I'm so sorry that you lovely peeps had to wait a couple of weeks for this chapter. It's just with Thanksgiving ending and Christmas coming up in just a few weeks. I have been doing a heck of a lot of running around and I just needed a few days to recover. Who would have thought shopping would bring a girl down? hehe, small joke.

But I want to thank each and everyone of you who are reading and reviewing this story. I know it ain't much, but Thank you.

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Pretty Little Liars.

The following few days Aria had kept to her word and gave Ezra his space. The people at the Hotel had also kept their promise in not telling about the incident that went on Saturday night.

Keith Liberty had given Aria an ear full and gave her a warning towards her actions. He had never seen Aria act in such a way that would make him ashamed of her. She was always the top notch of things, the person to go to. But Sunday evening he walked out of the Hotel in shame that one of his employee's would act in such away.

Aria twirled her drink in her hand before deciding to drink it down. It was her third cup of the day and it was only nearing three in the afternoon. She had tried to contact Jay, but only had gotten his voicemail which was an understanding. She knew that he would be busy with training before he gone off to war. But just hearing his beautiful voice was soothing to her. She missed him.

She looked down at her phone and let out a sigh. For the last half hour she had a written text addressed to Ezra, but knew it would be breaking the promise that he asked of her. 'Give him time'

How much time did he need? What was he doing with his time? Will he even call her and forgive her for doubting him? Why was he so angry? All those thoughts and questions that ran through her head only made her feel worse. She knew that having Malcolm around in the beginning was a new journey for him and she respected that enough to give him the family he wanted.

She broke up with him and allowed him to get the teaching job of his dreams. She let him live a normal life without the hiding and sneaking around. Without all the drama that she had in high school and the weight that she had on her shoulders.

Aria closed her eyes and walked over to the bar area to get herself another drink. Carol was busy helping Toby with the last of the renovations and she was hiding out. She wanted nothing to do with the troubles ahead and wanted to hide all her pain.

"To us," she toasted in mid-air and took the shoot before drinking it down with a glass of wine. Aria knew mixing drinks was a bad idea but she didn't care. As long as she was alone with no witnesses she had nothing to fear.

Aria than walked up the stage and looked at the empty room before her; which only nights before was crowded with drunken people trying to sing their hearts out.

Aria looked at the DJ booth and picked up the cordless Microphone and started to press a few buttons before a loud song started to blur out through the speakers. She let the music play for a bit before searching the IPod that was left behind. It was mostly R&B, Hip Hop, and techno mixes, nothing that Aria wanted to hear.

She placed the Microphone back down and turned off the music. It was then that she realized she would have to start work in an hour and had to sober up before anyone with a big mouth would report back to Keith Liberty on how she came to work acting drunk.

Once she had walked out of the Lounge she turned around and locked the doors, double checking to make sure she actually did indeed lock it. Aria placed the keys into her pocket and fixed her hair a little before walking out into the lobby and placing a smile upon her face. She hated lying to herself; she hated being the hard ball. But that is now who she is. Although she loves the job, Aria would love her life more if she was teaching.

"Where were you?" Carol asked as Aria walked past the front desk, "I've been calling you for the last three hours!" She exclaimed in that management tone of voice that Aria knew all too well

Aria turned to face her and looked at the now staring faces, "I need a sick day, and I think I deserve it"

Carol huffed an audible tone, "You think? Aria I leave in an hour, I've been here since last night. Who do you think is going to cover for you?"

Aria rolled her eyes, "We do have other management working the floors. It's not just me or you!" she fought back, "I think it's about time that one of them show us what their made of. We all know they can kick back and relax just like the rest of these slackers "she closed her eyes, "Everyone wants something from me. It's Ms Montgomery this and Montgomery that, I think Jay was right when he said I needed time for myself." She headed towards the front desk and picked up her bag, "I'm leaving. Do what you want"

"Aria," Carol fought back taking hold of her upper arm and drawing attention toward them, "We need you here! There is no way that you are leaving"

Aria yanked her arm back, "I need to leave before I do something that I am going to regret" She eyed Carol down with a death glare, "Do what you please, but just leave me out of it for the day" and with that Aria walked out of the hotel never looking back. She needed the space and the time. But what she felt like the most is that she needed that safe comfort from Ezra; and he just wasn't giving it to her.

