Eternal Flame

Chapter 9

Aria's POV

Knowing that we'll be late if we don't leave in the next 5 minutes, I put my phone and keys in my bag and leave the room. "Are you ready to leave?" I ask Ezra on my way downstairs.

"Yup." He says and stops dead in his tracks when he gets up from the couch and turns around, "Wow." Is all he manages to say and I can't help but blush.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." I tell him, playfully, when he keeps staring, "Let's go, I don't want to be late." I say and throw the car keys at him before opening the door and leaving the apartment.

"Right." I hear him say and soon after that, he's behind me. Being the gentlemen he is, he opens the car door for me and closes it once I'm settled and a couple minutes later we're on our way to the charity ball. "You look amazing."

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." I reply and we stay in silence for the rest of the ride, listening to whatever song is on the radio.

When Ezra and I walk into the fancy venue filled with even fancier people, I immediately feel uncomfortable and out of place and if it weren't for Sarah and the kids, I would turn around and go home. "I know you're not used to this, I'm not either even though I've been to a few of these, but you're not alone. I'm here and I'll make sure we have a great time tonight." Ezra whispers in my ear before taking my hand in his and squeezing it.

"Thank you."  I say and soon Sarah finds us and, after a while, it's time to have dinner and Jamie joins us at our table.

Once we've finished our meals, Sarah and Jamie leave to go talk with a few people they know so Ezra and I decide to dance for a while. When we arrive at the dance floor, he puts his arms on my waist and I wrap mine around his neck and we start swaying back and forth. "I've known you for ages yet you still manage to take my breath away every single day." Ezra says and once again, I can't help but blush and he laughs when I hide my face on his chest and kisses my head. "Are you having a good time?" He asks.

"It's not as bad as I thought it would be but being at home, watching an old movie on the couch with your arms around me would be ten thousand times better". I reply and he smiles, "What about you?"

"I'm fine as long as I'm with you." He says, "I missed you. I miss having you around. I know I was the one who wanted to go back to work but..."

"You know it was the best thing to do." I say, "I know what you mean... I miss you too but teaching is what you love and I know you'd missed it."

"I know..." He says and stays in silence for a while before saying, "I love you."

"I love you too." I reply and caress his cheek before kissing him.

A few minutes later, Sarah tells me it's time and my heartbeat immediately speeds up. "I need to go. You should probably go back to our table. I'll meet you there afterward." I tell him and he nods.

"Good luck. Don't think too much about it. Just say what you feel." He says and gives me a kiss on the forehead before I leave.

Not 5 minutes later, I'm about to get on stage and my heart is beating so fast that I feel like I'm about throw up. When Sarah says my name, I take a deep breath and approach her.

"Goodnight. I'm Aria Montgomery." I start and quickly spot Ezra in the crowd and he smiles at me, which somehow makes me feel better, "I started volunteering a few months ago and while that might not seem like long enough, you have no idea how much I've learnt during that time. Every single one of those children has taught me something and there hasn't been a day I left that building without a huge smile on my face. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit reluctant when I first went there but a couple of minutes were enough to realize I had no reason to worry. I quickly realized that that would be my second home and those people would be my second family." I say, "Your presence here tonight is incredibly important for everyone involved in this project, especially those children because they deserve the best and you're helping us provide it. By being here tonight, you're helping us make those children's lives better and I want to thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for helping them have better lives because they deserve it more than anyone. You're making their worlds better and in return, they'll make your worlds better with their smiles and laughs."

(...)

"Thank you for coming with me tonight." I tell Ezra when we get home after the charity ball, taking his hand in mine "I know you're not a fan of that kind of thing and it means a lot to me that you didn't hesitate to say yes when I asked you."

"Anything for you, Aria" He replies and squeezes my hand, "Plus, I'd never let you go alone looking like this." He adds and I shake my head, laughing and I'm about to reply when he pulls me closer by my wait and crashes his lips on mine. "God. I've been waiting to do this since I first saw you tonight."

"Don't stop, then." I reply and reattach my lips to his and he deepens the kiss a few seconds later. We manage to get to the bedroom and soon after that, our clothes are all over the place and everything and everyone around us is long forgotten.

A/N
Hey
Sorry I didn't update last week but it was impossible. I know I'm a bit late tonight but it's here and I really hope you liked it. Sorry nothing important happened but it's too early for what I have planned to happen.
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Love you all💛