Forget Me Not
Chapter Three.
"That's what the voices in your
head are for, to get you through
the silent parts."
-David Levithan, Will Grayson, Will Grayson.
Ezra
I watched as Marley drew circles in her notebook, claiming it was Alison when she was in her stomach. I watched her carefully, as she concentrated on the notebook and the blue pen she was using. I was infatuated with her, the way her curly blonde hair fell on her heart shaped face as she carefully put dots on her drawing, claiming that they were eyes.
"Daddy?" She looked up at me and I smiled.
"Yes, Bug?" Her blue eyes sparkled at me, she was just a beautiful as her mother was, although I couldn't remember a single thing about her, I learned more and more everyday.
"Who was the pretty lady down stairs? Mommy looked really surprised." I shrugged, I didn't want to lie and say that I knew but I really had no clue.
"I don't know bug." She nodded and went back to her drawing, her feet kicking in the air as she laid on her stomach. Just as I was about to ask Marley what she wanted for dinner, I heard screaming downstairs. I narrowed my eyes and looked down at my daughter.
"I'll be right back." It was almost like she didn't hear me, she was so engrossed in her drawing. I opened my office door, sneaking down the stairs and pressing my ear against the kitchen door.
"I really love him, Aria. More than you ever could. He's a fantastic father too." I smiled instantly at Alison's comment, content that she thought that, but also confused at the meaning of 'More than you ever could.'
"Can I talk to him?" There was a long pause, before the girl I knew as Aria, spoke up. "Did I ever tell you that I liked it better when you were dead?" I felt my smile fade, and become replaced with anger. How could she say that to my wife, in our home. Before I could barge in and ask what was going on, I heard the clicks of sandals and tears echo to the kitchen door, I tiptoed back up the stairs and listened for more, nothing but a slam of a door and minutes after, a couple beeps from a car horn. I had never been more confused. I walked down the steps and into the kitchen, to see Alison staring at the wall. I frowned and wrapped my arms around her.
"What was that about?" She tensed and turned towards me, giving me a smile. I gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
"It was nothing. Aria just got upset because I said something.." I searched her eyes, and saw a glimmer of something evil, but before I could even blink, it was gone. She gave me another sweet kiss.
"Daddy!" Marley ran down the steps, she was two-three next June. Before Marley could see us we pulled apart. She swung the kitchen door open, her face was stained with tears. "I can't find Pricilla!" She whined, Pricilla was a hippo that I had bought her when she was born. She had been missing for days, and Marley had just noticed.
"Relax, baby girl." I cooed. I picked her up and put her on the counter. "If you'd wait, I'll go look in the garage, and Mommy can make you a snack before dinner?" She wiped her cheeks and nodded muttering a thank you daddy under her breath. I gave her a kiss on the head and walked out to the garage. I searched through all of the boxes and Rubbermaid's before finding one with my name on it. I looked at the door then back at the plastic bin, deciding it wouldn't take long, I cracked it open. It was full of clothing. I dug through it, finding a few Hollis t-shirts and women's strawberry shampoo, I furrowed my eyebrows when I came across a photo at the very bottom of the bin. It was crumpled up, almost as if it had been looked at over and over again, I picked it up, unfolding it. My brows furrowed even more when it was revealed to be a man and a woman, with paper bags over their head.
"Ezra?" Alison called from the laundry room, I quickly snapped the lid back on a kicked it back where it came from, shoving the crumpled photo in my pocket.
"Yeah?" I called back. I heard the door open to see Marley holding Pricilla close to her chest.
"She found Pricilla under the couch." I nodded, getting up from my crouched position, picking up Marley from her spot behind the threshold.
"Call me down when dinner is ready, I'm gonna work for a bit." She smiled and took Marley in her arms, whispering something about helping out.
Little did Alison know, I wasn't going to be working at all.
Aria
I sobbed the entire way home, not at the fact that Alison was still a heartless bitch and nothing had changed, but at the fact that Ezra didn't remember me, or us or anything to do with what we had. What broke my heart the most was the way he looked at her, The way he looked at Alison was the way he used to look at me, eyes full of love and admiration. When he saw me, he saw nothing but a stranger, a stranger whom he didn't remember promising the world to. The only thing I was glad he didn't remember was the heartbreak I brought him-both of us. It was my own fault, I drove him to drink, I was the one who made him move away.
"Aria," He sobbed, "Please just listen to what I have to say." He wiped his face, knowing it wasn't his place to be crying and showing weakness and vulnerability in front of her.
"No." She whispered. "I want you gone. As far away from Rosewood as possible." She murmured. They were in the middle of the forest in Rosewood, she didn't want to risk them being seen together, not because she particularly cared, but she didn't want people to assume they were back together.
"I'm sorry Aria." He whispered, reaching out to touch her face. She backed away, pure terror in her eyes, along with a fresh batch of tears.
"Be gone by morning, or I swear I will send you to prison." She took one more safe step back before she saw him nod.
"I'll be gone for good. Never to be seen or heard from again." He walked back to his silver Prius before Aria spoke up.
"Ezra.." He turned around, with hope in his eyes that it would at least be an 'I Love you.'
"I hope she was worth it.." He shook his head.
"She wasn't." He turned back ahead, getting into his car, driving away with his love for her.
