Same disclaimer as previous chapters.
Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and favorited this story. I hope you continue to enjoy.
The morning after the fashion show Aria walked into her Mom's classroom to find Jason sitting on one of the desks. They hadn't told anyone about what had happened the night before. Ella could tell that something had happened between Aria and Jason because her daughter's face lite up and became completely flushed when she saw Jason.
"Hi Aria." Jason said as nonchalantly as he could.
"Hey Jason. What are you doing here?" Aria asked as she came further into the room.
"I came to talk to the guidance consoler about starting a program for at risk kids."
"That's cool."
"Aria I invited Jason over for dinner tomorrow night." Ella said interrupting the two staring at each other.
"Really?" Aria asked a little too excited.
Jason laughed and smiled, "Yes. It's been a while since I've had a home cooked meal. I'm looking forward to it."
"And don't worry about dressing up or anything." Ella told him.
"What time should I be at your house?"
"Around 7 is fine."
"Okay I'll see you both tomorrow night then."
"Bye Jason."
"See ya later Aria."
Aria watched Jason walk out of the room and forgot her Mom was sitting there watching her. As much as she hated to see him go she loved watching him walk away. There had always been something about Jason, Ella thought as she watched her daughter.
"So do you have anything to tell me?" She asked Aria.
"Like what?" Aria said slightly confused.
"Oh I don't know. Maybe something to do with Jason DiLaurentis and why you are blushing so much." Ella said smiling.
"He's cute Mom. I've always thought so."
"Yes I do know that, but this is more than that."
"Okay we might have made out last night after the fashion show."
"Is that why you were so late getting home."
"Yeah."
"I know I should have some motherly advice for and be totally against you seeing Jason since he is almost 7 years older than you, but I honestly don't. Just make sure he treats you right." Ella said leaning against her desk.
"He does Mom. He really does." Aria said with hearts dancing in her eyes.
Ella knew is useless to tell her daughter she couldn't do something. That was how Aria ended up with pink streaks in her hair at 14. But at the same time Ella Montgomery trusted Jason to not hurt her little girl. He had always had eyes for Aria even when he wouldn't admit to himself, but it seemed since going to rehab and turning his life around he was done running from the things that scared him.
As dinner time came closer and closer Aria had a hard time picking out what she was going to wear. Finally she decided on a cute blue blouse with pink polka dots, black skinny jeans, and grey boots. Standing in front of her mirror she liked her outfit. It was casual but also inviting.
Ella was in the kitchen getting dinner ready when Aria walked in. "Sweetheart you look great." She told her daughter.
"Thanks Mom. It's not too much?" Aria asked nervously.
"No. I think it's just enough." Ella responded, "Would you set the table for me?"
"Yeah, do you want to use the good plates or the ones we use all the time?"
"The ones we use all the time. No need to make Jason nervous."
"Okay." Aria said as she headed for the dining hall, "Hey Mom."
"Yeah."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being open to me seeing Jason."
Ella walked into the dining room, "Aria as long as you are honest with me about everything I'm open to almost anything."
Aria set the table and was back up in her room checking her phone when she heard the doorbell. Turning she grabbed her charged phone and almost ran down the stairs. When she got the bottom she almost tackled Mike who was standing there surprised. Standing in the doorway as their Dad and Ezra. Instantly Aria started to freak out, what are they are doing here, she thought.
Ella was having a hard time trying to guess what her ex-husband and her former colleague were doing together at her house. "What can I do for you two gentlemen?" She asked in a tense voice.
"Ezra came to see me this afternoon with some surprising information." Byron said in an angry voice looking at Aria.
"What about?"
"About Aria." Ezra stated firmly staring at his ex.
Mike turned to look at Aria who had gone ghost white and started shaking. She couldn't believe that he had gone to her Dad. First when they were dating he didn't want her parents to know they were dating and once they broke up he goes and tell her Dad. How messed up is that, she thought to herself.
Jason pulled up at Aria's house to see that there was a crowd at the front door. He could see Mr. Montgomery and Ezra, Aria's ex. He didn't really want to deal with either but he had told Ella and Aria he would be at dinner. Climbing out of his car he headed towards the front door.
"Am I early?" He asked
"Oh Jason. Come on in." Ella said happily when she saw him.
Bryon and Ezra both watched Jason enter the house with disgust filled eyes. Ezra was livid that Jason was at the house while Byron had no idea why the older DiLaurentis was at his house. The two guys watched as Jason kissed Aria gently on the cheek and shook Mike's hand.
"Jason you have to see this wall thing I built in woodshop." Mike said.
"A wall thing?" Jason asked curious.
"Yeah, it's supposed to help me when I'm stressed. I hammer a nail into it and then take it out when I'm not stressed about that subject anymore." Mike explained proudly.
"Sounds cool. Let's go check it out."
Aria watched as Jason went off with Mike and couldn't help but smile. Ever since Mike had talked to Jason and her things had been great. Their Mom had signed Mike up for a woodshop class at the rec center hoping he wouldn't be too angry about it but it turned out that Mike was really good with his hands and it helped him de-stress.
"May we come in and talk?" Byron asked Ella.
"No. You can tell me your business here." She stated.
"Ella this will require you to sit down."
"I'm fine. So either you tell me what you want here or you leave."
"Aria and I have been seeing each other." Ezra said in a flat voice, "It started before the beginning of last school and continued even after we discovered that I was her teacher."
Ella just turned to stare at Aria, who was standing there almost in tears, "Okay I've heard your piece. You may leave now."
