I don't own anything
Ezra's POV
I was sitting in the hospital with Hanna, waiting for any kind of information about Aria. She was brought here unconscious, but that's all I know. Her parents were allowed to go to the waiting room that was only allowed to family. Hanna and I had to settle for waiting amongst all the other people completely unaware of what was happening.
"I'll go get a coffee, you want something?" Hanna asked after a long silence
"No thanks" I answered, not really caring about stuff like that now. She nodded silently and left me alone with my thoughts.
Sitting in the hospital and waiting for news reminded me about Kaitlin. I felt miserable and couldn't stop thinking of Aria. I never thought I'd find myself in this kind of situation with Aria, wondering if she'd cope. She had to. I couldn't lose her.
"I know you didn't want anything but at least drink this" Hanna said having returned already and handed me a small bottle of juice.
"Thanks" I mumbled and took a small sip.
"Ezra, Aria's gonna survive this" Hanna said confidently. "I've known her all my life and I know how strong she is."
"If I'd told her what I knew from the start, we wouldn't be sat here and she wouldn't hate me" I reminded her bitterly.
My conversation with Aria came back to my mind in a flash. If I'd known it might be our last, I would've told her how much she meant to me. I told her that way too seldom. She never should have thought she couldn't trust me, but she did think that.
"She doesn't hate you. She feels hurt because you didn't tell her about your parents' affair, but she doesn't hate you. Like I said, I've known her all my life and I've never seen her as happy as she was when she was with you."
Our conversation was interrupted when Byron walked into the room. I quickly stood up and asked, "How is she?"
"Her condition is still critical, but she's in good hands. You two should go home and get some rest" He said.
"Home to rest? I'm not going anywhere!" I answered, perhaps a bit too aggressively.
"Ezra, there's nothing you can do for Aria now. Go home and sleep for a few hours" He replied firmly but at the same sympathetically.
"He's right. Come on, let's go" Hanna said and grabbed my arm to lead me away from the hospital.
It was late when the cab finally drove me to my home yard. I walked slowly and tiredly home. I was knackered but couldn't get any rest. I opened the door and my mom rushed towards me immediately.
"Where have you been? It's late, I've been trying to call you!" She said, worry evident in her voice.
"In the hospital" I replied shortly.
"Hospital, why?" She asked, and before I got to answer I saw dad and Elliot arrive in the room as well.
"Because Aria took an over dose of medicine" I said.
"What?" Elliot exclaimed.
"Is she okay?" Dad asked.
I glared at him and wondered how he had the nerve to stand there next to mom after all he had done. He and Ella had ruined everything.
"Ezra, did you hear him? Is Aria okay?" Mom asked worriedly.
"I don't know, they won't tell me anything" I snapped and stormed out of the room to upstairs. I couldn't talk about this with any of them.
I took a shower and went to bed but couldn't sleep. All I could do was think about Aria. There were a million different thought going around in my head and I found myself thinking the worst.
I'd managed to get a few hours of sleep by the time I woke up next morning. I walked the stairs down and into the kitchen where I found dad. I took a cup of coffee when he said, "I'm really sorry Ezra."
"Well that helps a lot, doesn't it?" I snapped. "You and Ella ruined everything and if she won't survive, I'll blame the two of you!" Before neither of us could say anything else, mom and Elliot walked in.
We all sat in silence until the phone rang and my mom answered it. After a couple of minutes she put it down and turned to the rest of us. "It was Byron. Aria's fine."
The anxiety that had built for hours now turned into relief. Aria was fine. We all went to change clothes and then drove to the hospital. I had to see her.
We walked through the corridors and finally found the right room. I knocked on it and Byron opened it. And then I saw her. She was sleeping sound and deep. I went closer and touched her soft cheek with my thumb. She looked beautiful when she was asleep. It wasn't long until the door opened and Ella walked in.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked angrily.
"I called them" Byron said considerably more calmly.
"Aria needs her family, not some strangers!"
"They're not strangers, they're our friends!" Byron countered.
"We'll leave if it's too much hassle" Mom said understandingly.
We did. We were outside in the corridor when I heard Ella call me. I turned around and walked towards her.
"After you came, Aria's been a wreck. Skipping school, not wanting to attend her own cotillion, breaking up with her boyfriend! And now you can add one more achievement on top of it all. Not only did you turn her against me, you also almost killed my daughter."
