Team Sparia

Chapter 38 - "Aria wait."

Aria's POV
I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing or who I was seeing for that matter. She was kneeling beside me looking at me through her glasses that I had told her so many times that she needed. I was so shocked that I just said the first thing that popped into my head. "You got glasses?" I ask. Lame, I know, but I was a little taken aback by how stunningly beautiful she had become. My heart started racing a mile a minute as she reached her hand to mine.
"You got engaged." She points out examining the ring. That broke the whole magical moment of me seeing her again. I let her look at the ring unable to draw my hand back because I liked the feeling I got when she touched my skin. It sent goosebumps all over me. I was engaged to Ezra, who I had started dating just a little under two years ago. And now, after five years of not talking to Spencer, here she was looking at me with concern. Her lips move but I hear nothing. I shake my head trying to focus on what she was saying rather than my thoughts. "Aria?" She asks. My heart skips a beat when I hear her say my name. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I shake my head no in response and she helps me up off of the floor. "Are you sure?" She asks again giving me a once over. There was something very unnerving about the way she did it, like she wasn't sure what she was feeling and I knew how that felt completely.
"I'm good." I say. She nods her head before walking past me. Was that it? Was she not going to talk to me anymore? "Spencer?" I ask. It felt weird to say her name after five years of never saying it. She doesn't respond verbally but she does look at me curiously. "Thanks." Again I say the first thing popping into my head. She cocks her head to the side narrowing her eyes at me. She was being very hostile which I could understand why but I didn't like it one bit. "You told my mom to tell me congratulations so, thanks." I couldn't exactly back up why I was saying thanks even though it was horrible to bring up the engagement again. I felt like I was rubbing it in her face - something I didn't want to do.
"I didn't mean it." She replies emotionless. "Are you just going to stand there or, are you going to listen to me pee?" She asks. Her hostile exterior made me want to stay, I wanted to break that exterior like I had so many times in the past, but that wasn't my job anymore.
"I was just leaving." I say turning around facing away from her.
"Aria wait." She calls. I turn around again and for a brief second I see that her guard is dropped her icy exterior gone. "It's good to see you again." She says offering me a very small smile.
"You too." I reply before exiting the bathroom.

That couldn't have been anymore awkward, well, unless I had been indecent then I suppose it would have been a lot more awkward. She was wearing that cute blazer that I told her I loved and her glasses made her look so much more sophisticated. She was so well put together and focused - I could tell that from just the few minutes I had been with her. "Aria?" A male voice calls from down the school hallway. "Hey there you, where have you been?" Ezra takes my hand into his kissing it gently. I give him a weak smile still reeling from the strange meeting between Spencer and I in the bathroom.
"I just- I just went to the bathroom and then I left something in my classroom." I reply not mentioning running into Spencer - that would just worry him and I didn't want to do that.
"Something in your classroom? Did you get it?" He asks probably noticing I wasn't holding anything.
"No, I thought it was there but it wasn't. Let's get back people will be missing us." I say dismissively. I worked as an English teacher at Rosewood High but in my spare time I pursued my musical career. Ezra was incredibly supportive of all my passions and sometimes I get the feeling that he's just a little too perfect. He takes my hand and leads me back towards the gym.

The reunion was still going on. I hadn't seen Spencer since the bathroom incident so maybe she had left. "Aria!" I hear someone yell excitedly. Ezra leans down and places a kiss on top of my head. "I'll be right back okay?" He says walking off. I suspected that he just wanted to give me some alone time with whoever had yelled. I'm tackled in a hug before I get the chance to properly look at the person but I instantly know who it is.
"Hanna." I say hugging her tightly.
"It's been years since I've seen you." She says pulling away. We had talked here and there but we hadn't actually seen each other until today. "How are you? Are you okay? How's the engagement? Is Mr Fitz-" Hanna gushes and I hold up my hands.
"Wow, slow down Han." I felt a little overwhelmed by her questions. "I'm fine and the engagement is going great." I reply.
"Erm, so listen, we were going to go out for a few drinks if you wanted to join?" She asks sheepishly.
"Who's we?" I ask suspiciously.
"Well, me, you, Emily and... Spencer." She says Spencer's name a little hesitantly like she wasn't sure if she should bring her up.
"I don't think Spencer wants that." I reply dismissively. She was so hostile in the bathroom - I didn't know if I could handle that for the whole night.
"Oh come on, she still wants to be your friend and I'll make sure to get her really drunk." Hanna looks at me hopefully and I laugh at the thought of Hanna getting Spencer drunk. "We all know that Spencer is a lot more fun when she's drunk." Hanna encourages me. With the look that she was giving me I couldn't exactly turn her down.
"Okay, but I don't want to get drunk." I warn.
"Fine, I won't give you any alcohol and I'll give Spencer all the alcohol, sound like a deal?" Hanna asks smiling at me. I return the smile eagerly. It felt so good to finally be reunited with Hanna after so many years. What was one night out going to hurt?
"Deal." I confirm. Spencer and Emily walk over laughing and carrying what looked like punch but I had a suspicion that maybe Hanna had spiced up their drinks a little.
"We're all going out!" Hanna announces grabbing our wrists. Spencer looks at me for a long moment, seemingly having an internal struggle, then she just shrugs it off. Ezra finds me again showing off his charming smile.
"Hey guys." He greets my friends. I see Spencer instantly scowl, Hanna seems pretty natural but keeps glancing at Spencer and Emily is returning Ezra's wide smile.
"Hey Fitz." Spencer replies walking away towards the exit. Ezra smiles sadly probably at the way that Spencer was acting. I noticed that she had called him Fitz, she hadn't even bothered with the Mr, I guess somethings just don't change.
"Hey you, so we're just going to go out." I tell Ezra. He looks happily at me.
"Okay, but be careful." He kisses me on the lips and I kiss him back. I love Ezra, I do, but sometimes I get the feeling that he treats me a little too good. He never challenges me, he just goes along with what I say and he always supports my ideas even if they're crazy. I know that they're actually good qualities, I just feel like he shouldn't be this perfect.
"I will." I reply when he pulls back from my lips. Hanna grabs my wrist again pulling me away from Ezra and towards the exit. Spencer was waiting outside leaning against the building with her arms crossed over her chest. She adjusts her glasses when she sees us and joins us again not saying much.