The Prelude of Ella and Micha

  I halt and stare down the driveway at the neighbor’s kids across the street who are running through the sprinklers. Happy. He should be happy. Not sad.

  “I don’t know.”

  The fence rattles as he hops over it and then hurries up behind me. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “I ...” When he reaches me, he lowers his face and puts his mouth beside my ear. “What do you need from me? Please, tell me what you need.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut. His nearness is painful. His nearness reminds me of the night two weeks ago when everything was perfect.

  And then it wasn’t.

  “I just need …” I open my eyes and dare to look at him. The worry in his aqua gaze makes me instantly regret it, though. Micha sees everything inside me. He has to see the ugliness in me right now.

  I should run back into the house and away from him, but I don’t want to go back into that house. Into her house. Into the quiet. With myself and my stupid all-revealing reflection.

  I’m pretty sure I can fly, Ella May.

  She thought she could fly.

  Why did she think that so much?

  I need to understand.

  And there might be a way.

  “I need to go somewhere,” I say to Micha. “To the party going on. By the bridge.”

  Chapter 11

  Micha

  For the first time in my life, I can’t help Ella. I’m trying the best I can, but she won’t open up to me. Maybe that’s why I drive her to the party, even though it’s clear she’s out of it, either drunk or on something. With the largeness of her pupils, my guess is the latter.

  The ride up to the party is agonizingly quiet, nowhere near the comfortable silence we used to share. For most of the journey, Ella stares out the window with her arms crossed, watching the mountains, hills, and then the bridge roll by.

  “My mom used to think she could fly,” Ella mutters suddenly as the car reaches the center of the bridge. “She would say so all the time. She even thought she could fly off that bridge.”

  I open my mouth to say something, but I have no clue what that something should be. I feel so helpless all the time. I fucking hate it.

  “You don’t need to say anything.” She shuts her eyes and rests her head against the window, curling up within herself. “I was just mumbling nonsense.”

  My heart is breaking for her. God, I wish it was the only one breaking, wish I could bear her pain. She thinks it’s her fault. She told me that. I’ve told her a thousand times that it’s not, yet I can’t seem to change her mind. Her stupid, asshole father and brother aren’t helping at all, either. Both have put the blame on her.

  Fucking bastards.

  We make the rest of the drive in silence again. As soon as we arrive at the party, Ella hops out and heads straight for the alcohol. The party is going full force, music blaring, a bonfire blazing in the trees. Half the damn town is here. Mad chaos fills the air, but that’s typical. I used to love it, but right now, I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t have brought Ella here.

  “We should go to our spot,” I suggest to her an hour into the party, “or somewhere more quiet.”

  “You can go wherever you want,” she replies, sipping her beer. “You don’t need to babysit me.”

  I frown as I scan the rambunctious crowd, the bonfire, the noise, and then her. Since that night, dark circles have permanently resided beneath those gorgeous eyes of hers. Her skin is pale, and I think she’s been losing weight. I want to call her out on her weight loss, but I’m afraid I’ll push her to the edge.

  “I love babysitting you, though,” I attempt to joke like we used to all the time. I drape my arm around her shoulder and pull her closer, refusing to let her out of my sight for the night. “It’s my favorite job in the world.”

  She tenses then ducks out from under my arm. “Well, I don’t want you to.” She stumbles away toward the fire, gripping the beer bottle in her hand.

  I smash my lips together, my body trembling as I begin to curse the stars above us, only it’s cloudy and I can’t see them. So, instead, I curse the clouds.

  Everything seemed absolutely great two weeks ago. I was going to tell Ella how I felt, and it seemed slightly possible that she felt the same way. But everything’s reversing now.

  Everything’s gone.

  My beautiful, wild, carefree Ella is gone.

  I want to cry. Tears are actually starting to sting at my eyes. Unsure I’ll be able to hold them in, I start for my car so I won’t break down in front of half the town.

  I make it three steps before someone steps in front of me and blocks my path.

  “Hey, Micha.” Some woman who looks vaguely familiar touches my shoulder. “How’s it going?”

  I shake my head, annoyed and still on the verge of crying. “Can you move please? I need to get to my car.”

  She giggles as she strokes my arm. “Want some company?”

  “No.” My tone is clipped.

  She presses her chest against mine. “Give me five minutes,” she whispers in my ear. “Bet I can change your mind.”

  I remember the last couple of years when I let women distract me from Ella, but the idea of doing so right now seems completely fucking wrong. Plus, I doubt it will help. Nothing will help except getting my Ella back.

  Without responding, I dodge around her and hurry for my Chevelle parked out in the midst of a ton of other cars. As soon as I sink into the driver’s seat, I shut the door and let a few tears fall freely. After a few minutes, I collect myself and climb back out to find Ella, who seems to be nowhere. I grow worried as I head for Ethan’s truck where he’s chatting with Renee.

