CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

It had been a week and Aria still hadn't received a call from Jason. She didn't understand. He told her he would call, so why wasn't he. Did Janine not tell him? She didn't seem like she was lying when she said she would, but Aria couldn't see her, so she couldn't tell really. Every day Spencer asked if she had heard from him and every day the answer was the same. Spencer said that if he wasn't going to call her then maybe she should call him. Aria said that if he wasn't going to call her then what's the point in calling him. He obviously didn't want to talk to her. She told Spencer to call him, which she did, but he never spoke to her.

"Why do you look like someone kicked your dog?" Aria asked Spencer. They were at The Brew before school and Aria was trying to show her a photo that she had seen on Maya's site; one that was familiar to Emily, but not because of Maya. Emily saw this weird symbol on Holden Strauss's wrist at the church party a few weeks ago. He said it was from some party and he saw Maya there a few times.

"I don't have a dog," Spencer said.

"It's an expression," Aria said, "But seriously, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Five days ago, I literally forgot to apply to college," Spencer said, "Do you get that? First, I drive Toby out of town, and now this."

"Well, I don't know where my boyfriend is either, so you aren't the only one with issues there. He literally will not talk to me and I know he has a phone that he can talk on, because I talked to a woman who told me he can," Aria said, "And that was just the early admissions deadline. You can still get in. No problem," Aria said.

"UPenn has been my dream school since I was eight, Aria. And yesterday I found my dream crumpled up in the bottom of a bag underneath my A.P. French and my physics homework," Spencer said, "Which, by the way, I got a 'B' on. A 'B'. So, no everything is not gonna be okay."

"I didn't even know what college was when I was eight," Aria said, "And I wish I could pull 'B's in physics."

"You don't even take physics," Spencer said.

"Exactly my point," Aria said.

"You don't make any sense," Spencer said, "But I'm dropping my Velma act. From now on I'm Daphne. Because I've got a boyfriend to get back and a college to get into," she said.

"I think you're confusing which Scooby-Doo character would have gotten into an Ivy League," Aria said, "And both Velma and Daphne solve crimes," she said sitting down beside Spencer.

"Good morning, ladies," Spencer and Aria saw CeCe walking towards them, "Does this belong to one of you?" she asked holding up Aria's cell phone.

"Yeah, that's mine," Aria said, "Thanks."

"I should have figured that out by the screensaver, huh?" CeCe asked, "Cute picture."

Aria's screensaver was a picture of her and Jason. They had been painting his living room nearly a year ago and he had decided to start finger-painting on her face. She painted a giant heart on his cheek. It took forever to get the paint off her phone after taking the picture.

"How is Jason?" CeCe asked, "I haven't seen or talked to him in years," she said.

"He's good," Aria said. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't know where he was or what he was doing.

"That's good," CeCe replied and left it at that, thankfully, "UPenn. Who's applying?" she asked looking at Spencer's application.

"Not me, because I'm going to community college," Spencer told her.

"She just missed the early admissions deadline," Aria told CeCe.

"Hey, you don't need early admission, you're a Hastings," CeCe reminded Spencer, "If I can get in, you can get in."

"You went to UPenn?" Spencer asked sounding shocked.

"Okay, dial down the shock," CeCe said.

"No. No, it's just that if you went, then maybe you know somebody I can talk to about my application, like a dean or a professor—a janitor even."

"Well, there is this party tonight, some people I haven't seen since high school. This guy Steven is supposed to be there," CeCe said, "Last I heard he got a job working for admissions after he graduated."

"At UPenn?"

"Yeah," CeCe said.

"That is great. That is awesome!" Spencer exclaimed, "Can we please go talk to him? I could just bring my application—"

"I really wasn't planning on going. It's not really my scene," CeCe said, "Oh. You're not gonna stop staring at me like a lost puppy until I say yes, are you?"

Spencer shook her head.

"Fine, we'll go," she said, "Meet me at 7:00pm. Outside the boutique."

"Thank you so much," Spencer said.

"Okay. Bye lovely," CeCe said turning around and walking out of the coffee shop.

"Well, look who just got their wish, Cinderella," Aria said.

"You're gonna come too, right?" Spencer asked.

"Hmm. Negative," Aria said, "Parties aren't really my thing," she told Spencer.

Aria was in her bedroom after school when her phone started ringing. Hoping it was Jason she looked at the caller ID. It wasn't. It was an unknown number. She had a lot of unknown numbers text her, but never call her. She wasn't sure if she should answer it or not, but she decided to in the end.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Aria. It's me," the person on the other end replied.

"Jason. Hi," she said. She had a lot to say, but she knew if it all came out at once she would end up yelling at him and that was the last thing she wanted to do, "I've tried calling you. Like, a lot," she told him.

"I know. I wasn't ready to talk to anyone," he told her.

"But I'm just anyone, Jase," Aria said, "I've been so scared. I talked to some woman, but she wouldn't tell me anything," she said, "Every time my phone rings I hope it's you and my heart breaks every time it's not. I just don't know what to do," she said, "Are you even close to Rosewood?"

"I'm at a rehab facility in Philadelphia," Jason told her.

"You're only an hour away?" she asked, "And you didn't think to mention that?"

"I haven't told anyone where I am, Aria," he said, "I'm sure some people over there think I've left the country, but I just needed to get away. I messed up and I needed help so I'm getting some."

"I get that, and I'm glad you're doing it, but I wish you would have trusted me enough to tell me," she said, "It's not like I'm going to go out and tell the whole world."

"I do trust you, Aria. You know I trust you. You're probably the only person I do trust," Jason said.

