A new day. The same terribly quiet, yet so conspicuous murmurs that arise when Aria enters the room. If she doesn't need a cup of coffee every morning, Aria would simply hide herself until these people finally found a new topic they can talk about.

But she is definitely useless all day, when she didn't drink the warm, fragrant, brown liquid in the morning. Much to her mother's regret, who doesn't particularly like that Aria wants to drink coffee every morning since she is only sixteen.

That's why Aria often has no choice but to go to the Brew and get a mug of her addiction there. But now she actually thinks about whether she could make the next few days without coffee.

Today is a long queue in front of the counter. Apparently, a temporary help was employed, who isn't able to fulfil the demands yet. When Aria sees a young man with ash-blond hair standing in line, she holds her breath for a moment.

But she doesn't have time to analyze whether it could be him or not. Because of the murmuring behind him, Jason turns around and looks Aria directly in the eyes.

If only her heart wouldn't start racing every time she sees him. Jason nods slightly at her and forms a wordless "Hey" with his lips and smiles at her. For a moment, he looks past her and frowns as he looks into the faces of the other people in the café behind Aria.

Before turning around again, he looks at Aria for a moment and realizes how nervous she is staring at her fingers, not looking at him or anyone else. After making an order, he takes his cup from the counter and walks past Aria out of the café.

"Aria!" Aria startles as she slams the door of the Brew behind her and hears someone saying her name. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you", says the familiar voice. Aria looks in the direction from which the voice came. Her eyes widen in surprise.

"Jason", she murmurs. "What are you doing here?" She asks confused. Jason has left the Brew ten minutes ago. "I've been waiting for you", Jason replies immediately, without inventing any excuses.

Aria could swear that her heart has stopped beating for a moment. "You've been waiting for me?" She asks incredulously. Jason nods but then looks embarrassed to the ground. "I was pretty sure you didn't want to have your coffee in there", Jason murmurs but clearly enough for Aria to understand every word.

This time it is Aria, who looks to the ground. But not out of embarrassment, but to not show Jason how much the gossip of the people makes her insecure.

"Forget the people", Jason says with a gentle voice. Only when she feels his warm fingers on the naked skin of her upper arm, she realizes that he has taken a step towards her. Immediately goose bumps spread all over her arm.

"Come with me. I want to show you something", he says softly. She could ask him where he wants to go with her or what he wants to show her. She could wonder that he suddenly and undoubtedly speaks to her in public. But Aria just looks up at him and nods before they slowly walk to his car.

Aria closes her eyes for a moment as she climbs out of Jason's car and the warm sun's rays shine in her face. She has no idea where they are. They have not driven very far, but they have to be on the outskirts of Rosewood.

She watches Jason as he goes to the trunk of his car and opens it. Purposefully, he reaches for a blanket and slams the trunk again. Aria looks at him irritated.

"Come with me", Jason asks her without explanation. Without a word, the two walk next to each other along a narrow path.

When they arrive at their destination, Aria holds her breath with astonishment. "Wow", she quietly says. Jason smiles but walks past Aria, who has stopped for a moment and prepares the blanket on the green grass.

The sight that is offered to Aria is breathtaking. A small lake is in front of them and the sun lets the water sparkle. Green trees surround the lake and afford shade. Wild flowers are growing in the long grass.

"It's wonderful here", she whispers so quietly that she isn't even sure whether Jason could understand her. But Jason turns around and smiles at her. At that moment, there couldn't have been a more beautiful picture for Aria. This place with this man who looks at her smiling.

Jason sits down on the blanket on the grass and lets himself fall back. He moans, as if a load is falling of him.

Hesitantly, Aria walks to him and sits down beside him on the blanket. For a minute, neither of them says a word. Aria looks to the blue water of the lake and Jason is lying there with his eyes closed, enjoying the gentle wind that strokes over the skin of his face.

"Thank you for taking me with you", Aria whispers at some point, and Jason opens his eyes and smiles. "I hoped you'd like it here", he replies. Without thinking, Aria also drops backwards and realizes that she is looking directly into his eyes now.

But she doesn't look away. She just can't turn her eyes away from him. For the first time since she knows him, he looks really a little happy. And this sight takes her breath away. Jason doesn't turn his face away from her either. Instead, he stares into her brown eyes and loses himself in them.

When Aria realizes that the tension between them is getting bigger, she turns to the side, supporting her head on her arm, to free the two from their rigidity and this awkward situation.

"So, how many women did you take to this place?" Aria asks then, wondering immediately if this question was a mistake when Jason frowns almost angrily. "What do you mean?" He asks irritated.

