"You know that we can't do this, Ezra" I said a bit sadly.
"I know but I want to be with you Aria. I love you."
"Hey, don't do this. Please. I love you too but I can't get you in trouble again."
He slipped his arm around my waist. I could smell his cologne.
"Ezra," I said in a bit of a daze, "can't we just wait until I graduate in a few months?"
I took a small step back loosening his grip on my hips.
"Aria, I don't want to wait. I can't wait. We have done this before, how hard can it be?"
He stroked my check, brushing a stand of hair behind my ear.
"I want to be with you too, but I don't want to risk your job for this relationship. I mean we haven't been as strong as we used to be with Maggie and Malcolm now in the picture."
Ezra shifted uncomfortably at the mention of their names.
" I know, I know. I was just hoping that we could use this time to bond. We could watch an old movie and I could reheat leftovers? Come on, it'd be just like old times!"
He said this with
such excitement I didn't want to break his heart.
"It's a very tempting offer, believe me it is, but I just can't. I have been counting down the days until I graduate and there's only three and a half months left. I think that we can wait just a little while longer. Don't you think?"
He looked down at his feet.
"What's all this about? A month ago you were the one calling me asking to meet up for coffee. What happen to that Aria?" he demanded.
"Nothing, I just don't want..."
"You don't want to what? Is this about this new Jake kid? Do you have feelings for him?"
"No, Ezra, I don't. I honestly can't believe that after all the planning and waiting we have done in the past few months that you actually think that I would willingly through that all away!" I took a step back and reached for my purse.
"I'm sorry, it's just I see the way he looks at you. I know that your intentions are pure, but I just can't help thinking about what could happen if you wanted different things."
"But I don't want different things! I want to be with you, I promise. I just want to wait until after I graduate so this isn't illegal and we can be together without having to sneak around."
He pulled me close, despite my efforts to gain my distance. Being in Ezra's arm is so calming. It's moments like this where I don't want to wait.
"Please, can we just wait until June?" I asked softly.
I felt his lips touch mine. His kiss was soft and warm, but I had to pull away to avoid things from escalating.
"Of course, we can wait." He
said a little disappointedly.
"See that wasn't so hard!" I joked.
I walked to the door of his apartment.
"I love you, Aria." I smiled at him thinking how lucky I was to have a guy like Ezra in my life.
"I love you too."