  “Hey, have either of you seen Ella?” I jerk my hand through my hair as I scan the throng of intoxicated people, searching for her fiery red hair in the midst.

  “Yeah, she took off with Grantford somewhere,” Renee tells me, resting back on her hands. “She told me something about going to the bridge … I don’t know … She seemed pretty out of it.”

  My heart slams inside my chest as I recollect what Ella said earlier, how her mom thought she could fly off the bridge.

  No … She wouldn’t … Would she?

  I don’t think.

  I just run to my car and drive like mad toward the bridge.

  It starts to rain on my way there. Downpour. Lightning flashes. Thunder grumbles. The scene is like two weeks ago when Ella and I stayed in my car. It feels like an eternity has passed since then, the memory fading. It makes me want to cry again, bawl my fucking heart out until I can’t breathe. But I can’t break down right now, so I drive until I reach the bridge.

  The sight knocks the wind out of me. It’s worse than I imagined. Ella’s out on a beam that extends over the blackened water, the rain streaming down from the clouds. All I can think as I hop out of my car and run toward her is that I’m going to lose her.

  I can’t lose her.

  “Ella, what are you doing?” I shout as I stumble to a halt near the railing and grasp the metal beams of the bridge. “Get down from there. You’re going to hurt yourself.” With little hesitancy, I hoist myself up.

  “I don’t think I will,” she insists with her arms stretched out to the side. “I think I might be able to fly … just like her.”

  “Your mom couldn’t fly.” Balancing, I inch my way across the beam toward her while trying not to look down at the deep water—reality—below us. “What are you on?”

  “I took one of her old pills.” She tips her head back and rain showers across her face. “I wanted to see what it was like for her.”

  “Your mother didn’t know better, but you do.” Gripping onto the metal wire above my head, I reach my other hand for her, my fingers trembling with the fear that I won’t get to her in time. Stay calm. Don’t panic. Just get her off of here. “Now come over here. You’re scaring the shit out of me.”

  “I don’t know if I can.” She gradually rotates around and faces me and my f
ear escalates. God, please, please don’t let her fall. Please. “I’m not sure if I want to.”

  “Yes, you do. You’re stronger than that.” I move closer to her, reaching for her, needing her. Right now. “Please, just get over here.”

  Her body leans and starts to drift to the side.

  A part of me dies, right there on the bridge, a part of me I’ll never get back.

  “I swear to God, Ella!” I shout. “Give me your hand!”

  She abruptly snaps out of her trance then stands up straight and grasps my hand. As our fingers entwine, I pant heavily. I just came so close to losing her, and I’ve never told her I love her.

  I can never lose her.

  I need to tell her I love her.

  Once I get us both off the beam, I circle my arms around her and clutch onto her with everything I have in me. “I’m never going to let you go. I love you. Please, don’t leave me,” I whisper so soundlessly the pitter patter of the rain swallows up my voice. Leaning back, I smooth her wet hair out of her face and speak lucidly this time. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. I can’t do this without you.”

  “Micha, I …” She slants her head back and blinks against the drizzle of the rain as she peers up at me. “I’m sorry.” She embraces me back, her arms wrapping around my waist. “I didn’t want to think anymore. It was just too much, and my mind wouldn’t slow down. But it’s all right now. I can think clearly again.”

  “Next time come to me, don’t just run. Please. I know things are hard right now, but it’ll get better. We’ve always made it through every single bad thing thrown at us.” I summon a breath, preparing to say what I needed to two weeks ago, the most important thing I will ever say. “Ella, I love—”

  Her lips crash against mine, and moments later, our tongues tangle as our bodies align. She kisses me wholly. She kisses me for the first time. Right there in the middle of the rain.

  I try to tell myself the moment is perfect. That everything will be okay. That it’s the most mind-blowing, life-changing kiss I’ve ever experienced. And it is. But, it’s also the most heart-wrenching, soul-breaking kiss I’ve ever had and will ever endure.

  When she pulls away, I can see exactly how not okay everything is with her. With us. Exactly how imperfect the moment is. Because it’s only a fragment of my Ella looking up at me, one that doesn’t want to be here. With me. Be here at all.

  I want to say something perfect that will fix this.

  Want to say anything.

  But there are no perfect words.

  I’m not sure if anything will be perfect again.

  I won’t stop trying, though.

  Ever.

  Until I bring my Ella back.

  Chapter 12

  Ella

  The morning after Micha talked me down from the bridge, I wake up in my bed with the soft scent of his cologne filling my heart. I’m wearing his T-shirt, and my hair smells like rain.

  “What happened?” I mutter as I sit up, running my fingers through my tangled hair. My entire body aches almost as much as my soul. “Something happened last night. Something’s different.”

