As The Foolish Fall
Some people say coming home is a bittersweet event; you look around and see that nothing has changed. Everything is as you left it, the people are the same even the smell is the same, everything looks and feels the same.
Through it all you discover the only thing that's changed is you, you've grown and changed into a person you never thought you'd be.
Aria Montgomery is one of these people; it has been a while since she's been home. More than a while, it's been four whole years.
Four years
She sighed at the number, the last time she went home was for thanksgiving and after the events that transpired during the visit she vowed never to return.
But yet here she was driving through Pennsylvania to return to the place that had caused her so much pain, it was partly her fault.
When she had left for college, she cut all ties with everyone she knew except for her family and friends.
The only time she would talk to her family was during holidays when she returned for a couple of days and her friends visited her every now and then.
Now she was coming home for good, she had gotten a job at Rosewood High, a job she so eagerly needed for both herself and Daisy.
It was her chance to come clean and make impends with everyone she hurt, unintentionally of course.
All she wanted was to forget and the only way she knew how was to block all memories of the past by not talking to those who she loved most.
A sign caught her eye, interrupting her thoughts. There was no going back now and despite all her anxiety, a part of her deep down was excited and content, she was finally home.
Welcome to Rosewood
Spencer reached up to grab the wine glasses on the shelf; she placed them on the counter and grabbed a bottle of the finest wine she owned.
She poured the wine into the glass and leaned against the counter as she drank it, slowly letting out a sigh of relief when she finished.
"Rough day at work" Her boyfriend asked as he walked into the kitchen of the Hastings Manor, she nodded and leant in for a kiss.
"Who knew being a lawyer would be such hard work?" She said, jokingly "How about you Doctor Kingston, how was your day?" Spencer put the glass down and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"The usual, saved some lives here and there. No biggie" Wren said after they kissed, they held each other for a while.
"You're such a dork, you know that right" she said, rolling her eyes.
"So what's the real reason you pulled out the wine that cost me nearly a whole week's worth of wage" Wren asked, curiously "I know it's not because of a rough day, if it were you would be ranting right now"
Spencer didn't say anything; she looked at him as he spoke.
"Is it Aria?"
She sighed, nodding slightly "Yeah, she's coming back. Finally, I honestly can't remember the last time I saw her here in Rosewood; it must have been after graduation or something. After that all the visits home stopped, I think something big must have happened" The twenty five year old confessed.
"Something she to this day hasn't told us about" She added, hesitantly
"What do you think happened?" He asked, rubbing her arms in an attempt to comfort her
"I don't know" Spencer said, sighing loudly. "For the past four years, the only time we ever talked was when I was in New York, or when she called me which wasn't often enough"
"Why don't you ask her?"
"I've tried but she's Aria, she's stronger than she looks, she won't tell you anything she doesn't want to and if you push her too. She'll block you out"
Wren nodded listening to her every word; she smiled as she leaned in hugging him. Spencer pulled away, raising her eyebrows slightly.
"Isn't it guys night today?" Spencer quickly changed the topic not wanting to vent especially not today, she looked at him curiously as she spoke.
He groaned "You make it sound so lame"
"That's because it is" She said, giggling.
Wren rolled his eyes "I should go, I'll see you in a bit." He pecked her lips and grabbed his jacket "Love you!"
"Love you too" She said, smiling.
Hanna held Emily close to her as they walked down the roads of Rosewood; she shivered slightly as the cold air hit her legs.
"God I hate winter!"
"It's not exactly winter yet, Hanna. It's November" Emily said, rolling her eyes at her best friend's moaning.
"Then why is it so cold?" The blonde said, pouting.
"It isn't that cold, if you wore something longer perhaps you wouldn't feel as cold" She said as she looked down at Hanna's skirt which barely reached her thigh.
"Do you know what time Aria will be here?" Hanna asked, changing the subject from her inappropriate attire for the weather.
"I called her half an hour ago and she said she was about an hour away"
They remained in silence for a bit as they walked closer and closer towards Spencer's house, Emily eyed Hanna curiously. She had been suspiously quiet for the last couple of minutes which for Hanna was worrying.
"What's up" Emily asked, bluntly.
"Nothing's up, why would you think that?"
"Because for the past five minutes, you've done nothing but sigh, what's bothering you?"
Hanna looked at Emily, for a minute she was thinking about playing coy and deny anything but then she decided otherwise.
"Do you think she's going to stay for good?" She asked, hesitantly.
No names were mentioned but Emily knew exactly who and why Hanna was talking about.
"I don't know, none of do. I don't even think Aria knows, we have to give her a chance plus she's got Daisy now. She's not an eighteen year old anymore; she won't just pack up and leave promptly.
And that was all Hanna needed, she nodded. The look on her face said she hoped what Emily said was true.
During all of this, they realised they had stopped walking throughout the discussion and as they began to pick up their pace once more.
Hanna let out another sigh as she felt the cool wind "Who's bright idea was it to walk anyways?" She asked.
"Yours" Emily said, rolling her eyes at her best friend's antics.
"You know I still don't understand why we're doing this"
Ezra's voice echoed through his two bedroom apartment as he grabbed the beers for his friends, one of whom apparently had been running late.
"Because" Hardy began the speech he had so often repeated "I feel as though our friendship isn't as strong as it can be and I feel poker night will help us in reaching that point"
The teacher rolled his eyes as he listened to his friend's dramatics "Or you want free booze and a chance to get away from Cecily"
"You don't understand, Ezra" Hardy began "She drives me nuts, the woman is horrid worse than Jackie, if that's even possible"
Ezra gritted his teeth at the sound of his ex-fiancé; of course Hardy had to mention all his previous failed relationships.
"Why don't you leave her?" He asked, still confused to why his friend was stuck in a relationship he didn't want to be in.
"The sex" Hardy said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, he took the beer from Ezra.
"Of course"
A knocking on the door interrupted their discussion; Ezra got up and opened the door to Wren who walked in as fast as he could.
"It's freezing out there, why is it so cold? It's only November"
"Ah if it isn't our British friend who has no regards for punctuality whatsoever" Hardy said as he drank his beer.
Ezra and Wren both rolled their eyes at Hardy's dramatics.
"I apologize for being late, Spencer held me up" He said and immediately regretted it when he saw the smirk on Hardy's face "Get your mind out of the gutter, we were just talking."
"Sure you were"
"Do you remember Aria Montgomery?" He asked Ezra "She was in your class, wasn't she? Along with Spencer"
His eyes widened slightly as he heard the name of the person whom he hadn't seen in about four years, the person who he'd be lying about if he said he didn't think about.
Hardy briefly caught Ezra's eyes, he was the only person who knew about Ezra and Aria's relationship well unless Aria had lied to him, which to be honest wouldn't have been the first time.
Ezra cleared his throat "yes, I think so, why do you ask?" he attempted to appear nonchalant about the matter.
"Well she's coming back to Rosewood, and Spencer's somewhat nervous about it anyways let's begin playing, I can't wait to win once again" Wren said beginning a debate between him and Hardy about who had won the last time.
Whilst his friends debated, Ezra sat in shock. She was coming back; he didn't know how to feel about it.
A part of him was happy, he wanted to see her again but the other part of him was dreading to see her again.
But no matter how he felt, the truth of the matter was she was coming back to Rosewood.
Aria Montgomery was coming back home.
