Running from the Past to Find My Future

Synopsis: Aria is living with Ezra, but has been having an affair with Jason for three month that recently ended when Jason wanted her to choose, but she couldn't. When Ezra asks Aria to marry in the middle Spencer and Wren's engagement party Aria runs away from the situation.

Aria and Jason may seem OOC, but to lighten the mood a bit I wanted them to not be above making themselves look foolish.

Characters: Aria Montgomery, Ezra Fitz, Spencer Hastings-Kingston, Jason DiLaurentis, Alison DiLaurentis, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, Mike Montgomery, Mona Vanderwaal, Toby Cavenaugh, Caleb Rivers, Veronica Hastings, Peter Hastings, Charlotte Drake, Lucas Gottesman, Cathy Sommers (OC), Baz (OC), Daniel (OC)
Pairing: Jason/Aria Ezra/Aria, Wren/Spencer, Jason/Cathy, Mike/Mona Aria/Baz(OC), Aria/Daniel(OC)

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Pretty Little Liars TV or book series. this is for entertainment purposes only

🌹Chapter 1 -Surprise Proposal and Other Revelations🌹 (Revised some)

March 1, 2015 11:53 pm
Aria Montgomery was running away, she never thought of herself as a coward that would run away from problems that were in essence, her own creation, but her she was, in her car with everything she could grab, running away like a spoiled brat. Obviously, she did say she was running, she called it something different to her family and best friends; hell, even in the note she left Ezra she never admitted she was running away.

No, Aria Montgomery hadn't said, "I'm running away because I made a mess of my life." instead she told them that she needed to 'think' and to 'find herself'. But, as Aria drove passed the 'You Are Leaving Rosewood' which for some reason she was compelled to stop and take a picture of, she knew exactly what she was doing. Running away from her past and her present it was the only way she would find the future that she belonged in.

🌹 Earlier that Evening 🌹
Aria sat in stunned silence not knowing what to say or do. Everyone gathered in the room was waiting for her answer with expectant faces as Ezra knelt in front of her, a large diamond ring, still in the blue box, in his hand. She missed most of his heartfelt speech of undying love and devotion they had displayed over the years.

Her mind went blank and a buzzing sound filled her ears as soon as he went down on one knee and pulled the box from his jacket pocket. She barely heard him ask, "Aria Montgomery will you marry me?" A confident smile is on his face never suspecting any other reaction, but one of joy and enthusiasm.

Angrily she thought, tonight was supposed to be about Spencer and Wren, about their one year wedding anniversary and Ezra had decided now was a good time to make it about him and her, unbelievable! She was angry at him for putting her in this uncomfortable situation. Of course, she wasn't really angry at Ezra or what he had done, because honestly if he had done this a few months earlier she would have had the reaction he and everyone else expected, but now she was angry with him, but mostly she was angry with herself.

She turned to Spencer and Wren, his arms wrapped lovingly around her waist chin resting on a bare shoulder both of them smiling like they were in a toothpaste commercial just as excited as Ezra and she realized they didn't appear to be surprised at all. In fact, she noted as she looked at the faces of Alison, Hanna and Emily, none of them look surprised.

Now it all makes sense, this was supposed to be some dumb party game Hanna heard about where the bride and groom each take a turn is what is called the Hot Seat and answer questions about each other. After Wren's turn Spencer decided she wanted to add a twist and have each couple would take a turn and she decided Aria would be the first to sit in the hot seat that Hanna had went all out decorating.

Then of course there were the whispers between four of her best friends and Ezra that would suddenly stop when she walked, she of course had gotten paranoid, thinking they were suspicious of her and Jason. There had even been a shopping trip to Philly, she found out about by accident when Hanna let it slip, the girls had said they had tried to get ahold of her, but couldn't reach her, it coincided with a weekend when Ezra was visiting friends he never introduced her to.

At the time, she hadn't questioned them not being able to reach her, she had been hurt but then the hurt turned to relief that she didn't have to come up with an excuse and Aria had more time to be with Jason and not worry about Ezra and on that weekend she didn't even have to worry about the girls.

She looks at them now and thinking they all had the same stupid expression. As if Ezra announced something wonderful that she was supposed to be excited about, like she won a lottery or an all-expense paid trip to Prague, not just blindsided her in front of Jason and his idiot girlfriend.

Oh god, Jason! She desperately looks for him and when finds him, he has the same stupid look on his face as everyone else, his usual smirk on his face. She thinks he looks bored, like he doesn't give a damn anyway. Why wouldn't he look like that he made his feeling about her perfectly clear, she knew he didn't give a damn about what she did.

