Smiling Out of Fear

"I wish I could stay," Aria whined as she leaned against the door to my apartment.

"Believe me," I said with a smirk, "I wish you could stay here, too."

A laugh escaped Aria's mouth, and it immediately brought a smile to my face.

"I love you, Ezra," she said as she closed the gap between us.

I felt her lips gently press against mine as her hands snaked around my neck. My arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her body closer to mine. My tongue carefully traced the entrance of her lips as I felt her fingers begin to play with my hair. I pulled away and placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose.

"I love you, Aria Marie Montgomery," I said as I pulled her into a tight embrace.

She responded by bringing her lips to mine once again, this time more forcefully.

"Aria," I said with a chuckle with my lips still pressed against hers. "You're going to be late. Your parents are not going to appreciate your disregard for your curfew."

Aria groaned as she glanced down at her watch, which clearly displayed the time as 11:45.

"I'm already going to be late, so why don't I just stay for a little longer?" Aria reasoned as she kissed me once again.

"I love you, Aria." I said softly as I closed the door to her bedroom behind me. "No matter what happens, I just want you to know that."

I glanced over my shoulder, but there was no sign that she heard a word I said. I pursed my lips as I quickly made my way out of the otherwise empty house.

I found myself driving to The Brew in search of a warm and calming environment. I knew that if I drove back to my apartment, my mind would be consumed by thoughts of worry and fear regarding Aria and my future with her.

"Can I get you something, Mr. Fitz?" I heard a cheery voice ask.

I looked up to see Emily Fields' bright face looking down at me from where I sat in the corner table.

"Ah, Emily, a coffee would be great. Thanks," I said with a smile as I wondered if Emily had any idea what Aria was going through.

"I actually wanted to ask you something, Mr. Fitz," Emily said uncertainly as she slowly sat down at the chair opposite me. "I mean, if I could."

I motioned for her to go on, but I was fairly sure I knew where this conversation was heading.

"Is she…okay?" Emily asked as her face became overcome with emotion.

I shook my head as I sighed deeply, "I don't know. She won't…she won't let me in."

Emily chewed on her lip as she nodded and blinked away the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"I'm really worried about her. I know that you must be, too…Have you spoken to her parents?"

I licked my lips as I glanced around the small coffee shop.

"No…I haven't. They don't know that we're seeing each other again, and I don't think they would be fans of the relationship since I'm teaching at Rosewood now. I'll try to talk to her again tomorrow, but it doesn't seem to be what she wants right now," I confessed as I ran my hands through my already disheveled hair.

A sympathetic expression came across Emily's face.

"She needs you right now. She might not be able to tell you, but she does. If anyone can get her through this, it's you. I just…I just want you to know that. You're helping her more than you know. Just don't give up on her. Ok? I'm going to go get your coffee."

I nodded as I checked my phone once again, vainly hoping that Aria would call me and tell me this for herself.

The bell rang signaling the end of the period, and I watched Aria pack up her belongings in her bag.

"Ms. Montgomery, may I see you for a moment about your paper?" I asked evenly with no emotion on my face.

Aria nodded as a small smile played across her glossy lips.

This was our routine, our way to keep our relationship a secret.

"Yes, Mr. Fitz? Did you dislike my work?" Aria asked with a pout as her eyebrows knit together.

"Not at all, Ms. Montgomery. Actually, I found your work to be very…engaging," I said with a grin.

"I'm glad. I really did want it to feel very intimate," she said while batting her long eyelashes.

"Can you come over tonight?" I asked with a laugh as I put an end to our game.

"I can do one better than that," Aria said with a smirk as her hand inched closer to where mine was resting on my desk.

I raised my eyebrows as I anxiously awaited her reply.

"I can sleep over," she said with a smile and a wink.

"Oh, thank God," I said with a groan as I threw my head back.

"It hasn't been thatlong, Ezra!" Aria said as she slapped my arm.

"I hope it's as good as I remember, Ms. Montgomery," I teased as I saw her face flush a deep red.

"Mr. Fitz, that is vulgar!" Aria stated before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

I felt the dark and steaming liquid move its way down my throat as I took a large sip. I took out a stack of papers and began to grade them as my red pen flew over the margins, making comments and critiques. My phone began to vibrate against the wooden table; the caller ID read "Ella Montgomery".

I swallowed a lump in my throat as I answered the call and pressed it to my ear.

"Ella," I said warmly as I nervously anticipated the conversation.

"Ezra," she said in a tone that I could not dissect.

"Ah, it's been quite a while. Is there something that you need?" I desperately hoped that it was something to do with school, and not her daughter.

"Yes. It's about Aria, actually. I thought maybe you would have some insight into what's wrong with her. Maybe something having to do with your up and down relationship with her?" Ella asked eagerly.

"Uh, actually…"

Ella cut me off before I could even finish the lie I was about to tell.

"Ezra, please don't lie to me. I sincerely hope that you think more of me than that. Do you know what's wrong with my daughter? She's acting like Mike did a few years ago."

I sighed as I remembered Mike before he was treated for depression and how hard it was on Aria.

"I'm trying to help her, but…it's hard. I can't tell you what happened. She needs to be the one to tell you when she's ready. Goodbye, Ella," I said as my finger hovered over the 'end call' button.

"Ezra, wait!" Ella called out as I hung up the phone.

"Ezra, I love you so much," Aria whispered as she lay beneath me, tangled in my dark navy sheets.

"I love you more," I murmured into her ear as I lowered myself into her.

I softly kissed her neck as I pushed myself deeper into her.

Aria let out a quiet moan before laughing quietly to herself.

"What?" I asked, suddenly alarmed that I was doing something wrong.

"Nothing…it's just better than I remember," she said as a blush formed over her cheeks.

I kissed her hot and flushed face as I continued to move in and out of her.