This is a one-shot I wrote. I recently went to see The Great Gatsby and the idea just popped into my head. I wasn't sure I wanted to post it but well... I did.
Enjoy
"The Great Gatsby, please," Ezra politely asked the young teenage boy in charge of the movies tickets that night.
"Just one ticket, sir?" The boy asked.
Ezra nodded. "Yes, just one."
If he hadn't been in such a hurry because of all the people waiting behind Ezra in a long line, and if he had paid attention to his client, maybe the young boy would have noticed the sadness which passed through Ezra's eyes at that moment.
"Have a good time, sir," he told Ezra by giving him the ticket. Ezra thanked him and headed toward the movie room.
When, a few months ago, he had learnt that they were going to make a movie of Fitzgerald's greatest novel, Ezra had known that he wouldn't miss it for the world. He had gotten really existed by it, couldn't wait to see how they were going to turn this amazing book into a movie. He had actually read the book at least five times; he just loved that story, and that wasn't just because its author had the same name as him, alright, maybe just a little.
But today, as he entered the still lit up and full room, he felt no excitement. Not because he wasn't interested in the movie anymore, but because she wasn't' there. No matter how he had imagined this evening to be, he had always imagined that it would be with her. He knew she loved the story as much as he did; she had even dressed up as Daisy for the last Halloween. They would have watched the movie together, their hands intertwined and then, back to his apartment, they would have discussed it during hours as they always did, curled up on his couch, and then they would have…. He shook his head; there was no need to do that. What was the point? She wasn't here and he had to accept it. They were over, since seven weeks and nine days. God, had he counted? He really was being pathetic!
The room was already full, but there were still a few available seats, so he mentioned toward one of them and sat beside an old lady, busy cleaning up her huge glasses. He didn't have long to wait until some lights started going out as some teasers filled the huge screen. Unable to focus on them, his mind went back to the only thing he had been able to think about these past few weeks: Aria.
He couldn't believe that they had ended up like that, that she had ended things between us. Every time he had felt hopeless, thinking that their relationship was never going to work out because of her parents, the law or even Jackie, she had been the one to tell him that everything was going to be alright; but not this time. Deep down, he knew she had been nothing but responsible. He needed a job, he had to take care of Malcolm, he was his son and it was his responsibility to take. But after all they had gone through… He couldn't help thinking that they could have found a way to work their relationship out; but Aria was right, maybe it was how things were supposed to be, maybe there had never been a happy ending for them.
He was so deeply lost in his intensive and wistful thoughts that he didn't even notice when someone sat beside him, on the last available seat of the row.
He briefly turned his head and his heart jumped in his chest when he noticed the girl sitting beside him. She was seeking into her bag and she sure hadn't noticed where she had just sat, if she had, she would have immediately left.
"Aria?"
The young girl looked up at the mention of her name, and surprise flashed across her face when she noticed him. Ezra knew that if she had said anything at that moment, it would have been very similar to what he had said in front of his whole class the day he had found out she was his student.
"Ezra, …I…" she started stuttering. "I didn't realize it was you, I saw an available seat and I just sat…"
Ezra saw her watching the room, looking for another seat. Of course she didn't want to stay here, beside him, and he wasn't sure he wanted it either. It was difficult enough to spend one hour in his classroom, doing his best to pretend she was nothing more than a student, as she was sitting a few meters away from him, so he wasn't sure that two hours in a dark room with her just a few inches away from him would be a good idea.
"I'm just going to leave," Aria said, realizing that there was no other seat.
She seemed so desperate to go, as if she couldn't even stand the idea of staying so close to him. He understood, of course, but it was painful to know, that, after all they had shared, they couldn't even stand the idea of being near each other.
Ezra shook his head and sighed. "Don't be ridiculous. You paid for this movie, stay. I think we can handle it for two hours."
As Aria was still considering leaving, all the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. Compiling, she sat back on her seat, making sure she was as far away as possible from her ex-lover.
She mentally cursed herself for what was happening. How on earth could she have been stupid enough to sit right beside the man she was trying so hard to get over? As if it wasn't difficult enough to see him every day in class and call him Mr. Fitz. She hadn't thought it would be so hard; after all, he had been her teacher for months the past year. But this time was different; this time she knew she wouldn't sneak around to come over at this apartment after class, this time they didn't share suggestive glances in the corridors but were doing their best to avoid each other's looks, this time, and for the first time, he really was only her teacher and nothing more.
She should have known he would be there; he loved that story so much, and they had planned to watch the movie together. That was why she had refused when Jake, her new boyfriend had proposed to come with her. Seeing this movie with someone else than Ezra didn't feel right. How ironical it was! They were both here, as they had planned to before everything changed, before Maggie and Malcolm; but the difference was, they weren't a couple anymore, they would not hold hands, and she was not going to rest her head on his shoulder like she loved and used to every time they went to the movie theater.
