To Live Forever

Chapter 34

The pictures of the bodies of the children still swam around Jason's mind. He had acted strong in front of the gang and Aria as the people from the police station had come and taken the corpses away, but deep down he knew how shaken he was.

He still couldn't get it. How could anyone do this to children? How could someone be so ruthless? So lifeless? That they would hurt innocent children just so that they could continue with their inhumane acts.

It was absurd. It made Jason's blood boil. As someone who had felt firsthand, how it felt when someone close to you died, he couldn't even imagine the pain of the parents and the families of the children who had been murdered, or the ones who were still missing.

Jason was looking at the TV in front of him, glaring at the screen as the lady interviewed a woman who's teen daughter had been kidnapped.

"I hope she comes back home, Mrs. Smith. I can see how much you miss her." She was saying, her voice sounding fake somehow, as if everything was just an act.

Jason kept staring at the TV, so concentrated on it that he didn't feel the pair of hands sliding down his right arm, and he looked to the side to see Aria, who smiled at him sadly.

"Hey." Jason smiled at her, keeping an arm around her waist as she sat down beside him on the sofa.

"Hi. You okay?" She asked, her voice low and still a bit shaky from all the medicines Nathan was asking her to have.

"I'm good. You?"

"Better." She sighed, and then looked down as she continued, "I know you don't approve of the plan."

Jason said nothing, fixing his eyes on their entwined hands, as Aria looked at him.

"Jason..."

"Its not my place to say anything, Aria." Jason said, "Of course I'm worrying for you. I'm pretty sure that the boys are worrying too. But... I trust you if you trust yourself. Just...just promise me that you won't let anything happen to yourself. If I'm not there. If one of the boys are not there. Promise me."

Aria stared at him for a moment before leaning in and kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"I promise. I'll try my hardest."

Jason didn't know if that was enough for him to stop worrying but he smiled nonetheless.

She sighed, still looking at him and then she smiled, the familiar cleft appearing which made Jason's heart race.

"You know...I really like you."

Jason almost laughed out loud.

"Really?" He said, feinging surprise and looking at her with a mocking expression.

She kept her face straight and nodded solemnly, "Yeah. I don't know why. You're not even that hot."

"Excuse you? I'm much more hotter than you." Jason scoffed.

"In your dreams. I think...Noah is more hotter than you." She nodded and Jason gasped.

"Hey, that's not fair. You just said you liked me!"

"Well...he is hot." Aria shrugged and Jason crossed his arms.

"Well. Everyone's really nice looking in the gang. But I'm more nice looking." He said and Aria laughed.

"Sure, buddy. I still stand with my earlier statement."

Jason smirked, leaning closer to her and pressing his lips against her neck, making her gasp softly as he almost growled, "That's not what you were saying last night."