"FAVORITE CRIME!" —
𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗻

★ . ! well, i hope i was your favorite crime ¡ ☁️ʚ˚₊
[ episode five ]

The girls separated after helping Imogen to get ready for school. Jennifer had already gone to work when Andrea got home but her father was stood in the kitchen.

"How was the party?" Lucas asked her when she walked in.

"It was good. Tabby punched a guy because he was a misogynist ass." Andrea told him.

"Sounds like a great time for you." Lucas nodded. "Want some breakfast?"

"Yes please." Andrea smiled. Lucas quickly got to work, making her pancakes and breakfast while she ran upstairs to put some proper clothes on, having walked home in her trackies and jumper that she slept in. She put on a pair of ripped blue jeans and an oversized green jumper, pairing it with her converse before grabbing her school bag and making her way back down the stairs.

She sat at the kitchen table, her father placing her plate in front of her. Andrea thanked the man, eating the food with casual conversation between the two of them. Andrea truly loved the sacred time she spent with her father, the two always having the best time, from crying over sad movies to fun days out, Andrea didn't care what they did as long as they were together.

Once she was finished eating, Andrea bid her father goodbye, making her way to school. She headed towards her fashion class. She sat in her usual seat, grabbing her materials from the back of the class and her design book from her bag, placing her headphones in her ears, about to press shuffle on her playlist when—

"Andrea." Her teacher called her name. Andrea looked up to see the woman gesturing for her to go over and talk to her. Andrea's eyebrows knit in confusion, taking her headphones out of her ears and making her way over to her teacher's desk.

"Hi." Andrea greeted with an awkward smile.

"So, I've been monitoring your process of this project, and I'm very proud of your work." Her teacher praised. Andrea's mouth dropped slightly in shock. "It's incredible, and as you know, top three in our class will have the chance to put on a fashion show of their clothes, and I just want to let you know that if you continue the way you're working, you are a shoe in."

"Really?"

"Yes, your work is truly incredible." She told her.

"Thank you." Andrea smiled, making her way back to her seat to continue working with a huge smile on her face.

✿✼:*:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

The next day, Andrea made her way into school with Noa. The girl was telling her about how because her mum got fired from her nurse job for stealing drugs from the pharmacy, Noa had to turn down a spot on the track team to stay at home and make sure her mum stayed healthy and help her mum with housework.

Andrea pulled down her plaid skirt, that she had paired with an oversized red jumper, a headband in her hair. The girl was sympathetic to Noa, knowing that A had practically ruined their lives but at the end of the day Noa's mum did do something wrong. The girls walked into the school, the two going in their separate directions.

The curly haired girl walked down the hall, grabbing the folded piece of paper from her pocket and placing it in a locker. She then walked into an empty room, waiting for a few moments before she heard the door swing open once more. Andrea turned around to see Josh entering the room, as per her request.

"Hey." Andrea smiled.

"Hi." Josh's nose scrunched up cutely.

"I have some news." Andrea spoke excitedly.

"What?"

"My fashion teacher told me that if I keep it up with my work on the project that I will be a shoe in for putting my clothes on the cat walk for the entire school and anyone else invited to see." Andrea was basically busting from excitement.

"Oh my god Drea!" Josh exclaimed, picking her up by the waist and spinning her around happily. "I'm so proud of you."

"It's just... baby steps but a baby step in the right direction is still a step right?" Andrea stated.

"This is amazing." Josh nodded. Andrea smiled at him, ignoring her phone buzzing in her pocket. "You are amazing."

"I love you." Andrea told him, pressing her lips to his. "I would be lost without you."

"I love you too." Josh smiled. "Now please check your phone because the vibrating is so annoying."

Andrea laughed softly, taking her phone out of her pocket to see messages in their group chat saying to meet, and then them all messaging Andrea to see where she was because they all were there and she wasn't.

Andrea looked up at Josh, "I have to go."

"I'll see you soon." Josh smiled, kissing her one more time before letting her go. Andrea left the room, rushing into the common area where the other girls were waiting for her.