Losing the one true thing she'd ever known.
I pulled into the Hotel parking lot, ready to scream and cry and all the lies I'd been living. I marched up the stairs and threw the door open, Spencer and Hardy were munching on complimentary bagels but their munching came to a halt as they saw my tear stained face.
"Ar-" Hardy and Spencer said in unison.
"I know you knew," I mumbled, "Why? Why would you let me go there to make a fool of myself?" They looked at each other.
"I was trying to protect you, Ar. She changed him. He cut off all ties with me." I scoffed.
"Probably because he didn't fucking know who you were, because he sure didn't remember me." I snapped. Hardy gave me a confused look before speaking up.
"What?" I rolled my eyes.
"Don't play dumb, Hardy. Ezra got in a car accident two weeks after moving to this city. He didn't remember anyone but Jackie. Alison visited him in the hospital, long story short they're in love and have a daughter who looks like she's three!" I looked at the ground, wanting it to swallow me whole.
"I only knew about Ezra and Alison being together. Not married or him in an accident." I slapped my arms against my thighs.
"I guess we both got a surprise this evening." I whined as I felt more sobs erupt through my body, causing me to shake, Spencer gave me a tight hug and laid me down. I had turned back from confident teenage Aria, back to reserved heartbroken Aria.
And I wished I could change it.
Ezra
I had been "working" for almost four hours and I could only trace the woman back to one person.
Jackie.
I tugged the photo out of my pocket, unfolding it and trying to smooth the creases. I couldn't help but stare at it, something about it intrigued me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I traced over the mystery girls face, before feeling a jolt of something- I had not a clue what it was- but it was something
"We're taking a picture as a couple." She smiled at me, and I smiled back politely. It wasn't Jackie, I knew that for certain. This voice wasn't annoying, it was smooth and sweet. I watched a younger me take the bag and put it over my head. The blur took the photo with a single snap of an out dated smart phone.
I chuckled and gave the blue a soft kiss, before watching it become slightly deeper, until a ring interrupted the moment I shared with the girl.
It felt like a memory, a gauge memory of me and the woman in the photo. It made me feel sick though- Imagining a younger version of myself kiss another woman who wasn't the love of my life. I shivered at the thought. I heard a soft knock on my door, and a small creak. Alison peeked her head through my office door, I smiled at her.
"I was just coming in here to drag you into bed." She walked into the room and sat on my lap, I twisted her hair around my finger. She had something about her that always made me question whether I knew the real her.
"I will, but," I paused. She took notice and looked me up and down. "I wanted to talk to you for a second." She nodded and took Marley's chair, plopping down in front of me.
"About?"
"What happened earlier, with that girl." There it was, the evil glance of disgust when I mentioned the friend that dropped by.
"You mean Aria Montgomery?" I nodded. She scoffed.
"Aria brought up some stuff from the past, I didn't like it. I said something I knew would wear the one little nerve she had left. I caused her to cry and run away. It was harmless." I nodded again.
"Did she have anything to do with our past?" Alison's face contorted into a frown, and all the color had drained from her face.
"No-No, why would you ask that?" I shrugged, alarmed by her strange behavior.
"Alright..bed?" She nodded quickly and I followed behind her.
Aria Montgomery.
Within moments, Alison was snuggled into my side, with her phone sitting on the charger by her nightstand. Before getting up, I made sure she was sleeping soundly before running to the other side of the room to her bedside table. I scrolled through a few contacts before hitting the M category. I found Montgomery without an issue, copying the number into my phone i composed a new text message.
Hi. I know we barely know each other, but I was wondering if we could meet up for lunch tomorrow? -Ezra.
Within moments I got a response.
Sounds good.
Alison
Morning had come, Marley and Ezra had yet to wake and I was left to myself, after a practical interrogation from Ezra last night on Aria's miraculous visit, I needed to be extra careful with my lies now. I heard the pitter-patter of two year old feet come down the stairs, and walk zombie like into the living room and into the kitchen. She held Pricilla close to her body. Her grey and pink pajamas and messy blonde hair was a cruel reminder of my innocence. I smiled at her and lifted her up onto a bar stool.
"Mama.." She said groggily. A metaphorical light bulb flashes over my head. "Mommy.." She whined as I set her down.
"Mommy has to make a call, okay?" She nodded her head as she crossed her arms and pouted. Before my phone call, I poured her a bowl of HoneyNut Cheerios and left her by herself as I excused myself into the dining room. I dialed Aria's number. It rung twice before her sweet voice rung through the receiver, making me want to vomit.
"Hello?" She sung.
"Aria." Her tone dropped.
"Alison..hey, what can I do for you?"
"You know." I could practically feel her eyes narrow at my comment.
"What?" I scoffed.
"I want you to stay away from him, and if you can't do that and you end up hanging out of whatever the hell you two did, DO NOT tell him the truth. You know why. He's finally happy with what he has, I'm happy. We have a daughter. Do you understand?" I heard her lip quiver on the other end.
"I understand." She whispered. I could hear her pathetic tears on the other end, I chuckled.
"Perfect, Now if you'll excuse me, I have a husband," I emphasized the word husband "And daughter to tend too." And with a push of a button, I hung up, brushing off Aria's obvious hurt emotions. Why should I care?
I had everything she wished she had.