A/N: This story is inspired by the song Just Friends by Gavin DeGraw. Unlike my other stories in this fandom so far this one has no sexual scenes but that does not mean the romance is lacking. Once again this story is set in the near future with no specific timeline and will be Jaria centric. Please excuse all grammar and spelling errors. Reviews are delightful to receive! ^.^
Dedication: To jenn the guest reviewer who was the first review on both my other stories and inspired me to write more.
Warnings: Minor swearing.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended. This is not written for profit.
Ezra should have been more surprised than he was when he found them together. He supposed he had seen it coming but simply chose to turn a blind eye and trust in her love for him.
Aria quickly reassured him that Jason and she were just friends when he became a constant in her life again. Ezra was wary but conceded in an effort to prove he trusted her. Reluctantly he agreed that it made sense for Spencer's newly discovered half-brother to become part of both girls lives.
Suddenly Jason's name started popping up more and more often in conversations. He frequently accompanied the girls and their other friends when they hung out, ran errands, or anything really. They were growing close again and this time Ezra had a front row seat. Still he believed Aria when she said nothing else was going on.
The day had started out normal enough. Ezra worked on the few projects that he picked up to supplement his income until he found a full-time job for the better part of the morning. Aria called in the middle of the day informing him that she and Mike were invited to share a brother sister bonding night with Spencer and Jason. They talked about other things, exchanged 'I love you's and then ended the call. Afterward he worked on his own writing. Brainstorming, editing, and scribbling down errant thoughts. In the evening he went grocery shopping and feeling energetic decided to go for a walk in the park he noticed near the grocery store.
His normal day rapidly flipped upside down on him as Ezra made his way out of the park back to his car. Every ounce of the energy he had felt earlier in the day drained from him. His heart stopping dead for a second from the shock. Resignation and sorrow slowly filled him as his head and heart struggled to process the scene in front of him.
There in the clearing near the entrance of the park were Aria and Jason, completely immersed in their own little world. She was looking up into his eyes, her hands flat against his chest. His arms were wrapped around her with his fingers combing through her hair. Their conversation being an obviously intimate one and Ezra being too heart broken to muster up the anger a confrontation would require, he avoided being seen and skulked home. Tonight he would drown in a bottle of scotch, tomorrow he would gather his courage and love for Aria then attempt to fight for their relationship.
.~*~.
This night had not turned out like Aria expected. When Spencer asked her and Mike to join her and Jason for a night of brother sister bonding she never imagined finding herself alone with Jason walking around the park and acting like children.
The foursome went to a drive-in movie then out to a small cafe for burgers and shakes. Laughter and teasing followed them throughout the night. Carefree, that word best described the feeling of their entire evening. Toward the end of the night Spencer begged off wanting to spend time with Toby and Mike left needing to get sleep for a tournament he was playing in the next day. Jason nor Aria had anywhere else to be or were in need of a full nights rest for the next day so they decided to continue their night out on their own. Giving into the lighthearted mood she was in Aria instigated a childish game of tag with him upon entering the park.
Standing here with him now, held close to his chest, all Aria could think was: He caught me. Any other thoughts were arrested by the emotions swimming in the green depths of his eyes and the heat rolling off his firm body coiled around her own. Her breath hitched and her heart beat quickened. Fire spread in her as Jason's gaze flickered down to her lips when her tongue darted out to moisten them.
Eyes sweeping back to her own hazel Jason spoke, his voice rough with passion, "Aria if you don't want me to kiss you right now you have to stop looking at me like that."
Gulping Aria's response came out in a husky tone she had no idea she was capable of, "Like what?"
"Like you're dying of thirst and I'm the last drink of water on earth." The timbre of his voice remained the same but his arms tightened around her.
Throwing caution to the wind she challenged him, "And what if I do want you to kiss me Jason?"
The gauntlet was thrown and Jason was fast to pick it up. Without another sound he captured her lips in a heady kiss, pouring everything he felt for her into the motion.
Aria had never been kissed like this. The analogy he used came to mind only now she was the water and he appeared to be determined to drown in her. When his tongue slipped passed her lips to dance with hers all other coherent thought became lost to her.
Breaking apart for air Jason rested his forehead against hers. Breathing hard he began carding his fingers through her hair. If he was going to do this he wanted it to be right. Therefore he took the road less traveled, choosing to remind Aria she had a boyfriend and that man was not him.
"As much as I would love to continue this, it's not right. I want you desperately but you're not mine to take right now. I don't want to be a regret for you." His words simultaneously produced both guilt and a giddy warmth within her.
Smiling at him Aria swiftly hugged him and stepped back out of his embrace. "You're right. This isn't fair to you or anyone else." Biting her lip and looking at him from under her lashes she unknowingly set light to a flare of hope inside him. "I need to take a beat and evaluate what my heart really wants. Give me some time to think?"
