Better late than never... right?
School days passed slowly for Aria once the news of her and Ezra's split had made its way to every member of the Rosewood High, students and faculty alike. Teachers gave her disapproving looks in class, students whispered and jeered in the corridors – it was hell. She wasn't much happier at home, either. At least in school she had her friends to keep her mind off of things, but at home it became so much harder when she was left alone with the consequences of her actions.
Her heartbreak was all the more raw when she sat alone in her room, the bag full of the things Spencer had collected from Ezra's apartment mocking her from the floor. It was only the constant ringing of the word 'baggage' in her ears that kept her from pressing number one on her speed-dial and running back to him.
On the second Saturday after their breakup, Aria woke up sweaty and tangled in her sheets after another near-sleepless night. She glanced at her alarm clock, which read seven forty two am, two hours before she had set it to go off. She sighed and threw off her blankets, knowing that she'd never get back to sleep.
She padded to the bathroom, peeling off Ezra's t-shirt that she'd stolen a few months prior and hopping into a scalding shower. She pondered what she'd do with her day, now that she had a clear schedule for every Saturday. She didn't want to annoy the girls with her spaced-out, depressive mood so she'd decline their invitation to go to Philly for the day.
As she made her way back to her room, she decided that she'd have a day for herself. She rang up the nearest beautician and made an appointment for a mani-pedi. She figured she'd catch a movie after and then head out to a restaurant and buy herself dinner. She felt like she needed this, she didn't know who she was without Ezra but she knew that she needed to remember because, heartbroken as she was, she couldn't see herself ever forgiving him. Baggage.
Aria wandered around the small cinema in Rosewood, waiting for the film currently playing in the only screen the small theatre had to let out. Her nails were impeccable and she'd treated herself to a facial, too, dipping into the money she'd saved up from working with Laurel. The only thing missing was somebody to show it all off to, but she tried not to think about that.
The movie was starting in thirty minutes so she just wandered aimlessly around the lobby, sidestepping the couples and groups of friends that were waiting like she was. Her friends always thought she was weird when she'd go see films by herself, but Aria found that only then could she truly let herself be absorbed by the characters and the plot. As she made her third round of the small, shabby lobby, the brightly coloured candy stand caught her eye and she pottered over to it, hoping that they would have a bag of toffee popcorn that she could get.
A sandy haired boy was at the counter when she got there, his small hands pressed up against the glass as she tried to decide which candy he wanted. She giggled at his enthusiasm, remembering how Mike used to be like that whenever she and him were taken to the movies. The little boy must have heard her giggle because he turned around and looked up at her.
The smile fell off of Aria's face and she gasped as she looked upon the familiar face of her ex-boyfriend's son, Malcolm. Her heart started racing as she realised that the only reason Malcolm would be on Rosewood Cinema was if he was here with his father. She needed to get out of there, she couldn't see him, not today, not while she could barely hold herself together at the mention of his name.
She spun around, intending the make the swiftest exit possible, when she walked smack bang into somebody's chest. She knew who it was before she moved back, she'd know his smell anywhere – it was the same smell that she had breathed in every night since their breakup when she slept in shirts she'd stolen from him.
Ezra took a step away from her and their shocked gazes met each other.
"Aria," he greeted, surprised, "Hey…"
"Ezra!" Aria replied, putting as much fake cheer into her voice as possible and smiling widely at him. She knew that he could see right through her, he always could, but she was glad when he didn't comment on it. "What are you, uh…?" She asked dumbly.
"We're going to see the movie," he replied, holding up the two tickets in his hand.
"Right," she said, "That makes sense." It was silent for a moment as they both shuffled awkwardly. Aria imagined another time, before Wesley and Maggie and Malcolm, when they would be going to the cinema together, not him and his son. They would share a packet of toffee popcorn and Ezra would buy himself Twizzlers, ignoring Aria's teases for him being such a child. They'd sit in the back and share a few stolen kisses and then go back to his apartment to finish what they'd started.
