5 Reasons Nate Fell in Love with Ella
by angellwings
She Sings Along With the Radio
Nate never intended to be left alone with Ella. He simply offered to drive Brown's truck into town and pick up the supplies they needed to repair the outdoor stage. He didn't know Ella needed to pick up a delivery of supplies for her wardrobe cabin as well. Not until she exclaimed, "Yay!" and clapped excitedly. He tried his best not to groan. He liked Ella, but sometimes…
She was much too cheery.
"This is going to be so much fun," Ella said as she opened the passenger side door and climbed inside the truck. He tried not to grin as she struggled to lift herself into the cab. The truck was too tall and she was too short. It was an entertaining combination. She finally sat down and closed the door behind her. "I love trips to town."
"Is there anything you don't love?" Nate asked with a quirked brow and a bored tone.
She glanced at him archly with and her bright smile fell. "Sarcasm, for one. Mockery, for another."
His eyes widened and he gulped. "Sorry." He started the truck and quickly pulled away. Apparently, she wasn't as oblivious as she seemed.
"Anyway, the little town at the bottom of the hill is so cute," Ella said with a smile. "Have you ever been there?"
"Once or twice with Brown. There's not much to do there," Nate said as he kept a careful eye on the road.
"That's why it's so cute. I've always wanted to live in a small town. L.A. is so huge and everyone feels so…disconnected. You can go years without meeting your neighbors. I find that sad. Little towns don't have that problem. Everyone knows everyone."
"Doesn't seem so much different from the Hollywood I live in," Nate told her with a shrug.
"It's different. In Hollywood, people know of you. They don't know you."
Nate turned and looked at her in surprise. It was an insight he wasn't expecting. Not from her. His face flushed with guilt and he looked away from her quickly. He'd been underestimating her. He'd given her no credit for anything. No one had. He cleared his throat and turned up the radio. Music should chase away his guilt. It always had before.
"Oh, I love this song," Ella said brightly as she smiled and glanced out the passenger side window.
She began to sing along with the song and Nate shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Of course, this song would be playing. The one song that would make him feel like even more of a jerk and Ella had to sing it at the top of her lungs.
"Mr. Know It All, well, ya think you know it all, but ya don't know a thing at all. Ain't it, ain't it something, y'all? When somebody tells you something 'bout you, think that they know you more than you do. So you take it down another pill to swallow. Mr. Bring Me Down, well, ya, like to bring me down, don't you?
But I ain't laying down, baby, I ain't goin' down. Can't nobody tell me how it's gonna be. Nobody's gonna make a fool out of me. Baby, you should know that I lead not follow…"
The corner of his mouth tilted upward at the sound of her singing. It was joyful and loud and carefree. She didn't care who heard her or what she sounded like. She just wanted to sing. It wasn't a perfect voice. It wasn't the most impressive he'd ever heard, but it was the most enjoyable. Despite the words that twisted his stomach in guilty knots he found himself willing her to continue. She loved the music and it made him love it even more than he already did.
He cleared his throat again and turned down the music. "You should sing more solos."
She blushed and smiled shyly. "Oh, no. Mitchie, Tess, and Peggy need those. They're much better than me. I have more fun singing back up anyway."
"But you love it, Ella. That much is clear. You may not be the same type of singer they are but singing joyfully is just as valuable as anything else. People can tell when you enjoy it and it makes them enjoy it with you. Trust me," Nate told her with a small smile and a nod.
"Thank you," Ella said with a blush and a small smile. "I'll think about it."
"Good," Nate said softly with a soft smile. "And I'm sorry about earlier. You know, making fun of you. I shouldn't have done that."
"It's okay," Ella said with a kind smile. "I know you didn't really mean it."
"You do?" Nate asked. "How?"
She smiled brightly at him as he parked outside of the hardware store in the small town at the bottom of the hill. "Because you're a nice guy, Nate. A bit grumpy, maybe, but nice."
"You barely know me. How can you be sure of that?" Nate asked.
