Aria POV:

My life sucks. Plain and simple, I hate it. Last week, Ezra and I came clean to my parents. They freaked out, and didn't even give us the chance to explain. I mean, yeah it is a bit inconvenient for my parents given the past with Meredith and all that. But my dad said so himself, his feeling for Meredith took him by surprise. I didn't exactly plan on falling for my English teacher, and he didn't exactly plan on having feelings for me. Our relationship was a surprise to us as well.

My parents raised me to me independent and capable of making my own decisions since the day I was born. How can they possibly be angry with me for my decision to be with Ezra, when that is how they raised me? They taught me to stand up for what I know is right, and I have never felt like something was more right than my being with Ezra. And they choose now, when I'm 16 years old and more independent and happy than I have ever been, to treat me like a child and that I don't know what I'm talking about.

I know how it feels to be around Ezra. It feels like I don't have to worry about A, or Ali, or Mike's issues, or anything at all. I know that when I'm in his arms, nothing can hurt me. I could spend eternity looking into his eyes. I know that no matter how bad I mess up, Ezra will always be there to catch me. When Ezra talks, it's like velvet soothing my ears. When I don't get to see him for too long a time, it's hard for me to stay focused and I get really depressed and just detached from life.

How can my parents just make up their minds so fast? They preach to me that I should be completely open-minded, and the second they hear the word 'love' come out of Ezra's mouth, they then decide to be close-minded. They don't understand the troubles and trials that our relationship has gone through and yet we are still in love with each other.

I was broken out of my reverie when I heard my mother knocking on my bedroom door, "Your father ran into Holden earlier today, and invited him here for dinner, so could you please get ready, and try to look like you don't completely hate your father and I?"

I rolled my eyes. My parents have been trying to set me up with Holden since the day they found out he was home. They are just hoping that I become so enamored with him that I will forget all about Ezra…. because that's viable. "Okay Mom," I reply half-heartedly. I log off of Facebook and walk over too my closet. I'm not to enthusiastic about dinner, so I just grab the first dress I see. It's a green mesh overlay party dress that I got at Delia's the day before Ezra and I came clean. I got it back when I was allowed to make my own choices and have a life.

I quickly put on the dress and pull my hair up into a half bun. I walk over to my wide array of jewelry. I started all the way to the left, which is where I specifically placed my jewelry from Ezra. He got me a necklace and two bracelets for my birthday a few months. The necklace was a heart locket that said 'I love you' on the front and on the back it is simply inscribed '831.' That's our thing. It stands for: 8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning. It all adds up to 'I love you.'

I put on the locket, two bracelets, and various rings that I've collected over the years. I figured that if I can't be with Ezra right now, I could at least make sure that I have a part of him with me.

I put on some simple black wedges and walked downstairs just in time to hear the timer go off on the oven. I walk over to the kitchen to help my mother with dinner. As soon as she places the dish on the counter, the doorbell rings. Without missing a beat my mom says, "Oh, Aria, honey, that should be Holden, can you go let him in?"

I sigh and walk over to the door. I like Holden. He was like my closest friend as a kid. I loved him, but not like that. I knew this dinner was just going to be more of my parents trying to get us together, and I am not looking forward to it. I take a deep breath and put my hand on the doorknob.

"Hey Holden, how-," I stopped dead in my tracks. There was Ezra standing with a little smirk on his face, his eyes dancing in joy, holding a dozen red roses. Red roses are my absolute favorite flowers. I can't believe he remembered that.

"For you," Ezra says, holding out the Roses to me. I grab the roses and put them on the foyer table by the door. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on for dear life.

"What the hell are you doing here," I asked Ezra, refusing to let go of his neck.

Ezra chuckles in my ear and tightens his arms around my waist, "Your father invited me."

I lean back so I can look in his eyes still not letting go. "Seriously," I ask disbelievingly. He just smiled and nodded and pulled me closed to him. I missed him so much.

We break apart when we hear someone clear their throat behind us. We turned around to see Mike smiling while leaning against the wall. "I'm surprised you even came back to our house, Mr. Fitz," Mike said jokingly to Ezra.

Ezra nodded his head, "Well it was either coming back here or nursing a bottle of Scotch alone in my apartment, so I chose here. And Mike, at this point, I think you can just call me Ezra."

I looked pointedly at Mike, "So, I think maybe you should tell him what you told me the other night, and you should do so while I go put these in some water." I picked the roses back up, pecked Ezra on the lips, and walked to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase.

When I walked into the kitchen, I saw my mother leaning back against the counter, looking at me, "How Ezra managed to get Byron on his side, I will never understand."

"So you guys approve now," I asked Ella.

She hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Somehow, Ezra managed to tell Byron the story of your guys' relationship from day one. I heard the retold version from your father, and we are in a consensus that we are going to take this slow. That means, no sleepovers at his apartment, you can still go over there as long as you tell us the exact time you are leaving his apartment and you do not lie to us about you whereabouts at all. You have to promise me that, when the time comes, you two will be safe and use protection. And Aria, you have to promise no more secrets. I love you so much. You're my baby girl. You will always be my baby daughter and I will always try and accept you and help you in anyway I can. But, for that relationship to work, you need to know that you can come to me about anything. If you had come home from that pub the day you had met him and said 'I met this amazing guy, and I can't wait to see him again' then perhaps your father and I wouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that we did. Just know, you can come to me with any problem you have, and I will talk to you about it, without passing any judgment. And I mean that, even if I did, unknowingly, have a bit of a crush on your boyfriend."

I stood there gratefully staring at my Mom before hugging her tightly, "Thank you so much Mom. Thank you for giving us a chance. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you so much. I love you."

After we separated, I turned around to see the man I am so desperately in love with standing there with a small smile on his face, and just true happiness in his eyes. "I apologize for interrupting," Ezra said, "But Mike and Byron voted for me to come announce to you girls that they are ready to eat."

I saw Ella grab the Lasagna before I walked over to Ezra. "Shall we," he asked, holding out his hand for me to grab on to.

I smiled at him and laced our fingers together. I took a deep breath. "We shall," and we walked off into the unknown.

AN: I know I kinda didn't do the dinner, but I kinda thought we needed this to lead up to the dinner... So I can post a chapter of the actual dinner, but I doubt I will be able to it before Monday... Just a fair warning. As always, please leave a review to let me know what you think, or if you have any ideas that you think I should try to incorporate. And also thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 1. I only heard positive things, and I'm glad that you all liked it. :)