CHAPTER 9

A/N: Hey there im back! This chapter didn't turn out as I expected. It was going to be a long one but then as I started writing an idea popped into my head so its completely different. Its still 2'600 words so its pretty good.

Thank so much for all the reviews. You guys are what make me write and you really make me happy cause I actually know people read the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and its dedicated to everyone that reviews and reads!

Previous chapter...

They I thought about if I should tell Aria about what I had done, what made those years horrible for her. I didn't want her to find out by someone else but I didn't want to loose her just yet. The ping on my phone made me snap back to reality.

*What's yours?*

*My what?*

*Your secret*

EZRA'S POV

My secret. Those words echoed in my head. I looked at the screen on my phone. I wanted to tell her. I did want to . But I was also scared. I started to type out my reply. My fingers trembling every time they touched the screen. I read out loud when I was done. It sounded horrible, and I hated myself for every word written. I couldn't do it. Not now, not yet. I couldn't risk loosing her. Technically, I wasn't lying to her. It wasn't the secret that no one knew., the boys did. The boys. They were the ones to blame for this.. them and me not being able to keep my mouth shut and just wish her good night. I typed another message and send it promising myself one thing as I did, I had to tell her soon. I stared at the phone to see the typing... beyond Aria's name. Then I looked at my last message guilt running through me.

*You are. My crush on since since the first day I saw you*

I couldn't believe how screwed up this situation was, It could be perfect, but no. My past was coming back to haunt me. I never knew what that meant until now. When it was actually happening. I had to pay for all my mistakes sooner or later, the most important one, trusting the boys. My stupidity as a kid was going o make me pay as an adult. But even saying it out loud, as much as I tried to convince myself that it wasn't my fault, it was. I had never been more sorry in my life. I wanted to go back and do it right. Be with her during the difficult years not making them difficult for her.

As I stared at the ceiling with my phone on my chest I couldn't help remember the first time I saw her. I already liked her then.

FLASHBACK

I walked out of my maths class, my first class of the day in a new school. The truth was I had been scared not to make friends, but as soon as I sat down in class girls started to introduce themselves. When all of them had backed off, three boys approached me. They were very kind with me and we soon became friends. I walked out of the class with the three boys as we made our way towards our lockers. We had discovered they were next o each other and that we were in the same classes. I could hear the talk between them as I walked behind. I heard something about the sports team. We reached our lockers and left the books inside.

"So Ezra" said Toby. "Are you going to join the football team with us?"

I shrugged. I had actually been looking forward to joining the poetry club. I love reading and writing. But in New York I had always been bullied by the bid kid because of it and I didn't want it to happen again.

"Come on" said Caleb. "If we get in its going to be awesome, everyone comes to watch the games" he said excitedly.

"Okay" I said nodding and the three of them instantly hugged me tapping my back and then we started to walk again to our next class.

"Do you guys have to do anything later today?" asked Toby. The three of us shook out heads and smiled. "Okay so we are going to get you new clothes after class he said as we stopped at the door of our next class.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" I asked looking down. In the school that I went in New York everyone dressed like this, very formal for class I had to say. I was wearing a white shirt and a blue navy sweater on top with jeans. My mum wanted me to put on a tie but I told her I was too much. On the other hand the boys were wearing a sweat shirt, ruffled hair, mine was all combed to the side, and they were wearing old Vans instead of the nice new dressing shoes I was wearing. I dressed different but it there wasn't anything wrong with it.

"There's nothing wrong but we don't dress so... like that here" said Caleb.

"Don't worry about it you are going to look awesome afterward" said Jake.

In that moment Toby turned around and wave at someone. When I turned around... That's when I saw he. She was looking next o the other three girls but I just had eyes for her. She was beautiful. Not very tall but a perfect slim body and gorgeous smile. I couldn't help but check her out as she walked towards us. She was wearing a dark purple dress that reached until the top of her knees. She was also wearing a black denim jacket on top and a pair of dark boots. I was completely in awe of her. I stood there in shock as the girls came to stand in front of us. Our gazes met when I looked up and we both smiled feeling as we blushed. She was holding in her hands and English classic that we weren't supposed to read this year. She liked literature too. Her big hazel eyes were so absorbing and perfect. 'Who is this girl?' I thought. Toby and they guys said hello to the other girls but gave a disgusted look to her. I didn't understand why. They introduced me to the three girls. Hanna the blonde one, Spencer the smart one and Emily the sporty one. The three of them smiled at me and I smile back as I introduced myself. The boys started to talk to them I turned to face her again. Her eyes never left my face during the time I was facing her friends. We kept looking at each other in a comfortable silence, feeling the tension between us grow. She had this curious expression on her face as we kept looking at each other. Suddenly, I realized I haven't even introduced myself to her. I stuck my hand out.

"I'm Ezra" I said smiling sweetly at her. She shook my hand and as our skin touched we both jumped slightly feeling the sparks rushing through us.

"I'm Aria" she said smiling back. What a beautiful name I thought. Before I could say anything else the bell rung and the girls were dragging Aria to the class as she looked back waving at me. I smiled and sighed. What a girl! How could she have such an effect on me after knowing her for two minutes? Then I remembered the look the guys gave her.

