Forbidden love

Chapter 11: Party Vibes and Unexpected Guests

Ezra POV:

"Okay, so the girls are definitely coming and so are Toby and Caleb. I still need to hand the rest of the invites out but I'm sure everyone will be able to make it." Aria tells me, chewing on her pen and trying to cross things off the To-Do list she was grasping.
My phone starts ringing and I pushed the green button quickly, "Hello?" I say.
"Ezra, it's Toby."
"Hey, what's up?" I say cheerfully.
"I was just calling to see how you were."
"Everything's good, just a little nervous you know?"
"She'll say yes Ezra don't worry. Do you have the ring?"
"Yes, my mom gave it to me a while ago." I say quietly, trying to prevent Aria from hearing.
"I can't wait to see it! Do you have everything prepared?" He asks enthusiastically.
"Nearly, I have to go, I don't want Aria to hear anything."
"Looking forward to it, see you!" He hangs up and the line goes dead.

Aria POV:
A couple of days later

I slip on a little knee-high black dress which slightly puffs outwards from the waist. After loosely curling my hair, I feel Ezra's gentle hands fasten the necklace he bought me for my birthday around my neck. We both look into the mirror and smile at each other and I turn around to face him.
"Come on honey, we'll be late." He says kissing my nose lightly.
"Do we really need a party because I got into college?" I whine childishly, with his arms wrapped around my waist.
"Aria...you going to college is a big achievement and I'm proud of you!" He beams.
I try and keep a serious pouting face but he leans his forehead against mine and I start laughing. I'm looking forward to this party, but I'm worried Ezra's making a big deal out of me going to college...more than he needs to.
After slipping my black heels on, I check my finished look in the mirror and grab my purse.
"You look amazing by the way." Ezra adds once we're in the car. "As always."
"So do you." he reaches for my hand and interlaces our fingers. I clasp his hand tightly, but he reassures me it's okay.

