I DO NOT OWN PRETTY LITTLE LIARS

Chapter One

Aria Montgomery looked across the supermarket at a tall, dark haired man and his small daughter. She laughed to herself as she saw how the little girl had this man wrapped around her finger. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw the man and his daughter approaching her. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks when she realized she had been staring this whole time.

"Hi, you're not going to believe this but my daughter wouldn't let me leave the store without talking to you." The man said timidly.

"You are very pretty..." The little girl told her.

"I actually think it's sweet. And hi, my name is Aria," she responded, reaching out her hand to shake the little girl's.

The small girl giggle and took her hand. "That's a beautiful name, I'm Ezra and this is my daughter Annabelle." The man, now known as Ezra, said to Aria with a warm smile. They made eye contact and you could practically see the sparks fly.

"But you can call me Annie!" The little girl yelled out, breaking Ezra and Aria's eye contact.

"Well Annie, Ezra, it is very nice to meet you both. But honestly I need to get going. Have a great evening, see you around!" Aria said as she began to walk away, looking Ezra in the eye one last time. She waved and smiled as she made her way out the door.

Ezra had never heard such a beautiful voice, SHE was beautiful. He had probably just met the most amazing woman on earth and he already lost her. How could he be so stupid? Annie would not stop speaking about her... Aria, the name fit the girl so perfectly. Ezra couldn't help but feel disappointed he let her slip out of his life that quickly.

"...and they lived happily ever after. The end." Ezra finished the story he was reading to Annie before her bedtime.

"Again daddy, again!" The small child shouted.

"I think it's time for you to go to sleep my darling girl." He said gently while tucking her in and kissing her forehead.

"Okay...Daddy?" She said with disappointment that turned into curiosity.

"Yes baby?" He replied, wondering what she would say. It seemed she had been asking more and more about why all the other girls have mothers and she didn't, which had Ezra constantly on his toes.

"Do you think we'll ever see Aria again?" Hope glimmered in her deep blue eyes, the same color as her father's.

"Honestly, I don't know baby. But I hope so." He said as he stood in the doorway.

"Me too, I think she would be a nice mommy." She said with a yawn, moment later she was asleep. Ezra tried to go to sleep but was left tossing and turning, consumed with thoughts of this mysterious girl. He hadn't felt this way since Annie's mother, Jackie, left him for his brother. He had been hurt, deep and hadn't quite moved on a whole 4 years later. He could never understand how someone could just abandon his amazing little girl. She was beautiful like her mother, and brilliant like her father. She left Ezra dumbfounded by the things she would say at times, and he couldn't wait to see her grow into the wonderful young lady he knew she would be. What Annie told him made him promise himself that if he ever saw Aria again he wouldn't lose her. He had a plan.

When Aria got home to her cozy apartment she put her groceries away and had a glass of wine. She couldn't quite shake what happened at the supermarket with Ezra and Annie. He had done something to her, she felt a spark she had never felt before. She drank another glass of wine as she realized that she would probably never see him again. How could she be so stupid? She sat alone in her apartment and watched an old movie, but her focus was on the man she had met earlier. He was handsome, and he had a charming little girl. She snapped out of her thoughts when she realized he probably has a wife and 3 more kids at home. Suddenly instead of being entranced by those blue eyes, she was sickened. Her own father had cheated on her mother and left the family crushed, she had been deeply affected by this and hardly spoke to her father now. "What a flirt!" She gasped into the air. She had a plan, she was done.

Ezra decided he would go to the same supermarket, at the same time, everyday until he saw Aria again. And it didn't take long, two days later he "bumped into her."

"Aria, I don't know if you remember me, Ezra..." He said to her innocently.

"Yeah, I remember." Her reply was short and annoyed.

He picked up on her mood and apologized immediately, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother."

"Where's your daughter? With your wife?" She was angry, and he could tell.

"She's at kindergarten. Wait, what? My wife. You think I would...? No." He was hurt and slightly confused.

"Look, I don't have time for a married man with a family to try to pick me up. So back off!" She said this as she began to walk away.

Ezra ran after her and grabbed her arm. "Don't touch me!" Aria said as she shot him a glare.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. But I promised you, I am not married. And I don't have 10 other kids at home either, Annie is my only child, she is my life. But I know it's not just me, you feel like this is right for us too... I'm sorry that sounded really creepy. But am I wrong?" He spilled out, looking her straight in the eye.

Aria's face softened, and she took a moment to respond, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I just have trust issues in that department. I don't think you're wrong.. When I met you I thought, who is this guy? But I don't know you."

Ezra found himself moving closer to her and as he put his hand on her arm this time she didn't pull away. They both felt the warmth surging through their bodies when he finally spoke, "I'm still that guy. Have dinner with me? Then we can get to know each other, please?"

"I don't know?" She so desperately wanted to say yes, but she was still unsure of him and didn't want to be hurt.

"We could even do it at my apartment, I'll get a sitter for Annie. Then you can be sure I don't have a wife and a litter of kids..." He offered.

Aria chuckled, "Sure, what time?"

So that's Chapter One, I hope you enjoyed it. Please rate and review! This is my first story and I obviously love Ezria, so let me know why you think!

xoxo
-RissyWrites