"Hi, hello, sorry I was—" Andrea spoke hurriedly as she stood in front of them all.

"No." Faran interrupted. "What are you hiding? You are always running later for no reason."

"Yeah."

"She's right. Where are you?"

The girls, except Noa, who knew exactly where she was, all voiced their confusion and suspicion about where Andrea always was when she was late to meeting them. Andrea hesitated, looking around at their raised eyebrows before letting out a sigh.

"Okay, so I have to tell you guys something." Andrea stated. They all leant forward as she sat on the sofa in between Mouse and Faran. "I, uh, I have a boyfriend."

"Okay?" They all sent her confused looks, wondering why it would be such a big deal she had a boyfriend.

"It's Josh Henderson." Andrea told them.

"What?"

"Oh my god."

"Wait, don't your parents hate each other?" Faran wondered.

"Yes." Andrea nodded. "Which is why no one knows we're together. We have been for a while."

"Joshua Henderson." Imogen's mouth was agape. "He's so cute, you got a good one."

Andrea laughed. "Thank you. But you guys cannot tell anyone, if our parents find out now they'll flip a lid. Only you guys and Shawn knows."

"Wait, Shawn knows?" Tabby's eyebrows furrowed. "So Noa knew too."

"Yes I did." Noa nodded sheepishly. "But I was also sworn to secrecy."

"You're secrets safe with us, Drea." Mouse reassured her, placing her hand on Andrea's.

"Thanks guys. I love you all." Andrea smiled, leaning into Faran, who had put an arm around her. "Anyway, Imogen, what are we here for today?"

"So, this guy, he told us that Angela Waters' mum was committed to the Radley Sanatorium in Rosewood." Imogen told them all. Her and Tabby had gone to meet with the guy who had phone Imogen the other day, concerning Angela and their parents.

"Okay."

"But are we sure we can trust a guy who lives in a train car?" Faran voiced her scepticism.

"Stellar point."

"And just to ask a question, is there any universe in which... creepy train guy is A?" Mouse asked.

"Absolutely."

"Except for the fact that he didn't try to kill us, but definitely a person of interest." Tabitha nodded.

"Anyway, we looked up the Radley Sanatorium. A few years ago, it was shut down and turned into a hotel." Imogen explained.

"Oh yeah, my mum knows the woman who runs the hotel." Andrea stated suddenly. The girls all turned to look at her, staring at her in confusion before shrugging and continuing the conversation.

"Mr England..."

"AKA Crazy Joe."

"... confirmed what we've all been suspecting. That our mums are all connected to whatever happened to Angela Waters, which we think is why... A's targeting us." Imogen ignored Tabitha's interruption as she continued to explain what she had found out.

"Therefore, if we can figure out what went down between Angela and our mums from someone other than our not forthcoming mums..." Tabitha added.

"It might help us figure out who A is." Imogen finished. "So, Tabby and I thought, 'what if we skip the rest of the day and road trip to Rosewood?'"

"Thelma and Louise style." Tabitha commented.

"To find someone who knew Rose Waters and can tell us about her." Imogen explained further.

"Or maybe we hit the jackpot and actually find Rose Waters. I've got my boss' car." Tabitha smiled.

"Oh!"

"They have a spa. And I have party cash." Imogen told them all.

"Uh-uh." Faran shook her head. "This recruiter from ABT is here today. Also, my mum. And Swan Lake is tomorrow night and you all better be there."

"Yeah, I have to keep an eye on my mum." Noa said.

"And I kind of, sorta have a bowling date with Ash." Mouse informed the group. They all gasped in shock.

"Ooh!"

"Oh, my god. He's like a teen Cole Sprouse." Tabitha stated.

"I am so shipping this. Mash needs to be canon." Noa added.

"I'm excited." Mouse smiled. "Yeah. But also nervous."

"Guess it's just you and me." Imogen gestured between her and Tabby. "Wanna be Thelma or Louise?"

"Good either way." Tabitha shrugged. "But I am not driving off a cliff for anyone."

