Ok a couple of things:
I will be updating my other story (I Belong With You, You Belong With Me) soon I just haven't had time to sit down and do it! Then this story came in my head and I wanted to share it before the season 4 premiere so I'm trying hard to get it out there.
This is only going to be a two part story! It was going to be a one shot but I wanted to post tonight without rushing the ending.
This story picks up in season 4 after everything that has happened in season 3 and also after Aria starts seeing Jake so keep that in mind please. (If you don't know who Jake is he's the guy Aria will rebound with in the beginning of season 4). This isn't supposed to be happening in the first episode but later in the season.
RING! RING! RING!
Aria instinctively lifted her hand and slammed it down onto the alarm clock buzzing next to her. She groaned and rolled onto her back.
Wednesday morning.
Another day Aria had to go to school with a smile plastered to her face as if nothing was wrong. Another day she'd have to spend forty five minutes staring at everything she can't have. Him. Each day Aria was simply going through the motions; wake up, get dressed, go to school, try to deal with A. Never before had her and Ezra's break up been this long, hammering in on the fact that it was for real this time. Just as each of her friend's relationships were becoming as strong as ever, hers was crumbling to pieces.
"Aria, are you going to come join your brother for breakfast?" Byron called from the kitchen as Aria was walking downstairs.
"I'm not hungry," she replied as she continued to head for the door. She couldn't remember that last time she had an appetite.
*PLL*
"Alright class, I'd like to introduce you to Andrea Carter. She's going to be our student teacher for the next few weeks while finishing grad school over at Hollis College. So everyone, please give Ms. Carter a friendly hello."
Ezra stepped to the side to reveal the woman who'd been lingering in the doorway. Aria looked her up and down from her seat. She was medium height with silky brown hair and perfectly tan skin. She wore a light pink spring dress with a thick brown belt at the waist. Her sandals matched the brown hue, while the Michael Kors watch on her wrist gave the outfit a classy feel. It was clear that Ms. Carter was young and beautiful, and Aria couldn't help but feel envy as she shifted her attention to Ezra. As Andrea was smiling at the class, he was smiling at her. Not the fake, just-being-friendly kind of smile, but one that Aria only saw when she was him. She felt like she had just been punched in the stomach with the world's biggest wrecking ball.
"Thank you guys," Andrea Carter began with a smile. "I'm looking forward to having class with all of you under the supervision of your wonderful teacher. Over the weekend, Mr. Fitz showed me the files he has saved of your previous work, and I'm pleased to say that you all are an intelligent bunch. I think I'll be learning just as much from you as you will hopefully learn from me."
Aria felt her mouth hang open. Any files Ezra would've saved are on his personal computer. Was Andrea at his apartment this weekend?
How could he do this to me? Aria thought to herself.
They both had agreed that it was over, because clearly it was no longer safe for them to keep a relationship going. But it seemed to Aria like Ezra was rubbing it in her face. To be fair, Aria had been seeing Jake, Malcolm's karate teacher who teaches a self-defense class after teaching the kids. Aria knew deep down though that Jake was a rebound; she needed something to get Ezra off of her mind. It's hard enough to break up with someone, but having to face them every morning and act like nothing was wrong killed Aria. But to her knowledge, Ezra was completely oblivious to their "relationship".
Aria decided she had had enough of this for one day. "Can I go to the bathroom?" Aria blurted out to Andrea in the middle of her introduction speech. The entire class shot their heads around as Aria got up and left the room without waiting for an answer.
*PLL*
"Hey Aria, is everything alright?" asked Spencer who spotted Aria from a distance at her locker while she was walking to her next class. "You seemed a little, I don't know, out of it this morning."
"Um, yeah I'm fine." Aria kept shoving books into her locker, trying not to make eye contact with Spencer. "I'll just talk to you later, ok?"
She slammed her locker shut and began to walk away. However she was stopped dead in her tracks after peeking into Ezra's room. She saw Andrea sitting on top of one of the student's desks talking to him as he graded papers at his desk. She quickly put her back against the wall next to the door and listened to their conversation.
