Reality Bites Me

Reality Bites Me is the 5th episode in Season 1 of Pretty Little Liars. It aired July 6, 2010 and is the 5th episode overall.

Synopsis
Still reeling from the haunting message scrawled across Spencer’s vanity, the next morning the girls discover an additional, even spookier message from "A" – this one in the form of a video of the girl

s the previous night that was clearly recording them from inside Spencer’s closet. It is sent in a text to Hanna as an attachment. The girls reveal that they have unblocked their phones. They then go upstairs and open the closet to find the lipstick that was used to write the message on the vanity - Aria thinks it is the same shade of red that Jenna wears.

At Aria's house, Aria hears her parents arguing with each other from her room. They discuss the possibility of Byron moving out. After Byron leaves, Aria unwittingly reveals to her mother that she knew about the affair for a year. Ella is hurt and surprised, but not mad at Aria.

As a penance for crashing Sean’s car, Hanna is forced to take a filing job in his mom’s dental office working with kids. On her way from work, her shopping bag containing her uniform sneakers, and at that moment, she bumps into Sean. Sean lets Hanna know that he tried to take the blame for the car, but Hanna owns up to it herself. She brings up going with him to homecoming, and he says he'll think about it. Just then, a blonde cheerleader picks up Sean to drive him to school.

In the hallways at school, the girls talk about who the perpetrator could have been. Just then, Mr. Sheldrake walks over congratulating Spencer on her 'win' in the Golden Orchid competition.

In chemistry lab, Emily asks Toby where he was the night before (slightly suspicious that he might be "A"). He replies that he was at The Grille doing homework, where he normally studies to get away from Jenna and her noisy machines.

Aria then meets up with Ezra in his classroom to see if he can make plans after school. He lets her know that he will be reading some of his work later at a bar. Thrilled, Aria asks if she can come, and Ezra bashfully agrees warning it could get ugly if it doesn't go over well.

While on her way to work at Dr. Ackard's office, Hanna spots Jenna in the building's elevator. She applies that same shade of red lipstick, leaning into the mirror as she applies a fresh coat.

At Spencer's home, Peter is sitting on the living room couch, reading. He greets Spencer as she comes home, letting her know that he bought her buttercreams, her favorite cookies. Spencer takes this as a sign to mean that he's spoken to Wren if she's in his good graces again, but actually he's heard about the essay win from Mr. Sheldrake. (Wren was right; he would forgive her as soon as she scored an academic achievement.) He then invites Spencer to play a doubles match the following day with a prospective client named Andrew Newhoff and his daughter.

At work, Hanna follows Jenna to her floor and she has been seeing a psychiatrist in the same building as Dr. Ackard's practice. Meanwhile, Emily and Toby’s surprising friendship grows even stronger, as both begin to take an interest in each other. Emily appreciates Toby's artwork on his lab notebook. They discover they have the same taste in music and agree to meet later at The Grille.

At the poetry reading, an old college friend of Ezra's named Hardy is in attendance as well. He spots Aria, who is clearly there to support Ezra and introduces himself as Ezra's old roommate; in turn, Aria admits that she is Ezra's student. Ezra then comes over, surprised to see Hardy, and the three hang out, playing darts, eating French fries, and sharing old college stories with Aria. Hardy is quick to pick up on Aria and Ezra’s scandalous relationship, warning Ezra that it could bring him more harm than good down the line. His opinion gets to Ezra, who later makes a comment to Aria about not having been in college.

Excited about their upcoming tennis game, Spencer practices serving at the club. There, she meets an attendant named Alex, who comments on Spencer's game. Meanwhile, Hanna, jealous of Sean's new interest in this cheerleader, checks out her social networking page. Her name is Amber, and Hanna totally resents her. Ashley reassures her daughter that Sean isn't necessarily dating this girl, just because she has been driving him to school. Hanna also fills Ashley in on the fact that Tom is engaged, and she is somewhat taken aback. Just then, "A" sends a shocked Hanna an attached file of Maya and Emily kissing in an email.

