A/N: As always, thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy!
Silence. All encompassing silence. It's a beautiful thing, if you think about it. Unless, of course it's thick with tension. And it surely was. They continued looking at each other, as if they didn't know each other at all. Soon though, those tear filled eyes turned into anger. Aria could tell Hanna was about to explode.
"L-let me explain." Aria cried.
Fury was immediately present in both their eyes.
"Explain what?" Hanna yelled. "Explain the fact that you left your daughter and Ezra? Or explain the fact that you completely disappeared for four years?"
Aria stood there silent.
"I mean goddamnit Aria. How could you do something like that? There was no valid reason for you to leave. How do you think Ezra felt? and what about Olivia?"
Aria started crying yet again. Spencer felt terrible, half of her for Aria, but also for both Hanna and Emily.
"Do you know how much pain you put them through? The struggles Ezra faced as a single dad?"
Hanna wiped away a few tears. Emily, as always, just stood there silent.
"We were so fucking worried Aria. All of us. You made us go through hell while you were off doing who knows what!" She screamed. " How could you just leave like that?"
"Han-"
"No." Hanna sniffled. "I'm not done yet."
Spencer wrapped Aria in a hug, attempting to comfort her.
"You missed out on so much of your daughter's life. She needed you but you were never there for her. Do you know how heartbreaking it was always seeing her ask about her Mommy? But of course you wouldn't fucking care. Who are you? Because the Aria I knew would never abandon anyone."
"Pleas-"
"Where were you on my wedding day?" Hanna cried. " You were suppose to be there standing next to me. Next to all of us. Where were you when I needed you to guide me when my daughter was born. I needed your advice. I needed you." Hanna broke down.
"Han-"
"I can't believe this." She said wiping away her tears. "And you know what? You should've just stayed away. Because you don't exist to us anymore." Hanna spat. "Just leave and go back to wherever you were."
"Hanna, please."
"No Aria! None of us want you here. Just leave!"
"That's enough" Spencer yelled, seeing Aria breakdown. "Just stop Hanna."
Hanna shook her head.
"And how could you" she pointed at Spencer. "Keep this from us?"
"Because I asked her to." Aria said. "I wasn't ready to face you guys."
"Spencer, I can't believe you would keep this from us. Both of you were once my best friends, but I've learned that I can't trust either of you."
"Ple-"
"I'm out of here." Hanna said as she headed towards the door, Emily following behind her.
"Please." Aria sighed. "J-just let me explain." Aria begged as she ran after them. "Please."
All of them were still in tears. They stared intently at each other as Aria stood holding the door open.
"Please." Aria begged again.
Hanna simply stormed off, while Emily gave her a disappointed, tearful look.
"I'm sorry. I can't. I have to go." She said, rushing into Hanna's car.
Aria watched as her two best friends drove off before shutting the door. She turned to Spencer.
"I'm gonna be up in my room." She stated before running up, not giving Spencer time to ask questions.
Hanna and Emily drove in silence. Both too hurt and angry to really engage in a conversation.
"Momma,me hungwy." Hanna's daughter called from the backseat.
Hanna wiped her tear stained face before looking back.
"Ok princess." She forced a smile. "Do you mind if we stop somewhere to eat?" She asked Emily.
"It's fine." She smiled back.
Soon they were seated inside the Grille. Hanna tried not to bring up the subject, as she didn't want to get upset, but she couldn't take it anymore.
"Can you believe all this?" Hanna asked. "I mean, how could they?"
Emily only shrugged her shoulders.
"That's all you're gonna do?" Hanna asked in disbelief. "Shrug your shoulders? She's been gone for all this time and all you're gonna do is shrug?
"Well what did you want me to do or say?" Emily snapped back. "Run into her arms and pretend she hasn't been gone for four years?"
"Of course not." Hanna raised her voice. "But you could've at least backed me up, I don't know. Yelled at her. Anything. Not just stand there not saying anything."
"I was shocked Hanna! Hurt!I didn't know what to say." Emily cried.
"And you think I wasn't?" Hanna asked. She sighed as she picked at her food. "I mean at first I felt happy, relieved that she was OK. But then that just made me much angrier. Seeing her standing there next to Spencer as if nothing had happened. She's unbelievable."
Emily nodded slightly. Hanna sighed as she picked up her food.
"I was so close to actually staying and hearing what she had to say, but I was so angry." She sighed. "Maybe I should've let her."
"No!" Emily replied almost immediately. "We did the right thing by leaving. She doesn't deserve to explain. Because nothing, absolutely nothing, could justify her leaving." Emily's voice grew angrier. "Nothing can make up for all those years she made us all suffer. For what she put both Ezra and Olivia through."
This shocked Hanna, she wouldn't expect this reaction from Emily. She was almost always the most understanding and forgiving out of them all. She just stared at Emily who once again was in tears.
"And I don't know about you but Spencer is just as guilty. I mean if she knew she was back, she couldn't bother to tell us? She's letting her stay at her house, she helped her get back here."
"I really don't know what to think anymore." Hanna sighed.
"Well do whatever you want, but I'm never forgiving either of them." Emily stated before storming out.
