Broken

chapter fifteen

I hesitantly return to school a month later. My dad never came to see me and I got tired of waiting for him to show up. I begged my mom to home-school me, but she didn't have the time with her teaching shifts. I convinced myself that without Alison prowling the halls, I know my life will be somewhat easier.

"I don't know which class I have first." I stare at the piles of books in front of me.

"We have history first," Spencer tells me, while removing the textbook from my locker.

I stare at the front of the room, not listening to anything the professor's saying. The same flashbacks replay in my mind over and over; they're easier to hide but still hard to deal with.

At lunch, I share my dessert with Emily. "It feels less tense without Alison here." I take a spoonful of the vanilla ice cream.

"I'm glad she's gone," Spencer says, and we all agree.

Then I see Ezra walk across the cafeteria. He's talking with Principal Hackett so I don't draw attention to us; I don't want anyone getting the wrong impression. We aren't supposed to be seen together now he works here again, but I can't stop myself from looking his way. He looks at me and I'm sure I catch a glimpse of a faint smile from him; I feel a sadness within me but I push it away.

"I'm just going to the bathroom," I say as I get up to leave.

"Next period is starting in a minute, Aria," Spencer replies.

"Cover for me?" I smile weakly. "I won't be long."

As I walk away, I hear Spencer ask Emily: "What are we going tell Fitz? He's going to think something's wrong."

I stop to check my phone to listen to what Emily says in return. "We'll cover for her, don't worry."

Ezra POV:

I wait for her to walk in, but she doesn't. I see Emily, Hanna, and Spencer, but not her. I look at them, puzzled.

"Miss Fields, can I see you outside for a moment, please?"

"Sure."

"Where's Aria?"

"The bathroom."

"Is she okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, she said she wouldn't be long." She smiles at me.

"Okay. But if she's not back soon, would you check on her, please?"

"She'll be back," she says, reassuringly.

Sure enough, she returns a half hour later. I decided not to send Emily to check on her for fear of people getting the wrong idea. I have to refrain from releasing an audible sigh of relief, not understanding why she was out for so long until she places a note on my desk that's been signed by the school nurse. I see her whisper something to Emily, and when everyone noisily leaves the class I attempt to keep Aria behind to ask if she's okay, but she walks out of the door without so much as a look. I receive a sympathetic smile from Emily who stops in front of my desk.

"Why was she with the nurse?" I ask.

"I think you should ask her that."

"Emily...please?"

Aria POV:

I lie in my bed, cocooned by the warm duvet, and only disturbed by the doorbell ringing. Before I reach my bedroom door, Emily calls to me.

"You couldn't wait for me to get out of bed?" I joke.

"You okay?" Spencer asks as they gather in my doorway.

"I was just napping," I say.

"Okay, well nap time is over. We've come for an intervention," Hanna announces.

"Why?" I whine.

"You'll see."

They flash me a smile, and I hear the doorbell ring again.

"That will be Mike," I say.

"I'll get it," Emily offers.

When she comes back upstairs, I haven't heard Mike's noise, as I usually do.

"Who was it?" I ask, confused.

"It's Ezra," she says, excitedly.

"What?" I smile, but it soon fades when I realise I'm not supposed to see him yet.

"We know you're not allowed to see him, but this is a scheduled tutoring session authorised by the Principal himself. He was completely oblivious to what he was authorising but never mind." They all smile proudly.

"I can't believe you did this for us."

"Well, I spoke with Ezra and he agreed that you two needed some time together. Especially after all that's happened."

"Wait, you aren't staying?"

"Of course we're not staying." Hanna laughs.

"Oh, so you got the principal to organise me a date?" I smirk.

"Pretty much."

I walk slowly downstairs, a little nervous for reasons I'm not entirely sure of. He greets me with a smile and holds out a bunch of lilies to me; they smell powerfully sweet.

"For you."

"They're beautiful, Ezra," I reach up and thank him with a kiss.

"We're going to leave you two alone now," Spencer says.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," I say, giving each of them a hug.

Ezra follows me into the kitchen so we can talk while I put the flowers in some water.

"Aria, are you okay after what happened at school?"

I look at him, "how did you know?"

"Emily."

"Oh. It was nothing, I'm fine," I assure him.

"Okay," he nods. "If you need to talk I'm here."

"It was a panic attack, I get them a lot now."

"You had to go to the nurse..."

"Because it frightened me. I can't seem to forget that Alison and Nicole are still out there somewhere, probably close by. I want to tell you everything that happened to me in the bunker, you know I do. But I'm not ready yet."

"Whenever you are, and there's no rush, I'm here."

I nod. "Come on, let's eat."

The feeling of him being here is like no other. I love being able to share a simple evening with him; nothing looming over us as we eat and talk and laugh. He takes my hand in his and I wish we could stay like this, frozen in time. We watch a movie and stay next to each other throughout the entire thing. I curl next to him, my head rested on his chest, his arm wrapped around me.

Time moved strangely, it stopped at the best parts and then passed so quickly, the night was already over. We stand at the front door.

"Thank you for tonight," I say.

"I know it was nothing special but..."

"No, it was special. I loved it. And I love you."

"I love you too."

A/N: I'm not too sure about this chapter but I hope you guys like it! 

-emma<3