Thoughts That Count

Episode 1 Part 2

Aria

I walked into English classroom the next morning with Emily by my side, and his number typed into my phone.

"So, I hear the new English teacher is really hot," Emily said as we walked to out seats. I smiled.

We sat down and got ourselves situated as we waited for the new teacher to come in. I looked up to see Hanna Marin, one of my best friends from before Iceland, walk in. I was astonished to see how much she'd changed. She must of lost at least fifteen pounds and she was wearing a designer tank, her hair styled like Allison's, "Is that Hanna?" I asked turning to Emily. I couldn't be sure. I was so surprised.

Emily smiled, "She's the 'It' girl now,:" she said, and then another girl came in behind Hanna and Emily's tone changed to one of subtle annoyance, "And where there's Hanna, there's Mona."

"That's Mona?" I asked even more shocked. The Mona I remembered was one with dorky sweater's, clunky glasses and pig tails, not this high glam prepster who stood across the room.

"Can you believe it?" Em asked.

I knew the look of shock was apparent on my face, "Wow! Talk about a make over." I looked up to see Hanna wave snarkily at us from across the room, it bugged me a little, "What's up with her? You two fighting?"

"We didn't just fall out of touch with You, Aria, we all fell out of touch with each other," Emily said with a resigned look. I looked back at her with a slightly sad look of confusion. What had happened to all of us? My other best friend Spencer walked through the door to the classroom the, "They're not so close anymore either," Emily said as Spencer tossed a smile in Hanna's direction.

"So they're friendly, but not friends," I mentioned with a nod. She nodded in return.

The bell rang and we reached down in our bags to pull out our notebooks. The teacher walked into the room and I could hear chalk going across the board. I busied myself with writing my name on a blank sheet of paper.

I heard him sigh and out of my peripheral vision saw him pick up a black coffee cup and scan the room, then he stopped and the smile on his face dropped, "Ho-ly crap." A voice said emotionlessly. I looked up at him then and really saw him for the first time. Standing at the front of the room now was Ezra Fitz. The boy she'd mat at the Hollis bar yesterday and spent what felt like hours making out with. My face froze and my eyes went wide. I could see every student in the class turn to look at me, and Spencer's expression was incredulous. I didn't say anything as I stared up at him. We spoke with our eyes.

I had a future with Mr. Fitz, I could feel it, but as he stared at me in shock, I was afraid he couldn't.

Then suddenly my phone rang, braking the tense atmosphere. I rushed to grab it and looked back up at Mr. Fitz, "Sorry," I said emotionlessly. I knew I was speaking to the phone call as well as to the situation between us...

Of course, then again, what was the situation? I was sitting across the room from a guy who I'd met in a bar, then proceeded to make out with. A guy I didn't really expect to see again for at least a few days. And even if I did, I sure as hell didn't expect him to be my English teacher.

As Ezra cleared his throat and began to speak to the class, I looked down at the text on my phone.

Maybe he fools around with students all the time. A lot of teachers do. Just ask your dad. –A

"Allison?" I was in shock…