A week later, Monday. 4:00 PM after school.

Life has been crazy. I'm 2 weeks pregnant now and you can kind of see a bump. It's very small but the girls have noticed it, as well as I have. Thank god the morning sickness isn't so bad anymore.

I kissed Ezra, then got in my car, and started to drive to Maggie's house to pick up Malcolm. I thought on the way there about how -A hasn't bothered me or Ezra for awhile. -A mainly has been messing with the other girls. I have a bad feeling about that. I got to Maggie and Malcolm's house. got out of my, old beat up, classic volts wagon bug and knocked on the front door. Maggie answered it with a big smile on her face.

"Hello Aria." She said cheerfully, to be honest all this happiness was kinda scaring me.

"Hi Maggie." I said seeing if Malcolm was hiding behind her, he wasn't.

"Malcolm will be out in a second." Maggie said noticing my searching. "He's just grabbing some of his toys."

"Oh ok..." Everything was so awkward.

"So your pregnant, eh?"

"Yup."

"Ezra got another high schooler knocked up." I took a deep breath trying so hard to bite my tough.

"I wouldn't say knocked up. It was unexpected but we where going to raise a family one day anyway."

"Well now he's got two kids and one he never sees..."

"Maggie, will all do respect, he's trying his hardest. Life has been hard on me and Ezra lately."

"Really? How?" I don't understand why Maggie cared so much. She had a big grand house with a stone walk up to the marble door, and nice fresh flowers everywhere. Honestly, why did she care so much about how me and Ezra where doing in our small apartment. Ezra has been trying to find a job for months now, I asked him if he wanted me to pitch in and get a job too but he refuses. He won't let me help us pay off some of the bills. He always says he's the man of the house and he wants to show the new baby that it's father isn't a worthless bum. Of corse I tell him he's not but that's not good enough for him. Then also we have to worry about when -A will strike again. Damn.

"Well you see," I said feeling sharp pain in my side and crying out.

"Aria!" Maggie said putting her hands on my stomach.

"I'm fine... That happens sometimes."

"Are you sure your ok to drive?"

"Yup! Um I better go now though."

"Aria sweetie I don't think you should be driving, come inside. Ill call Ezra to come pick you up." Maggie grabbed my arm.

"No! Ezra is in the middle of a job interview! I'm fine really."

"Well... Ok... But if you need anything just call. Ill be out on a date so it's no big deal."

I smiled as Malcolm came into the doorway.

"Aria!" He said hugging me.

"Hi buddy!" I picked him up and he gave me a big kiss on the nose.

"No stop!" Maggie said taking Malcolm.

"Oh my god I'm sorry was I hurting him!" I can't believe I just messed up in front of Maggie. But she didn't look angry with me she looked confused.

"Aria, it's not Malcolm you where hurting... You could have hurt yourself and the baby!"

"Baby!?" Malcolm said confused. I smiled at Malcolm then said,

"We'll talk in the car."

He giggled and shook his head ok.

Maggie continued, "it's not good to carry heavy things when your pregnant. Did you really not know that?"

I sighed, "I don't know the first thing about being pregnant."

"It's alright Aria. Taking care of Malcolm like this will be a big help too."

"Thanks Maggie." We said our goodbyes and then me and Malcolm drove back to the apartment. We got inside and Malcolm plopped down on the couch.

"So where's the baby?!" Malcolm asked.

I smiled and sat down beside him. "The baby is in my tummy! We'll meet him or her in a few months."

Malcolm gasped. "THANK YOU ARIA." He hugged me with a big smile on his face. we colored and watched toy story 3 until Malcolm feel asleep on my lap. Then the pains started again. I was trying so hard not to cry out and wake up Malcolm but these pains lasted much longer and where so much more stronger then the last. They lasted about a minute each and where about five minutes apart. Then as I was in the middle of one Ezra came home.

"Hey honey- Aria?!" He saw me lying on our bed crying curled up in a little ball. "Oh my god... -A really did it."

I was confused, "Did what?"

"She said if I didn't call my mother and tell her you where pregnant she'd..." Ezra sat down and hugged me. He held me there for awhile until I cried out from the pain. "She said she'd drug you to give you contractions."

"WHAT? OH MY GOD WHY DIDNT YOU-" I stopped because the pain was so unbearable.

"We need to get you to the hospital, Now!" Ezra tried to pull me up but I wouldn't let him.

"No! I'm not going to the hospital. I can't believe you wouldn't tell me something like this!"

