the pretty lies, the ugly truth.

aria montgomery. eighteen. rosewood. ❝ am i just destroying everything i touch? ❞

[vcnderwaal-blog]

Just having to live in the mental institution took a lot out of Mona. Due to the circumstances under which she was admitted, she was under constant surveillance by the less-than-hospitable staff. Activities were encouraged, however they were never fun. Arts and crafts became springboards for psychoanalyzation, game pieces were chained to the table or otherwise protected to prevent whatever safety hazards Radley staff believed they posed, and the rooftop was off limits. Mona had heard rumours about somebody being pushed off, but she hadn’t yet received any confirmation.  Being able to speak to people who weren’t associated with Radley always managed to help her mood, even if it was by just a little. Mona could feel Aria’s eyes on her; analyzing her, searching her. This was something she’d gotten used to, though she couldn’t remember the last time the scanning eyes belonged to Aria. “Ditto,” the Hawaiian mumbled, sitting up just a little bit straighter in her uncomfortable bed and gesturing towards a metal chair in the corner of the room, inviting the other female to sit with her. Now it was her time to scan Aria. Brown eyes canvassed her appearance, looking for change, secretly hoping there wasn’t any. Change was an indicator of lost time, and Mona felt as if she was losing time as fast as a loose balloon could lose air.

“How have you been? Good, I hope?”

[pookiiebear-blog1]

Aria cautiously followed Mona’s gesture towards the metal chair and, as uncomfortable as ever, she obliged. She couldn’t imagine what it was like – living in such a destructive place against her will. This place was pretty much what hell looked like in her head, and the one person she cared most for was trapped inside. How did this even happen? Or, more importantly, why did it happen? There were an endless amount of questions the brunette wanted to ask. Certain things that had been building up inside of her ever since Mona’s reveal as their anonymous tormentor, mostly due to anger, confusion, and an undeniably strong thirst for the truth. Whether or not she received what she wanted, though, laid in the hands of the one person who spent a whole year betraying her and that alone couldn’t have been more unsettling. Her question took her by surprise. Did she deserve the truth? “I’m… fine. I don’t know.” Apparently not. That lie spilled from her lips and all Aria could do next was sigh, her focus primarily on the ground. It killed her to see Mona like this. “We don’t have to talk about me. I doubt you really care anyway.”

[pookiiebear-blog1]

As she exited her car and entered the gates of Radley, Aria’s nerves had officially gone through the roof. This was the last thing she wanted to be doing– the last place she wanted to be. But alas, here she was, sacrificing her own sanity for Mona. She surely didn’t deserve it. Not after what she put her and her friends through the past year. However, the feelings she had for the other brunette were strong and they couldn’t just vanish overnight. Maybe there was still something worth fighting for. But was she tough enough to endure the battle ahead? Only time could tell. Deep breaths, Aria. She’s fine, you’re fine. You two will make it through this. She finally approached the front desk and smiled skittishly at the nurse. “Aria Montgomery to visit Mona Vanderwaal.” From there, the nurse commanded she turn in her personal items and, strangely enough, the feather earrings she had on. It didn’t make much sense, but there was very little about Radley that made any sense. So, she gave in and handed them over. Eventually they were standing in Mona's doorway and her stomach was doing backflips.

“Mona, honey? You have a visitor. I’ll be right outside if you need me, Ms. Montgomery.”

The nurse allowed Aria inside the quaint room and with a loud slam of the door, they were alone. Oh, God. Was it too late to back out? All she could do was stare helplessly at the girl, searching her up and down. As if that would provide her with the answers she so desperately craved. “Hey, Mo. I, uh... I’ve missed you.”

[troianforlife]