Aria's Point of View

I couldn't believe it.

This is not happening! I mentally screamed.

He was dead.

Ezra was dead.

Ezra Fitz, the man who had risked his job, his career, his criminal record . . . all for me. And for it all to end . . .

Just.

Like.

That.

Because of me, because of A. If I wasn't stupid enough to leave my phone at Ezra's apartment that one day nearly two years ago, none of this would have happened.

I prayed that this horrible nightmare would end, that I would wake up in Ezra's apartment, his comforting arms wrapped around me, begging me to tell him what was wrong.

But it wasn't a nightmare.

I walked slowly down the aisle, clutching a tearstained letter and all of the poems and stories I had secretly written about him in the course of our relationship. I tried to ignore the judgmental comments coming from a middle-aged woman sitting next to Spencer Hastings, Emily Fields, and Hanna Marin.

"She was his girlfriend . . . he was her teacher! I would never let my sixteen year-old daughter date a twenty-three year old man!"

"Shut up! You're such a bitch! They met each other two years ago, she's eighteen now and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want any gossip about her relationship with Ezra at his freaking funeral!" Hanna fumed.

"Hanna!" Spencer and Emily whispered loudly.

Grief sliced through me like a sword as I collapsed the the ground, sobbing into my hands. My heart broke again, causing the shatters to turn into dust particles. It was all my fault! After crying hysterically for about thirty seconds, I stood up and sprinted out of the church and to my car. I jammed my key into the ignition, twisting it so vigorously it could have easily snapped in half. I just had to get away. I drove around town aimlessly, my tears nearly blinding me. When Happiness by The Fray came on the radio, I started to cry even more. I finally stopped near the edge of Rosewood after barely avoiding three accidents. I parked my car on the side of the road, slinking off into an alley.

"The investigation is ongoing and the incident has been ruled as a homicide. Although the police did not find a body, the amount of blood indicated the victim's wounds were fatal. Ezra Fitz was murdered."

They were the exact words spoken when Mona Vanderwaal was murdered.

I broke down crying, my three best friends restraing me as I bolted towards the apartment building. I wouldn't believe it until I saw it. I broke through the dreaded yellow police tape, running as fast as my short legs would carry me.

"Miss! You can't go in there!" An officer shouted. I ignored them and continued running until I reached apartment 3B.

The door was taped off. I gasped as realization hit me.

He really was dead.

My knees buckled and I doubled over, feeling my body hit the cold, hard cement. I screamed in as a sharp pain sliced through my temple. I could remember nothing more than a seemingly endless black void.

Anonymous Person's Point of View

I walked down the deserted area of Rosewood, my black hoodie covering my face. I could feel my heartbeat drumming in my head. I can't believe I did this. Her heart was definitely shattered. But if I had to protect her, and if this was the only way to do it, so be it.

I heard a sickening scream coming from an alley in between an abandoned bank and a bakery. Concerned, I ran to the spot. I breathed in a sharp breath when I realized who it was.

Aria.

I ran to her, praying she was okay. I saw blood glistening in the street light that barely reached the end of the alleyway. Panicked, I gently picked her up and carried her until I reached a streetlamp so I could inspect her wound.

The cut was very deep, and the fact that she wasn't responding to my touch scared me even more. I carefully placed her tiny body in the back of my car. I got in myself and drove to Wren Kingston's apartment. I carried her up the steps and barged into Wren's apartment without knocking.

"Hey! I was just about to - Ezra! What happened to her?" Wren said, his face going from cheerful to confused to mortified.

"I found her unconscious in an alleyway . . ." I half-whispered, tears escaping my eyes. I buried my head into my hands. It was all my fault! What a perfect boyfriend I am; making my apartment look like I'd been murdered and then letting my girlfriend's heart be smashed to pieces . . . I deserve an award!

"She needs stitches, but after I stitch her up I need to go to New York for business. I'm afraid you'll have to look after her."

So much for protecting her.

"Okay," I whispered. I sat down on Wren's couch, letting the tears fall. It was a good ten minutes when Wren reappeared.

"I stitched up the gash in her head, now I need to go now or I'm going to miss my flight. Just stay with her, okay?"

I nodded, taking her in my arms and gently laying her down in the guest bed, where I had been staying for the past week.
I turned my attention back to Aria. The room was pitch black, except for the blazing fireplace on the opposite wall. I sat down in front of the fire, pondering the whole situation. I heard a stirring in the bed. I stood over Aria, watching as her puffy, red, mascara-smeared hazel eyes opened.

"Bye, Ezra!"

"See you in a few days, Wren!" I called.

Aria

I woke up in an unfamiliar setting. The throbbing pain in my temple caused my to whimper. I turned to my other side and immediately bolted up.

A was standing over my bed.

"How dare you? How dare you mercilessly kill an innocent person! What did Ezra ever do to you? If this is so much trouble for you, stop killing people and just drop grudge you have on me and my friends!"

"Aria, calm down, it's not A, it's me . . ." the hooded figure said as they pushed their hood off of their head.

I could recognize that voice anywhere.

"Ezra?"