She shrugged. "Mom says I've always been good at reading people. I can just…tell. C'mon, we should get the stuff and get back. I have a class in an hour." She hopped out of the truck and he followed. She grabbed his hand and led him inside. Nate's hand tingled from her touch and he gulped nervously. How had he never really looked at the girl that currently clutched his hand? He'd known her for nearly two years now and he'd never seen who she really was. He was amazed how drastically his perspective had changed after only a half hour with her and wondered how much would change after a whole summer. He had a feeling he wasn't prepared for it at all.
She Triple Laces Her Sneakers
Ella was wearing high top Converses. Nate stared at her in shock as she walked into the Mess Hall that morning. She never wore sneakers. Flats, yes. Heels, yes. Sandals, yes. Sneakers? Never.
She blushed and fidgeted nervously as she stopped in front of him. She'd noticed him staring. "What? Do I have something on my outfit?"
He shook his head quickly. "No! No. You look great. I've just never seen you wear tennis shoes."
She glanced down at her feet and bounced on them unconsciously. "Everything else felt too dressy for this outfit. Is it weird?"
"What?" Nate asked with a furrowed brow.
"Me wearing sneakers."
"Definitely not," Nate told her with a kind smile. "You look great in heels, but seeing you in something more casual is very refreshing."
She let out a nervous breath and nodded. "Good."
He looked down at her shoes again and grinned. "Ella, that knot looks a little thick."
She blushed again and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I triple tied them. Laces make me nervous."
"Laces? You walk on heels every day. How could laces make you nervous?" Nate asked in amusement.
"I trip over them," Ella said with quiet embarrassment. "A lot."
He chuckled and nodded. "You walk just fine in heels but athletic shoes give you trouble. It's a problem that only Ella Pador would have."
She grinned sheepishly and slapped his arm playfully. "Don't laugh at me."
"I'm sorry," He said with a smirk. "It's just cute. That's all."
She blinked at him and grinned. "Did you just call me cute?"
He froze and his shoulders tensed. "Uh, I—I, well, I guess I did. Yes."
She giggled and her face flushed. "I think I should wear these converses more often then."
He gulped and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "I—I certainly wouldn't mind if you did."
She bit her bottom lip and smiled warmly at him. "Well, I guess I'd better get breakfast. I'll see you at the staff meeting in a half hour, Nathaniel. Thanks for making me feel better about the shoes."
She turned on her heel and left to find the cereal bar and Nate called after her, "Y—you're welcome! I guess." He groaned and smacked himself in the forehead. "Why do I always sound like such a dork when I talk to her?"
It really wasn't fair.
She Takes Care of Others before Herself
Ella had been having a terrible day. He knew this. He'd come to cheer her up, but found her cheering up someone else instead. One of the Junior Rockers was having trouble with a mean girl teasing her about her size. He knew the Junior Rocker that was crying. She was young and a bit chubby around the middle but she was only nine and he thought that was normal. Though, he supposed kids could be cruel at any age.
"Who cares what she has to say?" Ella said as she wiped the girl's cheeks with her hand and tucked a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "I think you're beautiful, and very talented. You're the only Junior Rocker who managed to match up everyone's skin tones to their best colors on the chart! Priscilla couldn't do that. She also had no idea what a sewing machine was, and you actually used one to make something."
The girl sniffled and answered in a soggy tone. "It was just a pillow."
"A beautiful pillow," Ella told her warmly.
"You really think so?" The girl asked as her tone brightened.
"I do. Feel better?" Ella asked.
"A little," The girl said quietly.
"Good. Don't listen to Priscilla," Ella told her. "Some girls only feel good if they're making someone else feel bad, but we can't let them get to us. If we do, they win and we can't have that, can we?"
"No," the girl said with newfound determination. "We can't."
"You know what will show her?" Ella said.
"What?"
"If I let you demonstrate how to use the sewing machine tomorrow and use your pillow as the class example," Ella told her.
"Really?" The girl asked excitedly.
"Really," Ella said kindly.
"Thank you!" The girl said as she hugged Ella's waist tightly.
"Now, go catch up with Jason and the others, okay? He'll be wondering where you are," Ella said with a soft chuckle.
"Okay, bye, Ms. Ella! See you tomorrow!" The girl skipped away from her and past where he stood in the door. "Hi, Mr. Nate! Bye, Mr. Nate!"
"Uh, bye," Nate said with a wince. Ella would for sure know he'd been listening now.
