History Always Repeats Itself

Chapter 4

The rest of class went by agonizingly slow, but eventually the clock read 11 and it was over. The room was filled with 'thank you' and 'see you later, Professor Fitz' but I kept my mouth shut and my field of vision towards the door, wanting more than anything to be out of that class.

Sam was pushing me from behind, "Aria, could you walk any slower?"

"There are like 20 people in front of me."

"So?" she said, still pushing me.

"Sam, I think Blake can wait ten seconds before he sees you."

"Aria, it's our anniversary."

"Yeah okay..."

"You wouldn't understand."

"What's that supposed to mean? Tony and I are fine..."

The crowd finally cleared and I could see Blake waiting outside. He waved to Sam and she smiled back at him,

"Oh please... That boy worships the ground you walk on. Tony is perfect, Aria. I don't understand why you aren't head over heels for him. It's like there's something in the way of your emotions that's stopping you from caring-"

"Miss Montgomery? Can I see you for a moment?"

I stopped and looked around, trying to find someplace to hide, but Sam and I were the last two students in the room. I turned around, and so did Sam. There it was again, the frozen feeling. I wasn't very fond of feeling like I couldn't breathe but that seemed to be happening a lot lately.

"Umm..." I was trying to find something to say but I had nothing. Hey, there's another thing I've been feeling too much of these past few days... speechlessness.

"It will only take a minute, Ari- ...Miss Montgomery."

"I should really be going..." I said and started walking again.

"Please, it's important."

I sighed and reversed my steps, "Yeah sure, I guess," I looked to Sam, "I'll see you back at the dorm."

"Okay, catch you later," she started walking out the door and then quickly turned and whispered in my ear, "You lucky girl..." she pulled away, winked, and ran out to meet Blake before I could say anything.

"Aria..." he said as soon as the door closed behind Sam. Ezra was looking at me, stepping closer but still keeping a safe distance between us.

"Ezra," I was in no mood to play games, "What do you want from me?"

"Aria it's not like that..."

"Why are you here?! What the hell could you want with me now?"

"Aria, I didn't even know you would be here... You said you were wait-listed..."

"Yeah but you see, sometimes people get off of the wait-list. I was on my way to tell you, but that conversation didn't exactly happen, did it?"

"Let me explain, I-"

"Explain what, Ezra? What could you possibly tell me that would make any difference?"

"Aria, please... Hear me out. I know I don't deserve it, but please. I'm sorry for what happened, I'm so-"

"No! You can't just say that you're sorry and make everything okay again. I'm not the pathetic, desperate victim that I was in high school. Nothing will ever change what you did. You betrayed me. You lied to me for two years... I don't think I can ever forgive you, Ezra."

"But that's not true, Aria. It was all real, everything we had."

"And I'm supposed to believe you?"

"I was trying to protect you!"

"I would use a different word. Maybe try, terrorize."

"No you're not listening to me-"

"Oh so you want me to listen? What so you can just lie to me some more?" I was more than done with him and I stormed towards the door, "I'm not as stupid as I used to be, Ezra."

"I was blackmailed!" Ezra shouted just as my hand reached out for the handle. I pulled it back and he stepped closer, "They threatened me... They told me if I didn't join them..."

I spun around to face him, "What. What did they tell you?"

"They said that they would hurt you, Aria."

"Hurt me? I'm pretty sure that's what they had been doing for the past two years of my life."

"No, you don't understand. It's more than that. What happened on halloween... It was a warning."

"A warning for what?"

"Aria you almost died! You almost got tossed out of a moving train because of me," Ezra took a few steps closer, "What was I supposed to do? I wasn't going to sit there and get you killed. They gave me choice, and it was either I join the team, or I lose you. Forever."

"Well, you lost me anyways."

"At least you're not dead!"

"How can I know you're telling the truth. How can I ever trust you?"

"Aria, please. I'm begging you. You have to believe me. I would never do anything to try and hurt you... I love you."

"Don't."

He was only a few feet away from me now, and I was trapped against the door. "I love you, I have always loved you," He said, continuing to move forward until there was barely a foot of space between us, "I looked for you, Aria. After what happened I tried to reach you but you were long gone by then. You never gave me a chance to explain, but I'm telling you now. Please, you need to believe me."

"I-I don't know what to believe," I adjusted the backpack on my shoulder, "But I have to go meet up with someone. Tony, my boyfriend."

"Well-"

"Don't, okay? He's actually really nice, and smart, and athletic, and outgoing, and-"

"Aria... You don't need to explain yourself," This was junior year all over again, "You're entitled to be with whoever you want to. I just want you to be happy. That's what matters most to me, you know that," He paused for a moment and then looked over to his desk, "Then I guess I'll see you in class?"

"Yeah..." I opened the door and slipped out, pulling it shut behind me. "Yeah," I said to myself, "See you in class..."