A/N: Okay, if you know me at all then you know that Ella is one of my favorite Camp Rock characters. I feel like she's under appreciated. And if you know me you should also know that my favorite Camp Rock pairing will more than likely NEVER happen in canon. So I had to write a story that fleshed out Ella a little bit more AND explored my favorite pairing. I came up with this story (of which I've already written 12 chapters). I love it dearly, but I feel I should warn you that this Ella is more grown up and jaded. She's lost a lot of that optimism she's known for in this story. I hope you guys can allow for that. Also, This story starts out super depressing, but I promise you it WILL get better, LOL. Enjoy!

Go Figure

By angellwings

Chapter One

Ella stared down at the article on Camp Rock her mother had sent her. It was a clipping from People magazine about the "Camp that Grooms Stars". Ella scoffed and scanned the article. There were mentions of Connect Three, Tess Tyler, Mitchie Torres, Margaret Dupree, and even Caitlyn Gellar but no mention of an Ella Pador. Not that it surprised her. Ella had never been a notable Camp Rock camper. She was an extra. A face in the crowd that nodded and went along with every one else's ideas. Ella hadn't spoken with any of the names listed in the article since their last summer at Camp.

She would have thought that she would at least kept in touch with Peggy, but it seemed Peggy was more interested in getting to know the Connect Three posse. Things had gradually changed after Peggy won final jam. Tess was civil to Caitlyn and Mitchie, and very nice to the guys of Connect Three (of course) and in turn Caitlyn and Mitchie decided to be civil as well. After Peggy had recorded her duet with Shane Grey she had started up a friendship with Caitlyn, Mitchie, and the boys. At first she had made sure to include Ella, but most of the time Ella just felt like a spare tire. Useless unless there was an emergency. Which for the record there had been only one of. Nate had let his blood sugar get the best of him, and when the guys went off in search of Brown or a piece of candy and some juice. Ella had stepped forward with a piece of chocolate. Her brother was diabetic and so she had taken up the habit of carrying a piece of candy with her just in case. She unwrapped it and placed it urgently in his hand just as Jason came back with a juice box Mrs. Torres had given him. For that whole day Ella had felt like she was one of them. Jason and Shane had thanked her profusely for stepping up, and Caitlyn, Mitchie, and Peggy had praised her for her quick thinking. Before they all headed to their cabins to go to bed Nate had even given her a small smile and "Thanks".

Now she doubted they even remembered her name. There was really no reason why they should by the time their last summer had rolled around Ella only saw Peggy two times a day. Once when they woke up that morning and again before they went to bed. It had saddened Ella to admit, but she and Peggy had just grown apart. After camp and high school Ella had moved to LA to try her hand at acting, but had ended up as one of Tess Tyler's back up dancers which had brought her back in touch with Barron and Sander who were also dancing back up for Tess. The only person that Ella had stayed in touch with over the years was Lola. Lola, like herself, had been practically forgotten by the group. So the two of them had banded together.

After a few years of being back up to Tess (again), Ella decided she had had enough of being back up and struck out on her own. For once in her life she wanted to be the one in the spotlight.

And that's how she ended up in a rundown studio apartment in a not-so-great area of LA. Did she mention that she was 24 and long past the ideal age for discovery? At this point she had given up on becoming a star and had decided to take whatever jobs she could get. She played at local coffee houses and clubs, she acted in commercials, and she did extra work on any show that needed them. It kept food in her mouth and bills paid, and as long as the work kept coming she wasn't going to need to get a waitressing job like all the other wannabe entertainers in LA.

When she was fifteen she had thought this would all be so easy. She would leave Camp Rock completely prepared for the business and defeat it one-handed. She thought she would be a star in no time like the rest of the Camp Rock alumni.

She had been terribly mistaken.

"If you had my love and I gave you all my trust would you comfort me…"

Ella's glance left the article and found her phone. The caller I.D. told her it was Lola. She smiled and answered quickly.

"Hey, girl," Ella said brightly.

"I'm guessing your mom sent you the People article too?"

"She wouldn't be my mother if she didn't," Ella chuckled.

"Does it ever bother you that these people we used to be close to are getting all the fame and attention?" Lola asked with a sigh.

