Chapter 2 – Friday
Aria's pov
Ezra and I decided to have some Chinese from my favorite little Chinese place just down the street and watch one of our favorite movies like the good old days. Caitlyn and Hanna were more than glad to take the kids out for a while, Malcolm was just glad to see Oliver for a while.
"How were your classes today?" Ezra asked.
We unpacked the takeout that we had gone to pick up. Luckily, Ezra didn't ask why it took so long in the restaurant. I grabbed the one container that he couldn't open yet before he could reach for it, this has to go right tonight.
"They were pretty good. And since finals are coming up, there aren't many assignments right now in a few classes." I said.
"Speaking of finals, you ready for graduation?" Ezra asked, grabbing two bottles of water.
"Ez, everyone is ready. Maddie and Natalie said they're counting the days until graduation as well." I said.
I was so shocked during the middle of Freshman year when Natalie and Maddie showed up to one of my classes. They had transferred from USC to NYU for their own reasons and Oliver loves them, just like he loves everyone. Knowing it was time, I carefully moved the take out box to where Ezra could grab it.
"Graduation's coming up pretty soon… you remember that plan we had to start trying for baby number two after graduation?" I asked carefully and Ezra nodded as he went to dump the food onto his plate.
Instead of his beef and broccoli falling onto his plate, multiple gender-neutral pacifiers poured out and Ezra stared at it confused. I held back my laughter as I watched it slowly click in his mind.
"Aria, are… are you?" I nodded smiling when I saw how happy he was.
"I'm pregnant." I said, confirming his theory.
He pulled me closer to him and pressed his lips to mine, I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt his smile in the kiss. As he slowly pulled away, he kissed my nose and rested his forehead against mine.
"The night we conceived the baby…" He trailed off with a small smirk.
"Snookers on the pool table." I whispered and he chuckled at the memory.
"My girl is finally coming home and now we're having another baby. This can't get any better." He said as he brushed some hair out of my face, making me giggle.
"Plus, Spencer and Toby's wedding is coming up at the end of June. And let's not forget Caitlyn and Rosie are moving in with Hardy." I added, I can still remember the day Caitlyn and Hardy met… as if it was yesterday.
Flashback (October- Sophomore year)
Caitlyn and I were on our way back from our Zeta Nu Phi Delta meeting. I know she hates coming home late just as much as I do, and the fact Hardy is watching the kids without her meeting him first makes her a little uncomfortable. But he was on the way to visit and neither of us were able to leave our classes early since we have midterms coming up, plus we had our meeting and Daniella said the kids couldn't come this time.
"I just told him to give them the dinosaur nuggets with some fruit." I said as we climbed the stairs to our apartment.
"Obviously if you trust him I do too. It's just weird for me, since I haven't met him you know." She said and I nodded.
"Cait, I completely get it. I'd feel the same way if I was in your shoes, we know Hanna or Riley would've watched them if they could." I said.
Opening the door, we could see the kids were having one of their tea parties with Hardy as their special guest of honor. I held back my laughter at the fact Hardy was wearing a bright pink feather boa, a green bead necklace and one of Rose's princess tiaras. Sharing a look with Caitlyn, I knew she suddenly felt a whole lot better about Hardy now. Closing the door, the kids saw us and ran towards us.
"Mama/mommy!" The kids squealed at the same time.
"Pwetty!" Rosie said happily, pointing to Hardy.
"I got them to eat their food, along with some extra fruit this way. But if I may say, this is the best I have ever looked." Hardy said standing up.
"Hi, I'm Caitlyn Woods." Cait said, shaking his hand.
"I'm Hardy, Hardy Pierce." He said, giving his famous charming smile.
End of Flashback
Ezra chuckled at the fact Hardy had finally moved on from his womanizing ways and somehow won Caitlyn's heart. We were all shocked by them getting together, especially since they're complete opposites in every single way. But then I remembered that Chloe and Caleb had been the same way, as were Spencer and Toby.
"But more importantly, you'll be home with me." He whispered before brushing his lips against mine.
Home – I love knowing that I'll be leaving New York and the past four years behind to go back. I always thought that after what the girls and I endured; I'd never want to go back, but all I've dreamt about these past four years was going back home to Rosewood. They all say that a home is a place, but Ezra has always been my home.
