Never Ending Love (Ezria)

Summer: Part 1

Hand in hand, they walked down the long beach, with the sun beaming down onto their tanned shoulders. The chilly ocean felt cool on their feet, as it splashed slightly up towards them each time they took a step. The horizon was crystal clear on this June day, and nothing could be better than this. This was the start of summer, the start of their life together, and most importantly, the new beginning of them.

The best part of summer was the connection between each other, for Aria and Ezra. No longer did they have to see each other in Ezra's small apartment, and watch movies.  Now, they could do things that they liked to do with the confidence of being out together. They were holding hands on the beach right now and didn't care who was watching. Besides, the beaches of Pennsylvania are few and far between, so anyone could be here.

They walk they were taking represented them being in the public eye. Sure, they've been out to dinner, but that's a little but different then holding hands on a crowded beach. What's more romantic than that?

"Ezra," Aria said, "Can just go back now? To our chairs, I mean." It was getting hotter as the seconds went on and the petite girl could feel her skin burning.

Ezra turned around as soon as she said that, being the reliable man he was. "You need more sun block," he stated protectively. Aria nodded her head, to tell him that she knew, and they made their way back to all of their stuff.

Yes, people stared at them. How couldn't they? It was a teacher and a student on a romantic walk. Their eyes were like fireworks, and if they stared enough, Aria would explode. It wasn't the thoughts that they were most likely having; it was they staring that annoyed her. Nonetheless, Ezra took her hand and brought her forward, just to help the slim chance of her not seeing this group.

When the couple finally approached the two chairs, one with zebra-print and one plain navy blue, each of them sat down underneath the turquoise umbrella. Aria had a sip of her iced tea, as Ezra got up with the sun block and began smearing it among his girlfriend's back and shoulders. Aria flinched at the coldness, but relaxed once she knew that it was just Ezra being Ezra.

"So Ezra Fitz, how does it feel to be out today," Aria asked knowing what the general answer would probably be.

Ezra sighed before finding the correct words to answer with. "It feels like I love you the same amount as always, but now I'm allowed to." Aria smiled at his mutually truthful response. His way with words astonished her at times.

Aria got up and walked towards Ezra's chair, where he was sitting. She leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on the cheek and walked back, silently smiling to herself. Little did she know, Ezra was doing the same exact thing at that very moment. They loved each other, and everyone knowing this information was on a certain level of not only freedom, but relief.

As the sunlight began to dim, Aria and Ezra decided to call it a day. They stood up, and as they did this, something caught Aria's eye. She looked at Ezra's stomach, uncovered, and it revealed the scar.

Aria sighed, looking at the atrocious thing that Ezra had to see everyday. Whenever he got dressed in the morning, something so simple, he had to see it. He had to see the physical and emotional pain and exhaustion that he was forced to go through by himself. Aria knew in her gut that this wasn't at all her fault: it was his choice to follow her and her friends. Even so, if he had never met her, or felt that he was obligated to make something up to her, he would never have been lying on that hospital bed, so close to losing is own life. The white mark on his stomach represented so many things, and sometimes it was overwhelming to people. People like Aria, Hanna, Alison, Emily, Spencer, and all of their families. Ezra Fitz saved lives, and everyone knew it.