Hey guys, I'm trying to get the chapters up quicker.
Thank you for the reviews! They mean the world.
Big shout out to MagicinMe123, If you haven't read her stuff, go do it right now!
Anyway thanks so much for the encouragement and advice, you're awesome!
So on with the story, All mistakes are mine!
When Spencer awoke the next morning, the first thing that crossed her mind, was the fact that she hadn't finished her homework for the days' classes. It took her a solid 10 seconds to realise that it was in fact a Saturday; and another minute for the previous night's events to come rushing back to her.
It was then that she turned her head to see her best friend lying fast asleep next to her.
And as she looked at the peaceful look on her face, all she wanted to do was wrap her up in the blanket and never let her leave.
Because here, she was safe.
Here, Spencer could protect her.
Protect her from the world,
From A.
From herself.
And she knows that Aria is grown a woman, she knows that she can look after herself.
But as the smaller girl tosses slightly, turning her head to reveal a newly formed bruise running along her jawline.
She starts to doubt that.
Because if she could actually look after herself, then she wouldn't be here.
If she was grown up enough to make mature decisions, then she wouldn't have decided that getting the crap beaten out of her was a good form of venting.
And that's what Spencer just can't figure out.
Because Aria's has always been the mature one;
The responsible one.
The voice of reason.
She wasn't reckless;
That was a role left for Hannah, or Emily, hell maybe even Spencer herself.
But never Aria.
And that's why Spencer just doesn't understand.
Because this wasn't Aria.
When Aria was upset she'd talk to someone, to Ezra, to her Mom, or her friends.
And it's only as she analyses this in her head that Spencer starts to put some of it together. Because her Mom's on a different continent, and Ezra is nothing but another teacher in the hallway.
And her friends; well, Spencer's still not sure when Aria decided she couldn't talk to them anymore.
But she knows she's going to change her friends' perception.
She has to.
But she can't do it on her own, it's clear there's been too much of that already.
The fact that it's only 8am doesn't occur to her until she hears the groggy voice that answers Emily's phone.
"Hello?"
"Emily?"
"Nope, who's this?" Paige's frustrated and rather pissed of voice registers in Spencer's ear.
"Shit Paige, sorry, I didn't realise how early it was, it's been a pretty rough night" Spencer sighs into her phone as she runs a hand over face.
"Is everything alright?" Paige asks quickly, all signs on weariness gone from her voice, and replaced with nothing but concern.
"Yeah… No… Kind of, listen I'm sorry but is Emily there? I just, I really need to talk to her?"
"Umm yeah sure, I'll just grab her." Spencer pretends not to hear the slightly offended tone in Paige's voice, knowing how much Emily's girlfriend has worked to be a part of their circle.
"Thanks."
It takes another 30 seconds for Emily to finally come to phone, and if it wasn't for the circumstances Spencer would've laughed at the muffled sounds of Paige trying to wake her girlfriend.
"Hello?"
"Hey Em."
"Spence, what's wrong?" Emily cuts straight to the point, knowing there'd have to be a pretty good reason for her friend to be calling her so early.
"Umm…" And it's only now that Spencer realises she has absolutely no idea what to say, because how on earth does she begin to explain what went down last night.
"Spence?"
"It's… It's a long story, I um… I figured out what's going on with Aria, well kind of, I don't actually know what's going on with her, but I know what she's been doing an.." Spencer's relieved when Emily cuts her off, because she honestly has no idea where that sentence was going.
"Spencer, slow down, is Aria okay?" Emily asks desperately, ignoring Paige's concerned glances.
"Yes... No… Not really, look she's at my house, she's safe…" Spencer reassured her "…But um… she's not okay"
And as Spencer finally forces those words out, she realises she's finally admitted what she's been trying to deny since she got that text.
Because there's something wrong with her best friend.
Aria's not okay.
And it's taken Spencer this long to actually accept that. (If only she could get Aria to do the same)
"I'll be over as soon as possible okay?" Emily asks, though it comes out as a statement, because she wasn't asking.
"Thanks Em, see you soon"
"Look after her Spence."
Spencer takes a glance back into her room before replying, "Always."
As she hangs up the phone, she sighs as she leans against the door frame, the one thing running through her mind at that point was the fact that she didn't want to have that conversation with Hannah.
And as she glances down at her phone she realises that she doesn't have to.