"Hi, Nate," Ella said with a tired sigh. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. How are you?" Nate asked in concern.
"I'm fine. I'm always fine," She lied.
"Ella," Nate said with a sigh. "I know you got a letter from that design school in New York today—"
"I made this for Jason. Could you give that to him for me?" Ella said as she handed Nate a guitar strap made from a leather belt. "His old one broke today during your band rehearsal, right? I thought I heard Caitlyn say that."
"Yes, it did but you didn't have to—"
"And I made one for you too. Not that you need it, but I thought…you never know. It could be a good back up just in case what happened to Jason's happens to yours—"
"Ella—"
"I really can't talk right now, Nate. I need to finish this outfit for Caitlyn. She needs it for the Jam this Friday and then I still have to make something for Peggy's birthday tomorrow so I really don't have time to—"
"Do you always take care of everyone else ahead of yourself?" Nate asked in an irritated tone.
She looked down at the floor and sniffled. "It's what gets me through, Nate. When I get bad news I focus on the people around me. If I'm not happy then I can make sure they are at the very least."
"It was one school, Ella. You applied to plenty of others, I'm sure one of them will accept you," Nate said in a softer tone.
"It was New York, Nathaniel. That's the city where fashion lives. It was more than just a school, it was an experience. One I'll never get to have," Ella said as she turned away from him and started organizing her fabric table. "But it is what it is. Life doesn't stop and everyone deserves to be happy and no one said I can't be the one to make them feel that way. So, just let me do this, okay?"
"You're right, Ella. Everyone deserves to be happy. That includes you," Nate said honestly.
"Thank you, but I'm not going to be happy today," Ella said with a sad smile. "Let me take care of my friends, please? It will make me feel better."
He nodded. "If that's what you want, but…if you want to talk—"
"I know, you'll be the first person I find when I'm ready to talk about it. Promise," Ella said with a nod.
"Good. Do you need any help?" Nate asked. "I'm not good with a sewing machine but I'm sure there's something I can do."
Ella flashed a genuine smile at him and nodded. "I think I can find something to keep you busy. If you really want."
"I'd be happy to help," Nate said as he returned her smile. "Really, I would."
He came to take care of her for once and if taking care of other people would cheer her up then Nate figured helping her would accomplish what he came to do. And that was enough. For now.
She Still Buys Stuffed Animals
"It's so cute!" Ella squealed as they walked through a Toys-r-us. It was July 4th weekend and the halfway point of the summer. The campers had gone home to visit their families and the counselors had the weekend off. In order to get off the hill they were normally trapped on they'd used Brown's truck to take a trip to the nearest city. It was a small city, but it did have a mall and a few other stores like Toys-r-us. Jason and Ella had insisted on visiting the toy store and no one seemed to object.
Nate's eyes followed Ella as she rushed over to the aisle full of stuffed animals. She picked up a stuffed brontosaurus and hugged it close to her. Nate smiled warmly and made his way to her.
She glanced at him and then back at the plush dinosaur. "I think I'll get it."
"You're going to buy a stuffed animal?"
She nodded. "Yes, I am."
"Is it a gift for someone?"
"No, weirdo," Ella said with a giggle. "It's for me."
"For you?" Nate asked with a smirk.
"Yes, I still buy stuffed animals," Ella said as she tilted her chin proudly. "Is that a bad thing?"
"No," Nate said with a smile. "It's just another thing for me to add to the list."
"What list?" Ella asked.
"The list of reasons that I think—" he paused and cut off his sentence. What was he thinking? He couldn't tell her about the list. Was he crazy?
"List of reason you think what?" Ella asked.
"Nothing, it's nothing," Nate said as he awkwardly cleared his throat.
Ella bit her bottom lip before she smirked at him. "Is it the list of reasons you think I'm cute?"
He scratched behind his ear nervously and cleared his throat. "Yes, yes that's the list I'm talking about. Exactly."
That was much less embarrassing than his actual list.
"Are my converses on that list?" Ella asked him with a wink. "That's the last time I remember you calling me cute, anyway."
He gulped and stared at her in surprise. "I—you remember that?"
"It's not often I get called cute, Nathaniel. Of course I remember," Ella said with a chuckle.
His brow furrowed. "I don't believe that."
