When Aria was finished with all of the tables she wanted to go to – never stepping close to the Hollis table – she took her music player from her bag, stuck the earphones in her ears and went to go wait for her friends outside.
She leaned against the brick, her head down towards her music player changing the song when a hand was set on her shoulder. Jumping in surprise, she ripped the buds from her ears and saw Ezra standing in front of her with a startled look.
"What are you doing here?" she questioned breathless.
"You didn't come to the Hollis table."
"I know," Aria said glancing away, hoping her friends would be here soon, "I don't really have an interest in going to Hollis."
"Are you taking a break before college?" Ezra asked confused. Hollis was the obvious choice. Not only was he there but her father.
"No, I'm going to college, just not Hollis."
"Are you and Jason breaking up?" Ezra questioned confused. It was the only reason he could think of to why she wouldn't choose Hollis yet stay around Rosewood.
Aria shook her head and was a bit appalled. Having to answer his question and explain herself, she felt slightly angry, "no of course not! But that's none of your business. I can go to college anywhere I want and I happen to want to go somewhere other than around here…"
"Who decided that? You or Jason?" Ezra wondered with narrowed eyes. He assumed that this man, the DiLaurentis, was poisoning Aria's thoughts. Jason's reputation when he was younger was not a good one – he heard it from all over town – and it had now become his worry that they were imposing on Aria. Ezra was hoping that the love of his life was still as sweet as she used to be. Jason couldn't have warped her mind too much right?
Aria's eyebrows furrowed at Ezra's question. What was that supposed to mean? "Excuse me?"
Ezra stood there, with a hard look. There were numerous unanswered questions he had and since Aria wouldn't take any of his calls or text, he would have to ask them right now. Switching his brain to a different topic, he finally answered his dying question, "did you break up with me to be with Jason?"
"What? No," she said even more offended. Crossing her arms over her chest she began to glare at him. "Did you need something Ezra?"
His face calmed and he no longer looked defensive or impatient. "Aria, we really need to talk."
"About what?"
"Us," he spoke.
"Ezra," she sighed, "there is no us anymore, I thought you knew that," she murmured very quietly.
"Yea, I got that by the looks of you two today," he grumbled. Rolling her eyes, she continued to listen to her ex. As she did this though, Jason passed through the halls intent on sneaking to see what Aria was doing. He loved it when he could see her doing her own thing. Finding her nowhere where the college fair was going on, he assumed she was done. So he shrugged, passing the courtyard next in his path. He stopped when he saw Aria and Ezra talking. They both seemed very adamant in the hush conversation. She was obviously getting very agitated and upset while he, by the looks of it was pleading to her and making sure no one was to hear him.
"Aria?" Jason called. He knew she liked to fight her own battles and be independent, but when it came to Ezra, he couldn't help but step in.
"Hey," Aria exhaled as he stepped towards her.
"Ezra right?" Jason assumed, acting cool and nonchalant as he spoke to the teacher. God, he wanted to knock that guy off his feet. Snaking an arm around Aria's waist, he hoped to calm down.
"Jason," Ezra said tucking his hands in his pockets.
"So…is everything okay here?" Jason wondered, already obviously knowing the answer. "Yea," Aria said speaking up as she leaned into her boyfriend, "Mr. Fitz was just leaving."
With a longing look from the ex, Ezra stayed planted where he was. Opening his mouth, he went to say something but was interrupted by his partner.
"Z, there you are," she announced. "Hi, I'm Jackie," the woman said, introducing her hand out to Jason. Nodding to her, he noticed how she didn't introduce herself to Aria, or even glance at her for the matter. Wondering what that was about; he brushed it off to ask his girlfriend for another time.
"Z, come on, apparently Hollis is the school to go to." The woman gave a wink to both boys, making Aria roll her eyes.
"Yea, I'm coming Jackie," Ezra said still standing there. The woman, Jackie, doing the same made both Aria and Jason raised their eyebrows.
"It was good to see you Aria," Ezra finally settled on as he noticed Jackie wouldn't be leaving him. "Jason."
Nodding to him, he watched the two go before turning to make sure Aria was okay.
