As Close As Strangers

Twenty Six

Ella

"So, are you gonna tell me where we're going?" I asked Luke.

"Don't worry about it." He said.

We walked two more blocks and then I began to realize where we were going. We were on Calum's block.

"Luke." I said as I stopped walking.

"Surprise?" He asked as he laughed nervously.

"Luke, why are we here?" I asked.

"To hang out."

"With who?" I asked.

"Oh you know. Cal and Ash. And Michael." He mumbled.

"Excuse me, what was that?" I asked.

"And Michael. He's here too." He told me.

"No, Luke. I can't do this." I said.

"Ella, you have to. You can't be alone forever. You can't just do that." He yelled.

"I can't do this! This is ridiculous. I can't be here. I'm going home." I said as I turned around.

"Ella please!" Luke shouted.

"So what." I yelled, "You expect me to go in there and act like everything is fine? Cause it's not! I know that, you know that, they know that! Everyone knows that I'm not okay and I don't like that!"

"You can't avoid him forever! It's sick! There is no reason to do that to him Ella. It's wrong!" He yelled back.

"I still love him, Luke! That's why I can't be near him right now! I love him! I know Michael doesn't love me anymore and it hurts and that is why I can't be anywhere near him!" I screamed.

And at that exact moment, Michael stepped out onto the porch. He heard everything I just yelled.

"I'm going home Luke." I sighed.

I turned around and walked away from the house ignoring both of them calling my name. I walked all the way home without turning around to see what I had left behind.

Luckily enough, my parents and Dakota were gone by the time I got home. As I opened the door, I turned around to see Michael standing at the front of the walkway. And I turned right back around and went inside. I didn't make it far. I sank to the floor right next to the door. Arms wrapped around my knees and my heart beating out of my chest.

Then I heard Michael do the same. His back was to the door, just like mine.

"I'm willing to sit here out all night." He shouted.

Maybe I should open the door.

"I won't leave until we talk Ella. Unless... Unless you want me to. All you have to do is tell me to stay. If you don't, I'll go. I'm gonna count to ten. If you don't tell me to stay by ten, then I promise I'll leave you alone. Forever." He said.

All I had to do was tell him to stay.

Michael

"One. Two."

She wasn't going to say it.

"Three."

This was an awful idea.

"Four. Five."

Ella

"Six."

He was already on six.

"Seven."

"Eight."

Michael

"Eight."

I got up and began walking down the pathway. She wasn't going to tell me to stay. This was it.

"Nine."

Goodbye Ella.

Ella

"Ten."

Fuck.

Michael

"Ten."

I was at the end of the pathway. She didn't come out. She didn't say a word. I began walking down the back to Calum's, until I heard something behind me. I turned around and there she was. She was running after me.

Ella

I ran as fast as I could to catch up to him. I couldn't let him slip away. I just couldn't. He turned around just as I was catching up to him. He stopped as I ran into his arms.

"Stay."

Michael

"Stay."

Stay. She wanted me to stay.

Author's Note

So this is definitely my favorite thing I've written in a really long time. Maaaaaybe Michael and Ella have some hope :)