Hold Me Close: An Ezria Story

Slow But Steady

Ezra's POV:

My eyes snapped open as I rested my cheek on my fist. I had to stay awake, in case Aria woke up again. I looked over at Aria's parents on the little couch. They were trying to stay awake also.

"I can... Um... Stay with her... For the morning if you two want to go home and get some sleep." I said timidly.

"That's very kind Ezra, I think we might take you up on that offer. Besides, we need to let Mike know what's going on." Ella said as she sleepily stood up. She grabbed Byron's hand and he hoisted himself up also.

"But we'll be back in a few hours." Byron said to me with a sigh as they started to walk out the door. Just then, Aria's eyes fluttered open.

I traced circles on Aria's shoulder with my index finger.

"Hey, you feel okay?" I asked her softly. Aria's parents came back into the room and stood at the end of her bed.

Aria nodded, but then she moved her hands to her face and slowly took off the oxygen mask.

"C'mon Aria, you have to keep that on..." I said worriedly as she slipped it down to her neck.

"Thank you." She whispered. I saw the tears starting to form in her eyes.

I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. I slipped the mask back over her face. I didn't know what she was thanking me for. I was the one who let this happen to her in the first place.

"Sweetie, Ezra has offered to stay with you for the morning so your dad and I can get some rest back at home and bring Mike over in a couple hours. Is that okay?" Aria's mom said.

Aria nodded. I knew she would say yes. Aria's mom walked out and down the hallway, Aria's dad shutting the door lightly behind him.

"You're friends are gonna be here in a couple hours. Your mom let them know that you're okay. They're stopping by before that benefit thing at your school." I said, trying to find a conversation topic other than the fact that she was lying in a hospital bed and couldn't talk to me.

Then a nurse came in to check her vitals and she said her breathing was a little more stable now, so they took off the oxygen mask and replaced it with something she called a cannula. It was a little tube that went in Aria's nose and wrapped around her face.

"Take it easy, okay Aria?" The nurse said in an almost sarcastic tone.

"Yeah, thanks." Aria said quietly as the nurse wrote a few things down on her clipboard and walked out.

"I love you Ezra, you know that right?" She said as she shifted so she was facing me.

I chuckled a little. "Of course I know that babe, and I love you too. A lot." I said as I started tracing circles on her shoulder again. "Although I do want to know why you thanked me, I'm the one to blame for all this..." I said quietly as I broke from her gaze.

"Ezra stop." She said abruptly. "You have not left this hospital since I got here, you've been by my side the whole time, and I'm really thankful for that. I'm thankful for you." She continued. "And it is not your fault that this happened. It not anyone's fault. Do you understand?" She said as she looked me straight in the eyes.

I sighed. Everyone kept telling me that, so why couldn't I get rid of this guilt that was overtaking me? Every time I see Aria's face and the pain in her eyes, I can't help but feel like this was all my fault.

"Yes... I understand. I'm sure the guilt will go away with time..." I said looking at the floor.

"Ezra... You shouldn't feel guilty. I can't live with myself if you go around thinking you did this to me. You didn't do this to me! Okay!?" She said with tears spilling onto her cheeks.

"Hey, c'mon Aria you have to try not to cry. The doctor said it's not good for you." I said as I wiped the tears flowing from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I know it wasn't my fault. It wasn't anyone's fault except the person that did this to you. And I promise you when I find him I will kill him." I said, anger raising in my voice.

"Don't say that Ezra." Aria whispered as her eyes grew droopy.

I climbed into the bed next to her and wrapped my arms around her. I rested my head on top of hers, careful not to hurt the back of her head where she had the stitches.

"I love you Aria." I whispered into her hair. I felt her steady breathing beneath me. She had already fallen asleep. "And I'll do anything to protect you." I finished as I drifted off into a deep sleep.