Chapter 7

Few days later

"How can I pay you back?" I asked Spencer as she handed me the tickets for an art show in Philly on Friday night. She had mentioned it to me and told me I could have them since her dad wouldn't mind.

"Pay for the extra toppings on my pizza, oh and a dvd rental." Spencer said as she pulled out her English binder and Ezra came out of his classroom.

"Oh, Pizza and a movie! Count me in." We saw Maya coming down the hallway, we haven't seen her since the day before the dance a thon.

"Maya!" We squealed as we dropped our stuff and ran towards her.

"Damn, did ya'll miss me or something?" She asked laughing as we tackled her into a giant hug.

"Yes! We thought you were at true north?" Spencer asked as we broke apart, Ezra was trying not to laugh at us.

"Well, someone started harassing me there and I didn't feel safe. So they called my parents, the dude's parents and now I'm back home with a restraining order against him." She said as we went back towards Spencer's locker to grab our stuff that we dropped.

"Have you seen or talk to Em yet?" Spencer asked, Maya nodded smiling.

"Yes... and I also saw her mother. Who told me that I wasn't going to change her daughter to something she isn't." Maya said and I dropped my binder in shock.

"What? Can I destroy her?" I asked Spencer and she shook her head.

"No, you can't!" She said as I picked up my binder.

"How would you even destroy her? You're tiny." Maya said laughing and I heard Ezra chuckle.

"She's little but she's big." Spencer said and I heard Ezra fake a cough to cover his laugh.

...

"Ok, so tell us how you're gonna ask him." Maya said as we stood over by our lockers, I like having her as a locker buddy.

"I'm gonna ask him to review my reading assignment then before he can look away I'll unzip my hoodie revealing the tie then he'll have to look down at my notebook." I said as I fixed the tie and my hoodie so it wasn't visible.

"He's gonna think you're going to flash him." Maya said giggling and I gave her a look before taking a deep breath and walking towards Ezra's classroom. Spencer gave me a thumbs up while Maya winked while wiggling her eyebrows and I rolled my eyes jokingly at them.

"Hey." I said entering his classroom, he glanced over at some students taking a makeup test. Crap, how could I forget that was today?

"Ms. Montgomery, how may I help you?" He asked as I walked towards the front of his desk, making sure none of the other students could see.

"I was wondering if you could take a look at my reading assignment." I said handing him my notebook.

"Perhaps this could wait until the makeup test has been administered." He said not fully sure what to do.

"Actually, it would be great if you could review it now. So I know I'm on the right track." I said starting to unzip my hoodie and like Maya had predicted, his eyes slightly bugged out and he glanced to make sure no one was looking. Probably thinking I was about to flash him, he looked down at my notebook where I had the page bookmarked after he saw the tie.

"What do you think of my work so far?" I asked and he looked back up at me.

"Outstanding." He said giving me a small smile which I knew he was in.

"Great. Then I will turn it in at the end of the day." I said winking and giving him a slight wave before leaving the classroom.

"Well?" Spencer and Maya asked together as soon as I got back to my locker. Spencer was staring at me with lost puppy eyes while gripping a piece of paper.

"Well..." I started and both of them looked so disappointed. The bell rang and I knew I had to hurry up and tell them.

"I forgot that today he had makeup tests and we're going on a date." I said just before Ezra walked out and Spencer started doing her happy dance.

"Okay, How is it that when she does that it's cute but when I do that it looks like I had a long night with vodka?" I asked offended as Ezra glanced over at us.

"Okay calm down, it was just an A." Maya said seeing Ezra and I started laughing.

"With Spencer, it's never just an A. It's her will to live, besides coffee." I said as Spencer finally stopped dancing.

"Speaking of coffee, wanna go get some?" She asked and we nodded.

Friday afternoon

Aria's pov

I came out of Spencer's bathroom to see her, Emily and Maya waiting for me. Hanna for some reason didn't want to hang out with them, I feel bad since she hadn't told us Sean dumped her at the dance. So while Ezra and I were having sex, she was crying at home.

"So, what are you wearing since you wouldn't tell us before you showered?" Spencer asked and Maya gave me a hopeful smile. I walked back into the bathroom and pulled my hanger off the hand towel holder.

"This." I said showing them a snug white dress that went mid thigh and had a black Peter Pan collar.

"As your best friend, I'm saying no. It's not you, that looks like a sad pathetic dress." Spencer said and I stared at her.

"Spence? This is your dress, I borrowed it for the birthday dinner we had in honor of Alison few days after her funeral remember?" I asked and her face went pink. Without missing a beat, she went into her closet and pulled out a black short sleeved knee length dress.

"What about this one?" She asked and I stared at her.

"Is that your mother's?" I asked and I could tell by her facial expression that it was.

"No!" She said and I gave her a look and she looked embarrassed that she even had her mother's dress in her possession.

"...Maybe." She said and went towards the back of the closet.

"Well since she insulted her own dress, then tried to dress you like her mother. I'll tell you what dress you'll really wear. Don't worry, it's from my closet not Spencer's so she can't insult it. And it isn't my mother's" Maya said and revealed a red strapless rouched dress.

"No denying it!" Maya said and pushed me into the bathroom.

...

"Damn,Ezra won't be able to keep his hands to himself." Emily said as she went through my jewelry while Maya helped me finish getting ready, I slipped my peep toe Badgley Mishka Fidel heels in black on. I gave them both a look.

"That's the point." Maya kept singing. Spencer sat me on her chaise before starting on my makeup.

"Ok, while Maya entertains herself. Here's the plan, we stay holed up in here and when you get back, we'll sneak you in then you can tell us the dirty details of your date with Ezra." Emily said holding up some earrings to my ears.

"Go with the dangly ones and the small pendant." Maya said as she organized the dvds I rented for them.

"I better go, I need to go pick up my date." I said giggling, we were really about to go on a real date.

...

Ezra led me outside as we went to get some air.

"If people put up my work, I'd show up if there were folding chairs and sweaty cheese." Ezra said slipping his hand into mine and lacing our fingers together. The artist turned out to be a no show and a lot of people were upset, us included.

"Plus, I'd be there." I said giggling and he smiled.

"True." He said chuckling and I noticed he was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, hoping I didn't have anything in my teeth. Because I've had quite a couple mini spinach balls, and with my luck I'd have it covering my teeth.

"I love you." He said, brushing some hair behind my ear. Before I could say anything, his lips were on mine.