My Best Friend's Brother (PLL: A Jaria story)

Chapter 1:

It was a sunny summer day. The girls were all in Alison's room. Alison was trying on dresses that she bought, wanting obvious compliments for her outfits.

"I like that one..." Hanna complimented a light pink lace dress that Alison currently had on.

"I know... Pink is definitely my color..." Alison praises herself with a sly smile, looking at herself in the mirror as if hypnotised by her reflection, straightening her hair. Like I said, she was a little full of herself sometimes. We all went along with it though.

"It is really pretty Ally..." Emily praised sweetly, giving a kind smile.

Alison turned around to look at everyone. Emily was sitting on the edge of Ally's bed, Hanna was lying on her bed, Spencer was sitting on a chair next to her bed, a laptop on her lap as she looked to be doing homework or something. Typical Spencer. And I was sitting on the floor leaning against the dresser, my feet brought to my chest.

"I think you would say that to all girls, Em..." Alison said, in her quiet yet natural mean girl voice, gazing at Emily innocently.

Everyone lightly chuckled at her statement. Emily looked embarrassed, but shrugged it off. Because that's what you were supposed to do when Alison insulted you. It was silly, but like I said before, we went along with Alison, like her little puppets sometimes. Maybe because we all believed that deep inside, she was a nice girl. Or maybe we were too blinded by having her friendship, we merely overlooked them.

Perhaps if we all looked closer, we would be able to see that some of Alison's comments would have a deeper meaning then they seemed.

"Who's ready for Noel Kahn's beach party tonight," Hanna spoke up excitedly, changing the subject.

"I can't wait," Emily smiled, and I nodded at her. "It's going to be great," I agreed.

Alison rolled her eyes. "You guys are such dorks. You better not embarrass me tomorrow," she told us, brushing her golden hair. Not that she had to.

"Come on Ally, this is our first high school party. It's a great start to the year," I spoke up with a smile.

Alison looked at everyone. Everyone, except Spencer who was still focused on her work, had an eager smile. Alison couldn't help but smile a little at everyone's excitement. "Okay, okay... I guess it's pretty cool... but you all have to be cool... As fun as this will be, you can't embarrass me. We have to start high school right. We don't wanna be like Katherine Montiago..."

"Whose that?" Hanna asked, tilting her head curiously as Alison went to her closet to change back to her regular clothes.

"Exactly," Alison called from the closet, making everyone laugh.

I then got up to use the bathroom. "Be right back," I told the others, which was really only Emily and Hanna.

As I left I heard Alison say something to Spencer. "Spence... we still have a month before school starts... Can you be anymore nerdy..."

I could practically hear the scorn in her voice as I closed the door to the bathroom.

After I did my business, I opened the door and suddenly became face to face with Jason DiLaurentis, Alison's older brother. I didn't know much about him, other than what Alison tells us, which was that he was high and/or drunk almost all the time and was a pervert who hangs around with bad people.
Jason has a perfectly chiseled jaw, tan skin like Alison and dirty ash blonde hair that was always somewhat messy due to him sleeping and being high all the time. He had captivating green eyes that showed every emotion he felt. He was muscular and tall, practically towering over my short build as he leaned against the doorway to the bathroom. He was shirtless, exposing his abs. Who knew where he had time to work out considering how many times he is high, according to Alison.

I didn't know much about her mysterious, elusive brother. Which somehow made me curious of him at times. But I would just remember Alison's words. He was bad news, so I shouldn't even me thinking of him.

He looked down at me as I had stopped in my tracks, surprised to see him awake before noon. According to Alison he normally stayed up all night, getting high and slept all day. I never saw him around too much. Except when he would yell at Alison or barge in on us for going into his room. It was normally Alison that stole from him though, but I guess the rest of us weren't so innocent. After all, we made fun of him, badmouthing him and laughed at him a lot.

For a couple of seconds though, I became hypnotized by his eyes fixated on me, and his body. But I forced myself to keep my eyes up. Aria... eyes up. Remember what Alison said about him I told myself.

After a couple moments of staring I observed that Jason looked pretty hungover. He had bags under his eyes and dark circles. He looked tired and his eyes were bloodshot, as if he was still high right now. He smelled of alcohol and drugs. I wasn't surprised, based on what Alison says and what I have seen, being high or hungover was a normal look for Jason.

"Sorry... Didn't realize there was company..." Jason said in a husky tone, recovering from sleep and probably his hangover as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He kept his gaze on her though, which slightly distracted me that there was a couple seconds of silence before I answered. He then moved away so it didn't appear that he was trapping me.

"No, no... I'm done don't worry..." I said and slipped out the door passed him. I started back to Alison's room casually.

I didn't notice that Jason watched me go. I only turned around when I reached Alison's room, and he was already inside the bathroom. I took a breath, then went back in Alison's room.

"What took you so long? Did you fall in the toilet?" Alison immediately asked when I walked in, now leaning against the wall facing everyone. She said it in a serious way that it didn't even sound like a joke.

I answered anyway. "No, I just ran into your brother," I said, faking disgust. I knew if I didn't, Alison would be skeptical. Like I didn't believe Jason was what Alison said she was. Alison seemed to see through everyone. A talent of hers, so I tried to seem believable.

"Ugh, I told that jerk to stay in his room when I have friends over. He is so embarrassing. I'm sorry for him," Alison scoffed, her tone reflected slight embarrassment for her brother, yet annoyance for him. She didn't sound apologetic. She then raised a brow, "What did you say to him?" She questioned.

"Nothing, he was just trying to get into the bathroom and-" I started but was interrupted by Alison.

"What! God, I'm gonna kill him. I knew he was a pervert but the fact that he is trying to peek at my friends in the bathroom," Alison said exasperated, scowling at the assumed thought of Jason.

The other girls chimed in about how gross that was. Emily and I just nodded. Emily was too nice for bad mouthing and I didn't bother. I should have corrected her, but I didn't. If I defended him, Alison would misinterpret my words.

'Are you defending a drug addict and alcoholic Aria... If I didn't know any better, I would say you liked him... Do you like him... that would make you a whore...'

That's what Alison would say and I didn't need that.

After that conversation, the conversation switched to the party tonight, what everyone should wear and whatnot. I was hardly paying attention though. For some reason, my mind drifted off to Jason. For some reason, I was curious of him.

And I didn't have a clue as to why.

And I definitely didn't know what a big mistake it would be, going to the party.