Hey Guys!
Sorry for the delay, no excuses, just kinda lazy. (And emotionally recovering from last Tuesdays episode!)
Thanks heaps for the reviews on the last chapter, might have picked up some ideas, so if you have any please let me know!
I don't have a Beta, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone.
If anyone is interested in being a Beta please let me know, that'd be awesome!
He can't keep doing this.
Because no matter how hard he tries, he just can't seem to stop her.
No matter what he says, how much he begged, she just wouldn't listen.
Because she was convinced she needed this.
Because she was convinced she was fine.
And despite his best efforts he couldn't convince her otherwise. Because as much as he didn't want to admit it, he didn't know her well enough. In fact, he's fairly certain there's only 3 people who do (four if you include Ezra).
Yet somehow they didn't notice.
And he can't for the life of him figure out why.
Because it's so obvious.
To him at least. And if he's honest with himself, if she hadn't told him, he's not sure he would've noticed either. Because he would've been focused on his girlfriend (like he should be now). But she did tell him, so it's the only thing on his mind.
It's all he can think of.
The bruises, the distance, the limp.
It's so fucking clear to him.
And yet somehow they don't see it.
And god he wishes they did.
Because as much as he wants to keep Aria's trust, he can't keep watching her do this.
Because she needs help, and he can't give it to her.
And he'll be damned if he lets her throw her life away.
Because he's had enough of losing those around him.
And he's damn sure Hannah has to.
So when he spots Spencer walking into the room, from his position in the corner, he's never felt so relieved in his life, because if Spencer is here, then he doesn't have to keep this secret anymore.
Because she can give her the help she needs.
The help he hasn't been able to give her;
Despite his best efforts.
When Spencer arrived at the designated area, she was surprised to see the multitude of cars in car park. Usually address's supplied to them by A, were dark and isolated. And while this place wasn't exactly the 'Ritz'; it was far from the worst location she's ended up in, over the past years.
As she made her were through the door, everything just felt wrong.
There were cracks in the ceiling and walls.
The studio was lit up by three dim lights hanging from the roof.
It smelt like dirty feet.
It was everything that Aria wasn't.
And Spencer could not for the life of her figure out what the smaller girl would be doing there.
But her question was only answered by more questions, when she saw her friend in the middle of studio.
The girl who was known for her exotic choice of clothing, was wearing a grey tank-top, and a loosely fitting short-shorts.
Her hair was up in a Pony-tail.
And her small feet that were usually donning 3 inch heels, were completely bare.
And all Spencer could think was how out of place her best friend looked.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of what sounded like an extremely old and rusty bell, and she looked up to see Aria swiftly moving into the centre of the ring, coming face to face with a guy who looked like he could be at least 21, and had a build that was very similar to Jake.
And it didn't take a genius to figure out what was about to happen.
And there was no way in hell Spencer was going to let it.
She turned towards the ring, only to be stopped by a hand grasping her arm.
"Spencer!" The voice startled her a little, but she recognised it almost immediately.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him, because despite her high IQ this was something she just couldn't put together.
"How did you know about this?" He shot back.
"Who cares, we need to get her out of there!" She exclaimed, ignoring his question, turning back towards the ring, just in time to watch Aria take a kick to the ribs.
"You can't stop it!"
"Like hell I can't!"
"Spence, trust me!" It was the desperate look in his eyes that caused her to stop. She turned back to the fight in front of her, looking on in surprise as Aria landed several damaging blows to her much larger opponent.
"Okay, Caleb, what the fuck is going on?"
So he told her everything, and as all the words washed over Spencer, she could only think of one thing;
"She called you?" Her voice sounded utterly heartbroken.
And she couldn't help but wonder when she stopped being the person Aria could turn to.
When she stopped being her confidant?
When she stopped being her best friend?
Because they were team 'Sparia'.
They were always there for each other.
Or so she thought,
Because yes, she's been busy.
But she always has time for Aria.
The shorter girl knows this.
Or at least Spencer thought she did.
