EZRAS POV:
"it's surreal being back here. it's crazy you know? especially when I first saw you. I mean it's been five years and I never thought I'd ever see you again.. we never even said goodbye. you became everything I wanted and hoped you'd be. I'm happy for you I' am. I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I'm sorry your co worker will have to see me like this."
"actually Ezra he's um...-"
"he's what Aria spit it out?"
"nothing nothing. just he's running late. you'll like I'm he's nice."
"does he know anything about me?" I questioned
"other than you were my high school English teacher no and he's here let me run downstairs and get him." She said walking out of my apartment.
---
ARIAS POV:
"Liam hey!" I said avoiding his kiss.
"You okay?"
"Yeah yeah look let's not kiss or show any signs of pda or us together in front of Ezra he's in a bad place due to his girlfriend dying and I just want to be kind you know?"
"yeah yeah I understand... now come here and let me kiss you before we go see him." I pecked his lips and basically ran for the stairs. Liam reached for my hand forgetting I pulled away as Ezra stared suspiciously.
"hi I'm Liam, nice to finally meet you Ezra."
"likewise Liam. come sit down. I'll get you a drink." ezra said
I was very scared. Liam kept staring at me and it made me feel uncomfortable because no ones looked at me like that except Ezra. he kept smirking at me I couldn't help but laugh. Liam grabbed my hand and kissed it and Ezra walked back in. he didn't see the kiss of the hand just the hand holding he just stared for a moment or two then went back to talking about the book.
EZRAS POV:
I couldn't help but think Liam was arias new boyfriend because every so often when we'd look up from my book I'd see them staring and smiling at eachother. oddly enough it hurt. after a week of seeing them flirt Liam finally left but when Aria walked him to his car outside of the brew to say goodbye I saw him pull her in for a kiss. but when she came back up to my apartment I didn't speak.
"so is that your new boyfriend?"
"Ezra..."
"no Aria it's just a yes or no question..."
"he's not my boyfriend.."
"then who is he? I saw him kiss you."
"he's my fiancée." she sighed reaching into her pocket grabbing her ring and sliding it on her finger. something over came me. I felt actual pain. I felt as if the past three months meant nothing to her. of us remembering old times and catching up.
"so when do you leave?"
"in two days I thought I'd stick around a few more days so we could hangout. this is some of the most fun I've had in awhile."
"no I think you should go tomorrow."
"Ezra why are you acting like this?"
"like what?"
"jealous... like I'm some kind of property to you."
"I don't get jealous Aria. I'm not I'm simply saying go back to Boston and be with your fiancée."
"fine I will. I'll leave in the morning. I'll um stop by on my way out tomorrow and get my computer and stuff." she slowly shut the door. I saw her face when I told her to leave. it was like a sad broken puppy dog. I wanted to just hold her but she's right she's not mine anymore.
------
"you know When I saw her again I knew it was still there but I tried denying it because I didn't know. Caleb I just don't get it anymore."
"Hannas moved on. I'm happy for her I am. but that doesn't mean I don't miss her. do you still love her?"
"she's not mine to love."
"Ezra do you.... Love her?"
"more than he ever will." I said sipping my beer.
"Ezra tell her."
"I can't... I can't keep messing up everything good in her life. "
"if you are lucky.. if you're the luckiest person in the world the person you love decides to love you back and I believe Aria possibly does too Ezra or she wouldn't stay around the extra days and tell you she's engaged an then be sad over it"
---
the next day
"hi." I smiled
"hi I'm just here getting my laptop." she grabbed it and walked to the door.
"Aria wait.."
"no Ezra." she turned towards me. she ran towards me and kissed me. it was long. the spark was still there.
"no this time I stayed for you and you told me to go so that's what I'm doing goodbye." she said pulling away looking me in the eyes. turning to leave.
"Wait just one minute please. just don't leave not yet. not for good. look if I've learned one rhing these past few months of having you around and its not that I finally smiled or laughed or even shaved for crying out loud. It's that I still can't live without you... yeah I can't. I've never been able too and after 5 years I still can't. It's like I can't breathe without you the man I am without you is not somebody I want to be anymore. I know I'm nothing but you... look at you... you've always been everything Aria. you're everything. and when I saw you in that coffee shop I still felt it. it's still there. and I love you. yeah... I've been in love with you forever. so please.. just don't go. don't marry him. stay. stay for me. when you left me and went to college I almost didn't survive. please don't leave me again. I'm in love with you so in love. and this time I'm choosing you. so please please... choose me Aria."
"Ezra.... I've waited so long for you to say that. God I'm in love with you too." she jumped in my arms dropping everything kissing me.
