No matter how far Aria went or who she was with, her mind couldn't rid Ezra from it. He was everywhere, he clouded her mind and blurred her vision taunting her with each step. She tried to run but was just running in circles, this had to end and she needed to see him.
Ever since she found out about the book she had gone to extremes whether it be trashing his apartment or getting drunk and hooking up with a college guy. Aria isolated her friends and shut the world out, hoping to make it go away, but it was like that annoying fly that won't seem to die, constantly buzzing in your ear and driving you to the point of crazy.
Impulse is what left Aria standing in front of apartment 3B, the place where she would run to in a time of need, a place she considered home. But now it seemed like the place she wanted to run from and she had never felt farther from reality as she stood in front of this door once again, anticipating the events unfolding behind it. Aria closed her eyes and took in a deep breathe, this had to be done, she needed answers and the only person who could give them to her was either standing behind that door or not. A new look of determination awoken as Aria opened up her eyes and knocked on the door, not afraid of what she might find on the other side. Almost seconds later the door opened and before her stood a man who she once thought she knew so well, but was just merely a stranger. But stranger or not Aria's heart still beat against her fragile chest and butterflies tickled her stomach as she took in his clean shave, perfected jaw line, hair that was cleanly cut and eyes that peered into her soul.
"Aria…" Ezra managed to get out as they both stood there looking at each other with minds racing through different thoughts and memories and feelings and trying to make sense with it all from one look. The fury and hate that motivated Aria to come here in the first place, reasserted its power within her as she pushed her way into the apartment, she still saw the remnants of the mess she had made with papers and glass scattered randomly on the floor. But before getting side tracked once again, Aria had to get it out, all the anger and fuel that she had stored in her small petite body. Aria made her way over to Ezra who still was trying to find the right words to say. Ezra saw a passion in her eyes he had only seen a few times, he feared that look of determination as she made her way closer.
"How could you?" Aria screamed to him as she began to throw the punches she had learned back in Jake's class into Ezra's abs. Ezra stood there, knowing he deserved it, knowing what he put Aria through, knowing that he messed up the realest thing in his life over a book where a happy ending wouldn't matter if he didn't get one himself. The punches grew weaker as Aria began to crumble, the tears streamed down her fast as she collapsed into his arms, the one thing that she had wanted to do but knew she couldn't. Ezra held her tight, he let her sob into his shirt as tears silently fell from his eyes. They didn't have the strength to move to the couch so they sank down onto his floor and sat there for what could have been hours or minutes, crying. Aria glanced up at Ezra, and Ezra saw what she wanted in her eyes, as they pleaded for an explanation without her even saying a word.
"I canceled the book, I trashed it and every bit of research. I will never forgive myself for giving you a reason to believe I don't love you and for being the reason behind these tears. I know I've used all my chances, but give me one more to show you I'm the person I've always said I was, please let me show you that I meant what I said when I said I would do anything for you. I love you and not a moment we spent together was a lie, this is too real to throw away." Ezra said, still on the verge of tears as he pleaded to the love of his life for another chance. She was the light in his world and he was afraid of the dark. "Please" Ezra whispered as Aria reached up from Ezra's lap and brushed a single tear that was falling down his face away.
"Okay" Aria said cautiously as she accepted the reality that no matter what, whatever they had was too real to throw away and they had been through too much. And she knew she couldn't truly make any rational decision without hearing both sides of the story, and with that she gave Ezra a chance to show her she was more than just research.
Ezra smiled as he looked at Aria with a small sigh of relief. He knew he'd have to redeem himself, but they had taken the first step in the right direction, and with one battle at a time, maybe this time they'd finally win the war.
"You alright down there?" Ezra said, hoping Aria understood.
"I'm a bit jet-lagged, I just got back from Europe" Aria responded without hesitation.
Aria didn't run this time, but stayed where she knew belonged, even if she didn't want to believe it at first, with Ezra.