The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret 1)

Micha's extremely quiet, as he reads the menu on the marquee. The waitress skates over and ducks her head into the cab of the car, sticking out her butt. Rain falls on her back as she jots down their orders and then giggles at something either Micha or Ethan said. Either way, it's annoying. I pile all the garbage onto the tray, start up the car, and rev up the engine, startling the waitress and everyone else.

Lila gapes at me. "Ella, what are you doing?"

"Sorry," I apologize, feeling kind of bad, and put a tip on the tray. The waitress gives me a tight smile as she collects the tray and skates off to the order window.

Micha hops out of the car and his boots splash in the puddles. He stretches his long legs and arms, and then winds around the back of my car and to my door. He taps his fist on the window. Sighing, I roll it down.

He crouches down so we're eyelevel and rests his arms on the seal of the window. "Do you want to explain what that was about?"

"An accidental slip of the foot," I say, knowing he's going to read straight through my bull shit lie. "Sometimes it happens."

"Not with you." His eyes twinkle like sapphires as raindrops bead down his face. "If you want my attention, just say so."

"I want your attention." The truth falls from my lips, shocking us both.

He kisses me on the forehead with his wet lips. "See, that wasn't so hard."

"Yes, it was," I surrender, defeated. "But I'm tired."

"Of being someone you're not?"

"That among other things."

He lets out an unsteady breath and lowers his voice as he leans close to my ear. "Are you ready to talk about it?"

I shake my head. "Not yet, but maybe soon."

"I'm here when you're ready." He gives a soft suck on the sensitive spot right below my ear, and his tongue tastes my skin before he pulls away.

"You want to race home?" He wiggles his eyebrows, teasing me. "Loser owes the other one a favor."

I scrunch up my nose and glance over at his Chevelle. "I'm not stupid enough to think I could ever win that bet."

He laughs, sucking his lip ring into his mouth. "I promise I'll go easy on you."

A naughty feeling dances inside me. "What if I don't want you to go easy on me?"

He's speechless, which is rare. His gaze bores into me and then he strides forward and kisses me. It's quick, but it steals my breath away.

Chapter 14

Micha

We end up racing home. I let her win, even though I'd love to have the favor, which would include lots of dirty things that she's not ready for. So now I owe her a favor and she tells me she has to think about it, with this little tease in her voice that makes me grin.

We part ways at our houses and she leaves me with the promise she'll try to come over later tonight. She's slowly changing back into the girl I know, although that night still haunts her eyes, but I'm not sure she'll ever really get over it completely.

It's still raining and lightning like hell, which means the party's going to have to take place inside. Ethan and I drag the wet keggers inside and stand them on the kitchen table. There's a note tacked on the wall from my mom, telling me she's going to be home late.

Ethan starts rummaging through the cupboards for some food. "What band's playing?"

"Naomi's." I head to my room to change and get my guitar. "Answer the door if anyone knocks."

In my room, I tug on a grey t-shirt and pull a black pin-striped shirt over it. I slip on a pair of black jeans and put on a studded belt. Then I grab my guitar and text Naomi.

Me: When u planning on heading over?"

Naomi: Soon. Why? You waiting on us to tell us some super exciting news.

Me: I haven't decided yet.

Naomi: Don't turn it down. It's a great opportunity.

Me: I'm not sayin yes or no. See u in a bit.

When Naomi took me backstage at the coffeehouse, she first proposed the idea that I should replace their guitarist and hit the road with them. At first, I was all for it. It's what I've wanted to do since I was twelve and rocked out with Ethan and Dean in the garage. But then I thought back to Ella's sad eyes and doubts washed over me.

The doorbell rings and I head to the living room to get the party started and clear my head for one night.

Ella

By the time I decide to go over to Micha's, things are already getting out of hand. Cars are parked on the lawn, and garbage cans are tipped over. Someone's even sitting on the roof.

Lila talks me into going and we run up the driveway with our arms over our heads to shield our hair from the rain, but the crowded foyer overwhelms me and I start to back out.

"Stop being a baby and go in there," she says, giving me a gentle shove forward. "I want to see the tough girl everyone keeps talking about."

"No, you don't. Trust me," I tell her. "She was mean and she would have never been friends with you."

"Okay, then show me a happy medium." She has a dark blue, strapless dress on that matches her shoes and her blonde hair rests on her shoulders in curls, which have slipped loose because of the rain. "You can change yourself without losing your identity completely."

I turn away from the crowd toward her. "Why have we never talked like this before?"

She smiles sadly. "Because you would never let us."

She says something else, but the music stifles her words. I fan the smoke from my face and step into the kitchen. Holding the bottom of my black skirt, I maneuver through the crowd toward the table. I lose Lila for a moment, but when the crowd thins, Lila stumbles out, stomping on a guy's foot with her high heel.

She curses, fussing with her hair. "Has Micha ever heard of a little thing called air conditioning?"

"He probably forgot to turn it on!" I shout over the music. "Wait here. I'll go turn it up."

I squeeze through the crowd toward the living room and the band. The music is deafening and I realize it's Micha playing with Naomi. They're sharing the microphone and he looks like he's enjoying himself. I stop in the middle of the room and watch him from the crowd. He's gorgeous under the light with his hair hanging in his eyes as he spills out his lyrics to people and strums on the guitar.

I back through the room and into the hall. There's a couple making out in front of the thermostat. The music quiets down and then starts up again as I gently guide them over and they move out of my way without breaking their lips from each other. Fanning my face, I turn up the cold air. Suddenly, long arms encircle my waist and the scent of him fills my chest.

"I thought you were playing," I yell over the music with my hand pressed to my heart.