Because the very fact that Caleb is the one who's telling the story and not her, is evidence against the contrary.
Because clearly somewhere along the line they lost that something that made them so special.
Because apparently about five weeks ago, her best friend was sitting in the gutter outside this shitty studio, unable to drive because her hand was that fucking swollen.
And she called him.
And with every emotion that's currently running through her body, there's one that the bubbles to the surface.
Jealously.
And she hates herself for that,
Because her best friend is clearly in a lot a trouble.
And all she can think about is the fact then when it came right down to it, she turned to him (she hardly even knows him).
And she knows that's her fault, because she was distracted,
Because even if Aria didn't turn to her, she should've noticed something was wrong.
Correction, she did realise, she should've done something about it.
Because that's what best friends do.
But she didn't do anything.
So what the fuck did that make her?
"Spencer, it's not your fault she just didn't wa…."
"Yeah I know," She cut Caleb off quickly, not wanting to hear him try to justify her actions.
"How did you find out about this?" He questioned, both pairs of eyes still thoroughly locked on the fight in front of them.
Spencer simply removed her phone from her pocket and showed him the message, never taking her eyes of her best friend.
She wincing violently as Aria's head snaps backwards from the full force of a well-executed punch.
"We can't just sit here, and watch her get the shit beaten out of her by someone who's twice her size!" She half yells, half begs, as Aria cops a second left hook too the jaw. "They're not even wearing protective gear, is this even legal?"
Caleb pulls her back as her outburst begins to attract the attention of some of the other spectators.
"Spencer you can't stop a fight half way through, trust me I've tried, if it gets too much for her she can tap out." Caleb's attempted words of comfort doing little ease her stress.
"How can you just sit here and do nothing? Oh that's right you've been doing it for the last five weeks! Have you even tried to stop her?" She knew the accusation wasn't fair; but at that point in time she just didn't care.
Because if Caleb was the one she was going to turn to, then shouldn't he be able to stop her from doing something so stupid. If he was so special, and so important, then shouldn't he have been able to help her.
"You think I haven't tried, you think I haven't done everything in my power to stop her? Huh?" He shot back.
He gets that she's angry and he can sense the underlining jealously from miles away; but there was no way he was going to sit back and cop this abuse. Especially from someone who didn't even notice her so called 'best friend' was in trouble.
"I've did everything I could to stop, I begged, I pleaded, hell I even threatened to tell her Dad, but she won't stop!" The desperation in his eyes was enough to show Spencer how serious he was.
"She wouldn't stop, that's why I'm here, because I might not be able to stop her, but I can try and do something, I can drop her home, I can bandage her up, I can do something!"
And despite the desperation and sincerity of his words, as far as Spencer is concerned, there's still one thing he could've done.
"You should've called me"
"She wouldn't let me, she made me promise, and I know it sounds stupid, but she begged me, I think she just needed someone to trust her to make her own decisions." He answered, hoping desperately that she'd understand.
She didn't.
"You should've told me, or Emily, or even Hannah, you don't know her like we do Caleb, you should've told someone"
"I shouldn't have had to." His reply is short, and he turns back to the fight (which was slowly drawing to a close) without another word.
And as much as Spencer wants to retort, she can't.
Because as much as pains her to admit it, he was right.
And she's so wrapped up in her own self-deprecating thoughts that she doesn't realise the fight's over.
She doesn't notice Aria gingerly making her way through the crowd.
She doesn't notice the surprised/angry look on Aria's face.
She doesn't notice anything.
Ironically she to upset at herself for not noticing the last five weeks, to notice what's going on in front of her.
And it's not until Aria speaks that she's snapped out of her trance.
"Spencer, what the hell are you doing here?"
Soo what did you think?
I know I promised Sparia in this chapter, and realize there wasn't any actual interaction, but I promise next chapter!
Please let me know if you have any idea's on where I could take this story, ideas are just kinda up in the air at the moment.
Oh an do you think I should write in Ezra being A, or just choose to ignore it and refuse to believe it's true like most of the PLL fans out there?