A/N: So this fic is based on a Kate Voegele song "Manhattan From The Sky" and I want to quote ALL of it to you because it is brilliant. Especially if you listen to it and think about Ella thinking all of it about Nate. But I won't quote all of it because that would be ridiculous. But just know I'm having a very difficult time narrowing down a part to quote before the story starts. OH, and for full effect maybe you should track down that song and play it on repeat while you read.
A Fine Mess
By angellwings
Well I could start discovering your world,
And I would make a damn good city girl.
Things would start to bloom,
I'm sure.
You are my Manhattan from the sky.
You look so neat and tidy when I'm way up high,
But I know your streets are lined with a fine mess inside.
I wanna come down and walk around your mind.
I know you want me to see it; don't lie to me.
So why you gotta go be so shy to me?
I ain't buying the false anxiety.
Let your fortress fall.
-Kate Voegele, "Manhattan From the Sky"
Ella wasn't known for her musical ability. That didn't mean she didn't have any. She did. She'd played piano all of her life, and she knew a little about the guitar. She'd had a handful of voice lessons and had always enjoyed singing. But no one really thought of those things when they thought of her. They thought of fashion, lip gloss, sequins, and sewing machines.
Peggy had told her once that she thought of New York City when she thought of Ella because it was such a trendy and fashionable place. Ella thought that was strange. Especially since when she thought of New York City, or the Island of Manhattan in general, she thought of Nate.
Which brought her back to her original train of thought, she may not be the first person people think of when they hear the word music, but that didn't mean she couldn't write a song. She had a song writing journal just like everyone else, and maybe it wasn't full but there were a few things in it. Most of them would never ever be seen by anyone. She really didn't want anyone to see them. Not because she didn't think they were good, but because they were all much too private.
Her songs were full of secrets. Things that she didn't want anyone to know. For example, her most current song was all about a certain insanely talented, curly haired, teenage rock star. He would never see it because she would never let him.
She'd started it not long after the summer began. First, she'd heard the first bits of the melody in her head. She didn't know what had caused her muse to suddenly appear at first. All she knew was that she'd been talking to Dana and suddenly the soft sounds of the piano were playing in her head.
At the time she didn't think what she'd been discussing with Dana had any influence over the music. It wasn't until later that she realized Dana's admission about breaking up with Nate had started it all.
Nate hadn't told her. None of the guys had told her. And according to Dana they'd broken up several months ago. Ella talked to the guys on the phone once every two weeks and she and Nate exchanged weekly e-mails to keep each other updated. Not once in all of those phone calls and e-mails had Nate mentioned Dana breaking up with him. At first she'd been angry. How could he not tell her? But then…
Then she saw him.
He didn't look happy. Not even by his own definition. Usually he doesn't really look happy, but there's something in his eyes that tells you he is or the corner's of his mouth draw upward ever so slightly. It's not a smile or a grin or even a smirk, but it still meant he was at least satisfied with his life and the moment.
Neither of those things were apparent in Nate's expression. His eyes were flat and his lips formed a straight tense line. She'd hurt him. Maybe she hadn't intended to, but she had. Ella liked Dana. She was very sweet and very talented, but in that moment Ella allowed herself to resent the girl just a little.
Dana had had Nate, and she gave him up. She hurt him, and that was just something Ella couldn't understand. Why would anyone break up with Nate? He was…well, not perfect, but pretty darn close. At least in her book he was.
At Opening Jam he'd barely talked to anyone, but, unbelievably, no one seemed to notice. Okay that wasn't true. Shane and Jason had noticed, but she suspected they'd gotten used to it. None of their group noticed it though. They just went on like everything was normal. Even when the Camp Star kids came over from across the lake and the awkwardness seeped out of Nate and Dana in floods and torrents…no one seemed to notice.
It was, apparently, going to be up to Ella to fix Nate.
She didn't mind, though. Talking to Nate had always been interesting. He'd never once talked down to her the way other people did sometimes, and he always listened to her ideas even when she knew they weren't the best.
Nate snuck away from the bonfire and Ella followed him. Nate sat down on the edge of the pier and as she got closer her foot stepped on a twig. The twig snapped and Nate turned quickly. "Who's there?"
Ella slowly stepped into the moonlight and smiled sheepishly at him. "Hi."
One corner of his mouth tugged upward before he said, "Hi."
Ella joined him on the pier and turned to him with a sigh. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he lied.
She gave him a stern gaze. "Nate."
