Three days, fourteen hours and nine minutes.
That's how long Aria and Ezra had been apart from each other. It didn't seem that long to normal people, but both of them were dying inside. It killed them both. Obviously, there was a time when they had seen each other only once a week, but they hadn't made contact. At all. No secret midnight phone calls, or texts signed by the first letter of their name.
What Aria had promised would only be twenty four hours had turned into three days of torture.
Sure, Ezra had a feeling she would wait another day, but three? It scared Ezra, to think that maybe she wouldn't ever come back to him. Maybe this was her way of breaking up with him, letting him down gently.
He had barely eaten, or done anything in that time. He had just sat, watching random cartoons from DVD's that Malcolm had left over a few months back. He had no idea what any were called, or even what they were about. It was just something to stare at.
The tape, the one that'd caused all of this to come crashing back down again was sat on the coffee table in front of him, practically staring right at him.
Ezra didn't know what to do with it; to destroy it, or maybe watch it again. It was so confusing, having all of these different thoughts running through his head.
Maybe watching it again would help get out his anger and frustration. It may help him understand, and then they could fix this.
That's all Ezra wanted.
He grasped up his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found Aria's name, and pressed call.
It rang only once, and then went straight to answer phone. Leaving a message definitely wasn't the way to speak to Aria. It would sound desperate. He brought up a blank message, contemplating what to say. Maybe he should explain... Maybe he should ask to see her. Or maybe he should ask how she was. He typed out different messages, trying to get them right before something hit him. It was perfect. Three words, eight letters.
I love you-E.
Ezra seemed happy with it, that it would be the perfect way to get his point across. All he had to do was wait a few minutes for the reply. Of course she'd reply. Aria had to.
Five minutes turned into five hours, and then longer. Nothing. Not even an "Okay", or "Thanks, Ezra." That's all he could've asked for. But no, Aria hadn't even bothered to reply to that.
Now Ezra was angry. He just wanted his girlfriend back, to understand. The tape came into sight again, and all Ezra saw was red as he snapped it in two pieces, and through it against the wall.
This was the end for them, and Ezra knew it.
The phone ringing dragged Ezra from his thoughts in the shower, and he immediately jumped out, almost skidding over on the laminate flooring as he dived for the phone.
"Hello? Aria?" Ezra said frantically, searching the room for some jeans and a shirt.
"No, actually this is Byron." The voice down the phone said, he didn't sound the least bit amused.
"Byron? What can I do for you? I'd Aria okay?" There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
"Actually, I don't know. She won't leave her bedroom, she won't eat anything, and she won't drink anything. And now she's locked the door and won't let any of us inside." Yet another pause. "I'm really worried about her, Ezra." Ezra searched the room for his keys, grasping them up before darting from his apartment and straight out to the car.
"I'm on my way, I'll be there in five minutes." And with that he was speeding down the road, his mind rolling with thoughts.
She wasn't eating, or drinking anything. He hadn't known Aria to shut down like this, to push everyone away.
"Thank you, for coming. I know we're not exactly friends but I didn't know who else to call." Byron said, pulling the door back to allow Ezra to step through the door.
Truth be told, Byron hadn't even thought to call Emily, Spencer or Hanna. Ezra was the first person to come to mine, and he was there in a heartbeat. It was then that Byron knew how much Ezra loved his daughter.
He didn't even have time to finish his sentence before Ezra was sprinting up the stairs, knocking on Aria's door.
"Aria?" Ezra whispered, continuously pressing his knuckles lightly to the door. All he got was complete silence. "Aria, come on. You haven't eaten anything." Her silence was slightly worrying. He pulled his phone out, dialling Aria's number. The phone rung from inside the room, right until the final ring when it went to answer phone. "No, I'm serious now Aria. People are really worried about you, you need to let me in." With a sigh, Ezra leant his head on the door, becoming frustrated with the silence. "Aria! Let. Me. In. Do not make me kick this door down."
It wasn't the silence that panicked him this time, it was the glass smashing inside. Ezra's knocking increased, becoming louder and more frequent as he hammered at the door.
It was scary, and his breathing was increasing. As if he was having a panic attack. "Right, that's it, in coming in." With that, Ezra took a step back, kicking the door open. It must've been a weak lock, because it practically flew open, hitting the wall with a loud slam.
And then he saw her.
Just... Laying there on the floor near her dressing table. The glass was shattered beside her.
See, that wasn't what terrified Ezra. That wasn't what scared Ezra so much that he could've just broken down there and then. It would scar him.
There was a wide gash along Aria's wrists, and the floor was covered in a crimson colour.
... Blood.
Ezra dived down onto the floor, furiously shaking at Aria's body. She was pale, and lifeless.
"Byron? Call an ambulance. Now!" Ezra yelled down the stairs, trying to remember what he had been taught at Hollis about first aid. He could remember nothing, completely blank.
He was helpless.