CANARY CRY [pretty little liars]

15. careful for what you wish for

[TW for drug use and sexual assault]

"Is this Caleb Rivers?" Adaline asked. She held the phone tight against her ear, whispering into it. The police officer guiding her call could only hear her side of the conversation, but he knew it was being recorded, so it didn't matter. "Listen. Remember that thing we discussed earlier. I need you to do that to mine. Yes, the paper. I know it's a lot to ask, but I really need it. Okay? I'll give you anything for your troubles. Please?"

There was a stretched out pause. For a moment, Adaline thought he wasn't going to do it, until he finally responded. A breath of relief left her lips. She thanked him repeatedly before the officer told her that her call time was up. Quickly, hanging up the phone, she spotted more officers walking into the prescient, carrying her bag.

———

Adaline watched and rewatched the video of Alison and Ian over and over again until the shock subsided and her eyes ached from the screen. The four other girls whirled around the kitchen discussing any and every idea that crossed their minds.

"All that mumbling and groaning, maybe she was gripping the ground because she was-"

"Looking for a weapon to defend herself?"

Adaline clutched her head with both of her hands. She quickly excused herself from the room, heading towards the bathroom upstairs. After throwing up in the toilet, she sat on the floor, wiping her mouth with a towel. Her head pounded with every heartbeat. She couldn't take this anymore. No more Ian, or Alison, or A.

Once she was able to stand on her feet, she rushed back down the stairs, spotting Ian as she turned the corner. Her eyes widened as she tried to sneak back up the stairs, but the floorboards creaked. Ian and the girl's whirled their heads around.

"Sorry," she muttered, walking normally down the stairs.

Ian stood right behind Spencer's computer that was paused on his face. He acted like there was nothing wrong, but the girls were all noticeably freaking out. Glancing around the room, he noticed that no one was laughing at his previous joke. "What's up? Did I walk into the middle of a chick-flick?"

The girls didn't respond. They all averted their gaze with uncomfortable looks on their faces.

"Okay, I get it - no guys allowed." Ian took the bag of popcorn and bowl in his hands and left the room, allowing the girls to breathe.

"God, that was close."

She watched Aria and Spencer head into the kitchen, making them all something warm to drink followed by Hanna and Emily searching through some movies nearby. When no one was looking, Adaline snuck her hand into her purse, popping open the bottle of pills. Her head screamed for her to stop, but her hands were too quick. She stuck three little, blue pills under her tongue and waited until she got her hot chocolate. The drink burned her tongue, but she ignored it, knowing she would get relief soon. Again, Adaline had relapsed.