"I really don't know if I know that, Jason," Aria said, "If you did you would have told me where you were going when you were going. You had the perfect opportunity when we were talking that morning. You wouldn't have left me here without any information," she continued, "I wouldn't be a scared mess when I'm not able to talk to you because you won't answer your phone or call me," she said, "I don't even know what number you're calling from right now because it's blocked," she went on, "Jason, I love you so much, but I don't know if it's a good idea for you to be in a relationship while you're going through rehab," she told him, "I can't call and talk to you just because I feel like it, because you have a routine there and I want you to get better. But I don't want you to go through this alone, either. Even though it seems like you have been, considering you haven't told anyone where you are," she said.

"My mom knows I'm here," Jason told her, "I had to tell her just in case something happens, and they need to get ahold of someone," he said.

"Right," Aria said. She had to clear her throat before speaking again. She could feel too much emotion building up and didn't want it transfer through the phone, "Um, I just think it would be best for both of us if I just left you alone while you're away. I'll be here if you need me, but I'm just going to leave you to yourself until you're better," she said.

"So, you want to break up is what you're saying," Jason said.

"That is the last thing I want to do," Aria said, "It's just what's best for now. I think if we keep doing this phone thing one of us is going to get annoyed with the other and resentment will set in and make things worse," she told him, "Probably on my end, because I have more time to use my phone and I get bored so easily. Especially now that you aren't here to do stuff with me."

"I'm not going to be in here forever, Aria," he told her.

"So, we don't have to break up forever," she told him, "There isn't anyone around here I find even remotely interesting enough. That guy is in Philadelphia," Aria said.

"Why don't we just call it a break, then. I don't want to say we're broken up," Jason told her, "Not unless I know we're really broken up."

"Okay, we're gonna take a break until you're better," she said, "But not like on FRIENDS. Like Ross and Rachel were on a break. Where they were sleeping with other people, or Ross was anyway."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jason said.

"You've never watched FRIENDS?" Aria asked incredulously.

"Maybe a couple times, but not to the extent that I know all their names or anything. I just know Jennifer Aniston was on it," he said.

"Yeah, okay," Aria said.

"I won't be sleeping with anyone around here. You can trust me on that," he told her, "I live in a house in a house with a bunch of addicts and alcoholics. You have temptation everywhere."

"No, I don't," Aria said, "I already told you, the guy I want is in Philadelphia. I don't know where you've been this whole conversation."

"I've been trying not to freak the fuck out," he said, "I don't want to break up with you. I don't want to 'go on a break'. But if that's what will make you feel better I'll do it," he told her.

"It's what's best for my mental health right now, Jason," Aria said, "I don't know where your head is at, but every time I call, and you don't pick up I lose a little bit of my mind. And I really don't want to be institutionalized."

"I promise I will call you more often, Jason told her.

"Like, how often?" she asked.

"A few times a week," he told her, "I don't know which days yet, but we can set a schedule if you want or I can just call randomly," he said.

"Just whenever you can. After 3:00pm. I have school," she reminded him.

"Right," he said.

"And like spread the days out so it's not like one day after another. Maybe like every other day or something," she told him.

"Well, I think you just made a schedule," Jason said.

"I guess I did," she said.

"So, I guess I will call you Monday," he said, "And I'm allowed to call anyone on Sundays, so four times a week," he told her.

"Okay," she replied.

"Please, don't be sad, Aria," Jason said.

"I'm not. I'm just happy I know where you are now, and I don't have to worry so much," she told him, "I swear my hair was starting to fall out."

"So, we're on a break, but not like Ross and Rachel on FRIENDS?" Jason said.

"Right," Aria laughed, "And Jase, you really need to call Spencer. She's worried too," she told him."

"Fine," Jason let out a defeated sigh. He wasn't close with Spencer, but it was kind of sad when he realized he was closer with Spencer, who he had just recently found out was his sister, than he was with the sister he knew all his life, "Will you tell her first though, and then tell me to call her?"

"Jason, you are 22 years old. You can call on your own," Aria told him, "I've gotta go, thought. I told Spencer I'd go to a party with her and CeCe. She begged be until I couldn't say no. Something about her college application being late for early admissions."

"With CeCe?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, I'm not really into it, but it's for Spencer, so…yeah," Aria said.

"Where is it at?" he asked.

"No idea," Aria told him, "CeCe said it moves to different locations each time."

"Just be careful. Don't drink from any open cups, or anything someone gives you," he told her.

"Okay, Jason, I already know that," she told him, "I don't even plan on drinking anything anyway," she said.

"Just be safe and tell CeCe she and I are going to have issues if you or Spencer come home fucked up," Jason said.

"I will probably not say it like that," or at all, she added in her head, "But okay."

"Alright, I've gotta go. Other people have to use this phone," he told her.

"Okay. I love you. I'll be here when you get back," she told him.

"I love you too, Aria," he said, "I'll talk to you in a couple days."

"'Kay," Aria nodded even though he couldn't see her. Jason hung up and Aria programmed the number as 'JD' in her phone. She figured most people wouldn't understand what that meant, even if they did get their hands on her phone.

AN: New chapter!

I didn't think I would post anything today because of the holiday, but I got something posted. I might get another one up. I have it written, I just have to type it out. Depends on reviews. I get it if you can't because of the holiday, but for sure it will be posted tomorrow. And most likely 2 tomorrow based on reviews as well. The Khan Game will be the next chapter. It was supposed to be this one, but I wanted to do the Jason part.

Please review and let me know what you think!

Also, I have changed some ages. I will put them below so if you get confused they are here. These are as of season 3, so 2011-2012. (I based them off of the Fandom page because I didn't know where else to find them lol)

ARIA: 17-18

JASON: 23-24

SPENCER: 17-18

HANNA: 17-18

EMILY: 18-19

ALISON: 17-18

TOBY: 18-19

CALEB: 17-18

MONA: 17-18

I think that's it.