"Ezra" Aria said into the phone after she heard him pick up on the other end.
"Aria" He replies.
"I need you, I really need you" She says, trying to hold back the tears.
"Why Aria, what's wrong?" Ezra questions.
He couldn't remember when the last time he'd talked to Aria.
"I need your help. I'll text you the address. Please come alone" She talks slow as if she was trying to make sure every word that she said was perfect.
"Okay" He replies.
"And Ezra" Aria starts.
"Yes Aria"
"Bring something to protect yourself"
The call ended and Ezra's phone dings revealing the address. He opens his bag and shoves the item he never thought he'd use into it. He had bought it such a long time ago. It was hidden in his drawer ever since. He leaves his apartment, skipping two steps at a time. He didn't know why he was scrambling around, helping Aria. But at the same time, he knew why. He slammed his car door, throwing the bag into the passenger seat. The GPS showed him the way. It wasn't very far from the apartment, just a few miles from the outskirts of town. When he turned on a narrow dirt road, he was sure he was going to wrong way but then a small house came into view. He pulled into the grass and retrieved his bag. He crept up to the front door, shining his flashlight to try to find the doorknob. The doorknob was missing and the door opened with ease when Ezra put his weight on it.
"Aria" He calls out.
Suddenly, a hand slaps over his hand and Ezra reaches into his bag.
"Ezra, it's just me" Ezra clutches the item in his hand but drops it back into the bag at the sound of her soothing voice. "You have to be quiet or you'll wake him"
"Wake who?" Ezra questions, following Aria to a small room at the end of the hallway.
Aria closes the door behind him and walks across the room, without turning on the lights. She bends down and picks something up that Ezra is unable to see.
"Shh" Aria cooes, but something tells Ezra she isn't talking to him.
She walks back over to Ezra, taking the flashlight out of his hand that he had totally forgotten he was holding and shining it into his face.
"I know you'll be mad but..." She gives him the flashlight to shine on her.
"A baby?" Ezra questions. "You had a baby?"
Ezra looks astonished at the baby in her arms.
"I said to be quiet!" Aria demands as she bounces. "Hello my sweet girl, shhh"
"Aria why wouldn't you tell me?!" Ezra harshly whispers.
"I can't explain right now. I need you to help me out the window" She places the baby back into the crib and slides the window open.
"Aria I'm not helping you do anything unless you explain" Ezra walks over and closes the window.
"Seriously Ezra. I can't explain right now" She curls up on the floor and cries into her knees.
"Aria I want to help you but I also want to know what's going on" He leans down to her eye level. "When did you have a baby? Why are you living in the middle of the woods? Who is the "he" you're worried about waking?"
"My boyfriend or my so called boyfriend is in the other room" Aria explains "he's passed out"
She makes a drinking motion with her hands.
"Aria what did he do to you?" Ezra asks.
"He..he... threatens to beat Daisy all the time. When he's drunk, he'll throw me across the room and when he's sober he'll do the same thing. I can't leave, I can't sleep, I can't do anything without fearing the worse"
"Wait who's Daisy?" He asks
"Our daughter"
"Our daughter?" Ezra chokes out and Aria nods.
"Ariaaaa" Someone screams and Aria jumps.
She grabs Daisy out of her crib and makes her way to the window.
"You can't jump. It's too far. He'll be here before you make it out the window" Ezra says, running to the closet. "Hide in here"
He moves boxes and clothes around, helping Aria inside before closing the door behind him.
Ezra could hear Aria's heavy breath as Daisy sat in her lap.
"Aria get out here!" The same voice calls.
Ezra hears the door slam open and hit the wall.
"Where are you?!"
Tears trim Aria's eyes as she covers her mouth with her hand.
"Get out here!"
The man swings open the closet door to find Aria and Ezra and a crying Daisy.
"Liam stop!" Aria shouts, trying to close the door.
"Oh I see you're here with another man"
Liam grabs Aria's arm and pulls her onto her feet. Aria clutches onto Daisy for dear life, trying to look back at Ezra who was lunging for Aria.
"Get away from her!" Ezra shouts, unzipping his bag and holding up the object.
"Back away"
Ezra stands up and Aria moves out of the way.
Liam holds his arms in the air.
"I don't want any trouble man" Liam says.
"Then you shouldn't have done anything to Aria. How can you live with yourself? She's a real human being. A beautiful, amazing, loving, perfect human being. Of course, you wouldn't know that part of Aria because you decide to treat her like you do. Now you have five seconds to leave this house, then you have ten seconds to find your way out of town and you better stay gone or I swear I will pull the trigger on you next time"
Liam looks shocked but doesn't move.
"Did you hear me!?" Ezra shouts and Liam runs for the door, not looking back.
Aria runs to Ezra and he drops the gun onto the ground, wrapping his arms around Aria and Daisy.
It's weird how fate can bring two people back together. And that's exactly what happened with Ezra and Aria.
