Jaria happy after

19

Emily darted her eyes around Jason's room, she has been in there before but it still felt strange. She has been in the Dilarentis house many times but Jason's room was always the forbidden area, clearly not for Aria but that's a whole other story. Lately she's been spending an increasing amount of time with Alison and her room is just across the hall from his, yet she never felt the urge to go in there, up until now. 

Emily gasped at how noticeable the change was of now vs what he remembered it as. The baseball bat, and dirty football boots were nowhere to be seen, probably because his hobbies has changed over time, but it just looked tidy, grown up even. There was a double bed, with a landscape of what Emily assumed was Brazil, and a couple of pictures stuck next to it, some of them was of him and Alison, one of his parents, a couple of pictures of him with his friends partying, but what stroke out to Emily the most was a picture with a couple hugging, and a beautiful waterfall in the background, it looked like a picture from a travelling brochure so it took a while before she realised it was him with her best friend Aria. Emily grin at the picture because their happiness was evident. It was the picture taken from the trip to Keating when his car has broken down.

Jason swung his leather desk chair around on the other side of the room "heyy Ems" he said confused, looking slightly gloomy. 
Emily turned around, she got so caught up in judging his room she forgot he was in there in the first place. "hi" she answered in a squeaky voice. 
Jason just looked at her in confusion, pressing for an explanation, usually Alison's friend don't just barge into his room like that so it was something new and unexpected.
"I'm here to talk about Aria" she said at last, breaking the awkward silence between them. 
"yes what about her?" he sounded way too defensive for his liking. 

"I'm just going to make this quick, you're miserable, she's miserable, talk to her and work it out" Emily demanded. 

"it's easier said than done" he rolled his eyes and turned his chair back around to face his computer. 

Fucking children! Emily thought to herself. 

Emily went back to Alison's room without saying another word, they have to figure it out themselves at the end of the day, Aria going to New York is not the end of the world, they could travel, besides other couples manage it. Ali crossed her legs on the bed and stared at Emily just sighing and looking into space in deep thoughts, she knew that look very well. 

She couldn't take it anymore and laughed. "whaaat?" Emily asked 

"what are you thinking about?" Ali asked cheekily, if there was an opportunity to tease Ems about anything, she'll take it, that's just the way it always has been.  But maybe this time she won't, Alison felt sorry for her brother and also wanted what's best for her friend so between the both of them they came up with a great 

"Is playing cupid something worth putting on my CV?" Ali laughed, Emily reciprocated the laugher and they ended up being in tears, it was like the old time all over again, when they were still going to high school and before the whole disappearing, they would try and set up Aria with Noel, or Hanna with some blonde pool guy that they didn't even know a name of but it never ended so well, hopefully this time will be different. 

_______________

In the last couple of days, neither Aria or Jason spoke up to one another, Jason was too disappointed and Aria figured she should give him some space, when he's ready he'll come. However going through with such conviction was rather hard, every time something funny happened she felt the urge to text him, every weird vine she's seen she was tempted to forward to him, even when she was driving and one of Tinashe songs was on he was tempted to put it on louder just because she knew Jason had a little celebrity crush on her. Maybe she didn't know him throughout, she missed him badly and it only has been 2 days, everything reminded her of him, it just hurt not to know how he is feeling and if she wants to talk to her at all ever again. 

She tried to stop herself from such depressive thoughts, it's okay, he just needs some space to figure it out, it's okay, it will be okay this is not the end - Aria repeated calming herself down. 

Aria's phone beeped. She got off her bed and walked over to the chest drawer by her door to retrieve her phone. It was a message from Jason. 

                 :can we meet? x

This immediately put a smile across her face, at least he wanted to talk, but what if it was something bad, what if it really was the end. She was now anxious and nervous above anything else. Her excitement has diminished into worry and her smile was replaced with a blank expression of not knowing what comes next.