Chapter Two: Goodbye
One Month Later.
When the final bell rang, I quickly gathered my book, then headed out outside to my car. I wanted to get to Ezra's before he did to surprise him. After a twenty minute drive, I walked up to his apartment and opened the door.
Of course, he wasn't home yet.
So I threw my bag on the couch and played the messages on his phone machine. The first one was for me from Ezra.
"Hey, Aria. It's me. Look I got stuck at work tonight." He said in the voicemail, "I'm really sorry. I won't make it there in time to have dinner. I'll see you tomorrow morning." I sighed as I stopped the message.
"Well, looks like I'm hanging out with Emily, Hanna, and Spencer tonight," I said to myself, then dropped down onto the couch and grabbed my phone out of my bag. I clicked my phone on and saw a new message.
I hoped it was A again.
Aria, can you come over? I really need a friend right now. -Emily
I sighed in relief, then texted back.
Sure, Em. I'll be there soon. -Aria
I hit send, then stood up grabbing my bag and left Ezra's apartment.
As I drove to Emily's, I remember how much of a mess she had been these past few weeks. After her and Paige broke up, Paige just disappeared. About two days after, she became a missing person. Emily tried calling her phone, but she kept taking voicemails. I was worried about Paige too, but Emily's ten times more worried.
When I got to Emily's, I saw the front porch light on as I got out of my car. I walked up onto her porch and was about to knock on the door, then it swung open. I immediately saw tears in Emily's eyes and knew something was wrong.
"Emily, what's wrong?" I asked as she let me into her house. She sniffed, then said her voice creaking, sounding very upset as she closed the door behind me.
"I just found out."
"Found out what?" I questioned facing Emily. I could see the tears filling her eyes, her arms were crossed around her waist tightly, and she was shaking, "Emily?"
"It's Paige." She finally answered, "She's dead." My hand covered my mouth in shock. Before I could ask her how, she said, "I don't know how. I hung up on her parents before they could tell me."
"Emily," I said with a very soft voice, as I wrapped my arms around her body, hugging her tight. I felt her start crying on my shoulder, "I'm so sorry."
As if the situation wasn't bad enough, our cell phones beeped. We both pulled away, looking at each other before we pulled out our phones. We opened our phones at the same time. Emily and I both stared down at our phones, as I read the text out loud,
"Paige knew what she was getting into. -A."
"A killed her," Emily whispered as my eyes flickered up to her. She started breathing very heavily like she having a heart attack. She could barely breathe. I quickly texted Hanna and Spencer.
S.O.S. Emily's House Hurry. -Aria
I hit send and immediately another text appeared. From A.
Ezra's got problems. -A
I ignored the text. Emily needed her friend right now.
The next morning, Spencer texted me saying that she was going over to Emily's with Hanna and apologized for not coming over last night. I texted her back a quick, okay, then I closed my phone as I walked toward to Ezra's apartment.
As I approached his apartment, I noticed that his door is wide open. I looked inside and saw the whole apartment empty. None of Ezra's things were there. I looked around for Ezra but spotted one of his neighbors.
"Excuse me." I said jogging over to the old woman next door, "What happened to the guy who lives in that apartment?" I asked gesturing toward Ezra's apartment.
"Oh, dear. He moved out." She told me, which made my eyes widen in shock. I mean Ezra would have told me if he was moving apartment building, "He's probably still outside t if you need to catch him." She added.
"Thank you." I quickly replied, then rushed down the hall toward the stairs. As I swung the front door of the building open, I spotted Ezra putting his last box into the trunk of his car, parked on the other side of the street, "Ezra!" I yelled running to him as he glanced at me, then looked down as he closed his trunk. He walked to the driver's side of his car as I came around his car, stopping in front of him, "What's going on?" I asked, but He ignored me as he walked past me and opened the driver's side door. I grabbed his arm stopping him from getting in and turned him around, "Ezra."
"You need to leave." He ordered looking at me with a serious look on his face, "You can't be here."
"Ezra!" I shouted again, then asked, "What's going on?" He sighs and says.
"I'm leaving Rosewood." He replied sighing. My mouth dropped speechless as I shook my head no.
"No. Why?" I asked, getting upset, "Why are you leaving Rosewood?" I asked. He sighed again and calmly said whispering.
"It's complicated, but I have to leave."
"Don't go. Please don't go." I said softly. My eyes getting water with tears. I looked down as the tears began streaming down my face.
"I'm sorry, Aria." Ezra whispered, then touched my cheek with the palm of his hand, "Goodbye." I felt him kiss the top of my head lightly. I looked up as his hand pulled away and saw him get into his car, then watched him leave,
leave me alone in Rosewood.