"A little, yeah, but at least we know they actually have talent. I mean it's not like we're more talented than them or anything," Ella said.

"But we're JUST as talented as them and yet here I am 24 and struggling to find work while living in a crappy New York studio apartment."

Ella shrugged, "Well, not everyone at Camp Rock could go on to be rich and famous. There had to be some casualties."

"True, but why did the casualties have to be us?" Lola asked with a light chuckle.

Ella laughed softly, "Only the Universe knows the answer to that question."

"Has your dad offered you another job yet?" Lola asked.

"No, but I'm sure he will soon. It's about that time of year," Ella said with a sigh. "I'm actually thinking about taking him up on his offer this time."

"Ella! No!"

"Why not? It's good pay, I'll be spending time with my dad while he's on tour, and it's a lot more glamorous than my life right now."

"Because you'll be giving up on your own dream."

She sighed, "Lola, I've already given up on that. I gave up on that a long time ago. Might as well make it official."

"Ella, come on, if you quit trying you'll definitely never make it," Lola told her.

Ella ran a hand through her hair and observed her nails as Lola continued to lecture her on giving up. Ella understood where Lola was coming from, but damn it she was tired. Tired of hoping that tomorrow would be THE day that everything would change. She was tired of working her ass off and getting nothing in return.

"Besides, are you sure you want to find out what your dad is really like?"

Ella's eyes widened. Now THAT was a good point. Her father loved her, that was for sure, but he was a bit of a partier. He was one of those old school rock stars who tore up hotel rooms and destroyed an amp at every show.

"Well, maybe I could…change him or something," Ella said as she scrunched her nose up. She knew that statement was lame the minute it left her mouth.

"El," Lola said sternly.

"Lola, I'm running out of options here! I can't sing in coffee houses for the rest of my life."

"But if you give up then…I'll have to give up."

Ella's brow furrowed, "No! You're actually going places, Lola! You just struck that deal with Battery! That's one step away from a record deal! If you give up then I'll have to come to New York and smack you!"

The phone call ended with Lola reluctantly agreeing to let Ella do what she felt was right. And one week later, just as Ella predicted, her father called.

"Good Morning, Princess," He greeted.

Ella chuckled, "Dad, it's 3 PM."

"Is it really? Damn, I need to buy a clock."

Coming from any one else Ella would have thought that was a joke.

"So, what's up dad?"

"Well I have a proposition for you, and before you say no-"

"Yes."

"What?"

"I accept."

"But you haven't even heard the speech I rehearsed yet."

Ella chuckled, "What's the job?"

"Back up singer, and I know you've said you don't want to do back up anymore but our back up singers usually get a solo or two-"

"Dad, It's fine. Singing back up for you is different than singing back up for Tess."

"Okay," He said slowly. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright then," He said excitedly. "Tour rehearsals start next week on Stage 5 at the Universal lot."

"Time?"

"Um, some ungodly AM hour," he said in a questioning tone. "I'll get back to you after I call Dale. He'll know."

Ella rolled her eyes, "Sure thing, daddy."

Dale was the responsible band mate and the only member of Headline that her mother had ever been nice to. Headline was her father's band. They had been on the mainstream pop scene since the early eighties. They were still very popular. Van, her father, was the front man. Dale played the keyboards and was the other lead vocalist. He also kept everyone else in check. Bo was the drummer and Randy played bass guitar. She and her brother were the only offspring that anyone in the band had. All four of the band members combined made a great dad, but on his own Van Pador was not so responsible.

"Hey!" her dad said happily. "I can sing your song to you on stage every night!"

Great, "Bella Ella" would follow her around every day now. She had recently made a dating rule about that song. It stated that if an interested party ever serenaded her with "Bella Ella" then she had every right to end it.

"That's awesome, dad," Ella said as she forced a brightness into her tone.

"Well, princess, I'm gonna go. I'll call you later with a time for rehearsals."

"Okay, daddy, I'll talk to you then."

She hung up with her father and quickly marked next week with "Tour rehearsals". She hadn't been on a tour in a long time and she was actually very excited about it. Traveling the country was always fun, but she had a feeling her father and his friends would keep her busy. Unless her father had mellowed with age. She doubted it, but she could still hope.