Ali and Chloe Forever (Book 1)

Chapter 5: Life Imitates Art

Thursday morning, Chloe sat in the backseat of Melissa's SUV. Spencer sat in passenger's seat, and Courtney sat next to Chloe. All three of them were giving her concerned stares, except Melissa who'd been glancing at her through the rear view mirror. Yesterday day morning, Chloe had woken up in the woods behind her old house in Yarmouth. She already knew Ali and Nick had placed her there the night before. After knocking on the neighbor's door and asking to use their phone, Chloe revealed her presence to Rosewood by calling Spencer.

"Where are you, Chloe?" Spencer cried. "Everyone has been worried about you."

"I'm sorry," Chloe said. "I'm in Yarmouth, by the house where I used to live."

"Yarmouth? How did you get there?"

"I snuck out of the barn last night while you and Courtney were out with Melissa, shopping for townhouses." Chloe paused, pretending to be conflicted. "I miss Ali. I know she was a killer, but I know how much she loved me. And we've always had a special bond with each other. I just wanted to be close to her."

Minutes later, Spencer picked up Chloe and brought her back home. She barely listened to lectures given to her by her parents and her sisters, as well as Aria, Hanna, and Emily. When she came home, though, she learned the media had gone into a frenzy, reporting on the short disappearance of Chloe Hastings, formerly Chloe DiLaurentis.

And today was no exception.

Courtney opened her mouth, as though she were about to speak. But before she could say a word, there was a sharp knock on the passenger door. Chloe looked up and saw they'd pulled to the curb of Rosewood Day. Three reporters swarmed around the car, snapping photos and pressing their faces against the window. "Miss Hastings?" a woman called, her voice loud through the glass.

"What the hell?" Spencer said. "She was only missing for a day."

"She's Chloe Hastings. Of course there were going to be reporters when we got here," Melissa said, her hands still on the wheel.

Courtney took Chloe's hand and kissed it. "Ignore them."

Chloe pushed the door open and barreled her way through the throng. Cameras flashed. Reporters babbled. Behind them, Chloe saw students gaping, perversely fascinated by the commotion. "Did Alison kidnapp you?" the reporters called. "Do you know where she is?" "Is she actually dead?"

Chloe kept her mouth shut, but she knew the answers to all these questions.

She moved past them, gliding up the walk and bursting through the first available door, which led to the back stage of the auditorium.

The doors banged shut, and Chloe let out a held breath and looked around. The big, high-ceilinged theater was empty. Boat sets from South Pacific, the school's recent musical, were stacked in a corner. Sheet music was strewn haphazardly on the floor. The red velvet auditorium chairs spread out before her, every single seat folded up and unoccupied. It was too quiet in here. Eerily quiet.

When the wood floor squeaked, Chloe stiffened. A shadow disappeared behind the curtain. She whipped around, knowing exactly who it was. It's Ali. It's my big sister. She's here. But when she moved closer, there was no one there.

Chloe turned back to face the theater. She knew a presence was close by, watching her. She'd developed that sense when she was a very small girl, all because of Ali. But what Ali didn't know was that it was an advantage to have that feeling. And Chloe wasn't stupid. She wasn't going to outwardly say or do anything that Ali could see or hear. Yes, she loved Ali, and they were friends again. But she couldn't completely trust her.

Chloe took a deep breath and headed out of the auditorium. The halls smelled like freshly baked pastries from Steam. As Chloe approached her locker, she decided she wanted one—she was supposed to go with Courtney and Spencer to meet up with the others at Steam—but she was going to be meeting them there in a few short minutes.