Chapter 7

Aria's pov

Previously

"As long as you don't make out with Cait beforehand like last time." Hardy said.

And now,

Just as we realized what he said, Ezra glared at him. Everyone looked shocked and confused all at the same, except for Caitlyn and Hanna. No one knew what to say or even really knew what the hell is happening.

"You and Caitlyn made out?" Maya asked quickly and I nodded.

"What the hell did you just say?" Ezra asked, glaring at Hardy.

"I always thought Aria and Spencer would have a drunken make out session." Caleb said, trying to keep the conversation on me and Caitlyn.

Realizing that Ezra wasn't going to let up, I internally cursed myself for being a coward and not telling him when it first happened like Hardy thought we should. Feeling the tears of guilt, I avoided Ezra's face and looked over at Hardy.

"I didn't say anything, you're hearing things again man." Hardy tried; I shook my head at him.

"Hardy, just stop. There's no point in trying to cover it, the cat's out of the bag now." I said.

Sighing, I looked over at Ezra. I could see both pain and anger in his eyes, along with some denial. The tears fell as I realized the words, that I've been dreading to say to him all these years were about to come out at last.

"Aria?" Ezra choked out, looking at me and my own eyes filled with tears.

"It's true… but nothing happened! We realized what we were about to do, and that we couldn't do that to you." I cried.

Ezra glared at me, as everyone else was dead silent. I felt my heart break, watching Ezra's facial expression and seeing the pain take over the anger in his eyes.

"When?" He asked, not looking at either of us.

"March of Sophomore year." I whimpered.

Ezra glared at us with tears brimming his eyes. Without saying a word, he stood up and headed into the kitchen and Hardy quickly got up to follow him. I felt frozen in place as the tears fell down my face, unable to force myself to get up and follow them.

"Please let us explain." Hardy said, as he made his way towards Ezra.

All of a sudden, Ezra spun around and sucker punched him in the face. Everyone else gasped as I rushed over with Toby and Caleb. Even though it was Hardy that received the punch, I feel like Ezra probably wished it was me.

"YOU KEPT THIS FROM ME FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS?" Ezra yelled at me.

"Yes." I choked out, feeling like I couldn't breathe.

"YOU'RE THE ONE I WANT TO BE SPENDING THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH AND YOU GO FUCK MY BEST FRIEND!" He yelled.

Glaring at me, he turned and stormed out without another word. Without a second thought, I ran after him. I couldn't get his words out of my head, I'm the one he wanted to be with, but he's with Nicole? Wait… now is not the time to confuse myself on that even more.

"Let me explain." I cried.

"I don't want to hear it!" He snapped.

"Ezra, please wait! I get why you're pissed, I know-." I called after him.

I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, after him. As we got to the street, he turned around and I've never seen him so hurt and angry before. Tears fell from my eyes as I tried to find my voice, he spoke up before I could.

"Oh! Your wife screwed your best friend too?" He asked angrily.

"I didn't sleep with Hardy! Just listen to me… please! I'll tell you what happened." I begged.

Flashback

Aria's pov – (March, Sophomore Year)

I looked around, seeing Hanna flirt with one of the guys from the football team. Then I saw Hardy and Caitlyn were by the door, clearly in their own little world together. Riley was still in Queens with his family, and even though Caleb is in Brooklyn, that's too far away to ask him to come just for a party. Lauren, my sorority big sister came over and joined me on one of the couches.

"Here, you seem in need of a big and strong drink." Lauren said, handing me a tall glass of long island.

"It's not going to help my homesickness, or any of my problems." I said.

"We both know I'm not letting you sit here and sulk alone." She told me.

Lauren gave me a look and I knew she was serious. Anyone in Zeta Nu Phi Delta, could make me feel so safe when I'm with any of them. Before I could say anything, some wealthy douchelord named Brett came over. He's like Noel… and I'm actually shocked about this – but worse.

"Bet you two hundred dollars, that either you cannot chug three bottles of Guinness in under five minutes." Brett said, I rolled my eyes as Lauren scoffed loudly, catching Hardy's attention.

"Leave us alone, don't you have anything better to do Brett?" Lauren asked as Hardy appeared

"It's supposed to be a party, so let's have some fun ladies." He tried.

"You heard them, leave them alone… Brett." Hardy said quietly.

Brett looked at us then at Hardy before walking off, probably in search of someone who would sleep with him later on. Luckily, no one in Brett's frat would ever let him near any sorority girl… or any girl for that matter. Everyone knows that Brett is literally the stereotypical fuck boy, and obviously no one would wanna sleep with him.

"Okay, one of you fucking date this guy!" Zoe yelled at me and Caitlyn.

"I'm dating Riley! Let these two take their time!" I shouted back.

Glancing over at Hardy and Caitlyn, I noticed their faces turning bright red in embarrassment. We all know that both she and Hardy were totally into each other, but they were taking their time with whatever is going to happen between them. I'm all for them taking their time, especially knowing Hardy's past in the relationship department. Seeing everyone else have a good time, I tuned Lauren out and chugged my drink.

"I'm getting another drink." I said, standing up.

..

Some guys were cheering me on as I chugged another long island, I think its my twonth one. Caitlyn appeared with Hanna just as I finished. I missed seeing them, everyone… I miss Ezra.

"Aria we're saying this love, you're cut off." Hanna said.

"Do – don - don't be a buzz killer!" I told her.

"You've already had more drinks combined in the five long islands you've been drinking. Plus, somehow you managed to do two shots of tequila. Come on, there's some pizza waiting for you." Caitlyn said.