If Aria hadn't turned her gaze from him immediately she would have noticed that while he expected her to say yes as did everyone else, that smirk was fake. He cared much more than he should. Jason no longer felt like celebrating anything and not because he was bored.

The girls and Wren had known what was going to happen, but Jason didn't and if anyone that knew him well were to look close they would have seen the shock and heart ache hidden in the depth of his eyes. Everyone's attention was focused on the couple in the center of the room, except for one person in the corner who hadn't missed Aria's or Jason's reaction to Ezra's proposal.

Aria continues sitting there her mouth opening and closing like a fish, no words were coming out, she was having trouble catching her breath as though she has been doused with icy cold water. A few months ago this would have been everything she wanted and there would have been no hesitation, she would have been bowled over by the romantic gesture, as Ezra sat there on one knee proposing to her in front of gathered friends, but now she only felt confusion and fear as she looked at his expectant, smiling face. "Well Aria will you marry me?" He repeats again thinking her hesitation is caused from the surprise proposal, his question was more a statement confident of her acceptance.

Aria doesn't want to hurt Ezra, but she didn't think she could or even wanted to marry him. Once she with have said yes with little hesitation, but if she was honest with herself she had been questioning their relationship, before Jason ever came back to Rosewood and that was probably why she had ended up in his arms and in his bed with little, if any effort on his part.

One chance meeting and shared breakfast and she was in her car making out with him like a hormonal teenager instead of going to class. They had barely made it to the motel room without pulling off the road and fucking right there in the front seat of the car where anyone could have seen them.

To save embarrassment, Aria came up with a brilliant plan. She was going to say yes now and then they would talk about this later. There was no rush to set a date and she would have plenty of time and who knows maybe she would fall in love with Ezra all over again and he would never even know.

Beside it wasn't like Jason would be hurt, he had just amused himself with her anyway and it would save face in front of that bimbo he'd been flaunting around Rosewood the past couple weeks. With that thought Aria plaster on a huge smile.

"I forgot to buy tampons." her eyes widen horrified at the words that just came out of her mouth. What the fuck had she just said that was not what she meant to say, she stood quickly, her fingers twisting together nervously as she tries to gather her wits and say yes, she clears her throat and chuckles nervously, "I mean, you can never have enough, right?" she continued to babble idiotically. Shut up, shut up shut up her brain chants, but her mouth wasn't listening as she walked backward toward the door, she continued to ramble like a lunatic as those gathered just looked at her in stunned silence, she took a deep breath plastering a huge smile on her face "Yep tampons," she laughed awkwardly.

Everyone reminded her of wax figures, so lifelike, but motionless looking at her like she has grown another head. She thought, Aria please just shut up and get the fuck out of here, but she continues babbling, "better go get them before the stores close, you never know, does anyone else need anything? I probably need to pick up some milk too."

Mentally she was kicking herself, demanding she stop talking as she reached behind her back looking for the doorknob. Why can't she just shut up and where is the fucking door knob, finally she locates and turns it as she adds, "I'd hate to run out!" Then she turns and runs slamming the door behind her like the devil himself is after her leaving a stunned room behind her.

She flew down the steps and driveway to her car only to realize she had been blocked in by none other than Jason DiLaurentis. Aria picked up Hanna and Emily so they could arrive early and help Spencer and Wren, not long afterward Alison and Cece had arrived with Jason and his ridiculous girlfriend, they hadn't even been that much help they were so busy hanging onto each other. Aria banged the hood in frustration. It wasn't like she could go back and ask him to kindly let her out after that impressive exit she thinks and then groans in humiliation.

She dug out her phone and dialed Mike's number and walked further down the Hastings-Kingston long drive when she heard the door open. Just great, she thought, she couldn't deal with Ezra right now. Mike answers and Aria asks him to pick her up from Spencer's house. He hears a desperate quality in her voice and he agrees immediately, no questions asked just says he's leaving now and will be there in a few minutes and hangs up.

"Aria! Aria!" Thankfully it was Spencer, not Ezra who followed her, she turned and faced her best friend. Spencer is shocked by Aria's reaction to Ezra's proposal, it took a few moments, but Spencer was the first to come to her senses and realize that Aria had ran out. "Aria what happened back there, what's going on?" She had known Aria would be surprised by Ezra's proposal: after all that was the had intended result. When Ezra had asked Spencer and Wren about doing it at their anniversary party she had encouraged him thinking it would be so romantic. Spencer, Hanna, Ali and Emily had helped Ezra plan everything, they even met him in Philadelphia one weekend to help him pick out the ring. Aria had been surprised all right, and while she could do some unexpected things, the unexpected reaction was an understatement. The smaller brunette had started walking again as soon as Spencer reached her side. For a tiny thing, she sure could move quick. "Don't you what to marry Ezra Aria?"

