I wanted to write something this weekend and this idea sort of popped into my head. It's inspired by a storyline of my other favourite TV couple. If you want to know who it is you can ask me on Twitter or PM me.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pretty Little Liars nor the storyline that this story was inspired by.
Aria's POV
I was over at Ezra's apartment. We were talking about how we have barely seen each other the past month. I was getting tired of how much time Ezra spend with Malcolm. I understand that he wants to make up to him for not being around for seven years but I felt like he was abandoning me. Or that I wasn't as important to him as I once was.
"Ezra, I get that you want to spend time with Malcolm and that you want to get to know him. But ever since you came back from Delaware things has changed." I say trying to make him understand how I feel.
"What do you mean, things have changed?" He asks me.
"We both want completely different things. You have son and you've already lived part of your life. I haven't, I'm still in high school and I'm going to college after, and I don't want to hold you back from the life you could have." I say while I can feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes.
"Aria," Ezra says his thumb caressing my face "you're not holding me back. If anything you're making my life ten times better than how it was before I met you."
"Yes I am Ezra, we are two completely different persons."
"Just because people are different doesn't mean they are not in love." Ezra interrupts me.
"That is not my point Ezra" I sigh.
"Than what is your point?" he asks me.
"My point is that one day you will wake up and realise that I'm not good enough for you and you will leave me and start a new life somewhere else."
"Why would you think that?" Ezra asks and I can see how confused he is.
"Because I haven't felt like myself ever since Malcolm came into the picture and we aren't who we used to be anymore." I tell him but before Ezra could interrupt me I started talking again. "No, let me finish. I feel like you don't trust me enough to tell me about your past. You only tell me about it because I found out myself or someone else told me."
"Aria, I do trust you." Ezra insists "I didn't tell you all of these things because …"
"No, if you did trust me , you would have told me these things yourself without me finding out behind your back." I cut him off.
"You're acting like I lied to you all the time we were together."
"You just can't be open with me, if you did, you would have told me about Jackie and Maggie. Who knows what else you're hiding from me?"
"What do I have to do to prove to you that there is nothing or no one else?" He asks me desperately.
"You shouldn't have to prove anything Ezra." I sigh "If we really meant to be together, if we trusted each other, the honesty would come naturally and it hasn't. But maybe this is a good thing." I tell him,
"How can this be a good thing Aria?"
"I'm not sure if we ever belonged together at all." I exclaim.
"This is crazy. I find out I have a seven year old son so of course I would spend some time with him to get to know him and make up for the past seven years that I wasn't around. "
"Ezra if I don't trust you, what do we have got?" I ask him raising my voice slightly.
"If that's the way you feel."
"It is" I say as I start to collect my things.
"You know what?" Ezra says. I notice he's becoming frustrated. " Maybe this is a good thing. That way I can find someone who will trust me." He turns around and goes to the bathroom and slams the door shut.
I pick up my purse, put on my shoes and leave his apartment. Once I'm outside tears are starting to roll down my cheeks. I didn't want to feel like this, I hated feeling like this. Alone like my mom and hurt by the man I loved most. I know that I broke up with him und I don't see what else I could have done.
The next day Hanna, Emily and I were at the Brew, grabbing a coffee and catching up on everything that has happened the past couple of days. I told them about Ezra and me breaking up last night and how he said we should just date other people.
"How about you enter that new dating show?" Hanna suggest.
"What dating show? What are you talking about?" I ask her.
"I hear that they are shooting a new dating show in Philly and they are casting this weekend. You could try it out."
"Really, you would want me to audition for this dating show all alone?" I ask her. "Yeah right, as if I would ever do that."
"You don't have to do it alone Aria." Emily says. "I'll go and I'm pretty sure Hanna and Spencer will too. "
"That won't be necessary because I'm not doing it. "
"Why not? It could be fun and take your mind of things. You did say something about dating other people." Hanna says.
"I am not going to make a complete fool out of myself on national TV. I've already been on the front page of the newspaper more than I would like. So no, thank you, but I'm not going on a dating show just so I could date someone else."
"Then what are you going to do?" Emily asks me.
"Maybe I'll date the first guy that enters here." I joke.
"Um, Aria, are you really so sure about that?" Hanna says while looking over to the door.
"Yeah Hanna, I'm sure. I'm going to date the first stranger that enters this place."
"I don't think that's going to be a good idea either Aria." Emily says also looking at the door.
"Why, whose at the door?" I say, turning around as well. I gasp when I see Ezra. We stare at each other for a few seconds before I look away.
Ezra's POV
I can't believe Aria broke up with me. I know that some things have changed between us but I didn't think that it was that bad. Part of me understands that this is a lot for her to deal with but another part of me is angry at her. Every time something happens, she gets scared and runs away instead of talking to me. I decide to go to bed early, hoping everything will get better when I wake up.
