Apparently three's the threshold number, because getting that many views has prompted me to put up the next chapter earlier than I'd intended. Let me know what you think!
Runawaybaby555, your trust in me is probably misplaced, you know how much I love angst and tragedy; but I'm glad you're enjoying the story at least. KooshGID, thanks for the review, and good pickup with the wording; you'll eventually learn how Spencer 'lost' Aria (although it's probably debatable whether she ever actually 'had' her to begin with). And Sgdp1261, you're lovely. I do wish more people reviewed - not just my work but everyone else's. If you appreciate the art, you should let the artist know, right? And I agree about Spencer - out of all the girls I feel like she's the most high-strung, and she doesn't let people in because she thinks she has to be perfect. Plus, growing up in the Hastings family probably didn't encourage tendencies towards honesty or openness.
Anyway. Enough rambling (although if anyone wants to talk more about PLL, feel free to PM me). Now here's the actual chapter.
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December 3rd
"Can I get a pumpkin spice latte and a raspberry mocha, please." Spencer tapped her finger on the counter while she waited for her order, until the barista gave her a stern look and she realized it looked like she was trying to rush him. She gave him an apologetic smile and shoved her hand in her pocket, turning back around to survey the room.
Aria was sitting by herself at a table near the back, retying the bright red bow in her hair. It matched her polka-dotted dress, which was so very her and, in Spencer's eyes at least, incredibly attractive. Aria caught Spencer's eye and winked, and Spencer felt that familiar flutter in her heart. She'd been dating Aria for almost a month now, and she still couldn't quite believe it was true.
In her creative writing class, they'd been given a task to choose a single moment in time and describe it in as much detail as they could, with embellishments and metaphors if possible. She'd chosen, of course, her first kiss with Aria. Even now, as she thought of it, she ran a finger along her lip and smiled. In that moment, she thought, her heart had started to sing.
It sang whenever Aria was around. Sometimes it was low and gentle, like classical music. Sometimes bright and bubbly, like those pop hits they heard on the radio at the gym. And now it was loud and insistent, like that awful club music they were forced to listen to when Aria dragged her out to college bars. But it was welcome now, because Aria was the one who had caused it.
She took her order over to the table, sliding in beside Aria and wrapping her arm around the smaller girl's shoulders. Aria picked up her drink and inhaled deeply. "Mmm, smells great. Thanks, Spence."
She smiled in response, taking a sip of her mocha. She wanted to take this moment, wrap it up, and send it to herself, so she'd be able to open it on her darkest day and remember that once, she was happy. Once, she had the most perfect girlfriend in the world. Once, her life was worth living.
"So that party," Aria said, setting her cup down and turning to Spencer with a look of barely-contained excitement, "are we going?"
Spencer did not want to go to yet another dorm party, but apparently this was the biggest of the semester, thrown by someone whose very name seemed to inspire a sort of terrified awe. Somehow Aria had scored an invitation, and that meant Spencer was probably obligated to go.
"I guess we are," she said, trying to fake enough enthusiasm to make Aria happy. All she ever wanted was to make Aria happy. "When is it again?"
"The twentieth," Aria said, already flipping open her phone so she could mark the date in her calendar. "So that's plenty of time to plan our outfits. I was thinking I could wear that dress I bought last year, you know the one with the black flowers and the matching scarf? Or maybe…"
Aria got so excited about clothes. She got this look in her eye, something akin to a twinkle, and Spencer thought it was adorable. It was the same kind of look she got when she saw a really cute guy, when she'd been looking at Mr Business, even when she'd with Ezra way back when. It was the look she got when all her attention was on one thing, one person, because nothing else could possibly compare.
Spencer sat there and listened to her talk about dresses and shoes and accessories, nodding along like she was really interested, but all the while she was trying to suppress one thought that stubbornly pushed its way to the forefront of her mind.
Aria had never looked at her like that.
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