-Aria-
I talk to Aunt Betty for about half an hour. She suggested that I tell my mom the complete and honest truth and then admit that I messed up and ask her to forgive me. And then to take whatever conequences she dishes out. My first instinct was to laugh and then think of some really good lie to cover everything up. But then I realized that Aunt Betty was right. Completly right.
Then she asked to pray with me. Uh, yeah. I said sure but I tuned her out and went over how I would tell my mom in my head. I guess I'd just spit it out and beg for mercy.
When I finally take my cell phone and sit at the table with Spencer and Aunt Betty, it's already noon. I stare at my phone for what felt like years, but it was only about five second.
"Come on, Aria. You can do it."
I sigh. "Ok," I say looking up to see their eyes intentally on me. "But can you guys not stare at me like that please?"
They both snicker a little and get up. Aunt Betty grabs a magazine and starts to flip through it, and Spencer takes about her phone and starts playing solitare.
I sigh and go to call my mom, but my phone rings. I nearly jump out of my skin. Of course, it's my mom.
"Go ahead, dear." Aunt Betty says.
I take a deep breath and answer it. "Mom, hey..."
"You are SO dead. I can't even believe you, Aria!" I move the phone away from my ear. Her loud pericing voice hurts more than just my ear.
"Mom, I -"
"You're there with Fitz, aren't you?!"
I take a deep breath yet again. "Yes, I'm -"
"Where are you?!" She asks.
"I'm in Kansas... Ezra's family owns a farm and we're -"
"Oh, Aria!"
"I'm sorry. I -"
"SORRY?! You lied to me about where you were and who you were with and all you have to say is SORRY?!"
"I can't say anything, cause you won't let me talk!" I practically yell. Aunt Betty and Spencer both look up at me. I'm sure they can hear everything my mom's saying too, they just pretend they can't.
"You lost the right to talk when you stopped telling the truth."
"Ok mom, but may I remind you that YOU called ME to TALK? If all you wanted to do was tell me how awful I was you could've left it in a voicemail."
She's silent for a long time. "Fine. Go ahead."
I take a deep breath and look at Aunt Betty. "What I did was wrong, and -"
"Yeah, you got that right. How could you be so irresponsible?!"
I wait a few seconds. "Are you done?" I say.
She's silent.
"What I did was wrong. And I'm very sorry. It was irresponsible, immature, disrespectful and foolish. And I'm sorry I lied about where I was going and who I was with. There's no excuse for
what I did but... if you'd let me I'd like to explain to you why I did it..."
"You can TRY."
"Okay... Well," I pause. "Did you ever do anything really stupid with dad before you were married? As teenagers?"
"This isn't about me. It's about you and your mistakes. Not mine."
"I know. I'm trying to make you understand. When you were young, and you did something totally stupid, and you knew it was wrong, but somehow it just felt really right, and you figured that doing it, and having consequences was better than not doing it.. and having to continue on as you were?"
