Stunning by Sara Shepard Read Free Book Online

thinking about the innocent girl falling to her death—she hardly slept some nights, and she wasn’t eating much. But if Tabitha’s father found out, if the police linked it to them, if Aria’s friends’ lives were ruined because of something she technically did . . . well, she wouldn’t know how to go on.
    “Aria?”
    Aria whirled around and saw Emily behind her. She was wearing a Rosewood swim-team parka, skinny black jeans, and had a curious look on her round, pleasant, freckled face.
    “Um, hi.” Aria slipped the phone into her pocket. There was no use showing this to Emily and getting her worried over what was probably nothing. “What’s up?”
    “I was wondering if you were going to Hanna’s dad’s town hall meeting on Tuesday.” Emily moved out of the way as some guys on the crew team shouldered past. “She asked if I’d be there.”
    “Yep.” Aria had already told Hanna she’d attend her dad’s political events. “Want to sit together?”
    “That would be nice.” Emily gave Aria a small, watery smile that Aria recognized instantly. Back when they were part of Ali’s clique, Aria had dubbed it Emily’s Eeyore smile. She’d seen it on Emily’s face a lot after Their Ali disappeared.
    “What’s the matter, Em?” Aria said softly.
    Emily stared at her gray New Balance sneakers. Behind her, a bunch of sophomore boys shoved each other playfully. Kirsten Cullen gazed into the trophy case glass, fixing her lipstick. “I drove by that house on Ship Lane yesterday,” Emily finally said.
    Aria blinked, remembering Ship Lane’s significance. “How did it go?”
    Emily swallowed hard. “There was a FOR SALE sign on the lawn, and the house looked empty. They moved. ” Her jaw trembled like she was going to cry.
    “Oh, Em.” Aria wrapped her arms around her friend. Words couldn’t describe how shocked she’d felt last summer when Emily told her she was pregnant. She’d called Aria out of the blue and begged her not to tell the others. I’ve got it under control , she’d said. I’ve picked out a family for the baby once it’s born. I just had to tell someone.
    “I wish I knew why they left,” Emily murmured.
    “It makes sense, don’t you think?” Aria asked. “I mean, they suddenly had a baby. It probably looked strange to the neighbors. Maybe they moved to avoid questions.”
    Emily considered this. “Where do you think they went?”
    “Why don’t we try to find out?” Aria suggested. “Maybe the realtor knows.”
    Emily’s eyes lit up. “The FOR SALE sign did say there’s an open house this weekend.”
    “If you want company, I’ll go with you,” Aria offered.
    “Really?” Emily looked relieved.
    “Of course.”
    “ Thank you.” Emily threw her arms around Aria again and squeezed her tight. Aria squeezed back, grateful that they were close again. They’d spent so much time avoiding each other, shying away from the secrets they shared, but it hadn’t done them much good. It was better to fight A together. Plus, Aria missed having good friends.
    Aria’s cell phone rang, and Emily broke away, saying she had to get to class. As she drifted down the hall, Aria looked at the screen and frowned. Call from Meredith. It was unusual for her father’s fiancée to be calling her.
    “Aria?” Meredith said when Aria answered. “Oh my God, I’m so glad I caught you.” In the background, Meredith and Byron’s toddler, Lola, was wailing. There were also sounds of banging pots and shattering dishes. “I really need your help,” she went on. “I want to re-create this amazing pasta dish we had at an Italian restaurant in Philly for your dad tonight, but I just went to Fresh Fields, and they’re out of tatsoi. The Fresh Fields in Bryn Mawr has it, but I can’t go right now—Lola’s super-fussy and I don’t want to make it worse by lugging her out in public. Can you go for me after school?”
    Aria slumped against the wall and stared absently at a poster reminding