I am so so sorry for the delay, this week slipped away from me a bit and I think when I realised the number of reviews I had it spooked me a bit and I lost my confidence.
I am not overly happy with this chapter, so fingers crossed you think it is still up with the rest of the story - I struggled with it being so conversational, but it felt necessary.
I have no idea what career Hardy is supposed to have in the show - so I decided he was as per Patrick's character in Suits and in a legal profession, obvious choice.
Thank you for reviewing and reading... I know this is not a big pick me up that people wanted after the finale - believe me I want one myself, but I have no intention of making Ezra the unconfirmed father to any child in this story! Please tell me Ian Harding is in series 4 or I might cry even more embarrassingly than I did during the finale.
Ezra poured himself a glass of scotch before dialling Hardy's number.
"Hey man, how's it going?" Hardy asked upon answering.
"Hey, it's going ok. It's not New York, but it's a good change for me, I needed it. What's new with you?"
"Oh you know me. All work, then I play.. New York loves me and I love it. I bumped into Jackie the other day, she was asking about you."
"I want nothing to do with her and I hope you told her that. I am well and truly over her."
"You are well rid of her anyway.. anyone else on the scene? You are still coming back for my brother's wedding right? Who is your plus one?" Hardy asked.
"Right, I had forgotten about that.. yeah yeah, I'm coming back for it, it's during the break here. As for the plus one.. not so sure I'll have one but I'll let him know. Listen, I called because I need you to help me with something."
"Sure man, what do you need?"
"Right.. how do I say this?.. Sorry this is kinda big.. You know what, do you want to come down here this weekend? What I need help with probably is going to require you to lecture me and I might as well have you paying for the beers while you do it."
"Sounds interesting, and me lecturing you, wow.. what could you have done to warrant that. It's usually the other way round…but you have baited my interest so I will see you on Friday." Hardy said, before they both hung up the call.
Ezra spotted Aria talking to her friends by their lockers during recess.
Unable to bring himself to walk over to them, he got out his phone to text Aria as he disappeared into his classroom.
Can you make an excuse to come see me? xoxo
Aria felt her phone vibrate and smiled as she saw Ezra's name on screen. Biting her lip as she read his message.
"Aria's got an admirer, who's the text from, you're grinning?" Emily teased.
"It's nothing, just my mum" Aria replied.
"Nice try, but your mother is stood over there talking to Mrs Welch and no one smiles like that at texts from their mother." Spencer added.
Before Aria could think to respond, Hannah had grabbed her phone to look at the screen. Hannah looked up to make eye contact with Aria, realising she might be the only one who knew Aria had being seeing Ezra.
"Who's Holden? Aria, tell us more" Hannah improvised, remembering the name of a family friend's son, handing the phone back.
Aria let out a nervous laugh, "Oh we were just joking around about something, we might meet up. It's nothing."
"Come on girls, let's hit the bathrooms before class. Aria, are you coming?" Hannah asked giving Aria the opportunity to see Ezra.
"Uh no, I think I will wait here and talk to my mum a minute when's she's done. I'll come find you after." Aria replied, smiling at Hannah, hoping she knew she was grateful.
Slipping into Ezra's classroom, she shut the door behind her. Ezra smiled as she entered, lifting himself to sit on the desk.
"Hey, how's your day going?" Ezra asked.
"Not too bad, the work is piling up but I am feeling strangely calm about it all."
"You'll do fine, the end is in sight now. I am here if you need my help, please remember that." Ezra offered.
"Thanks, I might take you up on that."
A few moments of comfortable silence passed as they studied each other's faces.
"I talked to Hardy last night." Ezra started "I haven't told him anything yet, I figured I should see him face to face. So, he's coming down Friday afternoon."
"Do you think he is going to agree to help?"
"I know he will, however stupid he thinks I am, we are best friends. I might just get a bit of a lecture out of it. Which.. will be a change as it is always me lecturing him."
Aria chuckled.
"I hope he is not going to be too hard on you. Will he hate me and think I am to blame?" Aria worried, suddenly realising that Hardy might not think to highly of her once he knew.
"He won't blame you Aria, I'd never let him. He'll blame me, he teased me after you left the room that day anyway, saying I was a 'lovesick teenager' or something like that."
"Oh the irony." Aria responded causing them both to laugh.
"In fact when I tried to see if he knew where we had been that night he jokingly asked if you had made me marry you, so actually… maybe he will blame you."
Aria gave Ezra a playful shove. Ezra reached over and entwined his fingers in hers, his other hand lifted her necklace out from under her dress, pulling her a bit closer.
"Aria, we are both in this equally ok? You can be there when I tell him if you want? I promise that he will just get some enjoyment from being able to hold this over me, he is the male version of Hannah. Is she single? Maybe we should set them up? Actually that would be a nightmare for everyone else, too much vocalising of inappropriate thoughts."
Aria smiled and squeezed Ezra's hand. "I think you should tell him and then maybe I can come and meet you both. He'll want some time with you first."
