Jason came home to find Aria sitting at his porch. She looked up at him when she heard him walking up the stairs.
"Aria, what are you doing here?"
"I know I shouldn't be here but lately I've been feeling like everything around me is falling apart, then I thought of when I was young and had a crush on my best friend's big brother and I just felt like I would feel comfortable here. It's probably too late, I should just go home and call Ezra."
"You're still with the teacher?"
"Well I guess, we had a big fight over something that may actually break us."
"What happened?" Aria didn't know whether to tell Jason or not. She knew she could trust him with absolutely anything, but this wasn't just her secret. This was something personal between her and her boyfriend and she knew that Jason had had feelings for her in the past and did not know what it would take to bring them back up. She also didn't know whether she could restrain herself if they did.
"Well Ezra recently found out that he has a kid, and at first he was scared but now he's so happy about it, and I want to be happy for him I do but it's changed everything, I am seventeen years old I cannot help raise a child that is more likely to be seen as a little brother than a son. If people see me with him they won't know what to think, I can't raise a child Jason."
"Well is Ezra asking you to raise his child?"
"No I guess not. He just wants me to be there to support him because he loves me and I love him too I just don't know what to do. My mom thinks that we should take a break; that sometimes the people we love need space, but I don't want space."
"Aria, I don't know what to say. It's your choice; it's your relationship." Aria didn't know what to think about Ezra and Malcolm but she did know that right now looking at Jason, watching him be considerate and not trying to ruin her relationship only wanted it to be over more so that she could feel the way she knew she wanted to and tell Jason how much he means to her. She wasn't the type of girl to cheat on anyone or try and hurt anyone purposefully so she knew exactly what she needed to do.
"I'm going to go Jason. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Jason watched her walked away and hoped that she would come back tomorrow and he could tell her that his feelings have not changed in the slightest.
Aria was walking home thinking constantly about Jason. She was thinking about his eyes and the way he looked at her like she was the only person on the planet. She was thinking about how ridiculously hot he was and how she knew that he would make her happy in every way. She was thinking about how he was the sweetest guy and so protective of her and her friends because they were friends with Ali and are the same age as her. She stopped walking and suddenly realised where she was. She wasn't at home, she had ended up at Ezra's and she knew why she had ended up here. She knew what she needed to do no matter how much it hurt. She went up to his apartment and knocked on the door. Ezra opened it and smiled, so happy to see her which made everything she was about to say and do so much worse.
"You don't normally knock, you have a key!"
"Oh yeah right, I need to talk to you Ezra."
"Can it wait till tomorrow? Malcolm's asleep and I really don't want to wake him."
"No, it can't. Can we just talk out here please?"
"Sure." Ezra was starting to feel worried; if it was important enough to have to have the conversation in the hallway then it can't be good news.
"Aria, is this going to be what I think it's going to be? Because Malcolm's no trouble really and you wouldn't have to do that much, not like a mother figure more like a friend, and I really do not want to lose you from my life."
"Ezra... It's not just Malcolm; in fact it's not Malcolm at all. He's the sweetest kid on the entire planet and he's so lucky to have a Dad like you, he really is. I would happily have him as my family. This is about you and me and how I have been feeling. You're a good guy, you're the best guy. But lately i've been feeling different, this no longer feels right."
"Aria I-"
"Do you remember when you wanted us to break up because your old friend from college said that it was a bad idea? Do you remember what I said?"
"You said that it didn't feel wrong. That it felt right, and that it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. Then why does it matter now?"
"This isn't about what other people think; even my Dad's starting to cool off on the idea of us. This is about how I feel, it no longer feels right. Not because of our age difference that has never mattered to me and you know it, I feel like we've been drifting apart for a while now and I just can't do this anymore.
"Aria... please, I gave up everything for you."
"Are you saying that because of that I should feel guilty? That I should stay with you?!"
"No of course not I'm saying that I would gladly do it all over again; for you. You mean more to me than you will ever know and that hasn't changed and to me it still feels right."
