Burned pll-12

by Sara Shepard

  “God,” Hanna whispered. Ali had made them pay.

  Then she looked at Naomi. “I wish you would have said something earlier. I wish you would have told someone.” If Naomi had taken Ali more seriously, the girls might not have gone through that horrible ordeal in the Poconos. If Real Ali had gotten sent back to The Preserve—because surely she would have, if someone had known to believe her—Jamaica wouldn’t have happened, either. Tabitha would’ve just been a weird friend of Ali’s from The Preserve who acted strangely on Ali’s behalf, nothing more.

  Hanna pictured time rewinding, every horrible thing they’d done turning to dust. What sort of life would she be living now? How happy would she be, how carefree? How amazing would it be if A wasn’t in her life?

  A clever, vindictive look crossed Naomi’s face, reminding Hanna more of the girl she’d known for years, the girl who’d always been her enemy. “I guess that makes us even.”

  31

  A BITTERSWEET REUNION

  The lobby of the Royal Arms Hotel was done up in beige and brown tones and filled with generic furniture and ugly brass light fixtures, making Spencer feel like she was at a hotel near the Philadelphia Airport instead of on the shores of Hamilton, Bermuda. The only thing special about the lobby was that it was jam-packed with kids evacuated from the cruise ship. Boys from Pritchard sat on couches. A bunch of kids from Rosewood Day swarmed the little restaurant, where three televisions were all tuned to cricket matches. Girls from Villa Louisa leaned against the front desk, talking to their parents on their cell phones. Everyone had gotten calls from their parents, who were furious that their children had had to flee for their lives on lifeboats. Rumors swirled about lawsuits against the cruise company. Mason Byers announced that his dad was taking a private plane to Bermuda that night and getting him the hell out of there. The story had even hit the news already—THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE, a headline had read earlier on a news program before cricket, followed by footage of dozens of tiny lifeboats sailing away from the burning ship. Unfortunately, the story about the girls’ brush with death got some airplay, too—reporters practically salivated once they realized they were the Pretty Little Liars. Spencer had found out through the news that the authorities were still trying to figure out what had caused the explosion in the boiler room.

  “Okay, everyone!” Jeremy shouted into a megaphone, still doing his best to remain chipper. “We’ve got the fire out on the boat, but it isn’t safe for travel, so we’re booking you plane tickets. You’ll leave either tomorrow or the next day. We’re trying to get you all rooms here, so no one go anywhere. Otherwise you’ll be stranded in Bermuda until your parents can come and get you.”

  “As if that’s a bad thing?” Spencer murmured, rolling her eyes. She stood with her friends in a back hallway near a couple of computer terminals and vending machines, watching the chaos from afar. None of them had quite recovered from their time in the cold water—they all still had towels slung over their shoulders and goose bumps on their arms. Their hair had partially dried, but Aria had seaweed twisted in her bangs. Emily cupped a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, and Hanna was still shivering. But maybe that was because she’d just announced that Naomi wasn’t A.

  “She didn’t know what I did to Madison,” Hanna went on after Jeremy finished his announcement. “And, I mean, she organized a rescue team for us. It’s pretty obvious the real A sent us down the wrong path again.”

  Spencer nodded, not really surprised. As soon as Naomi had arrived with a rescue team in tow, she’d begun to doubt their suspicions. But it was incredible how expertly A had made it look like Naomi was the one after them. Sending them notes when Naomi was around, for one. Organizing Hanna and Naomi to room together, for another.

  She shut her eyes. “But A was on the boat. And A did deflate our life raft—right?”

  Aria nodded. “It’s too much of a coincidence. A definitely did it. So that leaves Graham. Maybe he’s the one and only A.”

  “But I don’t understand how Graham could have followed us to the cove without us seeing him,” Emily said, looking puzzled. “We were on open water. And he must have acted quickly—we weren’t in that cove for very long.”

  “Maybe he overheard us talking about going to the cove and headed out there first,” Hanna suggested. “Or he could have already been there when we arrived, hiding in one of the caves.”

