Chapter Two - Lunch and a Lie

Aria woke up that morning with a headache, she looked around the room trying to remember where she was. It was Hanna's bedroom, she had went home with Hanna not long after the party last night. Aria's memories from the night before starting coming back, including the kiss with Noel. It was still unclear to her why she had liked the kiss, she was in love with Ezra... right? Thinking about Ezra made her look at her phone, she had four missed calls and six unread text messages. The calls were from Ezra and her mother. Oh my god, Aria thought, I forgot to tell my mom where I was staying last night. Before she could hit the send button to call her mom, the phone started vibrating.

"Hello?" Aria said into the phone.

"Aria where are you?" her mother said back to her with worry and anger in her voice.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I'm at Hanna's house, Emily and I slept over with her and watched movies and ordered in some pizza last night. Hanna's mom wasn't home so she didn't wanna be all alone and I just lost track of time and forgot to call. I'm so sorry!" she said out of breath from everything she had just said.

"Well, I suppose that is fine. Call next time though, okay?"

"I will, I promise!"

"Okay well I love you and have a good day" her mom said sounding less angry as when Aria had first picked up the phone.

"I love you too mom, bye"

Aria hung up the phone and looked through her messages.

Where are you? - Ezra

Please talk to me Aria, I'm sorry. - Ezra

Can you call me or message me back? - Ezra

Okay, I understand. If you find a way to forgive me a little can you meet me tomorrow at the Grille for lunch? - Ezra

Oh god... Ezra, Aria thought. What do I say to him? Do I meet him for lunch? Do I tell him about Noel? Why did I like Noel's kiss? Nothing can ever be simple! Especially with a headache she thought getting up and going downstairs to the kitchen for some water and asprin. After she took something for her head she sat at the table. Okay what do I say back? she thought staring at her phone.

Yeah, I'll meet you for lunch, how about 12? We do need to talk. - Aria

Aria hit send and then she remembered she still had two more messages.

Hey Finland! I had a great time, we're having another party tomorrow night if you wanna come? I'd love to see you there! - Noel

Oh and good night Aria - Noel

Oh great, this just made everything more complicated. Now she had to choose if she was going to the party tonight and if she did was it for Noel? or just cause it was a party and Hanna would wanna go? Part of her knew Noel was 90 percent why her body was telling her she wanted to go and that was going to be a problem. Aria head said it was wrong to wanna see Noel, she had Ezra but with everything going on her mind also said go see Noel! All the thinking about Noel and Ezra just made her head hurt more. I have to get this off my mind, she thought and she walked up the stairs. When she got to Hanna's room emily was sitting up and Hanna was still asleep.

"Hey" Aria said to Emily as she sat down at Hanna's desk.

"ughhhh, do you have a horrible headache too?"

"Yeah, I just got back from the kitchen, I took an asprin" she said logging on to the computer to check her facebook.

"I'm gonna go do that too" Emily said getting up to stretch, she walked out of the room and down to the kitchen.

Aria logged on to her facebook to see she was tagged in several posts and statuses. One status was Hanna's saying she had a fun night out with the girls and one was Noel's saying he had a great night can't wait to do it again. Great, Aria thought, now it was also public. Aria opened up the pictures she was tagged in, several where her, Emily and Hanna getting ready at the house or dancing at the party, then there was her playing Truth or Dare with Noel, not kissing at least. There were some of her dancing and then her dancing with Noel, the pictures didn't look like she had a boyfriend somewhere else, they looked like he was right there dancing with her. I hope Ezra doesn't see these she thought... How wouldn't he? They weren't friends on there so people wouldn't get supicious and talk but he did look at her page every now and then, at least she assumed he did, she looked at his to see what he was up too or what was on his mind when she was in class. Maybe he doesn't look she thought, maybe he just texts her when he's wondering what she's thinking or wasn't anymore time to think, when she looked down at the time she saw it was already 11:13 a.m.. That meant she had to get ready fast and get to the Grille to meet Ezra. Aria logged out and closed the computer. Hanna was still sleeping so she sent her a text as she left.

I'm going to the Grille to meet Ezra, I'll be back later. The Kahn house is gonna be full again tonight, lets go! - Aria

Aria got in her car after sending the message and sped home. It took her about 15 minutes to get ready and it left her 10 minutes to get to the Grille. When she got there Ezra was already at a table.

"Hey" he said smiling at her.

"Hey, did you order?"

"Just a drink" he said holding up his tea.

"Oh okay, I think I'm just gonna get a salad" she said looking over the menu really quick. The waiter came and took their order and brought her a water. Ezra didn't say anything for a few minutes, he just stared at her. Did he know about Noel and the party? Did he still think they might not work out?

"I'm sorry Aria" he finally spoke. "I was just upset when I said what I said yesterday, there's no way I'd let you go. I don't care what my mom says, I don't care if I lose my job, cause I love you Aria"

Aria wasn't sure what to say, she heard the door open and she looked up to see Noel walking up to the counter, he said something to the lady at the counter and she walked to the back. Noel looked around once the woman had walked away and he spotted Aria quickly. Noel smiled at her and she looked away so she wouldn't blush. Ezra was trying to flag down the waiter for more tea the whole time to even notice his girlfriend flirting with another guy.

"I accept your apology Ezra" Aria said realizing the issue was unresolved. "I'm sorry I freaked out on you, that wasn't right of me" she told him trying to ignore Noel.

"No, you had the right, I was being foolish"

"No, you have the right to worry about your career, that's your futrure" she said glancing at Noel who was still watching her as he waited for the lady at the counter to return.

"No Aria, your my future and that's how I always want it to be" he said taking her hand in his. Aria's phone bleeped and she reached in her purse for it.

Does he know? - Noel

No - Aria

Are you gonna tell him? - Noel

"Aria?" Ezra had said a few times as she stared at her phone.

"Hmmm?" she asked snapping back into the present.

"Who is it?""Oh, it's just my mom" she said and slid the phone back into her purse as she hit send for one last message.

I'm not sure if there's anything to tell yet. - Aria

Aria wasn't sure, that part was true, she had only hung out with Noel once since last year. Noel had pretty much forced a kiss on her and even though she liked it then, would she still now? Was it the alcohol that made it good? Aria wanted to know but she felt bad for wanting to kiss Noel again to find out.

"I have to go" she said after she finished her salad "I have to help Hanna with some math work" she lied.

"Oh okay, well maybe you can come over tonight?" he asked her.

"Yeah maybe, I'll text you later, I still have a few things to do" she told him kissing him on the cheek "love you" she spoke in a daze and walked out and he stared after her.

"I love you too..." he spoke before she got too far from him.

Hey! I'm trying to get a new story out every day, hopefully I can. I have a five month old son, so he takes up a lot of my time. Don't forget to review my story so I can update and make any changes that could make it a better story. If you have suggestions I'd love to hear them (: