EMPTY GOLD.
005. | ❛ kind of unexpected. ❜

"When did you tell Jordan?" Aria said back in the hotel lounge where we were the next night before.

"Tell him what? This town, Charlotte everything we went through."

"She means the things she can't Google."

"When I knew I was falling in love with him." Good response Hanna, Elena mentally noted.

"Hmm, Liam and I aren't there yet but... I know he's gonna have a lot of questions when I get back."

"Are you sure you should leave tonight? You know the cops wanna talk to us before we go." Emily said to her.

"Yeah, I've already missed a few days of work."

"We all have, Aria. We're staying." Hanna motioned to all of us.

"Okay, well, my boss asked me to come back. You guys, this wasn't an easy job to get. I can't lose it." Aria was in publishing which was bizarre in Elena's opinion. Aria was a great artist and really pursued her dream once they got out of the dollhouse. But somewhere along the way, Aria gave up that inspiration and went a different way.

"They're gonna ask us questions about that night." Elena pushed her hair back and thinking about all the investigation going on and all the stress it was bringing.

"Yeah, we were all together and none of us left the hotel. What else is there to say?"

"I think the person the cops should really be talking to is right over there." There was indistinct chattering but we saw Sara Harvey was checking into the hotel.

"Can she really not sign her own name?" Spencer was referring to the man who accompanied Sara almost everywhere.

"I still haven't told anyone about what happened, have you?" We all nodded our heads.

"Do we really believe she doesn't remember?"

"I think she's lying. Just like she lied about having Swedish Syndrome to get her sentence reduced."

"Stockholm Syndrome. And it is a real thing."

"She was never kidnapped, Spencer. She was living out in the world. She chose to help Charlotte torture us." Hanna made a good point as to eat Sara was left without charges scotch free.

"You know, the judge didn't see it that way."

"If Sara really was brainwashed, she'd have a pretty strong motive to kill Charlotte. Revenge." Spencer emphasized the last word.

"Oh, I hate to break up this party but I gotta get going." Aria looked at her phone before getting up.

"Okay. Call you soon" Elena called out and the other girls said farewell as well.
________________

"The flower was placed in her hand to make it look like a suicide. Her fingernails were wiped clean. So were her hands." Spencer read to Hanna, Alison, and Elena the autopsy of Charlotte's death.

"I'm so sorry, Ali." Elena said hugging Alison from the side.

"Who would do something like this?"

"Sara Harvey."

"Well, the police can't see how she could push someone off a building when she can barely hold a fork."

"Maybe she's lying about that."

"Or maybe she had help."

"Either way, they took her off the suspect list. Aria left town quickly."

"Ali, she had to go back to work." Elena tried to get the thought of Aria killing Charlotte out of her head.

"Well, she was still angry with Charlotte."

"She wasn't angry. She was scared. And she said everything that she needed to say up on that stand."

"I saw her dad this morning. He said that she left town one day earlier than planned." We all sat in silence for a moment before Alison spoke again.

"I was hoping that you guys would come to dinner tonight. Emily, Caleb. Jordan too. I could really use the company. It's been really lonely in that house."

"Sure" We all said.

"What do we bring?"

Later at the dinner we were helping out making room for the food. As Elena was cleaning up Jordan and Hanna came through the door with piles of food.

"You guys bring enough food?

"Oh, Lena, there's more." Which cause Elena to make a big O with her mouth.

"Hi, Jordan. How are you?" Elena went over a gave him a hug.

"Pretty good so far. Glad to see you." Jordan said to her.

Elena went to the side while Spencer and Caleb came in with more food. She helped move the food and let Caleb and Jordan get acquainted with.

"They'll be fine." Emily tried to calm Hanna down about the Caleb/ Jordan situation.

"How are you doing?" Hanna asked Alison trying to get her mind off of it.

"I'm holding up, I guess. I'm glad everyone could make it... Except for Aria. Has anyone talked to her?"

"Uh, not since she left." Elena said helping in the kitchen

"Yeah, I've called her a few times. She hasn't returned my calls."

"She's probably just busy with work."

Spencer was moving the flowers on the middle of the table when Alison stopped her,"What are you doing?"

"I was just gonna make some room."

"I bought those for Charlotte to welcome her home."

"Okay. Well, then the flowers can stay there." Spencer set down the flowers and back away.

"I'll go get some serving spoons." Alison left the room to go in search for them leaving the girls guilty for the moving the flowers.

Elena was trying to find wine glasses for the table but to no avail. She looked over to see Caleb and Jordan conversing while setting up the table. She heard bits and fragments and when she heard the word Hanna did she butt in.

"Caleb?" She called out.

"Yeah."

"Um, I can't find any wine glasses. You wanna go check the pantry for me?"

"Yeah."

Elena went over to the table as Caleb left and picked up the tablecloth and handed one side over to Jordan.

"A little birdy told me that you were getting married as well."

"Yeah, um, we are. It was kind of unexpected."

"I guess Hanna would say the same thing. But in my perspective, I don't think it comes unexpected. Every man has a moment where he realizes he only wants to spend his life with that woman."

"I can definitely pick out one moment that stuck out." Elena giggled at the memory of it.

"Then, I guess you have your answer." Jordan said as he stood up and straightened out the cloth. Elena smiled at him before taking off to help get the food.