Chapter 9:

2nd time uploading this chapter due to problems with accessing the link sometimes, why is fan fiction being so annoying lately? Sorry to those who have already read this.

EZRA POV

Only now were things starting to look brighter for me. I had just rekindled my relationship with Aria, and even though it wasn't official that we were boyfriend and girlfriend again, it certainly felt that way. Ever since that night two weeks ago, that began with me throwing pebbles at her window and ended with lipstick stains all over my new Tommy Hilfiger shirt, we had become inseparable. It was like old times, she was spending an impetuous amount of time in my apartment, and she was constantly looking for 'extra work', staying back after class to ask for it every day.

The angry vibes I was getting from her friends, mostly Spencer, were starting to ease too. When our rollercoaster relationship took a spiral down for the worst, I was receiving cheeky answers in class, homework was undone for the sake of annoying me and petty little drawings of me being eaten by a shark were being handed up with all work. I guess they just wanted Aria happy, and me kissing Ms. Anilom definitely didn't spark the happiness with Aria.

As I walked to my classroom, excited for what was to be another fun-filled day of teaching, all I could think about was the night I had planned with Aria. I had made a dinner reservation at a Vegan Bistro in Philadelphia. It was the first time since before Italy that we were having a proper meal together, and I wanted everything to be perfect. I wasn't screwing things up again with her.

I was about to walk into my classroom and ring to confirm the reservation before I was stopped in my tracks.

"Are you sure they're back together?" I heard a young man say. I wasn't sure who he was as he had his back facing me, but I was shocked to see he was talking to Ms. Anilom. I decided to make myself hidden behind the door frame, eaves-dropping on their conversation.

"I'm positive Ryan. Have you not noticed how happy Ezra has been?" They had to be talking about Aria and I.

"I wouldn't know, I wasn't assigned to his class unfortunately." I knew who he was now. He was that new student I thought Aria was seeing awhile back. Why they were discussing mine and Aria's relationship, I had no idea.

"I thought I told you to get Aria to fall in love with you. What happened to that plan?" Kiera was angry. The tone in her voice could scare the Hulk away. I had only ever seen her happy, and this ugly side to her made me curious about why I ever kissed her.

"Well it's pretty hard to make her fall for me when she's already head over heels for someone else." Ryan was getting cheeky, and rightly so. Even though I still had no idea what the hell was going on, I was beginning to dislike Kiera even more by the second.

"Oh please." Kiera began. "I had had Fitz by my feet within a few days, you should have cooed Aria by now."

"The only reason he fell for you so quick was because falling in love a second time is much easier the first. Just because you wear that disguise doesn't give you a whole new identity, Jackie." My knees collapsed on impact of hearing that name. I almost choked on air before reminding myself that I was to remain hidden. I had to hear what was going on.

"Well whatever!" Kiera, who I now believed to be Jackie shouted. Half of me was ready to barge into that room and put her in her place, but I knew exactly what she was capable of.

"What do we do now?" Ryan asked. I was flabbergasted by the information my worn out brain was soaking up. She had to be paying Ryan for him to be going along with this.

"They can't be together." Jackie exclaimed, making herself clear on that point.

"Yes. We have established that. Thank you for making the obvious even more obvious." Ryan was quite clearly pissed off.

"If you want your money you'll lose that attitude, okay?" The poor guy must be desperate for money if he was working with her.

I peeked through the door frame to see that both personas in the room were now standing. Ryan looked fed up, but abided Jackie's order and stayed quiet.

"There's a history trip coming up next week. I think it's her class going on it. It's just an overnight tour to Washington DC but I bet I could be chaperone and cause some trouble." Jackie was planning this all over again. Ruining lives on a school trip over a relationship she was jealous of. This woman belonged in a mental institution.

"You know, you could just turn him in for having an inappropriate relationship?" Ryan suggested, but of course that was too easy for Ms Molina herself.

How naïve of me not to notice that Anilom was Molina spelt backwards. I had found her so familiar, and I couldn't believe how stupid I was not to realise who she was. I was in big danger now.

"And what would fun would that entail?" She laughed evilly, a laugh that resembled Mr. Burn's from The Simpsons.

After hearing footsteps coming towards me, I legged it down the hall way and ran away from the classroom to make sure I wasn't caught. I couldn't even register the thoughts of me making out with Jackie after what she did to Aria. I was so ashamed of myself, so very ashamed.

I had every desire to leave school right at that moment and turn Jackie into the police, but what proof did I have? I couldn't exactly walk into the station, tell them I eaves-dropped on a conversation where she planned to ruin mine and a seventeen year old's relationship who also happened to be my student. Yeah maybe it would land Jackie in jail, but she wouldn't be the only one getting a pink slip. If only things were simpler.

The last thing I wanted to do was to tell Aria. She had been under so much stress recently and this was just going to multiply that stress by thousands. I had to convince her to not go on that trip, but I knew it was something she was really looking forward to.

My white iPhone 4s started vibrating and in the state of shock I was in, it took me over 20 seconds to take it out of my pocket and answer the call.

"Hello." I said. I didn't even look to see who it was.

"Hey!" I recognised Aria's voice straight away. "Are you in school yet?"

"Um, I'm not coming in today" I lied. I planned on going home though, so technically I wasn't really lying. I couldn't last the whole day with the information I had just processed.

"Why not?" She asked, concerned.

"I'm sick." I lied again, realising how blunt I was sounding. Unfortunately I couldn't be anything but blunt at that moment.

"What's wrong?" She said, clearly disappointed.

"I have a really bad migraine. I'm going to go to the doctor and get some tablets."

"You poor thing." She sympathized with me. "Do you still feel up for tonight?"

"Yeah totally." I told her, knowing I'd have all day to try and get back to normal. "I'll pick you up at the top of your road at 8pm!"

"Don't you want a drink tonight?" She asked. I could have really done with a whiskey after what just happened.

"Um, maybe. Listen I'll call you later okay? I love you." I told her. I now felt it was important to tell her that all the time.

"I love you too." She replied. "I hope you feel better."

I hung up and placed my head in my hands. It was happening all over again. But this time would be different, this time, I would be ready.

A/N…. Hey guys! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! What did you think? I'm so sorry for the lack of updates. I'm just back from Italy and the week before I was dancing all week and now it's the weekend and I'm back to school on Monday and ahhhhh! HECTIC TIMES! So where do you see this going? Please review, it only makes the updates come faster. Oh and about that, I have the biggest exams of my life the day of the PLL S3 premiere, so until then, I can't guarantee many updates. Thanks so much for the support guys! Becky x