The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret 1)

She piles the last box into her trunk and slides her glasses over her eyes. "Hmmm... let me think. Go back to a home where I'm nothing but a burden? Or go back to the campus with you and have some fun?"

I pick some dirt out from underneath my fingernail. "I'm just making sure, before you get too committed."

She takes my hands and gives them a swing. "I want to go with you, okay, so go say good-bye to your dad so we can hit the road."

"Okay, I'll be right back." I head across the front lawn for the door when Ethan's truck pulls up in my driveway.

I walk up to his window and rest my arms on it. "So you got my message I take it?"

He looks like he just came from work, grease on his face and clothes, and his dark hair has some shavings of rust in it. "Yeah, I figured I'd come and say good-bye to both of you."

I slant my head to the side and pierce him with an accusing gaze. "Don't try and pretend that you're here for me."

He places his hand over his heart, faking hurt. "My heart is breaking and you're making jokes. Wow, you really are evil."

"Yeah, yeah," I back up so he can open the door and climb out. "I'll give you two a minute."

"I think you've overestimating what's going on between the two of us."

"Well, I wouldn't have to if one of you would tell me what's going on."

He shrugs and then rounds the back of the truck. Rolling my eyes, I walk into the house to tell my dad I'm leaving and that I plan on coming back in a couple weeks to meet up with Dean. After a long talk on the phone with him - and I'm sure a lot of persuading from Caroline - we decided to meet up here, when Dean can take off work, and give my dad an ultimatum. It's probably one of the hardest things I'll have to do, because I know there will be things said during the conversation that will hurt me. I'm going to push through it, though, because now I understand what I can handle.

I find him on the couch, eating a microwave dinner, with a six-pack on the table in front of him. He's watching the television, with a cigarette in his hand, and he barely notices me enter the room.

"Hey Dad," I say from the doorway. "I'm getting ready to leave."

He rips his eyes from the television, startled, and I wonder if he was even watching it or if he was dwelling in his thoughts. "Oh, okay, well drive safely."

I rub my sweaty palms together and walk into the room. "Dean and I are going to be coming back in a few weeks."

He sets his tray down and grabs a beer. "What for?"

I pat my hands on the sides of my legs uneasily. "We want to talk to you about something."

He sets the beer down. "I thought Dean was still here."

I shake my head, feeling guiltier about leaving. "He went home a week or two ago... but Dad, can you try and take care of yourself a little bit better?" I take a deep breath and throw a hint out into the open. "And maybe stop drinking so much?"

He glances at the row of beers in front of him like he just realized they were there. "Oh, I don't drink that much, do I?"

I sigh and sit down on the couch beside him. "You didn't used to, but now it's kinda all you do."

He bobs his head up and down. "Alright, I'll try to cut back."

I know he won't, but hopefully Dean and I will be able to convince him to go to rehab where he can get the help and counseling that he needs. I give him a hug, even though he winces. Then I walk away, hoping he'll be okay, but knowing that until he makes the decision to change all I can do is try to help him.

Epilogue

Ella

I've been back in Vegas for almost two weeks now and things are good. I signed up for some summer art classes and my internship at the museum is great, even though I spend most of my day cleaning up after people and running errands. I also started counseling. As much as I'd like to believe I was getting better, when I'm alone and lost in my own thoughts, the darkness sometimes gets to me. But my therapist is nice and the visits seem to be helping.

Lila is letting me borrow her car for the weekend, so I can drive back home and meet up with Dean and my dad. I'm glad to be making the drive alone, that way I'll have twelve hours to mentally prepare myself. Although, deep down, I wish Micha was going with me.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you," Lila asks as I snatch the handle of my suitcase and scan the room for forgotten items.

I shake my head. "I'll be fine and you have classes and your math tutor thing." I stop at the doorway, needing to get something off my chest. "Lila, thank you for letting me borrow your car and for just being there for me."

Her smile is bright. "Don't get all weepy on me. You're only going to be gone for a couple of days, silly."

We laugh, exiting the building and head down the stairs. Our apartment is right by the campus and we keep Lila's car in the parking lot most of the time. When we reach the grass that reaches across the campus, my phone starts to sing inside my pocket, a sad turned happy song.

"God, again?" Lila throws her head back dramatically. "Can't you two go five minutes without talking to each other?"

"No." I smile and answer the phone as Lila scoots away, giving us some privacy. "So how's the weather in Seattle?"

"Pretty sunny, actually," Micha says and I can hear the smile in his voice.

I jerk on my roll away bag as it gets caught in a hole in the lawn. "That's funny, because I thought it was supposed to be rainy there."

"Nope, I got a blue sky and a hell of a lot of sunshine over my head," he says. "And I'm really enjoying the view."

"Good, I'm glad," I tell him, missing him like crazy. "Are you still driving out here next weekend?"

"Actually there's been a slight change of plans," he answers. "And I can't come out next weekend."

I stop in the middle of the grass, pouting. "Oh. Okay."

He laughs softly into the phone. "You know, you're beautiful when you pout like that."

"How do you know I'm pouting?" I wonder.

"The same way that I know you have a sexy pair of shorts on and your hair is done up," he says and I start to glance around the campus at the people walking around in the quad and on the sidewalks. "Your ass looks really good, by the way."

I let my suitcase go and spin in a circle with the cell phone still to my ear. Then I spot him in the parking lot, standing next to a SUV in black jeans, a tight-fitted grey tee, and eyes as blue as the sky. I drop my phone and run to him, not caring that people are staring at me like I'm insane.