Hey guys!

I'm so sorry, between work, birthdays and everything in between, I just got distracted.
Plus I had absolutely no idea where to go with this chapter, and to be honest I'm not %100 percent happy with it (I may end up re-writing it anyways).

Anyway, enough with my problems

Thanks so much for the reviews, shout-outs:
IvannaB, JessyeJesigirl, Forever Courage, Sgdp1261, Lala-Pll-Time, TeamSpariaFTW and all the anonymous reviewers as well!

As always any and all mistakes are mine, please enjoy!

By the time Hannah burst through the front door all high mighty, Aria was just too tired.

Tired of the judgement.

Tired of everyone thinking they know what's best for her.

Tired of them caring.

"I can't do this anymore," The words are forced out of her mouth with a sigh, as though they physically drained her to say.

She pushed herself up off the stool and turned to slowly limp out the back door. Unfortunately for Aria, Hanna wasn't currently supporting any debilitating injuries and was quickly able to chase her down before she made it out the door.

The big mistake for the blonde, however came when she reached out and grabbed Aria's arm. The small brunette turned around so quickly, and with such rage in her eyes, that her friends hardly recognised her.

And any progress she'd started to make since Spencer found her in that ring, was lost in a spilt second.

Because in that moment she'd forgot where she was.

Forgot who was surrounding her.

Forgot whose hand was tightly grasped around her wrist.

And as she turned, ready to fight off her 'attacker'.

She was met with the frightened yet, stern glance of her blonde best friend.

"Hannah, let go." Her voice was low, and it came out as a warning, rather than the desperate plea that it sounded like in Aria's own head.

Of course by this stage Hannah had regained her composer, as well as her rather tactless anger.

"Why you gonna hit me as well?" She shot back, ignoring the way Aria's body began to shake at the words; because if only Hannah had known how close she was to truth.

Because in that brief moment Aria didn't see her friend.

She didn't see anyone.

She saw a threat, and she was going to defend herself.

But when she turned to see her friends frightened eyes staring back at her, she was terrified.

Terrified of what she could've done.

Terrified of the fact that the thought ever crossed her mind.

Because she would never hurt friends.

She'd never let anyone touch them.

She would protect them at any cost (That was one of the reasons she wanted to learn how to fight in the first place).

But in that moment she began to doubt that.

Because if that thought could take over for a split second, then it could become a permanent notion.

So no wonder her friends stopped supporting her.

Stopped looking out for her.

Because they didn't deserve that;

And she didn't deserve them.

She thinks she's known that for a while.

But it was that split second that made it clear.

So she stares into Hannah's eyes, tears threatening to spill over her own.

"Please Hannah."

And she knows she has no right to ask anything of her friends, especially Hannah (She had been using her boyfriend for the last few weeks, and forcing him to keep secrets from her).

But she really hopes they'll give her this.

She really hopes they'll just let her go.

Because they deserve better. (Sometime over the last few weeks she honestly started believing that).

But reading subtly has never been Hannah's forte', so she didn't hear the pleading in the smaller girls voice, or see the desperation in her eyes.

"You're not going anywhere until you give us some sort of an explanation!" She answered, ignoring the plea, tightening her grip on Aria's wrist

"Please," She begs again, slightly tugging on her arm. Hands still shaking.

"Hannah, let her go," It's Spencer who utters the words, that loosen the hypothetically noose that feels like it's been tightening around Aria's neck for the last minute.

"But.."

"Let her go!" Spencers' voice leaves no room for argument, and it's times like this that Aria remembers why she's the other half of team Sparia.

But it just makes her feel even more guilty.

Because after everything that she's done,

All the thoughts that have been running through her head.

Spencer would still have her back.

She always would.

And Aria hates that a little.

Because she doesn't deserve friends like the ones she has in front of her.

And she definitely doesn't deserve Spencer.

So she pulled her hand out of Hannah's grip, and turns out the door.

Ignoring the desperate and concerned glances that followed her.

(She didn't deserve them).

"Okay will someone please explain what the hell is going on?" Hannah asked desperately turning to face the rest of the group; and when her demands were met with nothing but silence, she asks again, turning blindly from face to face, praying someone would give her an answer, "Anyone?"

"Caleb?" Emily asks with a questioning glance.

"What?" His tone is a cross between genuine curiosity and a strong defensive underline.

"Well from what I've heard, apparently you're the one who she's been going to over the last few weeks, so care to explain?" She shoots back.

"Em…" It's Spencer who tries to cut her off, but quickly finds herself outnumbered as Hannah turns on her boyfriend.

"Yeah Caleb, why don't you tell us what's been going on over the last few weeks, because clearly you're a better friend than us!"

"Guys…" Paige's attempt to calm the rift is quickly cut off by Caleb, who decides it's time defend himself.

"Are you being serious right now?" He shouts back, "I've spent the last few weeks helping your friend, how…"

"Fantastic job by the way!" Emily's sarcastic response cuts him off.

"Look! I did what I could!"

"Yeah well clearly it wasn't enough!"

"Look Hannah I know you're pissed, but you don't have the right, none of you have the right to be pissed at me!" He doesn't understand how he became the bad guy. "I did everything I could."

"Everything you could, would've involved telling us!" Emily fires back, ignoring the resignation in Caleb's voice.

"I promised her I wouldn't, I wasn't going to break that trust!"

"Yeah because secrets have always worked so well for us in the past, I thought we were done with that Caleb!"

"This wasn't about us Hannah! This was about helping Aria!"

"I know that, she's my best friend!" Hannah answers with fire, "Which is why I can't understand how sometime over the last few weeks, you didn't think about telling me!"

"I couldn't…"

"You said you were looking out for her; how did you not think telling us would've helped?" Emily jumps back into the conversation.

"She made me promise! I figured she deserved at least one friend, she could trust!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hannah demands.

"Nothing," Caleb sighs, taking a step back, trying to defuse the situation. He knew he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. He didn't want to start blaming any of the girls (especially Hannah).

But he just didn't understand.

Because it was so obvious that these girls loved their smaller friend. (He doesn't think he ever doubted that).

But he just doesn't understand how they didn't notice.

Because it wasn't subtle.

It wasn't like she was hiding it well.

To him, it was the most obvious thing in the world.

So when Hannah kept pushing, he couldn't contain himself anymore.

"Seriously, how could you not tell us?"

"How could you not have noticed?" He shoots back so quickly and with such heat, he thinks he can actually see the girls backpedal.

And with those words the heated argument stops dead in its track.

Because it's practically impossible to argue against the truth.

So what did you think?

Please review and let me know!

Next chapter is going to include a bit of Paige/Aria friendship. (And it shouldn't take as long!)