It's always been you

The First Time

Just before I start can I say this won't be totally sticking the programme, quite a lot will just be from my head.

Aria's POV

It's the first day of school and honestly I'm excited to see my friends again, it's been a while. I walk into the hallway and find my locker, we usually meet around my locker so it works out well for me. I put all my books for the day inside, keeping my English book as it's my first lesson. I close the locker door to see Spencer standing there to make me jump. I can't help hugging her, I haven't seen her in so long and I've really missed her. I officially promise myself never to let us stay out of contact for so long again. 

"Hastings! I've missed you so much!" I say smiling. 

"I've missed you too Aria, have you seen the others?"

"No they're not here yet, we've got so much to catch up on."

"Yeah we do, so much, but more importantly I've heard our new English teacher is hot." She says laughing.

Thinking of hot English teachers reminds me of summer, I met this guy in a bar who was going to become an English teacher. I miss him more than I ever thought I would, to be fair we ended up in a bathroom. Anyway, there's no point thinking about him now, I'll never see him again it's probably for the best. 

"Hey, earth to Aria!" I here Hanna's voice bringing me out of my daydream. I hug her tightly and tell her how much I've missed her too. 

I see Emily waving down the other end of the hallway, so we all go down to her locker as it's nearer our English class anyway. 

"Hey Em." Spencer starts, and hugs her and we all take a turn to hug her. I've always loved Emily's locker, it really shows her personality and you can tell everything about her from it. Although she has a really tiny picture of Ben, her boyfriend, in the corner, I sometimes wonder why it's so small but maybe she just couldn't find a bigger one. We're interrupted by the bell telling us it's first lesson, and I know it sounds nerdy but I'm so excited. I love English, it really makes me think and I love that in a lesson. 

We all walk into our class to see no teacher, which isn't unusual as we were standing right next to it. The rest of the class start to come in and I get my English books out. I hear the door close and the annoying scratching of the chalk on the board but I can't find my pen, so I don't look up. Not until I hear his voice, could it really be him?

"I'm Mr Fitz, your new English teacher."

Crap, it is him. I look up to see the back of his head as he finishes writing his name on the board and underlining. The minute he turns around our eyes lock, and I can feel his stare meet mine. We suddenly become oblivious to the rest of the class, what does this mean? I can't just hide my feelings now, I'm going to see him everyday. 

The gaze is broken by Hanna's very loud, faked cough. I look over to see her giving me a questioning look, so I pretend I don't notice and carry on with the search for a pen. 

Ezra's POV

Could this actually be happening? The girl I have not stopped thinking about is sitting three rows back in my English class, directly in the middle so it's hard to not look at her. She made me believe she was older when we met in the bar, and I don't think I can keep these feelings to myself. 

After a small introduction about myself and what we'll be learning over the next term I set a small task just to get to know the speed and ability of this class. Once everybody's looking down and focusing on their work I take the opportunity to look at Aria, to find she's already looking at me. She smiles a little and then puts her head down to work. 

I remember the first time I saw her, and I just had to know who she was. The way her hair falls perfectly around her shoulders, and her eyes make a statement without even trying. The way she can make me feel with just one look or one smile. Although that's not the point, no matter what I'm feeling this isn't right, she's my student now, even if we did meet before my job. This can't happen. Not anymore. 

Aria's POV

After a long hour of trying too hard not to stare at Ezra the bell finally rings to let us go. The quicker I can get out of the room the better. I can't let these feelings get in the way, he's my teacher now. The minute I step out of the door Hanna grabs my arms and turns me around giving me the same look she was at the beginning of the class. 

"What was all that about?"

"What was all what about?" I ask trying to act like I have no idea what she's talking about. 

"Don't act like you don't know" Spencer adds as she comes from nowhere. 

I don't even say anything because I know I'll sound suspicious so I just raise an eyebrow for her to carry on explaining, just in case they're not talking about the stupidly obvious connect Mr Fitz and I had. 

"You and Mr Fitz know each other don't you!" She says with an excited and shocked look on her face.

"No Spencer, what the hell. I have no idea what you're both on about so lets drop it"

"Okay, but this isn't over" Hanna says smiling. 

As we walk away I take one last look into the classroom and see him leaning against the wall and look up. I smile hoping to get one back, but before he has the chance I have to keep walking before I get questioned again. 

Ezra's POV

The end of my first day as a teacher comes, apart from the shocking start I'm actually proud of myself. All my classes seemed to enjoy my teaching and we all worked well together. Just as I'm collecting all the sheets from desks in I see a figure standing at my door, I look up to see it's Aria debating whether to knock, so I walk to the door and open it, so she has no choice but to come in now. She steps in a closes the door behind her, and I sit at my desk at the front of the classroom. It's alarming how her presence makes me feel, I don't feel in control like I do with all the other teenagers, I feel powerless but I know I have to be professional.

"You told me you went to Hollis."

"No, I said I was thinking about majoring in English, and that's true."

I can't hide my frustration, but I don't know who I'm frustrated at, Aria for letting me believe she was older than she is, or myself for having these feelings towards a student. I close my planner and look back up to Aria. 

"Look I think you're amazing Aria, when I first met you, I thought 'wow, who is this girl'"

"I'm still that girl, okay? Nothing's changed."

How can she not think anything's changed? Everything's changed now, this has gone from two people being attracted to each other to a teacher-student relationship.

"Yes, yes it has! I'm you're teacher now."

"I know it's not just me," she says as she slowly places her hand with mine, "you feel like this is right for us, too"

I hate that's she's right, I hate that I have to lie about my feelings and I think what I hate the most is that I'm going to have to hurt her to prove my point. This can not happen. 

"That's not true, I just can't"

I can see the hurt look in her eyes and she turns for the door. As she walks away I see her hand rise to her face, possibly to wipe away a tear and I have to look away, I know if I continue to watch her I'll give into my feelings and lose my job. I've worked hard to become a teacher, not just to throw it all away and get a reputation in the teaching world. Teaching is what I do, I have to keep this job.