Hello! I hope you like this new story, it's still in the early stages of writing but I like how it's going! Please let me know what you think:)

Chapter One

"Where's daddy, huh?" Aria asked in a high pitched baby voice, staring into Nathan's big brown eyes. "Is daddy late?" She carried on, holding the three month old close to her chest. "Yes, daddy's late again. Daddy asks mommy to take baby to a bar, and then daddy's late to pick baby up, even though daddy knows that-"

"Aria." A familiar voice called, and Aria snapped her head up.

"Noel, what took you so long?" She asked, trying to keep her voice calm in front of Nathan.

"Chill out, I'm here aren't I?" Noel dismissed as he stalked over to Aria and the baby. He picked up Nathan awkwardly and put him into the stroller, looking around to make sure there was no one they knew. Aria crouched down to look Nathan in the eye.

"Have a nice time at daddy's baby, mommy will pick you up on Sunday." She said, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"What? You want me to have the kid all weekend?" Noel asked, outraged.

"Noel, that's what we agreed. I have work Saturday. I'll pick him up first thing Sunday."

"There's a big game this Saturday, I was going to go to the lake house with the boys." Noel argued frustratedly.

"You haven't had him in weeks, you should want to spend time with your son."

"Don't try and guilt trip me, Aria."
"I'm not trying to guilt trip you, Noel, but-"

"Whatever, I'll get my mom to have him Saturday night. See you Sunday." He said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Aria called out urgently.

"What?" Noel smirked, confident that she would offer to have Nathan on Saturday.

"You forgot his changing bag. He has three outfits and pyjamas in there." She said, handing it over. "And his milk." She added, retrieving her pre-prepared breast milk from her purse. Noel looked at her as if she just handed him a bottle of dirty lake water.
"That's disgusting, why can't I just give him formula?"

"Because he's used to breast milk, he'll just reject form-"

"Okay, okay, Jesus Christ. Can I go now?" He asked impatiently.

"Before he goes to bed put the milk in the microwave on low heat for twenty seconds. He likes being read to at night, something with a regular rhythm like Goodnight Moon or anything Dr. Suess. He's getting good at holding his head up, he can go it for up-"

"Okay, we're out of here." Noel said, turning the stroller round. "Say bye-bye to mommy, Nathan." He said in a monotone voice, walking out of the bar and leaving Aria alone on her stool. She immediately felt empty without Nathan, and didn't know what to do with herself.

"Hi, I'll have a coffee please." She said to the bartender. "Decaf." She added, remembering that she was still breastfeeding.

"You okay down there?"

Aria looked up from her drink to see a young man at the other end of the bar, holding his book open in place with his thumb. He must have come in just after Noel left, as she had previously been the only person there. He smiled warmly at her.

"I'm okay, just a little tired." She smiled back.
"Late night?" He asked knowingly, nodding his head towards her coffee. He was kind and gentle looking, with soft brown curls and bright blue eyes. His smile comforted Aria, and she felt herself compelled towards this mysterious stranger.

"You could say that." She nodded, deciding it wasn't necessary to mention that her late night was due to a crying baby. "You're reading Ulysses?" She observed, gesturing towards his open book.

"I am. Well, re-reading. I thought I better get reacquainted before I teach it." He explained, flipping through the well thumbed pages.

"You teach?" Aria asked, impressed.

"Not yet. Monday is my first day."

"Good luck, you're going to need it." She laughed.

"Thanks, I have a feeling you're right. Teenagers are brutal, right?" He asked.

"Brutal." Aria agreed, despite the fact that she herself was a teenager. She couldn't place her finger on it, but there was something about this man that she was drawn to. She had been talking to him for all of forty seconds, but she was already craving to know more about him. Little did she know, he was feeling exactly the same way.

"I'm Ezra, by the way." He said.
"I'm Aria." She replied, smiling softly.

"Aria." Ezra repeated, saying it gently as if it was a litany. Aria's stomach fluttered upon hearing her name come from his lips. Aria let out a yawn.

"Do you want another coffee?" Ezra offered.

"Um… I'll just have some water, thank you." Aria said appreciatively, avoiding having to explain why she needed decaffeinated coffee.

Aria and Ezra stayed talking for over three hours. They discovered that they had the same taste in literature, film, music, art, travel, even food. Well, Aria was a headstrong vegetarian and Ezra was partial to a good steak, but they both loved Indian and Thai food. They both had an interest in philosophy and both believed in socialism. They were both passionate about social justice and equal rights, and even discovered that they were at the same protest against anti-abortion laws. Aria tactfully steered conversation away whenever the topic of age came up, and she managed to avoid mentioning the fact that not twenty minutes before Ezra arrived she had been breastfeeding her young baby. There hadn't been a single lull in conversation, and they were only interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing.

"Hello?" Aria answered once she realised it was her phone.

"He won't stop crying. I've done everything. I gave him milk, I played with him, I even changed his diaper. What do I do?" Noel's tired voice rang out through the phone. Aria sighed and looked over to Ezra.
"I'm sorry, I need to take this." She apologised. Ezra nodded in an understanding way and went back to his book, giving Aria her privacy.

"Who are you speaking to?" Noel asked accusingly.

"Just someone I met." Aria said dismissively. "I put a blanket in his changing bag, it's the yellow one from the hospital. Give it to him, and if it doesn't work put a sprinkle of baby powder on it." She instructed once she had got out of Ezra's ear shot. She heard rustling on the other end of the phone, and finally she heard Nathan's crying subside. After Noel hung up (without so much as a goodbye) Aria was suddenly hit with the reality of her situation. Was she kidding herself with Ezra? Their compare and contrast really was quite striking. Sure, they had the same views and interests and opinions, but on the surface? He was a twenty six year old English teacher, and she was a sixteen year old mother. Of course, she was being ludicrous. There was no way he could possibly be interested once he found that out. Maybe she should just hook up with him in the bathroom and be done with it. No, that wasn't what she wanted and she knew it. She wanted a genuine, authentic emotional connection with him- she wanted to hear his thoughts and feelings, she wanted to talk to him and listen to him. But that couldn't happen. She needed to end this before she fell too deep.

"I'm sorry, Ezra, I need to go." Aria said, picking up her purse.

"Maybe we could meet up again?" Ezra suggested.

"Yeah, maybe." Aria nodded, but she left without giving a number or any form of contact information. Ezra sat alone in the bar, crestfallen. Was it something he said? He had thought they were getting on so well. She was fascinating; intelligent, funny, thoughtful, kind and breathtakingly beautiful. Was it because he wasn't a vegetarian? He could be a vegetarian. Wait, he needed to calm down. He met this girl less than four hours and he was considering giving up meat for her? Maybe it was best she left, he was falling way too hard way too fast. Perhaps, if it was meant to be, their paths will cross again.

Please let me know whether you're interested in this story, and give any suggestions you have! Thank you, and hope you enjoyed:)