Here is chapter 2! Thank you all so much for the reviews on chapter 1! Hope you all enjoy this chapter! (:
Three days had passed and Aria hadn't been to see Ezra yet. She didn't have time in her schedule; it was almost as if her parents found out she snuck out the night of the charity event. She wanted desperately to see Ezra. She didn't know she could miss someone she had just met, but now she knew it was possible. She needed to find a way to see him; she promised she would be back by Friday and she was not, under any circumstances, breaking that promise.
"Aria! Hurry up and get down here! You're gonna be late for your piano lesson!" Ella Montgomery yelled from the foyer downstairs. Aria rushed downstairs and grabbed her coat from her mother before walking outside and getting in the back of the Sudan that their driver drove them around in.
"Marcus, could you do me a favor please? Can you stop up here at the end of the street and let me out?" Aria asked the driver.
"Ma'am, Mrs. Montgomery's orders were to drive you to lessons and drive you back," he answered.
"Marcus. Would you like me to inform my father of your late night activities with Mrs. Buchner?" Aria asked with a wicked tone.
At her promising words of her revealing his secret, he swiftly stopped the car and let her out. He watched as she disappeared back down the street and into a neighbors yard before he could see her no more.
Aria made her way through the woods until she found the path that she always took. Making her way down it, she started to walk to the area Ezra had pointed to when they were in the woods those few days before. She continued walking and then she spotted it- the small tent with a sleeping bag on the inside.
"Ezra?" Aria asked, upon not seeing him in sight. She heard crunching from behind her and turned around to see him smiling brightly.
"I didn't think you would come back," he said, the smile fading from his face.
Aria was taken aback by his words. "Why would you think that?"
"You're a Montgomery. You all have money. People with money are nice one minute and tell lies constantly. Trust me Aria, I know how people like you are," he answered.
Aria frowned. "What happened to that sweet guy I met three days ago, huh?! You seemed completely interested in talking to me and didn't judge me! I thought I could trust you! I don't have any friends in case you didn't know.. You were the first person who I considered to be the closest thing to a friend and then you go and say this to my face when I show up?" Aria all but yelled and then fell to the ground and began crying.
Ezra ran over to her and kneeled down, looking into her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just envious I suppose. I want to be able to live in a house and have a job," said Ezra sadly.
"I was gonna get you a job," Aria spoke quietly.
"You don't have to do that Aria. I can take care of myself out here. I go to the local gym and shower, I wash clothes at the laundromat, I find food. I'm not completely helpless you know," he said softly.
"But I want to help you. You're so kind Ezra, and I want you to finish getting your degree. I know you will be an excellent teacher. Therefore, I am going to get you a job at my place whether you like it or not. Now, what job preference do you have?" Aria asked, looking up at him for the first time.
"Well, I like writing so maybe a potential teacher? Although I don't have my degree so that's out. Hmm, how about part of the lawn maintenance crew?" he asked her.
"Ezra, I can get you an inside job if you would like. You don't have to have an outside job. It's fucking hot during the summer season," Aria told him. Of course he would only be working there for a couple months, but by the time May rolled around the heat would be sweltering and she didn't want him to have to work in that, especially with the way her parents worked the workers.
"No, it's fine Aria. A little heat won't bother me. I promise," he answered honestly.
"Okay, then I guess the deal is done. Now, there will be an interview process and stuff, but I will say I met you at the bookstore and that you work there. They won't question it. The only thing they will question is me being in the bookstore but I can formulate a lie. I'm not stupid. So is tomorrow a good day?" Aria asked him with a smile.
"As good as any!" replied Ezra with a smile of his own.
Aria was now getting a good look at him. She noticed the perfect alignment of his jaw, the perfect white teeth of his and the boyish smile he offered her. His hair was a curly mess but she found it cute and wanted to run her fingers through it. She noticed the slight worry wrinkles forming on his forehead and she wanted to make those go away. She wanted to help Ezra in every way possible. After all, he was her first real friend for as long as she could remember. He was nice and she knew he would get to job without a second thought once he introduced himself to Ella and Byron.
"So, how has your week been?" Ezra asked Aria, bringing her out of her thoughts.
She let out a sigh. "It's been long. And it isn't even over yet. I ditched piano lessons tonight to come and see you," Aria replied shyly.
Ezra couldn't help but grin at this. He was enthralled by Aria and he wanted to know everything he possibly could about the girl. "You really skipped lessons? What will you parents say when they find out?" Ezra asked worriedly.
"Oh, I took care of that. No need to worry. Marcus, our driver, knows not to say anything," Aria answered nonchalantly.
"You are a smart one aren't you? What do you have on the poor man, blackmail?" asked Ezra.
Aria cocked her head to the side. "Maybe," she answered, a smile still tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Remind me not to ever get on your bad side then. I would be afraid to know what you might say about me," announced Ezra.
"First off, I would have to know way more about you than I currently do. Second of all, I don't think you could ever get on my bad side. You are too sweet," Aria answered him.
