Chapter 13

"That's her!" Hanna whispered as she leaned in towards the other girls. "She's wearing bagging clothes so you can't see her bump."

Aria looked towards the girl Hanna had pointed to and frowned. They weren't the only ones who had heard the rumours, and it seemed the whole cafeteria had stopped to look at 'Spewy McGee'.

"You don't know that." Aria chided as she watched the target of Hanna's rumours rush by with a tray of food. It never ceased to amaze Aria how Hanna could be so caring and supporting one minute, only to turn into the clichéd high school mean girl. It was that kind of behaviour that reminded Aria, that Hanna and Alison where a lot alike.

Hanna shrugged. "Whatever, the whole schools saying the same thing so it must be true."

Aria caught Spencer's eye, who just shook her head and continued picking at her plate of fries.

"Hey." Emily greeted cheerfully as she sat down next to Aria. "So, I was thinking since my mum will be in Texas this weekend, that you guys could all stay at my place for a sleepover?"

Spencer's face fell at Emily's words and her fork dropped to her plate. "I wish I could but I have so many exams next week that I'll need the whole weekend just to prepare."

Emily smiled reassuringly at Spencer. "We can study first? I'll help quiz you, and then we can break out the Heath Ledger movies!"

"Heath Ledger?" Hanna squealed. "I'm so there!"

The other girls laughed at Hanna's enthusiasm.

"What about you Aria?" Emily asked hopefully.

"My dad has been pretty occupied with Meredith lately, so it should be fine."

"What!" Spencer gasped. "Meredith?"

Aria sighed and silently cursed herself. She had totally forgotten to tell the girls about Meredith. "Yeah, Meredith. She has been living with us for the past week." That was as much as Aria wanted to divulge.

"What?!" Hanna shrieked. "You mean Meredith, the crazy bitch who tried to kill you?"

Aria shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, that one."

"Aria, why didn't you tell us?" Emily asked, her face pained.

"It slipped my mind." Aria answered honestly. "I don't really see her much."

"Please don't tell me you have been eating or drinking anything she's been making?" Hanna breathed.

"Hanna!" Emily gasped as she whacked Hanna's arm, but Aria just laughed.

"It's okay Han, I haven't accepted any tea from her."

Hanna didn't seem convinced. "Aren't you afraid she is going to try and hurt you again."

Aria paused. She hadn't seen Meredith as a threat. She was more concerned about Byron then anything. "She's back on her medication and according to my dad, is as harmless as a kitten."

"God what's it been like?" Spencer had pushed her tray of fries away from her and was now playing with the straw on her juice box.

"Honestly, I think she has been good for my dad. He's been in a bad place since my mum left and I think she is a distraction."

Arias stomach twisted, she hated talking about her father, let alone making him sound sympathetic. But truth be told, Meredith had been some what of a distraction for Byron, and while they kept to themselves, Aria was spared a bruise or two.

A sharp nudge in her side made Aria look up quickly, ready to chastise who ever had elbowed her, but was stopped short when she spotted Ezra walking into the cafeteria. A small smile tugged at her face as she took in his appearance. His hair was neatly combed and he had finally shaved, and much to Arias delight; he was wearing one of his famous animal print ties. She felt her heart flutter as he glanced over to her with a smile on his face that she knew was only meant for her. Aria felt a sense of relief wash over her. She was certain he would be mad at her for abandoning him in the morning. He passed by her, greeting other students as he went, and disappeared through the doors that lead off to his class room.

"Fitz is looking a lot better." Hanna said while wiggling her eyebrows teasingly at Aria.

"Yeah, looks like he has gotten some much needed rest." Emily remarked innocently.

A cough came from Spencer as she struggled to clear the juice she was choking on. A mischievous grin then appeared on her face once she had cleared her throat, only to be met with a death glare from Aria.

"Hey, I've gotta go talk to Ezra before class. Talk later?" Aria stood quickly and grabbed her bag off the back of the chair.

Hanna raised her eye brow suggestively and grinned stupidly at Aria. "You two back together?"

Aria rolled her eyes and pointed to Spencer. "I'm sure she will fill you in."

Spencer's hand flew to her chest and grab at her heart as if she was wounded. "Why I never!" She said in a fake southern drawl.

Aria laughed and picked her books up off the table, leaving Spencer to answers the other girls questions.

Ezra was sitting at his desk, his pen tapped lightly on the desk as he read over the papers in his hand. Aria smiled to herself. It was a sight she had seen many times before and she would never get used to how beautiful he looked when he was immersed in reading. She straightened her clothes and then knocked on the door to announce her arrival.

"Hey." He beamed as he stood from his desk. "I missed you this morning."

