in my veins | jason dilaurentis [discontinued]

ten

CHAPTER TEN

School the next day was a drag. Arabella could barely make it through her first two classes and so far the only interesting thing that had happened was Emily discovering that Ian's "suicide note" was planted by A. Arabella couldn't say she was surprised, given she hadn't bought it at all.

The brunette had been wandering aimlessly through the halls when Aria found her, "Hey, I thought you were with Hanna?" Aria didn't answer, and Arabella raised an eyebrow as her sister grabbed her by the arm and began pulling her along, without any explanation whatsoever. "Where are you taking me?" Arabella questioned, not bothering to stop Aria.

"I found Mike," Aria explained, heading into the courtyard and dragging Arabella with her. "I figure if you're with me he'll stop ignoring me."

Arabella nodded silently, Aria finally letting the brunette go. Mike had been avoiding both of his sisters ever since the incident with Jason. It was quite infuriating for Arabella because she had wanted to talk to him and ask him why he was doing this. It just didn't add up at all. What could he have wanted from Jason's house? Arabella's thoughts went away once they spotted Mike, and Aria grabbed him the same way she had grabbed her sister, dragging him to a sport where no one could listen in on their conversation.

"Mike," Aria snapped, letting him go. "Why are you avoiding us?"

"I'm not avoiding you," he denied instantly, gripping the strap of his backpack tighter.

Arabella raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow, "Every time we try to talk to you, you run the other way."

"It was stupid," he admitted, frustration overwhelming him. "I was bored, okay?"

Aria chuckled humorlessly, pressing her hands together, "Okay, let me get this straight. You decide to commit a felony because they take off wrestling Tuesday nights?"

"Sure, let's go with that," Mike told her, eager to finish off this conversation. 

"Oh, Mike, come on, we're trying to help you," Arabella frowned. "Why did you break into the house? What were you looking for?"

Mike sighed, "I didn't take anything, okay?" Aria shot him another look, so he added to that, "If it's such a big deal, I'll put Emily's junky camping gear back. Let's just drop it."

"Wait," Arabella called out when he tried to walk way again. "You were the one who broke into Emily's garage?"

When Mike didn't answer, Aria raised her eyebrows, "Did you break into Spencer's house and body-check me too?"

"That wasn't on purpose," Mike cleared up, causing Aria to scoff, a sarcastic smile appearing on her face, though it was obvious that she wasn't happy at all. "I felt bad," he said, but Aria wasn't buying it.

Aria nodded, "I could tell. You running away into the night was especially touching."

"I panicked, okay?" Mike shot back.

"So, what?" Arabella pitched in. "What, you have something against our friends? Couldn't you have just broken into some stranger's house?"

"I have," Mike admitted, Arabella's expression dropping completely at the revelation. "I promise you, I won't do it again. Just please, don't tell."

Aria stayed quiet, but Arabella had an incredulous look on her face. How could she not tell their parents? Mike could get in some serious trouble here, including getting arrested. Arabella didn't want that for her little brother, not when he was barely even out of high school yet.