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Avery sat sandwiching Aria between herself and Spencer, on a couch in Arias house, while Emily and Hanna sat on the couch near it, frowning. The silence was too overpowering, till Hanna groaned.
"This is so not fair!", Hanna exclaimed, "You can't just go to Rosewood Day."
"I know right", Avery rolled her eyes, "Nothing I say is getting through Olivia. I mean, I get where she's coming from, considering Ben's situation but, transferring mid-year, to a preppy private school to escape Mona's wrath?"
"It is a little extreme", Emily agreed.
"I've heard that the place is a literal hell-hole.", Hanna grimaced.
"You're only saying that because Kate studies there", Spencer deadpanned.
Avery chuckled before she felt Aria sit upright and reach for a cup on her side table.
"What is that?", Avery's nose upturned, trying to block of the smell wafting towards her.
"Some kind of herb thing. It's Meredith's cure-all recipe", Aria shrugged, sipping from the cup.
"I don't think it's working", Hanna eyed a pale Aria, "You look terrible."
"Thank you", Aria remarked sarcastically, "I couldn't have picked a better time to get sick."
"Have you heard from your dad?", Spencer wondered.
"He left a message, but I haven't talked to him since he left for his conference."
Emily was rifling through the care package that Hanna had brought Aria, and fished out a DVD of 'Saved by the Bell', her eyebrow raised in question.
"It helps me when I'm sick!", Hanna defended herself.
Emily rolled her eyes, before turning to Aria, "Are you sure you want to stay here by yourself?"
"Guys, I'm fine!", Aria assured the four, before sniffling.
"You don't look fine", Spencer frowned, "You sure you don't want us to drive you to your mom's?"
"No, it's her week with Mike, so the guest room's already taken. And besides, I promised Meredith that I wouldn't tell her about Ali's diary until we talked to my dad, so if I just stay away from her, it's easier to keep that a secret."
"I can't believe we're trusting Meredith", Avery scoffed.
"I think she's really just as devastated as I am."
"You're not giving her the pages, right?", Emily reconfirmed.
"No, they're hidden in a safe place, and they'll stay there till my dad gets home. Then we'll give him the chance to tell us the truth."
"And if he doesn't?", Hanna quizzed, making Aria exhale shakily, "I don't want to believe that my dad could have hurt Ali. But if he did do it, this is a family secret that I can't keep."
