chapter six:
there's no place like homecoming

Homecoming was around the corner and Charlie was nervous to ask Hanna. Her fingers wrapped around the harshness of the flower stems.

The plastic above them melting into her flesh as she knocked on Hannas door. She waited, and part of her felt the sudden urge to just turn around and walk away, she thought about this moment a lot.

Hanna Marin and Charlie Carter going to a dance together, gosh she couldn't wait to finally tell her mom about the girl and how excited she is.

The door pushed itself open, and Hanna looked slightly surprised to see the girl in front of her. Charlie cleared her throat slightly her nerves going all over the place as she looked at Hanna.

"Hey, I was worried you weren't home for a second" Hanna looked stunned for a moment when her eyes locked on the flowers. "Was just about to head out, but uh what's up?".

Charlie rubbed the back of her neck. The plastic under her fingers crinkling slightly making her wince at the sound of it "I wanted to actually talk with you about something important".

Hanna leaned into her door "I actually wanted to talk with you as well , but you can go first if you want". Charlie smiled "well as you know, the dance is coming up soon, and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?".

Hanna grew tense as she moved away from her doorway. "Someone already asked me and I said yes" Hanna was lying of course.

Charlie smiled sadly "oh" she didn't say anything else she nodded weakly before walking away. She let out a angry scowl as she threw the flowers into a trashcan she walked pass.

The embarrassment she felt was all over the place, she wanted to scream and yell at something. She sighed as she walked towards her house, hearing the loudness of Jack wondering in his room.

He spent so many hours just pacing back and forth, like he was thinking about the most hardest thing yet. Most of the time it was just what he wanted to eat, or what friend he'd see that night.

Charlie walked past his doorway, and for the first time in awhile he actually spoke to her. "Hey, do you think mom would let me stay home tonight? My friend wants to come over, and mom already said yes when he called but he's like really annoying today for some reason".

Charlie frowned "annoying? He's your friend Jack, most friends are like that. What's he doing that's bothering you so much anyways?".

He blinked, huffing slightly as he pushed his bedroom door open and let Charlie walk inside. "If I tell you something, you won't tell mom right?".

Charlie smiled as she pushed his door closed behind her. "She wouldn't believe me if I told her, she sorta hates me in case you didn't notice".

Jack sat down on his bed pushing his headphones off his neck and placing them neatly beside his desk. "Well my friend you've meant him before, I mean you're friends with his sister".

"Oh you're talking about Mike, Arias little brother. I used to make him cake when he was little". Jack smiled weakly "yeah his parents are sorta fighting and going through something right now. So he's in a mood all the time. Hence why he wants to come over and hang out. But I honestly don't wanna deal with it right now. I feel weird when I'm around him, it won't go away".

Charlie clapped slightly "oh you have a crush! That's perfectly normal Jack. Let him come hang out, I'll even stay home if you want".

Jack shock his head "no you have the dance, and you've been talking about it all morning". Charlie smiled sadly "yeah, but the person I wanted to go with sorta already had someone ask her".

"Then you go there and show her what she's missing". Charlie missed talking with her little brother, he was fourteen nearly fifteen and trying to figure out what he wanted in life.

"Okay, I'll be home later if you need anything. Mom won't be back till morning". Charlie left his room rubbing at her eyes as she grabbed her dress off her door handle.

—

   The dance was lame, Charlie walked inside alone she ignored the looks that went her way. She knew Hanna was around her somewhere, likely having fun with someone who wasn't her.

Charlie neared the punch pouring herself a glass. She wouldn't stay long, she would get home and likely just sleep until morning.

Everyone looked so happy, Charlie felt miserable when she saw Hanna standing near the doorway. She was talking with Aria, they locked eyes with one another, Charlie grew tense.

The way Hanna looked, she could tell she was talking about her with Aria. Charlie looked away and walked towards the opposite doorway.

Charlie entered the hallway, letting out a weak breath when she heard high heels behind her. She turned and Hanna approached her.

"I didn't think you were coming" Charlie smiled weakly "I figured why not get out of the house. Jack had a friend over and I didn't wanna deal with it all night".

Hanna nodded slightly, her eyes looking around to see if anyone was near. "I was hoping you weren't gonna show up actually, and I know that sounds pretty bitchy and mean. But you're throwing so many mixed signals my way".

