Ella
The moment she closed the bathroom stall door, Ella turned around and leaned against it, bringing one hand over her eyes and the other over her chest. She may’ve mastered having control over many things throughout the years, but one thing she’d never have any control of was her heartbeat. It’d been pounding away in her chest from the moment she spotted Felix at the front desk with Nellie. Nellie calling her over had only doubled the speed and strength in which it pounded.
“You’re my strength, Mom,” she whispered barely audibly so that no one in the other stalls could hear. “Remind me there’s nothing that you and I can’t get through together.”
Ella had never been very religious. All she remembered paying attention to in church when she was a kid was when it came time to shake the hand of everyone around her, saying “Peace be with you,” and when the collection baskets were passed around so they could drop the change their mother had given them into the basket. For some reason, those two things were the highlights of going to Mass.
She knew at times like these when she felt desperate she should be praying to God, but talking to her mom was so much more calming. She wasn’t sure why she needed her mom right then to help her calm down, but she did. She’d had a boyfriend in high school and then her relationship with Grayson. Dealing with guys wasn’t new to her. She’d also had plenty of crushes on guys she knew she didn’t stand a chance with. Even then she didn’t allow herself to indulge in the fantasy too much, but this took the cake. She couldn’t ever remember feeling her heart beat like this, not even when she’d experienced her first kiss. And if there was ever someone she didn’t stand an inkling of a chance with, it was . . . God! She couldn’t even bring herself to say his name in her head. The very thought was so embarrassingly ridiculous it made her blush.
“Okay,” she whispered, gathering her strength again. “He’s a major celebrity”—she squeezed her eyes shut—“a very attractive celebrity who smells amazing.” She stopped to scold herself mentally before she opened her eyes and continued with her whispered pep talk. “This is what all those screaming, fanatical girls who actually pass out feel when they’re watching their idol from far away at a concert. I got to talk to him up close and in person. He looked at me as if he were very impressed, and then he admitted he was.”
She breathed in and out and then it passed. Just like that she was good to go again. She smiled big—satisfied—proud. Her mom had come through, and she felt ready to conquer.
As long as she didn’t run into him again.
Ella took a few moments to splash water on her face, trying to understand what had come over her. It was one thing to fall all over yourself over a celebrity you were a huge fan of, but she’d never held Felix in such high esteem. Even back when everyone in East Los Angeles had adopted him as their new hero, she found it entertaining at best. Okay, sure, when they watched him fight, she was rooting for him. But that was mostly because she wasn’t a big boxing fan, and as an East Los Angeles native herself, she was a fan by default.
Since then she’d pretty much lost all respect for him even when everyone else was making excuses for him. She wasn’t angry with him; she just didn’t think he’d appreciated the hand he’d been dealt. He wasn’t alone. There were many other young celebrities out there who obviously couldn’t handle the fame. So she didn’t hate the guy. She just never imagined having this kind of reaction to meeting him.
All she could hope for now was the power of her mother’s strength—the one her mother had promised her on her deathbed would always be with her. It had been enough to mask what she’d been really feeling, and her indifference had come across as just that. Not bitchiness. Just because she didn’t want him to think she was another typical girl falling all over herself for him, didn’t mean she wanted him to think she was a snob either.
She’d actually considered for a moment explaining to him why she’d run out a few nights ago when Nellie had told her she was bringing him over. After the trembler they’d had, her first thoughts were of her dad. She’d raced home with her heart at her throat the entire way, wondering if she’d find him buried under a heap of junk. Fortunately, he’d been okay, but the house had been a mess. Ella had decided against explaining for fear he or Nellie might question her overreaction to such a small earthquake. That was the last thing she wanted to get into.
Again, she reminded herself how ridiculous she was being. Felix had probably already forgotten her name. Thankfully, it appeared he’d forgotten about her gaping at him the other night like a fool. The man did have a million things going on, and on any given day, he likely met several new key people directly involved in his businesses: boxing, television appearances, his clothing line, endorsements. Today he just happened to be at his gym and she’d been the one.
Carmen rushed toward her as soon as she walked into the self-defense classroom. Ella nearly groaned when she saw the excitement in her best friend’s eyes. “I saw you talking to Felix,” she said with the biggest smile. “Okay, okay, I’m just gonna admit it and take back what I said the other day. I don’t know. I don’t know,” Carmen continued animatedly and Ella smiled inwardly.
