Not over you

Chapter 12

A few weeks later

Aria's POV

Rosewood. I never felt like I truly fitted in here. Not until I met him. I only ever felt at home here with him, his strong, safe arms wrapped around me. I don't have that anymore. I never will. Especially after he said those horrible things to me. They still reply on my mind every day. Did I ruin his life? Does he ever want to see me again?

Even though I've been here for a few weeks now, all the memories still haunt me every day. When I look at the church and the window of the stairwell we kissed at when we met. When I walk on the street he once picked me in the rain. When I walk through the bar where we met. When I see the building where he once lived in... where we spent so many days watching old movies and eating Chinese takeout or just cuddling on the couch. When I see the Brew and the apartment we once shared... where he proposed to me, where we conceived our daughters, where we planned our wedding...the place where, after 5 years apart, we found our way back to each other. I don't regret coming back at all. I am really glad I did. The girls have been really happy with all their new aunties and their grandparents.

When I told Byron, I was waiting for him to hate me, but he actually took the news very well. He was really happy that I was back. I had never seen him so happy because of me. He, as well as my mother, hates Ezra's guts, which I can't say I don't understand... I wish I could hate him too.

Byron loves his granddaughters a lot. He has asked to look for them a lot of times, and they love him too. To be honest, I never thought he would love them that much, but he does and I love it. We have spent a lot of time together, and we have bounded. When I told him about my relationship with Ezra, all those years ago, something between us broke, and until now we never got it back. But now we do, and we talk a lot about everything and anything, and I finally feel like I got the relationship we once had back.

Mara and Ethan have been there for a while. They had missed us, even though we had only left a few days before. They took a few weeks off of work and decided to spend them here with us. I know how they love the girls, and I'm really glad they decided to because I missed them too. They helped me through the roughest days of my life and they are the only ones that really know what I went through. They, as well as my little girls, saved my life.

I am with Ethan at the Brew right now. Mara wanted to stay with the girls at home while we went for a walk and grocery shopping. We stopped here to drink some coffee and talk.

"So, do you know when your next book will be published?"

"Soon. I don't know exactly when, though. I'll probably have to go to LA to talk with them. I think it's easier to do it in person, and I miss the city."

"Yeah... we missed you there too. It's not the same anymore." He says, sad.

"I missed you 2 too. Everyday. But we really had to come. And seeing the girls so happy makes me feel happy too. And as much as I would prefer to have everyone together anywhere but here, I know it's not possible..."

"I understand.." he said rubbing my hand. "Do you still think about him?"

"Everyday... I mean, just looking at Daisy's eyes makes me remember his, and then being here... with all the memories... it isn't easy. I've tried to keep it inside, not to show how it really affects me, especially to my family and friends, but some days I just want to stay in bed and sleep...try to forget everything... not to feel anything." I say, and he looks at me, concerned. Knowing all I went through, he really worries about me.

"You know, if you need to talk you can always call us. Any time of the day. I don't want you to keep your feelings bottled up. We both know it's not good for you..." he starts. "I know you hate talking about this... but last time, we know what happened when you did that."