Ella spent almost every day for the next few weeks talking to Ben. They told each other everything about themselves and were dangerously close to becoming more than friends.

Eventually, having to get on the computer to talk to each other was too much of a hassle, and they were both spending way too much time hiding in their rooms.

Ella’s mom had gotten her a cell phone with an unlimited texting plan, and Ella assumed she’d never use it. But when Ben asked for her phone number so they could text each other, she realized it was a very good present from her mom.

After this, they just began talking more.

Ben was 19 as well, but he was in his sophomore year of college at the University of Illinois. He had lived in Illinois with his family his whole life. He had two sisters, and he had a brother, but he died the year before. Ben would hardly talk to anyone about losing his brother, but talking to Ella about it made him feel better. She was the only person who didn’t make him feel ridiculous for still being sad.

Ben was majoring in psychology; he wanted to be a psychiatrist. Ella often talked to him about her relationship with her mother. She still wasn’t sure how much she wanted Jenna in her life, even though she was putting herself in a pretty permanent position.

Ella couldn’t convince herself to forgive her mom. What she had done to Ella wasn’t fair. She lost most of her life as a kid, and had to grow up way too fast.

Although Ella was very grateful for her mom sending her to college, and buying her a phone, and providing her and Abby with a house that Ella didn’t have to constantly be working to pay off, she was still hesitant about her.

What if she decided to leave a week before Ella was supposed to leave for college? What if she changed her mind and decided not to spend thousands of dollars on Ella’s education?

With Jenna, Ella never knew what to expect. She didn’t expect to come home one day three years ago to a note saying that Jenna was just gone. She didn’t expect her to show up randomly like she did a few months before. Ella most definitely didn’t expect that her mother applied her to the college of her dreams, and the offered to pay for her four years there.

So far, Jenna hadn’t done anything to make Ella doubt her. She was keeping up with the bills, all on her own. She was going to work every day, and cooking dinner every night. She took care of Abby, and she did everything a mother was supposed to. She and Jimmy were trying to make this the perfect family, and they were doing a pretty good job. But Ella was just scared that something could go wrong, or just change suddenly.

Talking to Ben about this helped; he made her see that Jenna was really making an effort, and Ella should try to meet her halfway. It was obvious that he was right, but Ella was still hesitant. She was doing as best as she could, she just needed time.



It was July 5th. Ella was counting down the days until she left for college; 52 more days. She and Ben were getting more and more serious. That day, July 5th, something changed.

Ella couldn’t deny that she had feelings for Ben.