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Chapter 26

When I woke up the next morning at Spencer's I had twenty text messages from Jason and ten missed calls. The girls, especially Spencer, asked if I was going to break up with Jason, but I didn't know what I was going to do, it's hard to hear the person you love talk to you like you're a rat. Being drunk changes how you act, not how you think.

"Hello?" I turn around at Spencer's voice, her dad had just come up to tell us he was making breakfast, Spencer was staring at me when I turned around to look at her. "Yeah, she's here." I widen my eyes and shake my head. "No... I don't know."

"Spencer." I warn her. She looks guilty but she isn't hanging up the phone. I shake my head and grab my jacket and bag from next to Hannah. "I'll see you later."

"Aria, wait," Spencer says, but I'm already down the stairs and saying goodbye to her father. When the girls chase after me I go out the front door, but before I can reach my car Jason comes running out of the bushes towards me. The girls run out of the front door, Spencer and Jason's dad behind them.

"God, just leave me alone!" I shout at all of them, trying to get past Jason.

"Aria, please talk to me," He says, grabbing my arm as I walk past him.

"No."

"Aria he wasn't thinking straight," Spencer calls.

"Straight enough to know where to hit," I recall, not looking at Jason because I know the moment I do my resolve will crumple. "I need to go home."

"Aria, please. I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was thinking," Jason pleads, taking my hands and trying to get me to look at him.

"Obviously."

"I didn't mean any of it, I was drunk."

"Jason," Spencer's dad says disapprovingly. "You're drinking again?" He makes it sound like he cares. Jason's hand twitches when he hears but he ignores him.

"Aria, please. I need you to look at me, please. I love you," He shakes me gently and his tone makes its sound like he is on the verge of tears but I bite my lip and look at the ground.

"Jason, I think you should go back home and let Aria go. We don't need to do this in the middle of the street." Spencer's dad was walking towards us as he spoke.

"Why don't you keep out of my business for once?" Jason yells at Mr. Hastings, before bending down. I close my eyes when he tries to meet them. "Please, Aria. I love you, I wasn't thinking. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me and last night it wasn't me talking, it was someone else because I would never hurt you. I'm so sorry. I love you." Jason continues to plead with me, reminding me over and over of his love for me.

"You need to leave Aria alone and go home to talk to your father about whatever happened last night." I open my eyes at Mr. Hastings words and see Jason flinch from his words. Jason was shaking, from distress and anger from the way his biological father was treating him. I whip around and stare down Mr. Hastings, making him take a step back at my sudden movement, behind him Spencer was watching with wide eyes and Hannah and Emily were trying to decide if they should comfort Spencer or me. "Aria, I think you should go home and let the adults handle whatever is going on with Jason."

"You wanna know what's going on with Jason?" I bark out. "His father isn't his father and his actual father is living next door to him, refusing to acknowledge his presence unless it is an inconvenience to his reputation! I think you should either let Jason live his life or make amends for the mess YOU made but don't want to clean up!" I accuse of Mr. Hastings, never having talked to an adult like this, but completely fed up with the trauma he has caused my friends and boyfriend. I turn around and push past Jason, getting in my car and pulling out of the driveway, heading towards my house, before I turn out of the neighborhood and drive to the park to get some fresh air.

After a few minutes of driving, I see Jason in my rearview mirror, tailgating me. I pull over in front of the Brew and get out, walking inside and ordering frappuccino and coffee. Jason walks in as the man hands them to me, so I turn around and hand him the coffee, stopping him from speaking.

"Thanks," He says, surprised and unsure. I walk over to the couches and sit down, staring into my drink as I take a sip and then move the whip cream around so it's mixed into the drink and not at the top. "Aria?" I glance up but glance back down when I get a glimpse of his state. His hair was a mess and their were bags under his eyes, if I had looked a little longer I would have noticed his eyes were blood shot also and his hands were shaking from nerves and anger aimed at himself. "I'm sorry." Jason sits across from me but I don't look up, I only stare at his shoes. "I'm not the same person when I'm drunk. When I drink it's like I'm Hyde and sober I'm Dr. Jekyll, but I know that's not an excuse because I shouldn't have been drinking last night. And I have no excuse for the way I treated you after you saved me from having to talk to the police." Jason stops talking and I can feel him staring at me. "You have to know I didn't mean any of the things I said, Aria. I love you and would never consciously hurt you."

"I know," I whisper, playing with my straw.

"You do?" I nod. "I'm sorry Aria, you were never suppose to see me like that, not last night or the rest of your life."

"Why were you drinking?"

"My father found out about you and I, and about Spencer and I, and Cece tried to call me, and Spencer kept texting me asking if I was okay. I know it's not an excuse, but I wanted a get away. I was just going to go running but when I went into my room there was a beer on my desk, just one. So I drank it, and then while I was drinking that I found one by my pillow, and then I just kept drinking and finding more around my room. I think I drank a whole pack before I got a text from a blocked number telling me to meet them at the police station to tell me where Alison's body is."

"Someone wanted you to drink and drive." I sum up, finally looking up at him.

"I don't know, I guess, but I should have been strong enough not to." I agree, but don't say anything, just look back at the ground. Jason moves from the arm chair to sit next to me and takes my hand. "I love you, Aria. You are the most selfless, compassionate, forgiving, and all around amazing person I know, and I have done nothing in my life to deserve your love, even if it was only for a moment. I will spend-"

"I never said I didn't love you anymore," I say defensively, snapping my head up. Hope crosses Jason's features when I say this, but whatever he sees in my eyes diminishes that hope. "That's what makes last night so hard. I had to hear the man I love say those things to me."

"I didn't mean them, Aria," Jason squeezes my hand and looks at me pleadingly. "No one thinks you are more amazing than I do, and no one hates me more than I do for what I said to you and treated you. I could never make up to you for what I did but I will try even if you leave me."

I shake my head and speak before I've even finished my thoughts. "I'm not breaking up with you, Jason."
"You're not?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"You aren't forgiven," I make sure he understands.

"I wouldn't want to be." He smiles and his shoulders relax. "Can I drive you to school?"

"My car is here," I remind him but he only shrugs.

"I'll drive you here after school." I give a small chuckle which makes him smile even more. "How was I lucky enough to have you love me?" Jason asks.

I shrug and shake my head while I stand up. "I've learned not to question why things happen, the answer is never clear or good enough."