The Poor Soul

Jake Ross

(Ella's POV)

We just left the nail salon, Ariel got a hot sexy pink and can you guess what color I got? Of course you can, Aqua blue gel nails. They are so shiny. I have never had my nails done before. The car rides scare me but I have been holding Ariel's hand to get through it, esspecially after she told me holding a hand with a boy means they are in a relationship. I was so embarrassed. We got to the movie theater within a couple of minutes. I jump out of the truck and Ariel comes out too, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. We walk in front and the guys get tickets to a movie, I have no idea what we are watching. Ariel, Aron and I head over and get soda, popcorn and candy for everyone. We walk into the movie theater and find middle seats. I look around stunned, I have never been to a movie theater before. This is overwhelming, many new things today.

"Never been to a movie theater?" Ariel chuckles out in amusement. I shake my head no and she pulls me down into a comfortable reclining seat. Aron's on the outside, Ariel next to him, I'm on her right, Justin is on my left and Travis is next to Justin. They all chit chat while I listen, till the movie starts. It says the title first, The Nun, is it a religious movie? I guess I'll find out. It starts off and it's not to bad until we get a half hour in and I'm sobbing into Ariel's chest.

"I don't think she likes horror movies." Ariel mumbles out, while her head is buried on top of mine trying to avoid the screen too. I have my hands over my ears trying to make the screaming stop from coming into my head. I'm for sure going to have a nightmare tonight. Is that thing real? What if it comes and gets me because I watched the movie. Oh Gosh I'm not ready to die, I'm a trembling mess by now.

Ariel grabs my hand and stands us up, "We are not watching this." She yells at the boys and then she storms out while dragging me behind her. We get to the bathroom and she turns to me. She wipes my tears off my face.

"You okay?" She asks in concern.

"Yea" I whisper. "Why is it so scary?"

"Because the boys picked a horror movie as a joke. I hate horror movies, it gives me night mares." I nod my head in agreement, I deffently won't be sleeping tonight. We wait a half hour in the lobby till the boys join us.

"I'm sorry" Travis starts but Ariel cuts him off.

"Mom and dad will hear about this." She says, threateningly. "That's not cool Travis, Ella and I won't even be able to sleep tonight, what if that demonic nun comes after us."

My eyes widen in horror, can that really happen? Oh hell no. I will not be a victim to that scary nun. "Ella" I hear them all yell after me as I run out of the theater into the parking lot, trying to find the truck. It's already dark, what if she's out here. Ariel chases me, "It's okay, Ella. I'll protect us." I Stop and embrace her in a big hug. She rubs my head and whispers soothing words in my ear. We get into the truck and I sat in the back with Ariel's arms wrapped around me. I'm scared because of the accident but I am even more terrified of the nun coming after me. The song, Lonely, comes on for the third time today. By now I know all the lyrics, I have a photographic memory, so I only have to see or hear anything once to remember it. I close my eyes and start singing it, putting all my emotions in it, trying to sooth myself. When the song is over I open my eyes. The truck is parked in a parking lot, by my guess probably at the restaurant, and everyone is starring at me.

I whisper into Ariel's ear, "Why are they staring? Is the nun behind me?" With that thought in mind I freak out more and start looking around me, where is it? I will not be a victim of the nun.

Ariel chuckles and grabs my shoulders, "It's okay Ella, the nun isn't behind you." I calm down alittle but I'm still really confused. "Your voice is stunning and you just sung that whole song perfectly and out loud." I widened my eyes. Ariel sees my panic and whispers in my ear, "No one is going to hurt you for talking, I won't allow it." I smile at her in appreciation. We climb out of the truck and it takes a minute for all the boys to compose themselves and join us outside.

"You have a beautiful voice." Travis says smiling. I nod and blush slightly out of embarrassment.

"That was stunning, you could be a pop star." Justin says and I hide more into Ariel, the embarrassment is overwhelming.

"I love your voice." Aron comments and Ariel nods in agreement.

We all walk into the restaurant, Travis and Justin start looking around. "There they are." They both say while pointing at a red and black booth in the back corner where two men and a women are seated. One man looks oddly familiar, I just keep staring at him as Ariel drags me to the table with the boys walking in front of us.

"Hey Dad and Mom." Ariel and Travis say while hugging their parents.

"Hey Dad." Justin says while hugging his dad. I am standing behind Aron hiding. I keep starring at the man Justin called Dad, he looks so familiar. Who is he? I rack through my brain and a memory pops up.

-Memory-

"Daddy where are we going?" a little two year old me asks.

"To see uncle Jake Ross, your dad's best friend." Mommy answers, while smiling at me. I have my mom's nose but everything else I got from my dad.

"Oh yeah." a little two year old me replies.

We pull up to the park and walk out to meet a middle age guy and his four year old son. I run up to them and hug them tight while my dad chuckles.

