Aria's POV:
I walked in and saw Ezra waiting for me at the door.
"Hi." I said as he walked over and kissed me on the cheek.
"Look, it's not to late to ditch this and find a miniature golf course."
"No, I want to meet your family."
"Alright, if you insist."
We walked in and were surrounded by tons of huge beautiful paintings.
"Lyle and Francis Springer." I read across the poster hanging on the wall.
"Ya, My grandparents."
"As in Springer Preservation Fund? As in Springer Endowment for the Arts?"
He nodded. "Guilty."
"Ezra. All this stuff belongs to your family?"
"Ya."
"Your family doesn't have money. Your family has money."
"Look... I should have figured out a way to tell you about this, but it's kind of hard to work into a conversation."
"You were cutting off a lot more than a name when you went from Fitzgerald to Fitz."
"All this stuff used to be in my grandparents house, and the only people that ever saw it were my family and people they paid to clean up after them. And they were fine with that. But I'm not."
"I just thought that you never talked about your family because you didn't want them knowing about me."
"I wasn't keeping you away from my family. I was keeping my family away from you."
I half smiled at him.
"Are you angry?"
"No... No, I don't think so. But I think that you do owe me something for all those Ramen noodles. I think we can negotiate that."
"Hmm... okay." He said and placed a loving kiss on my lips.
Although what we didn't know was his mother was watching us the entire time.
Ezra walked off to talk to some of his mother's distant relatives. I wondered off and looked at a painting filled with ballerinas. It reminded me of when I was little. I dreamed of being a dancer. But then I realized I was kinda on the shorter side so crisis averted.
I felt a tap of my shoulder and I turned around and Ezra's mom was in front of me.
"You looked lonely over here."
"Oh. I'm fine" I took a sip of my drink.
She just smiled and nodded as if she wanted to walk away already.
"These are amazing. Ezra said that they belonged to your mom and dad."
"That's right. He hasn't told you very much about himself, has he?"
"We're still learning."
"Well, you certainly know the dedicated teacher, the struggling writer. You fit right in to that world you get to be the muse." She smiled and poked my shoulder.
"Oh, no, I doubt I'd be that."
"Oh, don't diminish yourself honey you have a very important role in all this."
"It's just me and Ezra don't play roles. With each other."
"Well, I guess not."
"What do your parents think about Ezra?"
"My mom likes him a lot.... more than my dad does."
"Fathers and daughters that can get hard."
"Ya."
"New man. Coming along to steal away daddy's little girl."
"Are your parents divorced?"
"Ya."
"I thought so."
"As recently as you started seeing Ezra?"
I looked a her confused.
"Romantically."
"You ask questions as if you all ready know the answers."
"It's really very easy to find out what you need to know about people."
"All do respect Mrs. Fitzgerald but my family is really none of your business."
"But it's such an interesting family. Your romance with a former teacher, the way your mother moved out over your father's cheating, your brother's involvement with your so called enemy. You can literally chart all the cracks and strains."
"Excuse me." I pushed past her cause I had to go before I burst into tears.
"Aria. You act as if I've hurt your feelings. It wasn't my intention."
I walked back up to her and she looked deep into my eyes.
"I just want to make myself clear. I may not agree with the way Ezra lives his life, but I'm not going to sit by and watch you ruin him."
"I love him."
"Oh, yes if course. It's all romance and sacrifice. Except you choose what gets sacrificed not him. Your the one who made it impossible for him to stay at your little high school. Your the one who got him fired from Hollis. I just want to make sure you know your own motives."
"I don't have any motives."
"Everyone has motives."
"Maybe in your world."
"It's not to late for us to have a discussion about this. There can be real world compensations in your ending this."
"Compensations?"
"I've got your attention finally. I thought I could."
I turned around poured my drink in a plant and stomped away leaving her speechless.
Ezra's POV:
"Where's Aria?" I asked my mother angrily.
"What do you mean?"
"I can't find her and last I saw her she was talking to you. What did you say to her?"
"I have no idea what your talking about. I had a lovely chat with the girl."
"Do not start this with me. This is why I bailed on this family. Because you ruin everything for me. You always want your way. Well guess what mother this is my life and you can't control it anymore."
"Ezra.." She reached out to grab my arm.
"Don't!" I yelled.
"Now I have to go find Aria before she decides to leave me."
Aria's POV:
"How many times has he called you since you've been here?" Spencer asked.
"Ten."
"Aria..he's worried."
"Maybe he's mom is right."
"Okay don't start that bullshit feeling sorry for yourself, it's just depressing." Hanna said while fileing her finger nails.
"Did I ruin Ezra's life? Am I just destroying everything I touch?" I put my head in my hands.
"Okay, this sounds totally gay but someone would have to be crazy not to want to have you in their life." Hanna smiled.
"Thanks Han." I took a sip of my coffee and my phone started to ring again.
"That what best friends are for. Even if gay comments are involved from time to time." She said and I laughed.
"You need to answer it." Spencer said and handed me my phone.
"Okay."
"Hello." I said into the speaker.
"Aria, where are you? And why haven't you answered your phone I've been trying you all night."
"I know I've been avoiding you."
"Why?" Ezra asked.
"Can you just come get me I'm at Hanna's."
"Ya, I'll be there soon."
I walked out the front door as I watch him pull up. I stepped around the car and got in.
"So why'd you leave?"
"I think that's an awfully big question for this time of night."
"Aria.."
"Okay fine, how much money is your mother going to give you to break up with me?" I asked him.
"My mom offered you money to break up with me?"
"Yes."
He sat back against the seat and stared out the windshield.
"My mother is an evil bitch, and I'm never letting her come between us." I moved my hand through his bangs and smiled.
"What time is it?" I asked him.
"8:30 why?"
"You still up for a little mini golf?"
This is for all you Ezria fans out there!
And I'm working on some other chapters. I thought I needed some other couples to come in just a little.
Are y'all ready to see what happens when Spencer comes back to school?
Love y'all Spobians! Kisses😘 -🅰