𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒔, 𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒎. ¹

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩

the room was dimly lit, the soft glow from the bedside lamp casting shadows across the walls. olivia sat on the edge of her bed, hands clasped together as she stared down at the floor. aria was curled up beside her, legs tucked under her, watching her carefully.

"you're scaring me," aria admitted, breaking the silence. "just say it, whatever it is."

olivia exhaled, rubbing her hands over her face. "i need you to listen, okay? like, really listen."

aria nodded softly, shifting slightly closer. "okay."

olivia hesitated, her throat tightening. she had carried this weight for so long, buried it so deep that speaking it into existence made her feel like she was going to crack open. but this was aria. she deserved the truth.

"i never cheated on you," olivia said softly. "i never would."

aria's expression didn't change, but her shoulders relaxed slightly, like she had been bracing for impact. "then why-why do you keep going back to pittsburgh? why do you act like there's this whole part of you i'll never get to know?"

olivia swallowed hard. "because there is."

aria furrowed her brows, concern flickering across her face. olivia forced herself to breathe, fingers tightening around the sheets as she finally said it.

"i left pittsburgh when i was sixteen," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "but before that, when i was fifteen... i got pregnant."

aria didn't react at first, like the words hadn't fully settled. then her lips parted slightly. "what?"

olivia nodded, looking away. "his name was damon. he was twenty-four and he was beautiful" she let out a bitter laugh. "i thought it was love. thought it was normal. but when my mom found out, she lost it. she made me stop seeing him, and when i had my son, she-" olivia's breath hitched. "she took him. she said i was too young, that I didn't get a say. and then she sent me here. to rosewood. like i could just forget him."

aria covered her mouth, her eyes wide. "oh my god."

"i tried to move on," olivia continued, her voice steadier now. "i tried so hard. but i couldn't. i can't. that's why i keep going back. i go to pittsburgh to see him, even if it's from a distance. he's growing up without me, and there's nothing i can do about it."

silence settled between them, heavy and suffocating. olivia was afraid to look at aria, afraid of what she'd see in her eyes-pity, judgment, disbelief.

but when aria finally moved, it wasn't to pull away. it was to reach for olivia, wrapping her arms around her tightly, like she could hold her together.

"liv," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "i-god, i'm so sorry. i didn't know."

olivia squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in aria's shoulder. "i didn't want you to."

aria pulled back just enough to cup olivia's face, forcing her to look at her. "you should've told me. you didn't have to carry this alone."

olivia's lip trembled, and for the first time in a long time, she let herself fall apart. "i was scared."

aria kissed her forehead, her grip tightening. "you don't have to be scared anymore."

for the first time, olivia let herself believe that might be true.