"Believe what?" Ella asked as she continued to search through the stuffed animals.
"That you aren't called cute very often," Nate told her. "You're cute. You're more than cute. You're—you're beautiful."
Ella's hand froze on a stuffed turtle that she'd started to pick up and she turned to face him very slowly. She looked startled. "I'm what? What did you just call me?"
"I—I said you're beautiful," Nate said nervously. For a guy who had a hard time talking to girls he was certainly loose lipped around Ella.
Her eyes watered slightly and she gulped before she blushed furiously. "No one's ever called me that before."
"That's not possible," Nate told her with a shake of his head.
"It's true," Ella said quietly as she tightened her grip on the brontosaurus.
"Well," Nate said as he reached over and took her hand. "You are and someone should have told you that before now."
She dropped the dinosaur and launched herself at him. She hugged him tightly around the neck and rested her head in the crook of his neck. He held her tightly in response and couldn't resist taking a whiff of her hair. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries. They stood there for a long time before someone interrupted them.
"Ella, I found this booklet of dinosaur stick—oh," Caitlyn said as she froze at the end of the aisle. "Um, am I interrupting something?"
They immediately pulled apart and both blushed in embarrassment.
"Um, no, just…"
"Hugging," Caitlyn said with a smirk. "I know what it was. The real question is why. Why were you hugging?"
Ella picked up the brontosaurus she dropped and held it out to Caitlyn. "Nate found a stuffed brontosaurus on the shelf. I was just thanking him." Ella winked at him and smiled. "That's all."
Caitlyn quirked a brow at them and rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, I'm sure that's what it was."
She turned and left them alone again and Ella chuckled at the awestruck look on Nate's face. "I guess I should start making a list of my own."
Nate shook himself back to the present. "What?"
"You're cute when you blush," Ella said with a smirk as she turned and sauntered away from him.
Nate tried to stop himself from blushing again but it was a lost cause. He gulped and caught sight of the turtle on the shelf that Ella had almost picked up. He smiled softly and picked it up. Maybe he'd buy it for her. He'd save it for a gift for her or maybe for a time when she needed cheering up. Or maybe he didn't need an occasion at all.
She Never Lets Anyone See Her Cry
"Tess, I'm sure she'll make in time. Maybe she's not answering because she's on a plane and they've told her to turn her phone off? She could be landing right now," Ella said with a kind smile as she placed a hand on Tess's shoulder. "It's Final Jam. You know she wouldn't miss it. She never does."
Nate smiled warmly at Ella and then turned a worried glance at Tess. Final Jam was tomorrow night and Tess hadn't been able to get a hold of her mother for days. They were all trying to cheer her up but Tess seemed determined to be angry at the world.
Tess rolled her eyes and scoffed bitterly. "Why should I listen to the girl whose father didn't even want her?"
A stunned silence fell over the group and Ella recoiled like she'd just been burned. Nate watched the hurt flash across Ella's eyes before she gulped back her tears and pasted on a fake smile. "That's okay, Tess. I know how you feel. Having a parent that's not there for you…well it hurts. And it's easy to take that out on other people. E-excuse me."
Nate watched Ella turn away from the group and leave the room with a strange calm that he knew she didn't really feel. He glared at Tess and shook his head.
"You know, Tess, when you're cruel to the people who actually care about you, you end up all alone. Is that what you want?" Nate asked her before he turned and followed Ella out of the room. He didn't care what the others said to Tess. All he cared about right now was Ella.
He finally found her sitting on the floor in the closet of the wardrobe cabin with tissues scattered around her while she hugged her stuffed brontosaurus to her chest and sobbed. He swallowed thickly and placed the turtle he'd gone back to his cabin to get on one of the tables before he knocked on the door frame of the closet.
"Ella?" He asked softly.
She immediately sniffled and took several deep calming breaths. "Please go away, Nate," She said in between breaths.
"Can't do that, Ella. Not while you're so upset," He said honestly.
"But she's right. Tess is right. He didn't want me. He still doesn't," Ella said as he heard the tears creeping back into her voice.
"She was just trying to upset you—"
"Well it worked. I'm upset," Ella snapped.
Nate stepped into the closet and sat down across from her. He took both of her hands and held them tight. "It's his loss, Ells. Not yours. He's the one missing out on knowing you and how amazing and talented you are."