Charlie frowned "what do you mean? I asked you this morning to come here with me. I mean if that doesn't show a clear signal I don't know what does". Hanna scoffed "you're confusing Charlie, one second you're kissing me and then the next you're with some guy in your room".

Charlie grew tense "that was my friend Hanna, it's not like that with him at all". Hanna rolled her eyes "I saw you, it's pretty obvious you were close. You told me I couldn't come over that night, but when I walked past I saw you in the window with him".

"Hanna, I didn't even know he was gonna show up. He snuck in through my window. It didn't mean anything at all. You could've just asked me about it instead of assuming something".

"I don't need to assume anything, A already filled me in on your little secret". Charlie's eyes softened in defeat "and you believe them...". She moved back slightly her eyes full of agony and hurt.

"Now it makes sense why Allison hated you so much, why your brother ran off, you're a slut who uses people to mend your own broken heart. Then you toss them aside when you're done with them". Charlie flinched at every harsh word that came her way.

Hanna sighed deeply "you were probably just using me for attention. Like I was some game to you or something that once you were done with me you'd just toss me aside and move on like the others".

Charlie scoffed "Hanna that's not true! I care about you, I wouldn't do that to you, A is lying to you". Hanna moved back when Charlie went to grab her shoulder.

"Don't touch me, just go back to being alone. I don't want you near me anymore. Especially if you're just using me to cure your boredom. Like you did with Alison and Jason and everyone else".

Hanna walked away and Charlie didn't know she was crying until her lip quivered in agony. She walked out of the school angrily.

Hanna wiped the tears away from her cheeks as she walked back into the hallway. "Hanna! There you are! Have you seen Emily?".

She looked at Aria and Spencer "no actually, let me try and call her". She grabbed her phone from her purse she went to call Emily but a message appeared making her gasp.

Thanks for breaking Charlie's heart, it made her walk right into my bait—A

Hanna looked up "Charlie's in trouble!". The trio all ran down the hallway in a fast manner.

Charlie grabbed her phone from her bag, crying heavily as she clicked on Jacks contact. She held the phone waiting as she shivered.

She held herself tightly not noticing the figure that walked past her. The doors pushed themselves open and Hanna looked at Charlie with worry.

"Charlie!" Hannas voice was loud when Charlie turned and looked at her. She let her phone move away from her ear as she sighed.

Hanna's eyes widen in horror "Charlie look out!". It happened fast, the sharp agonizing pain that slipped into her flesh. The blade that slammed into her back burned, especially when it dug deeper and deeper into her soul.

she cried out as her phone fell out of her hands. She could taste blood on her lips. Her body felt like it was on fire as she felt the knife jabbing over and over into her skin.

"Charlie!" the loudness of high heels slamming against the pavement was all she could focus on. She cried out when the knife left her flesh harshly.

Her hair fell out of her bun when it was tugged on in a rough manner. She felt the coldness of the blade being pressed against her throat.

She felt the warmth of a breath against her neck, her body felt cold as blood gushed out of her back. Her dressed stuck to her sticky skin as she gagged.

It happened fast, the blood flowing out of her throat was warm. Her body felt light as she slammed down onto the pavement.

"Charlie!" she couldn't focus on anything, her eyes struggled to stay open as she looked at the feet of the person who attacked her.

The figure disappeared into the darkness when she felt someone kneel down in front of her. "Call the police!" Charlie let out a soft breath when she felt the warmth of Hanna's fingers pressing into her throat. Hanna was crying, Charlie felt the tears dripping down onto her skin.

"Charlie stay awake, you're going to be okay... I'm so sorry... please forgive me". Charlie looked at Hanna trying to remember every little detail.

If she was going to die, she wanted Hanna to be the last person she saw before she disappeared. Her breathing was heavy as she chocked on her blood.

"Charlie!" she saw the bright light getting closer and closer by the second. Then the darkness took her away, until a soft breeze entered her lungs.

It burned for a second like thousand of needles were being poked into her skin. Then she felt the warmth of Hanna and she opened her eyes.

AUTHORS NOTES:
Slowly working on writing more for this book, I missed Charlie. Even if this chapter was very brutal in the end.... It was bond to happen eventually I had it planned for weeks. I want A to be more brutal in this book, I'm talking fucking these girls up until they are absolutely terrified. Look out for more updates soon! This story is my current obsession!