89A/N: Hey everyone. Just wanted to apologize for the confusion there was with our last chapter. I posted it, then had to delete and repost over and over again. Sorry about the e-mails some of you probably got with the story alert thingy. Aaand, this was kind of a difficult chapter to compose. I just wasn't inspired/didn't know how to express myself too well. Sorry about that too. Hope you like and review it anyway. xoxo (:
CHAPTER 12
After waking up and showering the next morning, Aria put on a pair of deep purple short and a grey tank top and walked out of her room and towards the kitchen. Nobody was there because it was a Saturday, the day everybody she knew wanted to sleep in. She opened one of the cabinets on the wall on top of the counter and searched for food. She wasn't feeling too sick, so that was the perfect opportunity to really have something to eat. She took out of there a colorful box of Froot Loops and grabbed a small bowl. She rested the box next to the sink, walked over to the fridge and took a carton of milk out of there. Aria poured the milk into the bowl and did the same with the cereal. She put everything away and opened the first drawer, grabbing a spoon and tucking it into the bowl. She looked through the window; it was truly nice out. Aria grinned softly to herself as walked to the small porch her parents had annexed to the backyard when they had first moved into that house. She opened the wooden running door that led to it and walked up to the end of the balcony, glancing around the little yard they maintained there.
Although relatively small, the Montgomery's backyard was well-conserved and full of green. The grass, always politely trimmed, was wet with dew and smelt amazing. The few flowers they had there were simple ones in shades of pink and purple and smelt like heaven. Aria had always liked the smell of nature. That day, however, it was making her sick. She felt her throat itch, so before things got any worse, she just rushed back inside the house, remembering to shut the door behind her. She rested the cereal bowl on top of the round dinner table and closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and exhaled softly, trying to feel better. Not too many moments later, the itch ceased and her stomach growled. She looked down at it, startled because of the weird noise it made as her hand went over it. She realized it was pure hunger. She grabbed the bowl again and walked over to the spacious living room with it, throwing herself onto a small beige love seat and taking the spoon to her mouth. It didn't take long for the tiny girl to eat it all. In fact, she was eating for two now.
Aria stood and took the empty bowl and spoon back to the kitchen, settling it inside the sink and turning the register on just to cleanse it a little bit. She then stretched her arms and walked back up the stairs to her bedroom. She closed her door and sat on her unmade bed, grabbing her fully charged cellphone and checking it. She had three messages. One was from AT&T telling her once again about a new discount you could obtain in case you bought their new plan, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It didn't really matter, so she just went ahead and erased it. The other one was from Spencer. Aria pressed it open and read it. Spence was telling her "thanks anyway (:" because of the message from the night before. Aria answered with a "no prob, just ask (;" and went back to her home page, where it said there was now only one message unread, which was from Ezra. Aria opened it and read.
Are you feeling okay? ~Ezra
She had completely forgotten to tell him about the previous night. When she had replied to his goodnight wish the night before, she had just wished it back and told him she loved him. That was all. For that reason, Aria immediately texted back.
- I guess. My mom knows everything though, she found out last night... ~Aria
Several minutes later, he replied.
- Whoa, you okay? Uh- How? ~Ezra
Aria pulled her legs up and crossed them over the mattress.
- She said she was cleaning my room and found my pregnancy tests. She's pretty mad. My parents are still asleep, but we'll probably talk about it when they wake up. I'm too scared. ~Aria
She was indeed scared. Not scared. Terrified. She had really no idea what to expect from their possible conversation, but arguments, disagreements, anger and shame. Fine, she already knew what her mother's reaction was, but what about her father? What would he say? Would he disown her? Hate her? Be ashamed of her? In fact, what would they feel? Her parents thinking together were equal figures, they decided the same things. Could she bear it all? Aria sighed shakily and looked back down at LED screen shining brightly, announcing she had gotten a new text.
- Everything's gonna turn out alright, Aria. If anything goes badly, I want you to know that I'm here for you and we'll make it through together. I love you!" ~Ezra
When Aria read that message, she couldn't help but smile. She just knew he really meant what he was saying, and that was one of the reasons she loved him so much. Ezra was always - or almost always - honest with her.
- I love you so much, Ezra. Thank you for being here. ~Aria
The moment she pressed send, she looked up startled by the knock on the door she'd just heard. Before Aria even got a chance to ask who it was, Byron opened it slowly and peeked inside the room, a weird expression on his face. He entered it completely and started walking further inside, glancing around awkwardly as he did so. His eyes ran up Aria's mountains of books that went from sparkly vampirish novels to international literary classics, then up her desk, walls, and bed. He approached his daughter and sat on the end of the bed, not wanting to make himself comfortable.
"Your mom told me everything." Aria just stared at her father paralyzed, waiting for him to say something else. "Why, Aria? Tell me, where did we go wrong with you? I thought we had raised you better than this."
Byron glared at her for a second, expecting the girl to spill a justification or apology. All she did was look down nervously, though.
He continued quietly. "First you tell us you're seeing your former English teacher, then you come home pregnant. I don't think I even recognize you anymore, really! Where is that responsible, mature girl who used to share with her parents everything that went on in her life?" He paused, exhaling. "I had so many plans for you... Then that idiot comes in and decides to mess everything up!"
Aria took part angrily. "Do not call him an idiot, because he is not!" She softened when her dad glared back at her.
The two of them just stayed quiet for a few minutes, avoiding each other's eyes and voice.
"I'm sorry, dad. I really am. I didn't mean for this to happen." She whispered, playing uneasily with her sweaty hands clasped on her lap.
"Saying sorry is not going to fix this." Byron said, still not looking at his preoccupied daughter. Aria looked up at him, trying to understand what he meant. When she couldn't, she asked.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Her forehead was curved in a worried, questioning frown.
"Your mother and I, we think you're too young to be a parent, Aria." He paused and took a deep breath. "So, we thought this over last night and… We're taking you to an abortion clinic tomorrow first thing in the morning."
She couldn't believe her ears. Burning tears began to make their way across her cheeks. Aria was speechless and paralyzed, she tried to say something, but because she hadn't assessed that information yet, she wasn't able to think of proper words. Byron didn't show any emotion whatsoever, he just nodded silently to Aria, stood up and coldly walked out of the room shutting the door behind him.
Aria didn't talk to anyone for the rest of the day, or ate, or drank, or stood up. She just lied on her bed all day, alternating between sleeping and staring at the ceiling. Her phone went off a bunch of times, it was probably Ezra or her friends trying to reach her, but she just let it ring. She didn't feel like talking to anyone whatsoever at that moment. Actually, she wasn't even hearing it ring. Her thoughts were far far away.