Aria was still gawking at the woman like an idiot as Jackie sat down, kissing Byron chastely on the lips. Her stomach lurched forward and she thought she might get sick all over the ivory table cloth.

"It's so great to put a name to a face! You're father talks about you like you hold the moon!" Jackie smiled and took Byron's hand. Aria was still just staring, unable to compose herself.

Byron tried to catch Aria's eyes. "Honey, are you okay?" She swallowed and nodded.

"It's nice t-to meet you, too. Jackie." Aria whispered Jackie's name. Unable to form it completely. Snap out of it, she thought. "How did you guys meet?" she tried out. She still didn't sound right.

Byron smiled at Jackie, "Well I met her a couple months ago in a bakery next to Old Hollis and we've been dating ever since."

"But it isn't serious right?" Aria urged. The happy couple stopped and looked at her.

"Aria! Of course it's serious. Why would you say that?" Byron sounded deeply hurt.

"I-I'm sorry dad. That didn't come out the way I-"

"Byron, you can't blame it on her, we just sprang a big thing on the girl! Aria, it's fine." Jackie patted Aria's hand and grinned with kind eyes.

Aria just gave them both apologetic looks, "I'm really sorry, it's just a surprise."

Byron nodded, "It's okay. How about we order?"

The rest of the dinner passed with Aria mostly mumbling simple responses and Jackie and Byron laughing over memories of the past few months. Aria kept shifting in her seat and watching the clock across the room, hoping it move faster. When it did end, Aria forced herself to hug Jackie before driving back home. She didn't make it all the way there, though. She pulled up to Ezra's apartment and started hyperventilating in the car. It was a thickly fogged twilight outside now.

She almost jumped out of her car when there was a light tap on her window. She looked up to see Ezra with a confused look on his face.

"What happened?" He said, leaning into her car.

"Why are you home?" she asked instead of answering him. He looked down at his pleather messenger bag full of conference papers.

"It ended early. What happened to you?" he prodded again.

"My dad is dating this new woman . . ."

Ezra smiled, "Aria I know every kid wants their parents to stay together but-"

"Ezra let me finish!" she screamed.

"Sorry, continue." He said, that smile still plastered on his face.

"The new woman is Jackie, Ezra."

His smile quickly vanished. "That's not funny."

"You think!" Aria yelled back then buried her face in her hair and hands. Finally she just started crying like a baby. She wanted to be embarrassed, but she was so angry and upset she could barely breath. All of a sudden Ezra's arms wrapped around her. She crumpled into him immediately.

"I love you." He sighed.

"I love you, too." She pulled back and laughed lightly, "My make up is probably a mess."

Ezra stroked a piece of hair out of her face, "You're beautiful."

Aria leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. He responded quickly and soon the kisses were enticingly passionate. In no time, Aria was in Ezra's apartment and her dress was on the floor. She had on a pair of black lacy boy shorts on and a matching strapless bra.

She felt Ezra caress her skin and his lips brush against hers. She was ready for this her mind was made up. As Ezra's mouth met her neck she whispered, "I have to tell you something."

"Anything." He murmured, his tongue tracing patterns on her collarbone.

She shivered as she tried to speak, "I . . . I . . . this i-is my first time." Her face reddened. She only told him because she thought it would be fair, and she knew there were certain messes that came along with the first time. It wasn't like she was a prude or anything, but she had never been serious enough with a boyfriend to even want to.

Ezra paused and caressed her cheek. "it's okay . . . we don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"But I want to! I just needed you to know."

He smiled at her, moving his hand so it was cradling her head, and kissed her softly, "We stop when you say so. I'll be gentle and I'll listen to whatever you need me to do." He bent his head back down to kiss her shoulder and message her skin.

She couldn't believe how wonderful he was to her. She was afraid of how he may have reacted but she saw now that she had no reason to be. "I love you." She sighed against his ear.

"I love you, too. Only you."

Hope you guys liked it! PLZ REVIEW! Oh! And just like the last time, this is the end of book 2! The sequel to this will be up soon! It will be a new story called I've Got a Secret, Can You Keep It?

Look out for it!