The first thing I do when I wake up is look at my alarm clock. 8:48 it says. I sigh as I get up and walk towards the kitchen. I had barely slept at all last night. I kept dreaming about Aria and replying last night. I was incredibly mad at myself for all the things I said to her. I regretted it all, especially when I said that we should see other people. I didn't mean it, I said it in the heat of the moment. I open the fridge and look into it, hoping I'll find something to eat but I couldn't find anything. I sigh and walk to my dresser. I take out a pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. After I get dressed I take my wallet and decide to go to the Brew and grab a cup of coffee and breakfast.
When I enter the brew I see Hanna, Emily and Aria talking. First only Hanna is looking towards me but soon Emily and Aria are too. I stare at Aria not really sure if I should stay or go somewhere else. Aria turns her gaze away right when Hanna walks up to me.
"Hi Ezra" she says.
"Hi Hanna. How are you?" I ask her trying to make a polite conversation.
"I'm fine thank you. Aria, Emily and I are catching up. Would you like to join us?"
"I don't think that's a good idea. I only stopped by to grab a coffee and some breakfast."
"It's no problem really, we are just talking. Come on and join us. It's just coffee."
I could see that Hanna wasn't planning on giving up so I give in and walk with her back to the table Aria, Emily and she were sitting at.
"Hey Ezra" Emily greets me.
"Hello Emily, Aria" I say but Aria doesn't look at me.
"Aria, can we talk for a moment?" I ask her but she doesn't reply.
"She would love to." Hanna says. I see Aria glaring at her, she sighs and gets up. She walks to a more secluded part and I follow her silently.
"What are you doing here Ezra?" She asks me agitated.
"I can ask you the same thing you know."
" I'm hanging out with my friend. You know Emily, Hanna and I were talking of auditioning for this new dating show. We thought it might be fun to see if we would actually get chosen to be on the show." She says nonchalantly.
"Why would you do that? That's so not you." I don't get how Aria is even considering this. She once told me that she would never be that girl that is so desperate for a guy that she would do a dating show.
"Well maybe you don't know everything about me." Aria argues back at me.
"I think you made that pretty clear the other night." I fire back at her.
"You were the one that said we should date other people."
"Last night I said a lot of things that I shouldn't have and I'm sorry, But the truth is I don't want to see anybody else." I say looking straight in her eyes.
"And I should believe you because …? Aria asks me.
"Because I love you." I finish her sentence.
Aria sighs and turns her back towards me.
"I'm serious. I love you. I know that you're still mad at me but doing a stupid dating show isn't the solution."
Aria turns back around. "You're afraid you're going to have some competition."
"No, that's not it. I know that you're vulnerable right now and I don't want you to see you get hurt.
"So you think that I won't actually make it to the show?" Aria asks raising her eyebrow slightly. Before I can say anything she cuts me off. "How about we will see about that?" She starts to walk back to her friends but I reach out for her arm and stop her from leaving.
"Are we seriously not going to talk about this?"
"What is there to talk about Ezra? If you want to date other people, then you should do that and stay out of my life." Aria says and this time I let her go back to her friends.
I walk over to the counter and order my coffee. The barista gives me my coffee and as I was walking towards the door, I bump into someone.
"Emma?" I ask, recognising my friend from college. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Ezra, hi, it's no big deal. It's so great to see you. How have you been? The last time we saw each other was at graduation when I told you I was leaving for a year abroad."
"I have had better days. You look great. How was it? Do you have some time, I could buy you a coffee and we could catch up?" I ask her.
"Sure, I don't have anything planned for today. " She smiles at me.
Aria's POV
I was walking back to Hanna and Emily. I couldn't believe that Ezra had actually the nerve to tell me I wasn't allowed to date someone else even though he told me to do so yesterday.
"Hey, you ok?" Emily asks me. "What did he say to you?"
"Fine. I told him that I was considering doing that dating show then he said that it wasn't really my scene and not to do it because he loves me."
"Wait," Hanna interrupts, "you're going to do that dating show?"
"No, I just told him that I was considering it. He doesn't need to know that I'm not going through with it."
I look around the Brew to see if he's still there. I see him standing at the counter talking to some girl. She looked beautiful and they both looked so comfortable around each other. I didn't notice I was staring at them until Emily snapped me out of it.
"What are you looking at?" she asks me looking around to see what it could be. She spots Ezra and the mystery girl talking and looks back at me sympathetically.
"Aria," she starts to say.
"What Em?" I ask her, "he told me we should see other people so why should I be angry that he's talking to some girl?"
"Why won't you two talk things through and get back together?" Hanna asks her.
"Believe me, I want to but I don't think that he wants to." I say, my eyes once again looking at Ezra and the girl. They were both laughing at something. He looked happy.
God, why do I always keep pushing him away? Aria asked herself silently.
A few hours later I leave the Brew and walk towards the library. I spot Ezra riding around town on his bike. We share a brief glance. I look away and continue to walk to the library but I notice that Ezra's riding towards me. I stop walking and turn around.
"Are you following me?" I ask him when he steps of his bike.
"I just want to talk to you for a few minutes." He offers as an explanation. "And then I'll leave you alone."
"Fine." I sigh wanting this to be over as fast as possible.
