Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Pairing: Aria/Jason. Some Aria/Ezra. Others are mentioned.
Summary: She never meant for this to happen but it did and now she has no clue what to do about it. Jason/Aria.
Author's Note: Second PLL fic, first Aria fic. This is dedicated to my little sister, my cute freckled sister who adores Aria/Jason and asked me to write a story about them. This…is what came out. Lol. You're reviews are very much appreciated! Let me know what everyone thinks! Hope you all enjoy!
seven day fool
chapter 1
We always long for the forbidden things, and desire what is denied us.
Francois Rabelais
Monday night
"I have a boyfriend." She all but whimpers against his lips. Her body betrays her confession and instead of pulling away, she pulls him closer. She tugs at his shirt, fiddles with his buttons and inches herself closer to him, closing whatever distance between them. There wasn't much distance to begin with but now, now they're pressed against each other, molding into one another.
"Do you love him?" He swallows her answer.
His kisses are rough and intense (just like him). Aria knows that she should push him away. God, her head is screaming at her to push him away. But she doesn't. instead, she lets herself get pulled into his kisses. She lets herself forget who she even is, for a moment.
She thinks of Ezra. Not because she wants to but because she feels like she has to. It's not enough, not with Jason's lips leaving a trail of fire down her throat. His hands are everywhere, roaming places that Ezra hasn't even thought of touching. There's a yearning so great in Aria that she almost cries. She almost begs Jason to help her, because she's new at this, she's not as experienced. All she knows is that when Ezra kisses her, she feels content, when Jason kisses her? She feels her head spin, she feels her body tingle and she feels a burning sensation rip through her body.
"We should stop." She murmurs against his lips. Her hands are sprawled against his chest. She can feel his heart beat erratically.
He runs a hand through his hand and nods. "We should." Then he steps away from her and she can feel the loneliness, the coldness instantly. All she wants to do is reach out her hand, beg him to take it and pull him back to her.
She doesn't. Instead, she stands in front of him, hands limp at her sides. "You better go." She gestures between them. "This…this can never happen again."
The glint in his eyes tells her that she just inadvertently issued a challenge. One that he's going to take.
Monday morning
The shrill ringing of the bell snaps her out of her daze. She blinks, slowly adjusting her eyes, her mind (her sanity) to her surroundings. Hanna, Spencer and Emily surround her, talking quietly.
Hanna nudges her. "How's it going Sleepy?" She teases her. "Man, and here I thought I was the slacker."
Aria manages a small smile and stands up. "I'm just tired, that's all. Don't worry Han, you still wear the crown."
Emily looks at her worriedly. "Is everything okay?"
Is everything okay? She wants to laugh but she doesn't because then she'll probably cry. No. No, everything is not okay, because somehow on this strange and twisted road, she stopped thinking about Ezra all the time and started thinking about Jason. Jason. Her dead best-friend's brother (who possibly murdered said dead best friend). So, Aria concludes in her mind, no, everything is most certainly not okay.
"Everything's fine." Aria lies.
The lie tastes like acid and nothing has ever come out so smoothly.
She's almost out of the class when her phone vibrates with a message. Her friends are in front of her, talking and teasing each other.
Aria glances down at her phone. Liar, liar, pants on fire. Someone is far from fine. A.
She has to remind herself to breathe. She has to remind herself that everything is okay. Everything will be fine. Everything will work out. And damn-it, she has to remind herself to think of Ezra.
Everything's okay.
(It's not. But Aria doesn't know that and even if she does? She's not acknowledging that there's a ticking time bomb hiding and ready to blow when she least expects it).
Monday afternoon
She's visiting Hollis again. (She's always at Hollis). It was never somewhere she wanted to attend after high school. She always thought about NYU, UCLA, hell Oxford even. She just always wanted somewhere away from Rosewood, away from everything that haunts her.
(But, she reminds herself, Ezra is in Hollis and Hollis is where she'll probably end up). She's becoming chained and she doesn't like the feeling at all.
She walks down the various hallways, past the trophies and past the black and white photos of previous graduates. She can hear her heels echo and she takes comfort in the sound.
She turns the corner and sees Ezra's office door open. She plans to walk in, she plans to hug him, hold him, kiss him. As soon as she peaks her head in, she pauses and molds herself against the wall, twisting her head to listen in. She should have known that her plans never work out.
She can see the back of Ezra's head as he and Jackie are talking. It's so strange seeing them together, standing side by side. She can hear bits of their conversations and most of it is about their past. Their history. Their mutual friends.
Ezra and Aria don't have any mutual friends. Her parents don't count and she hardly thinks that her friends (the so-called liars of the town) constitute as mutual friends either.
"Don't you miss us?" Jackie's soft voice echoes and Aria has to clench her fists. She really hates that woman. "I miss you, Z. I keep thinking about what happened. My stupidity. I was terrified by how much you I loved-love-you. Just think about it; we could be married. We could have kids."
It's the kick in the guts; it's the revelation that makes Aria move. She doesn't want to hear this. She finds that she can't hear this. Rationally, she knows that this is a conversation that had to have happened sooner or later but Aria never wanted to be present for it.