"What is it with Aria?" I asked as we walked into class, got out the books and sat down at the back of the class.

"She is a looser" said Jake.

"We don't talk to loosers" said Caleb after him. It looked as if they had rehearsed the lines. Toby smirked at them.

"Ezra, high school here is a war, and we are going to win it. We cant hang out or talk to people from the other team, in this case loosers. So if you want to and be her friend, good luck surviving." said Toby.

From all the different ways people had described high school to me no had had never described it this way. And was I going to let my high school years be hell just because a pretty girl on another class? No, I couldn't, and I wouldn't go through the bulling once again.

"So at what time are we going to the mall?" I asked making them know I was on their team. The three of the smiled as the teacher walked through the door.

After the classes finished we walked outside. I walked behind the boys as they introduced me to some senior years that were in the football team and girls from other classes. After that we headed to the mall, they helped me choose some shirt to wear opened with a t-shirt underneath, some Vans and some informal skater type sweaters. After I had enough new clothes we decided to get something to eat. I went home after a long day. My mum was really happy I has made new friends and that I was going to try and join the team. The only thing was that I didn't knew if I had made the right decision.

The next day, we met the girls before first period. Aria gave me the same smile as yesterday. She was wearing some jean and her black coat on top.

"Hey Ezra" she said. "You look good" I was wearing my new clothes from yesterday and my curly hair was not combed at all. I looked at her but I didn't smile nor reply. Instead I gave her a cold, inexpressive look which she replied with a confused one. Toby was staring at me and smirked. The bell rung and once again as the day before they walked away. This time when she turned around to face me there was no confusion to be seen. It had been replaced by sadness. Pure sadness.

END FLASHBACK.

Until today, that looked full of only one emotion no one deserves to feel chased me everywhere. Making me regret my decision every second of the day. Making me regret not going after her. I actually tried to believe I just found her pretty when I perfectly knew I was in love with her. The thing was that I was so blind back then that even though I knew what I felt I didn't do anything about It. Instead I let the boys play with me when actually the only thing I wanted to do was to kiss away the tears that run down her cheek because of all the nasty jokes I played. I wanted to hug her and tell her that everything was going to be alright. And now that I had the chance to gain her trust, after knowing all that she'd been through, I wanted to protect her from everything, from everyone. I just wanted her to be safe, to be happy.

My phone buzzed in my chest and I saw I had drifted off into my thoughts for a long ten minutes now. I had two new messages from Aria that probably thought I had fallen asleep while waiting for her reply.

*That's not true, I already knew that secret you already told me, baby*

*Ez are you still here?*

I wrote back a reply and send it while I got up from my bed.

*Yes baby, im still here. And you have to know a few day ago it was my secret, but I had to tell you, you should consider yourself lucky haha but that is not the question anymore... what is you secret?*

I walked out of my room to see my parents we already sleeping. I quietly went downstairs and into the kitchen as I poured myself a glass of water. I drank it all up from one go and then re filled it as I went upstairs again to be greeted with a new message from Aria.

*I guess you're right... anyway im still suspicious. And well if I think about something that no one knows, not even the girls... I guess it would be my tattoo*

I didn't expect her secret to be a tattoo. Where did she have it? What was it? I was so curious about her. I wanna knew everything, the little detail included. I typed my reply and send it to her as an idea came to my head. We should get matching tattoos. I was becoming completely crazy over this girl, but im not telling you I completely discarded the idea.

*You have a tattoo? Where? What is it? I seriously didn't expect that, and how did the girls didn't notice you had one, there's no place on your body where you cant see it in summer*

*You can find out were it is by yourself... and its a quote,i made it right before school started, that's why the girls don't know, it says "We read to know that we are not alone" I don't know why I tattooed that exact quote, I just think it s because maybe I feel related to it*

"We read to know that we are not alone" I kept repeating he quote in my head, feeling sorry her. It was inspiring but at the same time it was kind of sad if you actually lived it.

*I cant wait to find out. And Ar, you know im sorry for how I treated you when I was with the boys, I feel really bad about and I just cant get out of my head what a jerk I was.*

I instantly got her reply.

*Ezra it's alright, you were a jerk, that's true but I forgive you for being it, and you didn't do anything wrong. Your weren't the one that made me cry and did all those things i don't even want to talk about. Its that kind of people I could never forgive .but I knew you had no intention of laughing at me, I know Toby.*

I couldn't handle it anymore. If she only knew. And now it was me that knew for sure she was never going to forgive me for everything I did even though I didn't plan them. I felt my world crashing down when I read the words 'I could never forgive'. Never. I started feeling dizzy as I laid on the bed so I didn't fall. I think it was time to finish the day and tried to fix thing tomorrow.

*I just wanted you to know that I am sorry. And its getting really late, im going to sleep now. Do you want me to pick yo up tomorrow?*

*I would love to. Good night baby*

*Good night beautiful*

A/N: So as I said it was different cause I ended up writing the flashback and I decided to leave what I had planned for the next one. I don't know if its good so please let me know. That's one thing about me, im not confident at all with my writing and I always think its not good enough...

Sorry for any mistakes that can be but its really late here, 2am, tomorrow I have class but I really wanted to get this up so its no proofed. How about 20 reviews till next? I know you can do it, last time you did ;) - A