"Ok, I'll let you know where we are and if you can get away, I want you to be there."
"I want to be there too. I want to meet your friend, you've met my friends, it's only fair."
Ezra laughed, his fingers playing with Aria's necklace.
A knock on the door made Ezra drop the necklace and remove his hand from Aria's.
Mrs Welch and Ella entered the room.
"Oh sorry to disturb you, we didn't realise you were in here Aria." Mrs Welch apologised.
"No, that's fine, we're done, thanks for your help with my paper." Aria gave Ezra a smile before hurrying out of the room avoiding looking at her mother. She was sure she looked guilty. Ella frowned, wondering why Aria had scurried away but put it to the back of her mind.
Ezra spent most of his Friday lessons distracted. He was trying to figure out the best way to tell Hardy and how he was going to introduce him to Aria. He was getting nervous, he really wanted Hardy to like her. It was a mass of contradictions.
As the bell sounded and he dismissed the class, Aria lingered as others made their desperate escapes.
"So what time does Hardy get here?" Aria asked.
"He should be at my apartment fairly soon, he took a half day, he's here until Sunday morning."
"Ok, well I will wait to hear from you. Where are you thinking of going tonight?"
"I am not too sure, there's that little bar over the other side of town.. oh I hadn't thought about the fact that we'll be at a bar, how are you going to meet us?"
"Seriously? You are asking me about how I can get into a bar?" Aria laughed.
"Right, good point. I suspect I am supposed to confiscate that thing and not encourage it aren't I? But then.. I suppose I am meant to be doing a lot of things right now, or not doing more to the point.." Ezra said visibly beating himself up inside.
"Hey, don't think like that, what's brought this on?" Aria questioned. "We are going to have a nice evening with your best friend. Well, as good a night as you can have after you drop our bombshell. I don't even have to drink if it makes you feel better about it?" Aria reasoned with Ezra.
"I just hate all the lies we are telling that's all."
"And we are coming clean about one lie, a big lie this evening, we are trying to figure this out, let's just take it one step at a time together."
Ezra smiled at her, he really wanted to kiss her for being there for him as he hoped he was there for her.
"I'll see you later then, I'll call you."
Aria brushed her hand across his as she turned to leave. Ezra's eyes following her across the room, releasing a frustrated groan as she disappeared from sight.
Ezra opened the apartment door to find Hardy on the other side, they did the man hug – back slap thing before Ezra moved aside to let him in.
"Downsizing much here dude?" Hardy joked as he scanned Ezra's apartment.
"You're funny, I don't need more than this, its only temporary. I like it."
"So you haven't called me down here to help save you from these four small walls then. Get you out of a lease or something? This place is smaller than our dorm room."
Ezra rolled his eyes. "Some good times were had in that dorm room, don't knock it."
"I had many a good time in there." Hardy smirked.
"I know I heard most of them." Ezra retorted.
"We need beer, does this town have a bar?" Hardy asked rubbing his hands.
"It's pretty small, don't get your hopes up. College bars are about as exciting as it gets."
"College bars can be exciting, all those girls eager to learn."
"You are unbelievable." Ezra said shaking his head.
"Ah I see, you are down here all alone without your wingman, yours truly, you are too scared to go in there on your own. Well fear not my friend, tonight I will introduce you to the locals. Set you up for the duration of your time here." Hardy slapped Ezra on the back before grabbing his jumper and wallet.
"It's not like that. I don't need a wingman."
"Ah so it's like that.. you've met someone?"
"Yes.. no.. it's not like that either. Let's go and I'll tell you when we get there."
The boys caught a cab to the bar. Ezra pulled his phone out and quickly texted Aria.
Hey, we're just getting in a cab now to go to Snookers. Give me an hour or so and I'll call you to let you know when to come. xoxo
Aria read the text as she sat on her bed. She had told the girls she was staying home as she did not feel well, but she was telling her parents that she was heading over to Hannah's and they were going for a late dinner as she need to cover for her being more dressed up than their normal movie night sweatpants attire.
Good luck, I'm thinking of you. We're in this together – Partners in Crazy. See you soon xoxo
Aria jumped off the bed and went to shower, she wanted to make a good impression to Hardy and it was a chance to be out in public with Ezra. It was risky, but the bar was over the other side of town and had booths, making it easier to be discreet.
Ezra and Hardy entered the busy bar. Weaving their way through the crowd.
"Let's look for a booth, it'll be easier to talk." Ezra said, guiding Hardy through the building.
Finding their spot, Ezra went to the bar to get their drinks.
"Cheers!" Hardy said as he clinked his glass to Ezra's.
Ezra took a long drag of his beer. He needed it to calm his nerves. He and Hardy spent a while exchanging updates on their jobs and friends, refilling their glasses as soon as they were finished.
"So, what did you need help with, seeing as you disappoint me by saying it's not to pick up girls? Hit me with it. I'm ready." Hardy asked as he sipped his third beer.
