Written in the Stars
Chapter 4: Surprise
The rest of the week and Saturday passed without much excitement, although Aria spent a lot of time worrying about Noel's intentions with Scarlett. Her friends made an effort to keep her distracted as best as they could, but it was really no use. As a mother, Aria constantly worried about Scarlett; having Noel back in the picture just intensified her worries.
She decided to do just as Emily had suggested and not ignore his threats but also not add fuel to the fire. She would do her job as a mother to keep Scarlett safe, and that was it. She wouldn't give Noel any extra reason to harass them.
The summer had really flown by for all of the girls, especially for Aria who hated the idea of being in class and not being able to spend her days doing things with Scarlett. She enrolled Scarlett into the Sunshine Daycare Center on Friday, and Scarlett's first day will be tomorrow, which will also be the girls' first day of senior year. As crazy as it seemed that she was already a senior, Aria was also more than ready to be finished with high school so she and Scarlett could finally get started on the rest of their lives. She looked forward to being on her own with Scarlett and taking care of her without any assistance. She was thankful for all of the help she was receiving from everybody, but she wanted to be an example of independence for her daughter.
Aria, who was dressed for the day in dark blue jean shorts, a neon yellow and white striped tank top, and silver glittery converse, her hair down in loose waves, swung Scarlett into her arms and kissed her cheek as she balanced her on her hip and began the walk back downstairs. She'd just finished placing a cornflower color blue headband with a big white, light blue, and lavender silky bow on it into Scarlett's hair, and it looked adorable with Scarlett's white Frozen 'Do you wanna build a snowman?' shirt, floral skirt to match the bow, and black leggings with white Mary Jane shoes. Aria loved dressing Scarlett up in fun patterns, even if she didn't have the time or effort to do the same for herself anymore.
"Are you ready for our day out with Auntie Ali today?" Aria asked Scarlett with a smile as she stepped down the last few stairs and headed into the kitchen. She grinned at Ashley, who was dressed for the day and leaning against the counter with her cup of coffee, and Hanna, who looked like her cup of coffee was the only thing keeping her awake.
Scarlett nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yes, Momma. What we doing?" Scarlett asked.
"We'll do a little shopping and then go get some lunch," Aria replied patiently as she got down a coffee cup and poured some coffee for herself with her one free hand. After having Scarlett, she'd quickly learned how to do pretty much everything with only one hand.
"I get new book?" Scarlett asked excitedly, making Aria giggle. "We'll see," was all Aria said, but she knew she'd end up buying Scarlett a few new books. She was happy Scarlett found so much joy in books, and she would do everything she could for as long as she could to fuel that joy.
"Scarlett, come here and let me see your pretty outfit!" Ashley said with a smile from her place at the counter. Aria quickly set Scarlett down so she could show off her outfit. Scarlett toddled over to Ashley and spun around as best as she could, making Aria giggle.
"Look at how beautiful you are! Your momma did a good job, huh?" Ashley asked as she squatted down to Scarlett's level. Scarlett nodded her head in agreement, and Ashley kissed the little girl's cheek. After spending so much time with both Aria and Scarlett, Ashley wasn't sure how she'd gone years without them in her life. The mother-daughter-duo filled a hole in Ashley that she hadn't known was empty.
Smiling contentedly at Scarlett and Ashley, Aria took a seat across from Hanna at the table. She furrowed her eyebrows in concern when she took in the blonde's tired eyes.
"Why do you look like you didn't sleep at all last night?" Aria asked, taking her eyes off of Hanna for a second to watch Ashley carry Scarlett into the living room with her. Aria looked back at Hanna when she heard her yawn.
"Because I only slept for like an hour. Caleb was here all night, and we got kind of… busy," Hanna finished awkwardly, her cheeks flushing a bit and a guilty smile lighting up her tired face at the memories from the night before. Aria's eyebrows shot up and she quickly swatted her friend in the arm.
"Ow! What was that for?" Hanna asked, rubbing the place on her arm Aria hit. Aria rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at her friend.
"You do realize you live with a two year old now, right? What if she had walked in?" Aria asked, not even wanting to imagine explaining anything to her toddler. Hanna smiled wickedly.
"We would have told her that Auntie Hanna and Uncle Caleb were just wrestling… with our clothes off," Hanna replied with a grin.
"Hanna!" Aria exclaimed in disbelief. Hanna grinned at Aria.
