"I was afraid she wouldn't get it done in time for the memorial." Aria said as she and Spencer pushed a large box into Aria's living room. "This was someone from your mom's gallery?" Hanna asked. Emily and Lianna stood up to help as they tried to open the box.
"Right." She said. "Where is your mom?" Emily asked.
"There's an apartment above the gallery. So she's staying there, for now" Aria answered. Lianna took her bottle of water and took a sip from it before joining Emily. "Kind of weird, isn't it? Your mom moving out." Hanna said.
"Yeah, like my dad should have left. That's what you'd expect." Aria said to Hanna who furrowed her eyebrows. "Aria." Spencer warned as she took the screwdriver to open the box.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. The whole thing just sucks." She said as the girls started to open the box. "I know." Hanna said with a nod.
"Did anyone call Shelly Leonard?" Lianna asked as she used the screwdriver to open the box, referring to the girl who will play at the memorial. "Done. I told her that if she plays anything depressing, I will kick in her cello." Spencer said making the girl chuckle.
"Oh, what about the program?" Aria asked. "Almost done. But we should finish it... ...before Ali's brother gets here." Spencer said before looking at Lianna who didn't look at her, instead she placed the screwdriver down after she slowly removed the screw.
"He wants to see us in the morning" Spencer said and Lianna bit her lip as she waited for Emily to finish, avoiding everyone's gaze. "God, you know what? I barely remember Jason." Hanna said and stood up from her seat.
"We didn't know him. He was just Ali's older brother down the hall." Aria said before looking at Lianna.
"Behind the closed door." Spencer said. "With his hardcore-punk music vibrating the floorboards." Emily added making an unwanted smile form on the girl's face.
"Well, Lia here knew him" Hanna teased making her blush as she nudged Lianna's shoulder with hers. "How did he get into an Ivy League school?" Aria asked her but she just shrugged at her friend.
"I don't know. It must've been affirmative action for goths and emos." Spencer said making her frown. "Hey." Lianna defended making them chuckle. They all carefully lifted the lid and smiled when they saw what was inside.
"Wow." Hanna whispered. "It's beautiful." Aria said making Lianna nod.
"Pedestal's already out there, next to the bench. This goes up Friday morning." Spencer said as they admired the work. "Do you think Jason will like it?"Emily asked.
"Of course he'll like it." Lianna said, confidently with a smile on her face. "You know, years from now, people are gonna see this memorial... ...and that's all they'll ever know about Ali." Aria said.
"She'll be the girl that they dedicated the bench to. And we'll all be gone, but Ali will still be remembered." She added as they all smiled at each other.
"That's immortality, my darlings."
~•~•~•~
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