Broken

chapter sixteen

A couple of weeks later.

I stand at the kitchen window and hold a cup of coffee to warm my hands. The sky is overcast, but the flowers in the garden are still bright. My mom had been gardening a lot recently; when I come home from school or from work, she's in the garden. When I wake up later in the morning, she's in the garden.

The doorbell rings and I hurry to it, a small part of me hoping it's Ezra.

"A parcel for Aria Montgomery," the postman holds out a small parcel to me with a smile.

"Thank you."

"Could you sign here, please?"

"Sure," I scrawl my signature on the end of the paper attached to the clipboard.

I close the door, and rattle it next to my ear, curiously, before opening it. I tear off the brown paper and find an envelope and two plane tickets hidden inside. The excitement surges through me when I recognise the handwriting on the back of the envelope.

Aria,

I'm sorry things have turned out the way it did. I don't even want this job, I never wanted it back. You know that I'd finished with Rosewood High a long time before I was fired. I only took it back because the income from the Brew wasn't enough to save up for these. Ever since we found you I've wanted to keep you safe. I've needed to keep you safe and do what's best for you. Which is why I feel so guilty for not being able to see you in the past few weeks.

I know how much you want to take a gap year and travel before you go to college. I want to take you. I know by now you'll be thinking of how to say no, but you deserve a chance at a better life and a new start more than anyone I've ever met. We'll leave at the start of summer, as soon as you graduate, and come back here in time for you to go to college.

I love you, always.

Ezra.

I'm speechless. I never expected that he would do this for me.

"What's that, honey?" My mom peers over my shoulder to get a glance at the letter and the tickets.

"Nothing. I've got to go." I run through the door before she can protest.

I knock on his door and jump into his arms as soon as he unlocks it.

"Thank you. I love you," I say, still in a state of shock about the trip. "I'm so excited!"

He sets me down on my feet, and we look at each other.

"This is the happiest I've seen you in a long time."

"And it's because of you," I smile.

"I'm resigning at the end of the weekend. We can finally do everything we've wanted to. Movies, dinner, you name it. And we can plan this." He looks at the tickets in my hand and we both smile.

"I still can't believe you'd do this for me," I whisper.

"I'd do anything for you."

"Anything?" I smirk, raising my eyebrow.

"What are you thinking?" He gently pulls me closer and I wrap my arms around his neck.

"I would love one of your famous coffees you always boast about."

"I do not boast!" He laughs.