My alarm woke me up I groan and turn over to hit the thing to shut it up. I sit up and look daily around rubbing my eyes. I was having such a nice dream the world did not have an A and I wasn't under heaps of pressure. I like dreaming. I hauled the covers off me and head for the shower.

"Morning, coffee." Aria smiled when she was waiting for me in my room. I took it groaning a thank you and going behind my screen to change. I placed my cup down on the little table I had in the corner for such moments.

"So about the other night..." Aria trailed off

"Too early for bullshit...." I grumble getting dressed.

"look hear me out. If the hockey stick was used for what we think it was then why would Jason bury it in the hastings backyard. Do you know how Jason was when he was drunk?" I sighed.

"How drunk are we talking?" I asked "Jason went through different stages you've have the mellow faze, the flirty with anything faze, the over bearing romantic faze, the wallowing, the bitchy, the angry, the I'm gonna regret this and then the total wipe out." I came out

"Seriously."

"That was on a casual drinking day, if something was bothering him it would go from mellow to bitchy with in the space of a bottle. The point to your question?"

"Okay, so you said that he blacked out, do you know what happens during that time." I shook my head

"I've only heard of it before, you know the 'oh last night was such a blur I can't remember a thing' line. He would relay that his friends would tell him what he would do, most of it was just embarrassing stuff. Like hugging a tree or wearing ladies underwear on his head."

"Do you think he would be able to do anything to Ali?" i sat on my bed sipping my coffee

"Honestly, no. I Know what he thinks but he can barely stand after the bitchy faze, one time I went to see Ali and he was having this party and he was having a go at his parents saying how they favoured their daughter instead of him, how he could wait to get out of this town and make something of himself just to rub tin their faces. That kind of thing, this was the whole us dating, so it was weird and a little scary but the point was he could barely stand up, he was holding onto nearly everything for support."

"So that's why you say he couldn't have done it?" I nodded

"He still drank and did drugs while he was dating with me, granted. But he managed to tone it down like he would just get really lovey and stink of alcohol. For him to have his full faculties to do that or anything to Ali he would have to be in his early stages of his drinking which mean he would have remembered. Though I do have to admit when he first told me I did have doubt but i don't now." she nodded

"I believe you and I trust you. But why don't you explain this to all the others."

"because they would say I'm just covering for him. I'm too tired to be arguing right now Aria. With everything that is going on, it's wearing me down. They will eventually reach what we already know, just let them get there. Trying to force it is mentally draining." I stood up and went to do my hair, I dried it then waited it before getting my bag ready.

"Breakfast." I sigh and went down for food.

--------

At school Emily showed Aria and I the text she had got from at. It was her lab results saying she had HGH in her system a lot of it and that she now owned Emily. She had told Hanna.

"Hanna's right no one owns you, Em. This bitch is just trying to scare you." Aria told her handing back her phone.

"Yeah well its working. Did you find out why your brother broke into my garage." Em wondered

"He's not talking to us or anybody for that matter. He won't even return calls from his best friend. I've gone from pissed to worried." I admitted

"What's going on with him?" Em questioned

"We have no idea. Our parents keep turning to us thinking we're gonna have the answers." we stopped walking, I got distracted when I saw Jason walk past us talking with another student. He gave me a small wave which I returned. I followed him with my eyes till he was out of sight. I felt a pinch on my arm.

"Ouch!" I whine turning to my sister. "What was that for?"

"You've got a little drool, just..." she mocked me

"Erica why is he here?" Emily asked me

"1, You shut up." I pointed to my sister "2. He counsels kids on substance abuse."

"Your still dating him? Didn't Aria tell you about the autopsy report?" I roll my eyes and walk away.

"Erica." Emily makes me stop in the courtyard.

"Jason is no more dangerous than you thought Toby was. Remember how that worked out?" I folded my arms

"Toby was never linked to a murder weapon that could have dented Ali's skull." she retorted

"See this is what i mean, why bother?" i told my sister "Emily, you, Spencer and  Hanna can come up with as many conspiracy theories as you like. But it's gonna take a lot more than maybes and theory's to break up my relationship. Now I don't want to be late for class." I tell her and walk away.

--------

"She's getting tested to see if she qualifies for a prosthetic cornea transplant." Spencer told us about what was going on with Jenna.

"English please." Aria groaned

"They're going to see if they can replace the damaged part of her eyes" Spencer simplified

"What are we talking about?" Hanna asked sitting back down

"Jenna." I tell her

"Ugh they're taking out her eyeballs?" Started  low key laughing at Hanna's comment. I covered my eyes.

"It's not  whole eyeball. It's just the flap over the pupil. What are you laughing at?" Spencer asks me. I cover my  mouth trying to control my fits of giggles

"I'm sorry. It's just... Hanna your brain amuses   me it really does. I honestly mean that as a compliment. Never change." I tell her trying to calm down my giggles. She shrugs it off

"Can we not talk about eye flaps while were eating please." Emily slides away her phone as i continue to eat

"But they really think this can work?" Aria wonders

"I don't know. Toby says she still needs to take more tests to see of she qualifies. But it's possible."  Spencer answers

"Wait, so if Jenna gets her sight back, does that mean we're off the hook for..?" Hanna trails off leaning the rest of the sentence obvious.

"No, guilt wise maybe, but if you break somebody's leg with a baseball bat and that leg heals, you can still be charged with assault."

"But she won't come after us, she still thinks we have Ali's tape." Emily states

"We don't. That'll be easier for her to figure out if she can see." Spence retorts

"Maybe if she gets her eyesight back she might be too focused on that instead of revenge." I offer my limited optimism of the situation.

"Yeah, or things could get worse."

