A/N: Sorry I dropped off the face of the planet….
Eight
Aria was about to fall asleep. "Most of these papers aren't worth my grading."
Ezra looked at her. "I'm sorry honey. What's the paper about?"
"I asked them to pick out a novel any novel and write me a script on it. Five pages easily in play script formula. They can't give me that," she complained.
He laughed at her. "Honors students?"
"Regular English four."
"There's your problem. They don't care."
Aria looked at him. "Were my papers this bad?"
"Nope never." He rolled his eyes. "Easily accomplished papers. Something you would expect from a future teacher."
She glared at him. "Witty. Cute, but witty. I'm passing these back and making them rewrite them. Yes that's harsh. It'll make them improve though. Right?"
"It's your first year teaching. Learn your own way. If you want to do it that way I can't judge you for it," he replied honestly. He'd looked at a few of the papers, as a teacher with experience he would've marked them all with a red F and left it at that.
Aria passed back the papers. "I'm not pleased. At all. Even though you're a non-honors class I expect more from you. You graduate this year. A professor would give you an F and leave it at that. I'm giving you a second chance. Next time I won't." She slapped down the last few papers onto their writer's desks. "This is Rosewood Day. You're held at a standard of excellence. Meet it."
There were collective groans, when she went to the board and rewrote the assignment on the chalk board. She'd upped the pages to ten and wanted a full outline with the reassignment. She wouldn't tolerate failure. Especially from her students. Her personal life could be left to debate.
Emily sipped her tea. "I'm tired. With Spence handling Alex's books, my life is getting harder."
"How's Toby?" Aria asked changing the subject
"He's fine. Counseling unruly teens is definitely his calling," Emily laughed, "I never thought he'd be a productive member society."
"You me Spence Hanna the rest of Rosewood," Aria replied.
Emily threw a piece off her croissant at Aria. "Hey!"
"You know I'm right," Aria stated, "But he changed for you and for the better by the sounds of it."
"It's only taken him forever," Emily said, "What about Ezra?"
"I told my mom about us. It went…well actually. She had always thought there would end up being something between us." Aria said.
"You two are highly combustible. Any person with eyes blind or not could see that." Emily smiled. "I'm just glad you plan on sticking around."
"Forever. New A crap and all," Aria said.
"A crap. He's back?" Emily asked.
Aria launched into what she knew. Emily was silent for a few moments. Emily stood up.
"I need to go home. Aria if it's more than a prank keep Ezra close. I think if this is an aftermath it's going to be worse than the first time around. More people could actually die." Emily hugged her friend. "I'm scared."
"Me too," Aria replied
