Chapter 10

"For when you need to leave Rosewood."

Aria ran her hands over the words written on the inside of Winesburg, Ohio. She smiled as she examined Ezra's handwriting, imagining what his hand had looked like as he penned the words onto the page. It was the first gift Ezra had given her and of everything she had received from him, this was her favourite. He was the first person to believe her dreams were bigger than Rosewood and he was always quick to remind her of the limitations of such a small town.

When Aria went to bed each night, she spent the moment between awake and asleep, picturing her future with Ezra, and leaving Rosewood was always a major factor. But now, that once peaceful moment of limbo was now spend wondering if she was going to make it to graduation.

A sharp knock on her door let her know it was time for school. To her father she was only worth a quick knock. Aria gathered her things and made her way to the waiting car, not bothering to greet Meredith or Byron. She was just an inconvenience to them and the only thing that encouraged her to keep things as they were was the fact that her bruises had now faded.

She cringed as she thought back to conversation she had when she bumped into Jake yesterday. His gentle warning had set off alarm bells in her head. Of course she knew that cutting herself would leave a mark, one which she would have to carry for the rest of her life. But when the pressure built up again, there was no reasoning with herself. Her first cut was now only a thin pink line and she had been surprised at just how quick it had healed, but as the last week wore on, fresh lines appeared along side it. She counted four, four cuts on the inside of her arm. Just thinking about them made her hand move to cover them protectively. She imagined she would look back in a few years and recount the moments that led to each line.

She hadn't realised they had arrive at school until her fathers voice broke through her thoughts.

"You will have to find your own way home. Meredith and I are going out of town for a few days. We will be back on Wednesday morning."

Byron didn't elaborate and Aria didn't care enough to ask. She left the car as quick as possible and made her way to the usual spot where she met her friends. She was relieved to find that she was the first one to arrive, leaving her some time to compose herself and fix her appearance. Today was going to be a good day, she kept telling herself. She would have a couple of father-free days and she had no bruises to hide from her friends. It was the most put together she had felt in months.

"Hey," Hanna sweet voice sounded from behind her. "How was your weekend."

Aria smiled widely as she took the coffee cup from her friends outstretched hand. She was beginning to feel light headed from the lack of food and the coffee was her saviour right now.

"Fine," Aria answered as she took a sip from her cup and savoured the taste. "Although I did run into Jake on Sunday."

Hanna's eyes lit up. That girl loved to gossip. "Oh do tell."

"Well, he has been very gracious about the whole breakup." Aria played nervously with the lid of her coffee cup as she recalled their meeting. "He kept things very civil."

"Ya, cause he still likes you."

Aria shot a doubtful look to her friend. "It wasn't like that Han, he's just concerned."

Hanna's eyebrows pulled together. "What would he have to be concerned about?"

Aria didn't answer, instead taking a long sip of her coffee.

"Have you talked to Ezra?" Hanna asked after a moment of silence.

"No, I'm trying to give him some space."

"How much space does he need?" Hanna said shaking her head. "I say screw his space, you need to take back what's yours."

Aria laughed. As annoying and blunt as Hanna was, Aria had always admired her go-get-em attitude; if she wanted something, nothing could sway her decision.

"Maybe your right."

"Of course I'm right." Hanna quipped as she winked at Aria. "Now, enough about boys, I really need help with my English homework."

The rest of the day passed by much the same. Aria found herself in a relatively good mood. It seemed hers fathers absence was the best thing to happen that week. The other girls seemed to pick up on her good mood and tried their hardest to keep it going. By the time last period rolled around, Aria had almost forgotten it was English.

Ezra was already writing on the board as they walked in and didn't seem to notice as the girls walked by him. Aria took her usual seat and pulled out her books while continuing to glance at Ezra. When he finally turned around, He did not look at Aria, in fact he seemed to be purposely avoiding her gaze.

"Today I wanted to introduce a new book to you all. I know finals are In a week, so this book is just for fun and there will be no grading on it what so ever." He beamed at his class, satisfied with their reactions. "We have been doing a lot of study on American authors, so today I thought I'd introduce you to an Australian author, John Marsden."

The class murmured again, and Aria couldn't help the swell of admiration in her chest as she watched her teacher proudly present his book choice.

"'Tomorrow when the war began' is a coming of age story set during an invasion of a small town in out back Australia. The transition from innocence to experience is shown in transformations in Ellie's thinking and her changing notions towards leadership and courage as the series progresses. Ellie's reasons for chronicling her experiences also develop throughout the series. She starts out recording for the group who don't want to die unnoticed and forgotten and continues writing for herself to better understand her own thoughts and feelings."Ezra moved through the class handing out worksheets as he continued his speech.
"Later on she writes to recreate the past which has become a lost world to her and preserve the lessons that she has learnt from it. The Australian bush becomes a symbol of stability in a world that seems to be disintegrating. Its presence gives hope to the characters throughout the series."

Ezra turned back to the board and began jotting down points. "I know I said I wasn't going to grade you on this book, but-"

The whole class chorused together in a loud groan and Ezra held up his hands in defence. "But, if you needed some extra reading to help you better understand the premiss of lost innocence- something which your final exam will heavily focus on- then I suggest you read this book."

All around her Aria heard the rustling of paper as students opened their books and began to read. The silence that followed was defending and Aria could hear her own heartbeat in her ears as she watched Ezra return to his desk. His brows pulled together and he tapped his pen lightly on his chin as he looked over the papers on his desk. A cough to her right broke her from her trance and Aria looked to Emily, who pointedly directed Aria with her eyes to a note sitting on her desk.

Stop starring.

