A/N: I don't plan on including A in this story, because I feel as if A's a bit of a reverse deus ex machina. I'd rather the events unfold on their own rather than have A force them to happen.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pretty Little Liars.
Aria changed the channel of Ezra's television as they sat together on his sofa. "So what do you have planned for tonight?" she asked.
Ezra leaned back and rested his arms on the sofa's back. "I'm going out with some friends with work."
Aria hesitated. "Do you think I could come, too?"
Ezra tilted his head while a confused look spread across his face. "Why?"
She hesitated even more, taking note of his expression. "It's just that you know my friends, but I don't really know yours. I want to get to know them, even if it means that you only introduce me as your friend."
Ezra was shaking his head before she had even finished speaking. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Aria."
"Why not?"
Ezra gave her an exasperated look. "It just wouldn't."
"Well, can you try to explain to me why you feel that way?" Aria asked.
Ezra gave a small shrug. "You wouldn't understand."
Aria couldn't help but feel upset at how easily he was dismissing her.
"Why? Because I'm younger than you?" She could hear her voice rising.
Ezra sighed. "Maybe."
A hurt look crossed Aria's face. "Ezra, do you really think that?"
He looked at her without saying anything.
Aria could feel herself becoming angry. "My age doesn't prevent me from comprehending what you're saying. I understand perfectly well, and it hurts that you'd play the age card on me."
"Aria, my situation in this relationship is different from yours. I have so much at risk, and I acknowledge that you do as well, but you still haven't experienced the real world like I have. I have a job to worry about, colleagues, reputation, jail... Going out together publically isn't worth the risk."
"I haven't experienced the real world like you have? Are you serious? I think I've gone through more these past two years than you have in a life time."
Ezra reached for her hand, but Aria pulled away. He took a deep breath before saying, "Look, either way, I just don't think you'd get along with my friends anyways."
"Why not?"
"They're professionals, Aria. You're a very mature girl, but I'm not sure if you'd connect with them. It might just end up being awkward for the both of us."
"A mature girl? I'm a mature woman. I thought I just told you to not play the age card on me. You know what? Forget it. I'm leaving."
"No, Aria. Wait." Ezra grabbed her arm, bur Aria pulled away as she stood up from the sofa.
"No, I'm not waiting. I understand your feelings, but they're not connecting to how I feel. You need to see me as an equal for this relationship to work, yet it seems like you clearly don't."
Aria angrily walked to the door and closed it behind her before he had a chance to say anything else. She stood outside the door and stared at it, not quite believing the conversation that they'd just had. She couldn't help but wonder why Ezra was even dating her in the first place if he only saw her as a girl.
She could hear him rummaging around inside, and turning on some water. A sick feeling settled in her stomach as she realized a small part of her had hoped that he would have chased after her to apologize.
Aria bit back tears as she headed toward the exit of his apartment building and reached toward her shoulder to rummage through her purse for her keys. Instead of her hand making contact with her purse, all Aria felt was air.
"Oh no," she moaned as she realized that she'd left her purse in Ezra's apartment. How could she be so stupid?
She stood in front of his apartment building, unsure of what to do. She could just walk home. Only, it wasn't just walking home. It was walking all the way across town in the two inch heels that she'd decided to wear that day. Her cell phone was in her purse in Ezra's apartment, which prevented her from calling one of her friends to come pick her up, so her only other option would be to go back up and get her purse.
She thought again of Ezra's near apathy toward her and decided she'd rather walk home than have to face him again.
After groaning in frustration, Aria began to walk. Her anger toward Ezra built with each step that she took.
Aria must have been walking for over a half hour by the time she reached a local burger joint. Her high heel clad feet were incredibly sore and must have had more blisters than she could count, but she was still pretty far from her house which caused her to curse her decision to wear the stupid heels that morning. To add to her list of problems, she was incredibly hungry. Her stomach growled as she looked into the window of the restaurant. As a family exited through the front door, she could smell the faint hint of fries.
She was about to keep walking when she heard someone calling her name from behind her. "Aria!"
She turned around and saw Jason stepping onto the sidewalk and approaching her. She noticed that his car was parked across the street from where she was standing.
