— i’ve always wanted to do a pll series rewrite with a female reader-insert/ofc and have jason dilaurentis as the love interest. at the same time, i know that i can’t put in the time it would require to do an entire series rewrite, so i’ve decided to do episode rewrites with jason and reader/ofc. most are rewrites from the episodes where jason is present and some are from my imagination.
Never judge the way someone dresses, what they eat, what they do in their free time or how social they are. You never know how much strength it took them to put it all together. To keep going. To put one foot in front of the other. Life isn't always easy. Let's be kinder to each other.
summary: it’s the reader’s birthday. She comes back to the bunker after a night out with her friends when she gets a phone call she’s been waiting for.
warnings/tags: angst, demon dean, established relationship between dean and reader, mentions of death and cheating.
a/n: this fic is inspired by the stelena phone call scene featuring ‘a drop in the ocean’ by ron pope.
———
“Hey, did you have a nice time out?” Sam asked as [Y/N] entered the library after a night out with her friends.
“I- I did,” she smiled softly, clutching a paper bag in her hands. “Thank you for pushing me to go out.”
“Of course,” Sam replied, giving her his full attention from his seat. His laptop sat on the table in front of him with a bunch of news pages open. Next to the laptop were several lore books and notebooks. He looked exhausted, to say the least. “It’s your birthday. You deserve a break from… everything.”
[Y/N]’s smile dimmed a little. She had always loved celebrating her birthday from when she was young. But, this time, she felt the opposite. Celebration was the last thing on her mind after losing the love of her life. She didn’t know what was worse; Dean being murdered or him coming back to life as a demon. And, now, he was missing.
“I wish you came along too,” she told Sam, clearing her throat. “You could use a little break too.”
“I didn’t want to crash girls’ night,” the younger Winchester chuckled.
[Y/N] smiled, thinking of her best friends, who made the night special for her. It helped having friends, especially girl friends, who were in the hunting life and she didn’t have to hide anything from them. They were aware of what was happening with Dean and did their best to cheer her up for one night at least.
“I have a feeling you must’ve skipped dinner, so I brought some for you,” she said, stepping closer and placing the bag next to the books. “There’s some cake in there too.”
“Thanks, [y/n/n],” Sam replied softly, looking up at her, and she nodded in return.
Although [Y/N] had taken the time to dress up and had a smile on her face, he wasn’t oblivious to the sadness in her eyes. She was trying her best to look as if she was okay.
He exhaled heavily and got up from his chair to hug her. She hugged him back, gulping down the lump in her throat.
“Happy birthday, [y/n/n],” he said quietly against her hair.
“Thank you, Sammy,” she whispered and hugged him tight for a moment before pulling back.
“I will find Dean, [y/n/n],” he told her, a determined look in his eyes. “I promise you, I will.”
“I know, Sam,” she nodded with a tearful smile. “Can I help you with anything?”
“No, I’m okay,” he shook his head and sat in his chair again. “I’ll eat and do a little more research.”
“I don’t mind helping you,” she offered again.
“Tomorrow, okay?” he smiled at her. “For now, go get some rest.”
“Okay,” she nodded. “Good night, Sam. And, don’t forget to eat, okay?”
“Yes, mom,” he tried to joke and she playfully glared at him. “Good night, [y/n/n].”
With one last smile at him, [Y/N] walked out of the library and made her way towards her shared room with Dean.
…
[Y/N] shut the door after entering the bedroom and looked at the neatly made bed.
The memories of Dean and herself in the very same room played in front of her eyes; the two of them cuddling and watching movies on his laptop, Dean randomly tickling her without any mercy and making her laugh uncontrollably, laying in each others’ arms and chatting about anything and everything, making love and Dean cradling her head against his heart afterwards.
Without her control, tears ran down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away, sniffling. She opened the messages on her cellphone, yearning for a message from the man she loved. But, there was nothing and it made her heart ache. She locked her phone and tossed it on the bed before going to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
She changed into some pajama shorts and a tank top. Then, she wore a flannel shirt of Dean’s and buttoned it up. She threw her hair into a high ponytail and stood in front of the mirror. She ran her hands over the material of the flannel shirt and wrapped her arms around herself, imagining that it was Dean hugging her.
A sad sigh left her lips and she walked over to the bed, getting under the covers. She didn’t want to sleep just yet. She sat with her back leaned against the headboard and grabbed her cellphone again.
She frowned when she noticed she had a missed call from an unknown caller. Before she could ponder more, her phone rang again, the screen flashing ‘unknown caller.’
“Hello?” she asked quietly, answering the call.
The person on the other end remained silent.
“Hello?” she asked again and there was still no reply.
[Y/N] briefly wondered if it was a spam call. Or if it was someone messing with her.
Suddenly, she heard the person on the other end exhale and her breath hitched. She abruptly sat up straight, her eyes pooling with tears.
“Dean?” she whispered.
The night seemed darker than usual. The sky was pitch black with no moon and no stars in sight. The cold wind washed over him as he stood in the parking lot of a bar. His fingers tightened around his cellphone when he heard her call his name.
“Dean, is that you?” she whispered again.
His face was a mask of calm. But, on the inside, hearing her voice after so long brought up a strange feeling.
[Y/N] shut her eyes, the action causing tears to roll down her cheeks. She knew who was on the other side of the call now. It was him, she knew.
“Dean, are you okay?” she asked, desperate to hear his voice.
She wiped her cheeks with her free hand and sniffled.
“Please be okay, Dean,” she said, trying to smile. “Please be safe.”
She gripped the comforter with her free hand, still wishing he would say something to her.
“I- I love you, Dean,” she said, her bottom lip trembling. “I love you so much. I hope you’ll come home soon. I- I miss you.”
His lips pressed tightly, his hold on his cellphone tightening further.
[Y/N] waited. Another few minutes went by and soon, the call got disconnected. She looked at her phone screen and a sob escaped her lips. She laid on her side and hugged Dean’s pillow as she silently cried herself to sleep.
…
‘I love you, Dean.’
‘I miss you.’
Her voice kept ringing in his ears and he closed his eyes tightly. He thought he had stopped feeling when he became a demon. However, hearing her voice brought back his memories with her. And, her memories brought a strange feeling to his gut. It was the exact same feeling he had when he decided to leave the bunker, leave her.
“Dean?” a voice called from behind, interrupting his thoughts.
With her voice still echoing in his mind, he turned to see the blonde waitress he had spent the previous night with.
“Crowley was looking for you,” she informed.
“I’ll be there,” he nodded shortly, distracted.
“But, he–”
“I said I’ll be there!” he almost growled out, causing her to jump in her spot.
“Okay,” she whispered, dejected, before walking back inside the bar.
Dean turned away from the bar again. He realized it was a mistake to call [Y/N]. The sound of her voice and the sadness in it troubled him. He felt caught between enjoying his new carefree life and going back to his previous life, where the girl who loved him was waiting for him.
In the end, he steeled his heart and made his way towards the bar, letting the demon in him take the lead.
summary: 2x09 “picture this” episode imagine/rewrite - part two.
warnings: age gap between ofc/reader and Jason, mentions of NAT club.
*read previous part here!
—————
~ flashback begins ~
“I see the way you look at him, [y/n/n],” Hanna said softly, causing her friend’s eyes to widen.
“W- what- who are you talking about, Han?” [Y/N] asked nervously.
“Jason, of course,” Hanna replied and there was no judgement in her eyes nor her tone.
[Y/N] opened her mouth and closed it, unable to come up with a reply.
“It’s okay, [y/n/n],” Hanna said, standing next to her friend and wrapping a comforting hand around her shoulder.
“Am I that obvious?” [Y/N] asked with a defeated smile.
“For me, yes,” Hanna answered. “Have the others asked you anything about this?”
“No,” [Y/N] shook her head.
“And… How about Ali?” Hanna asked hesitantly. “Do you think she knows?”
“God, no. I don’t think so,” [Y/N] sighed. “She would kill me.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” Hanna said kindly. “You can’t help who you have feelings for.”
“It’s just a crush, Hanna banana,” [Y/N] chuckled softly. “I’m sure I’ll get over it, get over him, soon.”
“[y/n/n], crush was last year when all you had was heart eyes for him,” teased Hanna, causing her friend to roll her eyes fondly. “Well, you still have heart eyes whenever he’s around. But, now, you look genuinely worried about him.”
“I- I don’t know,” [Y/N] shrugged. “I just… I feel bad for him. His addiction’s gotten worse since we met him, I feel. His family doesn’t seem to care about him and he doesn’t have the greatest set of friends either. I feel like he can do better with the right guidance. That’s all.”
“Do you think you can talk to him into getting help?” Hanna asked.
“Oh god no,” [Y/N] denied right away. “I don’t have the guts to go in front of him.”
“What, why not?” Hanna asked.
“There are so many things that can go wrong, Han,” [Y/N] replied. “One, Ali could find out and make the rest of my life miserable for even thinking of her brother. Two, Jason would probably laugh in my face if I went to have a heart to heart with him.”
Hanna smiled sadly and [Y/N] was quick to reassure her friend.
“Don’t worry about me too much, okay?” she smiled. “Like I said, it’s just a crush I’ll get over soon.”
“I’m right here if you need someone to talk to,” Hanna said back.
“Thanks, Han,” [Y/N] hugged the blonde. “I love you.”
“Love you more,” Hanna replied and tickled [Y/N] causing the latter to giggle as the two pulled back from the hug.
“Let’s go before Spencer marches in here looking for us,” [Y/N] said and Hanna agreed.
“Can you believe this?” CeCe Drake asked, exasperated.
