Chapter 7

"Was he stupid?" Alison demanded as she stood in front of Aria in the parking lot of the high school.

"No Alison" she said for what to her felt like the millionth time in a month that she had told her and everyone that. "He was very smart that night ok?"

"Fine, but if I find out differently he is not going to like it. I do not want to see my best friend hurt."

Aria nodded and walked into the high school leaving Alison there on her own. It was well before most students arrived and Aria had to go to the office to pick up some paperwork for a class field trip she had been planning. Since she had avoided Ezra successfully for the past month she wanted this morning to be no different and she slipped into the front office peeking to see if he was in there. Half sprinting across the room she went to the file cabinet rummaging through it to find the papers. When she couldn't find them she turned to the same secretary that had been there since she had gone to Rosewood.

"Where is my paperwork for the class field trip to the Fitzgerald show in New York?"

"Principal Fitz had to take them and look over them this morning before he could approve them. Trust me I have been trying to get him to look at them since you submitted them three weeks ago."

"Of course" Aria sighed out as she started heading to the door. "The show is in a week so can you make sure he gets back to you soon so I know? I would really like to start getting the permission slips out soon if he approves it."

"And how do you plan on getting enough tickets Ms. Montgomery?" Ezra said as he walked out of his office a manila folder in his hand.

"I had an anonymous donor donate enough tickets for the students and chaperones to go."

"You did?" He said and Aria could see the anger build up in his eyes. "Well then I will just have to call the Fitzgerald to find out who donated the tickets to thank them for such a generous donation."

"I would love to know especially if it was a Fitzgerald who did it."

"You and I both" he muttered as he turned to go to his office. "Ari-Ms. Montgomery come with me."

"I have class to get to"

"That's ok I will have my secretary here tell Ms. Fields to cover it for you while we speak privately"

Groaning Aria followed him into his office. She was shocked at how Ezra-like this office really was. It had an old record player in the corner and soft music playing in the background. A poster of an old movie was displayed behind his desk and Aria smiled when she saw it. It was the very first old black and what movie the two had watched together. Sitting down in the brown leather seat in front of his desk Aria waited patiently for him to speak. He didn't at first he just sat there staring at her trying to figure out what to say to her first.

"This is for you" He said passing her the manila folder. She cautiously took it and opened it.

"You want joint custody?" Aria said snakingly as she read the paperwork that was in front of her.

"I have yet to file the paperwork. That is a copy of what I plan to file that my lawyer helped me draw up."

"Why are you doing this?" Aria asked almost in tears at the thought of her daughter having to spend a lot of time away from her.

"Because I missed eight years of my daughter's life and I do not want to miss any more of her life." He said controlling his anger so his voice would not rise and people in the front office would not hear. "She deserves to have me as part of her life and you know that."

"Just wait until after the new year to file please. It will give you time to get to know her and she can spend a few hours here or there at your apartment."

"At my house" He corrected her and she looked at him confused. "I just closed on the house that was for sale beside yours, the only house for sale in Rosewood. It is a fixer upper, but Spencer is excited to take on the task for me."

"Spencer knew?" Aria asked her anger rising knowing that one of her best friends knew about it before she did.

"I contacted her firm yesterday about hiring her on as my decorator."

"When do you want to start seeing her? I will not allow over nights until she knows you a little better and has a room of her own."

"Well the house won't be ready for a few weeks so how about Halloween I take her out trick-or-treating?"

"No I always go with her" Aria said earnestly, she always loved Halloween and Ezra knew that.

"Come with us that night then. I don't want to traumatize her by having her be with a complete stranger all night anyway. You can come the first few times, but after that it is my time with her and I do not want you there."

"Deal" She stood up from her chair the anger in her subsiding a little bit. "Can I leave now?"

"Yes. Here is your approval for the Fitzgerald trip. I will have to attend with you guys since it is out of state."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aria asked as he stepped around his desk to hand her the paperwork she needed. She knew his history with his mother and knew it might be hard for him to go to a place with so many memories for him; it was going to be hard enough for her to go, but she couldn't pass up such a great opportunity for her students.

"I have no choice and this is a great opportunity for the students. I was never able to get the principal here to allow me to bring the students there so I want to be able to now."

"Thank you it means a lot that you would approve this for the students." She turned to leave, but he grabbed her hand turning her to him.

"Did you like the flowers?"

"No I did not like them" she answered truthfully and he looked down. She freed her hand from his grasp and took his chin in the palm of her hand and turned his head so he had to look at her in her eyes; they were a mere inches apart. "I loved them"

He couldn't control it anymore and he leaned in and kissed her. Aria was shocked, but did not want it to stop; dropping her paperwork she wrapped her arms around him deepening the kiss into a passionate embrace. It was a kiss that reminded Aria of the times they would make out at Hollis when he would teach there. Picking her up he sat her on the desk desperately trying to resist all his urges; he couldn't and so he continued to kiss her unbuttoning the top of her shirt as he did so. All of a sudden they heard the bell ring and they jumped apart.

"Oh my god I missed my entire first class" Aria said as she hopped down from his desk fixing her shirt. "I should go now"

"Yea that is probably best"

He agreed and Aria quickly left his office half sprinting to her class. Emily was there and when she saw Aria she knew something had happened, after all Aria's lipstick was smudged. Suspiciously Emily left the room shooting Aria with questioning glances as to what could have taken so long in Ezra's office. Knowing that is what Emily wanted without her even speaking Aria gave her a nod signaling she would explain everything to her at lunch in the teacher's lounge area. As her next class filed in Aria announced there would be a pop quiz over their novel that they had just finished reading and began to hand out the tests to her students. She used the time that they took this test to text Spencer about Ezra.

When were you going to tell me Ezra bought that house? - Aria

Aria I just found out this morning when my boss told me that an Ezra Fitz had requested me to be his decorator for his house.

How is he even affording this?

I heard mommy died a few months ago leaving him a pretty hefty inheritance.

What? What about his father?

They separated years ago Aria you know that. They are both pretty wealthy so they probably both are leaving their sons with a lot of money each.

I cannot believe this. Why would he buy the house beside mine?

It was the only one for sale in Rosewood Aria he kind of had no choice

Shut up I know

Preview:

"Ezra?" she whispered into the darkness of the room. He didn't answer so she inched closer and tapped his shoulder. "Ezra?" She repeated herself hoping he would answer her.

"Aria?" he asked sitting up in the bed and looking up at her.

"I can't sleep, can I come lay down with you until I can?" she asked hoping he would say yes.