6 years ago

"Please don't cry Aria. I can't take it." Ezra pleaded with Aria as tears fell from her big green eyes. She didn't even bother wiping them away from her face, she just let them fall. They rolled off her cheeks and down her neck, taking most of her make up with them.

"Please." That last 'please' was barely an audible whisper. Ezra looked at her, trying his hardest not to reach out and take her in his arms.

"What else do you want me to say Ezra? There's nothing left."

"I don't know." Ezra looked at the ground and shut his eyes tightly, hoping to keep tears at bay. His heart was broken into thousands of tiny pieces and yet, it was because of him.

"I'm sorry Aria," he began. "If things were different you know I'd come with you, without a thought."

"I don't blame you," she said quietly, her voice hoarse from hours of crying. "I don't blame you at all. He's your son; of course you can't leave him behind. It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt though."

Ever since Malcolm had swooped into Ezra's life unexpectedly, everything had changed. They had plans, long term plans but now their dreams had been shattered. Aria couldn't blame the little boy, but sometimes she wished he wasn't there so she and Ezra could start their lives again away from this town. He'd even secured a job in Syracuse, head of the English department at a high school but now he wouldn't be taking that.

"You'll be back at Christmas though, right? We've got that to look forward too." The desperation in his voice was clear to hear and it made Aria want to cry even harder.

"Ezra, I can't. We can't. We can't just swoop into each other's lives when it's convenient! I can't take the pain of seeing you for a few weeks each year! Yes, Christmas will come and then what? We'll spend a few weeks together knowing in the back of our minds that it will be time to say goodbye after the New Year. And then we have to do this whole process again and break our hearts one more time. I'm sorry but it will only make things harder, and I'm scared it will ruin us. I don't want us to carry on until we are sick of the sight of one another, I want to leave with nothing but happy memories."

Ezra knew she was right; for her 18 years she spoke wisdom that was far beyond her ears, but he was too blinded by love for her to ever want to let her go.

Aria exhaled loudly, too scared to look at the man she loved with all her heart. This was it, this was goodbye and damn, it hurt. There were a few moments of painful silence, neither person knowing what to say. A sob escaped Aria's mouth and it took every fiber in her being not to sink to the ground and collapse from the sheer pain in her heart. She had loved this man with everything she had for the last two years, despite everything, and now she had to let him go. It would have been so much easier if he'd actually done something to hurt her, but the worst part was that they were breaking each other's hearts and there was nothing either one could do. Aria struggled to stand from trying so hard to hold in the racket of sobs that were taking over her body. Ezra gently wrapped his arms around her for the last time and held her, his tears falling onto her head.

"I love you Ari, I've loved you from the moment I saw you and I'll love you forever." Ezra let the tears continue to fall from his ocean blue eyes, the heartache too much to contain. Without thinking, Aria instinctively reached out and wiped the tears from his face.

"I love you too Ezra, don't forget that."

And with that, she tiptoed up to him, pressed a light, lingering kiss on his cheek and turned around and left. And that was the last that she ever saw of Ezra Fitz.

Welcome to my fan fic! This is the first Pretty Little Liars one I have written so any feed back and criticisms are much appreciated! Please leave your reviews and i hope you are looking forward to the next chapter! xoxo