He stood in front of the door for about 15 minutes trying to make up his mind whether to knock or leave. After some, slow passing, minutes he decided to just knock. It was after sunset and 3 days after the accident.
She opened the door to find him standing on the footsteps and from the look of his face he seemed reluctant.
"Hi" Aria whispered
"Hi" Jason let out a breath he didn't know he was holding "Can I come in?"
"Sure" She smiled moving to give him space
He entered overwhelmed with the thoughts conflicting in his mind not wanting to comply and be arranged into comprehensible sentences. He can see clearly her weary expression and the last thing he wanted to make her more uncomfortable.
Biting her lips, she sat facing him feeling the warmth from his existence in the same place. "How's Al-"
She was cut off by him "I wanted to check on you" He started with his green eyes staring into hers "How are you doing?" He stressed on the last sentence wanting the truth.
She let out a loud breath "Tired" resting her head on the back of the couch "I'm tired of feeling scared of something I don't know. The need to get away from home" Her mind drifted to the word home.
"You say you are scared, but still doesn't let somebody help you" He continued quickly before he hear the same nonsense he heard from Alison and Spencer "Let me help you…Let me help you all to put an end to this, just tell me" He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees "When more people know by that you are preventing them from hurting you, even accidently"
She looked at him acknowledging his reference to the Halloween accident "Look…" He rested him right hand on hers "I'm terribly sorry about that night, and if I could take it all back I wouldn't hesitate to do it in a blink of an eye"
She hesitated and then started speaking "Look it doesn't have anything to do with not trusting you-"
"I didn't say that"
She rolled her eyes, he has the ability to be irritating within a few seconds without even making any effort "But…" She continued raising her voice a little bit "I appreciate your apology" She stood up quickly getting a small box from the table handing it to him.
He knew it was the bracelet he gave it to her, even though it ached his heart a little bit he took it from her anyway. Still couldn't talk…
Wow that easily… She raised her eyebrows and sat in her place. She can't read neither his body nor face expression. And I can't get to know why thinking to herself.
"Listen Aria…" Jason started frowning "I apologize for making us jump many steps forward and complicating everything" He refused to use the word relationship, not knowing whether it was coming out of stubbornness or embarrassment "But I really want to help you, even as a friend, and maybe even make it up to you"
Please…
Her mind kept racing whether to seek his help or he's still untrustworthy;
''You don't know what I'll do if something happened to you''
"I was leaving…But not after now"
"I care about you too"
"Just promise one thing" She swallowed hard taking her decision.
"Anything you want"
"You have to tell the truth too" She steadied herself "I'm going to tell you everything but I want you to do the same"
"Aria I never lied to you" He technically didn't lie to her ever, but preferred to not say at all, somethings are better to be left unsaid.
"I'm not talking about lying" She told him "I know you never did"
There was a moment of silence between them, not an awkward pause but a more relaxing pause. A pause that carried a lot than the said.
"Okay. I promise to answer any question you have"
She couldn't tell was it a forced smile or a genuine one, either way she likes it "Deal"
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"I though you didn't like the gift" Rhys exclaimed cheerfully resting back on his chair as the only blonde he wanted to see was standing in front of him clearly pissed off.
"This was not appropriate" Hanna snapped at him tapping her leg and crossing her arms "I don't want the scholarship… you know what" She marched closer "I don't want anything to do with you"
"Really!" He answered as irritatingly loud as before "I thought we became friends-"
"I'm not and will not be friends with someone like you" Hanna cut him off "Just please leave me alone" She walked away but she stopped in her pace when her spoke again.
"You must know by now that I don't take back what I've once gave" He had the smug look on his face that she wish she could punch him just to remove it.
"Then shove it to another 'friend' of yours" She returned his smug and closed the door behind her.
He kept staring at the, once was, carefully wrapped box on the counter.
She knew she couldn't have accepted his offer to a 'friendly dinner', she knew she couldn't accept this scholarship 'charity' and she damn knew that he's interested in her and 'not' in a good way.
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"So let me get this straight" Jason started "You believe that I've told Mona something that I can't remember and she won't say it"
"Yes"
"Melissa and Jenna are connected because of the common person who is Rhys Mathwes"
"Mathews" She corrected
"Okay" He nodded absorbing the information which once started with someone we don't know is stalking us and destroying everyone and everything we care about since Alison's disappearance. And oh! Alison was forced to disappear because of him.
"Also we think Melissa and Cece know each other because of…" Aria stuttered "You know…" She became nervous as he stare more waiting for her to continue.
Although it was cute to see her flush but he continued the sentence anyway "because they dated two bestfriends…Ian and myself"
"So you get the full picture" Aria awkwardly nodded trying to ignore an ache in her stomach.
How I could be jealous of someone he dated years ago and I've never met. She hushed the voice so she could listen carefully to Jason.
"You guys are correct. Melissa and Cece know each other because if us." Jason's mind drifted away with the memories "You must know that that time is still blurred to all of us. We used to hang out a lot, the four of us, using drugs. The best kinds…" He let out a small sad laugh "It was our thing beers and drugs. It all stopped when we had an accident in which Cece almost die" He stopped to gather his thoughts when he felt Aria's hand on his back.
He shivered due to her touch, her closeness, her scent…
"We still hung out but not as before until I went to rehab and then we met once again after Ian's death" He looked at Aria "That's it. That's all I know"
Their faces were so close and their eyes were locked… You can't know how much I need you Aria…You can't imagine…
"The files!" Aria jumped from her place "I could able to get some files about every one of us, like a record…maybe we could find something. It's in my room" She pointed up.
"Okay let's go" He said trying to control his facial expressions like always.
"From where you get these anyway?" He asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Just from a friend" She quickly replied
"Oh…a friend"
Once he entered her room he found himself captivated from everywhere by her scent. "Nice room" He brushed it off.
"Thanks" She grinned "There you go" They sat on the floor where she opened a decent well-arranged sack of files with everyone's name on it.
He couldn't help the surprise on his face "Okay that's new" They both let out a small laugh.
They kept looking for something between the notes and pictures, something in the background or even a clear shot.
His face changed and tensed a little "Did you find anything?"
"No" Aria replied looking at him in which he quickly composed himself "Did you?"
"Unfortunately no" He told her getting up with some files in his hands "Do you mind if I took a closer look at these? They have my name on it…Maybe I could find something that makes me remember" He swallowed hard.
"Yeah, of course" She pitted him "Anything" She smiled.
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"Thanks again for these" He climbed down the doorstep and turned to face her.
"It's me who need to thank you" She leaned at the door "For apologizing and helping" She grinned truly grateful.
"I'll see you soon Aria." He beamed with the need to hug her, but decided against that.
He walked back home grabbing his phone from his pocket "Hey" He sniffed "Don't get near anyone of them. We can't hurt them. Listen…Listen Rhys I've got new information"
