History Always Repeats Itself

Chapter 2

We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. I felt frozen. I stayed there on the edge of the street, watching as he stood and made his way towards the door. Every part of me wanted to collapse. My heart was pounding, my head was aching and it wasnt until he walked out of the door and started to open his mouth that I was able to take control of my feet. I didn't hesitate; I just took off half-walking, half-running to my car. I couldn't tell if he was following me but I didn't dare to look back. I fumbled around in my purse for my keys just praying that he wasnt anywhere near me and jumped into my car.

It took me about 20 minutes to realize I was driving in the wrong direction, but I didn't care, I actually enjoyed the longer trip because it gave me more time to think. What is he even doing here? I mean I know that when I graduated he was offered a job to work at Rosewood High again, and I also know that he accepted it thanks to my father, but why was Ezra here in Los Angeles? I never even told him I was going to school here... It had been an extremely last minute decision and I never got the chance to tell him after... well the point is I never told him. So if his reason for coming isnt me, then what? And if it is me, it's been almost 3 years since the last 'A' message, why would he show up now? My head was racing with too many questions that I didn't have the answers to, and I had already made up my mind, no matter what happens this year, I'm starting over.

I pulled into the parking lot outside my dorm and glanced at my phone, 10 o'clock already, I guess I had spent way more time driving then I'd thought. I made my way through the hallway trying to avoid all of the people running in the opposite direction. I was wondering what everyone was doing going out on a Sunday, and then I remembered the party, and that not everyone chose to take a 9 am class. Lucky me...

I stumbled into my dorm room and fell onto my bed, "Hey Sam."

"What took you so long?" she said.

"I took a wrong turn and didn't notice. Have you seen Tony anywhere?"

"Yeah. He and Blake went to go meet up with the rest of the guys at the Back to School Party tonight. He told me he called you."

"Yeah he did, I told him I wasn't going though. Why aren't you there?" I asked.

"Wasn't really feeling it." she replied, shutting her computer and joining me on my bed.

"You weren't feeling it? Since when do you turn down a party?" I asked and rolled over to make more room.

"Someone had to make sure you weren't dead or something."

I felt bad that my stupid problems from high school were keeping her from having a social life, "Hey, I'm sorry. You know that next time you can just go."

"Aria it's fine, really, I don't mind."

We talked for a little longer and then finally she got off of my bed and climbed into her own, "Goodnight."

I reached for the lamp to turn it off, "Goodnight Sam."

That night I didn't sleep much. It was like my mind couldn't turn off and the thoughts just kept coming. I kept tossing and turning until I heard Sam groan and sit up,

"Aria what the hell are you doing its 2:30 in the morning... We have our first day of classes tomorrow," she said.

2:30? So much for skipping the party,

"Sorry Sam, I just can't sleep... Time difference maybe."

"Time difference? It's 5:30 in Philly right now, shouldn't you be more tired..." she replied, mumbling every word.

"Whatever I just can't sleep, okay?"

She laid back down and rolled onto her stomach, "Well either figure it out or go keep the mice outside awake instead of me."

I knew it was going to be awhile before I would finally be able to quiet my brain so I left and rested in the main hall for what must have been hours. I laid there, alone with my thoughts, thinking about everything that had just happened. The next thing I knew I was waking up with my body nearly falling off of the couch and Sam shaking me,

"Dude..."

I sighed and shifted my weight back onto the couch, still facing down.

"Aria... Come on we have class in less than 15 minutes."

I sat up immediately, "Shit... Are you serious?" She nodded, "Uhh can you just go and save me a seat?" I said, already running to our dorm.

"Yeah sure, I wanna get a good look at this professor anyways, I hear he's really hot."

"Yeah, where have I heard that before..." I said quietly.

"What?" she replied.

"Sorry, nothing... Just go, I'll be there soon"

"Okay, hurry!"

It was taking me longer than I thought it would to get ready, since today everything just felt as if it was moving in slow-motion. When I finally was done getting ready I only had about 2 minutes until my class officially began, and it was at least a 5 minute walk from my dorm. I just hoped that Sam had saved me a seat close to the door.

What was meant to be a 5 minute walk turned into 10. What is happening to me? I just couldn't focus on anything and I hoped my favorite class would be able to grab my attention and pull me back into reality. Everyone I knew back in Rosewood figured I would have dropped the subject after what happened, but I guess Ezra was right about one thing, literature really was my passion. The joy I felt in writing was almost great enough to cancel out the memories of senior year... But I wasn't supposed to be thinking about senior year anymore, and I wasn't supposed to be thinking about him anymore. This wasnt supposed to happen, not this year. I finally got to my class and to my dissapointment it was one of the smaller lecture halls. Great... I looked for Sam through the door and found her in the second row, she looked at me and waved her hand for me to enter. I pulled the door open and before I even stepped into the room I heard his voice,

"Late on the first day of class, Miss-"

No... This is my mind playing tricks on me, this isn't real, this isn't even possible. I finally walked in but I kept my head down; I didn't want to look. I made my way to the seat next to Sam practically shaking and I somehow managed to keep my head down. I figured that he was searching for my name on whatever class list he had with him and when he finally found it I could feel something dropping deep in my chest.

"Montgomery..."

I finally gave in and looked up, meeting with his eyes, and I could feel a lump the size of a tennis ball already forming in my throat. If I didn't say something now I don't think I'd be able to hold off the tears. Our eyes didn't move and I could barely breathe, but somehow I was able to speak. I flashed back to myself in this exact moment, start of Junior year sitting in the English classroom uttering that same exact word, "Sorry..." I said, finally breaking his stare.