Pretty secrets

Part 7

Sofia decides to refrain from mentioning what happened to all the girls, not wanting to freak them out and also not being ready to talk about it. If they notice her slightly tense being, they don't mention it as they discuss Hanna's evening spent with her father. "It was great," Hanna grins "incredible really."
"Where'd your dad take you?" Emily stands with her arms crossed, her full attention on her blonde best friend "Jolly Rodgers" The girls all laugh, Aria chiming in "what- that lame amusement park?"

Hanna scoffs lightheartedly "okay it is not lame! We didn't go on a tote-a-whirl, we walked around and talked." Hanna hesitates slightly, volume dropping a little "and I told him about what's going on.. some of what was going on and he listened." The girls smile for her "he wants to take me for a real dinner tonight, he says he has something to tell me. I don't know, I think he wants to spend more time with me- I mean, maybe summers in Maryland." Emily frowns slightly "seriously?" Aria asks the naively happy girl if she would go.

"Well I wouldn't move away, not forever. I don't want leave my mom alone but I would like to see my dad more" Hanna explains to them. Spencer smiles falsely "wow." Aria adds "good for you." The bell rings ending their conversation as they take their seats for class to start. Mr Fitz clears his throat "I'm wondering, is anyone else bothered by Atticus' hypocrisy at the end of the novel?" Sofia sighs, she doesn't particularly like the English teacher. Yes he is a good teacher, but there's just something off about him that her subconscious doesn't like.

It's always been something she's harboured, like a sense - some people just irk her, regardless of whether they've done something wrong or not and they always prove her right in the end. She's gets that vibe from Ezra Fitz and it sets her on edge, makes her irritable. "No? Well, he's Mr due process when it comes to Tom Robinson, then as soon as Bob Ewell gets stabbed he's willing to buy into the Sheriff's cover-up." Spencer, to no one's surprise, raises her hand instantly "he was protecting Boo Radley."

Mr Fitz turns to her "protecting him? From what, the justice system? Atticus is an officer of the court, and he's conspiring to cover up a crime. And he's willing to let his own son take the fall for something that Boo Radley did?" Sofia raises a brow, an alarm ticking away in her brain - why did that sound so accusatory. She didn't like his tone. She understands being passionate about something but he's very directional with his response, it doesn't feel like he's addressing the entire class. Like he's saying it at Spencer.

From further back, near the middle of the class, Aria speaks up "it was a trade." He turns to her now, engaging in the discussion with the brunette now. "what was a trade?"
All eyes turn to view her response "Mr Ewell would have killed those kids. Boo saved them. And Atticus was still feeling guilty over Tom Robinson, so he offered Jem to take Boo's place," at this point Mr Fitz has approached Aria's desk "almost like a sacrifice." She finishes explaining her understanding of the novel.

"Oh. Very noble. Too bad Jem was unconscious. You think he might have had a different opinion?" Aria stares back at him, her voice sounding frustrated but sure of herself "No, Jem would have said yes." "You're sure about that?" The expression on the passionate girls face changes to something odd "he was brought up right." Each of the other girls look at her strangely, wondering what that was all about. One of their other classmates clears his throat "I'm sorry, Mr Sperling, do you have something to add to the discussion, aside from phlegm?"

"Just... well, his dad was a lawyer. He could get the kid off. Um... being brought up right had nothing to do with it." He barely finished his sentence before the worked up teacher speaks snidely "really? The whole book is about what shapes us into adults, or haven't you being paying attention?" Cody Sperling jumps to defend himself "No. No, I'm just saying that she-" he's cut off rudely "you're just saying that Aria made an attempt to understand this book and you haven't."