CHAPTER ONE

ARIA

One of her favorite parts of the Easter holiday when she was a kid would be when she and her brother were allowed to dye hard boiled eggs. She remembered her mother allowing her to add the food coloring to the cups of warm water and watching as the die swirled through the water, changing it to whatever color she had chosen. If she swirled that water with a spoon, the dye blended in very fast. But if she allowed the die to mix in on its own, it was a much slower, gentler process. One that took time, but would ultimately produce the same results.

The problem with the dye was that no matter what she did, she could never separate it again from the solution. The water was forever changed, with the intensity of color directly related to the amount of food coloring she had added. She often though about how starkly this represented life. Our lives are made up of the choices we make. These choices define us, permanently dying our characters. And no matter how hard we try to extract ourselves from those moments defined by our choices, we are forever changed because of them.

The stark smell of whisky and stale cigarettes filled her nose as she sat tucked into the corner booth of some random, run down tavern in downtown Rosewood, PA. This was not her usual kind of hangout. On the rare nights she did go out, she preferred the more popular venues, ones with a more respectable crowd. Her husband of almost five years sat next to her, swirling the amber liquid filling his glass around and around before draining it and slamming the glass onto the table. Aria averted her eyes before he caught her staring. She didn't want a confrontation, not here.

"Aria?" Glancing up, Aria's eyes met her best friend's across the room. Hanna quickly started her way, dragging her fiancé, Caleb, along behind her. "Hey! Caleb and I were walking by and I thought I recognized your car, it's been a while!"

Aria pasted a fake smile onto her face, attempting to pretend that this was just a normal night out with her husband. "Yeah, it's been too long. I've just been busy… you know with work and all." She stared down at her drink as she felt her husband stiffen next to her, aware of every word that came out of her mouth.

"And how are you, Jake?" Caleb asked. Though his question came off as nonchalant, his posture spoke volumes about the tension rippling through the air in those short moments.

"Fine, good. Hey, now that you two are here let's do some shots. Caleb, come help me?" Jake responded, plastering a similar fake smile onto his face before he stood and made his way towards the bar, not waiting for Caleb's reply. Caleb shot a worried glance towards Hanna but she motioned for him to follow, giving her some time alone with Aria.

As soon as the boys were gone, she slid into the booth across from her best friend. "How are you? Really?" Hanna asked. Concern filled her face as she stared at Aria, attempting to take in everything about her.

Aria flicked her eyes quickly towards where her husband was leaning against the bar before answering. She couldn't help but feel as if this was a test of some kind. Though he wasn't directly staring at them, she was sure that he was very much aware of her conversation with Hanna. "I'm… good."

"So nothing's changed then," Hanna whispered harshly. She slapped her hands down onto her thighs before shaking her head and looking anywhere but at Aria. "I can't- I can't sit by anymore, Aria. Not when he's doing this to you. I don't want to receive a phone call one day saying- saying-" Hanna stuttered, tears pooling in her eyes.

Aria reached forward to grasp Hanna's hands in her own. "That's not going to happen, Han. And he's… he's been better recently. Nothing serious. I think that with time…" Aria trailed off, unsure if she believed her answer enough to continue giving it to Hanna.

Hanna sighed, squeezing Aria's hands before releasing them. "You know that I'm here for you, right? Both Caleb and I are here for you. Please call us, for anything, Aria."

"I know," Aria whispered back, nervously wringing her hands in her lap. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Caleb and Jake chose that moment to return from the bar carrying their shots. Sliding into the booth next to her, Jake shot her an intense glare but quickly morphed his expression into one of carefree, happiness before either Caleb or Hanna could see it.

"To us," Jake called, raising his glass into the air to click it with the other's.

"To us," they all called out. Throwing the burning liquor back, Aria struggled not to cough or sputter at the intensity of the heat scorching its way down her throat. She had never been one for liquor, especially those of the top shelf category. Jake, however, was fairly familiar with most of the brand names. This was part of the reason why Aria was in the position she currently found herself. Pulling her sleeves further down her arms, she took in the couple sitting across from her. Noticing how happy they appeared, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She wanted that kind of relationship, the kind that truly was loving and carefree and easy. She honestly believed that at one point, she had had that. She just wasn't sure when she had lost it.

Smiling, she glanced at Jake sitting next to her and finished her previously untouched drink before making to stand. "Jake, Honey, are you ready to get going? I'm kind of tired."

Jake nodded his head in reply, moving to allow her out of the booth. "Sure, catch you guys later."

Aria's eyes caught Hanna's as she followed her husband towards the door. She could see the sadness in them, the regret for allowing her to leave and not saying anything. But there was nothing she could say. Nothing she could do that would help. Aria was positive of that. She didn't want her friend involved in her mess, it was hers and hers alone.

When the cool night air hit her face, she took a deep breath, relaxing during the short walk to their car. Before she could open the door, however, Jake had her pinned against the side of the vehicle, his hand tightly grasping her wrist as he glared down at her.

"Did you call them? Was that an attempt to humiliate me or something?" He snapped.

Aria shook her head vigorously. "No, I swear, I didn't call. I-"

"I don't care about your petty excuses anymore, Aria. Just know that you were the one that looked foolish in there, not me. And you best watch your attitude around me." With that, Jake quickly released her arm and pushed around to the driver's side before climbing in. She rubbed at the spot where he had grabbed her, there was sure to be bruise there in the morning.

Aria closed her eyes for a few moments in an attempt to calm down before turning and getting in the car. She wouldn't have put it past Jake to leave her abandoned in the middle of the tavern's parking lot. She wasn't sure that would have been such a bad thing, though.

'Hanna's right… Soon,' she thought to herself. 'Not too much longer, and I'll be free…'