So I know it's been over a year since I've updated. To say I've been busy is a HUGE understatement. Right after I published my last chapter I got a new job…4 months later I switched jobs, moved to a new city, and started school again. Fast forward a year later…I'm still busy. I'm finishing up my last two semesters of school…still working, so I probably won't update regularly. I'll update when I can and I know that sucks, but I really wanted to finish this story…no matter how long it takes:) Enjoy!

Chapter 4

I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. All I could do was stand there. But then I figured this was already an awkward situation and I should play it off best I could for the moment and then try to talk to Ezra later…if he would even consider talking to me.

"When did you get back into town? And why are you here?" I asked Mike and I fumbled through my bag for my house keys.

"Can't your big brother come home for a visit without being interrogated?" he jokingly fired back. "Aria, you remember Ezra, right? From years ago?"

"Yep, yep, I think I do. Um, hey, uh Ez – Mr. Fitz. What should I call you?" I said as I tried unsuccessfully to avoid eye contact with my teacher/crush/old friend. Not only did I not know what to call him, I didn't even know what to categorize him as.

"Mr. Fitz. You can call me Mr. Fitz. Par—I mean, Aria, long time no see," he said brusquely with a slight hint of hurt and rudeness to his voice. "Mike, we'll have to do the whole catching up thing later. I've got a class to teach. Ms. Montgomery, you should take your seat."

Mike left and I sat down with my heart beating a million miles a minute. It was odd…the last time my heart was beating this fast, it was dancing to the rhythm of Ezra's beautiful heartbeat. And now, our heartbeats, our rhythm was so off, likely destroyed, because I hadn't told him the truth. But what if I had? What if I had told him who I was right when I figured out who he was?

Before I could keep the running train of questions and what ifs going in my head Hanna brought me back to reality. "Are you ok?" she asked with genuine concern on her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Promise," I replied with a feigned smile.

"Anything you'd like to share with the class, Miss Montgomery and Miss –" Ezra said as he stared us down, piercing right through my core. "Marin," Hanna said, "Hanna Marin. And no, we're good. Nothing to share."

The rest of the class went by in a blur of Harper Lee and Atticus Finch. As soon as the bell rang I sprang out of my seat like it was on fire. I needed to go. Be alone. Figure out what I was going to say to him and how I was going to say it. Figure out where we would or could go from here…if there even was a 'we' anymore. Who am I kidding? We went on one date. One date. That doesn't qualify as a 'we', right? But that connection was there. I know it was. The bookstore. I needed to go to the bookstore…it was always the place I could escape to when I didn't know where else to go.

I sat in Readers Nook with a skinny vanilla latte with an extra shot of vanilla soaking while sitting in my favorite chair and soaking in the sunlight that was streaming through the window. I had been here for an hour already, just thinking. About everything. Thinking is a bit of an understatement. Obsessing would be a much better word. All of a sudden I smelled a hint of lemon. I felt his eyes on me. I took a deep, shaky breath. He moved closer and sat down at an adjacent chair.

"How did you know I'd be here? Nevermind. Not important. Ezra. I—," I started.

"No. Don't. Remember what I said last night? Gosh, last night seems like light years ago," he said as he raked is fingers through his hair and stared at me intently. "I said, 'Truth. You always tell me the truth. And if you don't want to answer a question or tell me something, you just don't. But I hate lies.'"

"I didn't lie, Ez—"

"Yes you did! You lied by omission of the truth!"

"No, by your words that you just repeated to me, I did exactly what you wanted me to do. I didn't want to tell you something so I didn't. I didn't lie. I knew how you'd react if I told you who I really was and I didn't want you to cut this off before it even had a chance to start."

"Start? Start what? Aria, you're in high school. I'm your teacher," he whispered while looking around to ensure no one was listening. "Your brother used to be one of my best friends. This is wrong on so many levels. We can't. I can't. Last night was a mistake."

"You don't mean that. I can see it in your eyes. You felt what I felt. Even all those years ago as friends we always had a connection…it just happens to be more of romantic connection now. You approached me in the bookstore. You texted me yesterday. You danced with me under the moonlight for goodness sake. And now you're telling me it was a mistake? Because you happen to be a few years older? No. I don't believe that. Say that this can't happen. Say that it's wrong because you're my teacher. Say that you have a moral obligation to end this, but don't ruin or cheapen it by calling it a mistake," I lashed out as a tear fell down my face.

"Aria, don't cry. But we can't. We just can't. I'm sorry. I need to go. People could see or hear. Goodbye Aria".

He left as the tears kept coming. I sat there for a little while longer wondering how I could allow one person, one date, to break my heart so easily.

There ya go! I'm hoping to finish another chapter today that I will likely post later this week, but no promises. If you feel like it, leave me a comment! More drama's coming in the next chapter. Sneak Peek? Family dinner reuniting old families…awkward.