"Relax, okay? We made sure the door was locked. You have nothing to worry about," Hanna said, settling Aria for the moment.
"So, was it worth getting no sleep for?" Aria asked after a minute, her curious side getting the best of her. Hanna grinned again, but focused her eyes down at her almost empty cup of coffee.
"Mmhmm," Hanna replied. After a second, both girls burst out laughing. Neither was really sure why, but doing so made both of them feel like the two years that had passed between them never happened.
A few hours later, Aria and Alison were walking side-by-side down an aisle in a clothing shop in the mall, while Aria pushed Scarlett in her stroller. Scarlett was tired of walking by the time they'd reached the second shop, and Aria was thankful she remembered to bring the stroller.
Alison had picked Aria and Scarlett up at about 11:00, and they headed straight to the mall. Both had bought many new things, though many of Aria's purchases were for Scarlett and not for herself, much to Alison's disappointment. Alison wasn't completely innocent, though, as she'd bought a few things for Scarlett too.
"So, tell me about you and Em. How did that happen?" Aria asked as she browsed through a stack of toddler leggings in Scarlett's size. She glanced over and saw a smile on Alison's face.
"Well, we started talking more and getting closer after you left. I guess I always had feelings for her, but I spent so much time trying to force those feelings away instead of embracing them. I was scared of what everyone would think of me if I came out as gay," Alison replied, absentmindedly looking through a rack of t-shirts. Aria looked at her friend and felt her heart clench. One of the few things she'd regretted about leaving was not being able to be there for her friends when she knew they needed her. She didn't know if she would ever forgive herself for that.
"How did your parents react to it?" Aria asked as she finally found the leggings in Scarlett's size and started looking through the rack of t-shirts Alison was looking through. Alison grimaced a bit.
"My dad was more accepting of it than my mom, but neither was very thrilled. It was tough for a while, but they slowly came around once they saw how happy I was. They're still coming around," Alison replied. Aria swallowed a gulp of air guiltily and turned to Alison. She gently placed her hand on Alison's arm.
"Ali, I'm so sorry. I wish I could have been there to help you. You know I accept you and support you in everything you do, right?" Aria asked, and Alison smiled softly at her friend.
"Of course I know, Aria. And, you really have to quit apologizing. We all understand why you left and that you really had no choice, and we're all proud that you did what it took to protect your daughter. You're an amazing mother, Aria," Alison replied with a reassuring smile. Aria nodded at Alison's words and went back to looking through the shirts.
"So, what's been going on with you and Ezra? Anything new?" Alison asked, smiling more when she saw a smile break through on Aria's face.
"No, nothing new. He's been busy getting ready for this new job he'll be starting soon. He's really great though, Ali. I feel like I've known him my whole life. Is that crazy?" Aria asked as a soft smile graced her face and pink rose to her cheeks. Alison looked over at her friend and smiled at the twinkle that was suddenly in her eye.
"No, it's not crazy. It's good; it's rare. Hold on to it for as long as you can," Alison replied. She was half-speaking to herself. She felt the same way about Emily, and she intended to hold onto her as long as God would allow for her to.
"Momma, I'm hungwy," Scarlett's little voice floated up from the stroller. Aria looked down at Scarlett and couldn't help but smile.
"I guess it's time for lunch then, huh?" Aria asked, to which Scarlett nodded her head enthusiastically. "Okay, why don't you and Auntie Ali head over to the food court while I pay for this, and then I will meet you there," Aria suggested as she gathered the clothes she intended to buy, all of which were for Scarlett.
"Sure. Come on, baby girl," Alison said as she fixed her purse on her shoulder, then began pushing Scarlett's stroller out of the shop. Aria smiled after the two girls for a moment, her only thoughts being how lucky she was to have her friends, to have her little girl, and to finally be home.
A few hours later, Aria was sitting next to Spencer on the park bench watching Scarlett chase a butterfly, one of her favorite past-times. After lunch, Alison had to go to work, so Aria called Spencer to meet her and Scarlett at the park, as the little girl was dying to get outside.
"Can you believe we're starting senior year tomorrow? Together, just like we'd always imagined?" Aria asked Spencer with a contented smile. Spencer took her gaze off of her little niece and smiled back at Aria.
"Honestly, it doesn't seem real. It hasn't seemed real since you got back and brought little miss perfect with you. I'm so glad you're back, Aria, and I can't wait to experience senior year with you," Spencer replied, her eyes soft and her smile 100% happy. Aria grinned and reached over and squeezed Spencer's hand in her own.