He closed his eyes briefly before continuing. "Dana broke up with me."
Ella nodded sadly. "She told me. What happened?"
"I have no idea. I mean I think I do, but…"
"What do you think happened?"
"The spark disappeared. Somehow over the course of the year we suddenly became just friends. I didn't realize it until after Dana had broken up with me."
"But," Ella said as her brow furrowed in confusion. "If you feel like she's just your friend then…why do you seem so…broken?"
"Because I thought—she wasn't like any girl I'd ever met before, Ella, and I was convinced it was going to work out. But I was wrong. What if I'm wrong about the next girl too? What if my next relationship that seems like a sure thing fizzles out just like this one did? What if I—"
"Nate," Ella interuped. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's the risk you take with relationships. My mother always told me that how the story ends isn't really what's important. What's important is that you don't regret reading it to begin with. You know what I mean?"
One corner of his mouth tugged upward again. "I think I do."
"So, now the question is, do you regret yours and Dana's story at all? Would you go back and date her again even if you knew it wouldn't last?" Ella asked him.
He nodded. "I would."
"As long as you don't regret the little moments then every risk is worth it," Ella said with a shrug as she removed her hand from his shoulder. "That's what I believe anyway."
The next morning when she'd seen Nate at breakfast his eyes were sparkling just slightly and that same corner of his mouth was tilted upward. He was happier. Maybe not really happy just yet, but he was getting there. He sat down beside of her with his eggs and bacon flashed her a small toothless smile.
"Thanks, Ella."
She blushed and shrugged it off. "No problem. What are friends for?"
By that afternoon more of the melody had been written. She'd snuck into one of the rehearsal cabins and camped out on the piano for a bit to work it out and write it down. No one had seen or heard her and she was grateful for that. Things had gone on like normal for a while. She and Nate had hung out a little more, and his spirits steadily lifted until he was finally normal Nate again. The more time Ella spent with him the more of the melody she would hear in her head, and the more often she would have to sneak into a rehearsal cabin.
One day she'd passed Nate on the way to lunch and noticed him mumbling to himself in frustration. She stopped and tapped his shoulder. "Nate?"
He looked up at her and she could have sworn she saw him blush just a little. "Ella, how long have you been standing there?"
"Not long. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. There's just a lot going on in my head right now. It's a little confusing."
"Anything you need to talk about?"
"I need teaching advice."
"Did you talk to Brown?" Ella asked. She wasn't the best teacher. Granted, she had a lot of fun educating people on the colors that best suited their skin tones and what type of clothes best fit their body shape, but teaching a music class was totally different.
"I tried all of the ideas he gave me, and none of them are working. This kid just doesn't get it. I mean I try, and I try, and I—"
"Nate," Ella chuckled. "Chillax."
His eyebrows rose and he grinned. "Chillax, Ella? Really?"
"What? It's a fun word to say. Do you want my opinion or not?"
He nodded. "Of course, I do."
"Maybe this kid isn't meant to play the drums."
"What do you mean?" Nate asked.
"Some people just aren't built to do certain things. Maybe your student should try another instrument. You should help him find the perfect instrument for him," Ella told him. It seemed obvious to her, but then again not many people thought about things the way she did.
"So, in order to help him…I should put him in someone else's class?" He asked in disbelief.
She rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean you've failed to teach him anything, Nate. That's what you were thinking wasn't it? You're a great teacher. One student does not prove otherwise."
"But that just seems like it would be—"
"Giving up," Ella sighed. "It's not giving up. Did I give up when I decided to take on a more backstage job? Is my being in charge of wardrobe my way of giving up?"
He shook his head. "No, because you love that. It's something you're passionate about. It's—"
"My calling," She told Nate with a smile. "It's the same for this student of yours. You have to help him find his calling. The instrument he'll be absolutely addicted to and passionate about."
"People underestimate you, Ella Pador," Nate told her as he genuinely smiled at her.
Her eyes widened and she blinked at him for several moments. "What?"
"You're so much more than people give you credit for," He explained. "And I just wanted you to know that. You hungry?"
She was still processing his words and couldn't speak. So she nodded. He motioned toward the mess hall and placed a hand on the small of her back as he led her there.
The rest of the music had been written by the end of the day. Once she'd started playing what she'd heard in her head she couldn't stop. Now all she needed was the lyrics.
