Ella POV
Byron and I pulled up to the museum. My car broke down so inevitably I had to call Byron to come fix it. He was unable to get the car running again so he had offered to take me.
"Oh, um, you have enough cash for a cab ride home?" he asked as I unbuckled my seatbelt.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"So, I guess that's it." He turned to me and smiled. "Have a good time."
"Thanks," I replied. His eyes were bright in the night. He looked so handsome in the moonlight. Maybe I was ready to try and work things out with him. He was trying so hard. I know he cheated but maybe we could somehow get past it. "I can't believe you drove me all the way here."
"Why?" he whispered.
I looked away from him. "I just-I don't know anybody else who would do that for me." I smiled at him.
"Well, it's only fair. I mean I was the one who suggested we buy a used car with a kill switch." We shared a knowing smile. I nodded at him. I had told him not to buy it but did he listen? No. He went with his gut. I leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Goodbye."
"Bye," he whispered back looking in my eyes. We sat there for a few seconds looking at each other. Before I knew it, our lips had met. We were like a couple of teenagers making out in the front seat of his car. I opened my eyes as we kissed and looked over at the museum. My eyes widened as I saw Ezra and Aria standing in the doorway. The light was hitting only them. They were smiling at each other. Then Ezra leaned down and kissed her softly. He reached for her hand and led her down the steps into darkness.
I pulled back from Byron suddenly. "I-I'm sorry," he started.
I shook my head. "No, it was fine. You should get back so you can go on that date," I said with a smile.
Byron chewed on his lip as he looked down. "I actually don't have a date. I was trying to, I don't know, make you jealous, I guess." I chuckled.
"Want to go out to dinner?" I asked.
"What about the museum?" he questioned. I looked back at the foot of the steps. I saw the silhouette of two people and smiled. I shook my head.
"I want to go out to dinner." Byron smiled and put the car in drive.
"Hey," I said as I walked into school and spotted my daughter. "I was just going to text you," I said happily.
"Why? What's up?" she asked just as happily. We started walking through the halls of Rosewood Day.
"I was wondering what you were doing after school today and hoping you might want to go clothes shopping with me," I replied.
"Sure," she said as we rounded a corner. "Why the sudden urge to splurge?" she questioned.
I sighed. "I just think it's time to upgrade a little." I didn't want to tell her about Byron and I maybe possibly getting back together until it was closer to being official so I decided to change the subject. "So, how was your sleepover at Spencer's?" I asked knowingly.
"Oh, you know the usual. Chick flick, popcorn, Cosmo quiz, lights out." She chuckled nervously. "How about you?"
I hadn't planned on what to say. "Uh, me? Um, I had a great night." I cleared my throat nervously.
She smiled at me. "Oh yeah? What'd you do?" I wanted so badly to retort, your dad, but chose not to.
I decided to make her squirm a little. "I went to see this really wonderful exhibit."
Eyes huge, she raised her eyebrows and asked, "What?" She was beyond scared.
"Yeah, they had a big opening at the Philadelphia Art Museum." Her eyes remained big and round in terror. She fought terribly to come up with a response.
"You-You went last night?" she questioned.
Should I tell her I saw her and Ezra? I licked my lip and looked down. "Yeah. Oh, I know. Partying on a school night, I know, I'm out of control but it was great. It was really exciting to meet the artist. It was really exciting…" Was she smiling in relief? "So, anyhow, um, I have to get to class and so do you so, meet me in my office after?" she nodded as I turned and left.
I had racked my brain all day long trying to figure out what to say to Aria about what I had seen at the museum. I had come up with this clever way to confront her about the situation but then I remembered the look of pure happiness on her face when her and Ezra were together and thought better of it. They weren't hurting anybody and her grade wasn't being influenced by the relationship. Aria always did well in English. That was probably one of the many things that attracted Ezra to her.
"This would look great on you," Aria said as she held up a black blouse. I took it from her and held it up to my body. She smiled and nodded with raised eyebrows. I pursed my lips trying to decide whether or not to get it. I folded it over my arm along with the other shirts I was getting.
"You want to go look at your clothes now?" I questioned. She shrugged and we headed to her section. I studied her as she picked out her clothes. She seemed happier. She seemed…more carefree. I smiled. If she was happy, I was happy. She looked down at her bag when she heard it beep. In record time, she rummaged through it and pulled out her phone. She read the message and grinned from ear to ear as she typed a reply.
When she finished typing, she placed the phone back in her bag and turned to me with the grin still engraved on her face. "What?" she questioned with a smile. I shook my head and pursed my lips.
She scrunched her eyebrows together but brushed it off as she returned to the clothing rack. "I like this one," I said grabbing a black thigh length dress. It was simple. Not very Aria-like but it was cute. "It'll make you look older," I reasoned with her. I held it out to her and let it sway back and forth on my finger mockingly. She swiped the dress from my hand and folded it over her arm.
"Let me go try it on and see if I like it," she said as she sauntered off to the changing room. She left her purse with me. I heard her phone beep as she closed the door to the dressing room. I checked to make sure she wasn't looking before grabbing her phone. I looked at the screen and smiled. It read: E.F. I raised an eyebrow. Ezra Fitz.
Every time I thought about him being her teacher, I couldn't help but question my decision to remain silent on the topic. I saw how happy they were but if anyone found out about them, his career and life would be ruined and Aria would be known around Rosewood as the slut who dated her teacher for a better grade. I know that's not true but it's the way it looked.
I heard her unlock the door and immediately dropped her phone in her bag. She came out with her arms spread out. "What do you think?" she questioned. I grinned at her lovingly.
"You look beautiful," I said genuinely.
Aria tilted her head. "You always say that."
"And this time I mean it," I replied.
Her smile fell. "You don't the other times?" she questioned hurtfully.
I opened my mouth. I snapped it shut and closed my eyes. Teenagers and their hormones. "That's not what I mean."
Aria nodded. She didn't quite believe me. She turned and stomped toward the changing room. "You got a message!" I quickly informed her. She spun around and flew back to my side.
"What?" she asked horrified.
I pointed to the purse. "It beeped. I'm assuming it was your phone. I didn't look…" I trailed off as she rummaged through her bag and retrieved the phone. She clutched it to her chest as she walked back to the changing room. She was determined to keep it a secret. I sighed. It was times like these where I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was doing the right thing by keeping my mouth shut.