"I miss you. I miss us" Ezra says. "I know I screwed up but we belong together. I still believe that and I think you do to. You're just to upset and angry to admit that and I understand why."
I sigh and shake my head not knowing how or if I should react.
"I promise I'll be more sympathetic to you and to your feelings and you agree to not look so depressed when you're with me or act so disappointed." He carefully says making me frown.
"So what do you think?" he asks me, "Because I'm ready to change. Are you?"
I think about it for a while before I say, "I have to go. Spencer's waiting for me." I turn around and walk towards the library, leaving him standing at the sidewalk.
I get home a few hours later. I'm looking through my purse, searching for my keys when I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and see Ezra standing in the driveway.
"Ezra, what are you doing here at my house? Stop following me around town!" I say, I was getting more and more frustrated. First we ran into each other at the Brew, then when I'm on my way to the library and now he shows up at my house.
"I only want an answer to my question. Are you ready to change?" he says.
I walk over to the swing and take a seat on it. Ezra follows her and he takes a seat on the other side of the swing.
"If you're ignoring me to make me crazy, you're succeeding, you win. So can you stop doing it?" he asks me.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I say looking straight ahead of me.
"I don't want you to do this dating show." He says frustrated.
"I was just joking with Hanna and Emily. But who knows I might have a good time on the show. I mean the guy will certainly not accuse me of looking depressed or acting disappointed around him."
"Would you even see this guy's face? I mean what if it's not "
"Perfect like yours is? Come on Ezra, you know that physical attraction is not that important to me."
"Oh really? He asks smugly. "That's funny because earlier when I was riding my bike I could have sworn I saw you checking me out."
"What an ego." I say annoyed.
"I know what you want Aria Montgomery." he tells me, "you love me body, mind and soul. Same way I love you."
"You do?" I ask him sheepishly.
"How many time do I have to tell you I love you?" he laughs slightly, "I always have and I always will. I love your eyes, I love your hair, I love the way you laugh. And I love that serious look you get when you're studying or reading a book. I even love the fact that you're perfect because it scares me sometimes that you're too perfect for me or that I'm not perfect enough for you." he tells me, making me smile.
"Because I know that I screwed up and I wish I could go back in time and change what I said to you but I can't do that. The only thing I can do is promise you that it won't happen again and and that I'll pay more attention to how you're doing." Ezra tells me while looking me straight in my eyes. I could see he meant every single word he just told me.
"You're right, Ezra." I sigh, "I see you, no I don't even have to see you, I think about you and that's why I didn't go through with the dating show."
"Why" he asks me curiously.
"Because I started thinking about you, when I saw you at the Brew and when we ran into each other earlier and it made me realise I don't want to date anyone else. Even for a TV show. You are the only guy I want to be with." I tell him.
Ezra leans in and we kiss passionately, both having missed the feeling of the other one's lips pressed against our own. After a few minutes we both pull away breathlessly.
"Does this mean you want to get back together?" he asks me, his forehead leaning against mine.
"I do want to get back together," I tell him, my eyes looking for his, " but it has to be different this time. It can't go back to the way it used to be."
"It will be, I promise you" he says and we both lean in for another kiss.
"Wait," I say pulling away from the kiss, "what about that girl in the Brew? The one you were talking to and laughing with?"
Ezra laughs. "Emma?" he ask me.
"If that's her name, yes Emma."
"She's a friend from college. The last time I saw her was at graduation when she told me she was going to Italy for her year abroad."
"Okay," I say nervously.
"We were just catching up on everything that has happened since then." Ezra tells me, slightly amused that I was jealous of Emma. "She told me that she and Adam got married while they were in Italy."
"She, she's married?" I ask him feeling really embarrassed.
"Yes, they got married 6 months ago. Adam proposed while they were in their Junior year and decided to get married on their year abroad. What you thought I was actually interested in her?"
"Noo" I say sheepishly but Ezra shoots me a glare that says he know I'm lying. "Okay I may have thought that you two looked cute for a moment."
"Aria, I only have eyes for you." Ezra assures me. I smile and press my lips to his once more.
"I know, I just like hearing you say it." I smile. "I love you."
"I love you too." He says kissing me again.
Later that night Ezra and me are still sitting on the swing enjoying each other's company. Luckily my dad had texted me right before I got home that he was out with a colleague and that Mike was spending the night at a friend's house. Otherwise I don't really want to know how my dad would react if he saw me and Ezra sitting here. I feel Ezra kissing my head and a smile instantly forms on my lips.
"What are you thinking about?" He ask me, his voice full of love.
"I was thinking about how much I love you and how happy I am that we're back together."
"I was just thinking the same." Ezra says pulling me closer to him. "I don't want to ever lose you again. "
"Me neither." I say and kiss him tenderly.
The end
Please review and let me know what you think of it. Sorry for any mistakes.
For those who read my other story (Scared to tell) and wanted me to update. I apologize for not making it more clear that the third chapter was the last one. I mentioned it the the first two chapters but forgot to mention it in the third one as well.