"…so yeah if you wanted to spot by, that'd be awesome. Maybe we could grab a bite to eat afterwards or something like that," suggested Andrea.
Aria didn't want to hear the rest. She had to get out of there before anyone saw her fall apart.
*PLL*
After endless text messages and missed calls from her friends, Aria decided she needed to leave her house before her friends came over and dragged her out themselves. She'd been lying in her bed since she had gotten home from school, taking turns feeling angry, sad, and sleepy. She'd pace her room thinking about Ezra, scrunch up her face out of frustration and throw something at the wall, then crumble down and sob until she'd fall asleep. This cycle repeated itself until 5:00, when Aria decided she had had enough.
She got up and walked over to the mirror hanging on her closet door and looked at herself. She was wearing the same outfit that she had worn to school except it was crinkle. Her hair was matted to one side of her face and her makeup streamed down her cheeks. No longing having anyone to impress, Aria took out what was left of the braid in her hair and washed her makeup completely off in the bathroom. She half-heartily grabbed her purse and keys off of her dresser and headed downstairs. Right now she needed anything to take her mind off things.
*PLL*
Aria pulled into a restaurant that was 30 minutes outside of town. She wasn't planning on stopping, actually she had no plans whatsoever when she starting driving, but she recognized the place and decided to stop. It was called The Bayou, a café/bar where art students from Drexel University come to sing, recite poetry, play in a band, or play an instrument. However, people from high school or people other than college students are encouraged to come and play so the students can watch and learn.
Aria decided this could be entertaining so she walked inside and sat down at one of the tables in the back. She wasn't hungry, but she ordered an iced tea and tried to enjoy the music. There was a mixture of college students and adults performing. Aria enjoyed hearing where each person was from, which was announced by the MC each time before the next performer got on stage. They came from all over which Aria found really cool.
Aria was actually starting to have a good time. A violinist had just finished, so Aria looked at her phone and sipped on her tea. Then the MC came back on stage.
"Alright, thank you Christine for that wonderful performance. Our next performer says he's from the town of Rosewood. Please give a warm welcome to Ezra Fitz !"
Aria choked on her drink and went completely numb. How is this happening? She thought to herself. Before she could excuse herself, Ezra appeared onstage with his guitar. Oh great Aria thought. She loved it when he sang. He didn't do it much, but when he played his guitar and sang she could melt. Not many people expect it, but Ezra has a great singing voice. It was one of the many things he only shared with Aria.
The lights dimmed and he started to play. She couldn't move if she tried, so she just listened to his song.
How can I forget you
When memories come and go
You're all I've ever wanted
You're all I've ever known
Can I be happy
Living with your ghost?
The pictures tell the story
I took them off the wall
It's hard enough to get through
I still can feel the fall
Do you even think of me at all?
Oh, I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I can start it over
And find somebody new
A beautiful distraction
Just a hand to hold on to
But if you ask me
Would that love be true?
No, I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I want to taste you again
Like a secret or a sin
Breathin' out, breathin' in
There is no one else for me
But you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
When the applause came on cue and the lights turned back on, all that sat on the back table was an empty cup and a five dollar bill.
*PLL*
Ezra lounged back on his couch in a t-shirt and shorts and blankly stared at his TV. It was 11:30pm and nothing good was playing on a Wednesday night, but he couldn't sleep. He had gotten back from the Bayou around 10pm and had been doing nothing but this since. He decided to sip on a beer to nurse his ongoing depression. Just when Ezra thought about finally turning off the TV and heading to bed, he heard a knock on his door.
Ezra hesitated to get up. Only about three people had ever come to 3B, especially at 11:30 at night. Those three were Maggie bringing Malcolm, the police, and, of course, Aria. His first thought was that someone had been hurt, so panic overtook him. For what seemed like a long time of processing, Ezra got up and walked over to open the door.
It was Aria Montgomery.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!
THERE WILL BE ONE MORE "PART" TO THIS STORY POSTED SOON!
The song lyrics above are from the song "Only You" by Mathew Perryman Jones. This song was in episode 2x18 when Aria and Ezra are in the car
AND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR MY OTHER STORY!
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