Disclaimer: I don't own PLL.
Chapter Twenty One
"I know we do. But not now." I reach the first step but Ezra grabs my elbow and spins me around to face him.
I glare at his chest, trying to blink back the tears that are threatening to fall.
"Yes. Now is the perfect time. A lot just happened, and as much as we might want to pretend it didn't. It did."
"I know that, ok?" I yell at him, tears' spilling down my cheeks as a sob rips through my chest.
"I know that we need to talk about it, but I just can't deal with you breaking up with me right now. Let me prepare." I move to push past him again when he pulls me back, forcing me to have this talk now.
"Aria, why do you always assume I'm going to break up with you? Do you not see yourself clearly?"
I don't respond keeping my gaze locked on his chest, tears continuing to fall.
"Aria. Answer me." I feel his fingers gently lift my chin, so our eyes meet.
"What do you want me to say? Because let's be real here Ezra, you have to choose. Between me and your family, between me and your inheritance. I'm not stupid. We've been dating less than a month, I know what you'll choose and it's going to break my heart, but I'm being realistic."
"Aria," he cups my face with his hands, his thumbs wiping my tears away gently.
"You want to talk real? This is the most real relationship I have ever been in; I have never felt like this before. You make me the happiest I've ever been and I'd be absolutely crazy and downright stupid if I walked away from you. If I lost you, then life would be miserable."
He pulls me into his chest as more sobs rock my body; he runs his fingers through my hair, whispering comforting words into my hair.
"I love you." I pull away looking into his blue eyes, eyes that have never once lied to me.
"I love you too," my voice is harsh from all the crying but he leans forward and places a passionate kiss on my lips.
"I choose you Aria, I'll always choose you." My breath hitches in my throat at the sincerity and intensity of his tone.
"Really? Over millions of dollars?" I raise my eye brows challenging him with traces of doubt shining through my hazel eyes.
"Billions actually," my mouth drops open at his confession and he just nods his head at me with raised eye brows.
"Billions?" I squeak out feeling my hear sink.
"Yep." Ezra shrugs it off, like it's nothing before giving me another soft kiss.
"You're going to regret it. Maybe not right now, but one day you will."
"No I won't. I'd rather be truly happy with the woman I love, than miserable and rich with a woman I despise. Money doesn't buy happiness, Aria."
"I just, I don't deserve you. I mean you're choosing me over billions of dollars... I just. Wow."
"Aria, we'll get through this. I mean, I graduated college last year and have a teaching job this year. I will make it through without my mother's financial help. Plenty of people do it, so I've heard anyway."
I smile up at him, shaking my head at his calm composure. His ability to make this life changing decision so easily, without any hesitations.
"And for the record; it's me who doesn't deserve you." I shake my head forcefully at him, opening my mouth to protest when he moves his right pointer finger over my lips, "Don't."
"I don't deserve you Aria Montgomery, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying."
I feel a smile come to my face at his promise;
Rest of my life.
I lean up pressing our lips firmly together as I wrap my arms around his neck, bringing him closer to me.
"Toby?" I ask as I pry open his bedroom door, I make my way over to the bed lifting the covers up before sliding in.
I reach my right hand up to trace the side of his face, before wiping the tears from his cheeks.
Ezra climbs in the other side, staring at the ceiling letting a sigh fall from his lips.
"That was really sweet of you Toby, oh and I love you too. You're like a little brother to me."
"Yea, well. One day I'm sure I'll be your brother in law. That is assuming my brother wasn't a complete fool and choose Jackie over you. She's such a bitch. But my brother is pretty stupid, and an ass."
"Hey, sitting right here bro." I smile at the two before setting Toby straight.
"He didn't break up with me."
"Well, good." Toby lets a smile creep onto his face as I pull him into my side for a hug.
"You know Toby; I'll always be here for you. Whenever you need me."Ezra tells Toby quietly, popping himself up on his elbow.
"I know, I just wish I could live with you."
"Yea, me too buddy. Me too."
I sure as hell don't, not in that tiny apartment anyway.
We'd never get any alone time.
"I'm still going to see your right Aria?" Toby pushes his lips out into a pout and I giggle softly.
"Of course, I promise."
I take a seat on my bed, looking around my room sighing.
"Hey," I glace towards Ezra standing in the door way.
"Hey." I whisper quietly in response.
"Have a nice nana nap with Toby?" I tease him softly.
"I prefer to call them power naps, but yes I did." He comes over and sits next to me on the bed wrapping his left arm around my waist and pulling me into him.
"What are you going to do now?"
I shrug slightly while looking around my room once more.
"I can try and talk to my mum, make her understand." He places a kiss to my forehead and I shake my head at him.
"Nah. It's ok. I'm fine Ezra. I knew being with you was risking my job. But you are more than worth it."
"So, what are you going to do now?"
"What most seniors in high school do Ezra. Move back in with my parents."
"I sometimes forget your still in high school..." he chuckles to himself quietly.
"Does it ever bother you? Our age difference."
"Aria, you're 18 and I'm 23. Five years isn't that much of an age difference. So no, it doesn't bother me at all." He places a small kiss on my lips, "I'm just glad I didn't end up teaching at your high school, I mean that would have been terrible."
"Yea, me too. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"I guess it was fate." He kisses my lips softly before pulling away and smiling.
"Cheesy much?" I giggle at him slightly before sighing in happiness, "but whatever the reason, I'm so happy."
"Yea me too. But there is a down side to all of this," I raise my eye brows at him in curiosity.
"Besides you know, the whole getting fired and you losing your inheritance and trust fund? Yea because, I hadn't really picked up on that." He rolls his eyes at me before shoving me gently.
"Uh no. You moving back in with your parent's means I won't see you as much, and we will have to restrict certain activities to my apartment."
I roll my eyes at him, giggling quietly, "Really? That's what you're worried about? Because I mean, we've always got restaurant bathrooms, and the movies and-" He cuts me off with a kiss, thrusting his tongue into my mouth caressing mine softly.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Ezra."
I push him back onto the bed, before moving to straddle him. I reattach our lips as his hands make their way down my body and to my ass, giving it a firm squeeze causing a moan to slip past my lips.
"Ok, gross." I pull back and sigh at Toby's voice.
Oh yea, so fucking glad he doesn't live with Ezra.
I'd never get lucky.
I roll off Ezra, raising my eye brows at Toby, "yes?"
He just shrugs, "nothing."
I roll my eyes before turning to Ezra, "let's pack," I grab his hand and pull him up off the bed.
"Toby, not so fast. You can help too."
"Damn it. How did you know I was leaving? You weren't even looking." He whines quietly while making his way back into my room.
"I'm just that good."