"Fair." Imogen nodded. "Oh wait—are you coming Dre?"

"Sure, I have nothing better to do." Andrea shrugged. "It might make my parents actually have a conversation, but only if I can bring Josh."

"Of course you can." Imogen told her. The girls continued to chat before going their separate ways. Andrea told Imogen and Tabby that she would get Josh to drive the two there so she would meet them at the hotel later in the day. Andrea made her way towards the skate park where she knew Josh would be.

"Joshua!" Andrea called to the boy, who was skating alone.

"Drea, what's up?" Josh asked, running over to her with concern written across his face. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Andrea reassured him. "Wanna come on a road trip to Rosewood with me?"

"Why?"

"Me, Imogen and Tabby need to go the Radley Hotel in Rosewood for... a research project. We're gonna make a trip out of it and I asked if you could come with me." Andrea explained.

"You told them about us?" Josh wondered.

"Yeah." Andrea let a smile grow on her face. "I said I would."

Josh smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him. "Of course I'll come with you."

"You have to drive." Andrea stated, pulling away from the hug with a sweet smile.

"Oh so you only need me for my car?" Josh raised his eyebrows at her, a teasing smile on his face.

"Yep, your awesome singing skills and your car are the only reason I'm dating you." Andrea nodded.

"Okay." Josh shook his head with a smile, following at the girl as they made her way to his car.

The two got in his car, Josh starting up the engine and putting Rosewood in his satnav. Andrea plugged in her phone, the familiar tune of ironic playing through the loud speaker. Andrea let out a small sigh as the two began driving down the road, the windows down and sun shining on the car.

Andrea leant up against the door, looking at her boyfriend with a soft smile. The girl's staring caught Josh's attention after a while, the boy looking over at her.

"Quit staring, perv." Josh joked, glancing over at her for a moment.

"Oh shut up, like you don't stare at me all the time." Andrea responded.

"I do not."

"Yes you do."

"Yes I do." Josh nodded. "But when you look so beautiful how am I not supposed to stare at you?"

"Right back at ya." Andrea smiled.

"I'm glad we're doing this." Josh stated. "It's nice to go out with you without having to hide in alleyway."

"We haven't done that yet don't get your hopes up." Andrea commented.

"Okay, it's going to be nice." Josh corrected his statement.

"I can't wait." Andrea told him. The song playing suddenly changed, Andrea's eyebrows furrowed. "This isn't on my playlist."

"I added it." Josh responded. "This is my song... to you."

"Another one?"

"No the same one, you just didn't get to hear me sing it." Josh shrugged. "So I recorded it for you."

Andrea smiled softly as she listened to Josh's soft voice come through the speaker. "My parents told us when our time on Earth is up that there's a place that we would go if we were good. Some destination we could never get a taste of, not as long as we're still living in this world. Well, lately I've been questioning my faith. Just one look at you is all it really takes, oh. I always heard there was a heaven. I never knew if it was true but darlin', ever since I met you. I know that heaven is you. Heaven is you. Heaven is you."

Andrea's smile grew at the sound of the chorus. She had already read the lyrics but something about listening her boyfriend singing a song he wrote for her made her feel so...

She wasn't really sure how she was feeling, all she knew was that she had butterflies in her stomach. A lot of them. 

"I always thought that what's been broken can't be bought and now I'll never not be running from my past. To think that I could be deserving of an angel didn't cross my mind 'til you fell in my lap and I'm not one to fall in love too fast, oh, but something tells me this one's gonna last, oh."

Josh looked over at the girl for a moment, trying to gauge her reaction. He let out a small breath of relief at the smile on her face and the way she was subtly nodding her head along to the lyrics.

"I always heard there was a heaven I never knew if it was true but darlin', ever since I met you, I know that heaven is you. Heaven is you. Heaven is you. You're all I'll ever want. You're all I'll ever need. You're all I've ever dreamed of having. I always heard there was a heaven. I never knew if it was true but darlin', ever since I met you. I know that heaven is you. Heaven is you. Heaven is you."