"I'm glad we're back too. Nashville was beautiful, but it wasn't the right place for Scarlett to grow up in. She needed more than just me and Rose, and so did I. She seems happier here than she was there," Aria replied, her gaze turning to her beautiful little girl who was now laid on her stomach watching the butterfly that had landed on the grass before her closely. "She amazes me every single day, Spence. How can someone so little be so perfect?" Aria asked her best friend, her eyes full of love as she watched her daughter.
Spencer turned to look at Scarlett too. "I don't know, Aria, but you're right. She is truly perfect," Spencer replied.
The two sat in content silence for a while, just enjoying each other's presence, something they hadn't been able to do for the past couple of years. Scarlett had given up on chasing the butterfly and resorted to lying in the grass watching a trail of ladybugs crawl past. The fact that the little girl was ignoring the jungle gym and sandbox behind her to focus on the ladybugs made Aria smile and only furthered her love for Scarlett. The silence surrounding the girls was cut off when Aria's phone began ringing. She quickly pulled it out of her purse and answered it.
"Hello?" she answered curiously.
"Aria, dear? This is Ruth, the owner of Books and Crannies. How are you?" the older woman replied. An excited flutter stirred in Aria's stomach at the sound of Ruth's voice. She had been waiting for this call since she'd filled out her application a few days ago.
"Hi! I am doing well. How about you?" Aria replied with a smile. Spencer shot her an inquisitive look, and Aria held up one finger to let her know she would tell her about the call in a minute.
"I'm doing well dear. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I am calling to offer you the job here. Are you still interested?" Ruth asked, and Aria had to hold back her squeal. A job meant she was one step closer to independence and one step closer to being the mother she wanted to be for Scarlett.
"Yes ma'am, that sounds great! Thank-you so much!" Aria replied, finding containing her excitement difficult.
"That's wonderful, dear. You will start tomorrow. I'm aware that school begins again tomorrow, so if you could come in around three or so, that would be just lovely." Ruth replied, and Aria could hear the warm smile in the woman's voice.
"I will be there. Thank-you!" And with that, Aria hung up and turned to Spencer's amused smile.
"What on earth was that all about?" Spencer asked, her smile never ceasing. Even though she had no idea what Aria was happy about, she was happy that Aria was happy. She'd missed so much of Aria's happiness while Aria was gone.
"I got the job!" Aria replied with a face-eating grin, and Spencer threw her arms around her.
"That's so great, Aria! I'm so proud of you," Spencer said to Aria, and she meant it with all her heart. The two pulled apart, and tears filled Aria's eyes. She was even a bit proud of herself, something that did not happen very often for her, and the desire she had to give Scarlett a mother to be proud of and a good future burned so bright inside of her, she could barely feel anything else.
"Why are you tearing up? This is a good thing," Spencer questioned her friend, and Aria smiled in response.
"I'm just so happy, Spence. I'm home with y'all, we're starting back to school tomorrow, I just got the job I wanted, and Scarlett has never been happier than she is here in Rosewood. When she was born in Nashville, I knew that everything was going to be okay, that I was going to make things work for me and my baby girl, but I always felt unsettled and not warm enough. The warmth is coming back, Spence. I'm getting closer and closer to the life Scarlett deserves, and I just… I don't know…" Aria trailed off, her smile replacing her words. Spencer smiled back at Aria and placed her hand over Aria's.
After another hour or so at the park, Spencer drove Aria and Scarlett back to Hanna's house. Scarlett was getting cranky and needed a nap, and Aria was anxious to tell the others her good news.
A few minutes later, Spencer parked in the driveway, and Aria walked around to get the fussy toddler out of the backseat. Spencer followed them inside.
"No nap, Mommy! Scarlett no want nap!" Scarlett assertedas they stepped inside the house and shut the door behind them. The little girl's cheeks were pink from being upset, and tears filled her chocolate eyes. Aria let out a patient sigh and wiped away Scarlett's tears as she carried her further into the house.
"Sweetness, you have to take a nap. You'll be so much happier when you wake up," Aria said as she balanced Scarlett on one hip and began to get a cup of milk ready for her. She ignored Scarlett's loud disapprovement and turned to Spencer, who looked relieved that she wasn't having to deal with a toddler tantrum.
