Ezra Fitz: Not Your Normal English Teacher

"Who can summarize last night reading assignment?" Mr. Fitz asked one normal morning in English class.

Of course Spencer raises her hand. And of course she's the only one.

"Anyone else?" Mr. Fitz asked. Everyone else looked dead except for Aria but she wasn't interested in answering the question. In fact she wasn't interested in anything Mr. Ezra Fitz had to say. She didn't even want to live in this town anymore. Or this state. Or this country. Or this world. Any place where she could possibly see him, she didn't want to be there. She was filled with anger and sorrow. It all had to do with what happened last night.

----------------FLASHBACK TO THE NIGHT BEFORE----------------

Aria was reading the assigned chapters for English. She rarely did this. Her teacher was her boyfriend. She could get out of answering any questions during class. Maybe she was just feeling alone. Ezra was busy tonight. Some sort of faculty meeting. These were the worst nights. Knowing she couldn't see him even if she wanted to.

Just then her phone buzzed.

"It can't be -A" she thought "What could he/she have against me right now?"

To her surprise it was Ezra.

Come over. -Ezra Was all it said.

Odd.

On my way -Aria Was what I sent him.

"Dad I'm headed out!" I yelled as I exited the house or tried to at least.

"Where do you think your going?" My dad asked as he came and blocked my way to the front door.

"To Hanna's?" It sounded like more of a question.

"To do what? It's a school night."

"To study. Mr. Fitz gave us a HUGE reading assignment for tomorrow and let's just say Hanna isn't the most gifted reader so she was hoping we could read together."

"Fine, but be back by 10."

"Thanks Dad!" Aria exclaimed as she ran out the door before her dad could ask any more questions.

Aria jumped in her car and drove to Ezra's apartment. She knocked on the door to apartment 3B. He opened the door immediately.

"Hey," Aria spoke. " I thought you were at a faculty meeting."

"I was."

"Well isn't it still going on? My mom hasn't come home yet."

"Yeah it is. She's still there."

"Why'd you leave? I mean don't get me wrong I'm glad I get to see you but..." Ezra just stood there. " Ezra...is there something wrong?"

"I'm sorry Aria, I just can't do this anymore."

"What? You're breaking up with me?!"

"I just can't stand the guilt."

"The guilt of what Ezra?"

He started pacing the apartment, trying to decide whether or not to tell her.

"Ezra, I need to know what you're talking about!"

He finally sat down on the couch. "Aria, you weren't the first one."

"Yeah you told me about Jackie, remember?" Aria said hoping it would end right there and they'd get back together.

"Right, well Jackie wasn't the first one either. Well I mean I guess she kind of was but we were on and off and once when we were off there was someone else. Oh you're gonna hate me for this. You know what just forget it. You can leave. No wait, you should know. But I am warning you, you're not going to like this. And if you tell someone, I might not ever see you again. That would break my heart. But I just can't stand the guilt. Looking at you each day. Living in this town. I just won't be able to do it any longer. I just can't. The guilt it's just-" Ezra rambled on.

"Ezra! Tell me what this is about!"

"When I was in college, I had a student-teaching job. It was for the junior high here in Rosewood. I really didn't have much contact with the high school. That was because of one girl. No, I can't do this. I can't go on. You're going to hate me. No."

"Yes Ezra, you need too. I can't be that bad."

"Yes it can Aria! You just don't understand what I'm living with! I can't do it!"

"If you want this relationship to go on you have to tell me. If you don't it's over."

"Ok..." Ezra said a little hesitant. "You will hate me though. When I was here in Rosewood the first time, I met a girl. She was younger, but stunning. I thought I loved her. Now that I looked back it wasn't true. Nowhere near what we had when we first met. Oh geez. You're gonna hate this. Her name was Alison. Alison DiLaurentis. Your best friend Alison." Ezra stopped waiting to be attacked or something. When Aria just sat there with her mouth agape, he continued. "I knew she was young. I thought we had something. We were together for a while. It got nowhere."

"You dated my best friend and never told me?" Aria asked weakly. She felt sad, used even. She felt like they didn't have a real relationship anymore. He failed to tell her about Ali and she felt betrayed.

Ezra just looked down. He felt sorrow. Why hadn't he told her? He felt so stupid. Alison was at least two years younger than Aria is now. Why had he fell for her? Ezra was beating himself up for dating Alison, whereas Aria was mad that he didn't tell her.

"Do you-do you know who killed her?" Aria asked afraid for the answer.

"Yes," Ezra finally said.

"Who?"

"I-I-I can't tell you Aria. I'm sorry I just can't."

"Ezra! Me and my friends have been living in agony for the past what, year and a half? You have our ticket out, but you won't tell me who killed her?!"

"Aria you don't understand, if I tell you this person will get in a lot of trouble. I couldn't do that to him."

'Ezra Fitz! Tell me who killed my best friend!"

"You wont be able to live with it! It will put you in more pain than you already are in!"

"You know what Ezra? You're right I can't live with anymore pain. My best friend died, my boyfriend dated her and didn't tell me, and now he knows who the killer is but refuses to say! Way to much drama! I'm out!" And with that, she ran out of his apartment leaving him only with his thoughts of guilt.

Aria started driving. Driving aimlessly. Not caring where she went. She just needed to get away. Away from the betrayer she used to call her boyfriend. And English teacher. There was no way she was going to walk into English the next day and say, "Good morning Mr. Fitz!" like nothing had happened. No way!

She pulled into an abandoned parking lot. And not too long after her another car pulled on. "Oh great! He followed me here!" she said to herself. But then she realized it wasn't Ezra's car. The car pulled up next to the passenger's side's window and someone got out. The figure walked over and opened the door to Aria's car. Just as Aria was about to get out of the car and run away, she realized something. "Mom?!?!?" she exclaimed.

"Hello sweetheart! I saw you driving in the opposite direction of our house when I was coming back from the faculty meeting and decided to follow you," Ella Montgomery responded.

Aria freaked out thinking that her mother had seen her go into Ezra's apartment. Not that she cared. Her and Ezra were through.

"Why were you driving?" her mom asked.

"Just need to get away."

"Your father have you frustrated again?" Ella asked.

Good. She didn't see me go to Ezra's, she thought. "Sure, let's go with that."

"What happened?"

"Nothing." she lied. "I overreacted. Let's just go home."