This is my version of 4X7 and what I would have wanted to happen between our two lovebirds.
Aria couldn't help getting nervous when Ezra's familiar door came into sight as she made her way into the corridor. She still wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not, but after what he had done for her brother she couldn't act as if he hadn't done anything. If it hadn't been for Ezra, her brother would have been expelled from Rosewood high, and that was the last thing her family needed.
She had felt a bit guilty for the way she had shut him out when he had wanted to help her a few days ago, but she had to. She needed to protect herself; she couldn't allow any kind of contact between them because she knew it could easily slip. After all, they hadn't been really good at staying away from each other in the past.
She had hesitated a lot before making the decision to come. She had first started to write an email but had deleted it. It was way too impersonal. Of course, they were supposed to be nothing more than teacher and student but, as much as she could fool the others, she couldn't fool herself. Ezra had never been and would never be only her teacher.
As she finally reached his door, her heart started beating faster and she took a deep breath before knocking on the door.
When he didn't answer, a small wave of relief hit her. A part of her had expected that he wouldn't be here so she wouldn't have to face him. Being near him was difficult, painful, almost unbearable. She never knew how to act around him. How do you act around the person you loved for more than a year when you are not even supposed to know him? She was always afraid of saying too much or being betrayed by the way she still looked at him sometimes. It was even worse now that everybody knew they had a past. She needed to convince them that they were done for good, but convincing other people of something you're not even convinced yourself is not that easy. Every day, in school, she was doing her best to avoid him and it killed her. She couldn't believe that after all the things that they had been through, they were reduced to avoid and pretend not even know each other. It was as if their relationship had never existed. There was nothing left. They had to act like perfect strangers. She would have never imagined that they would end up like that, but it was their reality now. As she had told him, there had never been any happy ending for them.
After a second try without answer, she opened her bag and took out the little 'thank you' note she had planned on giving him.
Ezra,
Thank you so much for what you did for my brother. I just want you to know that it means a lot to me.
Aria
She had added a "xoxo" at the bottom but had quickly erased it thinking that, this time, it was way too personal.
She looked at it one more time before slipping it under his door. She suddenly wondered if it was the last time that she saw apartment 3B. Would she one day come back to this place? Her heart squeezed at the thought that she would probably never do. In a few months, she would graduate and leave Rosewood, leaving everything behind her, her family, her friends and Ezra. She'd still talk with her family and the girls on the phone but not with Ezra. After high school, she would never see him again. The thought almost made her feel dizzy but she forced herself to get that out of her head.
She turned over and was about to leave when Ezra suddenly appeared in front of her, holding a grocery bag into his arms.
They looked at each other, astonished, and Aria's felt her heart race when she locked her eyes with his dark blue ones.
"Twice in…one day," Ezra said, letting out a weak chuckle before looking down, probably as uncomfortable as she was. She would've never thought that, one day, she would be so uncomfortable with him, not with the only person she had ever been totally herself with. But now, every encounter was awkward, filled with tension.
"I was just leaving a 'thank you note'," Aria quickly explained. "An e-mail felt a little impersonal."
"It all feels…impersonal lately," Ezra replied as sadness flashed across his face.
Aria did her best to keep composure as she quickly added: "I'm really glad you swooped," she sincerely told him, referring to the conversation they had had on the bench, in front of the principal's office.
"You know there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, right?" Ezra immediately replied, looking at her straight in the eyes.
She swallowed hard at his words as she lost herself in his dark blue eyes. She nodded softly, not breaking eye contact, as tears started to fill her eyes. Yes, she did know that. He had proved it many times. He had left his job for her, had defended their relationship in front of her father and his mother, and had even come back for her instead of going to New Orleans where he could have gotten an amazing job. He had given up on all of this, for her.
Suddenly she saw Ezra slowly leaning toward her and her breath hitched in her throat. Was he going to kiss her? A shiver ran through her body at the thought of his lips against hers. She could almost felt his hot breath against her face. She knew she should back off, before they get the chance to do something they would both regret, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wanted nothing more than that, nothing more than to feel his lips against hers. It had been so long. So long since she hadn't felt his tongue slowly brushing her bottom lip, so long since she hadn't felt his arms wrap around her waist, so long since she hadn't run her fingers through his thick black hair like she used and loved to. For a moment, the temptation was so overwhelming, that she even was on the point to make a move and press her lips against his. Her eyes broke away from his to wander on his lips, wanted to feel them on hers. But, as Ezra was getting closer to her mouth, she suddenly pulled out of her trance and took a step back.