Emily and Toby are scheduled to meet, but when Emily arrives at the cafe, she sees Spencer and Hanna. Too embarrassed to socialize with Toby in front of them, she reluctantly blows him off. They fill Emily in on the Jenna lipstick situation. Later, the waitress hands Emily the mixed CD Toby has left for her, leaving Hanna to believe Maya made it for her and encourages Emily not to bullied by pursuing a non-conventional relationship. However, Emily takes this to heart regarding Toby.

Peter asking Spencer to play a doubles match with him had seemed like an olive branch, but it turns out to be nothing but a business venture: Peter wants to hand the win to their opponents, a potential business partner, thus signing the dotted line. She reluctantly throws the match. Afterwards, she finds a fast, unlikely friend in Alex, who picks up on the fact that they were playing games. The two make plans to hang out sometime outside the club.

At Aria's home, Mike approaches Aria with his concern about Byron and Ella fighting, feeling vulnerable, but Aria tells him that it isn't there business. Meanwhile, their parents are arguing about the affair. Ella has found out that the woman is Meredith, who she stupidly and embarrassingly befriended. She is angriest about the fact that Byron unfairly used Aria to hide the relationship from her.

Ashley discusses relationships with Hanna at home. After bumping into Sean on her way to his mother's office, Hanna finds out that Amber is not Sean's love interest; she is a fellow member to "Real Love Waits," the virginity club at school. Sean expresses to her that he never meant to let her down; he's just serious about his abstinence pledge. So, Hanna decides to keep close tabs on Sean by joining his abstinence club in order to spend time with him.

When Aria accidentally leaves her phone at Ezra’s overnight, he intercepts a message from "A" in an attempt to stop the buzzing noise – and, assuming it’s a friend of Aria’s she’s confided in about their affair, quickly puts a stop to their relationship indefinitely.

Later, Peter is ecstatic about Spencer's help in scoring the client. At that moment, Spencer admits to her dad about stealing the essay for the contest, as she expresses that her dad's throwing the match has taught her success is more important than honesty or integrity.

Later the next day at the Grille, an upset Toby tries to ignore Emily when she comes to sit with him, but gives in when she presents him with a mix CD of her own. She apologizes for blowing him off, and he accepts. And Spencer does meet up with Alex for their date, while Aria makes dinner for Mike and herself, trying to shield him from the negativity in their household.

Continuity

 * Toby is reading "Catcher in the Rye" in the café, a nod to Spencer's tutoring him in French later on.
 * After Spencer complained to Wren that her family had changed their opinion of her as a result of the kiss, he had assured her that as soon as she scored another academic achievement, she would be back in her parents' good graces. Wren was proved correct in this episode when Peter came around to Spencer, offering her candy after he heard about her winning the "Golden Orchid" for her essay.

Title

 * "Reality Bites" is the title of a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama featuring the directorial debut of Ben Stiller, starring himself, Winona Ryder, and Ethan Hawke.
 * "Reality Bites Me" may be a play on the film title, with the reality of "A" constantly plaguing the Liars' lives.

Main Cast
Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery

Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin

Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields

Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings

Guest Stars
Tammin Sursok as Jenna Marshall

Holly Marie Combs as Ella Montgomery

Chad Lowe as Byron Montgomery

Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz

Patrick J. Adams as Hardy

Nolan North as Peter Hastings

Chuck Hittinger as Sean Ackard

Diego Boneta as Alex Santiago

Michael Mantell as Therapist

Carlson Young as Amber Victorino

Keegan Allen as Toby Cavanaugh

Keith Pillow as Mr. Sheldrake

Cody Christian as Mike Montgomery

Christopher Michael as Security Guard

Eileen Fogarty as Waitress

Featured Music

 * "Heard It All Before" by Meiko (Aria tells the girls about the letter "A" sent Ella)
 * "I Will Follow" by Katie Herzig (Hanna runs into Sean)
 * "Always A First Time" by Jets Overhead (Aria and Ezra flirt after class)
 * "Lie To Me" by Evolove (Aria hangs out at bar with Ezra and Hardy)
 * "Somebody Else" by Aidan Hawken (Spencer meets Alex at the country club)
 * "Light It Up" by Love Grenades* (Emily blows off Toby to sit with her friends)
 * "All Those Pretty Lights" by Andrew Belle* (Emily looks at Toby's mix CD in bed)
 * "No Matter How Hard We Try" by Jaylene Johnson (Emily meets Toby at the Grille)