  Aria squinted. “I don’t know if he could have gotten out there that fast after the explosion. But I guess anything is possible.”

  Spencer twisted her silver ring around her finger. “Graham probably spied on all of our conversations in the common room. And just because Naomi wasn’t around, we thought we were safe.”

  “Has anyone seen Graham?” Hanna whispered. “He could be listening right now.”

  Everyone looked up. Spencer scanned the crowd in the lobby. Jennifer Feldman was tapping on her iPad by the check-in desk. Lucas Beattie was roving around the lobby, taking pictures for yearbook. She didn’t see Graham anywhere.

  “I wonder what his next move is,” she said uneasily. “Do you think he’s going to tell as soon as we get to back to the States?”

  Aria squared her shoulders. “I think we should confess instead of letting Graham turn us in.”

  Confess. Spencer took a deep breath. Hanna and Emily shifted uncomfortably. It was obvious they were all contemplating the promise they’d made in the water.

  Emily picked at her cuticles. “I’m so afraid of what’s going to happen when we tell.”

  “We have to end this,” Aria said. “Out there in the water, I had this epiphany. I’d rather clear my conscience than live a lie. Even if that means suffering for it, I don’t think I can live another day with this hanging over me.”

  Spencer nodded. “I feel that way, too. But you’re underestimating it when you say suffer, Aria. We could spend years in court. We could go to jail for the rest of our lives.”

  “A could torment us for the rest of our lives, too,” Aria said.

  “But we’ll never get to see our families again,” Hanna said. “Everyone we love will hate us.”

  Tears filled Aria’s eyes. “I know. But like I said, I can confess for everyone, and—”

  “No,” Spencer, Emily, and Hanna all said at once.

  Spencer touched Aria’s hand and swallowed hard. “You’re right. We have to end this, and confessing is the only way. I’m in.”

  “Me too,” Hanna said after a moment. Emily nodded as well.

  They were silent for a while, listening to the din of the kids in the lobby. Jeremy once more announced that they were booking everyone on flights back to Philadelphia that would leave in the next few days. Spencer’s stomach sank just thinking about it. Once they got home, their lives would be over. If only she could stay in Bermuda forever.

  Suddenly, a figure appeared in the doorway. Reefer stood with his hands in his pockets. “Can we talk?” he asked, eyeing Spencer.

  Spencer glanced at her friends, who shrugged and nodded. She walked toward Reefer tentatively, her heart suddenly thrumming. As soon as he got close, he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. “I just found out what happened,” he said into her ear. “Are you okay? What were you doing taking a lifeboat back to those coves?”

  Spencer’s body remained stiff and cautious, and she glanced around the room to see who might be watching. Even though A wasn’t Naomi, A had still sent texts that she should stay away from Reefer.

  But then she remembered that they were going to confess soon. Life was too short to stay away from him. “It’s a long story,” she admitted. “But I’m fine. Naomi rescued me, actually. So I guess she’s not such a psycho after all.”

  Reefer shook his head rapidly. “No, Spencer, she is. She told me everything.”

  Spencer frowned. “Told you what?”

  “She was the one gaslighting you.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “She poured baby oil on the floor, rigged the bed so it would break, all of it. Everything you thoug
ht was happening was true.”

  Spencer blinked hard. “She actually admitted that?”

  Reefer nodded. “I just talked to her. First she told me about the rescue, but then she admitted what she’d been up to. She seemed to feel really bad about it. I feel bad about it, too. I didn’t believe you. Can you ever forgive me?”

  Spencer stared at him crazily. “I should be the one begging for forgiveness. I’m the one who’s been acting crazy. And I’m the one who broke up with you. I never should have done that.”

  Reefer squeezed her tight. “Of course I forgive you,” he murmured. “It’s been a weird trip, hasn’t it? Naomi tormenting you, that fugitive girl jumping overboard, and did you hear about the explosion? It might have been intentional.”

  Spencer swallowed hard. “I didn’t hear that.” She hoped it sounded like the truth.

  Reefer nodded. “It started in the boiler room. They think a passenger did it.”