"Nice timing," she smiled to him with relief on her face.
"What did he want?" Jason questioned.
"Just the expected," Aria shrugged. Ezra was still being Ezra, the sad puppy dog that she hated to be mean to. But he wasn't getting it. Aria really liked Jason. She was close to confessing to her ex that she loved him. And even though she said that once to Ezra, when she was with Jason she felt something more too. It wasn't just love, but…passion. Everything inside her was screaming for him – the way he held her, to the way he touched her or read the emotions on her face. She just couldn't bring herself to say those three little words yet but she wanted to.
"Aria!" Hanna called to her. Walking up to the two, she gave them each a smile, this time a little more genuine than before.
"I'll be around if you need anything okay?" Jason murmured to his girlfriend.
"Sounds good," she smiled up at him. Kissing each other goodbye, they savored the last few minutes with each other. "Bye," she said breathlessly as he left.
Turning to Hanna, Aria seemed to have the biggest grin on her face.
"Ar!" Jason called to her from the school doorway. Turning again she raised an eyebrow. "Wait for me after school."
Nodding, he gave her a quick smile before walking off again. Blushing slightly now, she faced Spencer and Emily who had joined them too.
"Ar?" Hanna grinned picking up on what Jason had been calling her.
"You are in so deep," Emily claimed, smiling slightly as they sat down at a table.
"So what were you two doing in the courtyard?" Spencer asked somewhat interested.
"Jason and I walked around college fair together," Aria explained, "and then he had to leave early. So I came out here to wait for you guys when Ezra came and cornered me."
"What did he have to say?" Emily wondered while Aria shrugged. "Just that we should be together and that he can't understand why we broke up. He said he would try harder and if we got back together we could try to go public."
"And you said no?" Hanna wondered with a hint of surprise.
"I said that I liked Jason a lot and I didn't want to let him go," Aria admitted as she picked at the frayed corner of one of her books on the table. "And I tried to explain to him that what Jason and I have is more than what Ezra and I could ever be."
"Why?" Spencer wondered, "Jason's about the same age as Ezra, give or take a year or two."
"It's not just about the age Spence," Aria announced looking up at her friends. "I could care less that about how old either of them are. It doesn't matter that Ezra was my old English teacher or we dated. What matters is that, if I was to ever be with him again, I could never really be myself with him." Aria seemed to confuse herself and her friends a bit. "Ezra would always hold a part of himself back, and I think I would too."
"Plus," Aria said taking in a breath, "with Jason, …there is something about him," she smiled. "I feel something that I can't even explain you guys."
"You look…" Hanna trailed.
"In love," Emily finished incredulous.
"Maybe," Aria blushed. "I don't really know what love feels like, but if this is it then yea, I guess I am." She felt proud all of the sudden, to feel this way for Jason. For once in her life, she didn't want to fix the situation she was in. She liked being with Jason and everything he came with. Being with him was easy and simplified – Aria liked that.
"He could still be 'A'," Spencer noted.
"I really don't think he is," Aria pushed back. "Look Spence," she sighed, "we are into our first semester of our senior year now. I don't want to fight; can we please just let this go? Be happy for me – for once in my life I'm finally enjoying life."
Spencer went quiet, debating what Aria said. "Just keep an open mind okay? Just because you two are dating doesn't mean that he isn't necessarily 'A'."
Aria crinkled her face at the comments one of her best friends was making but she also had to admit, it was better than what she was expecting. "Fine, but when he's not 'A' and we will prove this, then you owe him and me a big apology," she told Spencer.
"Does Jason know about 'A'?" Emily wondered with paranoia.
"Hell no," Aria said with a deer in the headlights look. "I'm not risking his life by letting him know what's going on. What he doesn't know just this one time wont hurt him – that I know for a fact."
The bell rang, making the four friends get up from their seats.
"Aria," Spencer said before they went to part their ways, "I am happy for you, I just…I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Thanks Spence," Aria said with a grin appearing on her lips, "that means a lot."
A head nod from both of them signaled the conversation was over and in the next moment they were off to class.
