A/N: Hey strangers, (meant to convey that it has been a long time since I've posted, but also you are strangers to me, but you can never be stranger than me). This is short and sweet, but I am breaking off the rest to finish it and still give you something.

Chapter 13

"Finally! There you are, is this where you've been hiding all week?" Aria looked up from Daughter of Fortune, by Isabel Allende. She loved the novel and the idea of running away, chasing a dream, and reinventing herself; as the heroine in the story had done, was exceedingly appealing. She set the book aside and gave Toby a weak smile as he strode across the library to her table.

"I'm not hiding. I wanted to avoid the madhouse in the cafeteria. You know I can't stand it when everyone is forced to eat inside. It's so crowded and loud." Aria tried to stop herself from rambling. She made her excuse weaker by adding too much to it.

"Uh-huh. And yesterday? Monday? You haven't been in there the whole week." Toby pulled a chair out and sat facing Aria. It felt like he was planning on interrogating her. The thought annoyed her, but she'd put up with it, if she had to. She didn't think she could stand being at odds with anymore of the important people in her life.

"I've just needed someplace quiet. You may have heard that I am not fit to be around people, this week." Toby's expression softened and he reached out and put his hand on top of hers.

"I heard you were having a tough time, something about a bad vibe between you and the new teacher? I was shocked when I found out Mr. Fitz is part of our family." Aria tried to imagine laid-back, easy-going Toby, "shocked." "I thought you would be psyched about it. You're always saying our community is too small, that we need more of us. What's the problem with Mr. Fitz?" Aria wanted to laugh, and she wanted to cry. Mostly she wanted to scream, she couldn't get away from that man! She took a deep breath and tried not to betray any of her actual emotions to Toby.

"I prefer people who know how to act like human beings," Aria replied. Then, muttering under her breath, she continued, "Even if they're also Wolves. He's insufferable." She knew that Toby would hear her, and being careful about anyone else hearing was second nature to her. Stories and questions about the number of wolves in the forests around Rosewood were commonplace, but they couldn't risk renewing interest in the topic. Toby sighed.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, but the answer is no," Toby said. Aria looked at Toby in confusion.

"What was the question?" Toby gave her a knowing smile.

"No, you may not transfer into my English class. You are way too smart to be in there." His response took Aria completely by surprise.

"How did you even know that I was…oh. Wow, you and Spencer actually talked to each other without me there as a buffer? I didn't know that was possible, sorry I missed it." Being happy that Toby and Spencer were interacting warred with being angry that Spencer was butting-in and trying to influence what happened in Aria's life. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. Toby arched an eyebrow at her.

"You know you always do that when you're done being angry with someone, but not done being stubborn. It was slightly cuter when you were 7." Aria rolled her eyes at Toby and he chuckled. "Spencer's worried about you. And she's afraid if you can avoid her all day, you'll never make-up. They all really miss you." Aria dropped her hands into her lap and slowly nodded her head.

"Thank you, Toby. I'll try to make myself call her tonight. I think I am done being stubborn. But, fyi, you're way too smart for that class, too." Toby smiled, then leaned forward and spoke in a low, conspiratorial voice.

"I don't want my dad to find that out. I prefer he not know I have a potential I'm not living up to."

"Oh, come on, your dad has to know how smart you are. How could he not?" Toby shrugged and sat back in his chair.

"My dad hasn't paid any attention to me since my mom's suicide. I think I remind him-" Toby was cut-off, midsentence, by another voice.

"Toby! What are you doing in here? Lunch is almost over." Jenna marched up to the table and stared reproachfully down at Toby. Her whiny voice was like nails on a chalkboard to Aria. Aria wasn't going to sit by and watch her run roughshod over Toby.

"He's talking with his friend, Jenna. He's allowed to do that, he isn't your footman." Aria couldn't understand why Toby wouldn't stand up to this harpy. Jenna turned her eyes away from Toby and stared at Aria, contemptuously.

"Oh, Aria, you're here and you're charming as always. Where are your friends? Are you lone-wolfing it?" Jenna smirked as if she was oh-so-clever. She was forever making little wolf comments to Aria. If any "outsider" ever picked up on them, Aria would claw her eyes out, with her real claws.

"You're just jealous that I have that option. A she-wolf can go where she wants and take care of herself. You're stuck just being a little bitch." Jenna's father was lykoi, but she took after her mortal mother. Aria knew that Jenna was incredibly bitter about it. Jenna pursed her lips and her face turned red. Aria wished Jenna was stupid enough to start something. Instead, she cleared her throat and put on her nastiest smile.

"Wow, well now I see why Jason spends so much of his time in the city." Aria was out of her chair and in Jenna's face before she could blink.

"You heinous, toxic litt-" Aria's voice died away, and she felt her eyes bulging out of their sockets. Toby jumped into the gap in the argument. He grabbed Jenna and steered her toward the library door. Aria was still frozen in disbelief when Toby came back. She stared at her friend, feeling like he was completely alien. His expression showed how uncomfortable he was. "Toby, what the hell?" Toby spoke on top of her.

"It's not what you think." Aria choked on her burst of laughter, barely bothering to entertain the notion that it wasn't what she thought.

"So, what, you and Jenna played a strenuous round of one-on-one basketball? Skins versus skins? Your scent is all over her!" Aria tried to keep her voice low, she could see a few pairs of eyes looking at her from around the library. Toby dropped heavily into his chair. He buried his head in his hands and took a couple shuddering breaths. Then he whispered so quietly that Aria had to kneel beside him and bring her ear close to him.

"She doesn't give me a choice." Aria tried to imagine how that would be possible. Toby was very passive and gentle, but he could hold Jenna off with one hand. She spoke very softly and gently to him.

"Toby why don't you-?" Toby lifted his face and stared intensely at Aria. His eyes shone with unshed tears.

"If I don't go along with what she wants, she'll tell our parents that I've been forcing myself on her. Jenna's mom thinks the sun shines out of Jenna's ass, and my dad will believe whatever my step-mom tells him to believe. She's also threatened to expose that the lykoi exist. She thinks it would be hilarious to watch all of the families sneak out of town before they're identified and have to start all over somewhere else. I don't want to find out if she's crazy enough to go through with it."

Aria seethed with rage and she spoke through gritted teeth. "I'm gonna kill her. I swear, I will rip her limb from limb before I let her destroy our family." For the first time in days, Aria felt strong. She was a she-wolf, she was a beast, she was a fighter. And she never fought harder than she did for the people she loved. Aria silently thanked Jenna for reminding her of all those things. She could be grateful to Jenna and still tear out her throat, if she had to.

So, there you go. The next chapter will have a bit of a reveal, and we'll see what Ezra came up with to approach Aria, again.