"Jakie, Jussy I'm so happy to see you." A little me says while pulling Jussy to the swing set so he could push me on the swings.

"Princess slow down." Uncle Jake said laughing.

-End of Memory-

I walk out from behind Aron and take two steps back, my Uncle use to say this guy hates me. But he looks so nice and he was the best man, almost better than my dad, with every memory I remember and that is flowing through my head right now. He always tried to make me call him Uncle Jake but I could never get the uncle out and always called him Jakie. He always laughed and called me princess. My dad and him were my rock and I remember the memory of him trying to come check on me and my Uncle Ed saying to never show up again or he would make sure I had the same fate as my parents. They didn't know I was listening to the whole thing. He tried to take me away from Uncle Ed but he thought my life mattered more. A single tear rolls down my face.

"Jakie" I whisper out but loud enough for them all to hear me. Everyone turns to me and my four friends turn towards me and looked shockingly that I spoke up in front of strangers. Jakie is just staring at me like he has seen a ghost. I know the feeling. Travis and Ariel's parents smile at me and then turn to their kids saying something about how pretty I am. I keep staring at Jakie waiting for him to confirm that he is who I think he is.

"Dad this is Ella, Ella this is Jake Ross my father." Justin says, smiling at me.

Jakie keeps staring at me. I take a step forward, maybe he didn't hear me the first time. I now know he is my dad's best friend but is he happy to see me or sad. I can't decipher his feelings playing in his eyes. I can't take this any longer, I run up and jump into Jakie's arms.

I whisper into his ear, "I missed you so much Jakie but I understand why you left me with Uncle Ed, you were trying to protect me so he didn't kill me, I don't blame you neither would mom and dad."

Jakie starts crying and hugs me tighter, "You look just like your dad. He told me he killed them Ella, I was so scared he would kill you too. Your dad and mom left everything in their will to you and they left you to me. But your Uncle fought it all and all he won was you. I should have gotten you out. I am so sorry for not protecting you princess. Justin said someone was abusing you, was it him?" I nod my head, confirming that it was Uncle Ed.

I started crying along with him, he pulls me back alittle and wipes my eyes clean. He smiles at me and whispers, "Your mom and dad would be proud of you, I'm here for you now princess." I smile at him and he kisses my cheeks and pulls me back into a tight hug.

"Are we missing something?" Justin asks. We both turned to them and they all look surprised. Oh my gosh, Justin must be Jussy, my baby crush. I look at Jakie for confirmation and he nods his head positively. Oh my, It's my Jussy.

"Yea do you two know each other because Ella is never that open with new people." Travis says.

I jump out of Jakie's arms and he chuckles, I run to Jussy and hug him tight. He tenses up in surprise and then hugs me back, "Jussy" I whisper in his ear and he pushes me back in shock. I stumble, hurt emotionly that he did that, but before falling Jakie catches me and holds me in his arms. Glaring at his son.

"What the f**k, Justin." Travis and Ariel yell.

"Language" Their dad and mom scold them. We take our seats and Jakie sits next to me while Justin is across from me.

"Why would you tell her that Nick name dad?" Justin grits out, angerly. Has he missed me? Does he still love me like he use too?

"I didn't son, just listen" Jakie starts but Justin interrupts him. "No dad, only one person is ever allowed to call me that Nick name and that will never change." He does miss me and he is protecting my Nick name from others using it.

I smile, "You still love her?" I ask quietly.

Justin looks down in shame and nods his head a yes. Jakie smiles at me. I missed them both so much.

"He made a pack with her." Jakie says knowingly while smiling at me.

"What's the pack?" Ariel asks, curiously.

Justin looks dreamily in space and then says,

"Love is wonder, Love is fair

No matter where you are, I'll be there.

In your dreams, and in your fears

I will always savey, the one I marry."

"Awe" Ariel says.

"Who knew you were sappy." Travis says jokingly and Aron nods in agreement.

"You forgot a part." I quietly say while Jakie nods.

Justin sighs, "How would you know?"

I smile at him and finish the pack to Justin in a whisper,

"Forever and ever, J and E always,

even death can't separate us."

He smiles while thinking about the pack.

"How did you know that?" Ariel asks.

I smile at her and quietly say, "Let me try to explain, this right here," I say pointing at Jakie. "Is my Uncle Jakie and that," I say pointing at Justin, "Is my Jussy. I couldn't pronounce anything right when I was two. We made that pack at the swing sets in the park when my parents met up with Uncle Jakie. My full names Ellarina Avery Mead."

Jakie hugs me into the side of him and Justin looks shocked, "Princess?" He asks. I nod my head in agreement. He jumps up scaring the s**t out of me and wraps me up in a huge hug, lifting me in the air, like he always used to do. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek like I use to, "My Jussy." I whisper and he whispers back, "Always princess." Just like we use too.