in my veins | jason dilaurentis [discontinued]

seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

Arabella Montgomery was the type of person who liked to be aware of everything that was going on in her life at all times. It helped ease her constant paranoia that had resulted from A's relentless threats that had Arabella looking over her shoulder at all times. It was this necessity to be aware of things that was to blame for her currently being cooped up in her bedroom, sat on the edge of her bed with her head in her hands, trying to make sense of everything.

It was already bad enough that A was back when the girls had finally thought they were rid of that monster. But then Jason returns to town and confuses Arabella even more than she already had been. And now she has to worry about her brother and his whereabouts because he won't call her back.

While two of those three things she was stressing over were prominent, perhaps she was overreacting about the Jason thing. He could just be trying to move on, but Arabella doubted that was why he'd been acting all friendly. Jason DiLaurentis was not a friendly person, especially not to Arabella. Alison made sure of that. So if Jason's goal was to get into Arabella's head, she hated to admit that he'd accomplished it.

"Ari?" It was Aria, who had shown up suddenly at Arabella's doorway, looking as if she were about to ask for a favor. "Can I ask you something?"

Arabella nodded, a small grin on her face, "Yeah, go ahead."

Aria smiled weakly, shutting the door and joining Arabella on her bed, her hands in her lap. "I was just wondering if Mike had told you anything? I know you guys are extremely close and I figure he comes to you with a lot. Maybe it's not my place to ask, but I'm worried and I just want to understand him better."

"I wish I knew," Arabella sighed. "He usually does come to me with things but, not as much these past few months. You just have to understand, Aria, that Mike doesn't take things as well as we do. Or as you do, anyways." The brunette chucked, "I don't know if you've noticed but I've been a bit of a mess lately."

"Trust me, when your twin sister moves out of the house and goes to live with one of her best friends for a small period of time, you notice," Aria raised her eyebrows. "It's okay, we all handle things differently."

"It's just-"

"No," Aria lifted a hand to stop Arabella. "You don't have to explain anything to me. When you're ready, you can tell me. I'll be here."

Arabella smiled, her attention shifting from her sister to her phone, which was currently vibrating on her bedside table. She got up, grabbing it and pressing the green answer button, not bothering to check the Caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey, Belle, is Aria with you?" Spencer's urgent voice came from the other line.

Arabella momentarily glanced at her sister in confusion, "Yeah, right next to me. Why? What's up?"

Aria made a couple of hand gestures, Arabella being familiar enough with them to understand that her sister was trying to tell her to put Spencer on speaker. The brunette complied and sat back down on the bed, both girls attentively listening to Spencer's voice on the other line as she explained her discovery that Ian wasn't staying at Jason's house - though Arabella never really thought that theory to be true - and how Melissa had taken his passport to supposedly use it for the insurance claim on her missing engagement ring, though Spencer had other theories.

"Okay, so, if Ian's not next door, where is he?" Aria asked worriedly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, a habit that both twins shared.