Forbidden love

Chapter One

Aria POV:

I sat curled up in the armchair beside the window, condensation dripping down the panes from the harsh rain pounding at them. I shivered as a chill ran down my spine, my teeth were chattering and I had multiple layers of goose-bumps, but I wasn't complaining. I loved being here.

Rain is supposed to be miserable, it's supposed to make everything seem a little less happy and a little darker. But it makes me want to forget about everything for a while – I was always grateful for the escape. I wrap the blanket tighter around me and watch as the droplets race down the window panes, it felt pathetic but it was sort of therapeutic.

I flinch as the apartment door opens, but I'm instantly calmed when I see him. Ezra.

His dark brown hair stuck to his forehead by the rain; beads of water flowing off his coat and closed umbrella into a small puddle on the doormat. Every time I look at him, even catch a small glimpse at him, I know I had lady luck on my side when he walked into my life.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to stop by the store." He says, struggling with two paper bags of shopping and forcing a smile through his apparent pain.

"I was worried about you," I admit as I jump up off the armchair to help him with the heavy bags. With A having taunted us for years, it's difficult to get the frightening image out my head that something awful will happen to him whenever we're apart.

He removes his jacket and lets it dry in the bathroom – a much more convenient option in my opinion. I grab the burgundy blanket I was curled up in, from the armchair and sit with it on his couch, holding my arm out, gesturing for him to come and sit with me. He places a kiss on my forehead and takes me in his arms. I fall asleep to him stroking his fingers through my tangled and dampened hair, and to the low sound of the black and white movie on TV currently – Ezra and I are suckers for anything vintage, movies included.

Giving into my fatigue felt good, but the guilt when I woke up hit me like a tonne of bricks. I don't know how long I've been asleep for, but when I wake I can hear the cars outside rushing past through puddles of rainwater. The busyness suggests that it's morning and all the nameless, faceless individuals in their noisy vehicles are probably heading out to work or on days out since it's Saturday.

The sound of the shower running diverts my attention and the aroma of breakfast makes my stomach growl and my mouth water. I inhale the scent of cologne on Ezra's blanket as I feel another wave of tiredness wash over me. I feel safe, here in his apartment. I've never had a safe place to land before. However, I ruin the almost perfect moment by glancing at my phone which reads 09:15 am. Not only am I later waking up than normal but I spent the night here...oh my god. How could I be so careless?

My phone chimes, indicating I've received a text; I'm terrified to open it but I gulp away as much anxiety I can, inhale and see that I have at least twenty missed calls from my friends and family combined and a ton of missed text messages.

Mom: Where are you? Call me. Now!

Dad: your mother and I are worried sick, pick up your phone, please.

Mike: Do you seriously have no brains to know you should be at home? Or are you actually trying to give mom and dad a nervous breakdown? 

Spencer: S.O.S. where the hell are you??

Emily: Your parents are looking for you. If you need me to cover for you and Fitz I can?

Hanna: Aria, we're getting worried please call us asap.

If I wasn't in trouble with my mom and dad before, I definitely am now. I dial the home number quickly and pray to god someone is awake; I didn't want to have to suffer the wrath of my parents twice, once from going MIA and twice from waking them up after a night of no sleep.

"Hello?" her voice sounds croaky, but with stress, not tiredness.

"Mom? I'm so sorry I didn't call. I was angry but I didn't mean to stay out all night please don't tell dad but I was with—"

"Where are you? How could you do that to me and your dad?! We had no idea where you were, Aria! For all we knew you could have been lying in a gutter somewhere, dead." I wince at this, it hurt more than it should've done. "Look, we're sorry for cutting you off from your friends but we didn't deserve this. Come home, right now!"

The phone goes dead. I hold it away from my face slightly for a moment or two, in disbelief that my mom didn't even want to hear where I was all night.

I fold the blanket up and head on over to the mirror on the wall next to the bathroom door. I scrape my curly hair into a ponytail and run a baby wipe over my face to remove the remnants of yesterday's makeup. I freshen myself up with a fresh coat of mascara and I apply eyeliner pencil to my waterline, adding a smoky effect.

I decide to leave a note for Ezra, explaining the situation as brief as I could.

Ezra,

I'm sorry for rushing out so quickly, but my parents are not happy about me not going home last night...okay unhappy is an understatement, but I will explain everything when I see you Monday. I love you

-Aria.