I know I've been updating really fast, I'm really into this story and I literally cannot stop writing it, so I'm just going to roll with it. And sorry if you're a follower and got two emails notifying you, I had a little technical issue.
"I just need to ask him about a the homework assignment." I tell Emily for the hundredth time.
"I bet you need to talk about when you bumped into each other." She says. If I could see her face I know she'd be smirking.
"Here we are." Emily releases my arm and points my shoulders towards the door.
"Come get me in ten minutes?" I ask her.
"Sure." She says. The sound of her sneakers on the tile floors in the empty hall fills my ears before I take a deep breath and push through the door. At first I can't tell if he's in here, but I know when I hear a sharp intake of breath. Just to see if he'll tell me the truth, I walk over to a desk and sit down on top of it, pretending to wait for him. When two minutes go by without any noise I decide I don't want to waste anymore of the ten minutes I have before Emily comes back.
"I know you're in here." I project into the open room. It's silent for another moment except for a small shuffling noise near his desk.
"You're right. We do need to talk." Ezra says. I give a small smile and hope off the desk to walk towards him.
"But not here." Ezra says. He takes my hand in his and for a second I think he's finally coming around, but he places a piece of paper in my hand and closes my fingers around it.
"Have Emily drive you to this address tonight around six." He tells me. All I can work up is a nod. I'm slightly worried about going to the place he lives, but I feel like I can trust him. A teacher wouldn't be hired to work at a high school anyway, so I have nothing to worry about, only things to be excited about, like the chance to convince him that I'm mature.
I know I shouldn't pursue a relationship with a teacher, but there is an undeniable pull between us and I can tell it isn't just coming from me.
"Bye Ezra." I say. I turn and walk out of the room. I remember to take a step to the right to make it through the door which is why I'm so surprised when my face smacks into the doorframe for the second today.
"I moved my desk back so you knew where you were." Ezra says with a small laugh.
"Thanks." I laugh, rubbing the sore spot on my forehead. "I don't think it worked."
"I suppose not." He chuckles.
"Ready to go?" Emily's voice startles me.
"Yeah. Thanks for clarification Mr. Fitz." I thank him while Emily links her arm with mine. Emily and I walk out of the classroom and head towards the parking lot. I have a spring in my step because I'm so bubbly from talking to him, and I'm going to meet him later.
"Did you crash into him again?" Emily asks with a laugh, touching the spot on my forehead with the tips of her fingers to indicate what she's talking about.
"Actually the door frame." I say. She laughs.
"What?"
"You never use your cane; you should."
"Why would I use my cane if I have you to guide me?" I ask with a smile. I still wish I could see a smile again. It's one of the things I miss seeing the most. It suddenly dawns on me that I can hardly pull up an image of Emily in my head. The very vague image I can get of her isn't a smile. The last time I actually saw her face was when she was worried about throwing the firework into Jenna's garage.
"Emily?" I ask her once we're all settled in the car.
"Yeah?" She asks. She sets her keys down on the dashboard with a jingle and the seat in the car squeaks as she turns to face me.
"Never mind." I say. It might hurt her feelings somehow that I don't remember exactly what she looks like, so I keep it to myself.
"Want to work on your homework at my house?" She asks, starting the car and putting her foot on the gas.
"Sure; but can you give me a ride to this address around six?" I ask, handing her the slip of paper. She takes it from my outstretched hand.
"Family friend wants to see how I'm doing." I say as an explanation. I don't know how Emily would react to me and Ezra. I know she's constantly teasing me about it, but I don't think she actually thinks it could happen. Plus, I don't really know her too well. I only got back in touch with her today after a long year away.
"Ugh, I can't figure out how to word this sentence." I complain to Emily. I'm usually good at writing and most of the time the words flow onto the paper, but I'm so distracted today I can hardly remember how to spell my own name.
"let me see it." Emily says right before snatching the paper from in front of me. Usually I type my assignments because I already know where the keys are, but I don't have a computer with me right now for the rough draft.
"Get rid of the word to, it doesn't make any sense. Make sure you put an and here, you completely forgot." She laughs at me.
"Emily, I wrote that in braille." I say. It's more of a question than a statement, like, how can you read that?
"While you were away I learned how to read and write braille." She tells me.
"Really?" I ask. My heart warms up when I think about Emily sitting around trying to memorize each symbol of the braille alphabet, all so she can understand my writing and she can write things to me.
"Yeah. I'm not going to be as good or as fast as you, but I can read it." She tells me, her voice filled with pride.
"You want me to wait out here?" Emily asks as we pull into a parking spot.
"No thanks, just pick me up around eight or so." I request. She's somehow become my helper or caretaker, though neither of us says it.
"Want me to walk you inside?" She asks.
"No thanks, I've got Shadow." I tell her, reaching into the back seat of the car to scratch behind his ears. I've been told he's a German Shepherd and that he's mostly black with little flecks of brown.
"Alright. You call me if you need me." She tells me. I climb out of the car and open Shadow's door. His tags jingle as he jumps out. Emily doesn't pull away and leave until I'm firmly holding the handle on Shadow's harness and he's leading me into the building.
I go up two flights of stairs, running my free hand along each door until I find the one with 3B on it in metal plating. I reach up to knock, but hinges squeak and my fist is moving in open space.
"Hi Aria." Ezra's honey-sweet voice fills my ears and I almost shudder with delight. Shadow immediately walks into the apartment and leads me toward something.
"There's a couch behind you." Ezra says. I sit down while holding my hand behind me to make sure. Once I feel he soft cushion, I relax into the seat. Shadow sits obediently beside my leg. The cushions bounce up and down and I assume that Ezra has sat down next to me.
"So... we need to talk about what happened." Ezra says. His voice is laced with nervousness and desire.
"I know it seems wrong, but there's something about you…" I start to say.
"Aria, we can't. If I get caught I could lose my job and even go to jail." He tells me.
"But we wouldn't get caught." I object. "Don't you feel this too?" I ask.
"But…"
"What do you look like Ezra?" I ask him.
"Um," Before he can do anything, I reach my right hand up and place it on his cheek. I explore his face with my fingertips, gathering every detail because I don't know if I'll ever get to do this again. I run my fingers over the bridge of his nose, which is small and angular, and his strong, set jaw. He seems to relax when I run my fingertips over his lips, which are full and soft. It's crazy, but I suddenly long to kiss him.
I move on, finding short curly hair at his hairline and smooth skin on his cheek. My fingers touch his eyelids ever so lightly, sending a small jolt of electricity through my body.
"Aria…" He starts to say. Before he can object, I place one hand on each side of his jaw so I know where he is and lean up to kiss him. Before I know what's happening, his lips are pressing back up against mine and my arms are wrapped around the back of his neck, my elbows resting on his shoulders. One of his hands is against the small of my back, pressing me against him, and his other is entangled in my hair. Our mouths seem to fit together perfectly, like they are two halves of a perfect puzzle. The kiss intensifies, and his mouth fights for dominance over mine, any space that was between us diminishing.
Just as quickly as it started, it stops. He pulls away from me and takes a deep breath. Before he can say anything I interrupt him.
"I can't have been the only one who felt that."
Finally, a decent sized chapter! Review and let me know what you think!