She couldn't do it. Not after all the efforts she had made to stay away from him. She couldn't throw everything away just for a moment of weakness. They would kiss; it'd be amazing like every time, and then what? It would only make things harder for the both of them. She couldn't allow that.
"I gotta go," she quickly said before leaving him, biting hard on her bottom lip to prevent the tears which had formed in her eyes from falling down her face.
Ezra watched as Aria walked at a fast pace before her small frame disappeared on the corner of the corridor. He sighed loudly before leaning against the wall, squeezing his grocery bag against him.
This situation was killing him. Seeing her every day and not even being able to talk to her or being here for her when she needed to was just like hell. He was trying to focus on his son, but he couldn't get her out of his head. He wanted her back so much. He knew it was stupid and crazy regarding the current situation, but wasn't it what their relationship had always been; crazy? How do you call a student/teacher relationship? It had been crazy to continue their relationship after they had found out he was her teacher. It had been crazy to keep fighting for each other even when there was almost no hope. He had always known it, but he had always chose his heart over his reason.
Suddenly, in another crazy moment, he dropped the grocery bag, not even paying attention to the tomatoes which spilled on the floor, and ran after Aria. He couldn't let her go, not again.
"Aria, wait!" He yelled behind her as she was about to go downstairs.
She stopped, turned over and looked at him, surprise flashing over her face.
He took a few steps toward her, staying at a reasonable distance. "I miss you," he suddenly let out.
He saw her biting on her bottom lip and swallowing hard. "Ezra…"
"I know what you are going to say," he interrupted her. "But I… I miss you."
Aria was about to open her mouth again when he spoke. "I miss everything about you, about us," he confessed. "I'm trying really hard, but I can't get you out of my mind. And I know the situation is really messed up, I know that but… I miss you."
During the time he had been talking, he had gotten closer and closer to her and he was now standing right in front of her, with only a few inches left between them.
Aria looked into his eyes once again. "I miss you too," she said in a whisper, her voice broken by the tears that she was trying so hard to hold back. As soon as the words left her mouth she looked down and shook her head, regaining composure. "But we can't."
"I know," Ezra replied like she had said when he had told her that it killed him not to be the one to comfort her anymore. But he didn't step back, instead, he got even closer to her, forcing her to back off until her back was pressed against the wall. He then cupped her face between his hands before letting his thumb running on her soft bottom lip sending shivers through her petite body.
"Ezra, what… what are you doing?" She asked him as her eyes grew bigger, aware of what he was on the point to do.
"Something crazy!" Ezra replied before crashing his lips against hers. He couldn't even put into words how amazing it was to kiss her again, to feel her soft lips against his. Two months that he hadn't kissed her, two months that it was the only thing he wanted every time he laid eyes on her!
He felt her tense in his embrace before slowly relaxing and starting kissing him back.
She wanted to push him away, she really wanted to, but you don't always get what you want, right? That was what she told herself as she started responding to his kiss with passion. His tongue brushed her bottom lip and she gladly opened her mouth a little wider to let him slid his tongue inside of her mouth as her hands ran in his dark hair. She moaned against his mouth when she felt him suck on her tongue as he pulled her even closer to him. If she had still some self-control left, it all went away when Ezra gave up her mouth to let his lips wander on her neck, gently sucking on the delicate skin, making her toes curl. Her hands clenched in his hair even harder when he placed open-mouthed kisses all along the side of her neck before reaching her collarbone.
He got back to her mouth, and they kissed hungrily, only pulling away to catch their breath. Ezra rested his forehead against hers as they both panted heavily, their eyes still closed.
Ezra then pulled away a bit, looked intensively at her before suggestively glancing toward his apartment.
Aria was already too far gone to even try to resist, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Just like him, she knew it was crazy, they were crazy, had always been, but maybe that was what she needed, craziness.
She bit on her lip before nodding as a small smile spread across her face. He softly smiled at her and gently took her hand as they made their way toward his apartment.
After all, maybe Aria would get to see apartment 3B one more time eventually.
So, what do you think?
Please review ;) and I'm sorry for any mistake.
Twitter: Calypsazria
