CHAPTER 14
ARIA POV
I stand in Ezra's arms for a little longer and pull away. I look up at his big eyes and he gives me a nod. "Go over there, they're you're friends." He tells me. I rush over to the girls and cry my heart out. "I've missed you guys so much." I tell them. "We've missed you too." Emily says. "Can we go somewhere less crowded to talk?" I ask and they nod.
We all walk behind a curtain leading to a small room with seats and a couch/sofa type thing. "Are you ok, are you hurt?" She asks. "I'm fine, except for these." I hold up my wrists so all can see and I feel Ezra's hands come onto my shoulders. "What did that monster do to you?" He asks. "A made me play games, in one of them I had to choose between you guys and at one point it wanted me to choose between Ezra and Mike. I said no and he burnt my wrists." I explain. "Aria, I'm sorry but we need to know. Is Wren A?" Toby asks me. I nod slowly. "Yes, he is. He also made me but stuff in Ali's room, like he was getting ready for Ali to come to what I call the Dollhouse." I say. "Aria, can I call your family and tell them you're here?" Toby asks. "Yes, please. I need them to see I'm ok. But before you do there's something you all need to know." I tell them. "What is it?" Spencer asks. "Wren told me that if I don't meet him at a spot by the morning he would kill someone I care about. That could be any of you or my family. So please don't stop me, I can't lose any of you." I say. "Aria, I can't lose you again, please don't listen to him. We know who A is now, we can catch him." Ezra pleads to me. I turn to face him. "Ezra, I would back down to that place a thousand times over if it meant keeping you and anyone else I care about safe." I kiss him softly when Toby gets our attention. "I called your family and Tanner is on her way here too." He says.
We didn't go back out to the rest of Rosewood. I explain what A did to me and I repeatedly said sorry over and over but I'm told it isn't my fault. I see Paige holding Emily's hand, Hanna holding Caleb's and Spencer with Toby. "Aria!" I look over and see Mike with our parents and Mona behind him. I jump up and hug him tightly. "Mike, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." I whisper and we both cry. This is my little brother and I won't let anyone hurt him. I feel my parents arms come around us. "My girl." I hear dad say. I pull away and look up at him. I hug him tightly. "Mummy." I whisper and I feel her hugging me too. "I'm so glad you're ok." She whispers and plants a kiss on my head. I pull away and smile, I look over and see Mona standing there awkwardly. "It's good to see you too Mona." I hug her softly and then return to Ezra's side, his arm circling around my waist. "You're coming home with us tonight." Dad says but I shake my head. "I can't." I tell them. "Aria, you've been missing for more than two months, you're coming home." Mum says. "I can't, A threatened to kill one of you. Any of you and I can't risk that." I say. "We won't let that happen." I see Tanner appear behind my family. "You don't know what A's capable of though, we do." Caleb says. "Well what can we do?" She asks, "Nothing. But you need to release Ali, she isn't part of this. Ezra, can we please dance. I'm making the most of this night." I say and he nods.
We've been dancing for what I'd say an hour and I don't want to do this any differently. "I love you so much." He whispers. "I love you too." I tell him. "Promise me when I go you'll find me?" I ask him. "Aria I can't let you go again, but I promise no matter what I'll find you." He tells me.
I stopped dancing with Ezra and started dancing with the girls. This is how it should be, us dancing and singing off key all night. My parents are still here with Mike and Mona but people have started leaving, I look at the clock and its 11:30. I walk over to Ezra and whisper in his ear. "Can we go back to your place?" I ask and he nods. I walk over to the girls and say bye and I say bye to my family as well. I don't know if they think they've convinced me to stay but I'm going back. I can't risk losing anyone.
We pull up at his place and as soon as we reach the front door, I kiss him as passionately as I can. I want to remember this kiss for as long as I can because I don't know when I'll see him again. We get inside and we've barely broken away except getting some air before stealing another kiss from each other.
NEXT MORNING
4:00 AM
I wake up and look at the clock, I need to go. A's probably waiting for me and I half to walk. I quietly slip out of Ezra's bed, me wearing only my underwear and his shirt, we didn't have sex because I'm under 18 and he isn't and we don't want to do anything that'll get anyone in trouble. I grab some pants of mine that have been in Ezra's draws and some black flats I left here also. I fold my dress up and put it on the coffee table along with the shoes and earrings. I write a note and I cry as I do.
My darling, sweet, wonderful Ezra.