In response, Alison DiLaurentis sat, speechless.
It was by coincidence that CeCe had stumbled upon [Y/N] and Hanna at a frat party Alison had snuck them into. Initially, she was going to ignore them. But, after hearing her boyfriend’s name in their conversation, she couldn’t walk away. Once she found out that one of Ali’s best friends was crushing on the latter’s big brother, CeCe recorded the conversation to show Ali.
“I don’t understand,” Ali replied, stunned while holding CeCe’s phone in her hands.
“What’s so hard to understand?” CeCe scoffed, taking her phone back from Alison. “One of your so-called best friends is clearing using you to get to your brother!”
“No,” Alison shook her head, slowly coming out of her shock. “No, [y/n/n] wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Ali, did you not hear a word of that recording?” CeCe asked in disbelief.
“I did, okay?” Ali said back defensively.
“Then, what’s the matter?” CeCe fired back. “You gotta cut this girl out!”
“I can’t!” Ali exclaimed. “I won’t.”
“Why not?” CeCe demanded.
“She’s one of my best friends, alright?” Ali said back. “She’s always been there for me.”
“Well, that’s because she’s had a motive all this time,” CeCe pressed. “To me, it looks like she’s being your friend so that she could be with your brother. How are you not seeing this, Ali?”
“Look, if you’re worried about Jason breaking up with you for [y/n/n], you don’t have to. I doubt Jason knows that she exists,” Ali rolled her eyes. Though, on the inside, she was still processing the fact that [Y/N] liked Jason.
“I’m not worried about my relationship with Jason,” CeCe replied, her voice softening. “I feel terrible you’re being used. You don’t deserve that.”
Alison stared at her brother’s girlfriend, who was no less than a sister to her. Several moments later, she got up from her bed and walked to her desk. She looked at the picture frame that sat there and picked it up. It was a photo of her and the girls that was taken at Spencer’s lake house.
“What’s so special about her?” CeCe asked, now standing behind Alison. She looked at the photo as well. “What’s stopping you from cutting her out of your life?”
Alison put the frame back on the desk and turned to face CeCe.
“Look, I know I’m not the easiest person to be around,” she said, looking uncharacteristically insecure, which shocked CeCe. “And, being around [y/n/n] makes me feel like there’s still… good in me.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a good person,” CeCe argued.
“No, you don’t understand,” said Ali. “She stands up to me, yeah, but she doesn’t make me feel… less.”
“Now, it sounds like you’re in love with the girl,” CeCe sassed.
“Stop,” Ali snapped at CeCe.
“Ali, what’s the matter?” CeCe asked, her voice softening. “She’s just one person. You’ll still have your other friends.”
Alison looked away without replying. Deep down, she had a feeling that if it came down to choosing between [Y/N] and herself, the other girls would definitely choose the former.
She didn’t think [Y/N] was leader-material like she was. But, [Y/N] was smart, kind, and compassionate. She never put the other girls down like Ali did. In fact, she along with Spencer criticized Ali every time she bullied one of their friends or their other classmates. [Y/N] and Spencer stood up for Mona and Lucas several times behind their backs, but they were unsuccessful in getting Ali to completely stop bullying.
Alison was aware that if she kicked [Y/N] out of her little group, Hanna would leave without a doubt. [Y/N] and Hanna were best friends before Alison entered their lives. If [Y/N] and Hanna left, Alison didn’t know for how long Aria, Emily and Spencer would stay by her side. Why would they stay with her when she occasionally made their lives miserable as well?
Alison knew losing one friend meant losing all of them at one point and she didn’t want that.
“What are you thinking?” CeCe asked gently, touching Ali’s forearm.
“Nothing,” she replied, clearing her throat. “Look, I’ll deal with this. Just let it be.”
CeCe looked unconvinced when Ali spoke again, “And, delete that recording.”
“What?” CeCe gaped.
“I said delete it,” Alison demanded, leaving no room for argument.
“Fine,” CeCe snapped and walked to grab her cellphone from Ali’s bed. She walked back over to the younger blonde and deleted the recording in front of her eyes. “Happy?”
“You don’t have any more copies saved, do you?” Ali asked with narrowed eyes.
“Wow, Ali,” CeCe chuckled sarcastically. “No, I don’t.”
“Good, this never happened,” Ali stated, putting an end to the conversation.
Unbeknownst to both girls, Jason DiLaurentis stood outside Ali’s bedroom, perplexed by the conversation he just overheard.
Hearing CeCe say an unhappy goodbye to Alison brought him out of his reverie and he quietly rushed to his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He sat at the edge of his bed and his mind replayed the chat he accidentally stumbled onto.
A short while ago, he had returned home from hanging out with his friends. He was sober for once and he was actually glad that he hadn’t given into Ian’s persuasion as he usually did.
Things between him and Ian had been tense. Jason mentally beat himself up almost every day for introducing the idea of filming girls. He had been high and he had no idea what he was doing or saying. But, Ian and Garrett had gone along with the idea, forming a group between themselves called, N.A.T – Nos Animadverto Totus, meaning ‘we see all.’
At first, it was unserious and fun. However, the moment Ian brought up the idea of filming Alison’s best friends was when Jason lost it. He didn’t care for Ali’s friends, but they were kids; they were the same age as his little sister. He saw red at the thought of someone filming Alison without her knowledge. He also realized what a hypocrite he had been when he was okay with filming other girls in town. Garrett acted as the peacemaker between him and Ian, and was successful in getting the latter to drop filming altogether.
Although Ian was his normal self around Jason, the latter had a hard time being the same around his friend.
And, so, he had decided to come early from yet another party he had been invited to. He was passing by Ali’s bedroom when a familiar voice stopped him.
‘It’s just a crush, Hanna banana. I’m sure I’ll get over it, get over him, soon.’
Alison had her powerpuff girls over at their house literally all the time. It didn’t take him long to recognize the voice as [Y/N]’s. Except, her voice sounded like it was from a recording. He thought that was strange and ended up eavesdropping on a conversation he was never meant to hear.
By the end of it, he was stunned to say the least.
One, his girlfriend, CeCe had recorded a conversation between two of Ali’s best friends without their knowledge for sure.
Two, [Y/N], one of his little sister’s best friends, was crushing on him. More importantly, she was worried about him.
He didn’t think any of Ali’s friends actually paid attention to him. He was sure they must be disgusted because whenever they were around, he was high, drunk, angry or all of the above. Also, he knew the tales Ali must’ve told them about him to embarrass him.
So, to hear that one of the powerpuff girls had feelings for him and was concerned for him was odd and… touching.
His sister never failed to remind him of how worthless he was. He didn’t remember the last time his father had a word with him. Although his mother still cared for him, she looked at him as a lost cause. This was the first time in a while he heard of someone being worried for him and it brought a strange ache in his chest.
In all of this, he didn’t miss how CeCe tried to get Ali to break her friendship with [Y/N]. It made sense that CeCe might be a little insecure, knowing another girl had feelings for her boyfriend.
However, what surprised him was his sister’s reaction. The Alison he knew would’ve been on her way to make [Y/N]’s life miserable for liking him. Except, what she did was the exact opposite. She stood up for [Y/N] and was not ready to give up on their friendship. This only increased his curiosity about the girl who had feelings for him.
After that night, Jason began to observe [Y/N] when she was around. He was very discreet in doing so, because he didn’t want to appear… well, creepy. She might be crushing on him and was worried about him. But, he was very well aware that she was about five years younger than him and he wanted to be careful. He also didn’t want Ali to know that he knew about [Y/N]’s feelings for him.
A few weeks later, he understood why Alison didn’t want to lose her friendship with [Y/N]. The [y/h/c]- haired girl was a ray of sunshine to describe her simply. With her bright [y/e/c] eyes and genuine smile, she could win anyone over. There were a handful of times he saw her stand up to Ali all without losing her composure and that amazed him.
He crossed paths with her a handful of times and he began to doubt whether she had a crush on him. Her breathing didn’t race, her cheeks didn’t pink, and her eyes didn’t wander in nervousness. Instead, she would flash him one of those kind smiles and politely greet him before carrying on with whatever she was doing. She didn’t act the way he expected girls would do when they liked someone.
Days passed. Jason was caught between trusting what he overheard and thinking if he misunderstood something.
Soon, Labor Day arrived. Ian returned from Hilton Hill and was determined on patching things up with Jason. The next thing Jason remembered was waking up in the morning with a terrible hangover, a suspicious note, and the terrifying news of his little sister missing. His parents were shattered and Ali’s friends were frightened. Ian left Rosewood. The police were unsuccessful in locating his sister.
That was a wakeup call for Jason. He was devastated. He and Ali barely got along, but she was his baby sister. He was supposed to protect her and he failed. Now, she was gone.
Soon, he and his family moved out of Rosewood after the police closed the case.
He kept the note for some reason and it made him sick to his stomach every time he read it. I know what you did. Alison got on his last nerve most of the time, but he would never hurt her. Yet, that night was a blur and part of him often wondered if he had unintentionally hurt her.
He never wanted to be stuck in such a situation again, where he couldn’t remember anything. Therefore, he had finally gotten help for his addiction and changed himself for the better. He knew his parents noticed the changes in him, but they never said anything. They were grieving Alison and he didn’t blame them.
‘I just… I feel bad for him. His addiction’s gotten worse since we met him, I feel. His family doesn’t seem to care about him and he doesn’t have the greatest set of friends either. I feel like he can do better with the right guidance. That’s all.’
[Y/N]’s words occasionally rang in his ears. He often thought about her and how she was doing. He wondered if she and the other girls still hung out, thought about Ali.
