Worth the Effort: Ella's Story

Chapter 3

The next morning, I show up with coffee I made at home. I'm five minutes early. I sit on the ground in front of him and say hello.

Regardless of the fact that we are in an alley, his bleary-eyed confusion and tousled hair seems intimate. He's still wearing the wrinkled, smelly army jacket, and his dark hair is so stiff he has permanent bed head. Even so, I grin. He looks like my ex-boyfriend when he wakes up, with the same vacant and puzzled expression, blinking to orient himself. Making growly, grunting noises trying to find his voice.

"Morning," I say, handing him a bagel I'd slathered with cream cheese. "What's your name?"

His eyes dart to the back door of the restaurant, to the purse hanging over my shoulder. To the bagel he'd automatically accepted when I offered. "Um..."

I haven't heard him speak since that very first day. His voice is gravelly, but probably from just having woken, or from not being used. Even in that one sound it has a rich resonance that makes me lean a little closer, hoping for more.

"I'm Ella."

"Ayden."

Before I can stop myself, I frown. Ayden is such a nice name. A name given by loving parents with hopes and dreams for their son. Do we all start out with parents like that?

"Ayden. It's nice to officially meet you."

I get up and dig the key out of my purse. I smile at him just before pulling the door open. He's too far in the shadows for me to know if he saw my smile, or if he is eating the bagel, or if he's studying me. If I were him, I'd be studying me. Wondering why the sudden change.

Pleasure and pride swell inside me. I feel less like a coward. It doesn't last long though.