Part One Chapter 1
Each step creaks quietly as Aria sneaks downstairs in the middle of the night.
She hasn't arrived at the bottom yet, when she hears the faint murmur of voices from the kitchen. She stops to listen better and to figure out to whom they belong.
She is not in her own home. This night all five girls wanted to stay at Alison's place. Aria loves spending time with her friends, but she sleeps badly on shaky, poorly blown-up air mattresses.
Having wallowed from one side to the other for a very long time, she is now on her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Having listened carefully, she recognizes the voices of Alison's brother Jason and his friend Ian.
As slowly and quietly as possible she goes down the stairs.
It is dark in the kitchen. However, Aria can recognize the shape of a male body, sitting on the stool.
He has filed his obviously completely drunken head on the kitchen island. Since she recognizes Ian in outline, standing behind him, she assumes that this has to be Jason.
She doesn't know much of Jason. But she likes to talk to him when she meets him by chance.
She likes him. She doesn't see him only as Alison's brother like the other girls, who seem to be almost afraid of him because Alison tells them what a screw up he is at every opportunity.
Aria doesn't believe Alison her horror stories. They don't fit to the Jason, she knows.
Startled, she sees that Ian leaves Jason alone in the kitchen and disappears out of the back door into the garden. She quickly runs after him.
"Ian, you can't leave him like that." She calls after him from the threshold. Ian turns around.
"As you see, I can." He answers her while he is laughing carefree and then proceeds to the street.
Angrily Aria turns around and looks at Jason. He really has great friends, she thinks contemptuously.
"Jason?" Timidly she rattles him on his shoulder. "Are you awake?" She asks him.
Jason turns his head to see, to whom the voice belongs, which has woken him up.
"Hmm?" This was all he brings out. Aria is happy that he isn't unconscious at least.
She takes a glass from the cupboard, fills it with water and holds it out to him. "Here, drink this." She calls him on with a shy smile.
Jason turns his head again. "Aria?" He asks.
Now he has recognized, to whom the voice belongs. "Yes, it's me. Drink now." She confirms to him and asks him again to drink the water. He slowly gets up.
When he attaches the glass, he drinks it empty, thanks her and gives her a small smile, which causes Aria to blush.
"Are you able to walk?" Aria asks him. "I think so." Jason replies.
"I can support you." She proposes to him. Before Jason can protest, Aria puts his arm around her shoulder and her own arm around his back and controls him towards the stairs.
Fortunately Jason is able to take the position himself. Because of his muscular body, he is quite heavy and Aria is glad when they reach his room and she can settle him at his bedside.
She waits until he lies down before she goes two steps backwards hesitantly. "I'll go. Good night, Jason." She says, as she already turns to go out of his room.
But then she hears his voice "Aria?" He says softly.
"Yes?" She replies shyly after she turned to him again.
"Why did you help me?" He asks confused. Aria stares at him for some time in silence.
"I don't know. I was worried about you." She answers honestly.
"About me?" He asks incredulously. Jason eyes are dilated.
"No one is worried about me" He says, looking away from her. But just a little moment was enough for Aria to notice the injured expression in his eyes.
"I like you." She says sincerely.
"Honestly?" Jason asks astonished.
"Yes of course. Why not?" Aria asks. She doesn't understand why it is so incredible that she actually likes him.
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps because Ali told you stories about me or because I arrive drunk and stoned at home every weekend." He replies.
Aria can hear the abhorrence of his own behavior in his voice. For a moment, she doesn't know what to say.
She didn't expect him to be that honest with her and he also hasn't planned to open up to her that way.
"Jason, why are you doing this?" She asks him.
He knows what she means. He was asking this question countless times himself.
"Ian and Garrett do it. And I keep up with them. Apart from them, there is probably no one who would spend time with me." He tells her honestly.
"I would", Aria contradicts faster than she can even think about it.
"What?" He asks in surprise.
"I would love to spend time with you." Aria confirms, even shocked by this confession. But she really likes him.
"You're fifteen and a friend of my little sister", he says.
"So what?" Aria asks unimpressed. She is astonished at her confidence herself.
Actually, she would never suggest a 21-year old man to spend time with her. But now she said it and meant it that way.
"Are you serious?" He still asks incredulously.
"Yes, of course. From now on you always call me when Ian and Garrett want to drink with you or smoke pot or you simply would like to have some company." Aria suggests him quite naturally.
"I think about it." Jason answers quietly. Aria smiles at him again and then leaves the room.
Without noticing himself, a grin appears on his face after Aria has gone out of his room. He hasn't really expected that.
Although he hasn't ever thought of spending time with her, since that night Jason always called Aria when he was lonely and at some point he always called her because he was constantly missing her.
I hope you like it so far. Please tell me your thoughts! :)