Picture This

Chapter 27

Jason had spent most of the day trying to keep me smiling and make up for the way he acted last night, he did this by walking me to all of my classes, bringing me lunch from the Grille, carrying my bags for me, and sitting with my friends and I for lunch. It was lunch that meant the most to me, and he knew it too. He made a show of talking to all of my friends, asking how Emily is doing, asking if Spencer got yelled at by her dad, and assuring Hannah his dad didn't actually think she stole Ali's body.

"There have been more people than just you calling my mother to tell her they've seen Ali, my dad only holds a grudge for you because you were her friend and it was so close before we found her body," Jason assured Hanna, who was grateful to hear that.

After school I hung out in my mom's classroom until he was done mentoring, then he drove me to the Brew to pick up my car. We threw around ideas for what we could do for dinner but never settled on anything until we reached the Brew. Instead of just picking my car up and driving home, we went inside to sit down and talk for a while, trying to get some more alone but public time -it didn't work.

"Jason?" We walked right in as Cece was paying for a latte. She smiled a big, flirtatious, and Alison type smile at him, her eyes running down his arm to raise an eyebrow at our entwined hands, still plastering on that perfect smile. "Hi Aria," Cece says looking at me and trying to evoke fear or jealousy out of me while still appearing as a princess, but she couldn't see Jason's thumb rubbing circles on my hand to protect me from those feelings.

"Hey," I say with a smile, continuing to walk into the door and go up to the counter.

"I didn't realize when Emily told me Jason wasn't single she meant you, that's adorable." If she had said sweet or possibly cute, it wouldn't have seemed demeaning, but adorable? "How long have you been dating?"

"Six months," Jason answers immediately, surprising me that he knew without having to think about it.

His quick answer makes Cece hesitate, but she sips her latte to cover it up and smiles. "That's nice. Well, I have to be off, I don't want to be late for my job. See you around, Jason. Bye Aria." She nods to both of us and then leaves the Brew.

I lost my appetite so I walk over to the couches to sit down, Jason following me. "She's such a bitch."

"She's an older Ali." I shake my head and lean against Jason's shoulder.

"I don't know why I dated her, or how it lasted a year."

"I don't know how someone could break up with you right after you found out Ali was dead," I shake my head in disgust and Jason chuckles. "So what are we doing for dinner?" Jason opens his mouth, about to speak when his phone starts ringing. Instead of the regular ringtone, it's the Jaw's ringtone. I raise my eyebrows, amused, as he answers.

"Dad." Jason answers the phone, and I cover my mouth to muffle the chuckles as Jason pushes me against the couch to shut up, but he didn't seem upset at me laughing at him. "I wasn't planning to be home for- I actually do- You haven't lived there in two years! I have plans with Aria - What?" I try to follow the conversation, rubbing Jason's shoulder when he gets upset. "Do you want to have dinner with my father?" He asks me, my eyes widen.

"Um, yeah sure," I say as Jason shakes his head.

"She said no," I hear his dad yell that he heard me and then hang up. "Shit." Jason mutters, leaning back against the couch and running a hand through his hair. "Always say you have plans, Aria."

"Sorry," I say, moving into his side and placing my head next to him. "Isn't it good that he wants to have dinner with me?"
"No, a dinner with my father is never good." Jason shakes his head and leans on me, kissing the side of my head. "I need a place of my own."