August 30th, 2011

The paperboy biked past an old, Victorian, house. He knew that house. It was the house of Ezra Fitz, a friend of the missing boy. The paperboy screeched to a stop, and tossed a paper into the front yard. Then he continued forward on his ever-so-familiar route. A couple minutes later, Ezra opened the door. The pink highlights were gone from his hair, and he looked a lot more sophisticated. He walked out onto the porch. After spotting the paper, he went over and picked it up. His face immediately dropped. Noel Kahn, missing for a year today. His friends and family all want him to come home safe and sound. Hopefully the universe can give them that. Right above the caption was Noel's yearbook picture from freshman year. His black hair was perfect, his blue eyes were shining, and his white teeth were perfectly straight.

"Why did you suggest that we go to that cave, En?" Ezra looked up, "You could still be here." It wasn't proven, but everyone assumed that Noel was dead. Why else would he have been missing for a full year? Ezra headed back inside to do more unpacking. The Fitz's had recently gotten back from Europe. They had been there for Mr. Fitz's sabbatical. Ezra hadn't been home since a couple days after Noel disappeared. Paige, Ezra, Toby, and Caleb had kind of grown apart since the sleepover. When Ezra was almost to his room, Wes, Ezra's little brother, rushed past. He accidently bumped Ezra against the wall.

"Oops. Sorry, Ezra. Have you seen my lacrosse stick?" Wes asked.

"No," Ezra shook his head.

"Ugh," Wes mumbled, "I can't find it anywhere."

"Wes! Do you need a ride to practice?" Diana Fitz yelled down the hall.

"I'll take him, Mom!" Ezra replied. Ezra and Wes headed back to the main area of the house. Mr. Fitz was leaning against the wall. He had his arm wrapped around Diana.

"God. My lacrosse stuff is in like, all of these boxes," Wes groaned as he searched more.

"All of them?" Diana questioned.

"Okay. Some of them," Wes tried again.

"That's better," she said. After Wes found his stuff, Ezra drove him to Rosewood High. Just as he was about to run off, Ezra stopped him.

"Wait. Wes, what time should I pick you up?" he asked.

"6:30," Wes replied, "Oh, and bro…thanks."

"No problemo," Ezra smiled. Then, as Wes went into the school, Ezra thought about calling his friends. But he decided against it. After dropping his phone back onto the passengers' seat, Ezra drove off towards Snookers, a Hollis college bar.

Ezra studied over the menu. There was, what looked like, a college girl sitting a few seats down from him. But they were the only two there.

"I'll have a cheeseburger," Ezra stated. Then as he looked up, he spotted an old missing poster for Noel. The same, school, photo was pasted onto the flyer. It sent chills up Ezra's spine just looking at it.

"Are you okay down there?" the girl asked, scooting to the seat next to him.

"Yeah. I just got back from Iceland, so I'm a little jet lagged," Ezra explained. Not wanting to tell this nice girl that he was one of Noel's friends.

"Oh. Wow. I've spent some time there myself. How long were you there?" the girl replied. She had a nice smile, and glowing, dark, brown hair.

"A year," Ezra said.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"So, are you a student here…?" Ezra began, realizing he didn't know her name.

"Aria. And, I just graduated at the beginning of June," Aria announced.

"Ezra. And oh my god. I love this song," Ezra marveled as his favorite song came on over the radio.

"I do to," Aria exclaimed, "I'd like to learn more about you, Ezra."

"I'd like to learn more about you too," Ezra replied. Aria and Ezra, then, engage in a long make out session in the Snooker's bathroom. What losing a friend does to a kid.