…..
Few weeks later – Graduation day
I stared at my reflection in Caitlyn's floor length mirror as we finished getting ready. This was it, my time at NYU is finally over and I'm going home to Rosewood and more importantly to Ezra… where I belong. Caitlyn looked over at me from applying her lip stain and we shared a look. She looked me up and down before smirking, I had chosen to wear a green spaghetti strap wrap dress. Which she thinks I'm wearing for Ezra since she noticed in some of my old pictures of us, I'm wearing his green button-down shirt and won't take the fact I was very pregnant at the time and didn't want to take the romance out of wearing his yellow Hollis shirt.
"Just remember, we still have a week to finish packing." She reminded me and I nodded.
"I know, but I've been waiting for this day for the past four years… since the day I came here. I no longer have to be away from Ezra, nor do we need to do legal separation any longer. We can finally live the rest of our lives together like we had planned." I said and heard the apartment door open.
"Daddy! Brother!" We heard Oliver exclaim.
Unplugging our stuff, we quickly hurried into the living room where Ezra and Malcolm were sitting down with Hanna and Hardy at the kids' play table having a tea party. Hanna had Rosie on her lap, braiding her pigtails and taking sips of her tea when Rosie holds the cup up for her.
"That tiara looks great on you man." Ezra said before seeing me and motioned towards my room and I nodded.
I led him into the bedroom and sat on my bed as he quietly shut the door. From the look on his face earlier, I knew that this was a more serious matter.
"God, I don't even know where to start on this. I'm such an asshole" He said, rubbing his forehead.
I patted the bed next to me and he sat down, sighing as he put his face in his hands. Taking his hands in mine, I made him look at me. Whatever it is that he needs to tell me, it must be something big if he's calling himself an asshole.
"Whatever it is, you know you can tell me anything Ezra." I said softly, he nodded.
"I didn't even plan on it happening. When I had gotten back to Rosewood, I – I met someone." He said softly and I realized that I wouldn't be going home to him anymore.
"Is that why you seemed weird on the skype call the other day?" I asked and he nodded
"Ez, it's not like you met her or told me about after I came back. We both knew there was always a chance of one of us meeting someone else. Also, you told me yourself instead of me coming home and finding out on my own." I said
"I wasn't about to make that mistake again." He said.
"Tell me about her, how'd you meet?"
Flashback (Monday after coming back from New York)
Ezra's pov
I stood at the crosswalk waiting, with what seems like half the town. I checked my watch to see that it was one forty-five, and I still had some time before having to be at the school to pick up Luna and Malcolm. Even though we got home way later than I wanted to last night, Malcolm managed to get up for school today. Luckily, he can sleep in pretty soon with summer break coming up for him and he could sleep in a little bit… if Oliver lets him that is. The cross-walk sign change, indicating that we could finally cross and I followed everyone. Glancing to my right, I saw a car come down speeding and I quickly pulled a little girl back as most of us jumped out of the way of the speeding car.
"Are you okay?" I asked the little girl.
She nodded as everyone relaxed a bit. I glanced around to see where the woman she had been with had gone. Someone claimed they were calling the police to report the car, and whoever owned it.
"I'm Ezra, are you sure you're okay?" I asked her and she nodded.
"Ashleigh!" Someone called frantically.
"I'm okay mommy!" Ashleigh called back.
A petite woman with light brown hair and green hospital scrubs rushed over and pulled her daughter into her arms, then looked up at me. She quickly stood up and smiled at me, we hurried back to the sidewalk as the crosswalk timer finished and she held her hand out.
"I'm Nicole Gordon, and this is my daughter Ashleigh." She said as I shook her hand.
"Ezra Fitz." I said.
"Well Ezra Fitz, why don't I repay you by taking you out to dinner sometime?" She suggested
End of Flashback
"Then one thing led to another and then we were dating. I messed up everything we had planned." He said and sighed.
"Ezra, you had every right to start dating her. We never said that we were done with seeing other people and we both knew that there was always a chance of either of us getting into a serious relationship. Now come on, before someone decides to start making jokes." I said and he chuckled before following me back into the living room.