Apparently her friend was going off on one of her excited rambles and unwittingly spared Ella the need to give her take on Felix. Ella listened with one ear to her friend go on about how much more attracted you are to someone the more you see them. How you start to notice the little things like the subtle dimple on his left cheek and how crazy sexy it is to see him and Hector or Abel crack up together. “I could just watch them for hours, you know. How does that make each and every one of them so much sexier? I watched him and Noah the other day. I don’t know what Noah was saying, but one moment they were all serious, and then the next they were laughing and my heart just melted.”
As much as Ella tried to ignore her dear friend, she couldn’t help but picture everything Carmen was saying. Fortunately, the class was wrapping up, and Sonia asked her to come up and talk about the exercises they’d be learning in the next class. Ella did, glad for the break in Carmen’s gushing.
In the middle of her addressing the class, the doors opened and in walked Felix, Hector, Charlee, and another girl. For a moment, she lost her train of thought, as did everyone else who was now mesmerized by them. Even Charlee was a sight to see with her bright red locks, and the way Hector held her—his big strong arm around her waist—was enough to have every girl in that room wishing they were her.
Her eyes met Felix’s, and he smiled so beautifully her heart was at it again. Clearing her throat, she continued as best she could, all the while inwardly calling to her mommy for strength. When she finished, she walked over to them as they were very obviously waiting on her.
“Hey,” she said, smiling big.
Carmen was already at her side, and Ella was glad for that. Somehow having her there calmed her a bit.
“Ella, you remember my friend Drew,” Charlee said, motioning to the other girl who had walked in with them. “She took the self-defense class with me way back.”
Ella casually wiped her suddenly clammy hand, nodding politely at Drew. “Yes, yes, I do remember you.”
“Nice to see you again.” The sweet looking blonde said. “I hear you’re still doing great things around here.”
Ella shook her head. “I don’t know so much about great. I’m just glad the program has taken off like it has, and I owe it all to 5th Street.”
“Oh no,” Hector said, pulling Charlee even closer to him and rubbing her barely-there baby bump. “This was all you.”
They all nodded, and Ella swallowed hard, doing her best to not continually glance at Felix.
“Anyway, Drew is doing an internship at a local cable network and . . .” Charlee nudged Drew playfully. “Tell her.”
“So they’re giving me the opportunity to do an hour-long documentary. It’s supposed to be about something or someone in the area who’s made a difference to the community, so naturally the first thing I thought of was 5th Street. I already have some great interviews and footage of what goes on here and the guys”—she touched Felix’s arm—“some of their incredible stories of rising above adversity that could’ve led them in such a different direction. I have about forty-five minutes worth now, but I was hoping to get at least one story in about a girl. I was just outside talking to these guys about it when Felix here”—she smiled at him then looked back at Ella—“was the one who actually suggested you.”
“Yeah, I’m such a ditz,” Charlee said. “We were talking about this last week, and it never even occurred to me. But I agree it’s a great idea.”
Ella smiled as Hector kissed Charlee on the side of her head and whispered something in her ear. Unable to refrain, she glanced at Felix. He was looking at her the same way he’d looked at her earlier when she’d first met him. With the kind of admiration parents give their child. The kind they don’t even try to hide.
“Oh, wow,” she said not sure how else to respond. “I, uh . . . I’m flattered. I just . . .”
“I wouldn’t take up too much of your time,” Drew said quickly. “Felix said you stay really busy. I’d just do a quick interview and get the camera in here one time to take some footage of you doing the self-defense thing and then maybe a little footage of you outside of 5th Street: school, your home with your family, stuff like that. I could try to do it all in one day so you won’t have to put up with me for long.”
Felix had suggested Drew include her in the documentary and he’d said she stayed busy? She’d just met him. How would he know? The way Drew said it so matter-of-factly, as if he would know, was almost embarrassing. Maybe she didn’t realize they’d only just met. She had been working at the gym for almost two years. It would stand to reason Drew might assume she’d known Felix all along, not that she’d only met the guy less than an hour ago!
Unable to come up with a single reason to say no, she blurted out, “Okay,” and was instantly given a huge hug by Drew.
“Thank you!” she said, giggling a little, and Ella laughed nervously with her. Drew pulled away. “You let me know when is good for you. We’ll work around your schedule.”
“Actually,” Ella said, wanting this over as soon as possible, “tomorrow I’m wide open. I’ll be here most of the day then have to leave to work a half a shift.”
“Where do you work?” Drew asked curiously.
“Starbucks.”
Drew’s eyes brightened instantly. “Perfect! I can go with you and sit there and type up my report.” She made a face. “This assignment isn’t all just the documentary. I also have to turn in a report to my professor at school about my internship.”