  Spencer looked down, knowing eye contact with Reefer would give everything away. “Do they know who did it?” she asked.

  Reefer shrugged. “No clue. They’re trying to bring up security cameras from the boiler room, but two of them were knocked out. I heard that they made out two people on the third camera, though—they’re just trying to figure out who they were.”

  Spencer glanced at Aria, who was still talking to Hanna and Emily. She was sure the two figures on the security tape were Aria … and Graham. She shut her eyes for a moment, considering Graham as A. They didn’t even know him. It all seemed so … impersonal. What kind of lunatic stalks and torments his girlfriend’s killers instead of simply turning them in to the police?

  A lunatic called A, of course.

  She turned back to Reefer, wanting to think about something else. “I missed you so much,” she admitted.

  “I missed you, too,” Reefer said, and leaned forward to kiss her neck.

  Spencer tilted her head back, savoring the sensation. But suddenly, as a group of tourists wearing American flag T-shirts waded through the kids, reality snapped into focus once more. They were going to call the FBI tomorrow. How would it go down? First a call, then a meeting with the investigator, then a tearful confession? She pictured her parents being summoned to jail, the press clamoring at the door with questions, their names in the news again, everyone staring at them. What would Reefer think when he found out?

  She let out a small, quiet moan and hugged Reefer even tighter. When she was a little girl, she and Melissa used to play a game they’d made up called “Prince Charming,” in which they listed all of the characteristics they wanted in a future boyfriend. At first, Spencer always copied what Melissa said—tall, dark, handsome, drives a nice car, and has a good job—until she realized they were, more or less, describing their dad. But even when she imagined a unique future prince, things like smells like hemp or can quote obscure Grateful Dead songs were never on her list. But as she gazed at Reefer’s kind, gentle face, the same wistful, someday-my-prince-will-come feelings she used to have when playing the game welled up inside of her. Even though Reefer wasn’t the sort of guy she had anticipated ending up with, he was exactly what she wanted.

  But would he want her, after he found out what she’d done?

  32

  THE BOYFRIEND PROBLEM

  Even though the Eco Cruise company had chartered flights for the kids to take back to Philadelphia, there was still the matter of everyone collecting their stuff from their rooms on the ship. The boat pulled into the Hamilton harbor at 7 A.M. on Monday, and everyone was allowed one hour to pack up. Aria and Noel climbed up the ramp, then glanced at the auditorium, which was still decorated for the talent show. It was kind of sad to see the festive balloons, streamers, and search lights. Even the food was still set up, though flies were buzzing around it hungrily.

  Noel pointed at the first-prize Vespa, which was parked near the stage. “I wonder who’s going to get that?”

  “No one, I guess,” Aria murmured.

  He shook his head somberly. “Yesterday sucked.” He took Aria’s hand. “I just can’t believe you thought it was a good idea to go and get some stupid family heirloom that Spencer lost on a dive. You could have died.”

  Aria lowered her eyes. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. We didn’t plan on the raft deflating. It was a freak thing.”

  “You just should have thought it through.” Noel cupped the sides of Aria’s face in his hands. “When Naomi told me that you guys sailed off into the sunset and hadn’t come back yet, my heart just about stopped. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic,” Aria murmured, but tears sprung to her eyes. Those horrible moments in the water were so fresh and raw in her mind. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that Naomi wasn’t A, either—and that A might be Graham and Graham alone. He’d watched all of them, slipping in and out of the shadows so effortlessly. He’d been the one to kill Gayle and almost kill them.

  As they walked further onto the ship, the smell of smoke grew stronger. Noel wrinkled his nose. “Nasty.” As they passed the casino, Noel glanced at the table up front, which still bore a sign for the Eco Scavenger Hunt. “Did you talk to Graham after we evacuated?” he said, making a face. “I’m surprised he didn’t want to rescue you.”

  Aria swallowed hard, revisiting those horrible moments in the boiler room. Spencer had told her that the ship was able to salvage one of the security cameras, but she was of two minds about what the tape would reveal: On one hand, it might be good for Graham to be identified and caught. On the other, she was certainly the second figure on the tape. Noel would probably lose his mind if he found out she’d almost been blown to smithereens.

