Pretty Little Liars has had plenty of conspiracy theories over its seven fun-filled (oops, I mean terror-filled) seasons, but it hasn’t had a lot in the way of love interests. This may sound strange, but hear me out — many of the Liars have been with the same person for most of the show, and anyone who came along that wasn’t the Liar’s personal OTP was quickly rebuffed. Aria is a great example of this, if he wasn't Ezra, he didn't make it long. One of her old pals, Holden, is back for the last season, and let’s run a refresher course in Aria’s love life — did Aria and Holden date on Pretty Little Liars?
That depends on what you mean by "date." Holden appeared on the scene in Season 2, and he and Aria actually grew up together, sort of. Their dads were pals, so they grew up having play dates and dinners and all those sort of family friend things. After returning from a year in Portugal, Holden asked Aria out on a date. Fresh off of breaking up with Ezra for the 80th time, Aria said yes, and they made plans to go to a play that Aria originally planned to bring Ezra to. Oh, well. Holden figures out pretty fast that Aria is having an affair with her teacher, and he’s all, “I have secrets, too! Let’s continue this mutually beneficial arrangement!” Mostly, it involves Holden and Aria meeting, splitting up for respective activities, and meeting up again before they go home from their date.
The Liars (and me, at the time) assumed that Holden was gay and hiding his lifestyle from his parents. But nope! Not the case with this guy. Turns out that he has an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a very dangerous condition that could blow at any moment. Holden’s love is not another man, but some kind of intense martial art that his parents forbid, so when Aria and Ezra get their smooch on, Holden is kicking a bag and breaking wood with his head or something. Holden has a crush on a girl at another school, so Holden and Aria are pals and scam artists, but nothing more.
And now, in Season 7, Holden is back in town. His family helps plan weddings, and who needs a wedding planned but Aria Montgomery! Holden is as surprised as I am, especially because he probably recognizes that Aria and Ezra’s relationship was illegal when it started and it still feels gross and icky sometimes. But ah, young love.
What Holden is really doing back in the grand scheme of Pretty Little Liars, though, I have no idea. He was barely a featured player back in Seasons 2 and 3, so I don’t know where I. Marlene King is going to take us on this journey. Unless, of course, Holden is in love with Aria and has been A the whole time, manipulating her friends and her relationships for the past seven years. That would be the easiest explanation of who Uber A is, honestly.