Arias cheeks flushed as she crunched up the note and sent an apologetic look to Emily, who just giggle quietly to herself in reply. The lesson passed by quicker once Aria forced herself to stop obsessing over Ezra and to focus on her study notes, but as the hands on the clock inched closer to the three o'clock mark, Aria could feel her concentration dropping. The words on the page began to merge into one big blur and Aria found herself blinking several times in a bid to restore focus. She had hopped the coffee she had in the morning would keep her going the whole day, but Aria had not eaten since lunch the previous day and her energy levels had hit rock bottom.

The bell finally rang, and the students around her packed up quickly, eager to leave the school. Aria knew as soon as she stood up that she was in trouble; her vision began to darken and the feeling of vertigo took over her body. She reached out to grab a hold of the desk to steady herself, but miss judged the distance and fell into darkness.

Ezra had been watching Aria in the corner of his eye. He saw her stand and sway on her feet. He watched as her hand reached out to grab something to catch herself, but her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she crumpled to the ground. He heard Emily scream and the students who were almost out the door turned at the sound the rushed back over to the commotion. Ezra was beside Aria in a flash, shooing away students that stood in his way. His CPR training kicked in and he immediately checked her breathing. Her warm sweet breath his his cheek as he lent down. He next felt for her pulse and breathed in relief as he felt the steady beat.

"Is she ok Mr Fitz?" He heard Spencer ask in concern. He nodded his head but kept his eyes on Aria.

"She breathing. She must have fainted. Aria?" He spoke to her lifeless form. He swept his hand over her cheek but received no response. The crowd around him had grown as the scene information of them unfolded.

"I need to get her to the nurse." He slid his arms underneath Aria and lifted her up with no effort at all. He frowned at just how light she felt in his arms. He turned to Spencer and spoke quietly to her. "I'll call and give you an update when she wakes up." Spencer opened her mouth to protest but stopped herself.

"I'll disperse the crowd." She replied.

Ezra could hear Hanna's protests and Spencer's orders to 'move along' as he walked out of the room holding Aria. He held her close to his body and rushed down the hall to the nurses office. He pushed the door open with his foot and moved Aria to the empty bed.

"Oh dear." He heard as the school nurse rushed over to him.

"She fainted Helen." Ezra said simply. The nurse nodded and grabbed Arias wrist to take her pulse.

"Her pulse is quick. Roll up her sleeve for me dear so I can take her blood pressure."

The older woman turned from the room and left to fetch the bold pressure monitor, leaving Ezra alone. Aria still lay motionless on the bed, her thick brown hair cascading around her. Ezra raised a tentative hand and swept a strand of hair from her face, his skin buzzing with electricity as his fingertips brushed softly over her cheek.

"Got that sleeve up dear?" The nurse asked as she entered the room. He jumped slightly at her intrusion, but calmed himself as he picked up Arias arm.

It all seemed to happen in a flash for Ezra; one moment he was savouring the feel of Arias hand within his own, the next, the school nurse was standing beside him tisking sadly as she looked down at a the series of cuts on Arias arm. He had pushed up her sleeve, letting his thumb glide along her soft skin, but he stopped instantly as he reached the raw flesh. His heart dropped to his stomach as his eyes found the angry marks. He wanted so badly to believe that it was just a house hold accident, but he knew better, this was intentional and deliberate. Ezra wanted to pull her sleeve back down to save her some dignity, but the nurse had seen before he had a chance.

"I never get used to seeing it." Helen commented as she took Arias blood pressure. "BP is good." She jotted down some notes on her clip board and then grabbed a small bottle from the counter over the sink. "These cuts are not as deep as some I've seen."

Ezra swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched her dab iodine on Arias cuts. "Why-" but he didn't trust himself to continue.

"Why would she do it?" She finished for him while she placed a bandage over the treated cuts. She pulled the rubber gloves off her hands and threw them in the bin with a sigh. "There are many reasons people self harm; whether it be the stress of school and peer pressure or problems at home. It's a coping mechanism really." Helen stopped for a moment and took in Arias appearance. "She looks like she has lost a lot of weight too."

Ezra's eyes snapped up and he moved next to Helen. She was right, Aria was looking thin. How had he not noticed before.

"High School is a tough place, as we both should know." Ezra nodded and Helen continued to scribble away. "Luckily It was just a fainting spell; I'd put it down to a lack of food. She should wake soon." Ezra nodded again, not wanting to risk speaking.

The older woman turned back to him, a sad look shaping her face. "I'd better write up a referral for the guidance counsellor." Helen picked up her clip board and left the room again.

A thousand thoughts ran through Ezra's mind as he sat down next to Aria. What had made her harm herself? He felt anger and guilt surge through him. Anger at who ever had driven her to do this, and guilt for not being there for her. He had been so caught up in his battle with Maggie that he had never really taken a moment to really look at Aria.

"Ezra I have to go." Helen said as she rushed back into the room. "Apparently someone is vomiting in the bathroom and I've been called"

"I can wait with her if you like." He offered without sounding too eager.

"I couldn't ask you to do that."

"I don't mind at all." He smiled hopefully.

"If only the rest of the faculty were like you, my job would be so much easier." She smiled fondly at Ezra and handed him an envelope, a bottle of water and a cookie.
"The envelope is her referral, she will have to get her parent or guardian to sign it before she brings it back. Make sure she eats the cookie and has some water before she leaves."

Ezra nodded at her instructions and bid her farewell. Once he was sure Helen was gone, he took Arias hand with in his own and placed a soft kiss across her knuckles.

"I'm here Aria." He whispered. "I'm here."

Thank you all for your reviews so far! they really motivate me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I got a surge of inspiration after watching the last episode. Please review and let me know what you think, it would really mean a lot to me. Thank you :)

Snellee