A/N: At first I was just going to write a one-shot about how Nate and Ella met, but as I started writing it I began to wonder how these two would get to a relationship from the starting point I gave them. So, I wrote it out. This story is a series of snapshots taken from Nate and Ella's friendship as I see it. You (the reader) will follow them from moment to moment and year to year as they both grow and mature. Should be fun, right? I hope so. Enjoy!
Over the Years
#1: First Meeting
Nate snuck into the kitchen to hide from the Final Jam after party. He knew dealing with the press was part of his job description, but he really hated it. There were too many cameras out there, the music was pounding, campers (mostly female) were hovering and staring, and his brothers were off following Mitchie Whats-her-face and her best friend like lost puppies.
They had sacrificed him to the masses. He loved his fans, he really did, but being the Nate Grey all the time was exhausting. Every now and then he needed to just be Nate. And being Nate apparently involved hiding out in the camp kitchen.
He was surprised, though, by the fact that he wasn't alone. The cook (who he believed was Mitchie's mom) was sitting at a table across from a girl he barely recognized. They were both chopping various vegetables that he guessed were intended for a salad.
"Well," Mitchie's mom said. "I see I have another helper."
"Oh—Oh no," Nate said quickly. "I don't cook."
"Neither do I," the girl chuckled. "But she talked me into it."
"Come on," the older woman said. "Sit over here next to Ella. You can help her mince."
"Mince?" Nate asked worriedly. He didn't want to mince.
"Chop," the girl clarified. "I had to ask too."
"Thanks," Nate said with an amused smile.
He noticed her breathing hitch and her eyes glaze over. That's when he realized she was a fan. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack, but when nothing happened he peeked one eye open. She had closed her eyes as well and was inhaling and exhaling very slowly. She took one last deep breath and cleared her throat. When her eyes opened, he noticed, she looked nearly calm. She smiled and introduced herself. "I'm Ella Pador."
He blinked for a minute as her last name sunk in. "Wait. Pador as in Van Pador? Lead singer of Headline?"
Ella smiled flatly. "That's my dad."
"Woah, that's awesome. What's he like? Can he really play like 15 different instruments? Have you seen his guitar collection?" Nate asked eagerly. "I mean, of course you've seen it. You're his daughter—" He cut himself off as he caught Ella's quiet sigh, and he winced in embarrassment. Maybe he hadn't really just done that. "You know what? I'm gonna stop talking now."
"It's okay, really," Ella said with a genuine smile. "I'm used to it, and I did almost freak out on you earlier."
"The key word being almost. I really didn't mean to go crazy…it's just—I'm a big fan. My entire family is, really," Nate tried to explain.
"I'll tell dad you said so. He'll like that," Ella said pleasantly.
Connie smiled at the two teens as Nate joined their table. "So why aren't the two of you out there with all of your friends?"
"My friends are all sort of tied up at the moment. Tess is having a heart to heart with her mom, and Peggy's being mobbed by like everybody. Without the two of them I end up cornered by the press while they ask about Headline," Ella told her in a huff.
"Same," Nate said. "Shane and Jason are off girl chasing which leaves me to face all those reporters. No thank you."
"Then maybe you should be eachother's 'friend' for the evening," Connie suggested.
Ella smiled brightly. "Maybe we should!"
Nate smirked and extended his hand for a shake. "Friend?"
She quickly accepted his hand. "Friend."