Because as jealous as she was of Caleb, she knew he'd do anything for them (especially Hannah, and as of recently, Aria).
And right now Aria needed her friends.
And Hannah needed to be there.
And he could do that.
So she sent him a quick text message (ignoring the fact the she was probably putting him in an awkward position)
Hey can you get Hannah to come over when she's up.
She left it vague, figuring he was probably smart enough to fill in the blanks. Besides apparently he knew more than she did anyway.
She shook the jealous thoughts from her head, as she went to wake Aria. Figuring she should at least try to prepare the girl for the bombardment of concern and questions she was about to face.
To say Spencer surprised her when she placed her hand on Aria's shoulder jostling her awake, wouldn't be entirely accurate. It wasn't so much the fact that Spencer had woken her, it was the fact that she'd actually fallen asleep in the first place.
Because over the last few weeks sleep has been one of the many things that seemed to allude her.
But last night she slept better then she has in a long time.
Yet she refuses to believe it's because she was next to her best friend.
Because she doesn't need anyone.
She's fine on her own.
That's what she keeps telling herself.
"Hey Aria," Spencer says hesitantly, not entirely sure how the conversation would go.
"Morning," The reply was relatively neutral, as Aria rubbed her hands over face, stifling a yawn. She winced slightly as she sat up in the bed swinging her legs over the side.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Spencer asks, concern written all over her face.
"Seriously Spence it's not that bad, I swear," Aria insisted as she made to stand up only to fall back on the bed when she noticed her swollen ankle wasn't prepared to support her weight.
"Not that bad?" Spencer questioned incredulously as she moved to help her, "You can't even stand up, and you're saying it's not that bad? Are you ser…"
"Spence I'm fine okay? I just forgot about my ankle for a sec," Aria cut her off, making a second attempt to stand up (this time succeeding in staying upright). "See? I'm fine."
"Oh yeah perfectly fine! You can stand up, and on only your second attempt!" Spencer voice was angry and laced with sarcasm, "You know what comes after that right? You actually have to walk, you think you can do that to?"
"What the hell is your problem?" Aria shoots back, anger creeping into her own voice.
"Me? I'm not the one with the problem here Aria, I'm not the one who got the crap beaten of her last night!" Spencer shoots, back as the inevitable emotions start to boil over.
"For god sake Spencer, it's not that big of a deal."
"Not a big a deal, seriously? You seriously don't…" Spencer cuts herself off before she says something she can't take back, sighing exasperation. Because judging by the look on Aria's face, this conversation was already heading in the complete wrong direction, and she knew that agitating Aria now, would only result in another fight.
"Look, Emily and Hannah are coming over, do you want to go downstairs and get breakfast?" She asks, attempting to put an end to their building argument.
"You called them?"
"Of course I called them! Unlike you I don't lie to my best friends!"
"What the hell are you on about? I didn't lie to anyone!"
"Right, you just refused to tell us about all this, that's so much better!" Spencer can feel the tension building up again, but she can't help herself.
"This? This is nothing, this is none of your business!" Aria shoots back, confused as why Spencer is so concerned, so anxious.
Before Spencer can respond she's cut off by the doorbell, she turns and looks downstairs before turning back to Aria, sighing again.
"Do you need a hand to get downstairs?" She asked in resigned tone, secretly already knowing the answer.
"I'm fine" Aria answers quietly, refusing to make eye-contact.
"Of course you are," Spencer mutters, as she turns to make her way downstairs. She stops at her door before turning around, and walking back to Aria, grabbing her face softly in her hands; forcing the younger girl to look her in the eyes.
"Aria this," She says nodding at her bruised face, "this isn't nothing okay? And when you're in trouble, then damn right it's my business, you're my best friend, we're team Sparia."
The tears begin to build up in Aria eyes as Spencer's words hit there mark; but the moment is cut short by the doorbell ringing again.
Spencer sighs as she releases Aria's face, "I better get that, meet you down there?"
Aria just nods, wiping her eyes.
"I know you think you don't need anyone, but I'm here anyway, and I'm not going anywhere," Spencer says softly as she walks to the door, turning back one last time, "it's going to be okay Aria."
And for the first time, in a long time,
Aria thinks she might actually believe that.
So your reviews of last chapter are what made me write this one so thanks!
I tried to include a bit more Sparia, not sure if it was corny or not...