Same disclaimer as previous chapters
Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed and favorited this story. I hope it is living up to expectations.
This chapter is probably going to be the longest because the fashion show episode is my favorite from PLL.
enjoy :)
Jason pressed Aria against the bed while he peppered kisses down her neck. His hands were working the buttons on the front of her dress. He couldn't wait to get it off her. Aria had her hands in Jason's hair and was trying her hardest to not giggle at his hair tickling her neck. She loved the way his hands felt against her body. They had been denying the obvious for weeks now and it had gotten to the point that they couldn't keep their hands off each other.
Soon Jason had Aria's dress off and she had her hands up his shirt pulling it off him while she kissed down his chest. Using all of her might she flipped them over so she would be on top. Once there she undid Jason's belt all while teasing him with sweet kisses. When Aria started to kiss down his chest Jason put his hands deep into her thick dark hair. He loved the feeling of her against him. When she reached the edge of his boxers Jason pulled her back up and flipped them over.
Moving his hands down her curves Jason kissed Aria deeply and traced her bottom lip asking for permission. Aria granted him permission and moaned when she felt Jason put his weight against her body. She could feel how much he wanted this, the feeling was mutual.
Slowly Jason slid his hand into her lace under wear and started to tease Aria. Arching her back she moaned and wiggled her hips against him. Kissing her again Jason let one of his fingers slide…
Aria woke up with her hand over her heart and the other on her forehead. This was the fourth time she had had a sex dream about Jason. And every one of them kept getting hotter and hotter. It was so bad that she kind of been avoiding him because her face would go crimson when she saw him. She heard something vibrating and started to throw her covers around trying to find her phone. When she found it she realized she was late. They were all helping Spencer with the fashion show programs for the next night.
Climbing out of her bed she texted Spencer that she had fallen asleep and would be over in five minutes. That seemed to appease the control freak she called her best friend. Gathering her stuff she dashed out of the house with a quick goodbye to her Mom and Mike. Walking to Emily's she tried her best to not think about what was going to happen next in her dream and how she actually wanted them all to happen.
Entering Emily's bed room the other three girls all asked if she was okay. "Yeah I'm fine. Just a little tired. Last night was strange." Aria answered.
"I talked to Jason last night." Spencer said to no in particular.
"You did?" Aria said surprised as she sat down beside her.
"Were you nice?" Hanna asked in a mock serious voice.
"Sort of. I needed answers that only he could give me." Spencer said never taking her eyes off the programs she was folding.
"What kind of questions." Aria wondered.
"If he killed Ali. If he would hurt any of us. Stuff like that." Spencer said apprehensively.
"Spencer Hastings, I have told you multiple times he didn't hurt Ali." Aria said frustrated.
"I know, but I needed to hear it for myself." Spencer said looking at her friend for the first time, "Plus he was completely honest."
"So you trust him now?" Emily said suspicious. Aria just glared at her.
Aria looked hopeful in the way of her friend. She wanted her friends to see the Jason that she saw. The sweet one, not the one she had been dreaming about.
"I don't know about trust, but I don't think we can blame everything on him now." Spencer said ignoring Aria's hopeful eyes, "Plus he has feelings for one of us." She added going back to folding programs.
"Yeah we know. Aria." Hanna and Emily said at the same time.
Aria just blushed and looked down.
After Spencer's admission they got down to folding programs and had a good system going until Aria's phone vibrated. Spencer turned to glare at her. "I'm sorry." She said embarrassed. Picking it up she saw it was from Jason.
"Is it Ezra?" Emily asked.
Aria didn't say anything just looked at Hanna. "Why don't you go take care of that." Hanna suggested leaving it very vague.
"Oh go on. You're useless when something is on your mind." Spencer said looking at her with suspicious eyes.
"I'll be right back." Aria said getting off the bed and walking towards the door. Once in the door way she texted Jason back telling him she was at Emily's and she would meet him outside.