God I love you so much and thank you so much for a wonderful evening. I know you and everyone wanted me to stay but I can't risk Charles killing anyone, I can't risk him killing you. I left you my dress, shoes and earrings because I don't trust that Charles will let me keep them, keep them safe and hopefully I'll be able to wear them again one day. Please don't ever stop trying to find me and I'll keep fighting to find a way back to you and everyone. Tell everyone I love them that does include Toby, Caleb, Paige and yes even Mona.
I love you so much and I promise we will be together, please don't let the girls do anything stupid. I don't want them to end up here.
All my love forever, Aria
I set the note on top and kiss him on the head once more. I silently slip out of the apartment.
By the time I reach Ali's grave Wren is already there. "I thought I would have to drag you out of his bed?" He says not using his British accent anymore. "You'll leave them alone and if you don't promise I will run right now and try to escape you." I snap at him and he laughs. Suddenly something hard hits me on the back of the head and I black out.
I walk up and I can feel myself being carried. I keep my eyes closed and listen. "How are we going to get Alison here?" I hear a familiar women's voice ask. "Don't worry CeCe, everything will work out. Ali's being transferred to another facility, they don't know she wasn't part of this yet." Wren answers. CeCe is a part of this? Now's my chance. I snap my eyes open and jerk out of their arms. I fall to the floor and stand up quickly. "I thought you were loyal to Ali, CeCe?" I ask and she laughs. "I was with Charles long before then." She says. I start to run towards the ladder and climb up but Charles catches me and pulls me down. I start to fight back, I feel a sharp pain in my arm and look over to see CeCe pulling out a needle. "What did you do?" I ask starting to feel very drowsy. "Just something to knock you out for six hours, maybe send a message to your family." He whispers in my ear and I fall asleep.
EZRA POV
I go over to the Montgomery house and everyone's there including Spencer, Hanna, Emily, Paige, Caleb, Mona and of course the Montgomery's. "Toby will be here soon." Spencer says. "Um I have something that you should all hear." I say. I pull out Aria's letter and go to read it but I can't get the words out without crying. "Would you like me to read it?" Spencer offers and I nod my head. I hand the letter to her and she reads.
My darling, sweet, wonderful Ezra.
God I love you so much and thank you so much for a wonderful evening. I know you and everyone wanted me to stay but I can't risk Charles killing anyone, I can't risk him killing you. I left you my dress, shoes and earrings because I don't trust that Charles will let me keep them, keep them safe and hopefully I'll be able to wear them again one day. Please don't ever stop trying to find me and I'll keep fighting to find a way back to you and everyone. Tell everyone I love them that does include Toby, Caleb, Paige and yes even Mona.
I love you so much and I promise we will be together, please don't let the girls do anything stupid. I don't want them to end up here.
All my love forever, Aria
I start to cry and see some of the others are too. There's a knock on the door and Mike goes to answer it. Toby walks in with Tanner following, a terrible look on his face. "Toby what is it?" Spencer asks. "We've have terrible news, I'm so sorry." He says
TOBY POV
EARLIER THAT DAY
I'm getting ready to go over to the Montgomery's with Tanner when she calls me to her office. "Officer Cavanaugh, a word." She calls.
I walk into her office and she hands me a picture, I'm shocked. Aria lying on a metal table, a white sheet covering her from the chest down. Writing on it reading.
Look what I'm capable of when she fights back –A
I take a better look at the picture and then it hits me. "Why does it look like she's in a morgue?" I ask. "Because that's what the room is." Tanner says. "How am I going to tell the Montgomery's?" I ask.
NO ONE POV
BACK AT THE MONTGOMERY HOUSE
"I don't know how to say this but we have reason to believe Aria has been killed." Toby says and hands Ella and Byron the picture. "NOO!" Ella starts to cry hysterical.
SPENCER POV
I feel like I'm about to fall down. Cries and screams are the only thing that can be heard. I feel Toby hold on to me and I cling to him crying so hard. "She can't be Toby, please, she can't be." I wail. I look at the girls and they're crying just as bad as I am. "I promise Spencer, I promise we'll find her. This picture could just be her unconscious." He whispers to me but I still cling to him in tears. "Ezra, are you ok?" I hear Mike ask. I look over and in a second I see Ezra collapse.
EZRA POV
BEFORE HE COLLASPED
The love of my life, the only person I care about is gone. She's dead. I cling to the first thing I can grab. I'm feeling light headed and very dizzy, I want to vomit and cry at the same time. "Ezra, are you ok?" I hear Mike's sob filled voice ask. Before I can answer, I black out.
Hope you're liking it, this is the fast I've ever updated.