I don't own PLL

Aria POV

"Aria!" I know that voice. Shit. Jake. Turning around I see Jake running up to me, waving. I knew I should have just made coffee today.

"Um, hi Jake." Awkward. "What are you doing here?" I was on my way to see the girls but know I have to talk to him. I guess I had to face him sooner or later. It's kind of been a week since I've talked to him. I guess I've been too scared to tell him I didn't want to see him anymore.

"Hey, I've been trying to get a hold of you. I haven't heard from you since that kid asked you to dinner. You never told me who they were."

"Just family friends. Malcolm's dad worked with mine at Hollis."

"Oh. Well anyway, do you want to see a movie tonight? It's been a while since we've just hung out."

"Um, I don't think that's the best idea."

"Okay, what about dinner?"

"Um, sure. We can go to the Grille tonight. We need to talk anyway."

"Okay. Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No. I'll just meet you at seven."

"Kay. See you then."

"Bye." Holy crap. What am I supposed to tell him. 'Oh hey, I lied to you. That kid that stopped me is the son of my former teacher/ ex-boyfriend/ teacher again that I'm still madly in love with and we're dating again so, yeah. Bye'. I guess I'll just wing it.

PLL

"You're going out with him again." Spencer all but screeched. She never did like Jake.

"Yeah are you crazy Aria! You just got Ezra back." Hanna chimed in.

"Always the romant—wait, hold up. How the hell do you guys know about that!?"

For the first time today I hear Emily laugh and speak up. "You're not that good of an actress Aria. Do you think we haven't noticed how much happier you've been this week? Or how you two look at each other in class? Aria, when you look at him or he looks at you, there's a glimmer in your eyes showing just how in love you guys are with each other."

I'm in awe of how amazing my friends are. I don't know how I didn't realize earlier that I can trust my friends with anything. If they can know about my secret for a week and I don't have any idea they know, I'm sure they won't slip up anywhere else. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys it's just-"

"Aria, calm down. It's okay. We understand you can't take a chance on getting caught." Spencer assured me.

"Yeah, we're happy you're happy but also cause now that you're back with Fitz, we don't have to pretend to like Jake anymore. Spencer and Emily agreed with me when I said something seemed off about him. Like he could snap at any second."

"Okay, now you sound crazy. You're biased, so that's why you don't like him."

"And he's like some martial arts expert. Aria, just be careful. You're so tiny, we just worry."

"I know Spence. I'll be fine. Plus I'm breaking things off tonight. That's why I'm meeting him. It's not some date, believe me. It's not we were even dating in the first place. I've known him like three weeks. He can't be that attached." The girls nod their heads, murmuring their agreements. Checking the clock I see it's already close to five thirty. I need to go tell Ezra I won't be over for dinner, since I have to see Jake. That should be an interesting conversation. "Alright guys, I've gotta go."

"Bye Aria. Just be careful tonight."

"You guys don't have to worry. I'll see you tomorrow.

With worried looks they say their goodbyes.

Ezra POV

Huh, that's weird. Aria's never late. I know she said she was just going to meet me at my apartment. It's already almost six; we're supposed to be leaving by six-thirty for dinner. The sound of keys jingling the lock takes me from my thoughts. I instantly know it's Aria since she's the only other person with a key to my apartment. Well, my mom did but I took that from her a while ago. When she opens the door, she doesn't walk in the living room, well, living square, like she always does, she stands by the door looking almost guilty.

"Aria, are you okay?" I ask.

"Um, Ezra, I have to break our date."

"Okay, why?"

"Don't get mad. This isn't a date I'm going on; I just have to see Jake."

Just the mention of that name makes me tense up and ready to punch a wall. "Why do you need to do that?" The memory of the way I saw him touching her makes me feel like my head is going to explode.

"Well, I never told him I don't want to see him anymore. Romantically, I mean. It's just, he came up to me earlier today, thinking we were still seeing each other and asked me out. Before you say anything, I declined the date but told him we needed to talk so we're meeting at the Grille soon."

"Um, okay then. I guess we can reschedule. Just please be careful with him."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? He's just a guy. I'll be fine. I just want to get this over with."

"I know, I just don't trust him. If anything happens, call me." Seeing she was getting ready to talk I interrupt her and say, "Just, please. Even if you just have a bad feeling, call me."

"Okay, I promise, I'll call you." Pulling her close I give her a quick, but love filled, kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

Aria POV

The next hour or so of my life is going to be terrible. And awkward. I decided not to drive since the Grille's not far from Ezra's apartment. I need the fresh air anyway. I just want to get in and get out as fast as possible. I hope this goes well. Now even Ezra's nervous about me meeting him. I don't know why but know I feel nerves starting to creep up on me. I see Jake's car in the parking lot and for some reason I feel sweat prickling on the back of my neck and palms.

When I walk in the restaurant I see Jake sitting at one of the booths. I guess it's got to be now or never. When I walk up to him he flashes me his gorgeous smile. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing compared to Ezra's boyish one that can make me weak at the knees but it's still pretty nice.

"Hey Aria. You look nice."