"You can blame me all you want but we both know why she did it" I hissed.
"Without you this would never have happened. Just go, you're not welcome anywhere near Aria ever again."
I couldn't believe this. She actually blamed me for this, even though this was all her doing. I didn't want to cause a scene so I just turned around and left.
Aria's POV
I felt terrible. My muscles hurt and my head ached. I swallowed and it felt like a sandpaper. When I opened my eyes, the light in the room hurt them.
"You're awake" I heard my mom say relieved.
"Where am I?" I croaked.
"In the hospital" Dad said gently. "You took an over dose."
I tried to recall the few memories I had. I remember catching mom and Stephen together and the conversation I had with her. I remember going over to Ezra's and that we fought. I remember getting wasted and meeting Nathan. Hanna came to pick me up and took me to hers. Everything started to come back. Nathan's text and me standing in the bath room with the can of medicine.
"Don't you remember?" Mom asked worriedly.
"Oh, I remember everything" I said sharply and she seemed to understand exactly what I mean by that.
"You scared us, you must never do something like that ever again" She said.
"I won't" I said flatly.
"Now you need some rest" Dad said softly.
I was disgusted to be in the same room with mom after everything she'd done. I was even angrier after hearing from Ezra about what she'd do if he told anyone. She was the most sordid person I knew.
"I want to be alone" I said and both of my parents looked at me worriedly. "It's difficult to get some rest if both of you just sit there" I explained.
"Alright, if it helps you" Dad said before getting up and ushering mom to follow him out of the room.
I slept a couple of hours until nurses and a doctor came to examine me. After that they gave me the infamous hospital food. The only thing on the plate that looked even remotely fresh was the salad.
There was a faint knock on the door and I heard Freya's voice call, "Aria wake up! We came to see you!" Then the door opened and Freya, Mike, mom and dad came in.
"You're awake" Freya said happily and climbed to sit on the bed. "Mom and dad said you would be sleeping."
"Well they were wrong, I was watching a movie" I told her with a small smile.
"I should have brought you my Frozen DVD. That looks boring" She said as she looked at my movie with disgust. Despite the circumstances, none of us couldn't help but laugh at her.
"How are you feeling?" Mike asked.
"Fine I guess" I said.
"That's good" He said a bit awkwardly and smiled. "And for your information, Freya's right - that movie looks dead boring."
"It's not that bad" I defended my taste in movies.
"If Frozen is better than that then it must suck" Mike pointed out.
"See, Aria? Mike agrees with me, and he never agrees with me about anything" Freya said proudly.
"That's not true" Mike said half heartedly.
"Does too" Freya insisted.
Freya and Mike were there with me for an hour, but then she got tired and they had to go home to eat something. I was alone in my room again because my parents needed to drop by home briefly. I told them I'd be fine, and that was right. The less I saw mom the better.
I tried to read the latest copy of Teen Vogue but it was in vain. All I could think about was Ezra. We fought and I'd been mad at him for not telling about the affair of our parents. But still, I just wanted to see him.
I heard voices from the corridor behind the door and soon enough the door opened and revealed three familiar faces. "Can we come?" Spencer asked from the door while Hanna was already sat on the edge of my bed.
"What kind of question was that? Of course you can" I smiled.
"Spencer always has to be so over polite" Hanna said rolling her eyes. "Must be in her DNA, like being over wise."
"We brought your favourite chocolate and a pile of gossip magazines" Emily said quickly, clearly trying to avoid any kind of argument between Hanna and Spencer.
"Thanks a lot" I said gratefully.
"How are you?" Emily asked.
"Fine and even better now that I have some company. It's boring here" I admitted.
"So when are you getting out of here?" Spencer asked.
"I don't know. Soon probably, but I'll have to spend the night here for sure."
"Well, when you do we must celebrate. Let's take face masks and go to some restaurant or something" Hanna said excitedly.
"Absolutely" Spencer and Emily echoed.
"Sound good" I answered.
"I'm so happy you're okay. I was worried sick when Hanna phoned me" Emily said with a sad smile.
"Me too" Spencer added. "I feel terrible. We've always been friends and I had no idea you felt that way."
"It's not your fault" I hurried to convince her. "I was just so upset I didn't know what to do anymore."
"Upset by what?" Emily frowned.
I glanced at Hanna and realized she'd said nothing to them. If I was being honest, I felt kinda impressed.
