A/N: To everyone that took the time to review this story thank you so much. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.
She is supposed to be watching the mandatory video right now, not searching for Caleb. After helping Hannah set up Kate to gain a confession, Aria is now on a search for her friend's boyfriend. She understands Hannah's worry. Witnessing Caleb go after Jenna the way he did, worried Aria too. He had no idea who he was dealing with. She should have figured this night would turn out like this. Looking for Caleb in the music room, she finds Noel and Jenna instead. They exchange unpleasantries before she leaves them to continue reading the Truths on the wall.
I hate my life. That was what Aria had written. She had someone watching her every move, using her secrets as blackmail. She had told too many lies to keep track of, to the point where she didn't even believe the truth when she told it. There was a mystery plaguing on her mind. The phone number turned out to be a dead end, belonging to a woman who claims to not know anyone named Vivian. Ezra had never showed up. She sat in the freezing cold waiting for him, but he never came. She believed their love could conquer anything, obviously he didn't. She thought him telling her parents meant that he was ready to fight for them. She was wrong. The consequences were to big for him. She wasn't worth it. And now she was under constant scrutiny from her parents. Then there was Holden. He wanted to know if they were still on for Saturday. Aria no longer needed his help since she wasn't seeing Ezra anymore. Yet she still went on these "dates" with Holden. She found that she enjoyed the time to herself. She could read a book and drink a coffee in peace. She didn't have to see the disappointment her parents faces held for her. She could take a small break from constantly strategizing with her friends on how to take down "A". She could just be Aria. But Holden's secret had her worried. She had a nagging feeling that she shouldn't cover for him anymore. That he was doing something dangerous. She told him she didn't need him to cover for her anymore, and that she wouldn't cover for him unless he told her why. To say he was upset was an understatement, so yeah at this current moment Aria hated her life.
Walking through the school an intense conversation in the courtyard catches her attention. What was Spencer talking to Jason about? Does Jason know something about Allie that they don't? Would he give them answers to who "A" might be? Was she telling him about "A"? No. Spencer wouldn't do that. They had all agreed to keep it a secret. Plus Aria was pretty sure that Jason was still on Spencer's suspect list. Possibly Aria's suspect list as well, she didn't know what to think of him. Why couldn't she just figure him out? He seemed to have no problem figuring her out. If she wouldn't have been so preoccupied with thoughts of Jason, she would have noticed Caleb. He was working on his laptop inside the classroom. One glance through the window and she would have seen him. Instead she turned away with plans to head to the roof, catching Jason's eye as she does.
"Caleb," she shouts from the doorway. Placing a few bricks down to keep the door from closing.
"Caleb are you up here?" She walks onto the roof.
As the freezing wind whips through her hair, and the tarps flap around, she calls for Caleb again. Continuing to look around the roof, fear begins to take over her body once she hears the door slam. She does not want to be stuck up here.
"Hello," she calls while looking around. Someone had to be up there. Someone had to remove the bricks. Was it "A"? She pulls on the door.
"Dammit," it's locked. Fearfully she bangs on the door "Can anybody hear me?"
Letting out a terrified sigh she begins to pound on the door harder, "Can somebody please open this door?"
"Hello," pulling on the door she's unaware that someone is lurking behind her, "crap."
She hears movement from the other side, "Who is that?"
"Is somebody up here?" She sees someone walk by, and her body goes numb.
"Oh my god," she whispers to herself. Looking for an escape she spots the ladder, in a panic she begins to climb it. Suddenly someone grabs her leg.
"Let go of me," she tries to kick her leg free, "Let go!"
"Where's you pal Caleb?" It's Noel. The fear inside Aria grows and her breathing becomes frantic.
"Get away from me," shouting at him she tries to pull her leg free.
Within an instant Jason grabs Noel and throws him on the ground. Aria hears Noel grunt in pain, but her eyes are wide on Jason in surprise.
"Aria come on down," he places his hands on her hips to help her down. She is certain if the adrenaline wasn't pumping through her body, his hands would cause familiar tingles only he could give her.
"What the hells wrong with you idiot? I wasn't attacking her," Noel shouts from the ground while holding his right arm.
"What did I tell you?" Releasing his hands from Aria, Jason begins to walk to walk towards him. He stops his advance when a gentle hand grabs his arm. Looking back at Aria his anger subsides.
"Come on, let's get out of here," She can see the internal struggle he seems to be having within himself. With one last look at Noel they head towards the stairs. "I wasn't attacking her." This wasn't the first time Aria and Jason had heard these words from him before. She wondered what his definition of attacking was.
**Flashback to Noel's Halloween party**
Aria wandered through the dancing bodies and headed up the stairs in search of the bathroom. . Not knowing which one was the bathroom, she timidly began to walk towards one of the five closed doors.
"Boo" someone grabbed her from behind. Startled Aria shrieked and squirmed out of fear.
"Easy Aria, its just me," Noel revealed himself as he let her go. Placing a hand on her heart she turned to face him.
"Noel," she breathed a smile, "you scared me."
She walked backwards shying away from him. He quickly advanced on her.
"It's Halloween Aria , that's all the fun." Her back hit the wall as he closed in on her.
"Great party," she tried to shake the uncomfortable feeling he always gave her. She had never liked him. All the girls thought he was cute and perfect, but not Aria.
"Thanks. You having a good time?" His hands made their way to her arms.
"Yeah sure," shrugging off his hands, "where is the bathroom?"
"Are you trying to escape me or something? " He placed his hands on her again, with more force this time.