"Doesn't change the fact that I still don't have a dad," Ella mumbled as she stared at Nate's hands in hers.
"No, it doesn't. I wish I could change that for you. Really I do," Nate told her. "You deserve to have everything you want. Including a father."
"I just don't get it," Ella said as she refused to look up at him. "What's wrong with me? Why didn't he want me? Was I that much of a hassle?"
"It's never been you," Nate said as she scooted closer to her. "You can't think it's your fault. Ella, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Believe me."
"Then why, Nate?" Ella asked as she finally looked him in the eye. The unshed tears he saw there broke his heart. He gulped and did something he never thought he'd have the courage to do. He pulled Ella into his lap. She tensed at first, but he felt her relax a split second later and wrap her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his neck and he gently rubbed her back. He heard her sniffle and heard her labored breathing like she was fighting her emotions with all she had.
"Ella," Nate said softly. "It's okay to cry, you know. I'd say this is an appropriate situation for it."
"I don't cry in front of people," She said stubbornly as she kept her face hidden from him.
"I'm not people, Ella, I'm Nate. There's a difference," He said gently.
"If I cry I look weak," Ella said with a gulp.
"No, you don't. You look human," Nate said as one of his hands found its way into her hair and ran it in between his fingers. "You won't feel better until you do."
And that's when she started shaking. She let out a whimper and then the dam broke. She was sobbing into his shoulder they way she had been when he first walked up. He did his best to whisper words of comfort and be there for her while she cried but the sound of her hopeless weeping was tearing him apart. He held her tighter against him to comfort himself and just waited her out. Eventually she would stop. Eventually she wouldn't have any tears left.
Her breathing evened out and her hands unclenched around his shirt and she relaxed into his arms.
"I—I'm sorry, Nate. I shouldn't lay all of this on you," Ella said softly.
"No," Nate said as he tightened his arms around her to keep her in his lap. "I want to be here for you. I don't mind."
"Really?" Ella asked as she pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "You do?"
He nodded. "I care about you, Ella. I want to be able to take care of you if you need me to."
She smiled softly and looked genuinely touched by his confession. "Nate, I—thank you. I, um, care about you too. You're much too sweet to me and I just…thank you."
She moved to duck her head and her nose brushed against Nate's. She suddenly realized how close they were and blushed crimson. She gulped and hesitantly slipped off of his lap. Nate looked disappointed as she moved to sit across from him again but he reached out for her hands to make up for the lack of contact.
"Feel better?" He asked.
Ella bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Yes, much. Thank you."
"I, um, I brought you something," Nate said with a sheepish smile. "Hold on, I'll go get it." He forced himself to release her hands and leave the closet, but he was only gone for a second and when he came back he had a plush turtle in his hands.
Ella beamed and then laughed merrily as she accepted it from him. "Nate! I love it! Thank you!"
"I thought it might make you feel better," Nate said with a blush as Ella hugged him again.
"It's not so much the turtle that makes me feel better as it is the person that gave it to me," Ella said with a shy smile. "Thank you."
Nate smiled softly and shook his head. "You don't have to keep thanking me, Ella. Once is more than enough."
"Then you'll have to stop doing things that make me want to thank you," Ella said with a chuckle.
"Not going to happen, Ells." Nate promised with a smile.
And 1 Reason Ella Fell in Love with Nate
He's Always There for Her
Ella tried not to stare at Nate as he sat across from her at lunch, but ever since that night in the wardrobe cabin she couldn't seem to stop herself. He looked up and she quickly looked away. When had they become such good friends? And why did he always seem to be there when she needed him? She could count on him. He was steady and constant. She didn't have much of that in her life.
"You okay, Ella?" He asked in concern. "You keep staring at me."
She winced and nodded. "I'm fine."
"You're not still thinking about what Tess said the other day, are you? Because—"
She smiled softly at him and shook her head. "No, I'm not thinking about that. Promise."
"Good," Nate said as he focused on his food again. "Are you going to eat?"
She looked down at her untouched plate of food and sighed. "I'm not very hungry."
"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.
"Nate, why do you care about me so much?" Ella asked thoughtfully. She couldn't believe she'd gotten up the nerve to ask him that.
