Pretty Little Liars #14 Read Free Page B

fell. It was clear he knew exactly who Aria was talking about—in the cemetery during prom, Aria had explained, briefly, hysterically, that Ali was after them. “I don’t think so.”
    Aria bristled. “Why? Because you love her so much and can’t see how evil she is?”
    Noel recoiled. “I don’t love her, Aria.”
    Aria stared at him, waiting. He’d said he did.
    â€œLook, I loved someone who didn’t exist,” Noel protested. “I stopped loving her when I fell in love with you.” He choked back a sob. “I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t excuse anything. I know we can’t be together. But I want you to know that I’ll always regret what I’ve done.”
    His voice was so small and scared that it made Aria’s heart quake. “I want you to tell me everything,” she said in the toughest voice she could muster. “How often you saw Ali at The Preserve. Who else you saw there. What she said to you. If she told you . . .” Aria took a breath, trying not to burst into tears. “If she told you what she was going to do to us.”
    â€œI had no idea what she was going to do to you, I promise,” Noel said fiercely.
    â€œFine. Then tell me at least why you started seeing her.”
    He sighed. “I don’t know. I felt sorry for her.”
    â€œHow did you know she was at The Preserve?”
    He shifted under the blankets. “My parents had me talk to someone after my brother committed suicide. It was a therapist who worked in an outpatient building at The Preserve. One day, I bumped into this girl going in when I was coming out—it was Alison. She was really cagey, and I thought it was, you know, the girl I knew from school. The next time I went, she was there again—and I was really confused, because the sixth-grade field hockey team had a game that day, and Mason, who was watching the game, had just texted me that Ali had scored a goal.”
    Aria nodded. “Got it.”
    Noel paused to take a breath. “I kind of put it all together in my head as I was looking at Ali come out of the therapist’s office. She realized it, because she waited for me after my appointment and confessed who she really was. She told me she was Ali’s twin, trapped in a hospital, blah blah blah.”
    â€œAnd you believed her?”
    â€œWell, sure. She didn’t seem crazy. Just . . . a victim.”
    Aria pinched the bridge of her nose. “So that’s where you guys got to know each other? Outside the shrink’s office?”
    Noel looked ashamed. “No. After that, I . . . I visited her at the hospital.”
    A pain shot through her. “How often?”
    â€œRegularly.”
    â€œ Why ?”
    He twisted his mouth. “She made me feel heard. Important.”
    Sucker . Ali —both Alis—had a way of making you feel very, very special. But it was always for their own selfish needs. “And let me guess, she made it out like Courtney was the crazy one?” Aria spat.
    Noel nodded. “Pretty much.”
    â€œYou had no problem hanging out with Courtney, though,” Aria pointed out, remembering how Noel had attended every party Their Ali threw. He’d sat at their lunch table and winged Cheetos at Ali’s head. He’d partnered with Ali for a three-legged race during the sixth-grade field day, laughing hysterically when they’d stumbled over the finish line. “In fact, in seventh grade, you even went out with her!”
    Noel cocked his head. “No, I didn’t.”
    â€œYou did, too! I know because Ali—Courtney—told you I liked you first—but you came back and said you liked her instead. She liked you, too—but then dumped you after a few dates.” It was something she and Noel had never gotten into, but Aria could remember the incident as clear as day. Ali had broken Aria’s heart when she’d