The lyrics came to her in a slightly different way. This time her inspiration didn't come from seeing or spending time with Nate. It came from a girl's night in their cabin. They'd all sat down on their beds to dish about the boys. They'd talked about every boy at camp before they finally got to Nate.
"I just don't get him," Peggy said with a shrug.
"I know what you mean," Mitchie agreed. "It's hard to tell what he's thinking most of the time. Most boys are pretty easy to read but Nate…"
"He's nothing like Shane or Jason when it comes to that, that's for sure. Jason tells you all you need to know just by looking at his face, and Shane tries to hide and repress too much so it's easy to see through him. But Nate just seems so…flat."
Ella's nose scrunched up in disgust. Flat? Nate wasn't flat. She felt defensive and she wasn't sure why. The girls hadn't meant anything by it. She knew that, but how could they call Nate flat?
"Flat? Nate? Are you guys talking about a different Nate?"
"You don't agree?" Mitchie asked.
"No!" Ella exclaimed. "Nate is not flat. He's—He's…bumpy."
Caitlyn stifled a laugh and Ella grunted in frustration. Where were her words?
"He's not flat. He shows his emotions just like the rest of us. He just shows them differently, that's all. If you'd ever taken the time to really look then you'd know. It's all about his eyes and his mouth. They tell you what you need to know. They just don't scream at you. He—he whispers his emotions, and you just have to know what to listen for," Ella told them adamantly. "He's by no means flat."
The girls had stared at her in stunned silence before Peggy smiled slowly at her.
"I didn't know you knew him so well, Ella."
"I—I—"
"Do you…have a thing for him?" Mitchie asked eagerly. "Do you?"
Did she? She bit her lip and tried to think of an answer. She tried to say no, but that didn't feel right and immediately died on her lips. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she answered as if she were testing out the words. "Yes, I—I think I do."
Her stomach flipped. The words felt right. Oh dear Lord, she had a crush on Nate Grey. She gasped and buried her face in her pillow. She quickly sat back up and looked at the girls. "Oh my God, I have feelings for Nate."
The girls let out a chorus of 'aw's and Ella glared at them. No, no that wasn't good. She couldn't have a crush on him. Well, obviously she could…because she did, but…
He wouldn't feel the same. Would he?
Ella tried very hard to act normal around him the next day. She didn't understand why her sudden realization made her so nervous. He was still Nate and she was still Ella. Nothing had changed.
And, yet, everything had changed. She and Nate were sitting on the pier during their free time. She hadn't said very much. She'd accidentally gone completely inward which wasn't like her, and Nate had noticed.
"I know you're usually the one asking me this," Nate said with a small smile. "But…are you okay?"
"Me?" She asked. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You're very quiet."
"I—I'm sorry."
"No, Ella, don't apologize just tell me why. I mean you've given me so much advice this summer that I think it's time I return the favor, don't you?" He told her with a good natured grin.
"I…can't. I mean I want to but—"
"But what?" He asked.
"I'm scared." She admitted.
"Scared of me?" Nate asked in concern. "I…don't want you to be scared of me."
She chuckled lightly. "I don't want to be scared of you either, but I am."
She looked up at him and nearly winced. He looked hurt. "Why?"
"Please, don't ask me that," Ella said with a sigh. "Because if you ask me then I'll have to tell you because I can't—I can't lie to you."
His hand found hers and he gave it a squeeze. "Why, Ella? Please, just tell me."
"Because I," She paused and sighed. "I have feelings for you. You know the kind that causes butterflies and—and stomach flips. But it's ridiculous because you can't possibly have feelings for me."
He didn't speak, didn't move, and didn't let go of her hand. He merely stared at her for a few moments. A soft smile appeared on his face and he leaned toward her. His lips were hovering just above her own.
"Ella, I…"
"Yes?" She asked quietly as she tried not to stare at his mouth.
"I…" The smile suddenly faded from his face and he jumped up. "I just remembered that, um, I have a meeting with…Uncle Brown. Yeah, I'll…see you later."
Ella watched him go in silent shock. He was running away. Running. Like he couldn't get away fast enough. She turned toward the water and felt her whole body slump. She brought a hand to her mouth, and tried not to cry. His lips had almost touched hers. Just another few inches and they would have…
But they didn't, and he'd bolted away from her like it was the last place he wanted to be. She stood slowly and took in a shuttering breath. She should have lied to him and told him anything but the truth.