Jason had been sitting at his house thinking about the conversation he had with Aria the day before. It was bugging him because of the conversation he had had with Spencer later on. He knew that Aria wouldn't tell her friends any of the big details of what he had said but he still felt the need to clarify what had been said. Pulling up in front of Emily's house he saw Aria standing on the curb. He really wished she was single because he was dying to kiss her.
Aria walked towards Jason's car, "Is everything okay?" she asked him.
"Can we talk?" Jason asked her.
"Yeah." Aria responded nervously looking towards Emily's house. Jason followed her eyes and knew what was making her nervous. "What's up?" she asked when she climbed in.
"I should have kept my mouth shut yesterday about Ali." He said gripping his steering wheel tight.
"Jason it's okay. You and Ali didn't have the best relationship." Aria told him.
"I know I just don't want people getting the wrong idea." He said nodding his head towards Emily's.
"I didn't say anything to them."
"I know." Jason said, "Did Spencer tell you that she came to see me last night?"
"Yeah. She finally admitted that she can't keep blaming everything on you."
Jason just laughed.
"Hey it's a first step." Aria said trying not to laugh with him.
"I guess that's true." Jason admitted.
Aria looked back at Emily's, "I should go. We're folding program for the fashion show tomorrow."
"Ah. My Mom gets in tomorrow afternoon." Jason said looking at his hands. He didn't want Aria to go.
"It'll be okay Jason. I promise." Aria said putting her hand on his shoulder.
Hanna had gotten off Emily's bed because he hands were going numb from all the folding. Walking towards the window she looked out and saw Aria and Jason talking in his car. Even from the distance she could tell that Jason didn't want Aria to leave. It was cute, she kept thinking. Looking back at Spencer and Emily they hoped that they would be supportive of Aria's venture into getting to know Jason and their possible future relationship.
Jason looked at Aria and gently reached over to cup her face. He was dying to kiss her but instead he placed a sweet kiss on her head, "Thank you." He whispered.
"For what?" Aria asked him. She had grabbed his jacket when he had leaned over without realizing. Now that he was so close she didn't want to let go.
"For not shunning me like the rest of the town. It's nice to have someone to talk honestly too." Jason said looking into her eyes.
Aria had to fight with all of her might to not kiss Jason right then and there. She kept trying to think about Ezra, but all her mind would come up with was, what would it be like to kiss Jason again? Leaning in she pressed her lips against his cheek and leaned back into the passenger side.
Jason could tell that Aria had wanted to kiss him. He was surprised and happy all at the same time. It was nice to know it wasn't just him who had feelings. Looking over at her he hoped that someday he would be able to call Aria his.
Aria sat with her eyes closed trying to control her breathing. She was dying to kiss Jason. She had been since he had come back to town. Tonight it had almost happened twice, not that she was going to complain about it. But she had a boyfriend she believed she was in love with. Aria couldn't begin to think about why things were so much easier with Jason than with Ezra, but it was making her confused. Looking over at Jason she knew she needed to get out of his car or she would do something she regretted.
Turning she grabbed the door handle and told Jason she would see him tomorrow at the fashion show. He just nodded and started his car.
Hanna had seen Jason and Aria almost kiss twice. She wanted to bang her head against the window when they didn't. They were too cute to not be together. Watching one of her best friends fight with herself about how she wanted Jason but wasn't sure why but also didn't want to walk away from Ezra that way, was killing Hanna. She was glad she only had feelings for Caleb.
The next morning the girls all received an email from Jessica DiLaurentis asking them to meet her for lunch at the café. Being curious the girls all went. When they stepped inside they couldn't believe that Ali's Mom was really there.
Jessica was sitting at the table waiting for the girls drinking a Bloody Mary. She wasn't quite sure why she had asked them all to come out but she knew that she wanted Ali to be remembered at this fashion as it was the last one she was going to chair. When the girls walked in she was glad to see that they still had their strong friendship.
"Girls I have something for each you." Jessica told them when they all sat down. Standing up she started to hand out big white boxes.
"What is this?" Emily asked nervously.
"Open them." Ali's Mom urged sitting back down.
