Picture This

Chapter 15

"Thank you for taking the time to dropping these off for me, Mr. Dilaurentis." Principal Tamborelli says, standing up and taking the files from Jason.

"Please, call me Jason. And it didn't bother me, I was happy to help those kids." He readjusts the bags of food on his arm and makes it obvious he has somewhere to be.

"Yes, may I ask you about your relationship with some of the students?"

"I promised the kids I helped that their secrets were safe with me, sir, anything I thought needed to be told to their parents are in those files." Jason explains, not wanting to stay and chat with the corrupt principal.

"Yes, I mean your relationship with Ms. Montgomery."

"Aria?" Jason's voice makes Principal Tamborelli hesitate.

"Yes, the other teachers and students have seen you around campus with her and are beginning to talk. I want to make it clear-"

"I am not a teacher here," Jason interrupts, getting angry but trying to keep his cool because he knew this was going to happen. "I'm a volunteer, I am allowed to have a relationship with whomever I please. If you would like me to stop helping your students, for free, because you don't want me talking to certain other students, then I will. But until you can come up with a reason to have me banned from the school premises, I can come and visit the kids and still help them while continuing my relationship with Aria." He turns his back on the older man and opens the door. "Have a good day." Jason walks through the halls towards Aria's locker where she told him she would meet her. He sees her leaning against the locker looking around for him and glancing at her phone, when she glances back up he stands in front of her and she smiles.

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"Hey, how was Principal Tamborelli?" I ask when I see Jason, taking the bags from him and walking towards the courtyard to eat lunch with the girls.

"He tried to tell me not to spend so much time with you," Jason grumbles, taking the bags back from me to carry them for me.

"He's not your boss," I comment bitterly, this was just what Ezra had warned me about, but not nearly as bad.

"I know, I told him so." I glance up at Jason but drops the conversation, wondering if he got angry with my principal. I asks him about his day and he about mine, when we reach the entrance to the courtyard, we both look up to find a spot to sit, I spot Jenna and Noel huddled in a corner and am about to suggest they sit in front of the school when Jason steps away from me.

"Spencer?" Jason walks up to his half sister, I follow him, surprised he is talking to her and wondering why.

"Hey." Spencer says, my only friend still worry around Jason because of her father, the rest of the girls have warmed up to my friendship with him. Though I haven't figured out what our relationship is now. Spencer glances at me then back to Jason. "What are you doing here?" She eyes the takeout bags in his hands and me. "Is this a date?"

"Jason was just dropping files off for the kids he was counseling and brought me food from the Brew," I answer before Jason can, not wanting this to be our first date, if we have one, but not wanting it to be awkward if he said yes and I said no.

"You were out of town right?" She asks, going into lawyer mode. I give her a look that she ignores.

"Yeah, I was in Georgia. We're still trying to fix up my grandmother's house. It needs a little work." Spencer nods, not seeming to buy it but if she needs evidence Jason has pictures. "Hey can you, uh, do me a favor?" I rock a little on my heels, having an idea of what's coming.

"Um, what do you need?" Spencer glances at me for heads up but I just shrug and act like I don't know anything.

"Give your father a message for me. Tell him he owes me a call," Jason develops his serious tone as he talks, the one that makes Spencer more suspicious.

"Why?"

"Just give him the message. I'm back and he can't keep dodging me." Jason and Spencer have a staring standoff, both trying to read the other one's expression, and whether Jason knows or not, they both have the same expressions on.

"Hey Jason!" We turn to see my mom jogging up to us, she glances at the food in Jason's hand and smirks at me. "Sorry to interrupt." She nods towards Spencer.

"That's okay, we we're done." Jason turns towards my mom while Spencer turns to me, mouthing "what?" and looking at Jason than back to me. I just shrug my shoulders and listen to my mom.

"-I'm still short on staff. Are you by any chance free?" My mom asks.

"I don't think so," Jason shakes his head, and glances down at me while I try to hide my chuckle. Jason would go crazy if he had to stay the night in this school listening to a bunch of teenagers talk about their problems.

"Well, it was worth a try," my mom turns to Spencer. " Please tell me your parents are still on board because I need bodies." Jason jerks a little next to me in surprise and looks at my mom and then Spencer.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Spencer nods.

"What's the event? Maybe I uh.. maybe I can be there." Jason doesn't meet my eyes as I glance up at him and we both don't meet Spencer's as she looks at Jason with raised eyebrows.

"Really?" My mom asks relieved.

"Yeah, I mean.. If you're desperate enough to ask me, then sure. Count me in." Jason chuckles a little, smiling like he does when he gets his ways and looks at Spencer. Spencer turns her head a little, questioning him, but smiles along as my mom explains to Jason what's going on tonight, Spencer excuses herself after a few minutes and goes inside to eat, Jason, my mom and I sit down so I can eat before the bell rings. My mom gets called away by another teacher a few minutes later and it's just Jason and I.

"You want to chaperone?" I ask, taking a bite of my bread and raising an eyebrow.

"Peter is going to talk to me whether he likes it or not," Jason answers, giving me a look not to question him.

"You already know, what you know, why do you need to talk to him?" I ask.

"To get him to tell Spencer, to get him to answer some more of my questions." I set down my food and meet his gaze.

"What questions?"

"Those letters I found? I found $15,000 in the same box, $5,000 in each envelop." His head his tilted to the side and one eyebrow is raised, he wants me to put the pieces together.

"Ali blackmailed Mr. Hastings into giving her money to stay quiet?" I whisper, my eyes wide as Jason nods. "So you want to ask Mr. Hastings if it's true, or something else?"

"It's true, I just need to talk to him about it. I need to talk to him about it all. He can't act like I'm not here the rest of my life anymore."

"What if it's not him Ali was blackmailing?" I ask, Ali in a brunette wig popping up in my mind.

"It is, Aria," Jason snaps at me, making me lean back a little. I narrow my eyes at him, and he does the same, in the back ground the bell rings.

"Thanks for the food," I snap at him, grabbing my backpack and standing up. I grab the bag that I had been throwing my trash in, and walk away.