  Faint memories of a breathtaking kiss surface along with the haunting image of a bridge. Then a much darker, hazier image emerges. Me in a car. Warmth. Fear. So much fear that it makes me feel terrified right now. Fogginess fills my head, yet somehow, my vision is crystal clear. I know what I have to do to survive.

  I need to leave everything behind.

  This house.

  My dad.

  This town.

  Micha.

  Shaking thoughts of my best friend from my mind, I drag my ass out of bed and rush to pack some clothes into my duffel bag along with my sketchbook. I leave most of my stuff behind, not wanting to take anything that will remind me of myself on this journey.

  I also grab my acceptance letter from underneath my pillow and scrounge the house for what cash I can find, adding it to my own pile. It’s not much, but it’ll get me a bus ticket to Vegas and a new start.

  I don’t tell my father good-bye before I leave the house. I don’t want to see the hurt in his eyes anymore—hurt him more.

  Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I hike down the driveway toward the street. The sun is rising, the sky painting the land an orange pink. It’s my final sunrise in this town, my final everything of this life.

  As I reach the end of the concrete, I pause to glance back at Micha’s house. A small part of me begs to go there, whispers that I’m leaving the love of my life behind.

  “I’m sorry for breaking our pact,” I whisper as I turn away. “But it’s for the best that you stay away from me; otherwise, I’ll ruin you, too.”

  The aching still remains, though, even when I head down the sidewalk and away from the sunrise, leaving it all behind just like my mother did. Through the pain, I keep going, telling myself it’s for the best.

  If Micha really is the love of my life, I’m doing him a huge favor.

  The best thing I can do for him and everyone else, including myself, is leave.

  They’re much better off without me.

  Chapter 13

  Micha

  After I get out of the shower, I tug a clean shirt over my head then grab my car keys and wallet. I spent last night at Ella’s house but barely got any sleep, too riled up and worried to shut my eyes. Before the sun started to come up, I snuck over to my house to clean last night’s rainstorm—and memories—off me. But I’m ready to get back to her, worried to leave her for more than a few minutes.

  I grab extra clothes to take with me. Last night, I made a promise to myself that I was going to stick by her side until we got through this. She’s not going to be alone in that home. She’s going to know that she’s loved. By me.

  After tossing the extra clothes and my cologne into a bag, I race out of the house and across the driveway. When I reach the fence line, I pause. Something feels off. Different. Wrong.

  I glance around at Ella’s house, my house, the yards, the sleeping neighborhood. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. Perhaps I’m just being paranoid.

  As I climb up the tree to get to her window, though, the paranoid feeling only intensifies. When I duck into the room, worry, panic, and fear consumes me.

  Her bed is empty.

  “No.” I run through the house in a panic but can’t find her anywhere.

  I call her phone. Nothing. Go back to her room, but she’s still not there.

  The closer I look, the more I realize that she might not be coming back. Some of her stuff is gone. Clothes are scattered everywhere. The duffel bag in her closet isn’t there. And her sketchbook is missing

  It hits me like a blow to the chest, cutting so deeply, I think my heart actually cracks.

  I fight to breathe.

  Ella is gone.

  Without me.

  And she might not be coming back.

  About the Author

  Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author that lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

  Other books by Jessica Sorensen:

  The Coincidence Series:

  The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

  The Redemption of Callie and Kayden

  The Destiny of Violet and Luke

  The Probabilty of Violet and Luke

  The Certainty of Violet and Luke

  The Resolution of Callie and Kayden

  Unbeautiful (Coming Soon)

  Seth & Grayson (Coming Soon)

  The Secret Series:

  The Prelude of Ella and Micha (Coming Soon)

  The Secret of Ella and Micha

  The Forever of Ella and Micha

  The Temptation of Lila and Ethan

  The Ever After of Ella and Micha

  Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always

  Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always (Coming Soon)

  The Shattered Promises Series:
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  Shattered Promises

  Fractured Souls

  Unbroken

  Broken Visions

  Scattered Ashes (Coming Soon)

  Breaking Nova Series:

  Breaking Nova

  Saving Quinton

  Delilah: The Making of Red

  Nova and Quinton: No Regrets

  Tristan: Finding Hope

  Wreck Me (Coming Soon)

  The Fallen Star Series (YA):

  The Fallen Star

  The Underworld

  The Vision

  The Promise

  The Fallen Souls Series (spin off from The Fallen Star):

  The Lost Soul

  The Evanescence

  The Darkness Falls Series:

  Darkness Falls

  Darkness Breaks

  Darkness Fades

  The Death Collectors Series (NA and YA):

  Ember X and Ember

  Cinder X and Cinder

  Spark X and Cinder (Coming Soon)

  The Sins Series:

  Seduction & Temptation

  Sins & Secrets