"I found out my mom had had an affair with Ezra's dad all this time" I admitted.
"I'm sorry, what?" Spencer blurted out.
"Oh yes. They've known each other since they were young. I feel like all my life was a lie" I said bitterly.
"If I'm shocked by it I can't even begin to understand how upset you are" Emily said in awe.
"It doesn't feel real but I'm afraid it is."
"But let's think positively, all is good as long as you and Ezra don't turn out to be siblings" Hanna said, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
"Hanna, if you tried to lighten the mood that was a terribly way of doing it" Spencer said in disbelief.
As the hours went by, the girl had to leave as well. I was lying on my hospital bed and flicked through the magazines girls had brought me. There was surprising in them. It was hard to believe that once these magazines were the best kind of entertainment for me. I felt frustrated and lonely. I hated to be here and wanted nothing more that to get out, that's how depressing this place was. I felt empty inside, and like my life had no meaning anymore. I couldn't dance anymore. It used to be my whole life. The only thing I was good at. And now I didn't have it. The only thing I had was the shoes hanging on the floor, but I could no longer wear them.
Dad's in bankrupt and no longer lives with us. Home is no longer home. I felt like everyone tried to take even Ezra from me. My thought were quickly interrupted when there was a knock on the door for the third time today.
I was positive it would be my mom, but when the door opened I finally saw Ezra and immediately sat up.
"Ezra" I said quietly. My eyes were glued on him.
"Hi" He said tentatively and walked closer. "For you" He said and handed me a bouquet of red roses and a gift.
"Thank you" I smiled and put the flowers on the bedside table before opening the gift. When I saw what it contained I couldn't help the smile from breaking on my face. It was a book. Only Ezra would bring me a book. None of my friends appreciated literature and books.
"Last Song?" I asked with a smile, and noticed the same smile on his face.
"I thought it would be a lighter read than Anna Karenina" He explained.
Well that was true. I usually didn't read this kind of "light literature" but I was touched by his gesture.
"Can't tell otherwise" I admitted.
"I know it's not your thing, but the cashier recommended it out of three books. Said every girl would love it."
"Well let's see if that's true" I said and put it down next to the flowers.
"How are you?" He asked. His voice lacked the playfulness from minute ago.
"I feel fine. Just wish they let me go home soon" I answered.
None of said anything for a while, and an awkward silence fell between us until I broke it.
"I'm sorry for what I did. It was stupid" I said, feeling ashamed. "I didn't want to kill myself, I really didn't. I just couldn't take it anymore, all I wanted was to escape for a little while."
"I know" He said. "I'm really sorry for not telling you about our parents. If I had, we wouldn't be here now."
"Please don't blame yourself, it's not your fault" I reassured him. "Besides, my mom put you in difficult situation by threatening you" I said and before I realised what I was dong I took his hand in mine.
We looked at each other but made no effort to remove our hands. I felt good to feel his skin against mine.
"I was so worried about you. I was so scared of losing you" He said quietly.
"You won't as long as I have a say" I said gently and leaned in until our foreheads touched.
"I was sure you'd hate me after all this" He admitted.
"Hate you? I could never hate you" I said and put my other hand on his cheek. "Quite the contrary" I continued and kissed him softly. It felt better than it ever had.
I heard a familiar voice from the corridor and it made us both jump.
It was my mum.
"Oh my God, she can't see you" I whispered hurriedly.
"I'm not afraid of your mom" He said defiantly.
"But I am" I confessed. I didn't use to, but after everything she's done I know what she's capable of. I didn't want Ezra to get into any kind of trouble.
"Go over there" I said and pointed out to the WC.
He only just managed to shut the door behind him when mom came in. "You're still awake" She said surprised. Before I got to say anything, she asked, "Where did those come from?"
"I don't know" I said and tried to pretend oblivious.
"They're from Ezra, aren't they? He came here even though I forbid him!"
"It's not your place to forbid him from coming here, he's done nothing wrong!"
"Yes I can, and I will do it. I just talked to Dr. Harold. He can get you a place in a youth rehabilitation center in San Diego."
I was shocked and not sure if I'd heard right. Was she sending me to a facility? She couldn't do that.
Everything I has was here.
I'm still alive! And really, very sorry it took so long to update but it's because of my job. I hope you still want to read this and have the time to leave reviews. I have a chapter written for a new story, and if you want to I will publish it. :)
