There's a song playing over the bar speakers that Aria doesn't care for. Subsequently, she is diligently attempting to drown it out with a steady stream of alcohol. The musky air smells like sweat - and for some inexplicable reason, hay - and her stomach is turning more with every gulp.
Vaguely, she hears the chair a few seats down drag along the ground, but it isn't until the occupant speaks that she freezes in her spot, "Aria?"
Spinning her head, she fights to keep her mouth shut, for fear she'd gape at him. Like some kind of idiotic fish. Instead, she stares at him as though she were brainless. Because in the fight between fish or brainless, apparently brainless wins out.
"Ezra, hi," After scrambling uselessly for almost 30 seconds, she murmurs another, "Hi!" and downs the rest of her whiskey.
Very funny, chance. Screw you too.
She can practically see A's text now; Hey Aria, look who it is! And don't say you're over him, because we all know tastes never change. Love, A.
"Hi." She says for the third time, fighting the heat she could feel rising in her cheeks.
"How are you?"
Oh, I'm just great. I'm staring down the teacher I never did quite get over. My dad's girlfriend gave birth and they're happily married and on their honeymoon in Iceland of all places. I'm just…great.
"I'm great," she lies through her teeth, "how about you?"
"Good. Yeah, I'm good. Wow, it's great to see you. How's school?"
"I graduated a few months ago." She says dryly, turning back to her empty glass. She quickly gestures at the bartender, who pours her another.
"Oh, that's good to hear. Applied to any colleges yet?"
"Hollis. Literature and creative writing." He raises an eyebrow.
"So you're still living here?"
"I transferred to Rekjavik for my senior year, but I moved back after graduation." Aria replies softly, running her finger over the top of her glass. "What about you? What are you doing in town?"
"Actually, I've returned to Rosewood Day. I'll be teaching English there again."
Of course it hurts. There was a whole year that he could've come back, but it's a few months after she can never go back that he decides to return. But he was just her teacher. And she was just his student. Never anything more.
"That's great, Ezra."
"Do you want to get out of here?" She looks up at him in surprise, and he grimaces. "I meant, like, for a walk? You were one of my most talented students. It'll be good to catch up…in a place that doesn't smell like feet."
A small laugh escapes her lips; why does he always have the ability to make her smile like that? But she nods before her brain can kick in, and before she can slap down a bill for the drinks, Ezra's beaten her to it, paying for both their drinks before they head out of the dank bar.
"So, literature? The first time we met you said you'd like to teach. What happened?"
"Wasn't what I was meant to do, I guess." She said quietly as they set a casual pace. There were birds singing, and a cool breeze swayed the trees. But Rosewood no longer felt like home. Nowhere did anymore. Aria, the nomad. She fumbled with her own hands, until Ezra stopped and laid a hand over hers.
"Is everything alright, Aria?"
"Of course!" She blurts with wide eyes, but under his curious gaze, deflates. "My dad got married to his girlfriend. They have a baby now. The three of them are honeymooning in Rekjavik."
His face scrolls through a number of emotions before he sighs, "I'm sorry. That can't be easy."
"I don't have a lot of choice in the matter. I can't exactly say 'Rekjavik is my spot. You can't go there!' It'd be pathetic."
Without taking her eyes off the ground, she realizes he's still holding her hands. When she looks up at him, he's watching her with dark eyes, scanning her face curiously. Something in her heart lurches, and he leans in, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. He's gone from there before she can even register the contact, and the ghost of his touch makes her long for more.
"I-I'm sorry. That was inappropriate."
"I'm not your student, Ezra," she says softly, "and I'm not a child."
He shoots her a look that says, No, I guess not, before he assaults her lips again. His arm snakes around her back at the same moment hers weaves up his neck and into his hair.
"I…have wanted to do that for a very long time now." He admits when they break apart, panting softly.
"Yeah," Aria concurs, "Me too."
Unsure as to whether this is going to ever be more than a one shot. If you would like a little more, let me know.
Basically, this is a way for me to get a lot of stuff out of my system, by living vicariously through Aria. To make a long story short, I ran into a teacher I used to have a major thing for when he taught me. I just graduated, but unlike Ezra, he's also married. So I need to get this out of my head. As I'm a writer, what better way to do it than to write fanfics with stupid storylines, simultaneously convincing myself it's stupid to want an ex-teacher who is married. Oh, and irony of all ironies, aforementioned teacher is an english teacher. Clearly, fate hates me something chronic.
So, I should also point out that in this fic, Aria and Ezra never got together. They kissed once in the same bar they're in in this fic, after having their little chat. But then when they find out their real places as student and teacher, they dismiss the relationship before it ever gets momentum.
Hope you all enjoyed my pathetic useless writing.