Rosewood, Pennsylvania - Wednesday

[new_it_girl]

Life for Hanna Marin was anything but boring. Convoluted, insane, and scary sometimes? Sure. Never boring. The latest craziness in her life was no exception. She was feeling the effects of it in the form of a groggy headache. Some would call this a hangover. Hanna called it hell. She always was one to be over dramatic, though.


Last night wasn't any different. She was supposed to give some stupid toast at her dad's stupid rehearsal dinner with her soon-to-be-stepsister Kate. Hanna thought stepmonster was more appropriate. Or was that how she was supposed to refer to her dad's latest bride-to-be? Whatever. Hanna barely even knew the woman. She barely knew her own father. That was his fault anyway.

Hanna let her guard down and Kate took advantage. Hanna should have known better than to trust that bitch. Trusting her led Hanna to getting drunk and making a fool of herself, while Kate looked like the perfect angel in her dad's eyes. He even told Hanna to leave. When his own mother came to Hanna's defense, she was dis-invited as well. Hanna was grateful to have the best grandmother in the world. Part of Hanna hoped that dis-invitation was meant for the wedding, too. She never wanted to be a part of it. Another part of her was incredibly hurt. This was the man who abandoned her, after all. How did he have the right to be disappointed in her?

Hanna stared at the ceiling in her room. She was still in her bed with the blinds drawn. Light hurt too much right now. At least her conscience was a little more at ease. Despite all this Kate stuff, she felt good about something else. She, Emily, Aria, and Spencer finally confessed everything to their group therapist. Everything about 'A.' It felt good to get it all out. Though she knew Dr. Sullivan would encourage them to go the authorities with this information, she at least wouldn't go to them herself. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that. Ever since they told her, they had not received one message from 'A.'

Maybe everything would go back to normal now. Her dad was back to ignoring her, too. Just like before. Hanna could live with normal.

That was until she heard the knocking on her bedroom door. Instead of answering, she pulled the blanket over her head.

"Hanna?" Ashley Marin gently called.

Hanna sighed, reluctantly sitting up to greet her mother. "Here for the big lecture?"

"I think the hangover is lecture enough," Ashley replied, handing Hanna a cup of coffee. "That might help a little."

Hanna took a sip. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean for things to get so out of hand."

Ashley gave her a sympathetic smile. "I know you don't want anything to do with your father's wedding, but alcohol is not the answer."

Hanna raised an eyebrow. "Really? I bet you sat in the kitchen with a bottle of wine last night."

"I'm a grown up. And I only had one glass," Ashley confessed.

Hanna didn't feel like getting into the truth with Kate. "I guess I needed to find a way to get through it."

Ashley took her hand. "I know this is hard for you. I'm sorry."

She was staring at the floor now, which concerned Hanna. "Why do I have a feeling that's not all you are sorry for?"

Ashley fidgeted nervously. "So much has happened lately, Hanna. I'm still so worried about you. I'm worried that I...I won't see you again."

"Mom, not this again. I told you before. There's nothing to be worried about anymore. Remember? I said we can breathe again?"

"I know, but..." Ashley trailed off enough to compose herself. "It's not enough. Ever since your accident...no, ever since they found Alison..."

Hanna closed her eyes, fighting back tears. "I get it, Mom. But this situation isn't like what happened to Alison. I mean, I'm not being stalked or anything."

Except she was. Hanna knew 'A' and Alison's murderer could be the same person. Or persons? She didn't share that tidbit with her mother, though.

Ashley took a deep breath. "I'm just going to get it out now. Hanna, I enrolled you into a new school."

That was unexpected. "You did WHAT?!"

"I need you to be somewhere safe...There's a boarding school in Maryland."

"Wait, you're sending me away? To Maryland?! You can't do this! What about my friends? What about my sessions with Dr. Sullivan?" Hanna exclaimed. "I'm still going and it's actually helping. See, I can admit this. That means I'm maturing, right?"

"I'm not doing this to punish you. It's to protect you. And Maryland isn't too far. You can still see Dr. Sullivan and your friends."

Hanna was now very close to tears. When her mother tried to reach for her hand again, Hanna flinched away. She felt betrayed right now.

"I'm sorry, Hanna," Ashley whispered. "You'll understand later."

Hanna wasn't listening. "I hate...."

She knew what she was about to say, but she remembered it wasn't true. Her mother was the one that took care of her. She didn't abandon her. Hanna could never hate her.

"I hate this," Hanna said instead. "I need to talk to the girls, okay? Please. I can't just leave without telling them."

"Of course," Ashley said softly, attempting to reach for her daughter again.

Hanna wasn't ready for that, yet. "I don't hate you and I will eventually forgive...but I can't right now."

Ashley nodded in understanding, leaving Hanna alone.

So much for everything going back to normal.


[ooc: Plot from last night's episode mentioned, though tweaked a lot for game purposes.]