A year later, they got confirmation Alison was dead.
It was with great difficulty that he and his parents went back to Rosewood. Being present at his little sister’s funeral was the hardest thing he experienced. Alison’s best friends were there along with their families. They hugged him and his parents, offering their condolences.
After the funeral, Jason and his parents once again left Rosewood. His father buried himself in his work while his mother tried her best to move forward. It broke Jason’s heart to see his mother stare at nothing with blank eyes during the day and he would often hear her walk around the house at night, unable to sleep.
Jason tried to indulge himself in work as well, helping his father with his real estate business. The thought that he might’ve hurt Ali was always there in the back of his mind. The temptation to drink his sorrow away was there, but he was successful in not giving in.
Shortly after, Alison’s friends came up with the idea of a memorial. His parents were touched by the idea; however, they didn’t have the strength to return to Rosewood and participate in it. Therefore, Jason took responsibility and came to Rosewood yet again.
This was the first time he actually had a conversation with Alison’s friends. He could sense the wariness from Aria, Emily and Spencer. [Y/N] and Hanna, on the other hand, seemed at ease. He was glad he got to interact with [Y/N] again; after all, she unknowingly played a part in him changing his life for the better. [Y/N] was still the same a year later; soft-spoken, calm, kind eyes, and warm smile.
He ran into [Y/N] by coincidence on the day of the SATs. He had been furious and hurt after hearing about Ali’s memorial being destroyed by someone. He wanted answers and didn’t shy away from tracking down the head detective of his sister’s case even during a storm. Before he could find Wilden, he found [Y/N] instead. He was glad he ran into her; talking to her calmed him down a little.
The third time he and [Y/N] were in the same room was when she was hospitalized after the accident. When the news initially reached him, he had been scared out of his mind. He desperately wanted to visit her, see how she was doing with his own eyes. After a couple of hours of mental debate, he gave in and visited her. Looking at her injured state, he had been worried, but she had reassured him, leaving him in disbelief. He had no idea how she remained so optimistic even in that situation.
Unfortunately, he had to leave Rosewood that night. It was only a temporary trip to plan his sister’s memorial. When he was leaving town, he knew he was coming back. For good. For [Y/N].
During that break, he had no idea he would find out a secret that would change his life.
~ flashback ends ~
Crickets chirped in the background, laughter of people rang in the air from a distance. Jason observed [Y/N]’s reaction after he finished speaking. She stared straight ahead, still seated in the passenger seat of his car. Somewhere during his revelation, her hand had moved away from his and rested in her lap, clutching the paper bag of pastries absent-mindedly.
“[Y/N]?” he called softly, not wanting to startle her, after minutes passed by in silence.
She turned to look at him and he had a hard time reading her expression.
“I- you- uh, you haven’t said anything,” he said, a little nervously, his fingers tightening on the gear shift between them.
“All this time,” she began, her voice low. “You knew how I felt about you.”
“No,” he rushed to say before sighing. “Yes. I don’t know, to be honest.”
[Y/N] simply stared at him and he took that as his cue to continue, “It’s been a year, [Y/N]. I didn’t know for sure if you still felt the same way.”
She nodded her head slowly and her eyes moved away from his, thinking over his words.
“Hey,” he said softly, placing a hand on her forearm. “I haven’t been playing with you or- or teasing you if that’s what you’re thinking. I honestly didn’t know how to bring this up.”
Her eyes softened a bit at that.
“I mean, you’re so young. I don’t even know if it’s right for me to feel the way I do about you,” he confessed, not meeting her eyes. “Besides, you were my sister’s best friend. That makes it all the more… complicated, I guess.”
“I understand,” she replied after a few moments and he looked at her again. “I have no idea how it started. How I started to care for you. It kind of slowly turned into more and I was guilty… and scared. I mean, you’re Ali’s brother. I thought best friend’s brother was off limits or something.”
He chuckled at her words.
“Ali knew, though,” he pointed out. “And, she never asked you?”
“No,” she frowned. “I’m still surprised by it.”
“From what I overheard, she sounded like she didn’t want to lose you,” he replied.
“That’s… a little weird,” she said. “I mean, even if she didn’t want to be friends with me anymore, she would’ve had the others.”
“I guess so,” he nodded. “Ali was… unpredictable.”
“I would’ve predicted the Ali I knew to confront me the moment she knew,” [Y/N] remarked and Jason nodded again.
The two fell into silence and [Y/N] knew he was patiently waiting for her to answer. Suddenly, she felt a little overwhelmed in the confined space of his car. She opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle, leaving the pastry bag on the seat. She closed the door and walked a few steps away before stopping.
Jason followed her and stood next to her. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know. He didn’t want to make her feel pressured.
After a few moments, she turned and stood, facing him.
“My feelings for you haven’t changed,” she said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself. His breath hitched at her words and he grew hopeful. “But, I’m scared. This would change things, wouldn't it? If- if we gave us a chance?”
“I think so,” he replied, taking a step towards her. His heart was still racing from hearing that she still liked him.
“I’m scared,” she repeated, looking up at him. “My family, my friends… I don’t know how they’ll react.”
In the back of her mind, she didn’t forget about A. She realized that they could use Jason to make her life more miserable. However, she was tired of being cautious.
“I hear you,” he replied sincerely. “But, for now, what do you want?”
She gazed into his eyes before replying a few moments later, “I want to be with you. I want to give us a chance and… and see where it goes.”
Her response knocked the breath out of his lungs, freezing him momentarily.
“What about you?” she still asked, despite having an idea of what his answer might be.
He tenderly cupped her right cheek in his palm.
“I want to be with you too,” he answered. “Just like you, I’m terrified. I know that this… us might be strange for your family and friends. But, we’ll take it one day at a time and figure things out as we go.”
“Okay,” she answered, holding his wrist with her hands. “Okay, deal.”
Finally, she smiled, the tension leaving her, and he returned it. His thumb ran over her chin, his eyes dropping to her lips for a second. In response, her hold on his wrist tightened, almost in anticipation. The dream from earlier that morning had left her wanting.
He leaned towards her slowly, giving her time to pull away if she didn’t want to. Instead, she met him halfway, standing on her tiptoes. Their lips pressed against each other, the contact making them shudder a little. For their first kiss, they didn’t feel fireworks nor any adrenaline rush. Their lips moved in a slow, steady rhythm, leaving them feel fuzzy and warm on the insides.
When they separated, they noticed they were pressed against each other. His one hand still held her cheek while the other was wrapped around her back, holding her to him. She had one hand on his heart while the other cupped his clean-shaven cheek.
“This is not a dream, right?” he whispered and she let out a breathy chuckle. If only he knew.
“No, it’s not,” she replied instead, her thumb caressing his cheekbone.
“Okay, good,” he said with mock relief, causing her to laugh again with him joining her.
She moved both of her arms to wrap around his back and hugged him, pressing her cheek against his chest. He instantly hugged her back, his one hand still around her back and the other now cradling her head. He dropped a kiss against her hair before leaning his head against hers.
They were both aware that the road ahead won’t be easy. Nevertheless, they were ready to face whatever it was their strange town had in store for them.
summary: 2x09 “picture this” episode imagine/rewrite - part one.
warnings: age gap between reader/ofc and Jason.
*read previous part here!
—————
It was a rainy Saturday in Rosewood.
With a cup of hot chocolate from The Grille, [Y/N] found herself at the bookstore. Due to the not-so-pleasant weather, the store was not too crowded with most people preferring to stay in the warmth of their homes.
[Y/N] needed a break from school and pretty much everything. So, she appreciated the peace and quiet of the bookstore. The rhythmic drumming of rain was somewhat comforting and drowned out the rest of Rosewood. She sipped on her warm drink and took her time, walking around the store. The zippers of her boots chimed with her movements as she walked through the rows of shelves, scanning the titles of the books. She had not yet caught a title that interested her.
“Hello, [Y/N].”
The familiar voice came from behind her and made her pause. She turned behind and there stood Jason at the end of the aisle. His smile widened when their eyes met.
“Hi Jason,” she breathed out, smiling. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for a good read,” he replied as if it was obvious.
“Right,” she cleared her throat, gripping her now empty styrofoam cup.
He made his way towards her and stopped once there was minimal distance between the two of them. [Y/N]’s breath hitched at the sudden proximity. She exhaled through her mouth silently as she looked at him. He was dressed in an olive green Henley shirt with dark jeans and a black hooded jacket. His blond hair was parted on the side and some strands (that probably weren’t covered by his hoodie) seemed damp as they fell over his forehead.
“[Y/N],” he whispered, pulling her back to the present.
His green eyes were intense as they looked into hers and she felt the world around them blur into the background. Nothing and no one else existed except for the two of them.
She almost held onto her breath when she noticed his left hand gently rise from her peripheral vision. His movements were steady, not wanting to startle her, as his palm gently held her jaw. Her eyes fluttered at the contact and her free hand fisted the edge of her raincoat.
“Please tell me I’m not the only one,” he whispered again. His eyes and voice were almost pleading as he spoke.
“What do you mean?” she asked quietly.
“That I’m not the only one who feels this,” he replied so softly and took one more step forward, the tips of his shoes brushing against hers.
She felt her heart race at his words and the slowly decreasing distance between them.
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he confessed, leaning his forehead against hers, and she closed her eyes. “I told myself several times that I shouldn’t. But, I can’t help it.”
She opened her eyes again and her breath hitched at having him so close to her. It would be a lie to say she hadn’t dreamt of such moments.
“Please tell me I’m not the only one,” he repeated.
