Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited in the last chapter as well as some who reviewed on Chapter 9 (prancinginthedark & any guests). To answer any questions you might have had in your reviews...I won't deny or confirm that it is Byron who is working with Jessica Landers as that would give the story away. I'm sure you all have your own suspicions, but what's a story without some suspense? I appreciate all who say they have enjoyed this story. Thank you. 4Ezria: I'm sorry there was no Ezria in Chapter 10. I tried to put them in it, but unfortunately it didn't work. I appreciate you taking the time to review. You will see Ezria in Chapter 11. Jessica is definitely trying to lay down the groundwork in her plan (and her mystery ally) to split up Ezria. I hope you all like the next update and I ask you to please keep reviewing so I know what you think. My apologies for the long delay. I am currently posting about 8 stories at once, so it gets to be quite a journey writing all of them. I hope that won't cause you to stop reading/leaving feedback. As always, I don't own PLL, but do own the story.

Chapter 11

(The girls arrive at Spencer's house. They head up to her room and each take a seat around Spencer's room on the floor, resting their backpacks next to them. Aria was kind of dreading this conversation, but she knew it needed to happen. Hannah breaks the silence when she speaks)

Hannah: (sighs) "Okay, you're killing me here, Aria. What the hell is going on? What's with this so called rumor about Jessica Landers and the Fitz?" (shakes her head) "And why did you keep me in the dark? I mean, I thought we were friends."

Spencer: (glares at Hannah) "Hannah! You're overstepping! She would've told you when she was ready."

Emily: (sighs) "Look, I understand Aria wasn't ready, but..." (to Aria) "I wish you would have told me what was going on. Maybe I could have helped."

Aria: (scoffs lightly) "Trust me, Em, I don't think any of you would've been able to help."

Hannah: "The way it's sounding is Spencer knew more than Emily and I did." (to Spencer) "Is it true?"

(Hannah stares at Spencer and Emily can't help but do the same. Spencer gets annoyed with them staring at her and Aria in expectation and groans)

Spencer: "Gosh, would you two stop? Yes, I knew more, but it wasn't my intention to keep anything from you."

Emily: "Then why did you?"

Spencer: (shakes her head) "Because it wasn't my place to reveal the details. It was up to Aria and she wanted to get more of the facts before saying more."

(Emily nods at Aria sympathetically, tilting her head)

Emily: "I hope you know I would have been there for you...whatever you needed."

Aria: (smiles briefly) "I know, Em. It wasn't my intention to leave you out." (to Hannah) "Or you." (sighs) "I just needed to sort out a few things."

Spencer: (shrugs sympathetically) "So, what's the verdict?"

(Aria glances at her friends before shrugging in defeat)

Aria: "Mom thinks it may be true. I have tried to convince her Ezra would never cheat on me, but she's not totally convinced. It kind of hurts me because between her and Byron, she was the one who was more on Ezra's side."

Spencer: (scoffs) "Byron will never be on your side. You can hope and pray all you want."

Hannah: (rolls her eyes) "Yeah, Byron's an ass. What do we expect?"

(Emily looks at Hannah and shakes her head in disapproval)

Emily: "You and your foul language."

(Hannah glares at Emily before raising her hands)

Hannah: "What do you expect when it comes to him? He's always been an ass who doesn't care about anyone but himself. Maybe if he grew the hell up, he would realize things are not always what they seem."

Aria: (snorts) "Yeah, you and me both."

(Emily looks at Aria with kindness before speaking)

Emily: "Are you able to tell us what's going on now?"

(Aria sighs as she quickly nods)

Aria: "Everything was going fine between Ezra and me until that girl showed her face in the coffee shop and came up to me."

Spencer: "What'd she say?"

Aria: (scoffs) "That the rumors going around about Ezra having a girlfriend were true, that it was with her."

Emily: "I'm sure you were in shock."

Aria: (scoffs in disbelief) "That's one way of putting it. Of course, I told her she was lying because he is with me. But then she got sneaky."

Spencer: (confused) "How do you mean?"

Aria: "She told me some details about her and Ezra's liaisons. Things she said only she would know."

Hannah: "Like what?"

Aria: "What they would do after I left. How he told her when to come to his office so I wouldn't see her. That she gave him what I wasn't ready to give him yet."

(Emily, Hannah, and Spencer look at Aria in confusion before it dawns on them what she meant)

Spencer: "Sex."

Emily: "That she was willing to give him that when you weren't."

(Aria nods, but it's clear she's sad about the fact. Hannah looks at Aria with a serious look)

Hannah: "Okay, for one thing, the Ezra Fitz I know would never pressure you to do anything you weren't ready for. Secondly, if that's all he was interested in, he's not worth your time."

