In The Off Chance (A Jaria Story)

Chapter 5 - "Goodbye"

The morning so far was dreadful. I woke up feeling like a zombie, tired and drowsy due to my lack of sleep. I tossed and turned in my too- hot and then too-cold bed thinking over my ... situation. Most girls would kill to be with either Ezra or Jason, and here I am wondering if I should just go with neither. I loved Ezra and maybe a part of me always will. He was the first one I've ever felt this for. But things have been so tense lately. It's almost like there's no spark or any sort of connection at all. But he's what I know; he's my comfort zone. But with Jason, everything feels so exciting and amazing and right. But Hanna, Emily, and Spencer don't like him. They think he's some sort of creep. Why would they even think that? Just because he shuts his blinds doesn't make him a vampire, Spencer. Some people like their privacy.

But ugh, they could be right, I don't know. To top off this terrible morning, I almost dozed off in science and the teacher nearly strangled me. Then I forgot my algebra homework at home and I got hit in the head with a dodgeball in gym. So far, the only good thing about today is this hot coffee I'm drinking in the lunchroom. The girls aren't sitting with me, which sort of makes me upset. But then again, I'm thankful for the quiet. I still have to think. 

Or, there was quiet. Until Emily came scrambling over to me. "Why is your phone turned off?" she huffed as she sat in the chair across from me. I nearly choked on my drink as she came running over. "I was trying to reach you all night!"

"I'm sorry," I pleaded. "I was avoiding someone's call." I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking of that blonde haired boy who had consumed my thoughts since that day at the basketball courts. 

"I need to talk to you about Jason," she hissed his name.

"Well, I need to talk to you about Jason," I gave a quick look around the cafeteria before leaning in to Em. "He kissed me," I whispered. The memory still made my heart race.

"Aria!"

"I know, it was a mistake! Look, I was trying to figure out a way to tell you guys. I totally don't know how to tell Ezra. Do I even tell him? I -"

Emily interjected, "Aria. Jason had pictures of you. Creepy pictures!"

"...What?"

"Spencer and I found a darkroom in his woodshed. He developed photographs of you sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

"Sleeping!  Or drugged,"

I paused, staring at her in shock. Jason wouldn't do that. He's not some creep. Unless he did take those photos ... because he "cared" about me? Oh, my god. I have a crush on a stalker. On MY stalker. "Okay, well I'm officially terrified." I whispered.

Spencer came and sat down. "Good, okay, it's about time! And for the record, I never bought Jason's whole act. I mean, hanging around here, pretending to be concerned about "at risk youth", using your brother to get to you!" she ranted on. 
"Hold on," I warned. "He really did help Mike,"

"So he could get in your house!"

"And kiss you!" Emily added.

"Wait, what? You're kissing him now?" Spencer cried.

I shot Emily a deadly glare and she looked down. "No, he kissed me. Thanks, Em, I really needed that on top of everything else." 

"Aria, he's dangerous." Spencer advised.

I stared at her and then shook my head. "Fine. Look, fine, I - I gotta go," I couldn't sit there and hear them just say all of that about Jason. There had to be an explanation. Sure, he was related to Ali. But he couldn't be creepy like her. I got up and hurried away. I walked to my locker, breathing heavily against it. I can't deal with this. With any of this. I had enough drama with A - I didn't need the additional guy drama. I may not be to happy with this decision that I'm making ... but it has to be for the best. I tossed my coffee away in the garbage next to the row of lockers. I put in my combination and opened mine, grabbing my books and stuffing them in my bag. That, plus brushing my hair and putting on lip gloss took about two minutes. I still had some time until class so I decided to just walk there anyway.