General pov
Spencer had a mission. She loved Aria, she was certain about that. But winning back the broken brunettes trust wasn't going to be easy. For a few reasons. Reason number one, Aria had a tendency to keep secrets. A lot of secrets. Thats something Spencer had become somewhat used to after dating the other girl for so long. But just because she was used to it, didn't mean she liked it. The fact that Aria had such a hard time opening up to other people, lead to a lot of fights.
That was a prime example of what was happening now. Spencer knew Aria wasn't okay. For one thing, any conversation involving the shorter girls parents was out of the question. Spencer knew Aria didn't have the best family situation but when it got to the point where Aria would actually flinch at the mention of how her parents were doing, Spencer knew something was wrong.
Another thing, Aria had become insanely tired lately. Heavy bags under her eyes, having zero energy, not eating, not focusing. The only explanation Spencer could come up with was that the other girl was not sleeping. At all. Which was a problem.
There was one more thing that made Spencer suspicious and that was her brothers new edition to his face. A black eye. Spencer thought that maybe Mike was getting into trouble again, causing Aria to have more stress, but surprising the other boy seemed put together enough. Talking to his friends normally, not skipping classes, attending school events. Spencer eventually put together that nothing is abnormal about Mike at the moment besides the bruising on his eye.
So Spencer had gathered her information. Made her questions. Next step was to get her answers. She's going to get Aria to be hers again, in order to that she has to be there for the other girl. Finding out what the hell was going on with her would be a start. Spencer always knew that Aria pretended to be a lot more put together then she really was, and Spencer didn't want her to pretend in front of her.
Spencers pov
As I woke up and got ready for school that morning, I was determined to talk to talk to at least one of the Montgomery siblings and get some answers today. I just didn't know that I'd talk to them as soon as I did. Because at 8:00 I got a text from Aria.
Aria: Um, do you think you could pick me up for school today?
I smiled a little at the text. After offering Aria rides everyday I really thought that the little tradition of me picking her up and dropping her off was going to become a regular thing. But the shorter girl at denied and denied every time I tried, and wouldn't tell me why when I brought it up.
So hearing her, well seeing her ask made me feel really good.
Spencer: Of course! Finally you take me up on my offer ;) I'll be there soon.
Aria: Can you drive Mike too?
Spencer: Definitely, no problem. See you soon.
Aria: Thank you Spencer it means a lot. See you soon.
Aria was definitely still distant and I could tell even through a couple of simple text messages. But I couldn't help but feel like maybe this was progress. Maybe she's working out her problems and maybe things are about to get a lot better.
Oh, how Spencer was wrong about that.
I drove up to the Montgomery household and was quickly greeted by the two familiar faces. They came out the front door as soon as I pulled up, not even giving me a chance to text and say I was here or even get out of the car and knock on the door.
"Hey Spence. Thanks so much for the ride, seriously" Aria said when she entered the front seat, next to me and her brother got in the back.
"Hey Ar, I told you I'd drive you whenever you needed it, no worries" I smiled.
"Hey Mike" I greeted the boy, looking in my mirror to see him.
"Hey Spencer. Thanks for the ride" He smiled. Mike and I definitely haven't had a lot of conversations in all my years knowing Aria, but he seemed like a pretty good kid. Just a little misunderstood and lost at times. Overall though I liked him.
Throughout the car ride there was little conversation. Mostly small talk. Mike chimed in here and there but the majority of the talking was done by Aria and myself.
She seemed tense, tired once again, and very stressed and it sadden me a lot to see her this way. But I engaged in regular conversation trying to ignore the uncomfortable nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach saying that Aria was far from okay, as much as she said she was.
I wanted to help her but I wanted to do it right. Throwing questions at her and interrogating her wasn't the way to do it. I had to wait for the right moment, take things slowly, gradually figure out whats wrong and then help her. I didn't think this was the kind of scenario were I needed to go with the tough love approach and demand answers. Yet anyway.
We arrived at school, and Mike got out quickly, thanking me yet again and then disappeared.
Aria stayed, shifting uncomfortably and awkwardly.
"Hey you okay?" I asked concerned.
"Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine, lets go" She said getting out.
I sighed and opened my own door going to the other side to meet Aria as we started walking into the familiar building.
"You know you look exhausted, did you sleep last night?" I asked Aria.
"Uh yeah. A little, I only got like 5 hours or something but better then nothing" The other girl shrugged.