"I'll give you all the time in the world if that means you're actually considering me as an option." Grinning at her Jason offered Aria his hand. "Let me walk you home before I change my mind about being noble and just decide to kiss you senseless."
Laughing she took his hand and allowed him to lead her home. Aria had a feeling that she already knew who her heart had chosen but both men were important to her and she did not want to hurt either unnecessarily.
.~*~.
Ezra was glad he had the forethought last night to remember to eat and drink water during his drinking binge. The hangover he would have had otherwise would have made him grouchy and unreasonable. Neither of which he wanted to be for the conversation he was about to have with Aria.
They were sitting across from each other at the table in his apartment just finishing up their lunch together. He wanted one last good memory with her if she was going to break his heart. Aria picked up on his apprehension and was becoming anxious waiting for him disclose what occupied his mind.
Standing from the table Ezra carried the dishes to the sink and placed them down. Then he turned to face Aria who had gotten up and followed him. Endeavoring to ease some of his own tension he leaned against the counter, took a breath, and rather than fish for her to tell him about last night jumped straight to the point. "I went for a walk last night in the park and as I left to get in my car and come home I saw you..." Deep shaky breath. "You and Jason holding you."
He did not ask her to lie to him or even give him an explanation. He just waited for whatever she could possibly have to say in her defense. Comprehension dawned in her eyes and his heart sunk. The last thread of hope he clung to that this was all a misunderstanding cut.
Aria tried to think of a way to tell Ezra she needed a break to sort out her feelings all the way over to his apartment today. She did not have a plan for how to bring it up when he came to the door and then found herself distracted by his demeanor. She would have to find a way to tell him what she felt and swiftly. Discerning the confusion and brokenness in his eyes made an empty agonizing pain well up within her. A twisted thought entered her mind. Since Ezra had seen her with Jason the scales were balanced between them now, if there were scales to measure the pain one person could cause another. Banishing the thought she focused back on the hurting man in front of her.
"I never intended to be in that situation with Jason. Please believe me when I tell you that last night was the first time I crossed that line with him." The confirmation was devastating and Ezra closed his eyes to shut out the pain. He continued to stay silent waiting for words he was not sure would come.
"Ezra I'm sorry. Sorry that I've hurt you. I never wanted to." Opening his eyes he reads between the lines of the things she says and the things she does not. In the space and the corresponding silence he finds answers he does not want to acknowledge. Instead of going there, because he simply cannot yet, he tries to set them on the right track.
"I get it. You're close and there is a lot of history between you. Like there was for me with Jackie and Maggie but I never acted on that because you are the only one I want. What I don't understand is why you couldn't do the same?" Now, he thinks, now she will say it. That it was a mistake, that she does not feel the same love for Jason that she does for him. Disappointment floods him with her next sentence.
"I don't know why. I've been trying to sort it all out but it's not something you can do in just one night." Aria feels her confusion multiply even as the words tumble out. Why can she not tell Ezra what she knows he wants to hear? Then a little voice inside her confirms what she has known for weeks. Ezra is not the only one who holds a piece of her heart anymore. If she is honest with herself she can admit that long before she ever met her boyfriend Jason occupied a small place there.
"Aria I love you and we can get passed this, I know we can. But I need your whole heart because that is how much of mine that is in your hands." He was never one to put everything out there before. She has made him a risk taker and now here he stands bleeding heart spread before her.
"What do you want me to say Ezra? I've already told you I need to sort things out. I don't know what else I can give you." The sincerity and compassion laced in her words hit him like a brick wall and he can no longer contain his outrage.
Voice rising all the things he has tried to hold back fly out, "Tell me it was a mistake! That you regret it! Tell me it'll never happen again!" Reigning himself in from the outburst Ezra returns his tone to a normal level. "You said before you were sorry it hurt me, not sorry it happened."
Aria looks at him beseechingly. Begging him with her eyes not to force this choice on her. Yet he needs her to make one. "I just need to know that it's only me you want and love. If you can tell me that then we can forget last night ever happened."
His words have the opposite effect than he intends. Acute awareness comes with his wishes and demands. She does not regret kissing Jason, it was not a mistake, and she could never forget. Aria knows then that her relationship with Ezra is over. This hurts less than she thought it would but there is a dull ache that blooms within her heart for him.
"I can't tell you that because I don't regret it. I do love you but you aren't the only one I want anymore. I'm sorry."
Numbness spreads throughout Ezra's entire being with her statement. His voice now void of any emotion he says the words he once hoped never to speak, "I guess this is it then, we're over."
Solemnly she nods. "Yeah, I should go." Aria gives him one final sad look before she leaves. "Goodbye Ezra."
He does not respond until long after the door has shut behind her. Staring into empty space he whispers, "Goodbye Aria, my love."
.~*~.
