UNSTEADY 🅰️ LUCAS GOTTESMAN [book one]

THE NEW NORMAL

...

THE girls had gathered in Emily's bedroom to review the note Toby had given Spencer as well as digest the latest shock to the Hasting's family "Okay, so your sister's pregnant." Hanna shook her head from her lounged position on the bed with Emily and the girl in question whilst Aria stared out the window, pillow to her chest from the bay seat "How'd that happen?"

"I figure pretty much the usual way." Spencer quipped, finding an online binary of Braille.

"It's not really a 'how' question, it's more of a 'why' question." Emily added.

Spencer shrugged "Well I mean I guess Melissa could have gone all maternal but I doubt it."

"She's not that bad, Spence."

All eyes went to Haley in surprise, and they watched as she pushed around her barely touched gas station shrimp at Emily's desk before the Hasting's girl raised an eyebrow "One cup of hot chocolate and you're suddenly her number one supporter?"

Hanna watched as her sister rolled her eyes, deciding to intervene as she picked up Toby's note "What do you think this means?"

Spencer pulled her gaze away from Haley as she was brought back to the task at hand "I don't know but Toby wanted us to have it."

"You wanna see this Aria?" Emily looked over at the Montgomery girl.

Aria's eyes met Hanna's "No, I can see just fine from here."

As the Marin girl slumped in defeat, Spencer eye's flittered across the screen "Okay, the first letters a B... A. It's an A...D?

"Bad?" Hanna repeated dubiously "That's the whole message?"

Emily's eyebrows furrowed "What's it supposed to mean?"

"It means you got punked." Aria shot back "Toby doesn't trust us, and I don't blame him."

The Field's girl shook her head "No I don't think he'd mess with us like this."

"You'd be surprised what people are capable of." Aria muttered, hugging the pillow tighter to her chest.

"You guys we have to figure this out." Spencer sighed heavily "This might be a joke but it could be real."

Hanna shook her head "Look, either way, Toby's not the enemy."

"You know what guys?" All eyes went to Aria as she stood quickly, grabbing her purse "I'm gonna go."

Haley quickly followed suit, ignoring her friends calls "Aria! Aria!"

The Montgomery girl huffed as she spun to the face her friend, raising a dark eyebrow as they stood outside Emily's home "What? Do you have something to give to my dad? Mike?"

Haley let out a quick sigh "Why are you lying to your parents? To everyone?"

Aria shook her head "To protect Ezra—"

"And Hanna was trying to protect our mom." Haley cut her off, watching as Aria's mouth snapped shut "A knew that she would do anything to protect her. But she didn't do it, Aria. She protected you." She shook her head, hoisting her bag up onto her shoulder "Until you're put in that kind of position where you have to compromise everything you know about yourself to protect the ones you love... just stop punishing her, okay?"

Haley didn't give the girl a chance to respond as she made her way to her car. She knew Hanna could catch a ride with Spencer and so she quickly hopped in, tossing her bag in the passenger seat before running her hands through her hair. She sat up straight, her eyes opening only to gasp as she caught the figure in the mirror.

"Hi baby." Darren greeted lowly "That looked tense."

Haley's heart hammered in her chest as she glanced out of the window only to frown as she watched Aria's car drive off without seeing her predicament "W-what are you doing here?"

The blond ignored her question as he climbed up front, tossing her bag into the back "Come on, we have a lot to discuss."
...

HALEY'S hands shook as she sat in her parked car, hidden in the shadow of night. Her tear filled eyes watched her mother was lead to an unfamiliar car, Mrs. Potter's well dressed nephew closing the door after her before jogging around to the driver's side.

"Hopping into bed with anyone to get herself out of trouble, huh?" Darren snorted before smirking "Like mother, like daughter, huh, Hales?" The Marin girl's jaw clenched as she kept silent, watching the headlights drive off into the distance before Darren sighed "Come on."

Haley slowly did as told before letting out a gasp as his hand reached out, grasping ahold of her arm tightly, pulling her towards her front door. The Marin girl felt her lower lip tremble as he rang the doorbell, heart thumping painfully at the sound of incoming footsteps. And when the door open and her gaze met Hanna's she felt her stomach drop.

Darren smirked at the frozen blonde before pushing his way in, dragging Haley with him. "Hanna, who was—" Caleb's eyebrow's furrowed as he looked between the scared twins to Darren "Who's the old, dude?"

"I'm Haley's boyfriend." The Wilden man sneered "You must be the little delinquent that's been living in the basement like a rat." He smirked before turning to Haley "I'm going upstairs to take a shower, you'll join me."

The Marin girl's eyes fluttered shut as his lips pressed against her temple before he finally released his grip on her. Her shoulder's dropped as he made his way upstairs before she turned to Hanna who quickly pulled her into a hug "Haley..."

"He knows, Hanna." She whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks "He knows everything."

Caleb stepped forward as the twins pulled apart, dark eyes shooting between them "What the hell is going on?"

Haley looked back at Hanna "He watches everything I do, he knew that I told you. He knew about Mom and Mrs. Potter. I-I can't escape him. I'm sorry."

Hanna watched her sister head upstairs with tears in her eyes before she felt a warm hand on her back "Hanna?"

The blonde turned to Caleb, the tears spilling over her cheeks in defeat
"I don't know how to save her."