Her hand, that previously held onto her coat like a lifeline, came up to hold his hand, her fingers wrapping around his wrist.
“You’re not,” she finally replied, smiling softly. “I can’t stop thinking about you too.”
“Do you mean it?” he questioned in disbelief despite the hopeful glint in his eyes.
“Yes,” she nodded once, their foreheads still leaning against each other.
He let out a soft, breathless laugh. His thumb caressed the skin of her chin and moved to her bottom lip, tracing it. Her fingers tightened around his wrist, her breath hitching once again. His thumb moved to her cheek, but the gap between their lips slowly began to decrease. The two of them almost held their breaths in anticipation of their first kiss when the familiar tone of her phone rang in the air.
[Y/N] sat up on her bed abruptly, her eyes wide and her chest heaving.
There was no rain, bookstore or Jason. Instead, there was sunlight streaming through the blinds of her windows, she was in her bedroom, and there was no Jason. She was all by herself.
She touched her chest, right where her heart was, trying to calm her breathing. The dream felt so real. The sound of the rain, the quiet of the bookstore, and of course, Jason. The intensity of his eyes as he looked at her and his touch, everything felt so real. A part of her was a little disappointed that it was only a dream.
Her phone pinged one more time, pulling her out of the memory of her dream. With a sigh, she reached over to grab her cellphone from the nightstand. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that Jason had texted her. With bated breath, she opened her text thread with him.
‘Good morning, [Y/N]. Sorry to disturb you so early! I’m sending you the information of a guy from a youth center. Do you mind forwarding it to Aria? I think he might be able to help Mike.’
[Y/N] frowned. She wondered why he couldn’t just send the information to Aria himself instead of sending it through her. She let her phone fall back on the bed and pushed her hair back from where it fell over the side of her face. The dream of Jason had messed with her mind and she couldn’t reply to him right away. Instead, she placed her cellphone on her nightstand, made her bed, and went to the bathroom to get ready for school.
Once she brushed her teeth and took a shower, she felt much better. She replied back to Jason, saying that she would forward his message to Aria and he answered in no time, saying ‘Thank you!’ She simply smiled and went downstairs.
…
Later at school, she was walking to her classroom with Emily and Aria. Emily was frightened after getting a text from A about her medical report.
“Hanna’s right, Em,” Aria said encouragingly. “No one owns you. And, definitely not this bitch.”
“They’re just trying to scare you,” [Y/N] added.
“Well, it’s working,” Emily sighed and stopped walking near her locker, turning to Aria. “Did you find out why Mike broke into my garage?”
“No, he’s not talking to anybody,” Aria replied with a soft huff. “He won’t even return calls from his best friend.”
“What’s going on with him?” Emily asked.
“I have no clue,” Aria shook her head. “My parents keep coming to me, thinking I have answers.”
[Y/N] caught the sight of Jason walking down the hallway, chatting with a student. She tried her best to remain normal, especially when her mind replayed the dream she had of him. Emily and Aria silenced when they noticed Jason as well.
Jason caught their eyes and smiled with a friendly wave, his eyes lingering on [Y/N] a little longer as he walked past the girls. [Y/N] waved back, returning the smile. So did Emily and Aria, but with unease.
“He’s doing school visits too?” Emily asked once Jason disappeared out of their sights.
“He counsels kids on substance abuse,” [Y/N] replied and her friends stared at her. “I ran into him when he was talking to your mom, Aria. That’s when I found out.”
“[y/n/n], you’re not talking to him behind our back, right?” Emily asked, looking worried.
“Yeah, and why did he send you that youth center information to send to me?” Aria followed.
“I don’t know,” [Y/N] shrugged at Aria. “He asked me to forward it to you and I did.”
“So, you’re talking to him?” Emily questioned, looking so much like Mrs. Fields.
“Look, I just say hello and exchange a word or two when I see him,” [Y/N] said. “That’s all.”
“[y/n/n], you literally fought with Spencer for him,” Emily pressed.
“I didn’t mean to,” [Y/N/] said, feeling a little guilty. “But, don’t tell me you’re not tired of accusing every other person of killing Ali?”
Emily and Aria exchanged looks, not replying.
“Look, you need to be careful,” Emily told [Y/N]. “I know you like to see the best in people, but he might be a killer.”
“Right,” [Y/N] scoffed. “A few months ago, we were at the same spot, accusing Toby. Then, Ian. Here we are again, I guess.”
Both Emily and Aria couldn’t find the right words to say.
“I’m going to class,” [Y/N] said before walking away.
…
During lunch, [Y/N] found a quiet spot in the library. She didn’t feel like being around her friends, especially Spencer after their disagreement regarding Jason.
“Hey, you.”
[Y/N] looked up to see a smiling Hanna sit in front of her.
“What are you doing here, Han?” [Y/N] frowned.
“That’s rude,” Hanna complained. “You’re supposed to be happy to see me.”
“Of course, I’m happy to see you,” [Y/N] chuckled. “But, why aren’t you with the others?”
“I wanted to be with you,” Hanna shrugged as if it was that simple.
“Han,” [Y/N] sighed.
“If it makes you feel better, I did talk to them before coming here,” said Hanna. “They were talking about Jenna. Apparently, they’re taking out her eyeballs.”
“What now?” [Y/N] asked, stunned, almost choking on her water.
“I don’t know, I didn’t understand the details,” Hanna shrugged, beginning to eat her sandwich. “I guess, flap over the pupil or something.”
“Oh okay,” [Y/N] whispered to herself, then started eating her lunch as well.
“Are you and Spencer gonna make up anytime soon?” Hanna asked after finishing her sandwich.
[Y/N] finished swallowing her food before replying, “I don’t know. I hate fighting with her. I hate fighting with any of you guys.”
“I know,” Hanna nodded, sympathetically. “I get where Spencer is coming from. She wants to be… cautious.”
“I agree, we have to be,” [Y/N] said. “But, it’s…”
She trailed off, not wanting to bring up Jason’s name while they’re at school.
“I know,” Hanna said, understanding. “For your sake, I’m really hoping Spencer’s wrong. So, we can tell her ‘I told you so’ together.”
[Y/N] laughed under her breath, shaking her head. Hanna smiled, seeing her friend smile and not be stressed.
“How is Caleb doing?” [Y/N] asked, changing the subject, and Hanna began to narrate Caleb's conflicting feelings about reconnecting with his mother.
…
It was late evening and [Y/N] waited in line at Lucky Leon’s to pick up her order of brownies. She was craving something sweet and she needed it with the drama going on with her friends except for Hanna.
She and Spencer still hadn’t seen eye to eye. Emily along with Aria seemed hesitant between advising her to stay away from Jason and keeping their mouths shut.
Overall, it had been an extremely stressful couple of days.
A few minutes later, it was her turn and she picked up her order, thanking the cashier kindly. She made her way out of the bakery and into the cool evening air. She was glad she was wearing jeans, full-sleeved t-shirt with a warm coat.
The sun had set for the day and the sky was gradually turning to a darker shade of blue. The streets suddenly seemed very empty and it made her feel nervous. With the threat of A still looming over her and her friends, she knew it was not wise to be out by herself, especially in the dark. Keeping a no nonsense face on, she sped-walked through the streets towards her home.
A low rumble of an engine reached her ears, causing her steps to falter. She turned to her right just as Jason’s convertible pulled up next to her by the curb. By now, she stopped walking, a little surprised by his presence. Meanwhile, Jason got out of the car and walked towards her, a concerned look on his face.
“[Y/N], what are you doing out by yourself?” he asked, frowning in worry still as he looked around. “It’s not safe.”
She didn’t miss to take in his outfit: an olive green Henley shirt with dark jeans. It was scarily similar to the one he wore in her dream, except he wasn’t wearing a jacket at the moment.
“I know,” she nodded, clearing her throat. “I just- I needed some fresh air and miscalculated the time, I guess.”
“Can I drop you home?” he asked.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” she blinked before replying. “I’m just a block away.”
“I don’t mind,” he said back, looking at her with those intense eyes that reminded again her of the dream she had of him.
“Uh, o-okay,” she replied. She couldn’t say no to him when he looked at her like that. Besides, she liked spending time with him despite Spencer and Emily’s warnings.
“Come on,” he smiled and led her to the passenger side, opening the door for her. She thanked him and sat inside the car, keeping the paper bag on her lap. She wore her seatbelt just as Jason got in the drivers side and started the engine again. “Someone broke into my shed, by the way. I had to get a new lock.”
She looked at him, a little shocked while Jason kept his eyes on the road after glancing at her once.
“That’s terrible,” she frowned. “It couldn’t have been Mike, though. Aria said he’s been stuck in his room.”
“I didn’t go there,” he said right away.
[Y/N] nodded and the ride continued in silence for a few minutes before she heard Jason sigh.
“Do you mind if I stop here for a few minutes?” he suddenly asked.
She looked around and noticed they were near the basketball court. She could feel her heart rate increase a little in anticipation. She didn’t know if she was being a fool, but she ended up saying yes. With a small smile, Jason pulled into the parking lot and parked in one of the spaces.
“I’m glad I ran into you,” he said, turning in his seat to look at her. “I- I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something. For a while now, but I keep chickening out.”
He laughed at himself, shaking his head. [Y/N] remained silent but her breath was uneven as she listened to him.
“But, I want to do this today or else I might go crazy,” he said, looking at her again. “Some months before Ali went missing, I overheard her conversation with CeCe. Uh… CeCe is my ex-girlfriend.”
He almost seemed afraid of talking about his ex in front of her but [Y/N] didn’t really feel anything. He was almost five years older than her so she was aware he must’ve had girlfriends in the past.
