I've missed you

choose or lose

EZRAS POV:

"honestly I don't know where she is right now."

"Ezra she'll come back. you're you."

"I'm not me without her nicole." I said with a stern voice leaning back into the couch. she took my hand in hers and reassured me Aria would be back.

"maybe you're right." I whispered

"Ezra oh my god." nicole said jumping up

"you still have this?" referring to the painting on the wall that we bought in Thailand during our first trip

"I do." I sighed

"you know what you should have it." I continued

"Ezra I'm not going to lie. I miss this. I miss us..." she sighed

"nicole please-" she cut me off

"no Ezra listen I've seen you like this twice now over the same girl. you're so in love with her it consumes you. you were never like that with me. she's your every waking thought. every breathe you take. look around this used to be our place and look how different it is. You never wanted me to change it but look how much has changed. remember when we first left? all you did was talk about her. you used to talk about how it would feel if she moved on... do you remember what you used to tell me?"

I shook my head because I didn't remember

"I don't want anyone to know her the way I do. she's my girl. she's my person. this is honestly the worst pain I've ever felt, leaving her. you didn't want anyone realizing how damn clumsy she was always spilling her water. You used to talk about the way her nose crinkles up when she she's something like surprises her or the light in her eyes when she talks about something she loves I remember it because I heard it at least 12 times and I knew you were so deeply I love with her and then I fell in love with you. I love you, but you love her."

"nicole I love you too." I said standing up. she wrapped her hands around my neck.

"come back to me." she whispered leaning in towards my lips

"I can't." I said turning away

"but you can." she said pulling my face back to be facing her inches away

"I can't because I love someone so much it consumes me like you said. I'm not looking for anything more than what I already have. nicole I love you just like I said not in that way anymore." she pulled my head down to lean it against hers

"go... go get her and bring her home. You need to choose Ezra are you're going to lose her."

she let me go and grabbed her things leaving. I turned the other way to be seeing Aria standing in front of me.

"so I'm clumsy?" she said smirking at me laughing taking a step down the stair

"I only recall spilling my water what 2-3 times?" she said walking through the my living room.

"you thought about me before you left? Ezra I did too during those five years I thought about the way I would find you again and my job it was it. I took it on purpose. look I know the whole nicole thing didn't mean anything. I was here the whole time I watched you shoot her down. Ezra I didn't mean what I said. you've always been my home. you're where I feel safe. I can live without you... but I just don't ever want too. nothing has made sense to me lately... I couldn't sleep. I woke up a lot screaming and crying. but you're the one thing that's always made sense. I just needed you to hear that before I go."

"Aria you know I should've called. wait where are going? what do you mean before you go?" I asked

"yeah but you didn't..." She said smiling at me moving the picture of her from my desk

"I want us to work... but I broke you."

"Ezra stop saying you broke me. quit saying you broke my heart because sometimes more than just your heart breaks.. Your mind does too sometimes. but I do what is to work too Ezra, but I have to go."

"where are you going?"

"to Boston.."

"no Liam's there."

"Ezra..."

"no, I'm not losing you to him. no. I refuse to let you go. I get it you're mad at me. I get it and I'll let you be mad at me but there's no other place you should be other than right here in my arms with me. right here at home with me that's where you need to be. Aria there's no one else. it's always been you. It's you Aria. you are what I want forever. it was always you."