"I'm happy again… don't take it away!" I said, crossing my arms.

Hanna took my hand and took me over to some pizza, I love pizza! I saw Ezra standing over by the food and ran towards him. As he turned around, I crash my lips to his.

End of Flashback

"But then I realized he wasn't you. In our drunken states, we both knew what was about to happen and that we couldn't do that to you. Ezra… we never wanted to hurt you like that. Hardy wanted to tell you, but I convinced him that telling you would only hurt you… the way I know you're hurting right now. I was wrong to keep it a secret." I said.

"Of all the people at the party, my best friend. I can't even look at you right now, or want to. Nothing you just said changes the fact you were about to sleep with my best friend!" He said and walked off.

I watch him and Nicole walk down the street and sighed. Turning around, I saw Caitlyn waiting by the door of the building. As she started heading back up, I sat down on the stairs. She sat down next to me, and I rested my head on her shoulder/

"I completely deserved that reaction. Especially since I didn't tell him when it happened, why do I keep lying and keeping secrets like when I was in high school?" I asked, but she knew I wasn't looking for an actual answer.

"You didn't tell him the other reason you were completely wasted that night?" She asked.

"I'm not going to try to excuse what I did. But you should've kicked my ass that night." I told her.

"You were really struggling with leaving Ezra and upset about your encounter with Byron, and I knew that you had believed that Hardy was him when it all started… we all knew that." She told me

I sighed, and headed up the stairs with her. We walked back into the apartment, everyone stared at us in silence. Hardy held a small ice pack to his mouth, where Ezra had punched him. I didn't say anything as I leaned against the door and looked at everyone, they're hiding something too and I need to know what it is.

"I know you're all lying to me about why Ezra wasn't invited. Spill it." I said.

"To reunite you two." Toby said, I covered my face with my hands and groaned.

"It's over between us, you need to get used to it. Besides, even if Nicole wasn't in the picture... I just lost him completely!" I snapped, then looked at Hardy

"Hardy, you were right. We should've told him when it happened, keeping it secret only made it worse." I said.

"But did anyone think to how it would affect me? Telling me that he hadn't been invited and out of the blue he walks through the door AND WITH HER like that? Add the fact that I was ambushed into meeting her just this morning!" I asked everyone, with tears brimming my eyes.

Did they seriously think that their plan would actually work? Life isn't a fucking fairytale; life... it sucks and sometimes it's painful. I've been learning that these past few days, especially when Nicole ambushed me this morning. Keeping the secret from Ezra… that's the worst thing I have ever done to him.

"We weren't expecting him to bring Nicole." Maya said softly.

"Hey, I'm gonna crash at my mom's tonight. Staying with you guys right now is probably a bad idea." I told Caitlyn.

She nodded as I walked out of the apartment. Walking down the stairs, I heard someone running out of the apartment after me. I stopped on the landing, and turned around to see it was Hanna.

"Aria wait! I swear I wanted to tell you, Maya too. Stay with me, we could talk about what happened tonight. Or we could eat ice cream and watch chick flicks" Hanna said, following me down the stairs and towards her car.

…..

A few weeks

Chloe and I were sitting at one of the tables in the grille, today has been like a ghost town here. I looked at my phone, even though I knew there would be no messages from Ezra. He hasn't spoken to me ever since finding out about me and Hardy. He's only spoken a few words to me, and that's just when the boys are around. Other than that, I communicate with him through Nicole. Frankly, I don't blame him… I broke all the trust he had in me.

"Have you talked to Caitlyn and Hardy about this?" Chloe asked.

I shook my head as we looked at one of the apartments that I was looking into. With everything that's happened, it's probably best that I find my own place. Plus, it hurts seeing him with Nicole and being both close and far from him.

"I will, it just needs to be at the right time." I said softly.

"Are my eyes deceiving me, Aria Montgomery is that you?"

We looked up to see Chloe's other older brother Josh walking in. I got up and went to give him a hug, it feels life forever since I've seen him. The last time I saw him… it was before Mona kidnapped me and Toby.

"Oh my god, Josh?! The last time I saw you, you were headed off to Philadelphia for that advertisement job." I said, getting up to give him a hug.

"And you were heavily pregnant with Oliver." He said.

"I love that you're here Josh, but why are you here?" Chloe asked.

He joined us at the table and looked at us. Either my eyes are deceiving me, or he has gotten cuter in the past five years. I remember having a crush on him back when I first met him and Chloe. While Graham was doing all the sports he could, Josh was the vice president of the video game development club and part of the red cross club.

"I was fired, and wanted to come home for a little bit. Just while I figure out what I'm doing next." He said.

"Then, you can help out around here with Aria" Chloe said and Josh looked over at me

"I'd love to." He said, looking at me.

I hoped neither of them could see how warm I felt. When I first met Josh, I had the biggest crush on him and he knew of it. It's actually so embarrassing with how obvious I was with my crushes back then, was it less or more obvious with Noel or when Ezra and I in the beginning of our relationship? My phone beeped, and I saw that it was my reminder about my OBGYN appointment on Friday. I took a deep breath and texted Ezra.

'Look, I know you hate me right now. But I have the ultrasound appointment on Friday at 11:30. That is, if you do want to come.'

I looked at the thumbs up emoji Ezra sent me and sighed. Obviously, these past two weeks haven't done anything to help him cool down. But I get why he's still so angry at me, I would be too if I were in his shoes. Hopefully, we can talk on Friday.