GIRLS had been staying late at The Brew ever since Emily started working there. Ironically, the more nights they spent there, the more drama there was in their life. Hanna was going insane ever since the girls discovered Ashley's Marin phone in Wilden's coffin.
"When was the last time your mom called you?" Brooklyn asked, her eyes glancing around the table at her friends.
Hanna, twirling a lock of blonde hair around her finger, took a moment to think. "The day before yesterday, I guess," she said with a nervous smile. "But I don't really keep track."
Emily leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. "Did she call from her phone?"
Hanna rolled her eyes. "No, she used the hotel room phone," she replied, her voice thick with sarcasm. "You know, because she doesn't have a cell."
Brooklyn leaned back in her chair, a frown etching itself onto her face. "So who was the freaky woman at the funeral?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Emily spoke up, her voice low and serious. "Speaking of freaks, where is Melissa? "
Aria noticed Spencer's reluctance to answer and nodded her head slightly in encouragement. Spencer took a deep breath, her eyes darting around the room before meeting Aria's gaze. She leaned in, her voice barely a whisper. "Spencer "
"What?" Spencer repeated, her voice a mix of confusion and irritation as she stopped playing with her fries to look at Brooklyn with a furrowed brow.
"Where's Melissa?" Emily clarified, her eyes boring into Spencer's.
Spencer swallowed hard, her grip tightening around her soda. "She said she had a job interview in DC," she murmured.
Brooklyn's eyes widened as Aria slid a delicate, silver bracelet across the table towards her. She stared at it for a moment, the glint of the charms catching the light, before looking up at Aria in confusion. "What's this?"
Aria's smile was tight, her eyes gleaming with a mix of emotion that Brooklyn couldn't quite place. "This is yours,"
"I thought I lost it," Brooklyn murmured, her voice barely audible above the chatter of the Brew's patrons. She picked up the bracelet, her eyes scanning over the charms that she hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity. "Where did you find it?"
Aria's eyes darted to the side, avoiding contact with Brooklyn. "It was in Wilden's casket," she said, her voice a mix of shock and revelation. The room seemed to hush around them as the words sank in, the air thick with the weight of the implication.
Brooklyn's hand trembled as she held the bracelet up, the charms clinking together. "What?" she whispered, her mind racing.
Spencer reached over to grab a few of Hanna's fries, her mind clearly elsewhere. "What are you doing with my French fries?" Aria playfully scolded, reaching to snatch a few back.