"Well it doesn't for me Ezra, and believe me I'm sorry, but I just can't." And with that she left because she could not bear to watch him fall apart anymore. He just stood there and watched her walk out of his life, hoping that she would turn around and tell him that she had made a mistake. But she didn't, Aria knew she couldn't turn around because it would hurt her too much to watch him crumple. He meant so much to her, her first real love. He would always be that, no matter how far apart they were.
Aria ran up the stairs when she got home and collapsed onto her bed. She buried her face in her pillow and tried her best not to cry. Even though it was her choice it would always hurt to end a relationship, especially with someone you loved so much. She kept moving around, she knew that she couldn't wallow; she also knew that she would never be able to sleep. Everything was too loud and too focused, she needed to go somewhere so that she could be alone with her thoughts and think about what she was going to do next. How she was going to tell her friends and her parents that she had broken up with her teacher boyfriend that none of them really approved of. How she was going to explain to the people that didn't know why she was so upset, because she couldn't exactly tell them the truth. Aria could feel the tears running down her face. She had to leave. She grabbed her phone and her coat and left, leaving no explanation with her family. She started running when she got out the house, where she did not know but she knew it was as far away from anyone that would question her or why she was crying. Or so she thought. After about ten minutes she ran into someone, she fell to the floor as she was only small and the other person was apparently quite large.
"Aria, I'm sorry! Let me help you."
"Thank you! Jason? What are you doing here?"
"Erm the same as you? Running, I do it every night, helps me think." Aria mentally hit herself; that was a bit of a stupid question. They both lived in the same town and she knew Jason ran on a regular basis, she used to watch him when she was young.
"Are you ok? You seem kind of distracted." Jason was looking at her with such a worried look on his face that she burst it all out on one stream of words that she knew he would find it difficult to keep up with.
"No, no I'm really not ok. I just broke up with Ezra, and yes I know it was my choice and I shouldn't be upset because I wanted this but he was still my boyfriend and I still loved him very much and now I don't know what to do and I don't know what to tell people and I can't possibly stay at home tonight because there is so many things in my room that remind me of him which used to make me happy but not just make me want to fall apart at the seams and I just don't know what to do."
"Ok erm wow. I don't really know what to say about most of that, but there's a guest room in my house which will solve your sleeping problems; come on." Aria followed him like a lost puppy, she didn't mean to spill her guts out but it was Jason and she could trust him and now she had somewhere to sleep so everything was better.
When Jason opened the door to the guest room Aria immediately choked because of the strong smell of paint.
"Damn it, I thought the smell would have gone by now. I redecorated a week ago."
"It's fine, I'll just sleep on the couch."
"You're not sleeping on the couch Aria! You can share my bed it'll be fine. Just don't try any funny business." Jason winked at her and she managed a weak laugh but in her head she was panicking. She knew the reason she had wanted to break up with Ezra in the first place was because of her feelings for Jason and honestly didn't know how she was supposed to spend the night with him and not give this away. She could only hope for the best.
Jason rolled over and looked at her like he always did.
"Morning beautiful," he said whilst giving her the biggest smile. Aria wanted to say it back but she didn't have time for that. She was so focused on him and what she wanted from him. She rolled him over so that she was lying on top of him and kissed him on the nose.
"Morning." She grinned, knowing what affect she could have on him. He took her face between his hands and kissed her, there was so much passion between the two of them Aria didn't know if she could control herself for much longer. Jason knew this and rolled them over so he was now propped up on his elbows above her. He grinned as he slowly made his way down her stomach.
Aria woke abruptly, realising what she was dreaming about. She smiled to herself wishing that it was true. She lay back down facing the middle of the bed, Jason's back. He rolled over obviously having been woken up by her sudden movements.
"Are you alright? Bad dream?"
"Actually no. It was a great dream."
"Good in that case, go back to sleep! It's three in the morning and I can't be dealing with this."
"Ok, night Jason." Aria smiled to herself. It was not yet morning which meant that her dream could still come true. She turned over and hoped that Jason will have changed his mind about the 'funny business' by the morning. She knew what she wanted.
I don't know whether to make this a one shot or continue so can you please comment below what you think? Much appreciated.