Ezra Fitz: Not Your Normal English Teacher

Romeo and Juliet

--------------FLASHFORWARD TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY---------------

"Thank you, Spencer, for that um very...insightful commentary on why Romeo is a...jerk. Any other comments on yesterday's Romeo and Juliet reading assignment?" Mr. Fitz asked. He was cut off by the bell. "Saved by the bell," he mumbled under his breath. "Don't forget to read Act IV for Monday!"

The students filed out of his room swiftly. "Ms. Montgomery, I need to speak to you about your essay," Mr. Fitz spoke as Aria was leaving the classroom.

"You know I really have to get to my next class," she stated.

"It's important."

Aria could have easily just walked out of that room and never came back to deal with him, but something inside her made her stay and listen to what he had to say. "You have one minute," she said.

"Look, I know that you are extremely mad at me and you have every right to be, but think of this from my perspective. I love you so much. I don't want to hurt you."

Aria tried to butt in but Ezra doesn't let her.

"If I could tell you who killed Alison, I would, but it isn't safe. Not for you, not for me. The person would be faced with a penalty that isn't fitting for the crime. I can't do that to him. I wish it could all go away. I really do. And as for me dating Alison, it was a mistake. A mistake that I will regret for my entire life. I was stupid. I was young. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. It wasn't anything near the relationship we have. We have something that I have never seen before. You are perfect for me. We are perfect for each other. I hope you see how lucky I am just to have you. Alison was a jerk. I think we both know that now. You may not forgive me, but I am begging you Aria, please do! I love you!"

There was a moment of silence between them. They were both on the verge of tears. "Your minute is up," Aria said. And with that, she walked out the door, leaving Ezra by himself.

-----------Aria's POV------------

At this point, Aria didn't know what to think or believe. She loved Ezra, but how could he do this to him? She just wanted to get away from this school so she wouldn't have to see him. But Aria and Hanna were planning to go shopping after school. She couldn't blow Hanna off again. Well she could, but she really shouldn't. She would just have to tough it out one more hour until school was over. At least she had art class. The one class that she loved (along with English, but that has turned been turned around.)

---Later after art class---

"Hey, Han! You ready to go?"

"Yeah sure. Hey, do know what's up with Fitz?"

"What do you mean?" Aria inquired.

"He blew up today in class and went on this huge Romeo and Juliet rant."

---Earlier--------Ezra's POV-----------

After Aria left, all Ezra felt like doing was crying. He couldn't blame Aria for feeling that way. He wished he could walk away from himself too. He was starting to understand just how much difficulty Aria has had over the past few years.

But Mr. Fitz couldn't walk away and go drown himself in tears in his apartment. He had a class to teach. And teach he did.

His next class came in and sat down. The bell rang, but Mr. Fitz didn't do anything. He was just sitting in his desk chair. After a little less than a minute of silence (the class had died down, wondering what Mr. Fitz was doing,) he got up, walked to the board, and wrote "Reading Between the Lines."

"Someone explain what that means," Mr. Fitz spoke.

Everyone sat there looking at him. No one wanted to say anything. Finally Emily spoke up. "It's like when you are reading something and you have to look beyond the words on the page and try to figure out what the author is really thinking."

"Good," Mr. Fitz said. "We will be travelling back to the late 1500s and getting into Shakespeare's head. As Emily said, figuring out what he was really thinking. Let's start with Romeo. What do you think Romeo was really like? What do you think he did that Shakespeare didn't write about?"

The class was silent. Nobody wanted to participate. No one cared about Shakespeare.

"Anyone?" Mr. Fitz asked.

Still, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Noel, give us your opinion."

Noel Kahn was struck for a moment. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't tarnish his "I'm cool and I know it" popularity. "Uh..I think he is...a..........little cry baby!" The class burst into laughter. He had saved himself and reassured all his "friends" that he was the marvellous and oh so hilarious jock. Someone sitting next to him turned and gave him a high five.

"Justify yourself," Mr. Fitz commanded.

Noel froze again, not expecting to have to continue his thought. The class quieted down to see what else the class clown was going to say. Noel thought for a second to compose his theory. "Well, whenever things didn't go Romeo's way, he just sat and cried about it. That Rosaline chick dumped him and he balled his eyes out. I mean if I was into a girl that much, I would have gone to fight for her!" Some more cheering and high-fiving came from the class.

"Anyone care to add to Noel's statement?" Mr Fitz asked.

"Yeah," Hanna said, although she didn't like agreeing with Noel. "Like the same thing happened with Juliet. And when he got banished. He just sat in that priest guy's cellar feeling sorry for himself. And like he should have been a man for Juliet's sake. I mean she is what like 13 and what kind of example is that setting. She does not need a man like that in her life. She should have just left him right there."

"Don't you think Juliet is as fault at all?" Mr. Fitz inquired.

"That poor little girl got pulled into Romeo's trap. She was only 13. I bet he made her fall in love with him and forced her into it," Hanna replied.

"You know a lot about that, don't you Mr. Fitz?" Noel poked.

Ezra's eyes widened. "Mr. Kahn, I need to speak with you in the hallway. Now."

Ezra walked and opened the door as Noel got up and made his way up the aisle getting more laugh, "ooooooh"s, and high fives. After Noel stepped into the hallway, Ezra shut the door.

Ezra pushed Noel into a set of locker. "Do you think you can something like that to me in my class?"

"Come on Mr. Fitz! Or should I call you Ezra?"

"Don't mess with me!" Ezra shouted.

"You better quiet down or someone will hear you. Don't think for a second that I wouldn't rat you out!"

Ezra pushed Noel into the lockers once more. "This isn't over! And don't think that you have the control over me!"

"Ezra, I'm in the driver's seat!"

Ezra walked over to the door to his classroom, opened it, and stepped inside. Noel came moseying in after him.

Mr. Fitz addressed the class once again, "Alright, now what I want to get at is not just Romeo's side of the story, but Juliet's too. All of you think that Romeo is the bad guy, but what about Juliet? Is she really as innocent as you all think. When she found out he was a Montague, she new exactly how much trouble she was getting herself into, and yet, she falls for him anyways. Don't you think that is a little immature? And Juliet was constantly going behind people's backs and lying. Even to her own parents! I think Juliet is more at fault than Romeo!"

Mr. Fitz couldn't let anyone respond because just then, the bell rang. "Read Act IV for Monday." he said, as students rushed out to get their weekends started. "Oh, Mr. Kahn! I almost forgot!" he said, as he hands Noel a sheet of paper. It was a detention slip and on it was written, "Who's driving the bus now?"