The girls all opened their boxes to find dresses they had seen Ali try on several times. They were beautiful. "I'd like you all to wear these tonight." Jessica DiLaurentis said looking at her daughter's best friends.
"No. I can't." Hanna said adamantly.
"Why not?" Mrs. DiLaurentis asked looking upset.
Spencer kicked Hanna under the table, "Because it doesn't feel right. These are Ali's, not ours." Hanna said glaring at Spencer.
"Don't worry girls. Ali would be proud to have you wear her dresses. She adored all of you." Jessica responded looking happy again. "Plus it would be nice to have you in dresses that Ali loved so much when they do the tribute to her."
"They're doing a tribute to Ali?" Spencer asked looking confused, she was head of the board for the fashion show.
"Yes."
"Do we need to do anything else besides wear these dresses?" Aria asked.
"I'd like to have pictures of her showing in the background, but I can't do that." Jessica said draining the rest of her Bloody Mary and ordering a second one.
"I can do that. I can run the pictures by Jason." Aria offered looking at her purple dress.
"That would be great Aria. Thank you." Ali's Mom said. "I need to get going. Final preparations for the show and everything." She said standing up, "I can't wait to see you girls walk." She said before leaving.
After Jessica DiLaurentis left the girls all sat and looked at their dresses in silence for several moments. It was weird to even think about wearing these dresses. They were Ali's pride and joy. "I guess we know where Jason got his affinity for drinking now." Emily stated.
"Emily!" Spencer and Hanna scolded looking towards Aria.
"That was uncalled for." Aria said looking upset.
"I'm just saying. Mrs. D was putting them away like water. It makes sense." Emily defended.
"Just because you don't like him doesn't mean he hasn't changed." Aria argued back, "You know what I have to go." She finished standing up, "I'll see you all later." She said as she walked away.
"Emily give him a break." Spencer said.
"Since when do you defend him?" Emily asked.
"Since it's obvious that Aria has feelings for him. She won't stop seeing him whether we like him or not so why not give him a chance to show he has changed." Spencer said making her point.
Emily just stared out the window, "I don't want to get to know him. He makes me nervous plus I don't think he has really changed. I think it is all for show for Aria." She stated coldly.
"Believe what you want, but you will be nice to Aria about him." Hanna threatened standing up and leaving.
Spencer and Emily were left in the café to stare at each other. It was hard to believe that Hanna was taking a stand for something. She was usually the one to be on the middle ground and trying to get everyone else to stop arguing. Soon both girls left and went home to get ready for that night.
Aria had gone home and hung her dress on the door to her closet and started to look through all the pictures she had of Ali and them. It was hard to believe that she was gone. As she looked through the pictures the memories all came flying back to her. Some of them were great like the times they had spent at the Hasting's lake house and others weren't so good like the ones where Aria was at the edge of a picture. None the less the pictures were memories that Aria hadn't been able to part with. She just hoped that Jason would be okay looking through them to help her decide.
She had been engrossed in looking through the pictures she hadn't heard her Mom come in, "This is a beautiful dress." She finally heard her Mom say.
"Isn't it?" Aria said looking up.
"Did Jessica DiLaurentis give it to you?" Ella asked joining her daughter on her bed.
"Yeah she gave each of us one. She wants us to wear them when they do the tribute to Alison." Aria explained.
"That would explain the pictures. Did you get asked to do the pictures?"
"No, I volunteered."
"Oh. Well I'm sure Jessica appreciates it." Ella said picking up a picture, "Use this one, Alison looks happy."
"I like that one. She actually looks nice too." Aria joked slightly.
Ella gave her daughter a small nod and smile, "Are you having Jessica approve these?" she asked putting the picture in the yes pile.
"No. I'm meeting Jason at the school and having him approve them. Mrs. D could barely handle lunch with the four of us." Aria said trying to hide her excitement.
Ella just kissed her daughter on the forehead and left her alone to pick out pictures. She had noticed the change in Aria's voice when said she was meeting Jason, it was cute.