  She wiped her eyes and looked around the crowd of kids heading to their rooms. Graham’s room was on that floor, but he wasn’t among them. In fact, Aria hadn’t seen him anywhere. She’d searched the crowds in the hotel lobby, restaurants, and outdoor spaces nonstop, but he’d been nowhere. Then again, if he was A, hiding in plain sight was what he did best.

  But soon it wouldn’t matter anymore. Once they told about Tabitha, Graham wouldn’t be able to torment them any longer. They’d be free.

  “Earth to Aria?”

  She jumped. Noel was staring at her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Aria tried to smile, but her mouth wouldn’t cooperate. Reality hit her like a bucket of cold water over her head. They were going to tell. Didn’t she owe it to Noel to tell him, too? She didn’t want him to find out by watching the six o’clock news.

  “I …” she began, her voice cracking.

  Noel looked worried. “What is it?” he asked softly.

  “I-I’ve done something horrible,” Aria whispered.

  “What?” Noel edged closer. It was unclear if he just hadn’t heard her or was asking her to elaborate.

  Someone slammed a door. Another boat on the harbor blew a loud, ugly-sounding horn. The story throbbed on Aria’s tongue, begging to be set free. “I’ve …”

  Suddenly, Jeremy’s voice screeched over the loudspeaker. “Forty-five minutes left, everyone! Please pack quickly!”

  Noel turned back to Aria. He looked at her for a few beats, waiting. Aria turned away. “Never mind,” she said. There was no way she could blurt it all out now.

  He gave her a big hug, then pulled away and touched her collarbone. “Where’s your necklace?”

  Aria’s mind scrambled for an excuse. “I must have lost it in the water.” She hoped she sounded convincing. “I guess it wanted to be returned to the sea.”

  Noel nodded slowly, not seeming that distressed. “I guess it’s better you lost it than I lost you.”

  He gave her a final hug, then headed toward his room. Aria stepped back on the elevator—her room was two flights below Noel’s. Every muscle in her body felt twitchy and charged. That very well might be the last hug she and Noel would ever share. Would he even speak to her after he found out she was a murderer?

  Sudde
nly, just as the doors were closing, a man in a police uniform walked by, his posture stiff, his gaze straight ahead. Aria stabbed the DOOR OPEN button and slipped into Noel’s hall once more. The cop walked to the end of the hall, then entered an open door on the left. Aria was almost positive that was Graham’s room. She remembered where it was from when she’d picked him up to go mini-golfing. It seemed like so long ago now.

  She watched as Noel strode to his room, inserted his key into the door, and walked inside. Then, taking a deep breath, she started down the hall, too. She passed Noel’s door, heading to the end of the corridor to the door the cop had entered. It was definitely Graham’s—Aria recognized the knight sticker on the marker board.

  She peered inside, bracing to see Graham, but instead only the cop and Jeremy were there. Their heads were close, and they spoke in heated tones.

  “How long has he been unconscious?” the cop asked, hands on his hips.

  “Since the evacuation,” Jeremy murmured. “I’m not sure how bad his injuries are—the doctors aren’t telling me much. His family is flying in soon.”

  Aria blinked. Was Graham in the hospital?

  The cop made a wry face. “Unconsciousness is an easy way not to talk, huh? The security footage reveals two people, one of whom is him.” He gazed at a cell phone. “He has a lot to be afraid of right now.”

  “Have you identified the second person?” Jeremy asked.

  Aria held her breath. But then the cop shifted his weight and said, “We still can’t get enough facial characteristics on the second person. We think it’s a male, though.”

  Aria frowned, confused. She ran her fingers through her long hair, then stared at her sinewy, feminine fingers, each one painted a glittery coral color. She’d been mistaken for a lot of things over the years, but never, ever, a guy.

  Suddenly, the two looked up and saw her. Jeremy’s eyes widened. The cop looked angry. “Yes?” he barked.

  “Um, I’m looking for Graham?” she said, surprised at how weak and timid her voice sounded. “Do you know where he is?”