IF I COULD TALK (Jason & Aria)

Chapter Eleven

He stood in front of the door for about 15 minutes trying to make up his mind whether to knock or leave. After some, slow passing, minutes he decided to just knock. It was after sunset and 3 days after the accident.

She opened the door to find him standing on the footsteps and from the look of his face he seemed reluctant.

"Hi" Aria whispered

"Hi" Jason let out a breath he didn't know he was holding "Can I come in?"

"Sure" She smiled moving to give him space

He entered overwhelmed with the thoughts conflicting in his mind not wanting to comply and be arranged into comprehensible sentences. He can see clearly her weary expression and the last thing he wanted to make her more uncomfortable.

Biting her lips, she sat facing him feeling the warmth from his existence in the same place. "How's Al-"

She was cut off by him "I wanted to check on you" He started with his green eyes staring into hers "How are you doing?" He stressed on the last sentence wanting the truth.

She let out a loud breath "Tired" resting her head on the back of the couch "I'm tired of feeling scared of something I don't know. The need to get away from home" Her mind drifted to the word home.

"You say you are scared, but still doesn't let somebody help you" He continued quickly before he hear the same nonsense he heard from Alison and Spencer "Let me help you...Let me help you all to put an end to this, just tell me" He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees "When more people know by that you are preventing them from hurting you, even accidentally"

She looked at him acknowledging his reference to the Halloween accident "Look..." He rested him right hand on hers "I'm terribly sorry about that night, and if I could take it all back I wouldn't hesitate to do it in a blink of an eye"

She hesitated and then started speaking "Look it doesn't have anything to do with not trusting you-"

"I didn't say that"

She rolled her eyes, he has the ability to be irritating within a few seconds without even making any effort "But..." She continued raising her voice a little bit "I appreciate your apology" She stood up quickly getting a small box from the table handing it to him.

He knew it was the bracelet he gave it to her, even though it ached his heart a little bit he took it from her anyway. Still couldn't talk...

Wow that easily... She raised her eyebrows and sat in her place. She can't read neither his body nor face expression. And I can't get to know why thinking to herself.

"Listen Aria..." Jason started frowning "I apologize for making us jump many steps forward and complicating everything" He refused to use the word relationship, not knowing whether it was coming out of stubbornness or embarrassment "But I really want to help you, even as a friend, and maybe even make it up to you"

Please...

Her mind kept racing whether to seek his help or he's still untrustworthy;

''You don't know what I'll do if something happened to you''

"I was leaving...But not after now"

"I care about you too"

"Just promise one thing" She swallowed hard taking her decision.

"Anything you want"

"You have to tell the truth too" She steadied herself "I'm going to tell you everything but I want you to do the same"