“The weird thing was I thought I heard your voice and Hanna’s too,” he said, confusing her.
“Hanna and I’ve never met CeCe,” she replied, shaking her head.
“Yeah, I figured,” Jason nodded. “Ali was strangely possessive when it came to her friends. She didn’t want you guys to meet CeCe and she didn’t want CeCe anywhere near you guys.”
“To be honest with you, this is the first time I’m hearing CeCe’s name,” she said.
“Right,” he responded. “So, uh…”
“Jason,” she called calmly, placing her hand on top of his that rested on the gearshift. “Relax.”
He looked at her hand on his before meeting her eyes again. She waited so patiently for him to gather his thoughts with no judgement on her face. He felt a little silly for acting like a teenage boy in front of her, unable to clearly communicate. But, this conversation with her could either make them or break them and he desperately hoped for the former outcome.
summary: 2x08 “save the date” episode imagine/rewrite.
warnings: mentions of murder, arguments, mild angst.
*read previous part here!
—————
“That’s insane!” Hanna exclaimed once [Y/N] finished narrating the phone call from Spencer.
The two best friends were in Hanna’s room, lounging on the blonde’s bed. After Hanna picked up [Y/N] from Aria’s house, they had picked up a small pizza for the two of them before driving to Hanna’s house. Hanna’s parents were out and Emily was at a study group.
[Y/N] had borrowed some casual clothes from Hanna to change into. She and Hanna had finished eating the pizza first before she told her friend about what happened at the dinner; she left out the part about Mike’s arrest.
“So, Spencer really thinks Jason might’ve killed Ali?” Hanna asked. She was laying on her stomach, facing [Y/N].
“Yes,” [Y/N] replied with a short nod. She was sitting on one side of the bed, leaning her back against the headboard.
“That’s crazy,” Hanna commented, shaking her head.
“Han,” [Y/N] gave a pointed look, while hugging a decorative pillow to her torso. “It’s okay if you suspect the same. I mean, you don’t have to worry about my feelings being hurt.”
Hanna huffed before sitting up on the bed with her legs crossed.
“[y/n/n], honestly… I don’t know what to think,” she replied. “But, you have every right to not agree with Spencer on this. Of course, I do think that your feelings for Jason might be playing a part here.”
[Y/N] nodded, her gaze dropping to her lap momentarily.
“And, like you said earlier, we’ve been wrong before,” Hanna said and [Y/N] looked at her. “First Toby, then Ian, and now, Jason. We were wrong about Toby and Ian. Well, Ian was a creep anyway. But, it’s possible Spencer might be wrong about Jason.”
“She has all these evidences stacked up against Jason and she’s so sure,” [Y/N] said, stressed. “It also doesn’t help Aria told Spencer that Jason doesn’t remember anything from the night Ali went missing.”
“That was not right, by the way,” Hanna remarked with a roll of her eyes. “Aria shouldn’t have eavesdropped on your conversation in the first place. And, she should’ve talked to you about it first.”
“I know,” [Y/N] sighed, nodding in agreement. “But, what’s done is done and now, Spencer is out to prove that Jason killed Ali.”
“Well, this time, I’m not following any clues blindly,” Hanna stated, crossing her arms and laying back on the bed. “I’m tired of taking trips down to the precinct.”
“Same,” said [Y/N].
“And, did you get any murderous vibes from Jason tonight?” Hanna asked with mock seriousness and [Y/N] looked at her, unamused. Hanna pouted and sat up again, holding her hands up in defense. “I’m just trying to lighten our conversation.”
[Y/N] couldn’t help but laugh at that and Hanna joined in.
“I may have done something stupid, though,” [Y/N] said after a few moments.
“Uh oh,” Hanna said.
“I don’t know,” sighed [Y/N]. “There was a moment… when I thought that Jason and Aria had something going on between them.”
“What?!” Hanna exclaimed.
“I know, I know,” [Y/N] shook her head, covering her face with her hands. “It was stupid.”
Hanna, on the other hand, processed [Y/N]’s words. She remembered Aria’s strange behavior around Jason a few times; first, when she offered to check Ali’s pictures with Jason before the show, then at the show, when she tried to catch his attention and he ignored her.
“Han?” [Y/N] called when the blonde remained silent for longer than usual. “You alright?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s nothing,” Hanna tried to smile. “But, [y/n/n], Aria’s in a relationship. So, don’t stress yourself.”
“I know and I won’t,” [Y/N] smiled back and Hanna made a mental note to keep an eye on Aria.
Before the two could continue their conversations, their phones chirped at the same time. The girls looked at each other, resigned, knowing who the sender might be. They grabbed their phones from the foot of the bed.
“Oh, it’s just Aria,” Hanna said, partly relieved, and [Y/N] nodded.
Their relief was, however, short lived when they read Aria’s message: ‘WE CAN’T TRUST GARRETT!!!’
“Oh my god,” [Y/N] whispered, stunned.
“What does she mean by this?” Hanna asked, equally shocked.
“Unfortunately, nothing good, I feel,” [Y/N] replied.
…
A while later, [Y/N], Hanna and Aria were sitting with Spencer in her car. Hanna and [Y/N] were in the backseat while Aria sat in the passenger seat. All of them were shaken up with Aria’s discovery.
“So, it was just the two of you in his car alone?” Hanna asked Spencer.
“I didn’t know where else to meet him,” Spencer replied.
“How did you get away from him?” [Y/N] asked.
“When Aria sent that text, I told him it was from my mom,” Spencer said, exhaling loudly. “Am I still shaking? I’m still shaking.”
“Yeah, we’re all shaking,” Hanna commented. “Can you turn on the heat? You could make a slushy back here.”
“Guys, why would Jenna give Garrett that lantern?” Aria asked.
“You don’t know she gave it to him,” Hanna answered, hoping they were wrong.
“Han, I’m pretty sure he didn’t buy it at the blind artists crafts fair,” Spencer replied. “Of course, she gave it to him.”
“When did they become buddies?” [Y/N] asked, not really expecting an answer.
“And, why did they become buddies?” Spencer added.
“They grew up across the street from each other,” Hanna offered. “His parents still live in that house. Maybe he's just bringing raw meat to Jenna’s cat.”
[Y/N], Aria and Spencer looked at Hanna, bewildered.
“Toby lives there too and they don’t have a cat,” Spencer replied, refraining herself from rolling her eyes.
“Then, maybe, he was bringing raw meat for Jenna,” Hanna shrugged.
“Ew,” [Y/N] whispered to herself, Aria and Spencer mirroring her reaction.
“Here comes Em,” Aria said, looking out the window.
Emily sat with [Y/N] and Hanna in the back. Aria revealed about Mike’s arrest to her friends as they waited to see if their theories regarding Garrett could be true.
“Guys, isn’t that Garrett’s car?” [Y/N] asked a few moments later.
“It is,” Emily whispered as the five girls watched the car pull up in front of Cavanaugh's house.
Garrett got out of the car and made his way towards the house. He jogged up the steps of the house and entered the house, closing the door behind him.
The girls got out of Spencer’s car and made their way to the side of Toby’s house.
“Can you walk any softer?” Spencer asked Hanna, annoyed, referring to the latter’s loud heels.
“Please, Jenna can’t hear us, she’s blind,” Hanna scoffed, causing her friends to stare at her, perplexed. “Oh, you guys know what I meant!”
If it was any normal situation, they would’ve laughed about it. But, they had an important task at hand and continued with it. They stood by the bushes and the light turned on in Jenna’s bedroom.
The girls were startled a little when Jenna stood, facing out the window. She had her glasses on along with a red satin robe from what they could see.
Then, Jenna removed her glasses and let the robe drop, revealing a black negligee. The girls remembered her trying on the same outfit a couple of days ago. Their eyes widened in shock as Garrett appeared behind Jenna, turned her around to face him before kissing her.
…
When Emily was hospitalized with an ulcer, [Y/N], Hanna and Spencer rushed to be there with her. As much as Aria wanted to be there for her friend as well, she got caught up in family court.
“I thought ulcers were something old people got,” Hanna commented, walking through the hospital hallway with [Y/N] and Spencer.
“Han, please don’t say that to Emily,” [Y/N] almost pleaded.
“Yeah, and get that look off your face,” Spencer scolded the blonde. “You’re gonna freak her out.”
“Her? What about me?” Hanna complained. “I’m having a deja vu from the time [y/n/n] was admitted here.”
“In that case, I should be freaking out,” [Y/N] said.
“That’s right, why aren’t you?” Hanna joked, gaining unamused looks from her two friends.
The three girls took the elevator and reached Emily’s room. Emily was laying on the bed, staring at the wall, rightfully worried.
“Hey, how’re you feeling?” [Y/N] asked softly
“Okay as I can be,” Emily replied, sighing.
“So, the muscle spasm and the pain, they’re all coming from your stomach?” asked Hanna, sitting at the foot of the bed.
“Yes, but ulcers can heal,” Spencer answered. “It’s not forever, Em.”
“Yeah, but she’s got like a hole–” Hanna began with that look on her face again, but was interrupted by Spencer.
“Yes, there’s a hole in her stomach, moving on,” Spencer said, resigned, before turning to Emily. “Where did your dad go?”
“He went to our house to talk to the new tenants,” replied Emily. “Guys, I have to deal with this. I can’t keep lying to him.”
“I guess not,” said Hanna. “Not if it’s eating holes in your stomach.”
“Okay, moving on,” [Y/N] said a little loudly.
Aria rushed into the room with two styrofoam cups in her hand.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I got here as soon as I could,” she breathed out, stopping next to Emily. “I had to escape family court.”