"You can go ahead and go to the living room with the girls. I'll be there just as soon as she's asleep," Aria said as she put Scarlett's cup of milk into the microwave and turned it on for 30 seconds. She'd learned a long time ago that warm milk was the way to Scarlett's soul and one of the few things that would put her right to sleep. Spencer nodded and headed off to find the others.
Tuning out Scarlett's outbursts for a moment, Aria looked at her daughter and smiled as she smoothed stray curls out of her face. Even in the tough moments, Aria loved Scarlett more than anything else in the world. She knew she would never regret leaving, simply because she knew she would never regret Scarlett.
Scarlett seemed to notice Aria's calm mood and calmed down herself. She laid her head down on Aria's shoulder and sighed. "I tired, Momma," she said in a soft, defeated voice that made Aria's heart melt.
"I know you are, baby. We're gonna get your milk and let you rest, okay?" Aria replied softly with a warm smile as she took Scarlett's cup out of the microwave and handed it to her. Scarlett nodded and took the cup. Aria began carrying her upstairs.
"Will you tell me stowry?" Scarlett asked as they arrived at her bedroom.
"I always do, don't I?" Aria replied with a smile as she gently laid Scarlett down in her toddler bed and tucked her in. She grabbed Frozen off of Scarlett's bookshelf and led Scarlett into a world of snow and ice and Olaf and Elsa and Anna until Scarlett's eyelids shut and her breathing evened out.
Like she always did when she got Scarlett to sleep, Aria stayed put for a few minutes and watched her daughter sleep. Scarlett was stubborn and headstrong and enchanted when she was awake, and she was an absolute angel when she was asleep. Aria was able to look at Scarlett and know that God existed because nothing else could explain the perfection that was her daughter.
After a few minutes, Aria stood up and quietly put the book back on Scarlett's shelf before she turned off the lamp and left the room to head downstairs, where her friends were waiting for her.
"So, Spence says you have good news. Care to share?" Emily asked Aria with a raised eyebrow and a smile as Aria walked into the room and took a seat next to Hanna on the couch.
"Oh, you know, it's nothing too big. I just got the job over at the bookstore I applied at a few days ago," Aria replied, trying to downplay her excitement. She couldn't help the smile that spilled over as she watched excitement fill both Emily's and Hanna's faces.
"Aria, that's great! We're so proud of you!" Hanna squealed and she pulled Aria into a hug. Aria laughed as she hugged her back.
"When do you start?" Emily asked as Aria relaxed against the couch again.
"Tomorrow after school. I'm gonna have to find someone to watch Scarlett for me, not just for tomorrow but for all the afternoons I'll have to work. Her daycare closes at 4:00 every afternoon," Aria replied as she began to think about what all having a job would entail. She'd had one while she was in Nashville, but Rose made it easy for her. She knew she wouldn't always have a Rose to do that for her.
"I could watch her for you. It's not like I'm working or anything," Hanna replied in a serious tone. She knew that Aria's life wasn't easy, especially with a child, and she wanted to help as much as she could.
"Yeah, we could all compare our schedules and work it out so that someone's always here to watch her when you have to work," Spencer said, her organized and authoritative nature kicking in.
"I don't want to tie y'all down with a toddler every afternoon," Aria replied, hesitant at their idea.
"Aria, we want to do this. You're not on your own anymore, and you don't have to be supermom. Please let us help you," Emily said with a kind smile. She understood Aria's hesitations, but she wouldn't let her drown because of them. Aria finally let out a sigh and smiled.
"Thanks, y'all. I appreciate it more than you could know," Aria said, and the girls smiled back at her.
The girls continued to hang out into the night, Alison joining them when her shift ended at work. They were all equal parts of excited and nervous about beginning senior year the following day.
Aria was the first one awake the next morning. She quickly changed into shorts and a t-shirt, put her hair into a pony-tail, and slipped on running shoes. Grabbing her phone and earbuds, Aria left the house and began her mile run down to the coffee shop in town. She used to do run to the coffee shop every morning before school when she lived in Nashville, and she found that it gave her more energy. She also liked the feeling of being outside when the earth was waking up; it made her feel alive.
Reaching the coffee shop 20 minutes later, Aria paused outside for a moment and caught her breath before she walked inside. It was quiet inside, with only a few people sitting at the tables and just one person ahead of her in line.
"I'll take a large coffee, please. Black," said the familiar voice ahead of her. Aria quickly patted her hair down before calling out, "Ezra?"