"I'm sorry! I thought I was keeping you safe!"

"I'm not a baby! I know you just want to keep me and the baby safe, but by not telling me things is just hurting me even more!"

"You want to know something else!" Ezra said basically screaming at me. "IM YOUR NEW ENGLISH LONG TIME SUB!" I broke down into tear which ended up waking Malcolm up.

"Daddy?" The boy said rubbing his sleeping eyes confused and tired.

"Malcolm ill take you home, ok?" Ezra said

"No! What's wrong with Aria and the baby! Daddy! Aria told a story and she said you were going to keep her safe!" I got up and hugged Malcolm still crying but not as much. Ezra stormed out of the apartment. I didn't want to hurt Malcolm. I didn't want to hurt anyone.

Tuesday, 8:00am

Spencer's POV

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." I said straining my tie in the girls bathroom at school with Hanna.

"Spence, you know she'd do the same for us." Hanna walked over and helped me straiten my collar.

"I know but -A has taken everything from me before so why wouldn't she do it again." Hanna looked me dead in the eye.

"Ill be here for you, and so will Emily."

I sighed "I just wish Aria could help us."

"Spence were doing this for Aria."

As we packed up our bags with makeup and other beauty products, Emily walked in bawling. I ran over to her worried sick.

"Emily!" I said hugging her. Hanna also came over and hugged her. "What's wrong?!"

Emily couldn't talk, she was hysterical. Hanna sat down with Emily still tight in her arms. Emily just cried into Hanna's chest for awhile.

"Em talk to us what's wrong." I said as the bell for second period rang.

"-A got my dad." She said her voice trembling.

Hanna looked at me with wide eyes, "you mean he's-"

"-A paid people in the Army to shoot down my dad."

"Ok, lets not blame this on -A." I said trying to be logic. Emily held up her phone with a text message that I read out loud,

"Did mommy tell you your dads missing? I bet not. Well I know he's not missing but dead. I told you get rid of Aria's baby or else. -A." I was sick to my stomach. -A killed Emily's dad. Who knows what she'd do to the rest of us... Maybe this was the work of red coat.

"So your mom knew your dad was missing and didn't tell you? And now -A is telling you she knows he's dead because we still didn't stop Aria from having the baby?" Hanna asked.

"Maybe if Spencer wouldn't have freaked out on Aria... maybe this wouldn't have happened! At first -A was just messing with you! Then it spread to me, next is Hanna!" Emily snapped at me.

"So it's my fault -A killed your dad! Maybe you should stop pointing fingers at others and look at yourself." Emily got up and left.

"Spencer!"

"I-I didn't mean it-"

"Whatever!" Hanna went out after Emily.

Aria's POV

I was in math class waiting for the other girls to get there. we were a good ten minutes into class when Emily Hanna and Spencer, in that order, came in the class. I got out my phone and started group texting them from under my desk.

Aria: Were where you guys

Spencer: Library

Emily: bathroom

Hanna: Science

Aria: What?

Spencer: I was looking for a book in the library then ran into Emily in the hallway and me and her had to go to the bathroom because we had to talk and... Then Hanna came in the bathroom from science class.

Aria: So is everyone ok? Emily you look like you've been crying.

Emily: my dad's body was found.

I put my phone down and looked at emily from across the room. Emily's eyes where filled with tear she looked at me with the weight of the world. I mouthed the words to her "I'm sorry" suddenly tears slid down my cheeks. As class went on me and Emily straitened out and stop crying. We got strange looks from our classmates. What else could people think about me, they all know I'm pregnant. And being the best friend of a girl who was murdered isn't exactly ideal. Thank god they don't know the baby is our long term subs kid or that I live with our long term sub. Speaking of living with my long term sub, Ezra and me arn't talking after last night. Ezra drove Malcolm home then never came back. He was at school this morning though. I hope he's home tonight. I just want to say I'm sorry and ill listen to him 100% for now on. The bell rang to let us out of second period. I went over to Emily, as she was gathering up her things, and hugged her. To my surprise the others just walked out of the room. Normally we would all group hug.

"Emily, is there something you arn't telling me?"

"No... I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my dad earlier, I didn't get the text until right after 1st period. Then I ran strait to the bathroom."

"I thought Spencer said you bumped into her in the hall way then you went to the bathroom." I cocked my eyebrow.

"That's what I met... Um... Well I have to go... For a quick swim. Bye!" Emily hurried out of the room. The whole time I watched her. Something was up and I had to find out what.