Jason pulled into the high school lot and thought about all the times he had snuck out the building he was now entering. He had gotten a text from Aria asking him to meet her there to go over pictures for Ali's tribute. While he wasn't all that excited to look at pictures of Ali he was excited to see Aria. The night before had been great but he wanted to spend more time with her. Walking towards the courtyard he found her sitting at one of the tables with a lap top in front of her, she looked amazing. Standing for a few moments Jason just took in her silhouette.
"Sorry I'm late." Jason said as he joined her at the table.
"Not a problem." Aria said smiling at him.
"Did my Mom put you up to this?" He asked.
"What? No." Aria said quickly.
Jason just looked at her.
"Okay yeah maybe."
"Sounds like her." Jason said looking at the pictures. "These are great. Where did you find them?" he asked.
"I had most of them in a memory box. I went through it this afternoon." Aria said clicking through the pictures.
Aria was clicking through the pictures and Jason was having a hard time concentrating on them. He could smell the perfume Aria was wearing, it was flowery and rustic all at the same time, so uniquely her. He put his hand on hers when she got a picture that was of just Alison.
"Use that one. She looks happy." He told Aria.
"She had just gotten back from your Grandma's in Georgia." Aria said, "She came straight to Emily's to see us and then headed home for dinner and to get ready for Spencer's party that night."
"I don't remember that, but that shouldn't surprise you." Jason said staring at the screen.
"Jason…"
"Don't go there Aria. I really don't remember." Jason warned.
"I just thought…"
"That showing me pictures of my dead little sister would help me remember that night. News flash it doesn't." Jason said angrily getting up.
"Jason, wait…"
"No. I thought I was done making stupid mistakes. I guess not." He said before walking away.
Aria closed her computer and put her face in her hands. She hadn't meant to upset him. She just wanted to help him remember what had happened the night Ali disappeared.
After leaving Aria at the school that afternoon Jason didn't want to go to the fashion show. He just wanted to stay home and wallow but his mother wasn't having that. "Jason you need to get up and get dressed. Now." He heard her yell up the stairs. Just like old times, Jason thought to himself as he moved around his room to get ready. He was dreading seeing Aria. He hadn't meant go off on her, he just didn't like being told that looking at old pictures could bring back memories. Those were the things he didn't want to remember.
Following his Mom backstage he almost stopped when he saw Aria. She was sitting at one of the make up tables putting on lotion. She looked amazing in her leopard print robe. Playing with his tie he kept walking but couldn't keep his eyes off her.
Aria had been waiting anxiously for a few hours for the fashion show. She was dying to apologize to Jason. She had felt horrible all afternoon about what had happened. When Jason had come back with his Mom Aria felt her heart stop. He looked amazing in his suit. She couldn't keep her eyes off him. When he went to stand behind his Mom before her speech they kept their eye contact. Aria could see the hurt in his eyes and she hoped he could see the sorrow in hers. Soon Jessica DiLaurentis was announced and Jason followed her onto the stage, leaving Aria once again in her own thoughts about that afternoon.
The show was going great. Jason was even having a good time watching all of the girls strut their stuff. It was funny to see Aria up on stage with them since she was the shortest out of the group but when she was on stage there was no one else with her. Or at least that's how it was for Jason. Soon Ali's tribute came up and her best friends stepped out on stage in the dresses they had received earlier that afternoon. People were admiring the dresses and remembering Ali until a group of angry students stood up and started to yell about how much of a bitch Ali was when she was alive. They even went so far as to say she deserved to die when she did and they were glad she was gone. The girls just stood on stage horrified. Jessica DiLaurentis got up and left quickly. She didn't want to hear people call her little girl a bitch or say she deserved to die.
After the fast exit of Jason and Jessica DiLaurentis, Noel cut the music and the show ended. The girls all stood up on stage so scared to move. Caleb came up to Hanna and asked if he could take her home, she agreed. Spencer and Emily both left with their parents. Aria had to head back stage to finish putting away her stuff.
