"She's prettier anyway."

The words echoed painfully in my head as tears gushed down my cheeks and fell onto the screen. I hunched over the couch and stared at the screen in desperation, trying to find a hidden clue. Anything that would show he didn't mean it.

I knew it was her, that much was clear. But the fact that he gave her his phone was all the proof I needed. He was gone. The truth hit me like a punch to the gut as reality set in like stone. He had chosen her.

With shaking hands I turned the phone off and threw it to the side in agitation. I'm so much better then her. If that's the type of person he wants to associate with, the type of person he wants around his DAUGHTER then so be it. He'll see soon enough how miserable his life is with her. With the new found resolve, I slowly laid down on the couch and let my eyes drift close.

Four weeks later

I giggled as the liquid sloshed around in my cup. The sound of music drummed loudly throughout the house as people filled every corner. I waved wildly as I saw my friend Shawn weaving through the crowd, a equally scrawny guy trailing shyly behind him.

"OMG GIRL HEYYY" Shawn shouted to be heard over the roar of the music. He wrapped me up in a tight embrace and swung me drunkenly around. Despite being 100 pounds lighter then me Shawn was still freakishly strong and easily towered over my meager height of five foot.

"You came!" He slurred happily. His hair was wild and messy, clearly indicating his adventurous night. I giggled again as he swayed against my body. Guilt nawed at me as I noticed the concern hidden deep in his eyes under the alcohol. I didn't blame him. Tonight was my first night out in four weeks after receiving the text that broke my heart. I had refused to speak to anyone about what had happened, mostly because I didn't want to have to hear the many "I told you so's" I knew I would hear. When people would come and go from my house I would simply shut down and change the subject when he was brought up.

Tonight, when Gabby mentioned that Elias was throwing a party for all that had graduated I decided enough was enough and that I needed to get back out into the world. I wore my favorite red and black layered lace pop punk skirt with a tight crop top that exposed my midrift, giving full view to my abs. My arms were covered with dark arm sleeves that laced up to my elbow matching my thigh high leather boots. I straightened my hair to perfection, and even pulled half of it back to reveal my face. No more hiding I told myself. The bitch was back.

Aria stumbled out onto the porch in search of some much needed fresh air. As much as she loved her friends, she couldn't prolong her social battery, even for them. She leaned up against the wooden post and slumped down to sit on the top step. She leaned her head up against the post and stared up at the night sky, relishing in the feeling of the wind on her face. It was hard, lying to everyone and pretending she was okay. The truth is it still hurt. The pain of betrayal, the knowledge it was all a lie, and worst of it all, the memories. The memories dogged at her mind, plaguing her dreams, disrupting her thoughts. She couldn't escape them no matter how much she tried. Julian had completely and truly shattered her. She winced in embarrassment at the truth. Kansas had made her soft. Back in Texas she only ever allowed one man to hurt her and he had been dealt with accordingly. Since then she had kept a hard wall around her heart and hadn't let anyone get to close. But noooooo this godforsaken state and it's inhabitants had refused to let her continue living as she had back home. They had practically beat morals into her and they all banded together to tear down her walls. It annoyed the shit out of her first but then she grew to be grateful for it. They had saved her. She wasn't stupid, she knew the path she was heading down was dangerous and lonely. She just didn't give a damn.

But then he came in to her life. It took her three days to notice his presence, and even longer to acknowledge him as a person worth talking to, but when she finally did everything went to shit. She had fallen for him, hard. She loved him and his daughter and would've done anything to protect them. And for a whole month she believed him to have felt the same. But alas, had had ultimately chosen to go back to his lying, thieving, manipulative ex and crushed Aria's heart and soul in the process. It was times like this she wished she still had her walls up, was still known as the "Demon". No one had ever hurt her this bad.

She'd never admit it out loud but sometimes she often entertained the thought of suicide. It made her crinkle her nose in distaste, but it was an escape. An escape from the pain, the reality, the loneliness. She just wanted it all to stop. Subconciously her right hand reached up and grasped the necklace dangling from her neck. Trapped in a little black vile with a single wing hanging off the side were the ashes of her older cousin. She squeezed it, relishing in the comfort it brought her, as she remembered the boy that once was.

Tony was a remarkable young boy and had been her favorite family member growing up. Given her twisted and complicated family tree, Tony had been the only family member close to her in age. She greatly looked forward to the visits to Kansas every summer when she was a child and loved following him around to his annoyance. But like always, the happiness didn't last. When she was ten years old her mother, who is actually her grandmother, got in a fight with her older sister and they were all kicked out of Kansas. Aria had thought of running away multiple times over the years since, but was always scared Tony and the family wouldn't remember her. When she got the gut wrenching call two years ago it had shattered her completely. Her favorite cousin had killed himself.

She moved to Kansas shortly after to try and reconnect with the family and was even attending college, but none of it was going to plan. She felt like an outcast at the family gatherings, never having a story to pitch in. Some of the younger kids didn't attempt to hide their hostility towards her and the adults still only saw her as the five year old from all those years ago. Even here she was still utterly alone with no family. She'd never admit this outloud, she hated the pity looks people threw her way, but it hurt. All she ever wanted was to fit in, to be loved, to have a family. She wanted the fairy tale life, but knew she was only ever to be a villain.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone sitting down on either side of her. Gabby and Shawn, her to first and best friends here, sat down on either side of her and encased her in their arms.

" Hey love, how you doing?" Gabby asked as she rubbed soothing circles into Aria's back. Shawn quietly offered her a drink.

"I'm fine" Aria lied. She couldn't bring herself to tell the truth. They had both hated Julian and had told her from the start that he was no good. She didn't want to fuel their hatred for him by admitting her true feelings. "You know I just have a small social battery" She joked as she slowly stood up onto the bottom step. She stretched, completely missing the shared look between Gabby and Shawn, and let out a strangled noise as her joints shuddered pleasantly. She turned back to them with a wicked smirk, the shadows from the moons light casting an ominous glow across her face. "Whose ready to get this party started."

This story is the first story I've written for the Once Upon A time show. This story is important to me because the first few chapters are how things have been lately. I got the idea after watching the Pan Arc and this Story came to me in a dream, hope y'all like it!