Andrea let the end play out, the song changing once again before she looked back over at the curly haired boy. She simply watched him for a second.

"I love you so much."

"To the moon and to Saturn." Josh responded, almost immediately.

"And so much further." Andrea added. "Really and truly."

"I know." Josh smiled. "Ditto."

"Good, I'm glad." Andrea laughed softly. "We would be in a bit of an awkward situation right now if you didn't."

"I would just leave you on the side of the road." Josh shrugged, his eyes not leaving the road.

"Damn, okay." Andrea's mouth dropped in shock. "I see where I stand with you."

"Let's be honest, you'd leave me on the side of the road and hijack my car." Josh replied.

Andrea hesitated before nodding. "That's true."

"Oh I love this song." Josh suddenly turned the radio up after finally noticing that never ever by All Saints was playing. He smiled and began singing loudly. "I'll keep searching deep within my soul for all the answers. Don't wanna hurt no more. I need peace, gotta feel at ease. Need to be free from pain, going insane. My heart aches, yeah."

Andrea laughed as she joined in with the boy, the two singing loudly and dramatically as they drove closer and closer to Rosewood. "Sometimes vocabulary runs through my head. The alphabet runs right from a to zed. Conversations, hesitations in my mind. You got my conscience asking questions that I can't find. I'm not crazy. I'm sure I ain't done nothing wrong and now I'm just waiting cause I heard that this feeling won't last that long."

Andrea laughed once more as she stopped singing, leaving her boyfriend to finish the song alone. "Never ever have I ever felt so low. When you gonna take me out of this black hole? Never ever have I ever felt so sad. The way I'm feeling yeah, you got me feeling really bad. Never ever have I had to find. I've had to dig away to find my own peace of mind. I've never ever had my conscience to fight. The way I'm feeling, yeah, I just don't feel right."

Josh turned down the road, the satnav saying they had reached their destination. "Where is it?"

"Uh, the sign said up here on the left." Andrea pointed behind her.

"Okay." Josh nodded, continuing up the road.

"Oh, left! Left!" Andrea exclaimed.

Josh turned left, the two quickly coming to the Hotel. They parked in the car park, Tabby and Imogen pulling in not far behind them. Andrea got out of the car, walking over to greet the two girls.

"Good drive?" Andrea smiled.

"It was okay." Tabitha nodded her head. "You?"

"It was alright." Andrea responded. "This is Josh. Josh this is Tabby and Imogen."

"Hi, nice to officially meet you." Josh smiled at the two girls.

"It's great to finally meet the reason Drea's so late all the time." Imogen commented. "I thought she couldn't read the time."

"Shut up." Andrea laughed. "Should we go inside?"

"Let's." Tabby nodded.

The group of four walked to the entrance, opening the doors to see a grand foyer that was far too fancy for any of them to really comprehend.

"Oh my god." Imogen exclaimed. "They have cucumber water!"

"That's how you know it's fancy." Tabitha commented.

They walked up to the front desk where Imogen dinged the bell. Andrea laughed quietly as she watched the reception move the bell from the public eye.

"Hi. Can we get some information about the Radley from before it was a hotel?" Imogen asked the man.

"From when it was a sanatorium." Tabitha added.

"We're students at Rosewood High doing a history project on the town." Imogen continued to explain.

"And, um, we were assigned the Radley. There wasn't much information online." Tabitha told him.

The reception hesitated, staring between the four of them. "A person I could direct you to is Eddie Lamb, our maintenance manager. He's worked in this building for years."

"Could we chat with him?" Andrea wondered.

"Eddie won't be in until tomorrow morning." The reception stated.

"Hmm." Imogen made a face. "Would you mind giving us his phone number?"

"We don't give out our employees' personal contact information." The man told them.

"Fine. We'll wait."

"The lobby's for guest only."

"Well, Jeff, I just held a rather lucrative fundraiser." Imogen stood back at the reception, pulling out her left over cash. "Cash okay?"

"I, however, need a card machine." Andrea smiled at the man, placing down her dad's platinum amex on the counter.