"Whats going on that you can't even sleep properly?" I asked. I didn't want interrogate her, but asking a few questions that any concerned friend would ask, I figured was ok.
"Its nothing really Spence. Just stress. Listen I have to go talk to a teacher about an assignment but thanks again for the ride and I'll see you later, yeah?" Aria said not giving me time to reply because she was off in the other direction by the time I opened my mouth.
I knew she was lying. It was an easy lie. One easily caught. I decided to shake it off.
Walking to my locker I got my books out and as I did I saw Mike just across the hall, at his own locker. He was alone for once which was weird because he usually had a good 4 or 5 friends around him, deep in his own conversations. Seeing the younger boy alone for once, with no sign of Aria around either, gave me the courage I needed to finally confront him and see if I can find my answers this way.
So, I walked up to him and greeted him with a simple. "Hi Mike"
He looked confused at first, and stopped digging through his locker to bring his full attention on me. "Hey Spence. Whats up?" He asked.
"Uh, I actually kinda wanted to talk to you about something" I told him.
He furrowed his eyebrows. "You want to talk to me about something?" Mike looked at me curiously.
"Yeah it has to do with Aria" I informed him.
He un-furrowed his eyebrows and looked a little relieved. "Oh its about Aria. Okay, what do you want to know. Warning now, that I might not know. She's kinda a closed book, especially these days" He says.
"Thats actually kinda what I needed to talk to you about that. She seems really closed off lately, and depressed, and tired, and I just wanted to know if you knew anything, at all, about whats going on" I asked, or more pleaded.
"Spencer you should know more then anyone, why she's been a little down lately. I mean your breakup hurt her a lot, and you know Fitz dying and all that." Mike shrugged, shifting his feet and looking down.
There was something he was leaving out, I could tell. And besides me and Aria had talked about those other things, I thought she had gotten over them a little more. Or at least learnt to dealt with them. Now that we are friends again hopefully she isn't as upset about the breakup then she was. And the whole Fitz thing…well that was a wound that would only be healed with time.
"Its more then that. Something had to happen recently. Please Mike if you know something you have to tell me. I just want to help Aria" I begged.
Mike sighed deeply and shut his locker. "Spencer, Its family stuff, its not really my place to say anything"
"Well you're part of the family right! That gives you a right. Please Mike" I pleaded once again, desperate to figure anything out.
Mike rubbed the back of his neck. "I just…Listen, Aria is going to kill me if I say anything" He says nervously.
"Say anything about what? What is going on? Are your parents ok?" I ask frantically.
"Yeah yeah, I mean there the same as always I guess. Its just our dad…" Mike trails.
"Listen Mike, you can trust me I promise. I only want to do whats right and good for Aria, for you too. I care so much about Aria, I know she's hurting right now, I just want to be there for her, and thats really hard to do when she's a closed book like you said" I told the boy in front of me.
Taking in another deep breath, Mike looked up to meet my eyes.
"You see this black eye?" He asked, pointing to the semi faded bruise above his eye.
I nodded confused.
"My dad gave it to me" He confessed.
I looked at him in shock. "Byron? Your dad, he, he hit you?" I asked shocked.
"Yeah. He's been getting drunk off his ass, blaming Aria and I for mom leaving, and one night he just kinda snapped, punched me right in the face and then walked off like nothing even happened" Mike revealed.
Im completing shocked. I knew that the Montgomery family was having some serious problems but I never knew they were this bad. Something tells me Aria might be a lot worse then I thought.
"Has he hurt Aria?" I asked in a broken voice.
"No. Thankfully. Im hoping he won't hurt either one of us again. So far it was a one time thing. But I don't know" Mike sighed.
"I can't believe this." I mumbled so lost in my thoughts.
The bell then interrupted Mike from speaking.
"Gotta go. If I ask you not to tell Aria I told you am I just wasting my time" Mike asked questioningly.
I smiled sadly at him. "Im sorry Mike, but I have to talk to her about this. Im going to have to tell her how I found out" I told the boy truthfully.
Mike nodded. "I understand. Maybe its time for Aria to actually open up for once anyway. If thats what you're trying to do then I understand."
"Thank you Mike. Really. I'll see you later" I said.
"Yeah, see you Spence" He said before walking off to class.
Okay now I really need to talk to Aria. Soon.
Whatcha think? Loved it? Hated it? You glad Spencer found out one of Aria's secrets? Don't worry its only a matter of time before she finds out more. Also was Byrons acting out a one time thing or is it going to happen again? Hm, only one way to find out. Until next time. :)