“Mike on trial?” [Y/N] asked.
“Yes, but the defendant never showed up,” Aria deadpanned, before looking at Emily with a friendly smile, extending one of the cups towards her. “I got your favorite.”
Emily looked away and Spencer replied, “She can’t have coffee.”
“Yeah, she’s got a hole in her stomach,” Hanna loudly whispered to Aria and [Y/N] looked at her childhood best friend, unimpressed.
“I will trade it in for herbal tea,” Spencer said, taking the coffee from Aria, and looked at Emily. “Unless you want all of us here when your dad gets back.”
“She’s not telling her dad about the Danby letter,” Hanna said. “If he finds out it’s fake, he’s gonna move her to Texas.”
“If she doesn’t tell him, she’s not gonna get better,” Spencer said back.
“Guys, she doesn’t have to make up her mind right now,” [Y/N] spoke up and Aria nodded with her.
“She already has,” Emily said. “I’m telling him the truth.”
The four girls looked at each other before looking at Emily, who stared at nothing in particular as if she had made up her mind.
…
Later that night, [Y/N] was exhausted to say the least when she plopped down on her bed.
At the hospital, they had found out that A had injected steroids into Emily’s pain cream, causing a new wave of panic and fear to rise over the group of friends. Emily was pretty much ready to go to Texas with her dad and [Y/N] did not blame her one bit.
[Y/N] also got roped by Spencer to sneak into the morgue with Aria. After her conversation with Garrett, Spencer was determined to get her hands on Alison’s autopsy file. Things were awkward between [Y/N] and Spencer, but they decided not to address it and instead, focus on the task at hand.
Based on the summary of the autopsy, they were able to find out that Alison was hit on the head from behind before she was buried alive. The weapon used was described to have a ‘curved, blunt edge’ and for Spencer, it only strengthened her theory that Jason had used her old hockey stick to kill Ali. Although she didn’t verbally say it, the pointed looks she kept throwing [Y/N]’s way told the latter enough.
[Y/N] had remained silent all the while, processing the contents of the report. Just like Spencer and Aria, she was extremely disturbed to hear the way one of her best friends was killed. However, she refused to believe that Jason had anything to do with Alison’s murder.
Afterwards, Spencer had gone to share the report with Emily. [Y/N] went to call her parents to give them an update on Emily while Aria left to call Ezra. After talking to her family, [Y/N] walked back to Emily’s room, but stopped outside when she heard Spencer’s voice.
“Displaced cranium? Curved blunt weapon? That’s a hockey stick, Em,” Spencer stressed her points. [Y/N] remained outside silently. “I know [y/n/n] doesn’t want to hear this, but Jason is looking worse and worse.”
“I don’t get it,” Emily replied. “Why is [y/n/n] sticking up for Jason?”
“I don’t know,” Spencer said, distressed. “It’s like she got a soft spot for him or something.”
“I don’t have a soft spot for Jason,” [Y/N] said calmly, walking into the room. Emily and Spencer sat up, watching her attentively. [Y/N] knew she was lying, but she didn’t feel the need to tell them about her real feelings for Jason yet. “But, I’m tired of accusing every other person in this town of killing Ali.”
“[y/n/n], it’s written right here?” Spencer argued, shaking the papers in her hand.
“What? Does it say Jason killed Alison?” [Y/N] questioned.
“Ali was hit with a weapon which was a lot like a hockey stick,” Spencer said, her nostrils flaring in frustration. “And, the same hockey stick was buried in my backyard!”
“Right, it was buried in your backyard,” [Y/N] answered, keeping herself composed with great difficulty. She didn’t want to cause a scene in the hospital. “Going by your logic, does that mean you or someone from your family could’ve hurt Ali?”
Spencer stared at her with wide eyes while Emily gasped, “[y/n/n], do you hear yourself?”
“Are you really accusing me of killing our friend?” Spencer asked in disbelief. “And, you’re standing up for a stranger like Jason?”
“I’m just going by your logic,” [Y/N] said back. It hurt her to accuse Spencer, but she was tired of the latter rashly accusing people. “I’m standing up for Jason, because I’ve gotten to know him recently and I refuse to believe that he killed his sister.”
“Are you serious?” Spencer asked in irritation while Emily grew uneasy with the tense atmosphere.
“Yes, I am,” [Y/N] replied. “You come up with all these theories, Spencer, but it doesn’t mean you’re right. We’re not cops, for god’s sake.
“Besides, this is not the first time, I’m standing up for someone you accused,” [Y/N] continued pointedly. “I stood up for Toby when he was accused and so did Emily. The whole town shunned him and he ended up being innocent. Then, we all accused Ian and what happened? He was an ass, yes, but he was not the killer either.”
Spencer was left speechless. She had never fought with [Y/N] before and she didn’t know how to respond to the latter’s words.
Emily finally cleared throat uneasily and [Y/N] looked at her apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Em. I don’t mean to stress you out even more,” she apologized genuinely. “But, I think I’m gonna leave. Text me if you need anything.”
[Y/N] hugged Emily and looked at Spencer. She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t find the right words. Spencer turned her face away from her and [Y/N] chose silence as she exited the room.
Now, in the silence of her bedroom, [Y/N] felt horrible. She had had disagreements with her friends in the past, but she never really fought with them. She hated the words she threw at Spencer, accusing her of being a possible suspect.
But, she was firm in her belief to not follow Spencer’s theories blindly and she had no regrets about standing up for Jason.
She wished she could talk to Hanna about what happened, but the blonde was helping Caleb and she didn’t want to bother them.
Her phone vibrated from the nightstand and she picked it up with a sniffle. She was rather surprised to see Jason’s name on the screen.
“Hi Jason,” she greeted, her voice came out weak.
“Hey, [Y/N], he said back softly. “Did I disturb you?”
“No, you didn’t,” she replied, sitting up on her bed and leaning against the pillows. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s okay,” he said, clearing his throat. “But, you sound kinda low. Are you okay?”
She couldn’t help but smile a little. “Yes, I’m okay. I’m a little tired, that’s all.”
“Ah, okay,” he said. “I heard about what happened to Emily. How is she doing?”
“She’s going to be alright,” she replied. “She seemed better when I left the hospital a while ago.”
“Okay, that’s good to hear,” he responded.
“Yeah,” she said slowly. “You could’ve visited her if you’d like.”
“I- I thought about it,” he said, his voice dropping an octave lower. “But, I didn’t.”
“You visited me when I was hit by that car,” she whispered.
“Yes, I had to,” he said before sighing loudly. “I’m not blind, [Y/N]. I see the way most of your friends look at me… like I’m a freak or something.”
“That’s not true,” she rushed out, though she was surprised he knew that her friends didn’t like him.
“It’s okay,” he laughed. “You don’t have to worry about my feelings being hurt or anything.”
“I guess, we’ve all been a little cautious after… everything,” she said in a small voice.
“You don’t have to explain anything to me,” he reassured. “I understand.”
“For the record, though, I trust you,” she said slowly. “To some extent, I don’t know Hanna doesn’t mind you either.”
There was silence on the other end and [Y/N] closed her eyes, wondering if she said too much.
“I’m glad to hear that,” he finally spoke and she opened her eyes. “I trust you too. More than anyone in this town.”
She smiled, but didn’t reply. She could hear this steady breathing.
“There’s something else I wanted to ask you about,” he said and she listened attentively. “The other day, at Aria’s house, you seemed upset. Did something happen? Or- or did I do something to upset you?”
“Of course not, Jason,” she said right away. “I was a little overwhelmed by everything, that’s all.”
“You’re not just saying that, are you?” he asked hesitantly.
“No, I mean it,” she said back. “Nothing happened and you didn’t do anything to upset me either.”
“Okay… okay, good,” he said, relieved.
[Y/N] smiled to herself and wished she could keep talking to him. It was comforting after the day she had.
“I’ll let you go now. I don’t wanna keep you up,” he spoke again and her smile fell. But, she knew he was right; they couldn’t be on the phone the whole night.
“Yeah, good night,” she said.
“Good night, [Y/N],” he replied. “I’ll see you around.”
summary: 2x07 “surface tension” episode imagine/rewrite - part two.
warnings: none.
*read previous part here!
—————
[Y/N] stood in front of her closet wrapped up in her fluffy bathrobe. She combed through her dresses before pulling out a deep, navy blue one. It was a fit and flare dress that ended a few inches above her knee and had long sleeves. She thought it was simple and appropriate for the dinner party at the Montgomery's.
She slipped out of the bathrobe and pulled the dress over her head. After a mini struggle, she zipped the dress at the back and she stood in front of the full length mirror. She was happy with the way the dress looked on her.
She did some light make up and left her hair open, tucking one side behind her ear. She kept her jewelry minimal with simple stud earrings, light choker necklace, and rings on her right ring finger along with left index and middle fingers. For shoes, she chose her favorite black ankle boots, wanting to be comfortable for the night.
She grabbed her black crossbody bag with the necessities already packed in it and stood in front of the mirror to assess her look one more time. She was content with how she looked and exhaled deeply, bracing herself for whatever the night ahead had in store for her. Especially with Jason, her parents, the Montgomerys and their guests under one roof.
…
When [Y/N] and her parents arrived at the Montomerys’ residence, Nancy and Elliott Partha were in the living room. The guest list had become shortened due to some of the other friends canceling at the last moment. Nancy seemed at ease as she greeted the [Y/L/N] family while Elliott was busy on the phone with the babysitter, checking on their newborn. [Y/N]’s parents soon dissolved into a conversation with the other set of parents and she escaped upstairs to Aria’s room.
