Careless

A week had passed since Sidney and Ella had visited Elliot's grave and since then, Sid had never mentioned his feelings for her since then. He spent most of his time getting ready for the next season and Ella spent most of hers working at Rudy's Diner.

Sidney made a frustrated slap shot at the empty net missing completely. He threw his stick angrily away from him and closed his eyes, counting to ten. This was not how he planned his summer to be like. He had just won the Stanley Cup, but since he had met Ella, the Cup was the farthest thing from his mind.

He had been so caught up on helping Ella and getting close to her, he had almost forgotten that Lord Stanley was going to Cole Harbour soon until he received a call from his manager. Sid scolded himself for allowing such a distraction, like a girl, to make him easily forget his plans and goals.

But Ella James was not like any other girl. No, she was different. She was the type of girl that didn't care about what she wore or how she looked. Ella could one minute, be like one of the boys and the next, a girlfriend. She was always up for anything and was always joking around.

It made him wonder what she was like before she got raped. He wanted to get to know the Ella before, but Ella would tell him that she was much different from before. That she wasn't such a good person when she was drunk or no drugs. She told him that she often used people and wasn't as nice as she was now.

Some how, Sid found it hard to believe coming from someone who was as sweet and loving as she was. He often spoke to Jessica about it, and she ruled it as being blind to her faults because he was so in love with her. He almost choked on his drink, wondering how Jessica knew he loved her. He was sure that he only told Ella and Ella took it as a different kind of love.

"Sid?" Taylor asked cautiously and skated her way to her older brother. She touched his arm lightly and looked at him. "Are you okay?"

Sid furrowed his eyebrows and wondered what she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you okay? I've been acting so distant lately; I'm a little worried about you. Is this about Ella?"

Head shooting up, his eyes widened slightly. His girl problem was something he didn't want to worry his sister about, mainly because she was always going to be his little sister and the idea of her being capable of making mature advices scared him.

"Don't worry about it," he said and placed his gloved hand on her head and ruffled it. "How about we play some hockey?" he asked and laughed when Taylor groaned in annoyance.

*

Ella tapped her hands on the counter top as she waited for another customer to call her or for someone to enter. She was bored out of her mind, waiting for something to happen, anything. It was twelve in the afternoon and there were only four customers in total in Rudy's Diner.

A sigh escaped her lips and she smiled when Jen walked passed her, a smile also on her face. "Boring, huh?" Jen asked once she finished handing a plate to one of the customers.

Ella nodded. "Yeah, it's a bit boring. Is it always like this?" She had started working earlier that week and lunch hour was always empty, save for the loyal customers that Ella became aware of.

Jen popped her gum and nodded. "Lunch hour is never busy, it's usually in the evening that people crowd here," Jen explained. "I think I can handle it here, why don't you take the day off and come back tonight at six," she offered.

Eagerly nodding, Ella hugged Jen happily and went to the back to get her things. She didn't bother to rid herself of her uniform and just took her bag and left. "I'll see you later, Jen, Rudy!"

"Bye Sweetheart!"

Ella exhaled and went to her car when she spotted Sidney and his sister from across the street, much like the first time she went to Rudy's Diner the first time. She carelessly shoved all of her belongings into her car and crossed the street.

"Sid! Taylor!" she greeted them and jogged to where Sid and Taylor were loading their gear into his white car. Her hair swished every time she ran from her high ponytail.

Sid scratched the back of his neck and smiled shyly at her. "Hey Ella," he returned her greetings.

"Hey, Ella. Did you just get out of work?" Taylor asked curiously and motioned to her uniform.

Ella looked down and blushed. "Yeah, but I have to get back later," she replied, smoothening her uniform. "How are you guys? I haven't seen you in forever."

In a way, Ella had been avoiding Sidney by busying herself with work and taking more hours whenever Jen would offer. She didn't know what it was, but every time she saw Sidney, Ella would remember what he said back at the inn and her heart would speed up to an inhuman speed. She was sure that Sid didn't have romantic feelings for her and didn't want to get ahead of herself.

"We've been around. I've been trying to get back into the habit of training and getting ready for the next season."

Ella nodded and smiled at them. "Well, I missed you guys. I should head home," she said a little sadly, sensing that Sid didn't really want to talk to her. She couldn't blame him as she made it awkward for them.

She turned to walk back to her car when Sidney grabbed her wrist and engulfed her into a hug. "I'll pick you up after work. I want to see you, I miss my best friend," he whispered, breathing on her neck.

Ella smiled brightly and returned his hug. "Okay."

*

Checking the clock again, Ella smiled as she said goodbye to one of the customers that tipped her. She sighed and brushed a stray piece of hair that escaped her messy ponytail, ten more minutes she kept telling herself.

"Ella honey! Sid's here, you can go," Jen yelled across the diner.

Ella looked to the front entrance and saw Sid smiling at her with Jen beside him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, go before I change my mind."

Taking off her apron, Ella approached Sid happily. "Hey," she greeted him and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back."

Sid nodded and watched her disappear into the back room only to reappear a no more than a minute later dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. "You're in a rush," he teased her.

Laughing, Ella hooked her arm around Sid's. "Is it bad that I want to hang out with Cole Harbour's hometown hero?" she teased back, making him blush. "You are too modest."

Holding the door open for Ella, Sid allowed her to exit first before he left. "I hope you don't mind, I was hoping that we could walk around the docks a little bit," he said uneasily.

Ella shook her head. "I don't mind. It's a nice day for a walk!" she replied stretching her arms up in the air.

It wasn't a long walk to the docks, maybe about five minutes. Ella and Sidney fell to a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company that they missed because of their stubbornness. The night reminded Ella of the time they were in the Carnival, the weather was amazing and the sky was clear.

The two walked along the boardwalk hand in hand, both trying to figure out what to say to the other. Sid wanted to tell Ella that he loved her as more than a friend, but he was scared to get rejected again.

"Your Grandmother asked me if I knew what was wrong with you, aside from finding out that your father died," he mentioned to her cautiously. "I can tell that your Grandparents really want to know what's going on with you, I think it's killing them that they can't help you."

Ella was silent. She was feeling guilty that she wasn't able to really tell her Grandparents that she had been raped and was forced to give up her baby. They had been nothing but welcoming and amazing to her and they deserved to know.

Sensing that she didn't want to talk about it, Sidney changed the subject. "I used to come here all the time, when I was little."

Ella looked at him in interest. "Here?"

He nodded. "Whenever, I really felt the pressure of hockey and my dad, I would come here to sort everything out. I remember this one time, Dad kept pushing me and pushing me, I got so mad I stormed out of the arena and stayed here the whole night."

They made there way to a bench; Ella sat comfortable beside him, her hand caressing his as she listened. "I bet you were a really cute chunky kid," she teased him.

Sid pouted. "I was not chunky."

"Sure, you just had an adorably cute chunky face. Still do," said Ella and pinched his cheek with her free hand. "Do you have a pen? Or something sharp?"

Sidney knitted his eyebrows together and looked at her oddly. "Why? Are you going to stab me?" he asked but handed her a pen none the less.

Rolling her eyes, Ella turned her back to him and began to scribble some thing on the bench. "There!" she exclaimed proudly and showed Sidney what she had done. He smiled as he read it.

Sid and Ella <3

"I'm so tired," Ella mumbled and rested her head on his shoulders. "I'm glad that we're talking again. I missed seeing you."

Sidney kissed her forehead and watched her eyes droop. "I love you."