Hanna sat there in silence as she watched her daughter eat. She continued picking at her food. She wasn't even hungry. She was so confused. She was beyond angry with both Spencer and Aria, but a part of her told her maybe she should try and listen to Aria. She sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. She smiled seeing how messy her daughter's face got. Maddie looked up at her and smiled back. She loved her daughter more than anything and enjoyed all the little moments she spent with her. She was thankful for them. She couldn't imagine why Aria would leave and miss out on moments like these. Aria loved her daughter more than anything when she was born. She immediately turned into her everything. That's why Hanna was so confused. How could Aria say she loved her daughter, and then leave? She wiped Maddie's face clean and left the Grille. But instead of going home, decided that Aria must've had a real excuse for leaving so abruptly, so she decided that she'd give her a chance.
"Aria, can I come in?" Spencer asked as she knocked on the door.
"Yeah." She heard Aria whisper.
It broke Spencer's heart to see Aria the way she was. She'd obviously been crying this whole time, and she felt horrible that neither Emily nor Hanna gave her the chance to explain. Spencer couldn't blame them completely though. She had felt the same way the day Aria had called her, but now, after giving her the opportunity to explain, they were back to the great friends they were before. She was sure in no time, Hanna and Emily would come around.
"You OK?" Spencer asked, taking a seat next to her.
"I guess." She replied, wiping away some tears. "I mean I knew I'd have to face them eventually, but I wanted to be ready. I didn't want us to meet again the way we did."
"I understand." Spencer said.
"And I knew they would have that reaction, I well deserved all they yelling, but part of me was hoping they'd be understanding like you."
"They'll come around." Spencer assured. "They love you. We all just missed you and right now, they're probably really confused."
"I'm not so sure they will." Aria sighed. "I mean if only they'd let me explain, I mean you listened to me, why can't they?"
"You know how they both are. Hanna just reacts without thinking completely, but sooner or later she'll rethink the situation and as always, will understand. As for Emily, you know how she is, but she too will eventually come back for an explanation. I'm almost sure of it."
"I really do hope so." Aria placed her hand over Spencer's. "Spence, I'm really sorry I made you do this. I dragged you into my mess. I'll fix it though. It's not fair that they're mad at you. I'm the only one they should be mad at."
"They'll get over it." Spencer smiled.
"I'm just afraid."
"They'll understand. And trust me, they'll forgive you. I did."
"I hope so." Aria replied, giving a weak smile.
"So, when do you plan on telling your parents you're back?" Spencer asked.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. They probably hate me too."
"They don't. I'm sure of that. Your parent's were heartbroken when you disappeared, but they always worry about you. Ella especially. Deep down, she's been hopeful you'd come back one day."
"I've really missed them." Aria voice broke.
"And they've missed you. We all have."
Aria smiled and leaned into a hug.
"How did Ezra take it?" She finally asked.
Spencer sighed.
"He was broken beyond repair." Spencer admitted.
Hearing this caused Aria heart to break and she couldn't stop the tears that followed.
"We don't have to talk about this."
"N-no. I wanna know. Please."
Spencer nodded.
"At first, he was both angry and hurt. He spent days trying to analyze why you left. He went crazy honestly. He wouldn't eat, sleep, or anything. He became an Ezra that no one knew. He was always either angry or crying. He just couldn't pinpoint why you would leave Olivia. At first he couldn't understand why you would leave him, since you loved him, but soon he gave up on that. He was just really upset and angered by the fact that you left Olivia."
"So he hates me." Aria whimpered. "The guy I love the most, now hates me forever."
"He doesn't" Spencer assured.
"How could he not?"
"Aria, we all see it in him. He doesn't want to admit it, but he's still crazy in love with you."
Aria wiped away her tears and gave Spencer a weak smile.
"But knowing him, he'll never forgive me." Aria sighed.
"When you feel ready, go see him. Talk to him. I'm sure he'll understand."
"I guess" Aria sighed. "So, tell me about Olivia." Aria smiled.
"What can I say? She's amazing."
Aria smiled, trying hard not to cry.
"She's beautiful. She reminds me so much of you. Just everything about her screams 'Aria'." Spencer explained. "Her personality, her eyes, and lets not forget, the same thick headed skull and stubbornness just like yours."
Aria laughed softly.
"She truly is amazing. Ezra's done a heck of a job with her."
"I-I wish I hadn't left." Aria admitted.
"We all do. But that's in the past. You're here now, and you can still fix everything."
"Thanks" She smiled. "Well, I can't stay hidden in this house forever. I can't keep hiding. Not anymore. I'm gonna head out for a bit. Maybe on a walk. The mall. Not really sure. I just need to go out for a bit. Maybe I'll even start by facing my parents tonight."
"Really?" Spencer asked, her eyes growing wide. "You don't have to, not until you're ready."
"I need to start somewhere." Aria sighed.
"Ok. Take care though and if you need anything, call me." Spencer told her sincerely.
"Thank you." Aria smiled. "I'll see you later."
Aria grabbed her coat and headed out. To be honest, Aria didn't know what might happen now that she finally left the house. But she needed to breathe. Think everything over. She was afraid of what might happen, but she had to start somewhere.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review!