She knocked softly on Aria’s door and slipped inside when the latter called her to come in.
“Hi,” [Y/N] offered a small smile, walking further into the room, leaving the door half open.
Aria was seated on her bed and fixing her shoes.
“Hey, [y/n/n]!” the brunette bounded over and pulled [Y/N] into a quick hug. “You look amazing!”
“So do you!” [Y/N] grinned, taking a step back. “This dress is gorgeous on you. I have a feeling Mr. Fitz won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you tonight.”
“Hey!” Aria gasped as [Y/N] laughed lightly. “Don’t let my parents hear you!”
“Relax,” [Y/N] replied. “Your parents and mine are busy with the Parthas. They were gushing over baby Partha’s pictures.”
“Okay, good,” Aria sighed in exaggerated relief. “Are you ready to go downstairs?”
“Sure,” [Y/N] said, but stopped Aria when she remembered her conversation with Jason. “I need to ask you something.”
“Is everything okay?” Aria asked, suddenly on alert after noticing [Y/N]’s serious expression.
“Yeah, nothing major,” [Y/N] reassured. “I talked to Jason. And, he told me that you overheard my conversation with him after Ian’s funeral.”
Aria’s gaze dropped in guilt.
“Hey,” [Y/N] spoke again. She reached out and gently held Aria’s hand. “I’m not upset or anything. I guess I’m just surprised you didn’t ask me anything about it.”
“I felt terrible for eavesdropping,” Aria sighed, her grip on [Y/N]’s hand tightening. “And, now that we know Ian didn’t kill Ali, I want to know what happened that night. When I heard Jason tell you that he didn’t remember much from that night, I- I thought…”
“You thought he hurt Ali?” [Y/N] asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“You didn’t?” Aria asked, her eyes searching [Y/N]’s. “All Ali and Jason did was fight, [y/n/n]. They hated each other.”
“I don’t think they hated each other,” [Y/N] countered gently. “I remember they didn’t get along, but I think they were being… siblings. I don’t think Jason hurt Ali just because the two fought like cats and dogs every time we saw them.”
“You’re defending him,” Aria noted.
“Maybe,” [Y/N] shrugged. “I just want to be careful from now on. Every time we pointed a finger at someone so far, we’ve been wrong. I want justice for Ali as much as you do. But, I’m tired of throwing random names under the bus.”
Aria nodded, though unconvinced.
“Have you told Emily or Spencer?” [Y/N] asked, fearing the answer a little. The way Aria nervously bit her lip was answer enough and [Y/N] felt her heart drop.
“I had to,” Aria replied, hoping [Y/N] would understand her side. “I’m sure you must’ve told Hanna. I thought Spencer and Em deserved to know too.”
“Do they think Jason hurt Ali too?” asked [Y/N].
“I don’t know for sure,” Aria answered, feeling guilty. “But, I know they don’t trust him at all.”
“How come Spencer hasn’t ambushed me about this?” [Y/N] asked. She could feel a headache forming behind her eyes.
“I asked her to wait,” said Aria. “I told her she had to let you be the one to bring it up.”
“Oh great,” [Y/N] muttered. She was not looking forward to dealing with Spencer for hiding about her conversation with Jason.
“Should we go downstairs?” Aria asked, hoping to change the topic for now.
“Sure,” [Y/N] nodded.
As the two reached the landing, the doorbell rang. Aria excused herself from [Y/N] to check who was at the door. It was Ezra Fitz. He came with flowers and a bottle of scotch. He gave the gifts to the hosts before greeting [Y/N], and falling into a conversation easily with her parents and the Parthas.
[Y/N] and Aria retreated to the kitchen. Aria was scanning the fridge for drinks for the two of them when the doorbell rang again. She groaned, leaning her forehead against the cool door.
“I’ll get it,” [Y/N] offered and Aria smiled gratefully. Before she could move, however, Ella was already at the door. “Never mind, your mom’s got it.”
“Jason, hello!” Ella’s cheery voice floated from the foyer and into the kitchen, alerting the two young girls.
Aria froze with two soda cans clutched in her hands. [Y/N] felt her heart skip a beat without her permission. She forced herself to calm herself as Aria moved to stand next to her, handing her one of the sodas. The drinks were forgotten, however, as their attention remained at the doorway only.
Jason walked in, handing a flower bouquet to Ella. As if he could feel their eyes on him, Jason turned towards the kitchen. He offered a short wave and a small smile to both girls, and they returned it; [Y/N] with ease while Aria a little hesitantly.
Ella led Jason to the living room when the girls’ phones chimed in unison. They looked at each other, dreading the sender. Almost holding their breaths, they checked their phones at the same time and sighed in half relief when the sender was Spencer only. Though, the SOS didn’t make it better.
“Back to my room,” Aria said quietly and [Y/N] nodded as the two made their way upstairs.
Once they were safely tucked inside Aria’s bedroom and away from their families and guests’ ears, Aria called Spencer.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Aria asked, leaving the phone on speaker.
“Hey, is [y/n/n] there with you?” Spencer asked, her voice rushed.
“I’m here, Spence,” [Y/N] said.
“Okay, I need you two to listen to me first before you say anything,” Spencer began. “Toby found a hockey stick buried in our yard.”
[Y/N] and Aria looked at each other. They were momentarily confused on why that might be important.
“It was broken in half,” Spencer continued.
“Was it yours?” [Y/N] asked.
“Well, it was Melissa’s first, then it was mine,” Spencer replied. “The exact same one I gave to Ali to practice with that summer.”
“Are you sure?” Aria asked.
“Absolutely,” Spencer replied, her voice dripping with confidence.
“But, Spence, how did it get in your backyard?” [Y/N] questioned, sharing a look with Aria.
“Well, you don’t bury old sporting equipment,” Spencer said, almost ominously. “But, you do bury murder weapons.”
“Are you serious?” [Y/N] asked, a little exasperated. She knew where Spencer was going with the new theory and she wasn’t sure she liked it or agreed with it.
“It was in Ali’s bedroom the summer she was killed,” Spencer insisted. “Anybody could’ve used it.”
“Anybody?” Aria asked.
“Where are you going with this, Spence?” [Y/N] asked, exhaling through her nose.
“Jason was in the house that summer, [y/n/n],” Spencer stated.
“That’s because he lived there, Spencer,” [Y/N] said back and felt Aria hold her hand, wordlessly telling her to keep calm. “Besides, Ian was there too.”
“Okay, but Jason’s the one who can’t remember anything from the night Ali disappeared and how convenient is that?” Spencer snapped.
Aria’s hand felt limp in [Y/N]’s as the latter shut her eyes, rubbing her forehead with her free hand.
“How could you not tell us that, [y/n/n]?” Spencer asked like a disappointed mother. [Y/N] opened her eyes and exhaled heavily when Spencer spoke again, “And, why are you going around speaking with Jason all by yourself? It’s not safe!”
“Look,” Aria added gently before [Y/N] could reply. “This could be just A playing with us again. Maybe, he… she or it planted the hockeystick in your yard and made sure Toby found it.”
“Except, we didn’t find this, Aria!” exclaimed Spencer. “Somebody else did and if my dad hadn’t stopped Jason from building that fence, no one would’ve found it.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” [Y/N] said, keeping her voice calm but firm.
“[y/n/n], to me, it sounds like you’re protecting Jason and I don’t understand why,” Spencer’s voice was cold.
Before [Y/N] could reply, Ella called for her and Aria to come downstairs.
“Spence, we have to go,” Aria said, grateful for the interruption. She hated seeing two of her best friends argue.
“Guys, please think about this,” Spence’s voice was almost pleading, but determined. “Please think about what this means.”
“We will,” Aria replied, looking at [Y/N] with apology while the latter remained silent.
The call ended and [Y/N] rubbed her temples, overwhelmed by the conversation.
On the other hand, Aria was curious. She was surprised that [Y/N] wasn’t on their side with suspecting Jason and seemed to be taking a more emotional approach regarding this. She couldn’t help but wonder if Jason was more than just Alison's brother to [Y/N]. Why else would she be defending him? As much as she wanted answers, she didn’t want to probe [Y/N] when she seemed stressed out.
“I’m sorry,” Aria said gently, breaking the silence. “I shouldn’t have told Spencer and Emily without talking to you first.”
“It’s alright,” [Y/N] shrugged, though unhappy.
When the two girls came downstairs, Ezra was in the middle of talking about his time in Ireland.
[Y/N]’s parents looked at her, scanning her face with worry. She sent a reassuring smile, silently telling them everything was okay. The way her parents could read her was both a blessing and a curse. For now, they seemed satisfied with her silent reply and went back to their conversation with Nancy.
Then, [Y/N] felt the heat of another pair of eyes from her left. She turned to find Jason’s eyes on her. How did he sense her mood too, she wondered. Just as she did with her parents, she passed him a faint smile. The small exchange was observed by Aria and she didn’t know how to process it.
The conversation about bikes came to a halt when the doorbell rang. The Montgomerys looked at each other, confused. They weren’t expecting any more guests. Aria moved to open the door before she called out for her parents, panicked.
Officer Barry walked inside the house and stopped at the foyer as Ella and Byron walked to him, concerned. [Y/N] feared the worst, but the last thing she expected was Aria’s brother, Mike, being arrested for breaking and entering.
She turned to Aria in concern; to her surprise, Aria and Jason were looking at each other in alert. The silent exchange made her stomach churn in discomfort. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Ella and Byron asked Aria to take care of the guests before hurriedly following the police officer. The door shut behind Ella and Byron, leaving the house in a deafening silence.
