The Dependable Liar

Chapter Four: To Kill A Mocking Bird

At The Woods
Ethan's Pov

Me and the girls decided to go to the woods to get some fresh air, and spend more time together since it's been a while.

Well, I feel like I'm the only one enjoying this.

While my best friends and my sister aren't really happy about this. Especially Hanna.

"Whose idea was this, again?" Hanna asked, clearly annoyed.

"Emily's mom" Spencer said.

"The shed was me. My mom just said we should do something for us" Emily defended, rolling her eyes.

I sighed and shook my head as we all continued walking, Emily taking the lead since she seems to know her way around.

Hanna sighed and walked over to me, grabbing onto my arm.

"Well, couldn't we do something without mosquitoes?" Hanna asked.

"They're not mosquitoes, they're gnats" Aria said.

"Whatever! They're small and annoying, and they're flying up my nose" Hanna said in annoyance.

I chuckled and shook my head at her.

"Well, they're attracted to your perfume. And your hair product. And your lip gloss" I smugly said.

Hanna looked up at me, flashing me a sarcastic yet amusing smile.

"So, what are you saying, I attract flies?" Hanna sarcastically asked, rolling her eyes at me.

I chuckled at her antics and ruffled her hair, earning a smack to the arm in the process.

"Gnats" Aria said, looking back at Hanna before turning around.

We all continued walking, following Emily until we stopped at a nearby place that seemed good enough.

"Why do I feel like this is the wrong way?" Emily asked, turning to look at us.

Spencer looked around before shaking her head.

"No, this is it. I remember that tree. It's the halfway point. There's 136 steps left to the shed" Spencer said, pointing to the tree in front of us.

While I smiled at her and nodded, the girls looked at my sister with furrowed eyebrows.

"Have you been out here since... Alison?" Emily asked.

"Me? No. No way" Spencer said, shaking her head.

"But you remember that tree" Aria said.

"You guys, it's not that weird. I mean, we came out here in eighth grade like, every day... even after" Hanna said, referring to Alison's death.

"I think this is totally the wrong place to do this. Whatever you call it.. shrine" I said, shivering slightly.

"It's not a shrine. It's just a place to remember Alison. What's wrong with that?" Emily asked.

"Doing it way out here makes it look like we have something to hide" Spencer defended.

"You're worried what other people think?" Emily asked in shock and annoyance.

"Well, aren't you? Do you really want to give that creepy Detective more reasons to question us?" I asked.

Hanna shook her head and walked past us, making us look at her before we followed behind her.

"Hanna, why are you so quiet?" Emily asked.

"I'm trying to keep the bugs in my nose and out of my mouth" Hanna said, not looking at us and still walking.