Home was not a good place for Aria currently. Her mom was gushing happiness because of her boyfriend Zack and Mike of all people was absorbed in a conversation with some girl he met at the tournament. Too much flowers and sunshine could get to a girl who just broke up with her boyfriend. And okay she did not think she would not burst into tears anytime soon but she was torn up over the whole situation. He was her first real boyfriend, her first love, her first lover. Making that all part of her past would take some time. Going to hang out with Spencer, Hanna, or Emily would be just as bad as being home. They were all in relationships that even if they were going on in secret were flourishing. Thus she found herself wandering aimlessly around Rosewood.
Aria's feet had other ideas. They lead her to the one place she was sure she wanted to be but knew she should not be. Caving into her latent musings she walked up to the door and knocked. It only took a moment for the sole occupant of the home to open the door and pause in astonishment. Seeing him standing there her heart fluttered and she knew she had made the right decision.
"Aria? What are you doing here?" Not that Jason was not glad to see her but he had not expected to see her for a while.
"I know it's short notice and I told you last night I needed time but..." shrugging Aria searched for the words to explain. None come. Reality takes that moment to crash in on her, and the tears do.
Jason's eyes widen and acting on instinct he pulls her into a gentle hug. Rubbing soft circles into her back and whispering nonsense phrases of comfort he waits for her to calm down and tell him what has happened.
The instant Jason's arms wrap around her Aria melts into his embrace, hands clutching fistfuls of the material at the back of his shirt. She feels awful for seeking his comfort when it is Ezra she is crying for but cannot bring herself to stop. The need for him and the safety his presence, his arms bring are justification enough to stay exactly where she is.
Eventually, the tears slow and Jason coaxes her inside then onto the couch. "Want to tell me what has you so upset?" His concern and care for her infuse themselves into the question.
Aria squeezes him tight then pulls back to answer him. "I'm sorry. You are the last person I should be crying to about this. However, my subconscious decided you were the only one I really felt comfortable breaking apart in front of." Rolling her eyes at her own silliness she moves to wipe her tears way. Jason beats her to it, using the pads of his thumbs to remove the excess moisture from her eyes and face.
"Hey, whatever is going on, you know you can talk to me. No matter what else there is between us you can always tell me anything Aria." He was pretty sure he knew who this was about now and he would give the asshole a black eye for making her cry but that did not change how much he loved her. Because of that love he was willing to be her comforter no matter the cost his own heart might have to pay.
"Jason, you are far too sweet to me for your own good. Since you're probably not going to let me get away with not telling you I guess I have to spill now." He fixed her with a look that told her it would be best not to even attempt escape. Summoning her resolve she began to unfold her story, "I had every intention of spending some time by myself to think and figure out what I wanted. In fact I went over to see Ezra today to talk about taking a break so I could do just that." She stalled here not wanting to proceed but knowing she needed to.
When the silence stretched on too long Jason prompted her, "But?"
Locking eyes with him Aria drew from the strength she found there, "But Ezra saw us together at the park last night." Swallowing hard she looked down suddenly fascinated with her hands. "He wanted me to lie to him I think. Tell him he didn't see what he thought he saw. Or at least tell him that I made a mistake by kissing you last night." Unsure of where the rest of her confession would take them she paused once more.
Placing his fingers underneath her chin Jason slowly brought her gaze back to his own. "I never wanted to cause you heartache Aria. You can't just leave me hanging after saying something like that though. Was it a mistake? Are you here to tell me we can't even be friends anymore because he's jealous? Please, I'm only coming up with worst case scenarios here."
God, she wanted to kiss him again right that moment. Knowing that would only confuse him more Aria instead, needing some form of physical affection, took his hand with hers and assured him with her words, "No. No, I would never cut you out of my life like that again. Actually, I couldn't say any of the things he wanted to hear. Not that it was a mistake. Not that I regretted it. Not even that I was willing to just forget it and move on with him. None of those are true. Basically, he asked me to make a choice and because I couldn't tell him that he was the only one we broke up." It was liberating to finally tell someone, particularly Jason, everything that ensued between her and Ezra earlier today.
Jason was speechless at first. Had Aria really just said what he thought she said? Needing clarity before he jumped to conclusions he broke their silence, "What does that mean?" Shaking his head he rephrased, "I know what it means. You aren't with Ezra any longer, but what does it mean for us?" Before she could form a response he was hasty to add, "I'm not pushing just trying to understand."
A smile lit her features at his slight rambling. Good, he was just as nervous and jittery about all this as she was. "It means that I will need time to mend my heart but I'm hoping to have your help with that. Can we just take things slowly? One day at a time?"
"I think that could be arranged, one day at a time. I'll always be here for you for whatever you need. Take all the time you want, you're worth the wait." He returns her smile and tucks some of her hair behind her ear. "What do you want to do now that we've met our deep conversation quota for the day?"
Giggling Aria snuggles into his side, "Could you just hold me for a little while?"
With a soft smile and a swift kiss to the top of her head Jason settles further into his couch. "Yeah, of course I can."
Aria knows it should surprise her how easy it is to change her relationship with Jason into something more. Somehow she thinks she always knew the two of them could never be just friends.