(Hannah then looks sympathetically at her friend)

Hannah: "I have always believed he loves you for you. I have gotten to know him as a friend and he does NOT seem like the type to go to another woman when he's not being satisfied from you."

Spencer: (nods) "Hannah is right. Ezra has never done anything to convince me he's turned into a sex magnet."

(That comment causes Aria to laugh out loud)

Spencer: (tilts her head & shrugs) "It's true, though."

Hannah: (smiles) "You know what I say? I say you go to his office and stake your claim on your man against this Jessica bitch."

(Aria chuckles at her friends' choice of words)

Spencer: (smiles) "I have to say that I do like Hannah's wording on the matter."

Emily: "Is Ezra at his office right now?"

Aria: (nods) "Yeah, he said he had some papers to grade."

Hannah: (nods & smiles) "Perfect time to go there. Especially if that skank is there trying to get with him or 'stake her claim' as she puts it."

Aria: (shakes her head & smiles) "You are definitely something else there, my dear."

Hannah: (nods confidently) "But you know I'm right."

(The girls shake their heads and roll their eyes at Hannah in amusement before things get serious)

Hannah: "And if you ever need me to give Byron a piece of my mind, just let me know. I'd be happy to oblige."

(They all laugh before Aria speaks)

Aria: "Thank you, Hannah, but I assure you, it should work out. I'm not holding my breath with Byron because we all know he has a mind of his own. As for my mom, I can tell she is trying to be supportive even though it may not look like that right now."

Emily: "How does Mike feel about everything?"

Aria: (sighs) "While he feels Ezra is a little bit older, he has also seen us together and knows our feelings for each other are real."

Emily: (assures Aria) "Your dad may be a lost cause, but your mom will come around."

Aria: (briefly smiles) "I hope so." (sighs) "Well, I'm going to go to his office."

(As Aria is getting her things ready, Spencer approaches her and looks at her in determination)

Spencer: "Just remember how much he loves you. It did not take you two years to get to where you are now only to be separated by that bitch. If you can overcome Byron, you can overcome anything."

(Aria nods appreciatively at her friend)

Aria: "Thank you. I needed to hear that."

(Spencer and Aria briefly hug before Aria leaves the house. Spencer, Emily, and Hannah are look at each other as they raise their eyebrows)

Emily: "I hope it all works out."

Hannah: "I'm not saying the Fitz is a cheater because I don't believe it. But if there ends up being proof, he will have to deal with me because no one hurts my friend and gets away with it."

Spencer: "I think it's safe to say we're all in agreement on that." (sighs) "Good luck, Aria."

(At the Montgomery house, Ella is sitting down on the couch reading a book when Byron comes through the front door. After noticing the other, they smile before Byron puts his suitcase next to the coffee table and sits down next to his wife)

Byron: "How are things on the home front?"

Ella: (shrugs) "You mean besides the fact that our daughter is pissed off at both of us?" (raises her eyebrows) "Especially at you?"

(Byron sighs deeply and briefly looks away before facing Ella)

Byron: "I only want what is best for her. That's all I've ever wanted. I wish she could see that."

Ella: (shrugs) "It's kind of hard when you're sticking to your guns about the whole thing,"

(Byron shakes his head in disbelief at her)

Byron: "Don't tell me you're against me too, Ella."

(Ella sighs as she puts her bookmark in her book to save her spot before setting it down. She faces Byron)

Ella: "I feel like I have to take sides between you two. I want to be there for both of you. You, because you're my husband and her, because she's our daughter. But I'm not sure that's working." (shakes her head) "Byron, I know you love her and want to protect her. You wouldn't be a loving parent if you didn't look out for her. But don't you see that you're pushing her away by being against her and Ezra?"

Byron: (angrily) "He's too old for her, Ella. Hell, she's still in high school!"

Ella: "She is also a senior. Do you want her to move a thousand miles away where you never see her again when she graduates and goes to college?"

(Byron glares at Ella, who can tell she pissed him off. Yet, she knew it needed to be said because it was true. Byron was pushing Aria away with his so called 'beliefs' on the relationship. Ella knew he was stubborn, so as much as she wanted to, she realized she may not be able to change his mind. Byron gets off the couch in a huff and walks in a circle before facing her)

Byron: "Maybe she would listen to reason if we presented a united front. Ella, it doesn't help when you're practically on her side. And don't say you're not because we wouldn't be having this discussion if you weren't."

(Ella gets up from the couch and confronts Byron, pointing at him)

Ella: "I never said I was on her side. And at the moment, you're making it hard to be on yours. If you don't at least meet your daughter halfway, then you will lose her...and I'm not just talking about when she goes off to college. In case you haven't noticed, Byron, she wants nothing to do with you. Do you really want it to be like that?"