Aria stood by the wall, her arms wrapped around herself, looking small. She couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.
“We should head back,” Nancy spoke softly, breaking the silence, and Elliott nodded in agreement.
Aria looked at the couple; her lips parted, but she couldn’t get a word out.
“Of course,” Leslie stepped in, her voice calm. “I’ll let Ella and Byron know.”
The Partha couple nodded in gratitude and hugged the others goodbye.
[Y/N] felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see it was her father.
“Are you okay, honey?” he asked, concerned.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she whispered. “I’m worried about Mike and Aria.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” James tried to reassure her. “Mike will be home in no time. He has his family.”
“You’re right,” [Y/N] sighed.
Leslie went to clear up the dining table when Aria stopped her.
“It’s alright, Mrs. [Y/L/N],” she said walking towards her. “I got it, don’t worry.”
“Are you sure, sweetie?” asked Leslie.
“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Aria tried to smile. “I need to keep moving.”
“Alright,” Leslie nodded. “We should probably head out too. Mike probably doesn’t need an audience when he comes home.”
“Okay,” Aria agreed. At the same time, she didn’t want to be by herself with Ezra and Jason. “Is it okay if [y/n/n] stays with me? I can drive her to your home later, I promise.”
James and Leslie exchanged looks before shifting their attention to their daughter, who seemed a little hesitant.
“Are you sure?” she asked Aria.
“Yes please,” Aria said, her tone pleading a little.
“Okay,” [Y/N] nodded. Her parents hugged her and told her to call them if she needed anything. Then, they gave a hug to Aria, and said their goodnights to Ezra and Jason before heading out.
Then, it was just the four of them.
“I’m gonna start clearing the table,” Aria said after a few moments.
“I’ll help you,” [Y/N] offered and followed Aria. Together, the two of them packed the food in containers. Ezra came in shortly and took a stack of plates from Aria while Jason remained in the living room.
“Hey, I got this,” he said to her. “Are you okay?”
Aria remained silent and [Y/N] shut the fridge after putting the containers in there.
“I’ll give you two some space,” she said, proceeding to leave the kitchen.
“No, wait,” Aria stopped her suddenly. She took the flask with coffee from the dining table before speaking again, “I’m gonna go see if Jason wants more coffee.”
[Y/N] and Ezra were both baffled by her words. Without waiting for their reply, Aria walked out.
[Y/N] tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest. All this time, she had thought what she and Jason had was special. Of course, there was nothing happening between them, but there was still… something. She thought she was the only one he had opened up to. It didn’t look like it anymore and she was a little hurt by it.
“So, uh, who’s Jason?” Ezra’s question pulled her out of her thoughts.
“He is Ali’s brother,” she replied, a little confused.
“Oh, I know that,” Ezra chuckled nervously. “I didn’t know he was friends with Aria’s family.”
“Yeah, Mrs. Montgomery and Mrs. DiLaurentis are friends,” said [Y/N].
“Oh,” Ezra said to himself, nodding.
[Y/N] was a little puzzled by Ezra’s words. She wondered if he felt threatened by Jason. She didn’t think he needed to worry, but she didn’t know anymore.
She was saved from further conversation with Ezra by the chiming of her phone.
“Excuse me,” she told Ezra.
“Yeah, no problem,” he smiled at her before walking to the dishwasher, looking towards the living room once.
Unable to help herself, [Y/N] did the same. Aria was sitting on the sofa while Jason sat in front of her on the coffee table; the two of them seemed to be in an intense conversation.
Gulping down the uncomfortable feeling, [Y/N] exited through the door from the kitchen. She walked around to the front porch and sat on the swing, checking her phone. Hanna had messaged her, wondering how the evening was going. Instead of texting back, she called Hanna, who answered on the first ring.
“Hi, bestie!” came Hanna’s cheery voice, making [Y/N] smile.
“Hey, Hanna banana,” she replied.
“Is everything okay?” Hanna asked in alert. “Why do you sound dull?”
“Is it that easy to read me?” [Y/N] chuckled.
“I’ve only known you since we were in diapers, so yeah,” Hanna grinned before demanding. “Now, spill.”
“Yeah, everything’s okay,” [Y/N] sighed. “It’s just been a lot.”
“Did something happen?” Hanna questioned in worry.
“Yes, but it’s not really my place to say,” [Y/N] replied. “There’s something else I need to talk to you about. I want to talk in person, though.”
“Of course,” Hanna said immediately. “Are you home now?”
“Not yet,” said [Y/N]. “I’m still Aria’s. Aria said she’ll drive me home, but I don’t think she can.”
“Do you want me to come and get you?” asked Hanna.
“I’d like that, actually,” [Y/N] answered.
“Okay, perfect,” Hanna replied. “And, [y/n/n], whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”
“I know,” [Y/N] smiled. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Hanna said back. “I should be there soon.”
“Okay, thank you,” [Y/N] said, ending the call.
It got a little chilly and [Y/N] went inside the house. She was taken aback when she walked into a scene which included a frantic Aria asking Jason and Ezra to leave. Jason seemed confused by Aria’s request while Ezra was shocked. Aria further explained, saying that it would be good for Mike to deal with just his family at this time.
“And, [y/n/n], do you mind if I drive you home in a little bit?” Aria asked, feeling guilty.
“It’s alright, Hanna’s on her way here,” [Y/N] smiled.
“I’m sorry,” Aria sighed.
“Don’t be,” [Y/N] shook her head.
Ezra walked towards the door first and Aria followed him. Jason lingered behind, his eyes on [Y/N].
“Hey,” he said almost cautiously. He could sense something was wrong by [Y/N]’s hesitant posture. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” she tried her best to smile at him. “It’s been an overwhelming evening.”
“I agree,” he nodded. “I- I’ll text you later?”
“Sure,” she replied.
[Y/N] was acting differently; her words and demeanor were a little detached compared to her natural friendliness. As much as Jason wanted to find out what was wrong, he knew he had to leave as Aria waited almost impatiently by the door. Passing one last smile to [Y/N], he said his goodbyes to Aria before leaving.
“I’m sorry,” Aria breathed out, stressed. She leaned back against the front door after shutting the door behind Jason and Ezra.
“Aria, stop, you don’t have to apologize to me,” [Y/N] said gently. The Montgomery house felt large with just the two of them standing in the foyer.
“I… I feel terrible,” Aria said, walking closer to [Y/N] and stopping in front of her. Her eyes were glassy as she spoke. “I didn’t expect the evening to go the way it did.”
[Y/N] frowned, “What happened tonight was not your fault at all. You couldn’t have known Mike would do something like this.”
Aria’s gaze shifted to the floor as she bit on her bottom lip. The action made [Y/N] wonder if there was a deep reason behind Aria feeling guilty.
“That’s the thing, [y/n/n],” Aria sniffled, facing her friend again. “He’s been doing this for a while now.”
“What?” [Y/N] whispered. There was no judgment but pure shock in her voice.
“A few weeks ago, Jason caught him. Mike was trying to break into his house,” Aria explained with a shaky breath. “Jason didn’t call the police. He just… he brought Mike home. My parents weren’t home and I asked him not to say anything to them. Things are finally starting to feel normal with my family again. I was scared this would break the… stability. And, Mike promised me he won’t repeat it.”
“Aria, I’m so sorry,” [Y/N] said, stepping forward to hug Aria, who tightened her arms around her. She truly felt terrible for Aria. Between A, her secret relationship with Ezra, and Mike’s felonies, Aria was dealing with so much.
[Y/N] also realized ‘the look’ shared between Aria and Jason had to do with Mike only. She felt a little silly now, thinking Aria had maybe replaced her in Jason’s life. Aria was perfectly happy in her relationship with Ezra.
Besides, the way Jason had seeked her out the last few times made her believe once again that their attraction might be mutual.
“What do I do now?” Aria asked, pulling back from the hug.
“For now? When Mike comes home, just talk to him,” [Y/N] advised. “Don’t ambush him. I’m pretty sure your parents are upset enough. If you come at him too hard as well, he might just shut himself.”
“But, I’m so upset with him, [y/n/n],” Aria said, crossing her arms across her chest. “He stole from Emily’s house. He was probably the one who knocked me down at Spencer’s! And… god, are you ready for this? He stole from Jenna Marshall. He broke into a blind girl’s home.”
“Oh my god,” [Y/N] whispered, stunned again.
“I know, I felt the same way,” Aria nodded. “I checked his bedroom and found a bag full of things he stole. There was a lamp in there. The exact same one Jenna made in that pottery class at Hollis.”
[Y/N] let out a heavy breath, shaking her head. She didn’t know how to respond.
“That’s why I asked Ezra and Jason to leave,” Aria said, looking exhausted.
“Okay,” [Y/N] said, trying to wrap her mind around everything. “But like I said, talk to him and find out what’s going on.”
“I’ll try,” Aria agreed, though unconvinced.
[Y/N] phone pinged in her hand and she checked it to see a text from Hanna.
“Hanna’s here,” [Y/N] told Aria. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah,” Aria nodded with a weak smile. “I’m sure my parents and Mike would be home any minute.”
“Okay, let me know if you need anything,” [Y/N] said, giving one more hug to Aria.
“I will,” Aria replied, hugging her friend tight before pulling back. Her eyes filled with guilt as she spoke, “And, uh, do you mind keeping this between us? About Mike?”
“Of course,” [Y/N] replied. “See you later.”
“Bye and thank you,” Aria said gratefully.
[Y/N] gave her one last smile before walking out of the house and into the cool night air, towards Hanna's car parked by the curb.