The two sat there in a comfortable silence after that, taking in the beauty of nature. Aria looked down at her phone and noticed that time had slipped by them and that she should be heading back to the main road so Marcus could pick her up without her parents knowing she skipped piano.
"Well I better head back. See you tomorrow?" she asked him.
"Yeah, tomorrow," he answered, smiling his boyish smile at her. He watched as she walked off and he wanted nothing more than more time with her. He loved talking to her. He felt like they could become really good friends, and now that he was pretty much guaranteed a job at the Montgomery residence, he was sure they would have a lot more time to get to know each other and spend time together.
He just didn't know he was wrong about this. By him working there, she would be further away from him than he could ever imagine. Aria failed to mention the small detail that she couldn't exactly talk to the workers; befriend them, her parents resented this.
Night fell, and before Ezra knew it, the sun was rising and he gathered his clean suit and started towards the main road and made his way to the gym to shower after working out for a little while. Today was the big day and he hoped all went well with the interview.
Aria's day went smoothly, but she was nervous about the interview with Ezra that was going to take place in an hour. She had gotten her schooling out of the way for the day and was now sitting at the piano in the family room playing a familiar tune. She had explained the night before to her parents about the man she had befriended at the local bookstore who was looking for an outside job. Her parents said they would love to interview him and she said that she had already set everything up. They weren't too happy with Aria for it, but they dealt with it and got the maids to get the house presentable. After all, they wouldn't be too good of friends once he got the job.
One hour later, a knock sounded at the door and Aria happily jumped up from the bench she was sitting on and made her way over to the front door, opening it. She was greeted by Ezra who looked so nervous that she thought he would hurl any second.
"Please come in, the interview will be held in the dining area," Aria told him.
Ezra smiled and followed her into the dining area, seeing five plates set out among the table, along with a delicious looking meal that was so beautifully set in the center. He wasn't aware they would be eating dinner while he was being interviewed.
Byron and Ella Montgomery stood up as he made his way into the room and both shook his hand. "Please, have a seat and dig in," said Byron.
"Thank you. This looks like a lovely meal that was prepared," Ezra responded.
"We have the finest cooks around. Our food is usually the best," Byron said with a smirk.
Ezra couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable in the rich environment. Sure, he grew up in this type of money, but that was years ago and he knew the Montgomery's had more money that his family. He didn't know what he was in for, but he hoped it wouldn't be that bad and that it would bring him and Aria closer together.
"So, what what is your degree in?" Asked Ella politely, trying to start a conversation and interview.
Ezra grew slightly self concious at this question. How was he supposed to say he didn't exactly have a degree in anything? He chanced a look at Aria and she had a look in her eyes that told him to go on and tell them he wasn't finished with school. "Well you see, I actually had to quit school. I don't have my degree yet. I ran into some complications and had to drop out," Ezra spoke.
Byron made a face at this and Ella looked at him sympathetically. "I'm so sorry to hear that Ezra. That is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. I hope you get the opportunity to go back soon and finish it. Maybe once you begin working here you will be able to go back," Ella said politely.
At those words, Byron coughed. "Actually, I don't think we will be hiring anyone soon. We have enough workers at the moment."
Ezra soon sensed the tension at the family table and picked up his glass of wine. "I guess I will go then," he said kindly.
"Yes, that seems good," responded Byron sharply.
Ezra scooted his chair back and made his way to the front door, Aria following close behind him. "I'm sorry. I will try and talk to them. I don't know what's gotten into him. I'm so so sorry," She apologized profusely.
"Hey it's okay. Things happen," Ezra responded with a smile.
"Well I will see you around," Aria said with a smile. "Bye Ezra," she finished.
"Bye Aria," he responded.
Once Ezra was gone, Aria stormed into the dining area. "Dad! What the hell was that?! What is so wrong with Ezra that you can't hire him?!" She screamed.
"He is nothing but a low life, Aria! You don't think I know he lives in the woods back here?! I know things. I also know you skipped lessons yesterday. I'm not stupid Aria. I'm not going to have someone like that working here. Besides, the way he kept looking at you during dinner was enough for me to not want to hire him. He is a pedophile, Aria," Byron said sternly.
"You don't know anything about him! If you would give him a chance, you will see what a wonderful person he is!" Aria cried.
"If I give him a chance, it'll be under one condition," said Byron.
"What?" Aria asked weakly.
"You never speak to him again," Byron answered.
"Deal," Aria whispered.
Aria had just agreed to hell and she didn't know why she did it. Maybe she could sneak in conversations with him.
"And dont you dare think about trying to think of ways to speak with him. If I find out you've been talking to him I will cut off all money you are to receive," Byron snapped.
Aria meekly shook her head now knowing she was completely and utterly screwed. She was just glad Ezra would get this job. She just didn't know how she would survive without talking to the one person who actually understood her.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and let me know what you thought!
I plan on updating Wednesday since I am leaving Thursday for a school trip right when school is out! (: