Forget Me Not

Chapter 4

"Hope is not dead, it is just larger than our imaginations; it's purpose extending far beyond our comprehension." -Kathy Hobaugh

Aria

A wave of surprise washed over me as I read over the message for what felt like the billionth time. I typed a quick response.

Sounds good.

Spencer and Hardy were fast asleep and hopefully I could easily get out by myself the following day to meet with him without them knowing. I lay in the foreign hotel bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to figure out just when things started in the downhill spiral that was my life.

It wasn't that hard to place...it was the ski lift conversation that had taken place seven years ago. I shuttered at the memory, I wouldn't think of that before I dozed off. I refused to, no matter how heavy my eyelids felt, I blocked it off as I stood and went into the bathroom, carefully closing and locking the door before flipping the light on.

I stared at the reflection in the mirror. It stared back with judgmental eyes. It looked so exhausted, yet I knew it was impossible to get more than four hours of sleep a night. I was slowly, but surely, dying in my own sea of emotions and I had been ever since that cold, bitter night when I was exposed to the truth about Ezra Fitz....

"Aria! Please, wait!" I sat behind a tree with my hand over my mouth, desperate not to make a single peep.

"Aria?" He called again, but this time I heard him rustling around in his pocket. My phone let out a shrill beep, and he took off towards me.

"Just listen!" He screamed, it wasn't heinous, just a scream.

"I hate you, Ezra Fitz!" I yelled back. Just before my eyes was a clearing, the cabin. I found my car and juggled around looking for my keys. When I finally found them, Ezra was just making his way towards me. He was jogging and I was already in my car.

I looked in the rear view mirror to see him running his hands through his hair, and if it were any other moment in time I would've stopped and kissed him, maybe even felt bad for him. Today wasn't that day. But over my car engine and my sobs, somewhere in between, you could just barely hear him, crying softly.

I splashed cold water on my face before sighing and going back to the bed. I laid down and slept. Forgetting my sad, pathetic life just for a little while.

The Next Morning

I awoke to the sound of Happiness by The Fray, echoing throughout the somewhat small hotel room. I jumped out of bed, clicking answer before I could look twice at the caller I.D.

"Hello?" I sung, half expecting it to be Riley or Ezra.

"Aria." My heart dropped to my stomach when I heard her velvety voice through the receiver.

"Alison..what can I do for you?"

"You know what." She challenged.

"What?" She scoffed.

"I want you to stay away from him, and if you can't do that and you end up hanging out or whatever the hell you two want to call it, DO NOT tell him the truth. You know why? He's finally happy with what he has, I'm happy. We have a daughter. Do you understand?We both know exactly what I'm capable of...and I hope you've learned by now...I always get what I want."

"I understand." I choked, unsuccessful in the tear department.

"Perfect, now if you'll excuse me, I have a husband," She emphasized husband just to make me squirm. "and daughter to tend too."