As the first pictures of the movie started coming on the screen, Aria took a deep breath and tried to relax, deciding to enjoy the promising movie.
The first part of the movie went pretty fine. Even if she couldn't erase the fact that Ezra was sitting a few inches away from her, she focused on the story and even enjoyed it. Their hands touched for a brief second at a moment, as they both decided to put their hands on the armrest, but she immediately took her hand away and quickly focused back on the movie.
But everything changed at the middle of the movie.
Like the first time, Ezra put his arm on the armrest and his hand met Aria's. This time, she didn't take her hand away like she'd done a few moments earlier, but let it against his as if she hadn't even noticed. Ezra could have taken his hand away or just stayed like that, pretending he hadn't noticed, but he didn't.
He didn't know what he was thinking at that moment, maybe he could blame Gatsby and Daisy who were reciting their love to each other on the huge screen after five years apart, or maybe he did that because he was dying to, but he suddenly let his thumb running along Aria's soft skin.
Aria's heart started beating faster when she felt Ezra's thumb caressing her hand. Until now, she hadn't even realized that their hands were touching, that was so natural for her, but now, as his thumb were gently running all over the back of her hand she couldn't ignore it. She knew she had to move her hand away but she couldn't. She had missed it so much, the contact of his hands on her skin. She could feel his look on her but she kept her eyes on the screen, not wanting to meet his gaze.
Her body tensed up even more when his thumb was replaced by all of his fingers that he started running along her arm. She shivered at the contact of his fingers which were burning her skin. She finally allowed herself to look at him and met his eyes. He leaned his head toward hers a bit and her eyes went down to his lips. The characters' voices suddenly seemed really far away from her, and the only thing she could focus on were Ezra's lips as she felt his hot breath against her face. She wanted nothing more than kiss him; she wanted to feel his arms around her, his hands all over her face and body. He leaned forward even more and she knew he was going to kiss her, and she wanted to.
But, all of a sudden, as he was on the point to press his lips against hers, the realization of what was happening hit her, and she suddenly rose from her seat before walking in the dark at a fast pace toward the double doors. Once she had pushed the doors, she headed toward the deserted bathroom and, closing her eyes, she leant against the door, taking a deep breath.
She had just been in here for a few seconds when she heard a soft knock on the door. She quickly stepped aside to let whoever was behind the door enter, and saw Ezra popping his head inside the bathroom. When he saw her, he opened the door completely and joined her inside.
"Are you alright?" He asked her, worry all over his face.
Aria shook her head. "No! Actually I'm not!"
"Aria, I..."
"Why are you doing this?" She interrupted him, bitterness in her voice.
"Doing what?"
"Flirting with me like that, as if we were still a couple, why are you doing that?"
Ezra shrugged. "I don't know, I just…."
"You just what?" She snapped. "You can't do this, Ezra, not anymore. We broke up!"
"I know, I'm sorry, Aria, I…"
"I'm trying so hard to get over you," Aria shouted, interrupting him once again. "But every single day I have to sit in this damn class, right in front of you and call you Mr. Fitz! Every day is a reminder of what we were and will never be again. And now you're touching me like that, as if we were still together, as if we had right to do that…." By the end, her voice was more desperate than angry and she stopped when she felt tears filling her eyes.
"Do you think I don't know that? "Ezra argued. "Do you think I don't feel it every day? I know it's hard for you, because I feel the same. Every day, I know I will have to pretend that the girl I love is nothing more than a student!"
Aria swallowed hard as she listened to Ezra. Hearing him saying that he loved her was a mix of pain and happiness at the same time.
Ezra took a few steps toward her as he kept talking. "Every day, I see you here, right in front of me; so close, but I'm not allowed to take you in my arm, to touch you… I know it's over, I know that. I just… It's just so hard to accept."
By the time he had been talking, he had cupped Aria's face between his hands and gently wiped a tear which had been running down her cheek as they looked into each other's eyes. He wanted to kiss her, so badly, but he knew he couldn't, she would not forgive him for that. Fortunately for him, she made the first step by suddenly pressing her lips against his.
She needed that so badly and she had already used all the self-control she had a few minutes ago, so she just did.
Ezra wrapped his arms around her waist as he deepened the kiss by slowly tracing her bottom lip with his tongue. She opened her mouth a little wider to allow him entry, and they started caressing each other's tongues as her back pressed against the sink.
That was a strange kiss, passionate, but not only, almost desperate. She had been the one to start the kiss, and she was the one to end it.
They stayed a few seconds, foreheads pressed together as they tried to catch their breath.
"Come with me to my apartment," Ezra suddenly whispered in a hoarse voice.