It was too late now though. He knew. He knew and he probably thought she was an idiot. She walked briskly back to her cabin. She would have run but she couldn't seem to find the energy. She pulled the screen door open and immediately collapsed on her bed. She hadn't seen Mitchie and Shane sitting on the porch when she'd passed them, and she certainly hadn't heard them ask her what was wrong.
She just wanted to hide. To crawl into a hole and never come out. She tried to keep her crying quiet. She didn't want to make herself look like even more of an idiot than she already did. As long as Nate didn't tell anyone then she wouldn't either.
She felt a hand on her back. It softly rubbed comforting circles. Ella didn't dare roll over to see who it was.
"Ella?"
Mitchie. Of course it was Mitchie.
"What happened?"
"I—I don't want to talk about it. Just…leave me alone? Please?"
"Ella, I don't think—"
"Please, Mitch, I just need to cry a little, okay? And I can't do that if you're here."
"Sure you can—"
"No, I can't. I don't—I've never—I don't like to cry in front of anyone. Please just go."
"Is this about Nate?" Mitchie asked.
Ella didn't answer and Mitchie knew it was. Mitchie sighed sadly and stood from Ella's bed. "Do you want me to bring you some dinner?"
"I—Yes, please. I'd like that."
"I'll be back in a bit."
As soon as Mitchie left Ella closed her eyes and curled up beneath her covers. She didn't like crying. It felt awkward and…it wasn't fun. Eventually she fell asleep, and it was a welcome break.
She'd had a dream. Well, it was more of a memory than a dream. She'd been Nate as he listened to her talk to him about taking risks for relationships and not regretting the little moments. She sat up and rubbed her face. She could feel the stiffness in her cheeks form her tearstains so she got up and washed her face. When she returned to her bed she found Mitchie waiting on her with a sandwich, chips, and a glass of fruit punch. There was also a plate sitting on her bed and Mitchie smiled sweetly at her.
"Mom sent you some cookies. She thought they might help."
Ella gave Mitchie a small smile. "Thanks."
"What happened with Nate?"
Ella bit her bottom lip and looked down at her sandwich. "I told him how I felt."
"And?"
"He ran away."
Mitchie's brow furrowed. "He what?"
"He ran. One minute he was leaning forward like he was going to kiss me and then the next he was sprinting toward the cabins."
"He almost kissed you?"
"Yes, I mean I'm pretty sure he did. We were leaning and he started to say something and his lips were very close to mine and then…"
"And then?"
"He jumped up and ran away. The jerk."
"Well, that explains why he looked like crap at dinner."
Ella's eyes narrowed. "He looked like crap? He's the one who did the ditching! Why should he look like crap?"
Mitchie sighed. "Ella, it's completely obvious what happened."
"No, it's really not."
"Yes, it is. Nate likes you—"
She scoffed. "Right."
"Hush," Mitchie instructed. "Let me finish. Nate has feelings for you, but he's scared so he ran away. It makes sense. Look at how things ended with Dana. I'd be scared too."
"But I'm not Dana!" Ella yelled.
"You're right, you're not." Mitchie told her with a nod. "You're better."
Ella's brow furrowed. "Wait, but don't you like Dana?"
Mitchie grinned. "I do, but…I happen to like you just a little more."
Ella smiled at the brunette. "I appreciate that."
"As you should, but Ella, you have to see it. You have to see why Nate would be so scared of returning your feelings. And I can tell you he looked like he felt absolutely terrible at dinner. Like he knew he'd made a big mistake," Mitchie told her encouragingly.
"He did make a big mistake."
"He knows," Mitchie said. "He's probably sitting in his cabin regretting it right now."
And again Ella was reminded of that night on the pier, and her conversation with Nate. She huffed and smacked her forehead.
"What?" Mitchie asked.
"I was just thinking about a conversation I had with Nate," She sighed. "I think I need to take my own advice."
"And what advice was that?"
"I told Nate that relationships are risks, but as long as you never regret the little moments then they're worth it. I think I need to take a risk of my own," Ella said as she shook her head. "I mean whatever happens can't be worse than watching him run away from me, can it?"
"So then you're still coming to the bonfire?" Mitchie asked as she patted Ella's back.
"Yes, and I'm gonna look darn good too," Ella said in determination. "If fear is what's holding Nate back then I think I can crack him. Help me pick out an awesome outfit?"
"I don't think you need my help with that," Mitchie laughed. "You're the fashion queen not me."
