Aria was in her bathroom looking at herself in the mirror putting on her necklace, It was the last gift she had gotten from her parents before the incident. She would always panic when she couldn't feel it which would lead to the full Gilbert family and friends helping look for the necklace before Aria freaked out. Even though she was Jeremy's twin who had a reputation everyone loved her. She was soft-spoken, always kind, and friendly to everyone. But when the crash happened, she curled into herself and stopped talking. The only replies people would receive were a nod or she would shake her head.
"Ria" Aunt Jenna shouted from the bottom of the stairs. Aria sighed looking at herself in the mirror once more mouthing 'you can do this' before going downstairs where Elena and Jeremy were already sat down at the kitchen island.
"Toast. I can make toast" Jenna said looking at the three siblings. Aria smiled and shucked her head.
"It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna," Elena said looking at Aria her guilt increased. When Elena, Grayson, and Miranda were on the way back home from the party. They had gotten a call from a petrified Aria saying somebody was in the house. Grayson drove faster over the bridge when the tires swerved causing the car to drive straight off the bridge.
Elena's first words to Aria at the hospital were "It's all your fault their dead"
"Is there coffee?" Jeremy questions ruffling his twin's hair, chuckling at the pout of her face trying to fix her now messed up hair.
"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared. Lunch money?" Jenna asked grabbing her books and putting them in her bag. When she heard the news of the crash, she was devastated her sister and brother-in-law dead. Leaving the three children orphans with no parents. She was concerned about how much this would affect the siblings but more so Aria. When she was told what happened the night of the accident, she asked Caroline's mom the sheriff to take a look around the house. There was no proof or evidence that somebody had broken in. When she went into the parent's bedroom their room was destroyed. There was a message on the wall 'That was a warning' was written in black ink. Sheriff Forbes and Jenna agreed not to tell anyone what they saw and focused on the siblings.
"I'm good," Elena said as Aria just gave Jenna a thumbs up.
"Don't you have a big presentation today?" Elena added.
"I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at.... now. Crap!" Jenna says running out the door. Elena looks toward her brother "You, okay?" She knew Aria would ignore her which is why she directed her question to Jeremy.
Jeremy rolled his eyes in response and looked at his twin "Let's go" His relationship with Elena was strained, relationship with Elena was strained, he was furious when she blamed their parent's death on Aria. Sure, the police said there was no proof of a break-in that night. But he believed her, her fear was real, and he made a promise that night he would also protect her from anything even if it was from their own sister.
When they arrived at the high school Aria was curled into her twin's side as they walked to the back of the building to meet their group of friends. Tyler was the first to see the siblings, even though he and Jeremy had issues they tried not to fight as much when Aria was around. Tyler dropped the arm that was around Vicky's shoulder and ran towards the twins. Pulling Aria from her brother's arms and giving her a hug. "Hey Ri," he said already knowing she wouldn't verbally respond. Instead, he saw a soft smile on her face.
"You ready for history?" Vicky asked from behind Tyler. Aria deeply sighed remembering what subject she had first kenjoying this story? crossed hers, shaking her head silently Add it to your Library saying she was not going. Jeremy knewthis would be the outcome when she found out what lesson she had. He looked at his phone seeing thar the first bell was about to be heard.
"Let's make a deal, I'll cover for you if you talk a little more to me" Jeremy had missed his sister's voice, her laugh, her giggles. She was his best friend, and he missed her old self. Not that he blamed her for why she had gone mute. When he saw the change in her face he quickly added "Just one-word answers?"
Aria looks down at her fingers that she fiddles with when she gets nervous after a few moments she looks back up at her twin "Okay" She whispers. Jeremy's eyes light up hearing her voice "Thank you, thank you. Right, you might want to go before the bell" He warned her. Giving her a kiss on her forehead, pulling away from her so Tyler and Vicky could give her a hug as well. Aria waved towards them before turning round and walking nearthe school car park. Not noticing the forest-green eyes that were looking at her curiously.
Aria had decided to kill time before her next lesson by going to the cemetery. This was her safe space if she wasn't at the house she would be there. Luckily it wasn't too far from the school. When she reached her parent's grave stones. She lay down in the middle of both stones and looked up at the sky. She wasn't sure why but she always had been connected with nature and the Sky.
