How Alison Met The Liars

Aria

Aria first caught my attention in English class. She seemed super artsy. I guess because she dressed kind of emo and had pink stripes in her hair. She wanted to be seen as "alternative" and "edgy". But I feel like there was more to it than that, no one tries so hard to stand out unless they have something buried deep down.

Our English teacher always praised Aria for her writing, she apparently knew how to tap into deeper emotions than the rest of us. As if she had lived more life than the rest of us had at the ripe old age of fourteen. I always rolled my eyes as the teacher went on and on about how we all wasted our lives behind screens while we could be out there living.

One day after school I asked Spencer about how she would feel if we became friends with Aria.

"Why? Do you have something on her too?" Spencer raised her eyebrow. I was holding a secret of Spencer's that she didn't want to come out and so now she suspected that I always had some kind of agenda when it came to making friends.

"No, but I think we need a third member of the group. No offence but I need someone to hang out with while you are stuck in the library all day." I slapped Spencer's textbook closed. I often agreed to keep Spencer company while she studied in the library, but mostly it was me on my phone or browsing on the school computers while Spencer worked. It was getting super boring.

"Non-taken. It would be good to get some work done without being distracted." Spencer reopened her textbook.

"See? This works out for both of us. Besides, wouldn't you love to find out about all this life she's supposedly living compared to us?" Plus, all the secrets she is probably hiding underneath her angsty poetry.

"Oh please, she probably went to Europe one time and thinks she's cultured." Spencer rolled her eyes. "But sure, I guess we could invite her to lunch or something."

"Cool," I smiled and swung my legs off the side of the table. "I gotta go now, my mom needs me home to help with dinner."

"Okay, I guess I'll see you later."

I didn't really need to go home, so I decided to stop by the gallery where Aria's mom worked, and I heard Aria was there all the time after school helping out.

I walked into the space and was looking around; it was a small gallery with a couple of exhibits on display. I never knew how to feel about being in places where all you could do was walk around and look at pictures on the walls, it seemed like the space could always be used for better things, like scheming or throwing parties.

As I walked around, I heard voices from the back storage room.

"Mom, I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure honey? I just feel like you haven't been yourself lately."

"It's just stress from school you know. Nothing major."

"Are you making friends? I know it can be tough to start school and not have immediately clicked with anyone..."

That sounded like my cue. I knocked on the storage room door and popped my head in. "Hi, Mrs Montgomery? I'm Alison, I was looking for Aria."

"Hi Alison, yes Aria is here." Mrs Montgomery practically pulled Aria off her feet and shoved her towards me. Someone thought her daughter was a loner. "And call me Ella."

I linked arms with Aria and pulled her out of the gallery and towards the Rosewood Grille so we could talk and get milkshakes.

"Did my mom put you up to this?" Aria said, sitting down and taking a menu. She didn't seem to be protesting, I guess she was glad to have somewhere else to be.