"No it's the reason I came up here, I was looking for it," trying to shrug out of his hands again, having no luck. She was trying to be nice, if she pissed off Noel Allie would be furious.
"Are you sure you weren't looking for my bedroom?" His face was inches from her ear.
"Yep I'm sure!" Once again trying to push him away from her, " let go please."
"Come on Aria , I see how you girls look at me," He learned in to kiss her but she quickly turned her head.
"Noel, Please let go," his grip tightened as his lips pressed on her neck. She tried to squirm out of his hold but its was no use.
"Stop your hurting me," he ignored her by continuing to press her harshly into the wall.
"Stop," she pleaded one more time.
Suddenly she was free from his grasp. In a frazzled haze she looked up to see Noel on the ground and angry Jason standing over him. Jason looked towards Aria to see if she was alright. Noticing no physical harm had been done, he turned his attention back to Noel.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Noel asked as he got up off the floor. Jason protectively positioned his body between Noel and Aria.
"Me? What's wrong with you ?" The anger in his voice would have scared Aria if he hadn't just saved her, " you were attacking her."
"I wasn't attacking her," he looked at Jason as if he was crazy.
"Listen up, if you ever touch her again, or so much as look at her, I will end you. Understood?" Noel rolled his eyes and nodded before storming down the stairs. Jason kept his eyes on him the whole time.
Taking a shaky breath Aria leaned against the wall. Closing her eyes she tried to regulate her breathing.
"Aria," Jason's voice had lost the hard edge it held a moment ago. Aria's eyes snapped open to look at him.
"Do you know where the bathroom is?" Her words were rushed and exhausted.
Jason pointed to the third door. Glancing at the floor she rushed towards it. Placing her hand on the doorknob she heard his voice again.
"Aria," his eyes held a concern to them that she had never seen before.
"Please don't tell anyone about this," She fretted. If anyone found out she would be a social outcast. Allie certainty wouldn't be happy.
"Are you alright?" he began to walk towards her, with the need to comfort her. The feeling was foreign to Jason.
"Yeah," Aria's body had finally stopped shaking in fear as he stood a few feet from her, "please Jason, don't say anything," she pleaded with him.
"I won't, but if he tries anything again I want you to tell me." The tone of his voice told her how serious he was.
"Sure." A little confused as to why he even cared.
He nodded in response and headed towards the staircase.
"Jason," he turned to her once again , "thanks." She doesn't even want to think about what would of happened if he hadn't of stepped in.
"Any time," he smiled at her before turning to head back downstairs. He didn't want to return to the party, he wanted to stay and comfort her. Why did he feel like he had to take care of her? He just assumed it was because she's been friends with his sister for as long as he can remember. He tells himself he would do the same for any of Allie's friends. Whether or not it's true, he's unsure. All he knew was, if it had been Allie in that situation, he would have reacted the same way. As much as they fight he was protective of his little sister. Does this mean he thinks of Aria as a little sister? With how beautiful he thinks she is probably not. Instead of worrying about it to much, he goes in search of Ian. Tonight he wanted to get messed up and push all thoughts of petite brunettes out of his mind.
As she ran down the stairs and into the hallway she can hear Jason following her. "Aria," he calls once she made it to the hallway. She keeps moving, she can't stop.
"Hey," he grabs her arm to make her stop and turns her body towards him, "You okay?"
"Yeah," she's lying and he knows it.
"Your shaking," he states while rubbing his hand up and down her arm.
"Yeah," her head nods in agreement. Jason knows this is her way of telling him she's not fine. The opposite really, she scared. He wraps his arms around her and begins to rub her back. The shaking in her body begins to calm down as she buries her face in his chest. His scent hitting her nostrils on instant. That scent is a unique one she has never smelled anywhere else, it was pure Jason, and she had missed it.
"I hate that kid," he growls more to himself than to her.
She nods in agreement, and lifts her head to look at his face.
"Thank you," a sense of déjà vu hits Jason, as her big eyes gratefully beam up at him.
"Any time," as his hands stop their movement, he smiles down at her.
She was so close to him. One tilt of the head and their lips would be touching. Her stomach twitched at the memory of the last time she had his lips on hers. Suddenly realization hit her like a ton of bricks. I can't be your friend. She got it now. I'm not available. Jason thought she was still with Ezra. He didn't want to be her friend because he wanted more. Deep down she thinks she does too.
He drops his arms from her and steps back, uncomfortably. Refusing to look at her, his eyes shift around. There is so much tension Aria feels like she's drowning in it. She can feel him pulling away, looking for an exit from this awkwardness they find themselves in. She wants him to stay, there are so many things she wants to say, needs him to hear. However words have seemed to have escaped her once again. Hesitantly she steps toward him. There is a pleading look in his eyes, begging her to stop torturing him.
"Jason," Aria was interrupted by Noel walking through the hallway. Holding his arm he shoots angry glances at them as he passed. Jason remained silent, but his eyes expressed more than his voice needed to. He wanted to kill Noel.
"You should go," he told her, "all students have a curfew, they will be doing bed checks soon."
He leaves her standing alone in the hallway. She finds herself torn between her heart wanting to go after him, and her head telling her it's a bad idea. Sure she is now available. But is ready to be? She still loved Ezra, a part of her always would. But his unwillingness to fight for her had left wounds that needed to heal. She wasn't ready to put her heart out there again. Not to mention there was so much mystery that surrounded Jason. She still needed answers. But as truth up day came to an end she just found herself having more questions.
**Thanks for reading, let me know what you think.
