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"So why didn’t you tell lanced at him "Byron told me not to"

Mike took a violent bite of PowerBar "It was okay, though, to tell Alison DiLaurentis And it’s okay for her to say it in a video that’s all over the news"

"Mike…" Aria started "I didn’t tell her She ith runted, colliding with the shark h the natatoriu after him but didn’t She was reminded, suddenly, of the time in Reykjavík when she was supposed to baby-sit Mike but had gone off to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa with her boyfriend, Hallbjorn, instead When she returned, s like sulfur and covered in curative salt, she’d discovered that Mike had set half the backyard’s wood trellis on fire Aria had gotten in deep trouble for it--and really, it had been her fault She’d noticed Mike eagerly eyeing the kitchen oon She could have stopped him She probably could have stopped Byron, too

"So this one’s yours," Sean said, leading Aria down his e, white bedrooauzy white curtains, and a white bouquet of flowers on the end table

"I love it" The room looked like the Parisian boutique hotel room her family stayed in the ti an expert on gnomes "You sure it’s okay for ave her a deet settled"

Aria looked out theat the pinkish, late-Tuesday sky and couldn’t help co this view to hers at home The Ackards’ estate was nestled in the deep woods and surrounded by at least ten acres of untouched land The nearest property, a castlelike monolith with medieval-style turrets, was at least three football fields away Aria’s house was in a lovely but rickety neighborhood close to the college The only thing she could see of her neighbors’ yard was their unfortunate collection of birdbaths, stone ani okay with the room?" Mrs Ackard, Sean’s stepmother, asked as Aria drifted downstairs into the kitchen

"It’s great," Aria said "Thank you so ave her a sweet sy, with inquisitive blue eyes and aeven when she wasn’t When Aria closed her eyes and pictured a ined Sean had told her that before she azine editor in Philadelphia, but now she was a fullti photo-shoot ready at all times The apples in the wooden bowl on the island were unbruised, therooiant Oriental rug were even, as if they’d just been coAria to come over and setarian"

"I am," Aria answered softly "But you didn’t have to do that for me"

"It’s no trouble," Mrs Ackard said warmly There were also scalloped potatoes, a torain bread fro anyone who paid 1099 for soht to have his head examined

Mrs Ackard pulled the wooden spoon out of the pot and rested it on the counter "You were good friends with Alison DiLaurentis, weren’t you? I saw that video of you girls on the news"

Aria ducked her head "That’s right" A lu Ali so alive in that video had brought Aria’s grief to the surface all over again

To Aria’s surprise, Mrs Ackard wrapped her arave her a little squeeze "I’ine what that’s like"

Tears prickled at Aria’s eyes It felt good to be nestled in a mom’s arms, even if she wasn’t her mo was the antithesis of hoent at Aria’s house The Ackards put their napkins on their laps, there was no television news droning in the background, and Mr Ackard, as rangy and balding but had a chariser Ackard twins, Colin and Aidan, kept their elbows off the table and didn’t poke each other with their forks--Aria could only iine what atrocities Mike would commit if he had a twin

"Thank you," Aria said as Mrs Ackard poured h Byron and Ella had always said milk contained synthetic hormones and caused cancer Aria had told Ezra about her parents’ ban on o Ezra had laughed, saying his faranola moments, too

Aria laid down her fork How had Ezra crept into her peaceful dinnerti a forkful of potatoes She leaned over and touched his wrist He s AP classes, Aria," Mr Ackard said, spearing a carrot

Aria shrugged "Just English and AP studio art"

"English lit was e," Mrs Ackard said enthusiastically "What are you reading right now?"

"The Scarlet Letter"

"I love that book!" Mrs Ackard cried, taking a small sip of red wine "It really sho restrictive the Puritan society used to be Poor Hester Prynne"

Aria chewed on the inside of her cheek If only Aria had talked to Mrs Ackard before she branded Meredith

"The Scarlet Letter" Mr Ackard put his finger to his lips "They made that into a movie, didn’t they?"

"Uh-huh," Sean said "With Demi Moore"

"The one where the ht?" Mr Ackard added "So scandalous"

Aria drew in her breath She felt like everyone was looking at her, but in reality, only Sean was His eyes ide and dran, mortified I’m sorry, his expression said "No, David," Mrs Ackard said quietly, in a voice that indicated she had some idea of Aria’s situation "That’s Lolita"