"Well, you go with a woman to this lake, get a blanket out of the trunk and lie down on the flowering grass at this wonderful place. I'm certainly not the first one you've been with here", Aria replies. "I know we're just friends, but anyway. How many women have been here with you?" Aria adds, forcing herself to laugh.

Jason sits up and looks out to the lake. Suddenly he looks sad and Aria regrets asking him this question. She wanted to lighten the situation, but now she feels as if she had destroyed everything.

"There was no other one here. No woman and no one else. I'm always alone here. And I have never met anyone here. That's why I never told anyone about it, because it's a place I can be alone."

Aria swallows hard. She thought this place was something quite different than it actually is to Jason. "I never wanted anybody to know about this place", Jason murmurs softly. Aria hesitates for a moment. She is afraid to ask him the next question, because she is afraid that he won't answer this question. But she is too interested in his answer.

"Why did you show me this place?" Aria asks and can't hide her astonishment. For a long time, Jason doesn't answer, as if he has to think about what he really wants to say. "I thought you could need this place just like me", he says softly, not looking at her. "And I actually like the idea that you sit here when I come here", Jason adds softly.

Even if Aria has wanted, she couldn't suppress the smile that is now spreading on her face. "This is really the nicest thing you've ever said to me", Aria says and Jason laughs as he looks at her and sees the smile on her lips.

"Well, I'm making progress, right?" He asks laughing. You really do. Step by step. Aria can't help but hope that he will be willing to admit that she isn't just a friend for him some time.

"The people haven't found a new story yet, huh?" Jason suddenly says and Aria just looks at him astonished. "The people in Rosewood, I mean", Jason adds and immediately Aria knows what he means. She looks ashamed to the ground.

"Don't listen to them. At some point, they will stop because there is something new and more interesting", Jason tries to encourage her. Aria plays nervously with her fingers. "Believe me, people have spoken so often about me that I know what I'm talking about", he adds when she says nothing.

Finally, Aria looks at him. When he sees the tears that watering her eyes, he moves closer to her and lays his hand comfortingly on hers. His touch feels like an electric shock that goes through her body.

"Really, it's going to be ok", he assures her again. The pressure on her hand gets firmer as a tear rolls over her cheek. "I can't stand it anymore", Aria replies with a trembling voice. "I don't even want to know what they say about me", she says, lowering her head again.

"Certainly, they are talking about the 16-year-old, who wanted to be deflowered at some party, by some guy she just met."

"Hey, come on. Don't say that. You know it's not true. It doesn't matter what the others say. Nobody who knows you, thinks about you that way", Jason assures her.

"You thought the same when you saw me at the party", she says, her voice becoming louder than she intended. Jason looks at her for a moment. Another tear flows down her cheek.

"I didn't. I was worried because you were with him. I knew what he wanted to do with you, but I also knew that that wasn't what you wanted to do with him", Jason says softly.

"I also let myself be kissed by a stranger at a party", Aria says, laughing as if she wants to show him how much he contradicts himself.

In fact, Jason laughs timidly. "Yeah, but I still have no idea why you let me kiss you. Now that I know you, I'd be sure you'd push me away", Jason replies.

Aria smiles. "I have no idea either. It just felt ... ", for a moment she searches for the right word and looks into his warm eyes. Magical. This is exactly the word that describes their kisses. But she doesn't dare to say it out loud to him. "It just felt right." She says and looks embarrassed. "Why did you kiss me at that party?" She asks bravely now.

"I don't like Noel and I didn't like the way he was looking at you", Jason replies. "And I liked you. I still like you", he adds, laughing.

Aria smiles at him. "And then you thought you'd keep him from kissing me by doing it yourself?" Aria asks laughing. Jason starts laughing as well. "I admit, that I've been a little bit impulsive", he says. "But I'm glad I kissed you", he adds, his eyes turning serious. "Me too", Aria replies smiling slightly, while she blushes.

"I'm really impressed that you can stop yourself from not throwing yourself all over him", Emily says without welcoming Aria when she is answering the phone call. "What do you mean?" Aria asks confused. She just got up. She has been awake for hours, but she simply didn't want to get up from bed at all.

"Haven't you seen it yet?" Emily asks, surprised. "What?" Aria asks, slightly annoyed. "The posters that are hanging all over the city", Emily explains to her friend. "What posters?" Aria asks curiously.

"Just go out of the door. I'm pretty sure there is one outside of your house, too", Emily asks her. Aria gets into her shoes arduously since she is holding the phone in her hand. Hastily she runs out of the door and actually sees a poster hanging at the tree at the side of the road in front of her house.

"You're kidding me?" Aria says loudly and stares at the paper she has just torn from the tree. "You'd like to call him and order him home, right?" Emily says, laughing.

