History Always Repeats Itself

Chapter 12

"Have a good weekend guys. I'll see you on Monday," Professor Fitz said as students rose from their seats and filed towards the door, "Please don't forget that you have reading!" he called out as they exited his lecture hall, though most of them were already engrossed in their own conversations.

My decision to stop waiting for Ezra to come for me and to finally let things with Tony take their course was actually working, as long as I steered clear of Ezra under any and all circumstances. I had done a good job of avoiding him at all costs. I was never the first one into his class, nor was I the last one to leave. I made sure that there were no opportunities for him to get to me knowing very well that even a word from him would only suck me back into the hopeless, heart-wrenching black hole that was Ezra Fitz. But today was different; dangerously different. Today I had somehow managed to get pushed all the way to the back of the crowd with no one to save me from what was undoubtedly about to happen. I looked desperately around for Sam but with no luck. I pushed on the bodies in front of me, receiving dirty looks from nearly all of them, but if they understood the position I was facing they would have a different reaction. Despite my efforts to make it out of the class quickly, I was failing to escape my unavoidable downward spiral heading in my direction.

"Miss Montgomery?" his voice floated through the air softly, a sound that would have been extremely comforting and familiar had I not been trying to get over him, "Can you stay for a minute? Please?" his request sounded more desperate than it did formal. There was a certain panic or longing in his voice that sent an unnerving chill down my spine.

I looked around for some kind of excuse, but the last of the students were shuffling out of the door and in a matter of seconds I would be completely alone with my once soulmate.

"Sure," I choked out, taking one last look at the door that swung gently on its hinges as the final student walked out. I turned my attention back to Ezra, clearing my throat so my voice wouldn't come out so shaky, "What do you want?"

"Aria..." he began. He paused for a moment and took a couple steps towards me, then took one step back in hesitation as he studied my face, "I haven't seen you in a week."

"You have me for class three times a week." I mumbled, doing anything possible to keep from meeting his eyes.

His lip trembled nervously, "No, I mean you haven't talked to me. You haven't come by the apartment since that night."

"So?" I said, harsher than I intended to be.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked with genuine concern expressed on his face.

"No, no of course not," I said, shaking my head. It wasn't him it was me, I thought, laughing internally at the unbelievably true cliché.

"Then what's going on, Aria? One week we're friends hanging out at my apartment and the next your giving me the cold shoulder. And don't try to give me any of that teacher student bullshit."

Once again I felt the wall I had been trying to build crumble effortlessly at his every word. Maybe it's because I don't want to be friends. I want us to be Aria and Ezra again. I ached to say those words but I restrained myself, "Sorry, I've just been busy," I shrugged, "Schoolwork."

Ezra scoffed, "Right. Schoolwork."

"I'm in college!" I said, my voice raising in frustration, "I can't spend every waking moment of my life with you, okay?"

"Aria I wasn't-"

"I can't be here right now," I dropped my voice and shook my head slowly, "I've got something to do," I said quickly, starting to walk towards the door.