"How are you?" Ezra asked eventually, pulling Aria away from her dream-world.
"I'm great…" She lied, "Yeah, really… uh… great." She smiled again. Ezra raised his eyebrows, clearly not believing her for a second. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a small voice coming from somewhere around his hip.
"Daddy?" Malcolm asked, pulling on the end of Ezra's shirt. Malcolm's use of the word 'Daddy' both warmed and broke Aria's heart. She was glad that Ezra was bonding with his child but it was a stark reminder that they were over. Baggage.
"Yes, Malcolm?" Ezra asked, hunching down to Malcolm's level.
"Is this the girl from the picture you showed me? She looks like the girl Moma was talking to at school." Aria flinched, but Ezra smiled.
"Yeah, Malcolm, it is. This is Aria, my girl- my friend." Malcolm didn't seem to notice Ezra's slip, but Aria did and her heart throbbed with longing.
"Is she coming to see the movie with us, Daddy?" Malcolm asked, peeking up at Aria shyly.
"Uh, no, she's not… " Ezra answered him, shifting awkwardly. "Hey, why don't you go pick out which candy you want?" He pulled out five dollars and handed the note to the young boy who squealed in delight.
"Okay!"
"He seems to really like you," Aria commented, watching the small boy run back to the counter where she'd first seen him, the dollar bill clenched in his tiny fist.
"Aria…" Ezra said slowly.
"No, it's good. I'm glad you're happy." Aria watched as a tortured look appeared on Ezra's face.
"I was happy with you," he told her, taking a step closer to her. His blue eyes met Aria's hazel ones and she had to close her eyes to get away from the intensity of his gaze.
"Yeah, well…" she said, lamely, looking away from him, the word 'baggage' ringing in her ears again.
"I miss you," he said in a low, quiet voice, reaching for her arm. She shrugged out of his grasp. His hand remained suspended for a moment before he dropped it limply to his side.
"Ezra this really isn't the right-"
"No, let me say this," Ezra interrupted her, "I was a jerk and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm a coward when it comes to our relationship and that I don't tell you things, I'm sorry that I overreact and say things that I shouldn't, I'm sorry that I always blame you and I'm sorry that I let you walk away from me at the school and that instead of fighting with every ounce of my strength to get you back I've been wallowing in my own self-pity. I love you, Aria. I want you back in my life, I need you beside me because… because without you nothing works." Aria blinked away rapidly forming tears, fighting herself on what to do. Her heart was telling her to collapse into his arms an forgive him but her head was making the very strong argument that she was not ready to be a stepmother and that she was not willing to be anybody's baggage.
"Ezra, I don't know what to say… you… you really hurt me and I don't know if I can forget what you said," she said slowly, hating the broken look that had appeared on his face when she spoke.
"Don't say anything," Ezra told her, "Come over tonight. Maggie is picking Malcolm up at seven. I'll cook something that even I can't mess up and we'll talk. I want to make this right." Aria wasn't sure what 'right' was anymore. She was about to decline, listening to her brain for the first time since the start of their illicit relationship, when Malcolm reappeared at Ezra's side, a bag of Sour Patch Kids in his hands.
"Daddy the movie starts soon and I need to pee!" He whined, pulling at Ezra's shirt tails.
"Just a minute, Malcolm," Ezra said, not taking his eyes off of Aria. "Please, Aria," he begged.
"I…" Aria looked from Ezra's pleading eyes to Malcolm and back, torn completely about what to do.
"Please," Ezra repeated, taking Malcolm's hand as the small boy stood impatiently at his side. Aria closed her eyes and sighed.
"Okay. I'll be there at eight."
There will of course be one more chapter (maybe two). I've gotten into this story far more than I thought I would... Review please :) I want to hear what you think. I know there are quite a few of these stories floating around at the moment so let me know if it's boring etc. I'll try get more up before Christmas. I have one more final to study for but it's not until Friday so I might get the last chapter done soon. Thanks for all the support so far.
- Katie
