Chapter 21 - next day

Aria's pov

I was looking at my phone when Ezra came back from dropping Oliver off with my dad.

"Aria, What are you still doing at home? Aren't you going to be late?" He asked. My head snapped up when he asked about being late.

"What is it?" Ezra asked concerned as he came over and kneeled in front of me.

"I am late." I said and he looked confused.

"Then why aren't you at school?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Ezra, I mean I'm late with my period. It's a week late." I said and he finally got what I was saying.

"Do you want me to go get you a test?" He asked and I shook my head.

"No, I'll go after school. I need to go into the city anyway. And before you ask, if my mom gets wind that we're getting another pregnancy test she'll come over and kill us... pregnant or not." I said, he stood up before sitting down next to me.

"I'll pick you up from school, then we'll go get a test. And then I plan on taking you out for dinner, pregnant or not." He said and kissed my forehead.

"What if I'm pregnant?" I asked barely in a whisper, not sure of anything right now. He took my hands in his and rested his forehead against mine.

"One step at a time, if you're pregnant then we'll go from there to figure it out." He said softly and kissed my nose.

...

"Aria." Toby said snapping his fingers in front of my face. I snapped out of it and looked at him.

"What?" I asked and he pointed towards Mrs. Welch, who looked a little concerned. She was substituting for my mom, who was going to be a little late today.

"Aria, do you need to see the nurse?" She asked and I shook my head.

"No, sorry. Just didn't sleep enough last night." I said quickly and she didn't look convinced, but she shrugged and looked over at someone else.

"What's going on? Are you and Ezra okay?" Toby asked quietly and I nodded.

"We're fine, I'm just tired." I lied, I knew he knew I was lying but for some reason he let it slide.

"Okay, 'The Winter's Tale' what do you guys think of Hermione's pregnancy being used against her?" My eyes widened at the mention of pregnancy and I swallowed as other students raised their hands to answer.

...

"Aria, are... are you pregnant?" Toby asked quietly as I rushed to my locker go switch my textbooks.

"I don't know, Ezra and I are going to find out later. You cannot tell anyone!" I whispered and he nodded.

"I'm a week late." I whispered and Toby looked around before pulling me into a hug.

"It's going to be alright." He whispered as I started breaking down.

"What if it's not? What if I'm pregnant and it turns out that we're not ready for another baby? We barely know what we're doing now." I said and he started making calming noises to me.

"What did Ezra say?" He asked as I wiped my eyes and I took a deep breath.

"That if I'm pregnant, we'll take it from there." I said softly as Toby opened his locker.

"You can't start stressing yourself out like this, there could other reasons why it's late." Toby said and handed me a small bag of gummy bears.

"Here, I've known you since we were four. When you start stressing you eat, usually its gummy bears." He said as Ezra walked into the hallway with another teacher and I quickly turned around, I opened my locker and wiped my eyes again.

"Did he not tell you that he was here today to fill in for mom for her second class?" Toby asked and I shook my head before fixing my eyeliner.

"He said he was going to pick me up from school." I said as I caught Ezra's eye and winked.

"See you at lunch, gotta go meet Chloe for history." I said and Toby nodded before we parted ways.

...

"Mona, you can sit next to Aria." My head snapped up like lightening when I heard mr. Jones say that. Everyone knew mona had stalked us last year and kidnapped me, why the hell is she even here?

"I'm going to say this nicely, Mona...is the freaking devil! I am NOT sitting next to her!" I said and Chloe rushed over towards me when mr. Jones brushed off my words. She pulled me out of my seat moments before Mona got to the empty seat next to me.

"Chloe, do not be pulling aria away from her desk! Aria, get over whatever made up paranoia you don't have and be nicer to Mona." He said and I glared at him.

"Is there a problem?" He asked annoyed and I pointed towards Mona, who smiled sweetly at me.

"Yeah there is! Mona stalked me for a year and you want me to sit next to the freaking devil! She shouldn't even be here!" I yelled, feeling panic starting to rise.

"She got the help she needed, you need to get over it." He said and Chloe stood in front of me as I started to have issues breathing. As soon as it was getting harder to breathe I squeezed Chloe's hand, using our signal.

"Focus on me Ar, look at me. In and out, in and out." Chloe said breathing with me, as I breathed I heard Mona.

"I'm all better! I can't wait to meet Oliver!" She said and the room started to spin as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Over my dead body that you will ever be anywhere near my child!" I yelled and Travis coming towards us was the last thing I saw before everything went black.

...

"Aria? Are you okay?" I heard Chloe ask after I opened my eyes.

"What happened?" I asked as I realized I was in the nurse's office. Chloe handed me a Dixie cup of water as she helped me sit up.

"You fainted, Travis brought you here and I got your mom. She's in with mr. Jones and the principal right now. Your mom says it's up to you to stay the rest of the day or not." She said as I took a few sips of water.

"As much as I don't want to be near her, I'm not letting her interrupt my education any further." I said as my mom came in. Chloe squeezed my hand and gave me a small smile before leaving me

"Honey, how are you feeling?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Honestly... mom I'm scared. We weren't told she would be back, let alone out of Radley. No one really knows what she put us through! She kidnapped me for damn sake and I'm just suppose to get over it?" I asked crying and she pulled me into a hug, I've pushed all my feelings about Mona and what we went through all the way in the back of my head. I haven't really talked about anything other than being kidnapped with Sullivan, maybe I could get an appointment earlier than Thursday.

"You girls weren't even told she was back?" She asked shocked and I shook my head. Even if Spencer or Emily had learned during class, they would have sent a text or something. Hanna... I don't know what she would've done.

"I'm calling Peter, you girls were supposed to to be informed. I know I said it was up to you, but I'm pulling you girls out for the rest of the day. Sweetie, you should tell Ezra." She said and I nodded, he has to know.

"Mom, we weren't even told she was out of radley." I said hoping Mona would be put back in radley.

...

Ezra kissed the top of my head as we waited for the results, I knew I had to tell him about Mona being back at school. I was going to tell him after school, then I was going to tell him over dinner but I chickened out each time. The timer went off, I walked into the bathroom and took a deep breath before looking at the test.

"Aria?" Ezra asked and I turned around to see him standing in the doorway.

"I'm not pregnant." I said and he sighed of relief when he saw the relief in my eyes. The relief isn't because I don't want to be pregnant, it's because I won't be bringing another baby into this whole 'A' and Mona mess.

"Mona's back at school." I blurted just like when I had when I was telling him about 'A' and the jenna thing.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Ezra asked as he took my hands in his and led me towards our bed.

"I was in history and mr. Jones told Mona she could sit by me. I flipped out and he brushed it off like she never stalked us and I was being a drama queen. She mentioned Oliver... I fainted, Chloe and Travis brought me to the nurse. Then Mom pulled the girls and I out for the day." I told him as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm not going to let her hurt you again." He whispered as I snuggled into him.

"Babe, we weren't even told she was out of Radley." I said as he held onto me, as if I'd slip out of his arms.