in where out of town?"

"New York," I was frightened after I said it.

A noisy city filled will busy people, and apparently 'A'!

"Why do you have to go to New York all the sudden?"

"It's complicated."

"I'll come with you!"

"No! I mean no, I have to do this without you. I'll be okay. Promise."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

I knew he was just trying to protect me, but I was just trying to protect him.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Was I?

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

~•~

When I got to Hanna's everyone's cars were there. Spencer, Hanna, Emily, and now mine.

Hanna's mom worked odd hours so she was gone and wouldn't be home until we were already in New York.

When I walked in the kitchen all the girls were standing there talking about the plan. We were supposed to go to New York and text the unknown number with our location hoping that Alli would meet us there.

"Do you guys really think this will work?" Emily asked, "I mean we are going to be in one of the biggest city's in the world looking for one girl."

"Emily's right," I said, "it'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"Okay, so what I'm hearing is you guys don't want Alli back at all?" Hanna asked.

"That's not what I'm saying," I said, "it's just that if this thing goes bad-"

"Not only could it ruin us, but a lot of other people too," Emily said.

Spencer pulled out four tickets for a seven o'clock plane to New York.

"Are you guys coming or not?" she asked.

Hanna took her ticket like it was a straight up impulse.

Emily and I looked at each other. Emily sighed and took the ticket.

All I can say about me is three hours later I was being served nuts in a wine glass.