Born This Way

Chapter 7.

“Aria, Dad wants to see you downstairs.” Mike said when he poked his head in my room. I was braiding Jillian’s hair. I loved my siblings so much, they were like my own little Barbie dolls. And baby dolls. Like being a mother without having to be one. “Am I in trouble?” I asked. He came in and shut the door. “Can I talk about ‘the thing’ in front of Jillian?” he asked. Jillian was 13, and I told her mostly everything. Except the Toby thing. I mean no one knows. “the test?” I mouthed to him. “yeah.” he said. I shook my head. “Its not an issue. We don’t need to. I uh, yea. It said no.” I told him. “What did?” Jillian asked. “I failed a test Mike is helping me hide from mom and dad, but I did make up work. So don’t worry about it. And don’t say anything.” Jillian nodded and looked at her hair in the mirror. “Thanks Aria I love it.” she said. “Anytime. Now I need to go talk to dad so out of my room” I said. She got up and walked out of my room. “So your not pregnant?” he asked. “I don’t think so. It was a really really really faint line, so Em ran to the store and got like, two more. And it was those kind that either say “pregnant” or “not pregnant” instead of those hard to read plus signs. And I took one and it said not pregnant, and I still have the other I’ll take in a week or so if things don’t clear up.” I said. “that’s amazing news” he said hugging me. Something he didn’t do often. “Listen, Mike im really sorry I forgot to pick you up. I,” “no don’t explain. Jessica told me.” “Gosh news travels fast.” I said starting down the stairs. Jessica, Mike’s girlfriend, was also Emilys younger sister so that explains that. “Don’t worry, Jessica told me to tell you that Emily only told her to tell me so you didn’t have to.” “That confused me.” I said reaching the last step. “Aria…” My dad said. He was sitting at the kitchen table with my mom right next to him feeding Liam some egg whites and green peas for dinner, even though it was only about five pm.

“Hey.. You needed me?” I said. “Aria, your teacher, Miss Allen texted me just now.” My dad said. “Why…?” I asked getting worried she knew about Ezra and I. “There was a horrible car wreck right outside the school as she was pulling out, and she saw who it was.” now my heart started to pound fast. “It was Mr. Fitz.”

I covered my mouth to keep from freaking out. I stood there in shock for a second. “Is, is he ok?” I asked taking my hand off my mouth and bringing it up to my for head. I knew something was really wrong when they didn’t say anything. “DAD!! Is he ok??” I said falling apart, not even caring that all of my younger siblings were right behind be watching me start to have a panic attack.

“They’ve taken him to the ER…” he said. My mom got up and put her arm around me.

“Hey.. He’s gonna be alright. Come here sit down.”

“No! I have to go to the ER.” I said. “Lilia go get my purse” I asked my little sister who would be more then happy to do anything to help. She ran upstairs to my room.

“Aria, listen I don’t think they’re gonna let his student see him so soon after.. I mean honey I love you, but you need to relax, he’s just your teacher.”

“No he’s not mom! He’s so much more than that!” I said looking right into her eyes. The whole world seemed to pause for a second, as I felt a shiver go down my back, knowing that it was all over. And in the next hour or so, I would be telling my parents that I was dating my teacher. If they hadn’t already figured it out. My parents had probably been suspecting my relationship with Ezra. I mean they knew I had a boyfriend, but I didn’t tell them who. Both my parents worked at the high school. They knew how I went into English before everyone else. I don’t think it clicked in their head until right now, as I broke down over my ‘teacher’ being in a car wreck.

“Aria..” Lilia said standing on her toes to tap my shoulder and hand me my purse.

“I’m sorry, I have to go. Mom, dad, please just, let me go.”