LINE BREAK

Ezra walked down the halls of Rosewood High towards the conference room for his meeting. It was a mandatory meeting that all teachers had to attend. But if Ezra had his choice he would be heading on home for the day.

This day wasn't like any other. There were two fights on campus and a lock down because of a potential gang member so they called it came on campus looking for one of the guys that had gotten into a fight earlier in the day.

Ezra was worried about Malcolm and hasn't told him yet that Maggie was coming to town on Friday and wanted to spend the weekend with him. As far as Malcolm is concerned, Maggie abandons him and he wants nothing to do with her. Ezra feels the same way, but this is his mother after all and Malcolm should be grateful for that.

Ezra opened the door to the conference room and held it open for a few other teachers and nodded his head as they said thank you! He then let out a breath and sat down on one of the chairs that were against the wall. He knew first-hand what this meeting was about and felt it wasn't necessary for him to be there.

The awaiting teacher talked to one another about what happened earlier in the day and Ezra joined in on their conversation as they waited on Hackett to join them. But that wasn't long and soon enough he was on his way talking a mile a minute.

Ezra sat back in his chair and would glance at the time only to see seconds rolling by and this meeting of his dragging on. It was mostly how they talked about the lock down that happened and how Hackett thought it was a good idea to cancel the end of the year dance that the kids were planning for months.

Most of the teachers argued and said that these kids worked hard throughout the year and thought it was a bad idea to deprive them of something they aimed for. Hackett being the man who hides from any form of conflict announced extra security and wanted everyone's word that they were going to attend and take any form of action if something went down.

When the meeting ended Ezra walked over to his car and dropped everything that he had in his hands in the trunk. He closed the door and then walked over to the driver's side and got in. For the last four days, even with so much going on. He couldn't help but let his mind wander back to Aria, and how she thought he would ever cheat on her.

He let his mind wander to the few dozen questions that he had in his mind about their relationship and thought that their trust level really wasn't as high as he thought. The doubts, the troubles that their relationship had stow upon them. The sneaking around and not being able to tell the people close to them killed him. But it would never make him want to cheat on her. Even when Jackie was around his mind always thought back to Aria and how she looked up at him with those amazing Hazel eyes and did her little smirk when she knew she was right. The way she would bite on her bottom lips and then form a smile. He loved her so much that it drove him crazy. All he wanted for her and from her was happiness.

Saturday night for him opened up his eyes and although he knew that they needed to talk. Ezra just needed time to cool down. With Byron lurking around for whatever reason, Ezra didn't want to draw attention. If what Aria said was true than, Byron as any opportunity to turn in what had held their future together. Byron had all the facts that him and Aria were in a relationship when she was in high school and indeed had sex while he was her teacher. It would send him straight to jail not to mention when he got out he would be recognized as a pedolphile and could probably never get a well-paying job ever again. He had to think about Malcolm, he had to think about Aria and he had to think about Lacy. Although he never got to know Lacy… He knew being behind bars if he didn't play by Byron's rules, he would never get to know her at all and that's something that he can't live with.

Ezra thought about all the possible ways that he could somehow come to terms with Byron and make him see that he and Aria are met to be. Regardless of all their fights and small disagreements. He wanted to believe that even though he could come to terms with Aria not trusting him, which she once had. He knows that- that he and Aria are forever, or so he deeply wanted it to be.

With a sigh Ezra took out his phone and called his sponsor he wanted to talk to someone who wasn't going to judge him. If one thing was for sure, he was really grateful that Aria pushed him into that AA meeting and got his life back on track… In a way that is.

