The Secret of Ella and Micha

“The Ella I knew was not the prim and proper girl you’ve been hanging out with. She had this fire in her and she didn’t put up with anyone’s crap. It got her into trouble a lot, but she was also the kind of person who would take the fall, even if it wasn’t her fault.”
    “I think I saw that part of her when we stopped at a bathroom when we first got to town,” Lila muses. “There was this guy there who was giving me crap and Ella nearly beat him up.”
    I try not to smile. “She did, did she?”
    “Is that how she was when you knew her? Like a total badass?” Lila grins and I realize she’s not as bad as I originally thought.
    “Yeah, she was always kind of a badass.” I shove the door open and my boots scuff the gravel as I climb out.
    There are a few cars parked in front of the metal building and both the garage doors are open. A truck is parked inside and the owner of the shop—Ethan’s dad—is working under the hood.
    “So what do you do?” Lila asks as we head to the entrance.
    “A little of this,” I joke. “And a little of that.”
    “So it’s a secret.” She picks up on my vibe.
    I swing the chain attached to my jeans. “For now, it kind of is.”
    “Gotcha.” She doesn’t press and I like her even more.
    Ethan is waiting for us in the lobby, slouched back in a chair with his shoes kicked up on the counter and his head slanted back. “It’s about damn time. I was about ready to leave.”
    Lila starts to giggle as she takes out her phone from her purse. “You guys weren’t lying.”
    Ethan lowers his feet to the floor and stands up. “What’s so funny?”
    “Nothing.” I shrug him off, resting my arms on the counter. “Ella and I just told her that if we didn’t hurry up you’d get bored and leave.”
    “So you were talking about me behind my back.” He walks around the counter by Lila. “You got the keys or did you leave them in?” I toss him the keys and he catches them. “Where’s Ella?”
    “Her brother showed up,” I explain. “She’s back at her house.”
    Ethan’s eyebrows shoot upward. “And you left her there alone with him?”
    “Only to drop this off,” I say. “Lila and I are going to walk back.”
    Lila glances back and forth between Ethan and me. “Is something wrong with Ella’s brother?”
    “She’ll be fine.” I lean against the glass door with my arms folded and check my watch. “But we should get back.”
    “I think I should stay here,” Lila says, frowning at her phone.
    “Are you sure?” I ask. “Ethan will take good care of it.”
    She looks upset as she tosses the phone into her purse. “Yeah, I need to make sure everything’s taken care of properly.”
    “Alright, can you find your way back to the house?” I nudge the door open.
    “I’ll make sure she gets there,” Ethan offers with a shrug.
    Lila adjusts her purse on her shoulder and gives him a small smile. “Thank you.”
    “Alright, if it’s okay with the both of you, then I guess I’ll see you later.” I hike across the parking lot, toward the street. It’s getting late, and the odds of Lila’s car being fixed by the end of the day are pretty fucking low. I take out my cell phone and text Ella.
    Me: Just wantin to make sure ur ok?
    I walk down the sidewalk fenced by houses and dried out lawns. There is a drug exchange going on at the corner between a group of kids that still look young enough to be in high school. This side of town is pretty crappy, which I’m okay with now, but when Ella and I were kids, it was harder to deal with.
    Ella was always so curious about stuff. There were many times we got chased down for sticking our noses where they didn’t belong and I got my ass kicked defending Ella quite a few times.
    But I’d do it again in a heartbeat because when it all comes down to it, it’s just me and her against the world. Always has been.
    My phone buzzes inside my pocket and I check the message, surprised to see Ella’s name on the screen.
    Ella: No, I don’t think I am.
    Without a second thought, I run as fast as I can toward her house.

Chapter 7

    Ella
    Dean’s got his music blasting upstairs at full volume and it’s rattling the ceiling. I start picking up the garbage in the kitchen, avoiding the confrontation of seeing him again. Propping the trash can against my hip, I drag my arm along the counter, pushing a line of bottles into it.
    I pull out the bag and tie the string shut, holding it far away from me. “God, that