Pretty Little Liars: The Beginning {Episodes 1-10} (REVISED)

19. Aria 📚

Aria sat at the dining room table with her mother, scooping a spoonful of sugar into her freshly poured cup of coffee. Mike had left for school already, and her father hadn't come down from her parents' bedroom yet. He was probably still agonising over what tie to wear to work. The table was usually pretty empty around this time, except for on weekends when Mrs Montgomery made breakfast for everyone. Aria and her mother were talking about the funeral, still fresh in both of their minds.

"I had to look twice to make sure that was Hanna," Mrs Montgomery said.

"Right?" Aria said.

Even she hadn't quite gotten used to her friend's complete makeover. When Aria and Hanna had been closer friends, Hanna had never worn anything slimmer than a T-shirt. She was never one to show off her body or do her makeup every day. Today's Hanna had a complete transformation. The dress she wore to Ali's funeral had easily been a size-2, not to mention the six-inch heels that accompanied it.

"That was some funeral dress," Mrs Montgomery said, almost like she had read Aria's thoughts. "Her mother didn't get that from Curvy Girl."

Curvy Girl was this store in the Rosewood Mall that sold clothes for plus-sized women. Hanna had been a frequent shopper there after her parent's divorce. Hanna had steadily put on weight since her dad left their house, and she couldn't seem to get control of it. It was hard for Aria and the other to watch, but Alison made a point to make fun of her whenever she could.

"Who shops at Curvy Girl?"

Mr Montgomery hurried into the kitchen, his tie disheveled as he searched around the kitchen for the rest of his work stuff. He always misplaced either his travel mug or his messenger bag. Today, it seemed to be both. Mr. Montgomery taught a history class at Hollis College, and he had an unshakeable habit of being late.

"No one anymore," Mrs Montgomery said. "Do you not have time for breakfast?"

"No. I'm probably gonna be late tonight too."

Aria took a sip of her perfectly sweetened coffee and watched her father scramble around for his travel mug. She wasn't entirely sure she believed him. Usually, he would stick around for at least a little bit, maybe eat a piece of toast. It wasn't like him to just skip out on them like this. An uneasy feeling, one that she had hoped she'd never feel again, settled in Aria's stomach. If her dad was doing what she thought he was doing, she'd be sick. Lying for him once was bad enough.

Aria knew that she would never forget the day that she and Alison had found out that her father was having an affair with one of his students. Ali had held it over her head for months, as if Aria needed any reminding of it. Every family dinner, any time she was alone with her mom, or when she and her father got into an argument, the secret lingered on the tip of her tongue, just waiting for the perfect moment to slip out. But it hadn't yet. Aria couldn't hurt her mom like that.

"Late nights already?" Mrs Montgomery asked. "We just got here."

"Yeah, what's that about?" Aria asked.

"What's it about?" Byron asked, pointedly avoiding her cold stare as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Being gone for a year, playing catch up, faculty meetings, changing my curriculum. Demanding students."

Aria felt her blood boil. She knew what that had meant last year when he had to meet the needs of his "demanding students" and she had let it slide before. She refused to do it again, and she needed him to know that. "Maybe your family's demands should come first," she retorted.

A semi-awkward silence fell over the table as Mr Montgomery locked eyes with Aria. The secret was on the tip of her tongue, and she wanted so badly to throw it in his face. Her mom took a sip of her coffee, making just enough noise to remind Aria that she was there. She couldn't say anything with Mrs Montgomery right there. It would tear her family apart.

Aria knew it was best to just leave before things got any worse. She would end up spilling everything if she didn't get away from her father as soon as possible. "I'm gonna be late," she said. "Love you, Ella." Aria grabbed her bag, ignored her father, and practically sprinted out of the house.

Aria knew that she shouldn't have lost control in front of her mom like that, but she just couldn't help it. Mr Montgomery's infidelity loomed over her like a raincloud ready to burst at any moment, and it affected her sense of judgement sometimes. He had probably come up with some stupid excuse for what had just happened, and Aria was secretly grateful for that. At least, she wouldn't have to do it herself.