"Mom and Dad can't even look at me," Aria laments as she peeks out Mike's window. "How am I supposed to show them how I feel if they won't even look me in the eyes."

"They'll come around, Aria. They listen to you, you know. All the stuff you say about it being real. They listen," Mike replies.

"Yeah, enough to believe that I believe it's true. Dad thinks Ezra has manipulated me into caring for him, like he's one of those creeps you hear about on CNN," Aria plops down on Mike's bed. It's been two days, and things haven't gotten any easier. She can't see Ezra, she can't get ahold of him. She feels utterly alone in all this. Except for Mike. "Hey, why are you so cool about all of this?"

Mike smiled, walking over next to where Aria sat on the bed, "Don't kill me, but… I've suspected for awhile."

Aria's head snapped up, "What? No you haven't!" Aria punched him on the arm.

"Hey, hey, I said don't kill me!" He threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender, "I, well, I'd heard the rumors from Noel, and it was right around the time you had dumped him. And you got, like, all defensive when I brought it up. And then Noel got kicked out of school, and… it seemed like something Allison would have done," Aria bowed her head. It seemed like that because it was. That was the point A had made by doing it. "After that I kinda felt like the rumor had to be true, and it had to be one of your friends. And then Mr. Fitz left and you started going to Hollis. I kinda put the pieces together. I even followed you there one day, and saw him walking you to class, holding your hand. I was sort of in denial for awhile," Mike fell silent, joining Aria on the side of his bed. "It was part of why I was so mad at you, when I was… you know, messed up. It didn't make sense but I hated you for having a relationship with him. Like… you were some sort of teachers pet. Just another reminder that you better than all of us, everyone's favorite."

"Its not like that Mike," Aria interjected.

"No, I know, I know. I mean, I know that now. I was pretty messed up then."

"But you better now. That's what matters," Aria rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

"Yeah… yeah." There was a moment of silence between them and they could hear Ella and Byron once again debating Aria and Ezra's 'situation'. Mike continued with his story just to block them out so Aria wouldn't have to listen, "And then the other day, after coffee, when we ran into him. There was a look on both your faces, and I guess I just knew. And I went to throw away your coffee and you got all close and you were whispering. When I came back it looked like he was about to cry," Mike cracked a half smile, even though it wasn't funny. He couldn't pinpoint what made him happy about that moment. It wasn't in the cruel way he had felt before the doctors and the meds. There was something genuine about it. "I only punched him so he would leave, so he wouldn't dig himself into a bigger hole. I knew that if something went really wrong, it would hurt you the worst."

Aria smiled, "I think all this psychiatrist stuff is rubbing off on you."

Mike laughed, "I'm just saying, I've had time to warm up to the idea. And Mom and Dad will too."

Aria gave a halfhearted smile and ruffled Mike's hair lightly, "I hope so, Mike."

"And in the meantime, my window is open to you anytime," He smiled.

"I might just have to take you up on that offer. If I can even get ahold of Ezra. I'm afraid to use my own phone."

"Hey I'd offer you mine, but Dad's combing through my phone bills too."

"Why is Dad looking at your phone bills?" Aria asked.

"To make sure I have a phone bill. He's afraid I'll go back into zombie land," Mike joked.

"Hey, cute werewolf, remember?" Aria ruffled his hair again and they both laughed as he pushed her away.

Mike caught his dad the next morning just as he was about to go out the door, "Hey Dad, are you going into the office?"

"Uh, yeah. I have a faculty meeting and some papers to grade. Why bud?" Byron replied, pausing in the doorway.

"Can I tag along? I want to talk to the lacrosse coach at Hollis about my scholarship options. I figure I'm gonna have to get back on my game after these last few months if I want to keep playing."

Byron smiled at his son's effort, glad to see some of that light in his eyes again, to have him interested in the things he used to care about, "Sure, come on."

They both got out of the car when they arrived at Hollis, but Mike stopped his father after a moment, leaning over the hood of the car, "Hey dad?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you have a faculty meeting today? Mike asked, his brows furrowed in worry.