The man in front of her turned around, and a smile instantly formed across his face when he saw Aria. She couldn't keep the smile from forming on her face either.
"Aria, hey! What are you doing out so early?" Ezra asked, his smile reaching his eyes. He quickly paid for his drink and moved from the counter so she could order her iced vanilla latte.
"Just taking a run before I have to go wake Scarlett up and take her to daycare so I can get to class. What about you?" Aria asked as she paid for her drink and moved to the side to wait for it to be ready.
"Ah, I couldn't keep pretending like I was going to sleep. I start my new job today," Ezra replied, making Aria giggle.
"Nervous?" she guessed. He nodded sheepishly.
"Just a bit. I just want everything to go perfectly. Smooth, no wrinkles," he replied, and Aria nodded in understandment.
"Well, I happen to know that you're going to do great," she replied with a confident smile. He raised an eyebrow at her playfully.
"Did you turn into a psychic since I last saw you?" he asked jokingly. She pursed her lips at him playfully.
"You're real funny. No, I just happen to know that you're incapable of doing anything less than great," she replied with a shy smile and a hint of pink on her cheeks. Warmth filled his eyes as he looked back at her.
"Aria?" the barista called out, breaking the two from their moment. Aria smiled and took her drink from the barista.
"I wish I could stay, but I have to head back home and get Scarlett up. Maybe we can meet up tonight and celebrate your successful first day?" Aria suggested with a smile as she and Ezra began walking back toward the door. He grinned down at her.
"It's a date," he promised as they made it outside. Pink spread across Aria's cheeks once again. She kissed his cheek and turned to leave. "Good luck! Even though you won't need it!" Aria called out as she walked away. She didn't have to turn back around to know that he was smiling after her.
An hour later, Aria had Scarlett up and ready to go in a deep purple floral romper and silver sandals with her curls pulled into pigtails. Aria was dressed in a bright coral flare dress and black ankle-boots with her hair down in its natural waves. Her make-up was simple, and she paired her dress with a statement necklace and matching dangling earrings.
"Han, you're set to pick Scarlett up from her daycare right after school, right? She'll probably need a snack and maybe a nap depending on her mood," Aria rambled as she finished putting Scarlett's lunch together in her new Frozen lunchbox Emily surprised her with the day before. Hanna smiled patiently from her place at the table.
"Aria, I love you girl, but you need to chill. Scarlett and I will be great, huh baby?" Hanna asked, reverting her attention to the toddler with grape jelly all over her mouth sitting across from her.
"Yeah!" Scarlett cheered, clapping her hands. Aria took one look at Scarlett and had to smile. She got a few paper towels and wet them and then walked over to Scarlett to start cleaning up her mess. She knew Hanna was right; she needed to calm down. She was just nervous. It would be Scarlett's first day at daycare, and that thought alone made her nervous enough.
"I know y'all will be just fine. I just worry, that's all," Aria said to Hanna as she finished cleaning Scarlett up and let her down out of her high chair. Hanna smiled at Aria.
"It's going to be okay, Aria," Hanna promised. Aria smiled and nodded her head. She hoped so.
"Okay, well I probably need to get going so I'll have time to drop her off before class. Tell Auntie Hanna goodbye, baby," Aria said to Scarlett as she gathered Scarlett's bookbag and lunchbox and her own bookbag, purse, phone, and car keys. Scarlett toddled over to Hanna and gave her as big of a hug as a 2 year old could give.
"Love you, Auntie Hanna!" Scarlett said with a smiled, and Hanna grinned right back at her god-daughter.
"I love you too, baby. I'll see you this afternoon, okay?" Hanna asked. Scarlett nodded excitedly and toddled back over to Aria. Aria took Scarlett's hand and began leading her out the door.
"See you at school!" Aria called out as the two left. Hanna smiled after them. She was proud of her best friend.
Aria arrived at the Sunshine Daycare after a ten minute ride and carried Scarlett into the building and into a brightly colored room filled with toddlers and toys. It looked like a toddler's dream, but Scarlett began clinging tighter to Aria upon seeing it. Aria hugged her daughter close and forced a smile as a young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and a warm smile approached them.
"Hi, I'm Nikki Prescott, the main teacher in this room. Are you dropping her off?" Nikki asked with her hand out for Aria to shake. Aria shook it quickly and smiled back at the woman.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Aria, and this is Scarlett. I came by last week and signed her up. This is her first time with daycare, so she's just a little nervous," Aria explained as she used her free hand to smooth a stray curl out of Scarlett's face. Scarlett laid her head down on Aria's shoulder and hid her face. Nikki smiled warmly at them and reached a hand out and gently stroked Scarlett's back.