When things were tough or if she was going through a difficult time. She would look up to the sky. Aria would never say it out loud but it was as if the trees, the grass, the animals the weather, they could all understand her feelings and emotions and help her calm down.
Shaking her head from her crazy thoughts she sat up from her lying position, a black crow flew past
her head landing on the gravestone opposite her. Tilting her head, she could see the crow looking directly at her. Slowly she walks toward the crow and carefully starts to stroke it. Strangely her emotions changed from calm and relaxed to pain, sadness, and anger.
"Don't worry little bird everything will work out eventually" Aria whispers to the Crow watching it fly away. She did talk when she was alone mostly to her parents. She found it easier to become mute when interacting with others. But now she had made a deal with her brother, she felt guilty that she shut him out too, it was her twin, her best friend. He had lost his parents too, she knew they would always bounce back to each other that's how their relationship worked. They could never stay mad at each other.
Smiling at the though of her twin and their friendship rebuilding. She gives one last look toward her parents gravestones before walking back to the school. For the second time that day she didn't notice the ocean blue eyes that had been watching her. Who had been shocked to see her talking to the crow. Shocked at how his own emotions had changed from her words.
Her words gave him something he hadn't felt in a long time.
After School had finished which Aria found extremely boring. Not that she didn't care about her education, but the work was fairly easy always getting As in her exams and essays. That's why Jeremy wasn't worried about her skipping lessons. Once Aria arrived at the Grill she looked around for her twin when someone grabbed her arm. Looking up to see Caroline who was pulling her in a different direction.
"Come sit with us" Caroline points to the table where Bonnie was sitting. It's not that she didn't like the pair. They were really nice to her but since the accident and her issues with Elena, she felt awkward around her sister's friends.
Aria shuck her head pointing to where Jeremy was sitting with Tyler, Matt, and Vicky. Silently saying she was going to sit with them. Before she knew it Caroline had pulled her to the table where Bonnie was. Sighing she sat down at the table smiling at Bonnie, fiddling with her fingers, and getting nervous from the situation she was now in.
Vicky who saw Aria struggling walks up to her "Hey Ria, want you're usual." Seeing her nod and mouth 'thank you'. Vicky squeezes her shoulder in reassurance before leaving to going to make her usual iced coffee.
Aria focused back on the conversation where Caroline was explaining about the new guy at school. "His name is Stefan Salvatore. He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore Boarding House. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favourite colour is blue."
Aria furrows her eyebrows and writes down in her notebook 'Are you FBI?" and shows the girls.
Bonnie chuckles "You got all of that in one day?"
"Oh please, I got all that between the third and fourth period. We're planning a June wedding." Caroline.
Aria writes down "At least you have a backup career plan Care". Bonnie nods her head in agreement. There conversation came to a pause when Matt walked over to their table. Aria's eyes lit up seeing Mat. Standing up from her seat she rushes into his hug. Matt whipers in her ear "I heard that somebody made a deal with their brother this morning"
Aria sighs "Vicky" she mumbles. Matt was shocked she spoke but snapped out of it once he saw her face change from happiness to sadness "Don't worry I won't tell. As long as you do the same. I've missed my Ari" Matt tightens his arms around her.
"Sorry" Aria whispers still not wanting anyone to know about her speaking.
"Hey. You have nothing to be sorry for alright. Everyone greives in their own way. Yours was not talking. No one can blame you for that" Matt reassures the girl he sees as a little sister.
"But.." Aria tried to argue, Matt knew what she was about to say and stopped her. "Aria. Me and you're sisters breaking up wasn't you fault. She was in the wrong and shouldn't have done
Didn't mean for yours to fight" Aria whispers looking down at her feet and hiding her face so no one could see her talking. When Matt was about to reply she felt a cold breeze from behind her. Her emotions changed just like what happened with the crow. This time she felt guilt, sadness, regret, and confusion. Turing round to see her sister entering the Grill with a green-eyed, brown-haired guy. It was odd the feeling she had looking at the guy. Almost like he had a black mist of death circling around him.
Matt looked where Aria was focusing on and saw his ex with another guy. He wasn't jealous of her moving on. Just concerned for Aria and how she would feel and react. After the crash, Elena changed always blaming Aria for their parent's death the rumours she created about Aria were terrible which led to them having a huge argument causing their breakup.
Matt looks back to Aria "If she says anything again. Let me know" Aria gave him one last hug before sitting back down next to Bonnie and Caroline.