Of course I forgot to take that picture out of my pocket… "I- uh- mom." I choked out, looking everywhere but the picture held in front of me.

"Don't lie to me, I know that's his apartment in the background. That was the last time I ever saw him, was when I barged into his apartment to tell you two I didn't want you together anymore. Tell me, Aria, why is this in your pocket?" She put her hands on her hips and stared a hole right through my forehead. Creepy…

"Well…" I said, debating weather I should tell the truth or not, "I found the picture in Spencer's car under the seat. It was probably there for years, so I put it in my pocket. I'll bring it out to the trash." It was most-likely the stupidest lie I've ever told, and I didn't really even want to lie, but she held the picture out for me. I ran down the stairs and out the door to where the garbage can sat on the curb. Loudly, I lifted and closed the lid as I shoved the picture back in my jean pocket, vowing to put it in my suitcase as soon as I got inside.

She's never gong to lighten up to the idea of us being together, I realized, suddenly, cursing the fact that we ever told her about our relationship.

"So Aria," Hanna said as Spencer was driving us home, "do you want to go straight to Ezra's apartment? I'm sure Spencer would gladly bring you there," She smiled, glancing at her new purse and giggling every few seconds.

"You practically live there now," Spencer smiled, looking at me for my answer.

"Yeah," I replied to them, "Sure."

"But we better meet Daniella soon." Spencer teased, looking back to the road and getting back to driving.

When we finally made it to Ezra's apartment, I said bye to the girls, thanking them for bringing me right here, and grabbed my suitcase from the trunk, dragging it up the stairs to Ezra's apartment. When I reached his door, I knocked and waited until finally Daniella came rushing to the door and flung it open, hugging me, "Mommy!" she shrieked.

"Hey Dani," I replied, hugging her back and putting my bags on the ground, "So did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?"

"Oh yes! I got every single thing on my list!" She jumped up and down. I walked through the apartment and sat on the beat up leather couch while Daniella joined me and watched the TV in front of us as Nickelodeon aired commercials. I hit the mute button on the remote control and faced her.

"So grandma came over?" I asked, wanting to find out more about the woman who I've never met that's been such an important part of my daughter's life.

"Yep," she nodded, "she did cooking and stuff. Uncle Greg and Aunt Jenny came over too with my cousins." So there's a whole bunch of people I don't know about that think I'm dead?

At that moment, Ezra came out of his room, wearing a black t-shirt and flannel plaid pants, which I recognized as his pajamas. "Oh, Aria, hi," he said, yawning and joining us on the couch. I then had to explain how I got here so early (I texted him when we were still in Pennsylvania telling him we just started, when I thought I was going to have to go home and put all my things away before heading over here). He was talking about everyone who spent Christmas here, when out of nowhere, there was a knock at the door. It was loud and sharp, and the sound rang through my ears, reminding me that there was civilization outside this apartment. Ezra and I stared at each other, becoming silent. "Who is it?" I mouthed to him.

He helplessly shrugged. The person knocked on the door again, and then I heard a female voice say, "Ezra, it's me!"

"My mom." He whispered, his eyes getting wide.

Before we could do anything, Daniella shot up from the couch and ran to the door. "Grandma!" she shouted as she flung the door opened.

"Hi sweetie," his mother greeted her, walking right into the apartment and tracking snow everywhere. She adjusted her long grey coat and her eyes rested on a purse sitting on the kitchen counter. "Ezra? Daniella let me in again; I came to get my purse back. I forgot the thing again…" She said. Ezra and I awkwardly sat there on the couch, just yards away from her.

Ezra opened his mouth to speak, but didn't have time to say or do anything when she snatched her purse off the counter and whirled around, staring at me as if I were a ghost, probably because I was supposed to be one. Her purse fell to the floor. "Who are you?" she timidly asked me.

I tried not to glance at Ezra, as I slowly inched away from him on the couch, not taking my eyes off the shocked old woman in front of me. "I'm Aria." I stated, unsure of what I should call myself or if I should add my last name in there too.

"Aria as in…Daniella's mother?" She looked curiously at me.

Ezra and I simultaneously answered, "Yes."

"Ezra told me you were dead about six years ago…" she looked to Ezra with cold eyes.

Ezra nervously ran his hand through his hair and spoke, "Well, I may have…lied about that…" he trailed off.

"So you're not dead?" his mom asked/

I smiled, "No, I was, uh, in Rosewood."

"Why?" she turned to Ezra.

Ezra looked at me for an answer and I watched as his mom walked over to where the couch was and over to the seat in front of us, waiting for an answer. "She was finishing college." Ezra finally said.

I crossed and uncrossed my legs, looking around the apartment at everything that wasn't his mother. There was about five seconds of pure silence. Daniella was long gone, playing with her dolls in her room, and the only sound was our breathing. "Wow." His mom said to me, "So are you studying to be a doctor or something, sweetie? I'm Ruth by the way."

"No…" I trailed off as she lifted an eyebrow and looked at me skeptically.

"Aria was my student." Ezra stated in an effort to end the awkwardness.

Reveiw!