He smiled softly at her and blushed. "You're my friend."
"You sure we're just friends? I can't say I've ever had a friend hold me the way you did the other night," Ella pointed out. "You just…you held me so tight. I—I thought maybe there was more to it than that."
"If I said there was, would it scare you away?" Nate asked nervously.
She shook her head and bit her bottom lip.
"Then I think I'm in love with you," Nate told her plainly. "You're honest, and sweet, and funny. You are determined to make sure everyone around you is comfortable and happy and yet you have no idea how wonderful you are or how much you deserve to have someone just be there for you."
"And you want to be there for me?" Ella asked.
He nodded. "I do. Always."
She smiled slowly and blushed a bright crimson. "I was hoping you'd say that. This whole summer you've been by my side pretty much non-stop. You're always there. You're…steady. I've never had that, Nate. Not once. And you really never gave me a choice."
"A choice to what?"
"You never gave me any other choice but to fall in love with you," Ella said with a shy smile as she nervously pushed her food around on her plate. "How could I resist when you were always beside of me to talk or to comfort me?"
His face looked blank and Ella had a feeling he was struggling to process and believe her words. "You mean it?"
She nodded and purposefully pumped his knee with hers under the table. "Yes, I do. You think I'm beautiful and you've seen me cry and I—well, those are two things that have never happened to me. And you're still here. Still asking if I'm okay. It's hard to believe that I didn't imagine you or something."
His blank look gave way to a smile and he reached across the table for her hand. "I'm real, Ella. You definitely didn't imagine me."
"So, what happens now?" She asked with a nervous gulp. "The summer's over, Nate. What do we do?"
"Well," Nate said with a smile. "The good news is that you only live a half hour from me. Mitchie and Shane have three states between them and they make it work."
Ella smiled and nodded. "That's true."
"And you start at the Fashion Institute in January, right? That will bring you even closer. Probably about fifteen minutes from me I'd say," Nate said as he held her hands tighter and grinned. "I think that this could definitely work out."
"So, are we saying we're going to try an actual relationship?" Ella asked eagerly.
"If you're okay with that," Nate said with a hopeful expression.
Ella blushed and nodded. She released his hands and then joined him on the other side table. She sat down next to him and laced her hand through his and leaned into his shoulder. "I'm more than okay with that, Nathaniel."
He turned to face her and rested his forehead against hers. "You really want this? With me? Even with all the press and all the attention that—"
"Nate, there's nothing I want more. Trust me," Ella said as she released his hand and gently ran her hands through his curls. "Will you stop doubting yourself and kiss me now?"
Nate smirked and closed the distance between them. He kissed her deeply and his hands found their way around her waist. He was about to pull her closer when someone cleared their throat behind them. Nate groaned and pulled away. They were always interrupted just when things get interesting.
"If that's Caitlyn, I swear you better run away now," Nate muttered. Ella giggled and hid her face in his shoulder.
"No, definitely not Caitlyn."
Nate and Ella froze before they both jumped up from the table and separated.
"Uncle Brown!" Nate exclaimed. "Sorry, I—I thought you were Caitlyn."
"Clearly," Brown said with a quirked brown and an amused grin. "I think you may have forgotten our rules against public displays of affection, nephew."
"Sorry, Brown," Ella said as she bit her bottom lip to keep from grinning.
"No you're not," Brown said with a chuckle. "Stop pretending, love."
"Yes, sir," Ella said as her grin widened.
"Just don't let me catch you again. Clear?" Brown asked with a shake of his head.
Nate nodded and laced his fingers through Ella's just as Brown turned his back on them. "Yes, sir."
"Well," Ella said with a giggle. "Didn't take us long to get caught in the act."
"Yeah, and we barely got anywhere. Jason and Caitlyn get away with murder compared to us," Nate said with a smirk.
"We could get away with that. Just not here. In the Mess Hall, with everyone watching," Ella said as she squeezed his hand and bumped his arm with hers.
"Archery range? No one's going to be there for at least another two hours," Nate suggested.
"Lead the way, Nathaniel," Ella said with a wink just before Nate pulled her toward the door. Summer had been exciting enough, but Ella had a feeling her life was about to become even more exciting with Nate around. And she hoped that he'd always be around.