(As Byron turns around and walks a few steps away from Ella, he mumbles under his breath)

Byron: "She will see the light about that asshole soon and then we will see what happens."

(Ella looks at him in confusion)

Ella: "What the hell were you saying?"

(Byron walks closer to her and angrily puts his hands on his hips as he faces Ella)

Byron: (shake his head) "Nothing worth repeating."

(Ella sighs in defeat before facing him)

Ella: "If you keep up with this, you are going to lose her and you will have no one but yourself to blame."

(Byron shakes his head confidently)

Byron: "Don't worry, Ella, I won't lose her. I have no intention of losing my daughter to that sex offender."

Ella: (sighs) "Don't you think that's a little harsh? They've never had sex yet."

Byron: (shrugs) "That we know of."

(Ella rolls her eyes and shakes her head in defeat)

Ella: "I'm going to go start supper before things escalate further." (warns Byron) "You need to calm down before you do lose it."

Byron: (smiles & nods) "Don't worry, I'm calm."

Ella: (mutters) "Somehow I doubt that."

(Ella leaves Byron to go into the kitchen. Byron continues to have his hands on his hips as he looks confidently towards the kitchen)

Byron: "You'll see Ella. Soon, you will see."

(Meanwhile, at Rosewood University, Jessica looks at Ezra and can't help the slight smile that appears)

Jessica: "Is something wrong?"

Ezra: "Take a seat, please."

(Ezra points to the chair across from his desk, which Jessica sits in. She puts her backpack next to the seat before looking at him)

Jessica: (shrugs) "So, what's this little meeting about?"

(Ezra glares at the college student before he sits in his chair)

Ezra: "You are a student in my English class three days a week. I have always told my students if they need further explaining on a specific topic after class is done, they're welcome in my office."

Jessica: (nods) "Yes, I know."

Ezra: "I don't know you that well except for when you ask questions during class as well as other students."

(Ezra tilts his head and raises his eyebrows)

Ezra: "So, do you care to explain why you are telling everyone, including my girlfriend, that we're dating?" (shakes his head) "I don't know you and have no interest to on the outside of class."

Jessica: (scoffs) "Oh, come on, Ezra. You know that's not true. I can see the way you started looking at me weeks ago."

Ezra: "I look at you the same way I do all my students...professionally. That's it."

Jessica: (raises her eyebrows) "So, you're going to continue to lie to Aria that we're not seeing each other?"

(Ezra gets up from his chair and walks to her in anger)

Ezra: "I don't know what the hell you are trying to do, but I have absolutely no interest in you."

Jessica: (shrugs innocently) "That's not what Aria thinks."

(Ezra looks at Jessica with venom in his voice as he points to her)

Ezra: "You stay the hell away from my girlfriend, you bitch!"

(Jessica decides to take things a step further and walks to him, attempting to place her hands on his)

Jessica: "Is that any way to talk to your lover, Ezra?"

(Ezra angrily brushes her off and backs away)

Ezra: "You are NOT my lover! I don't know what kind of game you are playing, but it stops now!"

(Jessica folds her arms and looks at him curiously)

Jessica: "Okay, I'll bite, Ezra. How are you stopping this relationship?" (seductively) "I find that surprising considering just last night you were putting your hands all over me. Isn't that what little Miss Aria Montgomery hasn't done with you yet?" (chuckles) "You would rather be with her than a real woman?"

Woman: "What steps are you taking, Ezra?"

(Ezra and Jessica's conversation is interrupted, causing them to see who is at the door, revealing Aria)

Ezra: (surprised) "Aria, h-hey. I thought you were at Spencer's?"

(Aria walks slowly to Ezra and Jessica)

Aria: (nods) "I was." (slight smile) "But a few friends told me to keep fighting for my man." (to Jessica) "So, you still have it in your head that 'I'm' the other woman?"

(Jessica rolls her eyes and sighs deeply before facing Aria)

Jessica: "You know you are, little girl."

Aria: (to Ezra) "You said you are going to be taking steps to end this once and for all?"

Ezra: (nods in determination) "Yes, I am."

Jessica: (tilts her head curiously) "This should be interesting. How are you planning on doing that?"

(Ezra takes Aria's hand in his and smiles at her before staring at the college student)

Ezra: "I am having you removed from my class."

Chapter 11 Done

So, what'd you think? I'm very curious on your reactions! LOL. Please keep in mind that it is about to get really intense from this point on. Jessica and her mystery person will be stepping up their game in trying to tear 'Ezria' apart. This story is just getting started. You will see the summary of this story come to life. But please remember everyone that no matter how things may look for our couple, my plan for this story will always be the same...'Ezria' will be the endgame. They WILL get their happy ending. The story wouldn't be interesting without some drama. Please review! Thanks. Until next time!