She walks quickly down the hallways, past the trophies and past the black and white photos of previous graduates.
She pushes open the double doors and takes in deep gulps of air.
Her phone vibrates and with shaky hands she looks at it. Can I see you tonite? Jason.
She closes her eyes, and then opens them. My place at six. Parents and Mike are gone for a couple hours.
Rationally, she shouldn't be doing this. She should tell him to meet her at the park, or at a café, or even the grocery store. She shouldn't be alone with Jason. She knows this. (She doesn't listen to the voice inside her head).
She takes a look at Hollis and shakes her head. She should probably go in and confront Ezra. Ask him what he wants, who he wants. But she's hurt. Because he probably still thinks of Jackie and she can't help but wonder how much.
(She ignores the voice inside her head reminding her that she's actually not as hurt as she proclaims).
Monday night
"I thought you might want this." Jason says, as soon as Aria closes the door. He opens the bag in his hands and pulls out a worn brown teddy bear.
"Bacon!" The name escapes her mouth faster then she likes.
"Allie?" Aria calls out her best friend's name as she climbs the stairs. "Allie, are you okay?"
The blonde is sitting on her bed, cross-legged and her head bent down. She sniffles. "I'm fine." She looks up and manages a smile that doesn't quite reach her watery eyes. "God, Aria, what is that thing in your hand?"
She looks at her brown teddy bear and blushes. "Your mom called and said that you locked yourself in your room. This is my bear from when I was little. He got me through a lot of tough times. He knows the importance of keeping a secret." Aria smiles and lets out a little laugh. "It's stupid, I know, but I just thought…well if he got me through tough times, maybe he can help you." She sets him down in front of Allison. "This way, you can have a little piece of me wherever you go."
Allison stares at the teddy bear for a few minutes and then, almost hesitantly, picks him up and settles him in her lap. "What's his name?"
"Bacon."
"Better keep him away from Hanna." Allison jokes snidely. Then she sniffles again and huffs.
They sit in silence. "Are you sure you're okay?" Aria asks again.
"I'm fine. Everything's fine."
"Where did you find him?" Aria asks Jason.
He shrugs. "I was cleaning out a hallway closet and this was in the back of it. I remembered when you came to the house with it, so I decided to give it back to you."
Aria laughs and nods. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks." She looks around the empty house. "You want some coffee?"
"Sure."
She doesn't know how they get here, to this position. One minute they're talking, laughing, reminiscing and then she's pressed against him. His mouth is hot and demanding and Aria can't help but respond.
"I have a boyfriend." She all but whimpers against his lips. Her body betrays her confession and instead of pulling away, she pulls him closer. She tugs at his shirt, fiddles with his buttons and inches herself closer to him, closing whatever distance between them. There wasn't much distance to begin with but now, now they're pressed against each other, molding into one another.
"Do you love him?" He swallows her answer.
His kisses are rough and intense (just like him). Aria knows that she should push him away. God, her head is screaming at her to push him away. But she doesn't. instead, she lets herself get pulled into his kisses. She lets herself forget who she even is, for a moment.
She thinks of Ezra. Not because she wants to but because she feels like she has to. It's not enough, not with Jason's lips leaving a trail of fire down her throat. His hands are everywhere, roaming places that Ezra hasn't even thought of touching. There's a yearning so great in Aria that she almost cries. She almost begs Jason to help her, because she's new at this, she's not as experienced. All she knows is that when Ezra kisses her, she feels content, when Jason kisses her? She feels her head spin, she feels her body tingle and she feels a burning sensation rip through her body.
"We should stop." She murmurs against his lips. Her hands are sprawled against his chest. She can feel his heart beat erratically.
He runs a hand through his hand and nods. "We should." Then he steps away from her and she can feel the loneliness, the coldness instantly. All she wants to do is reach out her hand, beg him to take it and pull him back to her.
She doesn't. Instead, she stands in front of him, hands limp at her sides. "You better go." She gestures between them. "This…this can never happen again."
The glint in his eyes tells her that she just inadvertently issued a challenge. One that he's going to take.
She locks the door after he leaves, her lips feel swollen and her heart is thumping against her chest. She can't catch her breath. She forgets to breathe.
Oh God. OhGodohGodohGod. She kissed him. She made out with Jason.
(A part should feel dirty but she doesn't and she wonders what that makes her).
Her phone vibrates and Aria dreads looking at it. Twice a liar, once a cheater? Poor Ezra, he'll be heartbroken. A.
She sinks to the ground and leans her head against the wall.
She's utterly and completely fucked…and for once, Aria has no clue what to do.
BAM! What do you guys think? Yay or Nay? Your reviews mean a lot! This is my first Aria fic. I'm a hardcore Spoby fan, and this whole Aria/Ezra stuff freaks me out but there's something about Jason/Aria that just…clicks? Does that make sense. I don't know. Let me know what you all think! Your reviews mean a ton!
Thanks again!
Bex
P.S. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Hope you all like!