"Thanks, you do to."

"How have you been?"

"Look, Jake, I told you we need to talk and I can't put it off any longer."

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"Us, or the lack there of. I don't want to lead you on anymore. When I met you, I had just broken up with my boyfriend of over a year. I was still crazy for him, it's just there were complications, a lot of them actually, so we ended it. I guess what I'm trying to say is that when I started seeing you I was still in love with him and recently we've sort of reconciled. But I hope we can still be friends. I'm still going to need the lessons." I finish off attempting to lighten the mood. Jake just sat there for a few more moments in silence before finally speaking.

"Alright, uh, I guess I'll be okay. I always sort of knew that your mind was somewhere else when you were with me."

"So we're okay then?"

"Yeah", he said with a smile, "We're fine. Do you still want to eat?"

"Yeah, I'm starving." After another forty or so minutes of just talking and eating, it was time for me to head home. I don't know why everyone was so worried, he took it great. "Well, I'm going to go. I've got homework and stuff to do."

"Okay, do you want a ride? I don't see your car in the parking lot." He said looking out the window.

"I'm fine. I wasn't too far so I walked. My car's only a few blocks from here."

"Let me just drive you to your car. It's getting dark and it's a little chilly."

"Um, okay. Thanks. It's just at the apartment complex a few blocks over. I was visiting a family friend." It's not a total lie. I did tell him Ezra's a family friend. Getting in his car I give him directions and we ease back into small talk for a few minutes. Not paying attention when we were talking, I just realize we should have already been at my car by now. Looking out my window I notice for the first time that we don't even seen to be in town anymore. "Hey Jake, did you take a wrong turn somewhere? I don't recognize this road." When I look over to him, I notice something different. He doesn't look happy anymore, in fact he looks pissed.

"No, I didn't take a wrong turn. I know exactly where we're going."

"And where is that exactly?" Apparently everyone was right about Jake. I try to keep calm but inside I'm freaking out.

"Where you can't leave me. Ever again."

"What are you talking about? I was never leaving you."

Placing his hand on my thigh, he says, "Well now you never can. If I can't have you, that old boyfriend of yours can't either."

"Jake calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

"Jake please. Don't do something stupid." Out of nowhere I feel the back of his hand hitting my face so hard I start seeing spots.

"I'm not doing anything stupid. I'm just doing what I have to do to keep us together." I suddenly hear the doors lock. "You're not going anywhere." Trying to think of something, I realize my phone's in my back pocket. Normally it's in my purse but right now, I'm so happy it's not. I can't let him see me with it though. He'd probably break it and hit me again. Wait a second, Ezra's on speed dial. If I can just hit it through my pants, he'll hear everything and hopefully save me.

I attempt to hit it but before I can Jake stops the car and gets out. We're parked next to a small patch of trees. Oh my gosh, he's going to kill me. Suddenly my door swings open and Jake grabs my arm and pulls me from the car with such force I start to fall. He straightens me up and starts pulling me towards the trees. As much as I try to get free, he's just too strong. Then all of a sudden something he taught me pops into my mind. Nothing complicated but what I know will get him off of me. With as much force as I can get, I take the ball of my foot and slam it into his crotch. With a grunt of pain, he crumples to the floor and within seconds I take off into the trees. Pulling my phone out without losing momentum, I immediately call Ezra. He answers on the second ring sounding like he knows something is wrong.

"Aria! Aria are you okay?"

Panting from running I say, "No, Ezra you have to help me. Jake's trying to kill me!"

"What! Where are you?"

"I don't know. He was supposed to take me to your place to get my car but then he turned on some road and now I'm running in some kind of forest." Just then I hear footsteps behind me and instantly know it's him. "Ezra hurry, he's behind-" Before I can finish I'm tackled to the ground by Jake. He turns me over on my back and slaps me again, this time, my vision goes blurry. I scream once more praying somebody would hear me but deep down I know nobody can hear me. Jake picks up my phone that fell a few feet from me and throws it up against the nearest tree, turning it into a pile of plastic and glass. When Jake gets back to me he throws one last blow and the next thing I know, everything goes black.

Ezra POV

I'd been pacing back and forth for over an hour and a half waiting for Aria to text me and say she's home or come up here. Anything. Just then my phone rings and I have a feeling it's Aria. Seeing her face on the screen confirms my suspicions and I answer it on the second ring. "Aria! Aria are you okay?" I can hear here panting on the other end and I know something is wrong.

"No, Ezra you have to help me. Jake's trying to kill me!"

My mind almost couldn't comprehend what she was saying. "What! Where are you?" I have to find her. I can't let something happen to her.

"I don't know. He was supposed to take me to your place to get my car but then he turned on some road and now I'm running in some kind of forest. Ezra hurry he's behind-" Her voice cuts off and all I can hear what sounds like a body hitting the ground. I can feel the tears streaming down my face as I listen to love of my life being hurt. "Hellllp!" Is the last thing I hear before the line cuts off.

Dun dun dunnn. :) There it is. Please review and let me know if you liked it. I'll try to update soon.