Temptations || PLL, DISCONTINUED

Temptations || Chapter Six

"Homecoming Horrors"

          As luck would have it for the Liars, Abigail wasn't the only girl to have an eventful Saturday night. Aria had been locked in her room every free second she had, and sweats had become her go-to outfit. When confronted about her dressed-down appearance on Monday morning, she blamed her parents, and the girls finally broke down and bombarded her with Chinese takeout and cheery faces on Tuesday afternoon.

          Abigail, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily threw open Aria's door, collectively sighing as they took in her state. She was curled up on her bed, back to the door and headphones shoved into her ears to block out any outside noise. Spencer stepped up to the bed and leaned over Aria, taking the earbuds out and whispering a quiet 'hey,' as she started to stir and turn over to look at her friends.

          "What are you doing?" Aria asked, brows furrowed as she pulled the earbuds out of her ears.

          "An intervention," Spencer answered. Hanna and Abigail sat on the foot of the bed, smirking slightly at Spencer's bluntness.

          "We brought takeout and rag mags." Emily smiled, dropping the stack of celebrity-scandal magazines onto Aria's bed.

          "But, you cannot have any of those until you get out of those sweats," Hanna interjected, gently patting Aria's legs.

          Aria sat up, sighing, "Why? What's wrong with these?"

          Spencer scoffed, "Nothing . . . Except they're starting to graft to your skin."

          "Well, they're comfy." Aria defended herself.

          "Yeah, so are mom jeans and platform flip-flops." Hanna smartly said, earning a quiet chuckle from Aria.

          Emily stepped in, "Plus, how are we gonna help you choose a homecoming dress if you don't try some on for us?"

          "Oh, that's easy," Aria quickly said, "I'm not going."

          "What do you mean you're not going?" Hanna scoffed, laughing slightly.

          Spencer jumped in, "You can't just not go."

          "What are you doing instead?" Emily asked.

          Aria shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I'll just read these and then inhale a gallon of chunky monkey."

          "Hey," Spencer quietly said, "Look, cutting yourself off from the rest of your life is not gonna help your parents. And, besides, they still might work it out."

          "They're barely speaking to each other," Aria shook her head.

          "People get angry, they blow up. Doesn't mean it's over." Emily sympathetically said.

          "Emily, they didn't blow up over her dad missing their anniversary." Abigail snapped, "He slept with one of his students." She looked at Aria, seeing that tears were starting to brim her eyes. A wave of guilt flooded over her. "Aria, I'm sorry."

          Emily tried to smooth things over, catching the pathetic look of understanding Aria was giving Abigail. "I'm just saying things can look over on Friday, and by Monday all is forgiven. Some things just take time."

          "Yeah, maybe." Aria quietly said, trying her hardest to believe what Emily was telling her.

          Spencer had had enough of the sad mood in the room, and tried to lift it by eagerly grabbing Aria's legs and pulling her towards the edge of her bed, "Okay, so you're coming! Come on!"