~I've decided to try a new format when I write these chapters, please tell me if you like this better! As always thank you so much for the reviews!~
Outside POV:
Once inside Ezra's apartment, the group dispersed as Aria and Ezra brought out the material. They placed the various boxes on the table in front of the couch, moving to sit on the floor next to it. Spencer and Toby sat at the other end of the table, Hanna and Caleb on the side near the couch, Emily and Alison across from them.
"Before we begin," Spencer started, "I think we should catch Caleb and Toby up on everything." The girls exchanged looks before Aria asked softly, "Everything?" "Yes, everything," Spencer said, sharing a look with her. "They need to know."
"What do you mean-" Caleb started, before Ezra cut him off. "They mean about me." Toby and Caleb shared a confused look, before Toby spoke up, "What about you? We know about you and Ar-" "I knew Alison, we met when I was in college. I also knew who the girls were before I met them, and-" "Wait, you knew Alison?" Toby asked incredulously. "Yes I-" "And you just led everybody on, the whole time? Did you know she was alive?" Toby continued, his voice rising. "Yes, but if you would please just let me explain-" Ezra said, raising his hands in surrender. "Explain what, how you lied, when you could have been helping them? Caleb said, standing up. "Listen, please just let me explain-" "You could have protected them from A!" Caleb yelled.
"Would you just calm down?" Aria yelled, standing up to face Caleb, effectively silencing the room. Caleb sat back down as Aria said, softer this time, "Just let him speak, okay?" After an affirmative nod from both Toby and Caleb, she sat back down, resting her hand on Ezra's as he began to tell his tale.
"When I was in college, she approached me at a bar one night, she wanted to get to know me," Ezra began, shooting a look at Alison. "She lied about her age, so I thought she was in college. We went on a few dates before I figured out she had lied, and I broke it off there. A few days later I heard that she had gone missing, and I decided to write a book about her… a true crime book. I…" he cleared his throat, squeezing Aria's hand gently before continuing. "I did some research and found who her friends were… I was going to befriend one in order to get information. So when I saw Aria in the bar, I took the opportunity. But I hadn't planned on…" Aria rubbed her thumb over his hand, and Ezra took a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't know I was going to fall in love with her," he said softly, his eyes downcast. "When things started getting serious between the two of us, I stopped writing the book. But later, when we broke up, I started researching again, but this time I was also looking for A. I figured out that Alison was alive, and that's how I found A… or one of the A team. Spencer figured out that I had been lying, and soon she told the other girls. They avoided me after that, and I went to New York, following a lead on A. I followed him to a café roof, where he had been chasing the girls, but I didn't know that at the time. He threatened them with a gun, and I stepped in when he pointed it at the girls, that's how I got shot. A escaped after that, and I was taken to the hospital," Ezra finished, raising his gaze to meet Toby's and Caleb's.
"Wow," Caleb stated, glancing warily at Alison. "That's one way to put it," Toby replied, shooting a suspicious glance Ezra's way. "Well," Caleb said, reaching for a box, "Let's get started."
~❈❈※ ※❈❈~
A few hours later, around 11:00, Emily stood up, yawning, as she declared, "I think we've done enough for tonight, we should probably get home before too much snow has fallen." "Yeah," Spencer said, standing up next to Emily, "We should all probably get home." The rest of them stood up, Alison walking over to Emily as she asked, "Can I stay at your place Em?" "Sure," Emily smiled, blushing slightly. "Okay," Hanna interrupted, noticing Emily, "Let's go, goodnight Ezra." Caleb walked Hanna out, Toby and Spencer following, finally Alison and Emily leaving after saying their goodnights.
Ezra glanced over at Aria as she put her coat on, walking over so he could hand her boots to her. "Well… goodnight," he said as he handed them to her, meeting her gaze. "Yeah… goodnight…" she said back softly, sitting down to lace up her boots. "I mean… unless… never mind…" Ezra stuttered, turning to walk back to the couch. "Unless what?" "I just… unless you wanted to… stay?" he mumbled, his eyes downcast. Smiling slightly, Aria said, "I would love to." "Y-you would?" She shook off her boots and coat, walking over to sit next to him on the couch before saying, "But can we watch a movie first?"
Emily POV:
Alison and I walked to my house in the snow, admiring the sparkling white blanket, shimmering against the night sky. The weather had finally cleared up, revealing the stars and moon, giving Rosewood the impression of a cute little town. We hurried inside once we reached my house, grateful for the warmth, stomping off our boots before removing them and our jackets. I glanced over at Alison as she shrugged hers off, shaking her hair when she took off her hat… Emily, no, stop it, I thought to myself, you can't think that way. But, a little voice argued, you've seen her look at you the same way. Shaking myself from my thoughts, we made our way upstairs to my room.
Alison looked around before saying, "Nothing's changed, it's the same as I remember it." "Well," I responded, "Some things have changed, it just may not look like it." She gave me a look before asking, "Where will I be sleeping?" "Um…" I said slowly, "In here if you want…" Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and I gave her a confused glance before saying, "I'm going to go see who that is, stay here, nobody can see you." I rushed downstairs, confused as to who would be here at this time at night, in the snow no less, taking a deep breath before opening the door.
"Hey," Paige said, her cheeks pink from the cold air. "Hey," I replied, stepping outside and closing the door behind me. "You never called back," she said, her eyes downcast. "Yeah, I've been pretty busy," I responded tersely. "Oh… is there anything I can do?" "You've already done enough," I said as she raised her eyes to mine. "Emily…" "Can we talk some other time please?" "Sure… um… just, please call me," she stated awkwardly, "Goodnight." I watched her walk away, turning around to go back in my house. Once inside, I leaned back against the door, a single tear streaming down my face, as I collected myself. Taking a deep breath, I wiped the tear away and walked back up to my room.
"Who was it?" Alison asked as she saw me walk back in. "It was… Paige." "Oh. Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine," I whispered, walking over to my dresser to pull out two T-shirts and two pairs of shorts, giving one pair to Alison, then walking into the bathroom to change and brush my teeth. Once I finished, Alison walked in the bathroom, and I settled myself in my bed. A few minutes later she emerged, and stood undecidedly near the foot of my bed. "Um... would you mind if I…" I smiled before scooting over to one side of the bed, saying, "No problem." She gave me a grateful smile, crawling under the covers, falling asleep within minutes.
Aria POV:
After we finished the movie, Ezra walked over to grab me a T-shirt and pajama pants for me to wear for the night. I smiled thank you before walking into the bathroom to change, reemerging to find him in his pajamas, reading a book on the couch, where he had dragged a pillow and blanket. "Ezra, what are you doing?" "Hm?" he asked, looking up from his book. "I just thought…" I walked over, pulling the blanket from over him and grabbing the pillow that was beside him, walking back over to his bed to place them down. "Aria…" "Come on," I interrupted. Smiling slightly, he placed his book on the table and walked over to me as I crawled under the covers. After standing for a minute beside the bed, he crawled in next to me, wrapping his arms around me as I curled up next to him. "I love you," he whispered against my lips, brushing them slightly. "I love you too," I whispered, moving forward slightly so I could catch his lips with mine.
I moved my arms behind his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair as he pulled me tighter against him. I deepened the kiss, sliding my tongue into his mouth, becoming lost in the kiss. He moved his feet next to mine under the blankets, brushing over them as our legs became entangled, his hands moving up to brush my cheeks as we pulled away. We smiled at each other before I buried my face in his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. "Goodnight," I mumbled, moving my hands down so one rested on his waist, the other curled underneath me. "Goodnight," he whispered into my hair as he buried his face in it, inhaling deeply, his exhale warming my neck.