"Hi, Scarlett. You can call me Miss Nikki. We're going to have so much fun together today! We have so many toys and games, and I'm sure you'll make some new friends," Nikki said in a warm voice to Scarlett, who turned to look at the woman.
"Doesn't that sound like fun, baby? You're gonna have such a great day," Aria said in a happy tone, trying to cheer Scarlett up. She was honestly feeling the same way Scarlett was and wanted to stay with her all day, but she knew she couldn't.
"Do you have books?" Scarlett asked Miss Nikki softly, and Nikki grinned at her soft voice.
"Of course we have books, sweetie! We have a whole shelf waiting on you," Nikki promised, and a smile began to appear on Scarlett's face. Her grip on Aria loosened a bit, and she turned to look at her mother.
"You stay and read with me, Mommy?" Scarlett asked, and Aria's heart broke at the hopeful look in her daughter's eyes. She would have to fight hard to keep her tears at bay. Nikki looked at Aria and stepped away to give the mother and daughter a minute alone. Aria sighed and set Scarlett down and crouched down in front of her.
"No, baby, Mommy can't stay. Remember what we talked about? Mommy has to go to school so she can give you a better life," Aria said, hating the sadness that creeped back into Scarlett's eyes.
"I no want you to go, Mommy," Scarlett said in a quiet voice that stung the backs of Aria's eyes. She gently reached out and took Scarlett's hand and began rubbing circles on it wit her thumb.
"I know, baby. But, you're going to have so much fun, you won't even know I'm not here with you! Miss Nikki is going to take good care of you," Aria promised. Scarlett still looked sad, so Aria sighed a bit and tried again.
"What are the three things Mommy told you to remember?" Aria asked, and she smiled a little when a small smile made its way across her daughter's face.
"Smiles make fwiends," Scarlett replied, and Aria grinned. She reached out and tickled Scarlett's tummy, loving the giggle that escaped when she did.
"That's right. Always remember to smile. What else?" Aria asked.
Scarlett pretended to think for a minute before replying, "We all stawrs."
"Uh-huh. Everyone is a star, baby. Everyone shines, even if they twinkle differently. Everyone is important. What's the last thing?" Aria asked.
Tears filled Aria's eyes as Scarlett said, "Mommy always comes back." Aria closed her eyes for a second before opening them and smiling at her daughter.
"That's right, baby. Mommy is always going to come back for you. I love you, my strong, beautiful little Scarlett," Aria said as she pulled Scarlett in for a hug and inhaled the memorized scent of strawberries and cream, the scent of home.
After a minute, Aria pulled away and smiled at Scarlett. "Mommy has to go now, but no crying, okay? You are going to have such a wonderful day, baby," she said as she began to stand up. Scarlett nodded nervously. Aria leaned down and kissed Scarlett's nose once more before she turned to leave.
"I wove you, Mommy," Scarlett's little voice called out, stopping Aria and making her turn around. Nikki was already by Scarlett's side, which made Aria feel much better about leaving, although tears still filled her eyes.
"I love you more, Scarlett baby." And, with that, Aria turned around and hurried out of the building. Once she got to her car, she sat in the driver's seat and let her tears fall. Everything inside of her wanted to go back inside and scoop her scared little girl into her arms and never let go, but she knew she couldn't. Daycare was going to be good for Scarlett, and finishing high school was going to be best for both of them. Her baby girl was strong, and she knew she could handle it. And herself? Well, her strong baby girl was a part of her, so she was bound to have some strength.
After re-applying her makeup, Aria started her car and began the short drive to school. She had half an hour before the tardy bell, so she figured she would just meet the girls by their lockers.
Rosewood High was just as Aria had remembered it to be, though it was a big step up from the high school she'd attended in Nashville. The boys were all the same: typical Rosewood boys. She ignored their looks and shouts as she passed by. And the girls? Just as catty as she remembered.
Most of the people turned to stare and whisper as she passed by them, but she bit her tongue and ignored it as she headed to her locker. She was used to being stared at and whispered about; she'd undergone the same thing when she'd been pregnant and attending school in Nashville.
"You'd think you were actually someone important by the attention you're getting," Hanna remarked as Aria reached the lockers. Aria raised an eyebrow, used to Hanna's way of speaking.
