Pretty Little Liars- 20 Years Later (A Next Generation Story)

Ten | A Person Of Interest

"Who do you think it was?" Tori heard Julia's voice coming from her laptop. The laptop sat on her bed, facing the wall. Tori sighed, rubbing her cheeks as she climbed back in the bed and looked at Julia in the little Skype box on her screen.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tori sighed, pulling the bedsheets over her legs. "It was -A. I mean, we all got the same text."
"What's that noise?" Julia asked, as she heard a high pitched drilling sound coming from Tori's kitchen.
"The builders." Tori rolled her eyes. "They've been here since this morning, my mom and dad called them in before they left for their honeymoon." She explained. "Although I really wish they'd keep it down."
Julia shook her head. "God. I mean, I can't believe -A was in your kitchen. In your barn!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah, I know, you don't have to remind me!" Tori pointed out. "I have myself for that." She mumbled.

The afternoon sunshine shone into the house, but Tori didn't open the windows. By now it was early November which meant winter was around the corner, and she didn't need her household to get any more frosty than it already was.
"So how long are you parents gone for?" Julia's question interrupted Tori's train of thought.
"Um, just a week. Dad wanted to be home to keep up with the investigation and mom's the Senator, you know. I feel like this honeymoon is more of an escape plan than anything." Tori paused.

-A really had been in her house. This faceless monster had let themselves into her house and set her kitchen on fire. She didn't want to be here alone, not for any longer than she had to be.
"Do you want to stay over?" Tori blurted out, feeling immensely stupid after she had said it.
"What?" Julia asked. "We haven't stayed over since Freshman Year."
"I know, but it'll be fun." Tori tried to back herself up. "My parents are gone for a week and Michael's at a work conference for ten days, the only person I'd have to run it past is Lillian. And I'm sure she'd be cool with it. In fact, I'll invite Leo and Adam too." She said, texting them both as she spoke. "There." Tori pressed send. "You in?" She asked.
"A week long sleepover?" Julia bit her lip before nodding. "Ok. Count me in." She smiled.
"Oh, but we'll be staying in the house, not the barn. I've gotta be out of here by later today so I have to stay in the house a while."
Tori's phone buzzed, she expected it to be a confirmation from Adam. Or Leo. Or both. But instead she found another anonymous text.

Four Liars under one roof? You're making it so easy! -A

Tori rolled her eyes and threw her phone on her bed.

Mountains of brown cardboard boxes lay stacked in the living room. Tori sat on the sofa, twirling a strand of brown hair around her finger, as she waited for her friends to arrive. It was a Sunday, which meant no one was doing anything today, making the house feel especially empty and dull.

Tori spent the afternoon hauling the boxes into her old room, and the memories of her childhood came flooding back. She saw the ripped wallpaper in the corner of the room when she had let their new puppy in her room, the dented dresser from when she and Adam had played indoor hockey, and the numerous teddy bears piled up in the corner of the room which she still hasn't managed to get rid of.

Once Tori had unpacked her things into her room, she showered and then changed into her lazy clothes- red shorts and a grey vest shirt. Once settled in the living room, she heard the doorbell ring, and walked over past the kitchen to open the door.

Julia, Adam, and Leo walked in, all clutching sleeping bags and pillows and bags full of clothes, walking into the living room and dumping onto the floor. Once the Liars had set up their pillows, cushions, and other bedding on the living room floor, Tori pushed in the DVD of 'The Parent Trap' and slowly moved to the kitchen to make the popcorn.

Opening the popcorn box and throwing a bag in the microwave, Tori closed the door and thought of how often they had watched this film before Alice's disappearance. It was one of her favourites, but Tori never understood why. She still didn't. The microwave dinged! indicating that the popcorn was ready and popped, and so Victoria Hastings opened the microwave door and pinched the steaming packet as she removed it, being careful not burn her fingers. Pouring the salted popcorn into a huge plastic bowl which she had taken from one of the cabinets, Tori sighed wearily as she brought the bowl back to the living room.