Unexpected turn //Jaria+Ezria

Nine

ARIA
There he sat. It had almost been a month since Ezra was arrested. I sat at the prosecution table, next to Veronica Hastings, Rosewoods best lawyer. Ezra sat at the defence table, alongside a lawyer I had never seen before. He must have been from Philly.

Behind me, in the front row, sat Jason with my mom next to him, with Mike sitting between my parents to distance them. Behind them, in the second row, sat my friends. I was even surprised to see Mona behind the girls, 2 rows back.

The only people behind Ezra were his mother and brother.

We rose for the judge, eventually being seated again.
———
After 30 minutes, the case had been introduced and Mrs Hastings stood up.

"My client, Aria Montgomery was manipulated into a relationship she didn't know was for nothing. This man, Ezra Fitz, claimed that he loved her, yet he stood back and watched as she was terrorised by a mysterious person who call themselves -A." Mrs Hastings began.

"Ms Montgomery supplied the police, who then supplied me with a manuscript. This manuscript, written by Ezra Fitz, holds details that not even the police were aware of. He knew personal secrets about Aria and her friends. He betrayed her trust even after he 'confessed' his love for her to her parents." Mrs Hastings went on. She shows pictures of the manuscript, pages that described how I met Ezra and the personal secrets that had been blurred for my privacy.

"Ms Montgomery, how did you and Mr Fitz meet?" Mrs Hastings asked as I was seated on the witnesses stand.

"We met at a bar named Snookers." I admitted.

"Now, can you tell the court what Mr Fitz told you the night you confronted him about the book?" Mrs Hastings asked.

"He said, Yes, I did. I knew who all of you were. And that's why I applied to teach at Rosewood. He applied to teach at Rosewood because he wanted to 'get to know me'. I was only research to him." I said, tearing up. I saw Ezra tearing up as well, remembering that night as if it occurred only yesterday.
———
"We, the jury, find the defendant...not guilty." The jury announced. I watched as Ezra's handcuffs were taken off him. His mother hugged him.

"Even though they had enough evidence...he still gets to walk free! How messed up is that?!" Spencer spoke in shock. Jason walked up to me, wrapping his arms around my body, comforting me.

"I love you Aria and I will never let a man like Ezra hurt you. Ever." Jason spoke, kissing me.

"Well...apparently the manuscript wasn't enough..." Emily spoke.

"Now we still have to deal with another demon. -A. I don't think he...she...it would've liked us giving the manuscript to the police. We're definitely not done with -A yet." Hanna spoke.

"-A gives so -A can take away." I said, nearly tearing up.

"I'll take Aria home. She needs to rest." Jason spoke to the girls.

The girls agreed, saying goodbye to me.