They stood around, talking for a bit more. Ella and Drew exchanged phone numbers while Carmen talked to Hector, Charlee, and Felix. Sonia and a few of the other volunteers had been busy putting things away the entire time Ella had stood there talking to them. When one of them turned off half the lights in the room, Hector laughed. “Is that a hint?” he asked.
Ella shook her head. “Oh no, that was just the last class of the night. The volunteers get to go home now.”
“So do we,” Charlee said, wrapping her arm around Hector’s. “I’m starving.”
“We’re stopping to get pizza on the way home, right?” Drew asked, turning away from Ella.
Charlee nodded. Ella was about to tell Drew she’d see her tomorrow at the time they agreed when Felix asked, “What about you?”
It took Ella a second to figure out he was asking her. She pinched her brows. “What about me?”
“Do you get to go home now too?” he asked.
“Oh,” she said, feeling silly. “Yeah, this is it. As soon as we wrap it all up, we’re all out of here.”
What sounded almost like a gasp from Drew got Ella’s attention, and she turned to look at her. “Why don’t you come have some pizza with us?” She turned to Felix with a huge smile. “That’s an awesome idea, Felix!” Just as excited she turned back to Ella. “Since I don’t wanna take too much of your time, we can do sort of an informal interview while we eat, and I can get that part out of the way now.”
Felix shrugged, giving Ella a somewhat amused smile she had a feeling meant I didn’t actually invite her. “Yeah, sounds good to me,” he said.
Normally the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look on Carmen’s face would’ve cracked Ella up. Instead, she was busy trying her best to continue to play it cool. Swallowing hard, she turned to Carmen, praying her voice wouldn’t squeak. “You hungry?”
Thankfully, her vocal cords didn’t betray her. She knew technically no one had invited Carmen, but Ella doubted any of them would protest if she brought her friend along, and there was no way she was doing this alone.
Carmen nodded still looking very much in a trance. Now Ella almost laughed not so much because she thought it was funny but because she needed to release some of the obscene fan-girling she was embarrassed to admit was going on inside her. This whole time she’d been “on.” The act she’d put on all this time had been exhausting and nothing short of an incredible feat. She’d been looking forward to finally being able to exhale once they all walked out of the room. How in the world would she be able to keep this up all night?
A part of her—the one that had almost won—had been so close to making up an excuse as to why she couldn’t go. But another part felt strangely reminiscent of being back in high school. The cool kids had invited her and Carmen to hang out with them. Only these weren’t kids. These were full-blown adults and not just any adults. This was Felix Flippin’ Sanchez and his 5th Street friends! As much as she would’ve hated to admit being excited back then, this was far more exciting than she’d ever admit now.
Her only hope was that the longer she was around him the sooner she’d get used to it and she could actually be able to enjoy some of this night. When she agreed, they all said they were going to grab their things and meet out by the entrance in a few minutes. The second they were out of the room, Carmen started doing her running in place thing and squealing. Sonia walked over, laughing at the sight and sound of Carmen.
“What happened?”
“We’re gonna go have pizza and beer with Felix and Hector!” Carmen said then quickly walked over to the mirrored wall. “Why did I not straighten my hair today?”
Sonia looked stunned. “You two and Felix and Hector?”
“Not like that.” Ella laughed nervously, feeling her face warm. As if. “Charlee will be there too and so will her friend Drew.” It suddenly hit her. “You should tell Memo to come. I’m sure they won’t mind and he’d absolutely flip!”
Sonia looked instantly grief-stricken. “My mom made reservations for all of us at a Chinese place downtown. We’re surprising my grandma for her birthday, and there’s only a handful of us going as it is, and she was already upset about that.” She stopped and thought about it for a moment. “I can tell him I’ll go by myself. He doesn’t have to be at my grandma’s dinner.”
“Are you going with your mom or by yourself?” Ella asked.
“Myself. But I have my sister’s car.”
“Maybe we can do this another time,” Ella said, smirking when Sonia seemed confused.
Sonia could insist all she wanted to, but there was no way Memo was letting her brave downtown at night by herself. Her brother had always been overly protective of Sonia even before . . . Ella shook her head, not wanting to think about it. This could be Kobe Bryant, someone her brother was an even bigger fan of, and he’d still pass it up if it meant keeping Sonia safe.
With that thought gone, the knot in her stomach was instantly back. Ella let Carmen know she was going to the ladies’ room and prayed her giddy friend wouldn’t follow her. She needed time alone in the stall to talk to her mom.