"There's more Ella."
"Aria and I were having sex."
"NO WE WEREN'T!" Aria yelled as if on cue. "We never even had that conversation. I'm not ready." She said in an angry voice.
Ella looked at her daughter and knew that the last line Ezra had said was a lie. Aria had almost always been honest with her about her feelings for guys. "You need to leave now." Ella said starting to close the door.
"Ella we need to discuss this." Byron said in a stern voice putting his foot in way of the door closing.
"No. Aria and I will discuss this. You have no part in it." She responded, "Goodbye Ezra. Byron."
Jason and Mike had been upstairs when they heard Aria yell. Both ran to the stairs to see Ella staring at Aria with wide eyes and Aria in tears. Coming down the rest of the way the two guys stood awkwardly looking between the two women.
"I told you, you should have told Mom." Mike stated looking at Aria.
"Shut up Mike." Aria snapped.
"Mike you knew?" Ella said surprised.
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you say something?"
"Because I didn't want you questioning me about what was going in my life." He answered looking at Jason.
"Oh Jason, I'm sorry. This isn't the evening I had planned I promise." Ella said looking embarrassed.
"It's not a problem. Actually it's kind of nice to see how a family reacts to news like that and not go straight to the yelling at each other." Jason said as a peace statement.
Aria and Ella both smiled at him.
"Why don't we eat." Aria suggested looking at her Mom.
"Right. The food is probably a little cooler now." Ella said leading the way to the dining hall.
Even with the evening having more excitement than had originally been planned it turned out well. Ella was pleasantly surprised to see how her children had taken to Jason and how they could both talk to him. Watching them she was a little upset that Aria hadn't told her about Ezra. Yes she would have been mad but she understands what it is like to be attracted to someone who isn't good for you, actually she knew that all too well.
Aria was embarrassed through most of the dinner but being around Jason made her feel at ease. He didn't judge her for her mistakes and she didn't for his. It was like they were starting a whole new book. While they weren't a couple or anything like that she liked to think that someday they could be. As she watched him with Mike she noticed that things in the house were comfortable even though Jason wasn't a Montgomery. It was like the hostile air had left and a new breeze was coming in.
"Dinner was delicious Ella. Thank you for inviting. It has been way to long since I've had a home cooked meal." Jason said as he set his plate in the soapy sink.
"Any time Jason. Actually." Ella said.
"I see those gears turning. Actually what?" Jason replied smiling.
"Well since it looks like you and Aria may someday soon become a we and Mike adores you. Why don't you come over every Wednesday for dinner."
"You would be okay with that? I mean Aria and I?" Jason said surprised.
"Jason I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't. Plus it's nice to see my two children smile." She said.
"I like the idea, I really do. I just don't want to over step any boundaries."
"I'll talk to Aria and Mike about it and then we will discuss it again. Sound good?"
"Sounds great."
"Hey Jason want to shoot some hoops?" Mike asked standing in the kitchen.
"Sure. We'll have to move the cars."
"I'll get Aria to move Moms." Mike said heading towards the front door.
Aria moved her Mom's car and watched as Jason and Mike started to play against each other. She couldn't help but laugh because Jason had a few inches on Mike but that wasn't going to stop her little brother. Looking at the house she knew she needed to go inside and talk to her Mom about what had happened.
Heading in Aria tried to play out the conversation in her head but couldn't, "Need any help?" She asked walking towards the sink.
"Always. You want to dry or wash?" Ella answered keeping her voice calm.
"I'll dry."
"Okay. You know we need to discuss what I found out earlier."
"I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't know how. I was just so caught up with it."
"Aria being caught in the moment happens but eventually you come down and realize what is right and what is wrong."
"You're right. I wanted to tell you. I wanted to for the last few months of that relationship but Ezra kept saying it wasn't the right time." Aria said quietly, "I didn't want to force him and lose him."
"But you lost him anyway." Her Mom replied.
"Actually I broke up with him the night of the fashion show."
Ella turned to face her daughter, "You did? Why?" she asked.
Aria looked at the plate in her hand, "Because I have feelings for someone else and I want to explore them." She finished looking out the window. And just at that moment Jason was looking towards the window.
"Jason." She said.
"Yeah. There has always been something about him."
"Oh I remember you being 14 and liking him. He was all you could talk about."
"Mom." Aria whined and covered her face.
"No honey. It's okay. It was cute and now maybe you could have that reality." Ella said taking her daughter's hand, "But…"
"There needs to be punishment for me lying to you about Ezra."
"You got it. What do you think fits?"
"No dating?" Aria guessed.
"I was thinking you need to sit down with your Dad and explain what happened to him."
"Mom that's cruel and unusual punishment." Aria said aggravated, "Can't you just ground me?"
"And what would that teach you?"
"Nothing." Aria agreed.
"Okay. After you talk to your Dad we will discuss you and Jason becoming a we."
"Wait you're okay with me possibly dating Jason?" Aria gasped, "He's only two years younger than Ezra."
"I know that, but I also know you have known him a lot longer. Plus I trust Jason with you." Ella stated concentrating on the dishes, "You're not the only one exploring how you feel."
Aria barely heard the last thing her Mom said because she was okay with Aria starting to see Jason. She just hoped that her friends would be as accepting. Spencer was slowly coming around, Emily was going to be the hard sell and Hanna well she was going to be jealous because Aria would get to play with Jason's hair. Finishing up with her Mom she went upstairs, took a few deep breaths and called her Dad. She was going to get this punishment over with as soon as possible.