"Right.. ok. Where to start.. So you remember in Las Vegas I met that girl Aria?" Ezra said, staring into his glass and not looking at Hardy.
"Yeah, I remember her, petite, really hot, you fawned over her all night like a puppy. What about her?"
"Well, umm she actually lives in Rosewood."
"No way, dude you lucked out. So that's why you aren't checking out the local female students, you're tapping Aria. Nice."
Ezra cringed at the reference to female students and the word tapping.
"Tapping, really?" Ezra looked up at Hardy in disbelief. Hardy merely smiled and lifted his glass to take a sip.
"Right, so Aria lives here and well.." Ezra was struggling, did he tell him the fact that she is his student first or that they are married first?
"For an English teacher, you seem to be struggling to form a sentence Ezra, what kind of school are you teaching in?" Hardy laughed.
"The school is the issue, Aria is a student at my school. She's in my classes." Ezra said looking back at his beer before taking a big swig.
"What? How? I'm sorry, how old is she Ezra?" Hardy stammered, confused at what he had just been told.
"She's 18, she graduates in a few months." Ezra said quietly.
Hardy shook his head and let out a chuckle. "Oh man, you are so screwed…Wait are sleeping with her?"
"Yes.. no.. it's more complicated than that."
"Ezra it's pretty simple, have you slept with her since you moved here?" Hardy asked bluntly, using his legal mind to argue a point.
"Yes..but as I said it's bigger than that."
"How is it any bigger? Have you got her pregnant? Am I about to have to bail you out of jail once a school board finds out?"
"No, she's not pregnant Hardy. I'm not that stupid." Ezra countered.
"Not that stupid? Ezra, this sounds pretty damn stupid to me. Please tell me this is not still happening? Are you going to let it happen again?"
"Yes.. no.. I mean I don't know what will happen." Ezra was struggling to remain focussed.
"Dude, you cannot keep this up. This is going to end badly and it will end with me bailing you out of jail. She's not worth risking it all over." Hardy said sternly.
"Right.. but there's something else. The thing I need your help with."
"There's more? I thought you wanting help was needing me to tell you that you're an idiot face to face! I have successfully done that."
"I married her.. we're married.." Ezra blurted out.
Hardy's beer remained halfway to his open mouth as he merely stared at Ezra. The silence lingered for an uneasy amount of time. Ezra was unsure of whether to continue with an explanation or let it stand as it was.
Hardy suddenly started laughing, making Ezra nervous.
"Oh man, that's gold, you married her in Vegas didn't you?" Hardy managed to say while gripping his sides laughing. "This is beyond all my expectations of you, I never thought you of all people would have done this."
"Thanks, glad to entertain." Ezra said remaining straight faced and slowly sipping his beer.
"You're serious? You married a girl you met that night?" Hardy questioned.
"Yep, seems I did." Ezra remained "I'm just going to let you have your fun with it for now."
"I'm sorry, it's just so unlike you. So I presume you need me for a divorce then?" Hardy said with a smirk.
"Well, Aria and I hoped you might know someone who could help."
"What is your mother going to say? She will never speak to you again if she finds out, you realise that?"
"She hardly speaks to me now, I am enough of an embarrassment being a teacher. I won't let her judge Aria though, this is my fault as much as hers."
"Do I get to meet the new but soon to be not Mrs Fitz?" Hardy asked.
"Well.. she was going to come and meet us here if it's ok with you." Ezra said quietly.
"Right, how is she intending to meet us in a bar at her age?" Hardy asked confused.
"Dude, I met her in a bar, how do you think she got in there?" Ezra said as if stating the obvious.
"Good point. Look you're my best friend, I will do whatever you ask me to do, including drawing up divorce papers, however, I do want to meet this girl though, she's changed you." Hardy said in earnest.
"There is something about her. I want you to like her Hardy. It means a lot to me."
"Get her down here and I'll give her the Spanish Inquisition then, see if she is good enough to divorce you!" Hardy joked.
Ezra shook his head and pulled out his phone to call Aria.
"Hey, how did it go?" Aria asked as soon as she answered, she had been sat on the edge of her bed nervously waiting for his call.
"It went as well as I expected, Hardy wants to meet you.. and well I want to see you too." Ezra added going red as he saw Hardy shake his head at him.
"I want to see you tonight too." Aria replied, blushing. "I'll drive my car towards yours and get a cab from there. I'll see you soon hun, keep an eye out for me."
Aria kicked herself for using the term 'hun'. It had slipped out before she realised it, the contradictions hit her that she was falling for a guy she was divorcing.
Ezra smiled to himself as Aria called him 'hun'. It felt right and he liked hearing it. He too felt the contradiction rear as he reminded himself about their need to divorce each other.
Hardy watched Ezra frown and battle with himself, shaking his head in amusement. He could get so much mileage out of this situation for years to come, and he couldn't wait.