"Yes. No. Spence I just don't think I do, but I don't know." Aria was crying and confused and not really making a lot of sense. She had made herself look like an idiot, knew Ezra was humiliated which made her feel guilty. Then there was the heartache she had felt all night as she tried not to watch how crazy Jason was about Cathy.

She had done her best not to even look at him, but every time she glanced in his direction he was cooing and pawing like a lovesick moron over the tall blonde and even though she thought it made him look like an idiot and made her nauseous, she had been jealous; he had never acted that way over her, even when they were alone. But, he was just amusing himself with her Aria thought bitterly. Aria knew she had no right to feel angry or bitter toward the other woman, but she did. She was a cheater so she had no right to feel hurt, but she was.

"But you love Ezra."

"I do, and I mean I do owe him after all he gave up so much to be with me. We have so much history together and with everything I put him though and the trouble I caused for him I should be grateful that he wants to marry me and I am grateful. I mean really, I am kind obligated right, he did almost die trying to help us after Shana shot him and then poisoned him at the hospital, I owe him for that. I love Ezra so much and he had been a part of my life for so long how can I not marry him. he is my soulmate, right?" Spencer nodded thinking that Aria had just been a little overwhelmed at the surprise engagement. " Yeah, I love him, but I don't think I love him enough to marry him, I don't think I love him enough to want to spend the rest of my life with him." She said her voice breaking a barely louder than a whisper when she finished "But, I know I don't love him enough not to cheat on him or fall in love with someone else."

Spencer was shocked. "You cheated on Ezra?" Aria nodded looking away in guilt, "And you're in love with this person?" Aria still looking away still said nothing only nodding.

"Who is it Aria?" Spencer asked

Aria sighed feeling suddenly tired "It doesn't matter, he doesn't feel the same way about me, I was just a joke to him, he said I wasn't woman enough and he was already seeing someone and she was everything he ever wanted and more. Oh, god Spencer I just feel so stupid, he made me feel like I could really be myself, like I wouldn't have to dress or act a certain way to impress his friends and family. I thought he accepted the real me even the weird me not the me I am now. He made me fall in love with him Spence, I'm still in love with him and he doesn't give a fuck about me. I don't want to talk about him anymore. Mike's on his way to pick me up, will you just stay with me until he gets here." Aria looked so defeated and Spencer's heart broke and she put an arm around the smaller girls shoulders, Aria leaned her head on Spencer's shoulder and Spencer rested her cheek against Aria's soft hair, " I didn't want to embarrass Ezra in front of everyone, I was going to say yes and then later call it off like it was mutual or I thought maybe I could fall in love with him again, that he would never have to know that I am in love with someone else."

"What are you going to do Aria?"

"I don't really know Spence, Ezra probably hates me now, and I don't think I can fix this. I think I would like to leave Rosewood, maybe travel and see if I can figure out who I am again." she said in a sad voice, Spencer hugged her friend tighter, she felt bad for Ezra, but her loyalty was to her hurting friend. Spencer silently comforted her tiny brunette friend until Mike pulled up.

After the car pulled away she turned walking back toward the house only to stop short when she saw her half-brother standing there silently and Spencer had a sinking feeling that he was involved with tonight's disaster. "What did you do?" Spencer asked him accusingly.

Jason looked at his sister with startled eye before he looked away from her. "What did she say I have done?

"She didn't say you did anything Jason, but I'm not an idiot you know. Was messing up her relationship with the man that loves her, the man she loved worth some fling with her." she sneered.

Jason looked at her with wounded eyes swallowing hard before answering, "Spencer it wasn't…" Spencer flung up, her hand cutting him off.

"I don't want to hear it Jason" she snapped at him, "I have guests that need attending to not to mention Ezra." She didn't want to be angry with her brother he was one of the most important people in her life and her favorite sibling. She was almost positive he had done something stupid, when it came to Aria he had always doing something stupid. Nodding stiffly, she put an arm through his to lead him back inside. "We'll talk later, but now we need to go inside, I need to tell Ezra that she left with Mike."

"But, Spence I don't..."

"No." Spencer butted in, "Cathy is still here or did you forget."

He had, Jason had forgotten all about his "girlfriend" the second Ezra got on a knee in front of Aria. he knew Spencer was right he had to deal with Cathy; he nodded stiffly and he let her guide him back inside.

Note: Hope you liked the first chapter, this had been sitting for a while unpublished, ILoveJariaAndJapril27 convinced me to publish it after she read this chapter otherwise I don't know if I would have since I didn't know if I liked it or not. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading,

GrimLi