"Jeez, thanks Han. Means a lot," she replied sarcastically with a small smile. Spencer gave Hanna a look and turned to look at Aria.
"What Hanna means is, it's weird the way everyone's staring at you. You'd think they'd mind their own business," Spencer clarified.
Alison scoffed. "This is Rosewood, Spence. Nobody minds their own business." The girls giggled at her comment.
"So, how was dropping Scarlett off this morning?" Emily asked Aria after a minute, concern laced in her features. Aria sighed, and her smile shrunk.
"It was just as bad as I thought it would be. I hate leaving her. I think she's gonna be okay, though. Her teacher told her about their bookshelf," Aria replied with a half-hearted smile. She hoped with all her heart Scarlett was going to be okay. Spencer put a hand hand reassuringly on Aria's shoulder.
"She's going to be just fine, Aria. You'll be back with her before you know it," Spencer tried to reassure Aria. Aria knew she was right, she just needed to relax.
"So, what class does everyone have first?" Alison asked then, sensing that Aria needed a change in topic to get her mind off of leaving Scarlett. Aria shot her a thankful look, and Alison smiled back at her.
"Umm, English. With a Mrs... Fitz," Emily replied as she squinted at her schedule, trying to understand it. The other girls nodded. They all had the same first class.
"Fitz? Do you think she's related to Ezra?" Hanna asked, saying Ezra's name in a teasing way and consequently causing pink to spread across Aria's cheeks. The other girls giggled.
"I don't know, Han. It's not a very common name, so maybe," Aria replied thoughtfully as she shut her locker and turned to begin their walk to class.
"It'll become a lot more common with us once you marry him and start having his babies," Alison teased as they turned the corner into the classroom. Aria blushed a deeper pink and playfully pushed Alison.
"Oh, shut-up," she said, but she couldn't keep the smile from her face, not only because thinking about Ezra made her smile, but also because she kept remembering how lucky she was to be with her friends right then, even with them teasing her. She wouldn't trade it for the world.
The girls took their seats in the second row, a compromise because Spencer wanted to sit in the front and Hanna refused to sit in the very first row. Aria groaned when Noel walked into the classroom with a bunch of his football buddies. He spotted her quickly and gave her a smirk before turning and saying something to his friends. They all snickered and looked at her. She rolled her eyes and focused on pulling out her notebook for the class.
More people filed in in the next few minutes, some staring at her and whispering, some ignoring her completely, and one even giving her a warm smile and welcoming her back.
"Who is that?" Aria asked her friends as two girls walked into the room. One was around her height with long straight black hair, and the other was closer to Spencer's height with long blonde hair. Both looked more interested in their phones than school, and both seemed vaguely familiar to her.
Hanna groaned. "The brunette one's Mona, and the other one is my fabulous stepsister, Kate," Hanna replied, her tone filled with anything but warmth for the two. Aria could hardly believe her eyes. That was Loser Mona?
"They're much different than I remember," Aria remarked, stealing another glance their way. They took a seat next to Noel and his football buddies, and Aria rolled her eyes and turned back to her friends. She should have figured from Hanna's tone that the two girls would be associated with none other than Noel.
"They went on vacation the summer after you left, and they came back looking like that. It was truly a miracle," Alison replied. From Alison's tone, Aria could tell she was indifferent to the status Mona and Kate thought they had. Alison had always assumed a powerful role in the school, and Aria knew that she wouldn't let that change.
After a few more minutes, the bell rang, and the students began quietening down. Just then, a man hurried into the room, dressed in a smart sweater vest and a messenger bag hanging from his body. Aria furrowed her eyebrows as she began to notice something familiar about the man. She could've sworn she'd seen the same smart suit and messenger bag earlier that morning..
"I guess Mrs. Fitz is a Mr.," Emily remarked quietly, and Aria's palms began to sweat. This could not be happening.
"I'm sorry I'm late, class. We got carried away at our meeting this morning." Aria's heart dropped into her stomach as the man turned around to face the class.
"I'm Ezra Fitz. I'm your English teacher."
A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait. If I'm being honest, I just haven't had the time to write, and when I did have time, I wasn't motivated. Life got hard and then life got bad. It's starting to get good again, though. I am home for the summer after completing my first year of college, so I am going to try to get updates out more frequently. Thank-you all for your patience and kindness.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Review and let me know what you thought!