The rest of the evening was spent tearing through Ella's clothes. Finally they found something that would be appropriate for the bonfire but still knock Nate's socks off. Something that looked like Ella was trying, but didn't look like she was trying too hard. She showed up at the bonfire feeling confident and looking great. Several heads turned her way as she approached the fire pit area, and Mitchie smirked at her.
"Knock him dead, Ella," Mitchie told her with a wink as she left to find Shane.
"Oh, I plan on it."
Except Nate didn't show. He was no where to be found. Ella had even asked Jason and Shane if they'd seen him, and they said they hadn't seen him since dinner. How was she supposed to 'knock him dead' if she couldn't find him? Why was he suddenly so afraid? She'd been thinking back on the past month and knew that they'd shared more than a few moments. He wasn't scared then.
She went back to her cabin and grabbed her journal. She finally had that bridge she'd been missing in the song. She quickly headed toward her usual rehearsal cabin and jerked open the door. She didn't see anyone inside and immediately sat down at the piano. She scribbled down the lyrics that had sprung to mind, and then played the bridge to see how they fit.
"I know you want me to see it, don't lie to me.
Why you gotta go be so shy to me?
I ain't buyin' the false anxiety.
Let your fortress fall.
What's it gonna take to get you there?
If fear was money you'd be a millionaire.
All alone in a leather swivel chair,
Countin' stacks of gold."
She smiled softly as she sang. Perfect. She sang a couple more choruses and finished the song before scribbling down a few more notes and studying the music one last time. It was finished. The song she'd been working on for a month now was finally finished. She realized it summed up exactly how she felt about Nate, and then realized this song had started because of Nate.
This song was about Nate. She'd been writing him a song and she didn't even know it.
"That was…amazing."
Ella jumped and yelped at the voice. She turned to glare at the speaker. Nate. Now he shows up.
"Thanks," She said coldly. She wanted to see him, but now that she was seeing him…she felt hurt and angry. He'd left her.
"Have you been working on that for long?"
What was he doing? He was talking to her like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't ripped her heart out of her chest and stomped on it earlier today. "Since camp started, I guess."
She didn't want to answer his questions, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to ignore him and make him hurt the way he hurt her but she just couldn't.
"It's beautiful," he told her. "The imagery is brilliant."
Ella closed her eyes and huffed angrily. "What are you doing, Nate? Why are you even talking to me?"
"Because I—I missed you."
"It's only been one afternoon, Nathaniel."
He sighed. "It felt like a lifetime."
"Well, it's your own fault," She told him as she felt tears pooling in her eyes. She looked down at the floor before she continued. "You ran away from me. Not the other way around. I mean you just…left me there. You stood up and ran away like the last thing you wanted in the world was to be with me—"
"Ella—"
"I mean I just put it all on the line and you…you didn't even try to explain. That, at least, I could have understood, but you—you…"
She cut herself off when she felt wetness on her cheeks. She was crying. Great. She turned away and wiped her cheeks with her hands. She would not cry. Especially not in front of Nate.
"Please, please don't cry," Nate begged.
She wanted to stop, she did, but tears just kept silently falling down her cheeks. "I can't help it."
She heard his footsteps as he came around to face her. She was still sitting on the piano bench so he knelt down until he was eye level with her.
"Ella, I need to tell you something."
"Can you just go? Please?"
Where did all of her determination from earlier go? She had been all set to make him see reason, but now that she'd started crying…it had vanished. One tear and all her will power was zapped from her body.
"No," Nate answered. "I'm not leaving. This is my fault. All of this is my fault."
She let out a shuttering breath, and nodded.
"Are you…agreeing with me?" He asked. She could hear slight amusement in his voice.
"Yes," She answered. "Well, I mean it is your fault. If you hadn't have run away—"
"About that," He said quickly. "I was an idiot. You're right. I should have stayed, and I should have talked through it with you. But…I scared myself, and my first instinct was to get out. It was dumb. Very very dumb, but it happened. I'm sorry. I wish I could go back and change my reaction. More than anything else I wish I could change that."
"Me too," She told him honestly.
"I can fix it now though," Nate told her as he grabbed her hand. "If you'll let me I can fix this right now."
"How?" Ella asked him.
"I can tell you why I was afraid."
She met his eyes and waited for him to continue.
"You amaze me, Ella. There have been so many times this summer where I've just been in awe of you. I've been feeling things for you that I've tried to brush off and push down because…because it reminds me of how things went with Dana. I've been in this place before, and it didn't last. And, yes, it hurt with Dana, but it would hurt even more with you."