LINE BREAK

Aria sat in the Brew nursing a large cup of coffee. She figured that coffee was the fastest way to cure her small little buzz that was coming on. With dark shades on she sat near the corner her back facing the crowd; she wanted to make sure that she wasn't seen by other people. For once in her life she wanted to be alone and left alone.

She closed her eyes and looked within herself wishing that she was somewhat strong enough to face her fears. Aria thought back to High School and thought about her three friends that she hasn't talked to in a while. She thought about what they could be doing at this very second and thought about calling them.

"So what did you want to talk about" Aria heard from behind her. It was a woman who just so happened to pull out her chair and sat down, "It sounded urgent"

"Life I guess" Aria's eyes shot open at the sound of the man's voice and slouched down a little. It was Ezra, "Have you ever thought that your life was at its deepest point and all you wanted to do was run so far that there's no way of return?"

The woman laughed, "That's how most of us feel. It's the reason we turn to drinking. To drown out our thoughts and enjoy that few minutes of relief." She sighed, "But drinking doesn't help, it doesn't bury the pain. Sometimes it gets to strong and most of us act on it"

At the few short seconds of silence Aria knew that Ezra was agreeing with her, "I know I've made my few share of mistakes. But-"He paused and sucked in a breath "-But isn't that why we get a second chance? To prove that what you did is wrong and for people to look at the better?"

Aria lifted her eyebrows and stared at the poster in front of her feeling even more guilty that she had even doubted him. "People make mistakes all the time Ezra. What's really going on?"

"I ran," He spoke after hesitation, "I ran away from Aria, because I didn't want to fight anymore."

"Okay," The woman sounded confused, "Do you want to talk about what it is?"

Aria bit her lip and held back a few tears, "It's this whole situation. I mean, first it was her dating my best friend and then her father coming into the picture- oh and not to mention that she thinks I cheated on her. Do you know how frustrating that is? If I was going to cheat on her when we were dating, I would have at least done it with someone other than Maggie."

"You said before that you and Aria dated when she was in High School? Why didn't you end it there?!"

"Because I'm in love with her" He answered, "Because even though I knew deep down that what we were doing was dangerous and so wrong and it could cost me my life. When I was with her, I felt free. I felt the will to be myself and that's what I loved the most. It didn't matter that we would fight over the smallest things. She was there when I needed her the most and I loved that"

Aria smiled upon hearing this, "But now she's what?"

"A pain, she's so stubborn and self-centred that it drives me crazy. No matter how much I try to get her to open up she just shuts me down. Why? Why do woman do that?"

"Because their afraid of something." The woman answered, "Or trying to run from something"

Ezra let out a breath, "I'm running too."

There was silence after that last line from Ezra. Aria urged in her mind to get out of there without being seen. But that was far from it considering that she thought sitting in the corner away from the crowd was a good idea.

"You want to know what I think." The woman spoke, "I think you should just stay away from this girl. No good can come from it and I think she is a bad influence on you! Isn't she the reason you started to drink?" Ezra nodded, "Then why go back to the source? Why try to get the reason to drink back into your life?"

Aria stood up from her spot upset and pissed off she turned around to face them both; "I didn't shove the bottle down his throat. He has a brain and should use it once in a while." Aria looked at Ezra with hurtful eyes, "I see your phone is still working."

"Aria," Ezra looked at his friend, "Aria this is-"

"I don't give a shit" Was the last words she shed before storming out the Brew and into the streets

"I'm sorry!" Ezra apologized, "I didn't even notice she was here!"

"That's Aria?" Sunshine asked, "She's a bitch"

Ezra laughed, "Just on the outside." He agreed, "Maybe I should talk to her? Try to make amends,"

Sunshine licked her lips; "Do what you want Ezra, I'm just here for support and if you think that she'll help you then go for it" she stood up, "but from what I just saw. I take everything I said back; she's hurting just as much as you!"

Don't forget to review. I know I don't often say this, because usually I don't have too. But if I can get a little more than 15 reviews I'll update the next chapter. Which (FYI) is already written and *spoiler* there's a twist coming into this story... I'm playing with a few ideas.