"Em!" Aria calls indignantly into the phone. "This isn't funny at all", she warns her friend to continue to make fun of what Aria holds in her hands.

All over the city, there seem to have been hung up posters. But this time, nobody is looking for a stray cat or job as a babysitter. This time a half-naked man is pictured in the photo.

Jason looks surprised into the camera and is dressed only with a towel that covers only the most necessary. Above the picture, the headline is printed in thick, large letters.

CALL ME!

It can't be anymore flat. Underneath the picture, a short text encourages to order Jason as a naked- cleaner. His mobile phone number stands on many small pieces of paper so that anyone can tear it from the bottom of the sheet.

"I'm sorry", Emily says, who is finally able to remain serious. "Do you think he actually hung up these posters himself?" She asks doubtfully. "Of course, he didn't", Aria replies horrified, that Emily thinks he would have done it himself.

"Well, maybe he needs money to get himself ..." Emily can't end the thought herself, because she immediately gets interrupted by Aria. "To what? To buy drugs and alcohol?", Aria says angry. "Come on Aria, don't be angry. You have to admit, this suspicion isn't that unfounded", Emily tries to soothe her.

"Em, I'm going to talk to him now. I'll call you later", Aria finishes the conversation without going into the topic anymore. She can hardly hear Emily say good-bye to her when she hangs up and writes a message to him with trembling fingers.

Are you at home? -Aria

Without waiting for his answer, Aria walks quickly to the house of his family. When she is almost at the doorstep, she feels the slight vibration of her mobile phone in her trouser pocket.

Yes, I'm home alone. -J

With the poster in his hand, Aria rings the bell next to the door. Inside, she can hear his steps as he goes to the door. When he sees her standing on the other side of the doorstep, he can't hide his surprise. Only now he notices that she was already on her way to him.

"Hey", he greets in a soft, calm voice. Aria pushes herself past him and enters the entrance area without a word. "Have you seen this already?" She says, sounding as horrified as if she has only seen the flyer at that moment.

"This is a total impertinence. The whole city is full of it. On every damn tree, on every house wall, this piece of paper hangs. I'd love to tear any of it apart", Aria says angrily. But she becomes even more angry, when she sees Jason, who nearly suppresses a smile.

"Do you think it's funny, too?" She asks horrified, remembering her friend's reaction. "I just can't believe it! It doesn't bother you that there is a poster hanging around the city with a picture of you on which you are almost naked and looking sexy into the camera with the obvious and clear invitation to order you as a naked-cleaner? "Aria says furiously.

"You think I look sexy on that photo?" Jason teases. Surprised, Aria looks at him. "What?" She asks while she flushes immediately. "You said I look sexy?", Jason repeats his question with a smile. "This isn't the point", Aria replies angrily to avoid the topic.

Now Jason starts laughing loudly. "What is so funny at all?" Aria asks again. "Do you know who did this?" She asks. Jason remains silent and nods. "You know who did this?" Aria asks incredulously. Jason nods again. "Did you report that to the police?" Aria asks.

This time, Jason shakes his head. "You didn't?" Aria asks incredulously again. "Jason, come on. You can't let someone treat you like that. The whole town is talking about you!" She yells at him.

"You said it", Jason replies. Aria stares at him without a word. "You want everyone to talk about you?" She still asks doubtfully. Jason nods. Suddenly, Aria gets what he is trying to say. "You hung up the papers yourself, didn't you? You've distributed the posters all over the town?"

"Yes, Aria. I did that. I just made it look as if someone tricked me", Jason tells her. Again, Aria stares at him. "But why?" She murmurs silently.

"I wanted to give the people in this town new gossip", Jason replies briefly. For a moment Aria thinks about his words. "You did that for me?" She says bewildered.

"I don't care if the people in this small town are talking about me. But you do", Jason explains his actions.

Aria still stares at him. "You did this for me?" She repeats her question. Not because she wants him to simply answer with a yes, I've done that for you, but because she really can't believe that he did that for her.

"I already have twenty calls. Maybe I'll think about it again and actually get into the nude business", he says, laughing as he scrolls through his cell phone.

When he looks up again, he sees Aria approaching him and putting her arms around him without hesitation. "Thank you", she whispers softly. Although he is surprised by her sudden nearness, he closes his eyes as he feels her warm body at his.

Her softly falling but uncombed curls tickle the skin of his arm. For a moment, he regrets to have told her that he doesn't want more than her friendship. For a moment, he wants to kiss her desperately.

"And now I'll help you to take the posters off again", Aria says laughing as she frees herself from the embrace and interrupts his thoughts.

So what do you think? I wanna thank everyone who keeps reading and reviewing my stories. THANK YOU!