"It would?" Ella asked.
"Yes, because what I've been feeling for you is ten times what I ever felt for her. Which means when this ends it will hurt ten times more. The idea of that much pain scared me, and I…needed to get my thoughts together."
"And that's why you ran?"
He nodded. "That's why I ran."
"Well, that's stupid."
"Excuse me?" He asked in disbelief.
"It's sweet," She told him honestly. "But stupid. I mean whether we try something or not I think it's going to hurt either way if what I'm feeling now is any indication. So, if us not trying is going to hurt just as much as us breaking up then we should try. At least if we try and fail we'll have happy memories to look back on once it's over."
He nodded thoughtfully as he considered her words.
"If it's ever over that is," Ella added. "I mean we don't know for sure that it will end."
Nate smiled softly at her. "No I guess we don't."
He moved to sit beside of her on the piano bench, but didn't let go of her hand. His free hand had turned her face toward his and he lightly ran his fingers over her wet cheeks. Ella's breathing quickened as she felt him wiping away her tear stains.
"I hate that I made you cry," he told her. She swallowed thickly and nodded.
"Me too. I hate crying. And I hate when I cry in front of people. I cried in front of not one, but two people tonight," She admitted in defeat. "I hate that."
His brow furrowed. "Wait, I didn't want you to cry because it made me feel like some kind of monster, but…why don't you cry in front of people?"
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looked away. "I—It feels weak and…pathetic. There's so much about me that's already weak enough. I don't need people thinking I'm weepy on top of that."
"Ella," He told her sternly. "No one's going to think you're weepy because they see you crying once."
"I just—I don't like to cry in front of people, okay? Can we leave it at that?"
He sighed. "No, we can't. I don't like that you think you have to hold things in like that. It's not healthy."
"And avoiding talking about emotional scarring is, Mr. Run-Away?"
He chuckled at that. "Okay, so we both have issues. But still, I want you to know…I won't think you're weak or weepy if you cry in front of me. I promise."
"I'll keep that in mind," She mumbled. "So, what do we do now?"
He squeezed her hand. "I think this is the part where I ask if I'm forgiven."
"Okay." She said with a nod. He waited but she said nothing.
"Well, am I?"
"You haven't asked me to forgive you yet. How can I answer you if you don't ask me?"
He smiled. "Good point."
Ella watched as he turned toward her and took both her hands in his. He took a deep breath and tried again. "Ella, forgive me? Please?"
He was already forgiven, but…he deserved to sweat a little. She peered at him thoughtfully. "Why should I?"
"Because I plan on making it up to you. I want to take you on an actual date, I want to hold your hand in mine more often, I want to buy you flowers, I want to write you songs, and I—I want to be with you. I want to get to know you and all of your details and quirks. That's how I plan to make it up to you."
Ella smiled into his eyes and melted. "But I thought you were…afraid."
He took a deep breath. "I was, and I still am, but…a very wise person once told me that every relationship is a risk. And I think that whatever it is we have…is a risk worth taking. Don't you?"
She lifted one of her hands from his and brushed away a loose spirally curl that had fallen into his eyes. "Of course I do."
He grabbed her hand again as it came down and kissed her palm. Ella froze. He used his hold on her wrist to slide her closer to him on the bench. Her eyes widened slightly at the intense expression on his face. Sometime while they were talking he'd moved his legs to the opposite side of the bench. This allowed him to remove his other hand from hers and place it on the small of her back to pull her even closer.
"Nate, what are you doing?" Ella asked him. She knew what he was doing, but she half expected him to run away again.
"I'm living in the moment, Ella."
Then suddenly his lips were on hers. She stiffened before she felt his thumb rubbing circles on her back, and the next thing she knew…she was jello. She'd nearly gone completely slack in his arms, but she couldn't help it. He was kissing her so thoroughly that it was hard to think about anything else. She was pretty sure Nate's grip on her wrist and his hand on her back were the only things keeping her upright at the moment. Her free arm traveled up and wrapped tightly around Nate's neck. He deepened the kiss and Ella was sure she was going to lose all ability to move or think if they kept going.
She pulled away reluctantly and smiled at him. "I hope more of those are a part of all the ways you plan on making this drama up to me because I think those might work a lot better than any of your other options."
"Oh, you think so?" He asked with a smirk. "I'll make a mental note of that then. Just for you."
She blushed and chuckled. What a fine mess they were.
But she wouldn't have it any other way.