Aria's POV
I wake up to Ezra giggling quietly in his sleep. I smile and check the time on my phone. It is a little after six. As much as I don't want to leave Ezra, I know I need to be in my bed before my parents wake up. I get up to my bedroom and sigh, there is no way I can fall back asleep. I decide to get up and go for a run to clear my mind. I throw on an old pair of tennis shoes and sweatpants. I subconsciously jog to the street where the Hastings and Dilaurentises live. Reporters from all over the country flood the narrow street. Not wanting to talk to any of them, I flee as quickly as possible. After about half an hour of running, I hear a raspy voice cry out to me.
" Aria!" Spencer calls.
" Hey Spencer!" I say and jog over to her.
" Looks like we've both been running." She tells me.
For the first time I realize she is in her running close.
" Yeah, just like old times. You should have called me, we could have run together." I say to her.
" I didn't think you would be awake so early." She says apologetically.
" I couldn't sleep." I explain.
" Neither could I, reporters have been circling around my street since last night." Spencer tells me.
" I know, I was running by your street and I saw them." I tell Spencer.
Our conversation is interrupted by a noisy reporter and her camera crew.
" You must be Spencer Hastings and Aria Montgomery. I'm Katie, would it be okay if I asked you a couple of questions about how you two are feeling?" She asks.
" Absolutely not, Aria and I are unavailable for comment right now." Spencer answers angrily.
" Can we at least get a couple of shots?" I hear the camera man yelling from behind Katie.
" NO!" I yell furiously.
" Before last night, did either of you have any idea who killed Alison?" Katie calls out.
" Aria, is it true you use to date Noel Kahn?" Another reporter yells through all of the commotion.
Spencer and I just stand there like deer caught in the headlights.
I glance over and see Toby's car pull up.
" Get in here quickly." I hear Toby yell to us.
We manage to squeeze through the forest of photographers and reporters. Spencer and I get in Toby's truck and he speeds away.
" What low lives." Toby says.
" I know, don't people have anything better to do than follow us around?" Spencer asks.
" Where do you two want to go?" Toby asks.
" Anywhere but home, reporters are all over." Spencer answers.
" You should come over to my house. We can call Hanna and Emily and start planning Hanna's wedding." I suggest.
" That's a great idea. Hanna will be so excited!" Spencer replies.
Within half an hour the girls and I are sitting in my living room going through all of the wedding magazines we could find.
" I already booked a date at The Plaza Hotel in June." Hanna says excitedly.
" What!?" This gives us hardly any time to prepare." Spencer says anxiously.
We giggle at Spencer's stress level.
" We should go to that wedding shop in Philly and pick out the bridesmaids dresses." Hanna suggests excitedly.
" That's a great idea!" Emily says.
" Okay, be at my house in two hours." Hanna demands.
Hanna, Spencer, and Emily leave my living room excitedly.
" Good morning." Ezra says as he walks into the room.
" Good morning." I reply and kiss him.
" What are your plans for the day?" Ezra asks.
" I'm going to Philly with the girls. We are picking out the bridesmaids dresses for Hanna's wedding." I answer.
" Alone?' My dad asks as he enters the room.
" Not alone, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer are coming." I reply.
" I don't want you four alone in Philly with everything that's going on. Take Ezra with you." My dad says.
" Dad, I'm sure he doesn't want to go dress shopping with four girls." I reply annoyed.
" Then cancel your plans." My dad replies.
" I don't mind going, I've never been to Philly." Ezra says.
" Are you sure?" I ask him.
" Yeah, maybe we can do something after." He suggests.
" I can play tour guide this time." I say causing both of us to giggle.
I call the girls and tell them Ezra is being forced to join us. An hour later the five of us are at Hanna's house ready to go. Ezra and I take a separate car because we are going to dinner after we pick out the dresses.
" Do you mind if I go to a book store or something while you girls try on dresses?" Ezra asks when we arrive in Philly.
" Not at all." I reply.
" I would however, love to see you in a beautiful dress." Ezra says causing me to giggle.
" I guess you will have to wait until June." I tease.
Ezra and I begin to kiss, unfortunately we are interrupted by Hanna honking at us from across the street.
" Get a room." She yells from the car.
Ezra and I begin to giggle.
" See you soon babe." He tells me as I exit the car.
The girls and I walk into the dress shop. After about three hours of searching, we find the perfect dresses. We purchase the dresses and go our separate ways. Ezra and I make our way into a fancy Italian restaurant.
" How was dress shopping?" Ezra asks sweetly.
" It really tired me out, Hanna is hardcore when it comes to shopping." I explain.
" Did you find any good books?" I ask him.
" Not really, I mostly just circled around the city." Ezra tells me.
We make small talk for the rest of the evening.
" We are ready for the check." Ezra tells the waiter after we eat.
When it comes I see a look of panic wash over Ezra's face.
" I left my wallet in the car." Ezra says.
" I'll go get it." I offer.
" No, I'll go." Ezra protests.
" I really need some fresh air." I argue.
" Fine, go." He says defeated.
Our car is parked at the end of the long street. I grab the keys and start to make my way back to Ezra. Before I get very far I hear a familiar voice call out to me.
" Hey Aria." Noel's brother Eric Kahn says to me.
" Hi." I say trying to get away.
Eric steps in front of me aggressively.
" You and your friends have said some things that have gotten my brother into serious trouble." Eric says angrily.
" We didn't say anything, the cops were the people who found the video." I try to explain.
" I'm not so sure I believe that." He replies viciously.
" Have you been drinking?" I ask nervously.
" Why?" Eric asks as he shoves me to the ground.
I try to scream but he covers my mouth. Tears begin to roll down my cheeks when I realize the street is empty.
Eric begins to play with the hem of my shirt. I try to fight him off, but he is probably three times the size of me.
" Please stop." I beg him.
" I'm only giving you what you deserve." He replies cooly.
" What the hell is going on here?" I hear Ezra's voice call out from across the road.
I let out a long sigh of relief. Eric instantly loosens his tight grip on my waist.
" Get the hell away from her." Ezra yells furiously.
" Whose going to make me? Eric challenges.
Ezra runs over to where Eric is holding me. Eric's fist hits Ezra right in the face causing him to fall.
" Ezra!" I call out.
He stays on the ground for a minute, causing Eric to laugh triumphantly. Ezra springs up, looking twice as angry as he was before. He kicks Eric as hard as he can in his shin, causing him to fall forward. Ezra kicks him repeatedly until he is groaning in pain. Ezra picks me up and carries me to the car.
" Are you okay?" He asks me.
" I'm fine." I say trying to hold back tears.
" This is my fault, I shouldn't have let you go out alone at this time of night." Ezra says angrily.
" It's not your fault. Why did you leave the restaurant?" I ask him.
" You were gone longer then I though you would be. I guess I got scared." Ezra confesses.
" Thank you for being there." I say.
" Did he hurt you?" Ezra asks nervously.
"No, he was going too though." I tell Ezra.
"Thank goodness you're okay." He says and wraps his arms around me.
I realize Ezra's left eye is completely black.
" Oh my gosh Ezra!" I gasp in shock.
" What this?" He asks and points to his eye. " I've gotten much worse than this.
" Really?" I ask.
" No." He answers making me laugh.
" Let me drive us home, there is no way that you can." I tell him.
" That's probably a good idea, my head really hurts." Ezra complains.
" I just realized something." I say.
" What?" Ezra asks.
" We forgot to pay the bill!" I reply.
Sorry it's taken me such a long time to update, I've been really bust with soccer and school. Please review and have a great weekend :)!