At lunch, which seemed to be more crowded than usual because of the fair going on, the girls sat together looking around.
"You guys, Maya's back," Emily stated bringing their attention together.
"What?" they all shouted turning to Emily.
"She texted me during third period saying she was back and wanted us to get together. What do I say?"
"Well how do you feel?" Aria blurted.
"I don't know, I still like Samara. I'm really trying to gain her trust back from what 'A' made me do, but I don't know if she wants me back."
The girls all felt sympathetic for Emily. She really had been working to be closer to Samara ever since 'A' went to ruin her relationship with the girl but nothing had really seemed to be working. Samara had started to put Emily as a back burner on her life.
"Did Maya say why she was back?" Hanna wondered.
"Or where she was living?" Spencer wondered.
"I don't know," Emily sighed, "I didn't really ask her much considering…and I wasn't sure if I should even be talking to her. She was the one to kind of just break up with me, you guys."
"True," Aria admitted. Taking a glance around, her eyes caught Jason who seemed to be talking to a kid very animatedly. Staring hopelessly at him, enjoying the way she could see his passion for the people here, she was brought out of her daydream by Spencer hitting her arm.
"Hey!" Aria protested.
"Tuning back into the world now," Spencer spoke while turning to see what exactly she was staring at "…and not making oogly eyes at your boyfriend," she said rolling her own.
"You would be doing it too if Toby were here," Aria muttered.
"Whatever," Spencer brushed off.
"Where is he today anyways?" Aria asked looking around.
"Who knows, probably with the evil bitch. He hasn't texted me back yet today," Spencer sighed.
It was considered true since Toby never really answered any texts or calls when he was walking his dictator of a sister around anyways. Jenna apparently required his full attention – and would take a hissy fit when he didn't give it to her.
"You guys, what do I do?" Emily asked again, this time more forceful.
"I would tell Samara," Aria suggested. "Let her know that Maya contacted you but you wanted to know what she thought first. That way Samara sees she's more important in your life than Maya."
"Wow, when did you become Dr. Phil?" Hanna asked.
"Since she's in love," Spencer said which left Aria to wonder if her tone was joking, trying to be sarcastic, or truthful.
"I would do the same as Aria," Hanna said. "What else do you have to lose Em? That way you know if Samara is really into you or not."
Spencer went to put in her input too this time and Aria zoned out again. Eyes drifting back to Jason, she noticed him still talking to the same kid yet glancing to her. With a blush, she waved back as he held up his hand to her.
"Why do you think we haven't gotten any 'A' texts recently?" Hanna wondered.
"Aria," Spencer commanded, snapping her fingers in Aria's face. Shoving them away, Aria rolled her eyes and jumped back into the conversation. "What?"
"'A'? No texts recently…" Hanna repeated.
"I don't know," Aria shrugged, "maybe we haven't been doing anything that 'A' disproves of lately."
"Or maybe 'A' has bigger plans," Spencer cut in. "Lets not forget about the hockey stick, Garrett, Ian, Jenna, or anything else for that matter."
"This hurts my head," Hanna sighed.
"This hurts my stomach," Emily queased, slouching down in her seat.
Lunch was over before it really even began and by the time the girls had another chance to catch their breath, it was after school. Saying goodbye to each other, they shut their lockers and all went their own way – Aria in particular going to meet Jason.
"Hey handsome," she called as he was leaning against his car that he drove them to school in.
"Hey," he smirked, coming over to her to wrap his arms around her frame. "How was the rest of your day?"
"Not too bad," she grinned, letting her eyes flutter closed as he kissed her. God, Jason felt like he was in some high school movie – showing a ton of PDA in the parking lot after waiting by his car for his girl to meet him. It was like a classic chick flick. Pulling away, Jason opened the passenger side door for her and let her get in.
"So I have something to show you," he claimed as he drove them.
"What?" Aria smirked.
"You'll have to wait – it's a surprise," he stated, glancing over to her to see her beautiful face.
"Do I get a hint?" she asked playfully.
"It will give it away," he claimed again. Pulling into the town's small café he quickly parked and showed Aria to a seat at the table. "Wait here," he instructed.