"Things are already bad, how can things get worse?" Emily questions

"Well, for one she will be able to aim a gun."

"Spencer, you go to some very dark places. It scares me." I tell her

"Spencer's right." Hanna starts "Jenna's scary enough with four senses can you imagine what's she's gonna to to us with all five." we were all deadly silent for a moment

"See, now you've corrupted , Hanna's mind. I don't like you." I scowled at her holding onto my best friends head, for a moment.

--------

I saw Jason working, I hid till the guy he was worthing with was away and jumped onto his back and wrapped my legs around his waist.

"Hey, Baby." he jumped slightly drooping whatever he was holding to grasp onto my legs

"Don't do that you scared me." he chuckled, I leaned round to kiss him.

"But it was fun." i smile pulling away then glanced at the guy he was working with.

"He looks tired, maybe you should send him home early."

"We really need to get this done." hE REPLIES

"Are you sure because..." I trailed off to whisper into his ear, his grip on my waist tightened as I convinced him to give the man a half day.

"Now you mention it he does look tired. Give me a minute." I smirked slightly leaning against the shed. He sent him off for the day and came back grabbing my hand and taking me inside.

--------

Me sneaking back in after staying over at Jason's was supposed to be a easy. Except when I got home Emily was stood on my front porch..

"Em?" I question, she turned to face me. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing?" I opened my door just as Aria was coming down the stairs.

"Rica? Are you just getting in? Is that one of Jason's shirts?"

"Why are you holding me? Emily looks like she has bigger problems, right?" I turn to face her she looked like she wanted to ask the same thing but her problem seemed bigger. I heard my parents

"Can we move this somewhere else so, I don't get caught only just coming back in." I whisper.    We all went to Aria's room. I was caught up on what I had missed in the last 12 hours.

"I know Quinn told Samara what she saw. I just know it." Emily paced

"What could she have told her?" Aria wondered

"I must have looked like I gave Zoey my number" she replied

"Wait, i thought you said you did give Zoey your number." I was majorly confused

"I did, I'm better bluffing at cards" She sighed feeling really guilty

"Just call Samara." Aria encourages her

"She called twice already. I'm afraid to pick up."

"So call her back. If Quinn really did say something you're only making it look worse by not talking to her." I answer.

"Mike, come on open up? Why is this door locked?" I heard my Dad I went to peak out at what was going on, he was trying to get into his room. I pulled back and started to change

"What are you doing?" Emily asks

"Changing, If I'm caught in yesterday's clothes looking all rugged. Questions are gonna be asked that people don't want to know." That got their attention

"Did you sleep with Jason last night?" Aria asked and i looked back over as I pulled on a tank top then grabbed some shorts. Never answering

"Oh, my god." she breathed

"Why?" Emily furrowed her eyebrows

"I do not have to explain why or why not about sleeping with my boyfriend. But one of them is gonna come in and I ain't getting caught. They've already just accepted that it's a relationship, do you really want them to find out about the other details. I don't because Mike needs the attention right now."

"What is it like, you know..." Aria questioned just as the door opened

"Oh, i didn't know you had company." Mom stated "Hello Emily, was that you at the door?" I slowly made my way over to Aria's bed and used my foot to slide my bag and clothes under it.

"Yeah, girl talk emergency." Emily nodded

"Oh, okay. If you'd like to stay for breakfast."

"Actually I can't. I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later?" She asked us and we nodded, Emily left.

"I heard Dad wanting to talk with Mike." I change the subject.

"Yeah" she sighed

"Do you want to talk about it?" Aria wonders

"No, look after breakfast your Dad and i are out for the day okay."

"Sure" we agreed and we both went to get breakfast. After we did I hopped in the shower then dressed. I spent the day doing my homework, when I went to have a break Jason was waiting for me.

"Hey." i smiled

"Hey, your sister let me in, said you'd be down in a minute." he told me

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" I question

"I came to give you this." he handed me a business card

"Nico Stamos." I read  "Cramer Hill youth centre?"

"Yeah, I met him at a counselling seminar today. I figured if Mike was open to it, he might be able to help"

"Wait what did you tell him about Mike?" I asked concerned and with a scowl.

"Not much, why?"

"It's just I don't think my my parents want the whole world knowing..." he cut me off

"I didn't tell him about the police. I figured..."

"Thank you. This is very sweet."

"I did tell him you were worried about him though." he added and slipped his arms around my waist.

"Worried was last week, deeply concerned verging on taking charge is where i am at right now. Thank you for helping." i gave him a kiss

"It's no problem, honestly."

"As much as i would love to continue on from last night, my parents will be back any minute and I'm trying the whole avoiding major attention thing so..." i trailed off

"I'll get going. Don't worry." he kissed me and i walked him to the door. With one last kiss he was gone.

---------

Dinner felt awkward that evening, you could cut the tension with a knife. Once we had finished I was craving a sugar fix, so I said I would go to Lucky Leoons to grab some delicious cakes. Which I did."

"Rica!" I stopped and turned around Jason pulled up in his car. "Finish studying?"

"Yeah, I needed a sugar hit." I held up the bag. He got out

"Sounds a lot more fun than what i've been up too. I had to buy a padlock for my shed, somebody broke in today."

"Really? Who would want to do that? It's not Mike, he hasn't left his room..."

"Wasn't even thinking it. I'm glad I caught you, I wanted to talk. I hope I didn't over step earlier, I was only trying to help."

"No you didn't. There is just so much going on right now, it feels great to have an escape." my phone started ringing it was Emily. I pressed ignore

"You know I'm always here right? No matter what, I love you."

"I love you too. Jase you are the only thing/person in my life right now that is keeping me anchored. Thank you for helping, it means the world." I leant up to kiss him then he pressed our foreheads together.