Walking back Aria didn't notice a guy standing by the curtain holding a bouquet of red roses. When someone touched her shoulder she jumped and yelped. Spinning around she came face to face with Ezra.
"I thought you were at a conference." She told sniffing the roses.
"I was. But I came back early to be with you." Ezra told her.
"That's sweet and these are beautiful." Aria told him.
Jason had heard Aria yelp as if something has scared. Rushing back he stopped on a dime when he saw Aria holding a bouquet of roses and talking to her boyfriend. He didn't think Aria had noticed him, but she had. Turning around Jason let his head drop, it's really done, he thought as he headed for the front of the school.
Aria had heard someone moving towards the back and out of the corner of her eye she noticed it was Jason. She also noticed the dismayed look on his face when he saw the flowers in her hand and Ezra. Looking back at Ezra, her heart didn't flutter, her palms weren't sweaty, and she sure didn't have a whole zoo going through her stomach.
"I can't do this anymore." She whispered.
"What?" Ezra asked unsure of what he had just heard.
"I can't do this anymore." Aria repeated.
"Why?" a jealous Ezra asked.
"Because you don't make my palms sweat, my heart flutter or make me feel as though a whole zoo is going through my stomach when I'm near you." Aria said quietly.
"Aria those things only happen in movies. What we have is real." Ezra said angrily.
"I don't think it is."
"Why? What has changed?"
"I have. We have. My feelings." Aria told him.
"What that's supposed to mean?"
"It means I have feelings for someone else and I want to explore them." Aria said looking him in the eye.
"Fine then we're done." Ezra said in a huff and started to walk away, "I can't believe I gave up my career for you." He said before stomping away.
Jason had gotten as far as the bar. He stood there staring at the Jack and Coke he had just ordered. It had been almost three years since he had had a drink. He didn't want to break his sobriety but something about never being given a chance by Aria was killing him.
Aria couldn't blame Ezra for being angry but right now the only thing that was on her mind was finding Jason. She needed to make him understand that she did have feelings for him. Rushing out onto the stage she found him standing by the bar holding a cup she could guess had alcohol in it.
"Jason don't." she called to him.
Jason turned around and faced Aria still holding the cup, "Why shouldn't I?" he questioned looking at her.
"Because then you would be solving your problems the way you use too, by running away." Aria told him as she walked towards him.
"I'd rather run from this one than deal with it." Jason told her bringing the cup closer to his lips.
"Please don't." Aria begged when she got close to him. Putting her hand up she grabbed the glass and set it down on the bar.
"Where's your boyfriend? I thought he'd be coming out with you." Jason somewhat sneered.
"We broke up." Aria told him matter of factly.
"You did?" Jason asked hopeful, "Why?"
"Because I have feelings for someone else and I want to explore them." she told him closing the distance again.
Jason reached out and grabbed Aria by the waist and pulled her close. He didn't need to ask who the feelings were for. He could see it in her eyes. Leaving one hand on her small waist Jason cupped her face with his other and brought his mouth down to hers.
It was the first kiss the two had shared in three years and it felt as though nothing had changed. Aria grabbed Jason's jacket and pulled him closer to her, making him moan against her mouth. Jason slowly traced her bottom lip asking for permission that Aria gladly gave him.
Wrapping both of his arms around her waist Jason held onto the girl who had been in his thoughts for years. With both her arms around his neck, hands in his hair, Aria looked in the green eyes she always dreamed about as a fourteen year old girl.
Spencer, Hanna and Emily had all been waiting for Aria to come out with Ezra. They had known he was coming to the show to surprise her. When they saw him coming out angry they got worried. Rushing back inside none of them were prepared for the sight in front of them. Well Hanna was the least surprised and the happiest for her friend. The three watched Jason and Aria kiss and then just hold each other. It was no surprise that then Spencer really did decide to give Jason DiLaurentis the benefit of the doubt. As she looked at him holding Aria she finally began to see what Aria had always seen in Jason, a sweet guy behind the bad boy armor he always wore.