ezria::forget me not

10

Forget Me Not

Chapter Ten

"A goal without a plan is just a wish."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Aria

I picked up the Mexican food on my way home from the bar, pushing away the sad feelings I got from Ezra leaving so suddenly. But I had a full-proof plan. This was going to work and Alison would never find out. Everyone would be happy, and maybe, just maybe, Ezra would come into the light.

I opened the door to the two-bedroom apartment Spencer, Hardy, and I shared. Riley didn't live with us, not yet, and hopefully not ever...I only wanted to be with one person in all honesty. My phone dinged just as I set down the food and I beamed at the message.

Ezra's at the apartment. We're on our way home.

I responded to Hardy's message with a simple 'ok' and set my phone down, putting the food in the warming drawer to keep hot. I then moved into my bedroom to change my clothes - they smelled strongly of the revolting scents from Snooker's.

As I was just finishing setting the table, the front door opened and in walked Hardy and Spencer.

"Hey guys! Just in time, too!" They looked at me foreignly, as if I was a stranger.

"Why-what put you in such a good mood?" Spencer asked carefully, smiling gently.

"I have the perfect plan. You guys are gonna love it! Really!" I took the food out and dished it onto everyone's plate.

"What is it?" Hardy spoke as he sat down, motioning Spencer to sit too. "This 'perfect plan' of yours?"

I finished serving the food and sat down to eat. I took a bite of the fried rice before jumping into the details.

"Okay, so we all know that Alison wants to keep Ezra in the dark. She threatened all of us about what she would do if we told him about the past."

"Go on," Spencer pursed her lips.

"Well, what if we just help him remember?"

"What do you mean, Aria? I'm not following..." Hardy looked at me, eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes! It's perfect! And you've already helped me! The apartment! He will see things, maybe they'll trigger memories! I know for a fact something weird happened at the bar today! He stared off into space with this look of adoration on his face - and I know he wasn't thinking of Alison because they're fighting right now. Guys...this could work!"

They just looked at me.

"Well say something!" I exclaimed, becoming irritated with them.

"I-yah, I guess it could work, possibly." Spencer shrugged, looking to Hardy for agreement.

"Yah. Definitely. We'll help you." I smiled at both of them.

So we ate and talked and for a moment, everything felt like old times. Just for a moment.

Alison

"I'm so serious right now, Jason. I swear to God, if you don't find him..." I trailed off as I hissed into the phone to my older and dumber brother.

"Ali, cool it. I followed him here, it won't be long before I find him. Have you forgotten how small Rosewood is?"

"Just find him, okay?" I snapped, hanging up on him. It was already ten at night and it had been three days since Ezra left. It made me angry, but sad too. Sad for Marley, sad for myself.