Aria smiled sympathetically as she moved into the room, closing the door behind her. "Yeah about that, I just wanted to say I'm sorry to skip out on you like that. I'm not trying to take advantage of you or anything."

"Isn't it the guy who is supposed to take advantage of the girl."

Aria smiled. "But you are a gentleman and I know you would never do that."

"It was nice." He said, his voice thick and full of emotion. "It almost felt like it did before."

Aria nodded. She had felt the exact same. It was like she was a completely different person when she was with Ezra. His presence always brought out the best in her. But she could feel something in the back of her mind; that constant reminder that she couldn't get to close to him.

"Is your father still away tonight? Maybe you could stay over again?"

Aria smiled sadly. "I really need to study." It wasn't a lie, she had fallen seriously behind and couldn't risk any distractions. Ezra nodded in understanding, although Aria could feel the disappointment radiate off of him.

"Maybe we can do something on the weekend?" She suggested.

His face lit a little and he reached his hand out to hers and let his fingers brush over hers.

"I'd like that."

The rest of the day seemed to pass quickly after that. Once Ezra had eased her guilt she was able to focus on getting back on track for her exams. She had picked up a few extra study sheets from her teachers and had her mind set on burying herself in her text books all night. Her plans however, where thrown out the window as she arrived home that afternoon after school.

As she looked upon her fathers car, her feet seemed rooted to the spot and she had to remind herself to breathe. She had thought Byron and Meredith would be gone another night so she could have some piece and quiet. But now she had to figure out how she was going to get through the house and into her room with out seeing her father.

"Aria!" She heard her fathers voice boom from the kitchen as soon as she stepped through the door. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she could make it to her room before he came after her.

"Get in here now!"

Feeling defeated, Aria let her school bag fall to the floor before she walked into the kitchen. Meredith was seated at the kitchen bench wearing an ugly orange sweater. Her fingers where wrapped tightly around a mug, as if to stop her hands from shaking and she did not look at Byron or Aria.

Byron pushed himself of the bench where he had been leaning and stalked over to Aria.

"Where have you been?" He barked.

Aria hesitated, confused by his question. "At school?"

He made a low growl from deep in his throat and suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Aria by her shoulders. His fingers dug deep into her skin, hanging on like a vice as she shook her violently. She heard a noise from Meredith and saw her retreat from the kitchen in a blur of orange.

Coward.

"Where were you?" He demanded again. "Last night." He added to clarify. Her words caught in her throat. His anger was reaching the danger zone and any wrong move could mean disaster for Aria.

"I was at home." She managed to choke. A hand left her shoulder and pulled back. She prepared her self for the inevitable and stumbled as his open palm collided with her face. Metallic filled her mouth and she guessed he had split her lip open, but she was more concerned with the ringing in her ears and the stinging feeling in her cheek.

"Liar!" He hissed. "I called his apartment when you didn't answer our home phone."

She felt terror bubble in her stomach. She had answered Ezra's phone last night, she had thought it odd when there was no reply, but now she knew it was her father on the other line. He had known the whole time she was lying. A sob escaped her mouth and she trembled in fear.

"You know, I heard a rumour from your school today. Apparently there is a girl who is pregnant."

Arias head snapped up suddenly, her hand still cupping her throbbing cheek. She wasn't sure where her father was going with this.

"Is there anything you need to tell me?"

Aria blinked, as if it would clear away the confusion. But then it seemed to click; her father thought the rumour was about her.

"What? No! Of course not."

Byron laughed humourlessly. "You expect me to believe you. After I catch you sneaking around behind my back. How many other times have you lied to me to answer his booty call?"

Arias mouth opened to say something but closed again. This had to be some kind of sick joke.

"I knew it!" He spat viciously. Aria tried to protest but Byron had pulled his hand back and brought it down across Arias face with such force that she fell backwards; her face colliding with the edge of the kitchen bench.

She could feel a searing pain burning in her cheek and spots began to cloud her vision.

"I did not raise you to be a slut." He forced through gritted teeth.

Aria could hear his foot steps as he stepped closer towards her. The stars had slowly began to fade, but her cheek was throbbing and she could feel something warm trickle down her face. For a moment she thought she was crying, but when she pulled her hand away from her face, she saw that her hand was covered in blood.

Byron had reached Aria, and loomed over her crumpled form menacingly.

"It's not me!" She pleaded. "It's a girl called Annie McNeil." But Aria knew reasoning with her father was futile.

"You disgust me!" He spat. "Get out of my sight."

Aria picked herself up off the floor and rushed out of the room, glancing back for a second, just long enough to see her father grab a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet.

Please, Please review 0:)