Pulling up outside the venue, I spot the parking lot full of the guests' cars who were already here before us. I link my arm through Ezra's and walk up the steps into the building. It's exterior was entirely stunning and the interior was as equally beautiful. There were lights, lanterns, tables decorated as though we were at a garden party. "It's amazing." I say, overcome with emotion that my friends and Ezra had gone all out to make this as special as they could.
I'm greeted by Hanna, Spencer, Emily, Toby and Caleb, just as more guests start pooling in through the double doors, having more-or-less the same reaction as me. Hanna's mom, Spencer's parents, Emily's parents, some of Ezra's friends, all here to see us off to California.
When everyone was indoors, the buffet was announced open and everybody eagerly grabbed a plate and waited to get food. I have to admit the food that the girls had prepared and made, tasted so good and the room was filled with appreciative comments and laughter, it was a good sound; something I was going to miss.
"Are you okay?" Ezra nudges my elbow.
"What?" I say after coming out of a daydream.
"Are you okay?" He repeats, smiling.
"More than okay." I reassure him. "It's just, a part of me wishes my parents were here, I mean I wrote to them to tell them I got into college and I sent them pictures of the new apartment, but no reply." I take a sip of my drink.
"I'm sure they're just overwhelmed by everything Aria, they'll come around eventually. You'll see." He kisses my forehead and gets up.
"Where are you going?" I ask, confused.
"DJ's here." He points to the door as a boy- not much older than me- walks in and makes his way to the already-set-up stage.
I see Ezra tell him something and give him a list of songs we'd decided, right before the music bounced around the hall and people got up to dance. The room went dark until the disco lights kicked in.
Ezra came rushing to me and grabbed my hand, dragging me to the dance floor and laughing. I begged to go sit down at first but before I knew it, we'd been dancing to nearly a whole album of our favourite songs and everyone was exhausted but still managing to have a good time.
Spencer and Hanna called me over to the table they were sat at.
"Hey guys!"
"You look like you're really enjoying yourself." Hanna said, smiling. "I'm happy for you."
"Yeah, this is something. I don't think I've been to one of these kinds of parties since I was about ten, but I'm loving it." I sit down on one of the chairs.
"I didn't realise that dancing could take this much energy out of you!" Emily joins us after a minute or two, breathlessly sitting down next to me.
"And that's coming from you Em, the sporty one." Spencer laughs.
"I'm going to really miss you guys." I smile weakly.
"Us too Aria." Emily says. "I've been looking at colleges near California but I haven't had any luck yet."
"You'd be near me Em!" I say excitedly. "Where are you heading Spence?"
"Probably somewhere in Philly." She gulps her drink down.
"Han, what about you?"
"I applied to a college in New York, but I'm not sure if they've accepted me yet...its for fashion designing." She explains excitedly.
"Well wherever you guys go, they'll be really lucky to have you." We join hands, a thing we've done since we first met.
I hear the loud music fade out and a quiet song come on. At first I'm not sure if I'm hearing right, so I strain my ears to listen.
Happiness. B26. Ezra's stood in the middle of a semi-circle of guests waiting for me to dance with him. I let go of the girls and I go to him, taking his hand. We dance slowly, my head rested on his shoulder, my arms snaked gently around his neck and his hands rested on the small of my back. I could feel his breath tickle my skin.
"We didn't agree on this one." I whisper, my words barely audible.
He must've sensed me smiling because he says "I knew it'd make you happy."
As the song ends, I reluctantly pull away from him and see everyone else standing around us. Ezra gazes into my eyes, faintly touches my cheek with his hand and starts to talk when the music completely stops.
"Aria," my heart skips a beat, "I know this hasn't always looked right but that's never changed how I feel about you and I'm so proud of you. Whenever you walk into a room, you fill it with so much happiness; your laugh and smile brighten up my entire world." He doesn't take his gaze off me. "When I first met you, I just wondered how in hell I got so lucky to have someone as caring and as selfless as you walk into my life. I don't deserve you, you're the most amazing, kind and beautiful person I've ever met and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Ezra kneels down and reveals a ring. A stunning engagement ring.
"Will you marry me?"
I cover my mouth with my hands in shock and nod my head with tears of happiness flooding down my cheeks. "Yes, yes! I love you." He slips the ring onto my finger and he kisses me, lifting me up and spinning me around gently, as a chorus of applause echoes around us.
I hear a couple of loud whistles too- presumably from Toby and Caleb. Still hanging on to Ezra, I feel a tap on my shoulder and I'm greeted by Em, Hanna and Spencer, who are all wiping away tears and congratulating us both.
Mine and Ezra's fingers are intertwined as I hear the doors to the venue creek open, however I didn't expect who opened them to be here, not in a million years.
"Mom?" I walk slowly over to her with Ezra, not really sure on what approach to take. "Mom what are you doing here?"
She smiles weakly at me and opens her arms to welcome me into a hug. Though I don't walk into them as I would've previously done, I stand close to Ezra.
"Aria, honey, I'm sorry."
"Why did you let me go mom?" I blurt out.
She turns her gaze to the floor. "I didn't know what to do, I needed time and space to think about a grandchild and a pregnant teenaged daughter. But before I knew what I'd done and said, you'd gone."
"I sent you letters and voicemails, mom, numerous times. You could've replied." I state accusingly.
"I didn't know how." Her voice falters and a lump forms in the back of my throat. "Your father--"
"Didn't want to see me?" I finish.
"Aria..." Ezra warns gently.
"He couldn't make it, because of work." She says.
"How come you knew when this was happening?"
"Hanna and the others showed up at my door." I turn to the girls and they quickly turn away to avoid me. I sigh loudly.
"Okay, you're here. But what's going to happen after this?" I ask.
"I want you to come and live back at home."
"Mom, I'm going to California."
"I know but when you come back to see Ezra I thought maybe you could--"
"See Ezra? No, mom, I'm moving to California with Ezra." I correct her.
"You two are living together?" She's filled with shock and confusion.
We both nod.
"But Aria?"
"But nothing mom. Me and Ezra are going to California and we're not coming back unless absolutely necessary."
"Okay." She agrees "Aria?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry...about the baby."
At this point I'm too overwhelmed with feelings for the hate to take over, so after a few seconds of unprocessed thoughts bashing around in my head, I happily walk into her embrace and sob into her shoulder.
"It's okay mom. Really, it's okay." I whisper.
We pull away and I meet her gaze.
"You're engaged?" She asks, taking my hand in hers and eyeing the ring.
I nod smiling and turn back to Ezra who's stood waiting for me. "You just missed it."
"I'm happy for you honey and the ring is beautiful." She half-hugs me again. "Ezra, I know we've never been on the best of terms but you make my daughter happy, please don't hurt her. I'm glad you have each other." Ezra smiles appreciatively and thanks my mom.
"Come on mom, let's go enjoy the rest of the party." I take her to the dance floor and she greets the girls and their parents happily.
"I love you." Ezra whispers into my ear and kissing my forehead.
"I love you more." I reply.