Hi! I just want to say thank you for the reviews! It makes me more inspired!

September 2nd

Here she was. That day was Aria's real first day as a teacher. After a week of preparation she was finally about to meet her new students. Aria was really excited to start the new school year and she hoped that her students would share her enthusiasm. Of course, she knew that not everyone likes English, but she loved to think that maybe she'd be able to change that for one or two students.

The past week had gone in a blur. Between work and being at home with Lily, listening to her stories about what she did with her friend Clara at kindergarten, Aria didn't have time to think. She was truly enjoying her new life. Keeping busy was the best way to get over what happened to her a year before.

And she had met great people too. In a week, Aria had developed what she hoped was a great friendship with Spencer Hastings. She seemed mature and really intelligent. She was a good listener too. Aria hadn't told her about Lily and her father, but she thought that perhaps, at the right moment, Spencer would be a great friend to talk to.

In fact, Aria had yet to tell anyone about Lily. She didn't know how to bring the subject up without answering questions she preferred not to think about. But at the same time she felt bad. She didn't want people to think that she kept Lily a secret because she didn't love her. She hoped that she would soon find a way to let people know about her without causing a scene.

Speaking of the devil, as Aria was getting dressed and putting on her make-up, Lily-Ann came running into her bedroom, already up before Aria even went to awake her.

"Look! I made you a drawing!" she cried happily, clearly pleased at the idea of giving Aria a gift.

Aria took the girl's drawing in her hands and looked at it. Lily had drawn her in front of a black board.

"It's you! In your classroom!" she added with joy.

"It's beautiful sweetie! I really appreciate it!" said Aria.

"Will you hang it in your office?" she asked with hope.

Aria thought for a moment. No one knew about Lily, but maybe this was the right way to tell them. Indirectly, she'd show to everyone that she had a kid, without really having to talk about it. The little girl was a genius.

"It's a great idea! I'll put it on my wall," she answered.

"Yeah!"

Five hours later, Aria found herself looking at the drawing Lily had given her in the morning. She had hung it as soon as she arrived, and no one had asked questions yet. Perfect.

Aria was back from her first two classes of the day and it was currently lunch time. In the morning, she had the chance to meet her new students. She was really glad of how it went. She had first been really stressed of the welcome the teenagers would give her. She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to maintain discipline. When people saw her with her petite stature, they often thought that it meant she didn't have authority and that she couldn't make herself heard. But it was quite the opposite. Aria had a special way to talk to students that made them feel appreciated and instantly encouraged them to respect her.

She had presented them the plan of the year and they seemed, for the majority, enthusiastic. That year they would study great classic of literature: Of Mice and Men, Hamlet, The Great Gastby, 1982, and so more. Aria loved to explore different times and genres with her students. That way, she could interest many of them with the variety.

She was actually re-reading one of the book she'd read with her students, To Kill a Mockingbird, when a knock at the door interrupted her.

"Knock, knock!" said Ezra at the door.

Aria was surprised, she hadn't really talked to him in the last week, except maybe for questions regarding work. Maybe that was why he was standing in her doorway.

"Hi Ezra, what can I do for you?" asked Aria.

"Actually," he said hesitating, "I was going out to get some lunch when I saw you were the only one alone in your office, I was wondering if you'd like to join me?" he added.

Aria thought for a moment. She would have loved to have lunch with Ezra, but she didn't know if it was a good idea to accept. She was nervous that they wouldn't find anything to talk about; they didn't really know each other that well... But then she thought about all the things she had said no to in the last year and changed her mind. After all, she was trying to build a new life!

"Yeah, I would love to," she finally said.

"Great!" said Ezra, "Do you have your lunch or you want to grab something? I need to buy something, but of you prefer I can go and we can eat in the park in front of the school," he suggested.

"We can go somewhere, I don't have a lunch either."

"In that case, do you know the Brew?" he asked, "It's a really nice café a few blocks down the street. They serve fantastic croissants."

"No, I never went there, but I'd like to try it." she said.

"Great, because you can't live in Rosewood and not go to the Brew once in a while, it's a must!" explained Ezra.

"Perfect, let me grab my jacket and I'm coming," smiled Aria.

Aria found herself talking easily to Ezra. She really enjoyed it. They talked about their first day and their new students. They laughed when Ezra told her how he dropped all the content of his briefcase when he introduced himself to his class and he warned her about Peter McAdams, a third year boy who was a student of Aria and who also was in Ezra's class the year before. His father had caused him great trouble.

However, they kept being interrupted by Ezra's cell phone who rang at least four times, the caller ID always the same, a certain Maggie. "Probably his girlfriend," thought Aria. Ezra kept rejecting the call and say that he was sorry, but Aria could see that he was annoyed by the situation.

"We should head back," said Aria with regret, "The next period will soon start and you probably want to call back whoever has been trying to reach you."

"Yeah, let's go," said Ezra and Aria thought, but she could pretty well have imagined it, that Ezra was as disappointed as her that their lunch was already over.