….
I sighed looking around at everyone and went back to my Zeta Nu Phi Delta charm bracelet, unable to actually listen to the dean go on and on about whatever was that he was saying. My mind kept repeating what Ezra told me 'I met someone' and I couldn't get it to stop. Caitlyn turned back to face me, and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from her, Hardy probably already knows about Nicole and might tell Caitlyn before I could… he wouldn't do that, not after I had learned about Jackie.
"What happened when you and Ezra went into your bedroom earlier?" Caitlyn asked, turning around in her seat to talk to me.
"He met someone." I said
"Aria, are you okay?" She asked and I nodded.
"I will be." I promised her.
It's clear as day that she wasn't sure if I even believed myself. But I need to be strong for Oliver… and for myself. Even as I watch my plan for when I came home to Ezra go down the drain, I cannot cry. I'm a big girl now, I can't cry over every obstacle that's thrown at me. Even if it's the one that completely breaks my heart, and changes my future with Ezra.
….
I sat with everyone as we sat at a nice Italian restaurant that Hardy suggested when no one knew where they wanted to go. Oliver wanted to sit with Ezra, which clearly made his father very happy. Ezra and I decided to wait before telling Oliver that we wouldn't be living all together anymore when he and I come back to Rosewood.
"Mama has a broken movie." Oliver told Ezra and I held back my laughter.
I had been watching City Lights while folding the laundry the other day, and Oliver saw that the screen was in black and white instead of color. Since there had been no color in the movie, he automatically assumed the DVD was broken and I needed a new one.
"You're still fascinated by that? Ollie baby, I promise you it's not broken." I told him and he looked back at Ezra.
"Tell mama it's broken daddy." Oliver said and Ezra glanced over at me.
"No idea what this is about, but it's broken Mama." He said and I laughed.
"Then in that case, you watch broken movies too." I told him.
Before Ezra could tell Oliver about black and white movies, the waiter came with our drinks and I handed Ezra the apple juice Oliver begged for. Everyone seems to notice that something was off between us, Caitlyn's the only one I told about it and I know Hanna won't press me about it. Hopefully no one will bring it up and make everything awkward.
"Lil man, that movie is supposed to be black and white." Ezra told Oliver.
"Why?" Oliver inquired as he took a sip of his juice.
"Because it was made a very long time ago, and it was hard to make colorful movies then." Ezra said.
"Why?" Oliver asked again.
"They didn't know how to color in the movies back then." Malcolm added.
"Okay!" Oliver said, happy with that response.
I mouthed a 'thank you' to him before glancing over at Ezra. We're going to have to tell the boys pretty soon, about us and the fact that they're going to have a little brother or sister. Of course, Ezra meets this Nicole woman AFTER I learn I'm pregnant. Hopefully, I can stay with my parents for a little bit, while I look for a job and new place for me and the boys to stay… oh god, we're gonna have to figure out a custody agreement. And just when I thought Oliver would be able to see his father more than he has the past four years.
"I go home with daddy." Oliver and Rosie both declared.
"You don't wanna help put things in boxes?" Caitlyn asked.
"No." They said in unison.
The waiter came with our meals and Oliver stared at the meatballs on his pasta. Ezra quickly cut the pasta for him, careful not to cut the meatballs as Oliver looked at his forks confused. Trying not to laugh at Oliver's confusion, Ezra held up both Oliver's forks and let him choose.
"I can stay with and help pack." Malcolm said, Caitlyn and I both nodded.
"Big brother." Oliver said and Malcolm looked over at him.
"Don't eat my cheerios." Oliver said and Malcolm nodded.
"I promise not to eat your cheerios little brother, pinky promise." Malcolm said, giving Oliver his word.
As I watched Malcolm and Oliver interact with each other, I caught Ezra's eye and gave him a small smile. I knew going home would be different for everyone when they learn about us. Even though we won't be together, we're still a family and always will be.
AN – Chapter 2 is up! I'm still trying to get all these first few chapters done, and as of right now – I don't have a posting schedule. I'll try my best to get chapter 3 posted soon -I'm not home right now, I'm helping take care of my grandparents but as soon as I can I'll post again.
