Chapter 4

Snow in Rosewood

I was on top of Aria, kissing and nipping. Then, my hand grazed her back to feel for the clasp of her bra to unhook it. As I felt her move about, she whispered. "Noel, please stop, I don't want it to hurt, please."

I was still mulling over when Aria stirred from her sleep. She was now in her house and her mom asked if I can watch Aria because there is an event at the Art Gallery in Ravenswood; she had to bring Mike as her escort. Plus, they would only be returning tomorrow night.

"Noel," Aria sat up. "Thanks for helping my mom out. I know that you really don't want to spend Christmas Eve taking care of me. You should go home and spend it with your family."

I leaned in and kissed her softly. "Trust me; my parents won't miss me because they're in Vermont with my brother. She smiled and leaned her head on my shoulder." She yawned a bit. It was already 11: 46 pm and Christmas is right around the corner.

"Aria," I paused, wondering if I should even say it. She looked up and smiled at me. I found myself nervous, my throat felt dry, but I knew I had to say it. "I love you." Then, I softly kissed her lips as she closed her eyes.

Her lips were so soft. I wrapped my arms around her and she pulled me closer to her. As I got on top of her a moan escaped her lips as I grazed her back with my hands trying to find the hook of her bra; I was able to unhook it from its clasp then I realized we were heading into that direction.

I looked at her doe brown eyes, as if asking her permission for us to continue. She nodded as I admired the naked form of her body. I intertwined out hands together as we made love. The delicious sound of her moans as we became one was delicious, it felt like so right. She buried her face on my shoulder to muffle her loud moans and screams. It sounded good to me.

"Noel," She looked at me. "I love you too…" I kissed her once again and this time it was very passionate but still very gentle. The very fact that we were making love inside her room was beyond me. I could feel everything that she was feeling, and I know that tomorrow, we wouldn't feel guilty because we knew that we love each other enough to do this. I smiled as her hands roamed around my back. Her touch was sweet and soft. It made me melt with her.

She was so amazingly beautiful and I couldn't help but think of how lucky I was to even be able to make love with her.

I knew, right then that I want her to be the one for me—forever.

That Christmas Day when I woke up, I slowly crept put of Aria's bed to put some clothing on. I decided to pay her kitchen a little visit and cook a Christmas meal for her. As I went toward the fridge, there was a note, I took it down and read it. It's a note from A…but how'd it get here?

You guys are so sweet.

You make me want to puke.

But hey it's Christmas and I'm feeling like Santa's little helper today…

Wait for my gift…it's gonna be explosive!

Hohohoho!

-A

I looked at the note. What explosive gift did A meant? I didn't realize that Aria hand woken up. "What's that?" She asked taking the piece of paper from me. She froze on the spot. Then an envelope was slipped from the door and Aria went there to get it. She ripped it open. I went toward her, the envelope was addressed to Aria. Then, when she tore it open, a cd was in it. We looked at each other, frightened.

We played it on her laptop. It's a video of Spencer talking to someone.

"They are stupid for even trusting me y'know. I mean, Aria doesn't really know this but I'm the one who was driving the car that hit Noel and her…" Spencer had this scary smile on her face, it made the blood drain from my face. "And Noel was even stupid to think that I'm not part of any bad things that's ever happened to him. Remember the test answers? I was the one who placed them on his locker…give me that…" Spencer reached for the camera and when she had it, she was about to focus it to the person she's talking to but my anticipation was cut when the video ended.

When I turned to look at Aria, I saw her jaw quivering. "Oh my God," She turned to me; tears were streaming from her eyes. "Is Spencer…helping A?"

I was still in shock because of the video. But Spencer invited us to go to her house and have Christmas Dinner along with Emily Fields and Hanna Marin. I was having second thoughts because of the video. But Aria said that we had to know the truth, so away we went the Christmas dinner at the Hastings household.

"Aria," I stopped her from walking toward Spencer's house. "We don't have to do this.

"

She looked at me, giving me the once-over. "Noel," She huffed. In the snowy day, her breath came in puffs as she breathed heavily. "If we don't confront Spencer now, then when will we do it?"

"Aria, what if she denies it?" I asked, trying to rationalize with her. "I mean, she would never admit of doing something like that."

She paused mulling it over. I sighed taking her hand in mine. Then, she handed me her phone. "Okay you're right," she paused, wiping the tear the leaked out of her eye. "But can you text her that we can't make it."

I nodded.

Fine then don't come...

I don't need you, Emily, and Hanna.

You guys can kiss my ass.

"I guess Emily and Hanna didn't come too." I said as I wrapped an arm around Aria's shoulder. She looked at me as she leaned her head on my chest.

"Noel, maybe it was just a set up." She said, her voice cracking.

"I'm not sure I can follow you..." I said.

"I mean, A can do anything." She shifted uncomfortablly as she tried to find the right words. I tried to soother her by kissng her head. I can smell the strawberry scented shampoo.

"Why don't we try to investigate?" I suggested. She shrugged.

"Noel, that can be dangerous."

"Well, I've done it at Ezra Fitz's apartment, and I'm perfectly fine."

She pulled away from me. "Are you crazy?" She widened her eyes at me. "Noel, that's so dangerous. Ezra can be very creepy."

"Yeah, but there's clearly a reason as to why he raped you." I pointed out. Aria looked at me squarely.

"Who told you that?" She asked as tears welled up on her eyes.

"Spencer did." I pronounced. "Do you know how much it affected me to know that? That son-of-a-bitch will get his karma someday because he forced himself on to you."

"Can we not talk about this?" She asked and I nodded.

Then, there was a completely awkward silence. She went to the phone on the end table. "Do you want pizza?" She asked.

I nodded. After ordering, Aria hung up, and she didn't face me. I knew that she was crying. I stood and walked up to her, wrapping my arms around her as I reached her, I felt her cry even more. She turned to face me and then, she burried her face on my chest. I can feel her tears as her sobs became ragged and her breathing was very heavy.

She looked up, her eyes, pleading for answers that I know I can never give. "Noel, you've got to promise me that you will never tell anyone about Ezra raping me."

I pulled away from her. I cannot believe she's even asking to cover for that no-good bastard after what he did to her. "Why?" I asked her hoarsely. I couldn't let myself ask her but, when I'm on a roll, no one can really stop me. "Do you still love him?" I asked her bitterly.

She looked down, shuffling her feet, then, up at me again. "Noel, I can't deny that..."

"You know what?" I said before she could even finish. "When you thought about how to answer my question, you already gave me an answer." I took my jacket from the coat rack and as I started toward the door, Aria spoke.

"Noel, it's not like that..."

"Don't bother explaining, Aria," I paused, getting out of her house. "I get it." Then, I slammed the door shut. But she followed me as I started down the snowy walk way. Aria held on to my arm but I swiveled to face her.

"Noel, I loved him but now I don't ever since we got together on that date." She wrapped her arms around my neck. "And I would never, ever love anyone again." It made me smile but still something bothered me. All of a sudden, we heard a RPD—Rosewood Police Department car blaring it's horns, they seemed to turn around the corner, close to Toby Cavanaugh's home, we looked at each other as Aria's phone beeped. Her eyes widened as she dropped her phone. I picked it up, and here's what is said.

You think the video was the explosive gift, didn't you?

Well, that was just a part of it.

I like playing hangman, and let's just say Toby played with me…

-A

I opened the attached file and saw Toby's body hanging in his room. Toby Cavanaugh committed suicide…no—he wouldn't do something like that, A, made it look like it.

To be continued…

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