Aria pulled away a bit and shook her head. "We can't, Ezra."
But Ezra didn't complied and took her face in his hands. "Please… just for tonight."
He knew he was being a fool, but he wanted her so much, he wanted at least a last time with her. With the discovering of Malcolm, and all the problems after that, they hadn't even had a single moment for them and he suddenly realized that he couldn't even remember the last time they had made love. How could he not remember that? That was kind of crazy! Of course, he hadn't known that it would be the last time but, still, he should remember.
"I don't even remember the last time we made love," he said as the realization hit him.
"Ezra…"
"Do you?" He interrupted her.
Aria looked at him and seemed to hesitate a few seconds before shaking her head. "No."
"Please, Aria," He insisted. "Just for tonight."
He wanted her, he needed her; he knew it would probably make things harder but he didn't even care, he needed something that he could remember.
Aria looked down for a second, as if she was fighting with herself, but finally softly shook her head. "No, I can't."
"Aria…" Ezra started arguing again.
"Ezra, you …you have to let me go," she said, despair in her voice, as a tear rolled down her pale cheek. "Please."
Ezra's heart squeezed at her words. He knew she wasn't only talking about letting her go from the bathroom, and understood that she was begging him to let her go from his life. She was right, he had no right to do what he was doing, that was already hard enough for her and all he was doing was making things worse. How could he do that to her?
He nodded and removed his hands from her face. "I'm sorry, Aria."
She looked at him, doing her best to prevent the tears which were filling her big hazel eyes from falling down her cheeks.
"Thank you," she softly whispered before heading to the door and leaving the bathroom.
Ezra didn't remember the last time they had made love, but he sure would remember the last time they had kissed, because, this time, he was sure it was the last time.
A few minutes later, Ezra opened the door of his small apartment. He had considered returning to the movie but had given up; he wasn't in the mood anymore. He was angry with himself for what he had done. He shouldn't have done that. He couldn't forget the way Aria had looked when she had asked him to let her go; she had begged him, as if he was preventing her from getting over him, from going ahead. Was it what he was doing?
Just because he was feeling miserable since they had broken up, didn't mean she should feel the same. She was seventeen, she should enjoy herself, have fun with people her own age and surely not cry over her complicated relationship with her teacher.
Soft knocks on his door, suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts. He walked to the door, opened it, and there she was, standing in front of him.
Her eyes were puffy and red, letting no doubt she had cried. Her long dark hair, which had been pulled up into a high ponytail a few hours earlier, was now flowing on her shoulders.
He was about to say something when she spoke.
"It was around a few days before you found out about Malcolm," she suddenly said.
At first he furrowed his brows in confusion, not sure of what she was talking about, but just as he was about to ask her she answered his silence question. "The last time we made love."
She had lied when he had asked her in the movie theater, she hadn't forgotten it.
"We'd watched a movie together and I'd fallen asleep," Aria kept talking. "When I woke up you were looking at me."
Ezra smiled, he had always loved watching her sleep.
"I asked you what was wrong, and you just smiled and told me you loved me. Then you kissed me, and well it happened, just like that. That's probably why you don't remember, because it wasn't something special, it wasn't goodbye sex or make-up sex, it was just like that, so natural."
Ezra nodded. "An affair to remember," he let out. "The movie we were watching, it was An affair to remember."
Aria nodded in affirmation. "I didn't even get the chance to see how it ends."
"Anything can happen, don't you think?" Ezra said.
Confusion spread across Aria's face. "What?"
"It's how the movie ends," Ezra clarified. "It's the last sentence. We're not exactly sure if they're actually end up together, but there's still hope."
"I believe in that," he said, looking at her right in the eyes. "I do believe that anything can happen and that nothing is never irreversible."
Aria looked at him intensively, knowing what he was talking about before sadly smiling at him.
"Just for tonight, eh?" She suddenly said in a soft voice, biting on her lip.
He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for implying that, that it wasn't a good idea, that, for her own sake, it would be better not to do it, but he couldn't. Instead, he grabbed her arm to lead her inside and immediately brought her to him as he attacked her lips, closing the door with his foot.
Her hands immediately wrapped around his neck as they kissed deeper. She moaned when his mouth went to her neck, gently sucking on it. They walked to the bed and he lay above her before kissing her mouth, then her eyes and her cheeks before coming back to her lips.
A few moments later, their naked bodies were rhythmically moving together, both of them lost in an intimate moment they would definitively always remember.
So?
Please review and tell me what you think.
Also, a big thank you to those who reviewed my other one-shot "Never underestimate the power of passion." Thank you so much.
And, I'm so sorry for The Power of Guilt, I know I haven't updated in a while, I'll try to update really soon.
xoxo