She forced a smile and tried to hide her discomfort that was instigated by her hunger and sore feet. "Hey, Jason. How are you?"
"I'm pretty good. How about yourself?"
"I'm fine," Aria replied as she continued to fake a smile.
He studied her face. "It doesn't look like you're fine."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're kind of grimacing. Are you alright?"
Aria was prepared to lie to him, but instead shook her head.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"It's a long story," she sighed.
Jason looked at her with a slight frown before looking at the restaurant that was in front of them. "Have you eaten yet?"
She shook her head in reply.
"Let me get something for you. Come on."
"No, that's alright. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"Aria, it's alright. Let me get you something," he repeated. "I was just about to pick up dinner for myself anyways. It wouldn't be any trouble to get you something, too."
He headed toward the door before she could answer, leaving her no choice but to follow him.
She stood next to him in line, her legs shaking due to the pain in her feet. She tried to keep her legs still, but Jason noticed almost immediately.
"Why don't you go sit down at a table?" he suggested. "Tell me what you want, and I'll order it for you."
Aria was too tired to ague, and she knew that she would feel better if she sat down. She nodded and gave him her order before finding a table nearby.
Her legs practically collapsed beneath her as she sat down in the chair. Who knew sitting could feel so great?
As she waited, she took the opportunity to observe Jason as he ordered their food. He wore a tight black v-neck that accentuated his muscular and broad shoulders and a pair of dark jeans that were tight enough to hint at a muscular behind but loose enough to still look attractive.
She could tell that he was unintentionally charming the girl behind the counter. The girl seemed to be flirting with him and giggled at something that he said, though it appeared as if Jason was merely returning her flirtations with polite smiles as he got them their food.
Aria couldn't help but smile at the girl's attempts to flirt with Jason. She had to admit to herself that Jason was good looking. Well, if she was going to be honest with herself, he was extremely good looking. There wasn't a single flaw in his appearance.
However, what really stood out to her was his personality. It had been so sweet of him the other day to apologize for causing her any discomfort. The memory of his apology made her smile a little, and she thought about how it must have taken major balls for him to bring that up. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to do the same if the situation had been reversed. She also appreciated that he hadn't asked her too many questions when he'd seen her outside the restaurant and that he was buying her food.
Jason turned around and smiled at her. Aria smiled back, but she could feel herself blushing that Jason had caught her staring at him.
He finished paying for their food and carried it in a bag toward her table. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to eat it here or not, so I got it as take out just in case."
Aria couldn't help but smile at how considerate he was. "Let's head out," she said.
"Do you need a ride?" Jason asked.
Aria nodded, and Jason gently motioned with his head for her to follow him.
Once they were in his car, Jason handed her the bag of food. "You look hungry. Why don't you start eating your food now?"
Aria didn't need to be told twice. She took the bag from him and immediately dug through it in search of her food.
"Thank you so much for this," she told him before she began to eat her fries.
"It was my pleasure. Where to?"
Aria paused and thought for a moment. She couldn't go home, because the key to her house was in her purse in Ezra's apartment. Her parents would be out late at a party for their book club that they were a part of, and Mike was spending the night at a friend's house.
She supposed she could stop by Hanna, Spencer, or Emily's house. She knew that she was always welcomed at each of their houses, but then she'd have to face an entourage of questions like why Jason had driven her and what had happened with Ezra. At the moment, she wasn't sure she could deal with any of their questions.
"I'm not sure," she finally replied.
Jason gave her a side glance as he started his car. "Do you want to come back to my place while you decide?"
Aria could already hear in her mind her friends shouting things at her that were along the lines of "stranger danger," but she was beginning to feel as if Jason wasn't as dangerous as they'd originally thought. He wasn't too much of a stranger any more to her either.
"If you don't mind, then sure," she said.
"I don't mind," he said as he turned around a corner in the direction of his house.
A/N: Is it just me, or does Aria's new love interest Jake almost feel like a replacement for Jason since the actor that plays Jason is currently working on another TV series? I mean, both of their names even start with the letter J. I wonder if Jake's storyline was actually meant for Jason. Haha or maybe that's just my wishful thinking. Thoughts?
Also, let me know what you thought about this chapter. Thanks.