"Jason, wait," she claimed, trying to understand what he was doing.
"Just wait here, I'll be right back." Giving her a quick kiss to the head, he left the café and ran back to his car. Popping the trunk, he took out four large frames, holding pictures of a sleeping Aria. Smiling to himself, he shut the truck, locked his car again and walked back to her.
"What's that?" she asked when he immediately came into view.
"Your pictures," he said sitting down beside her, "I finished them."
Surprised, she edged closer to him so she could see. Laying them flat on the table, the two looked at what Ali had done. They were beautiful shots of Aria. She looked peaceful and almost perfect.
"Wow, I must have had a really good hair day that time," Aria stated.
Jason gave a chuckle, not expecting to hear those girly words from her mouth.
"I still can't believe Ali took these," Aria said touching the glass. "They look really good."
"Maybe she had a hidden talent," Jason shrugged.
Aria laughed a bit at that, raising an eyebrow slightly. "If Ali had a talent, she would show it off, especially for something like this."
Smiling a bit, Jason knew Aria was right. His sister was always the girl to flaunt things and show herself off. If she could do this, he was sure everyone would know about it.
"Was there anything else you found?" Aria wondered while staring at the pictures. Ali's hidden talent puzzled her. It didn't seem anything like her dead best friend to do this type of thing and she questioned in the slightest if it wasn't Ali who had really taken these. For all Aria knew, Ali could have found this roll of film and hidden it – not knowing exactly what was on here. Or maybe it was 'A's doing. Maybe 'A' had taken these pictures and Jason just thought it was Ali's.
"Just a box of girl things," he shrugged. "Nothing really special like this. You can check it out if you want. The box is back at the house."
"Really?" Aria asked feeling that rush of curiosity. Maybe something else would be in that box that Jason didn't see. Maybe it would lead them closer to who 'A' is…
Jason watched her closely. There was something on his face he wasn't sure of. It was like a light bulb had clicked in her head – but why? "Yea Ar, you're always welcome there."
"Can we go now?" she asked already getting ready to get back up.
"Did you want to grab something to eat first?" he wondered, bewildered by her excitement and rush to get to his house.
"Oh…yea, right," she chuckled embarrassedly. Slow it down Aria, she thought to herself. Eating a nice meal and spending time with her boyfriend, they had a decent time before going back to his house. Jason was still curious as to why Aria was so anxious to get there. She seemed to want to see the box badly and he couldn't figure out what made her want to. Whenever either of them brought up Ali most of the time, they would get uneasiness about it or try to talk about something else.
Getting out from the car, Aria and Jason went into the old DiLaurentis house and grabbed the box. He watched as she went through each trinket, analyzing it closely.
"Was there something particular you hoped to find in here?" Jason asked her carefully.
"No, just…anything really," Aria replied focused on a small stuffed teddy of his sisters. Hearing her phone ring, Aria dug through her purse to grab it. "What's up Spence?"
Jason couldn't hear the soft murmuring of his half sister, but he watched Aria's face change from a calm demeanor to a frigid one and knew something was wrong.
"Are you sure?" she asked panicked.
Jason was at full attention now, noticing his girlfriends voice turn authoritative. "Okay, I'm at Jason's so I'll be right over…"
Spencer must have said something because Aria shook her head and stuck to her words. "What? No I'm sure, I'll drive you."
Shutting her phone, Aria let out a breath and took a second to herself. "Spencer needs me right now. Can I take this?"
Holding the box in her hands, he gave a nod. "Is everything okay?"
"Toby fell off the scaffold," she murmured. "Mrs. Hastings found him this afternoon. I'm going to drive Spencer to the hospital to see him."
"What about your car?" Jason said on alert. He had been driving Aria around the whole day. Was she going to walk back to her house alone? "Did you want me to drive you girls?"
"Thanks but we'll be okay," Aria said guarded, "Spencer just wants to get there and I want to make sure she doesn't get into an accident. I'll call you later okay?"
Not being able to do anything but nod, Aria gave him a quick kiss before taking the box and his heart with her.