CHARISMA - the sweet unknown {PLL}

Two Strikes, One Success

My dear Aria,

Sorry I haven't given you much attention lately. As you might have noticed, I was otherwise occupied. But now I can deal with you again.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough the first time - Mr Fitz and you just aren't meant to be.

If you don't break up with him now, I might have to have a chat with Principal Garner.

All the best. -A

Aria has been staring at the text for the last 30 minutes. She was at The Cuppa, reading in a quite corner, when she received a new message from a blocked number. Ever since she was petrified. Her book was still open lying in front of her and her cappuccino was now cold. She noticed nobody and nothing around here. Not even Toby who came over to ask if she was alright.

I have to show this to Ezra, she thought, after I begged him to get back together with me I can't be the one breaking up now without a reason. 

"Aria?" Toby carefully put a hand on her shoulder. He had been checking up on here for a few times but she kept ignoring him. "Are you alright?" 

"What?" her eyes where wide open and just now she noticed him standing in front of her. inside Aria a million things were going on, thoughts crossing her mind so fast she had no chance to catch one of them and to make sense of anything. She suddenly felt like she was running out of air and had trouble breathing. The room began to shrink and she felt her heart racing. Without thinking clearly she grabbed her bag. "I've got to go", she rushed past Toby and quickly left The Cuppa. Dialling his number she was already on her way to Ezra's apartment. Luckily he lived just around the corner. 

"Hey, what's up?" Aria felt her heart ache the moment she heard his voice. He sounded surprised but happy to hear from her. 

"Can I come over?" she just asked. 

"Uhm", he hesitated, probably going through his plan for the day. "Sure, I'm at home." 

"I'm downstairs", Aria stated and pushed open the door to the building, "I'm coming up now." 

A few minutes later she found Ezra leaning in the doorframe to his apartment. He looked concerned, "Whats going on?" 

How do I say this, Aria thought nervously, and entered the apartment. Out of breath, she murmured, "We have to talk about something." 

"Okay", he sounded bewildered and shut the door. A look around the living room told Aria what he had been up to - correcting class tests and exams. His entire desk was full of sheets and a huge can of coffee sat prepared for along day of work. Immediately, Aria felt bad for keeping him from doing his job. She let herself fall onto the couch and waited for Ezra to sit down next to her. 

"Please promise me you won't get mad."

He raised his eyebrows, "I can't promise anything as long as I don't know whats going on." 

God, why did he have to be so brutally honest? Aria took a deep breath. If she just said it now, the cards would be on the table and she'll have it all off of her chest. "There's something I've been keeping from you", she anxiously eyed him for a second but then she had to look away again. It was too hard to look him in the eyes right now. "A while ago me and my friends started to receive anonymous messages. Some of them were sent to our phones. Others, like the note you found, that caused out fight, were given to us as sheets and letters." She played with the frizzy ends of a blanket that way lying on the sofa. "We don't know who sends them. We've tried to ignore them but it only backfired at us." 

Ezra's face was expressionless, but the tone in his voice proved his emotional investment, "Have you told the police about this?" 

"Alisha talked to Detective Wilden in the beginning, but she obviously couldn't tell him much, since there were hints about you and I on the note", she reported. "We had to protect ourselves and the ones we love, so we did what was asked from us."