"Yes," Byron told him, confused.

"Just… don't kill Mr. Fitz, okay?"

Neither of them said anything else. Byron pointed mike in the direction of the athletic building. Mike found a stroke of luck when he passed a message board in the middle of a commons area with a bright yellow notice on it.

Remember!

Faculty Meeting

All English Professors

Saturday, January 7, 2011 1 PM

Mike checked his watch. 12:30. His dad would go to the meeting anytime.

Mike ducked into the athletic building and found the lacrosse coach. When he came out it was 1:50. He was cutting it close, but the English department was nearby. He slipped into the building to find the halls still abandoned, but he still took extra precaution not to pass his father's office, and slipped into the door labeled FITZ.

MIKE POV

I felt awkward standing in his office. I'd never really talked to Mr. Fitz, except for when my grades had started to slip, and then I'd just stormed out. I hadn't even really planned out what I would say. Mr. Fitz was going to be angry. Likely, I was the last person he would want to see, but I had to do something for Aria. Last time I'd seen her like this was right before she started dating Noel, which I guess I knew now probably had something to do with Fitz.

I looked around his office. On his desk sat a book I'd seen in Aria's room for awhile. I walked over and picked it up. Ivy Dunbar. I guess she'd gotten it back to him.

"Mike?" My head snapped up to see Mr. Fitz standing in the doorway. When our eyes met he closed the door. "One more Montgomery shows up in my office and I'll have full set." Mr. Fitz came over to his desk and pulled out a bottle of scotch and a glass from beneath it, "What do you want Mike?"

I looked at him with worry, "Did something happen with my Dad? During the faculty meeting."

He scoffed as he took a swallow from the glass of scotch, "Besides him giving me a death glare the entire time? No, nothing eventful."

Silence fell in the room and I tried to find my words and Mr. Fitz polished off his glass.

"Look, I'm sorry I hit you. I figured Aria might actually forgive me for it. If my dad had hit you… I wanted to get you out of there before you dug yourself into an even bigger hole."

He scoffed again as he poured himself another glass, "I've dug myself in pretty deep on my own."

I raised my eyebrows in agreement. "Can I have a glass?" I nodded to the one in his hand.

He laughed humorlessly, "I think your sister might kill me if I did."

I cracked a smile, "Your probably right," I bit my lip, falling sober again, "She's why I'm here. I haven't seen her this upset since Homecoming," He took a sip and raised his eyebrows in a 'tell me about it' gesture, "That was because of you, too, wasn't it?"

"Did you just come here to accuse me of something? Because I have had enough of that from your family for one week. So if you're here to make me feel worse about dating your sister, just leave." Mr. Fitz snapped.

"No. I'm sorry, Mr. Fitz. I came here to talk about Aria. She's in pieces," I winced myself at how she had looked this morning. I'd rarely ever seen her stay in bed past 10.

Mr. Fitz sighed, "I know. I got her message."

"So why haven't you called her back?" I yelled. I had to control myself. I wasn't here to get angry.

"I don't want her to get in more trouble."

"I know, I'm sorry. Meds don't always work perfectly," I sighed. "What I'm here to say is… she needs to see you. I can get her out of the house if you give me a message to pass on to her."

Ezra stayed silent for a moment before shaking his head and polishing off his second glass, "Teller her parents was supposed to be about not having to hide, not about having to sneak around more than ever," I didn't know what to tell him. I could see him now, see Aria this morning. I wished my parents could see this. Mr. Fitz pulled a sheet of paper off a message pad and wrote something down on it before folding it in half and scribbling Aria on the front, "You'll make sure she gets it?"

"I promise," I told him, taking the sheet of paper from him, "And I'm sorry again for the- uh…" I touched my lip and he touched his in the same place.

"Oh, yeah. It's alright," he gave me a weak smile and I smiled back.

"I'm on your side. Mr. Fitz."