1 Jordan Crum Risk Ella pushes her fingers through her thick brunette curls, frowning at the boy

who is above her. Hes teetering on the edge of a rock, the bare skin of his back glistening in the setting sun from a light sheen of sweat. The gentle roar of oceanic waves are close, hitting rocks that are surrounding their small grotto. Its their favorite place, at least thats what Tanner tells her, because he can jump off rocks and she can run into the cold salt water to meet him where the ground drops off to form a deep pool. Tanner, youre insane! She calls, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, squinting up at him. I dont think youre supposed to jump from so high up there. Come back down here, She says and Tanner looks down at her, a crooked smile appearing on his lips. Youre scaring me!

Im going to be fine, Ella, He says and she cringes because his voice sounds so small. She knows hes right, that he will be fine, because hes jumped from this rock a million times. Regardless, fear plays in her belly, just like it always does. Come join me! He waves her up and she looks at the jagged rocks which surround them, keeping them safe from prying eyes from the sea and prying eyes from behind. She brings her eyes back to the boy who is only a day older than she is and bragged about being able to buy Sharpies before she could. She frowns.

Just be careful up there. Your dad will arrest me and throw me in jail if you die. Im going to stay down here.

Why would he do that? Tanner says. He sits down, his feet dangling over the edge of the rock. Youre seriously missing the most amazing view from up here, Jellie, you know that? He cocks his head, grinning down at her.

My name is Ella, She says, playing her hands on her hips. And, for your information, hell throw me in jail because hell think I pushed you off the edge, dumb ass,

2 Regardless, she puts her hands on the rough rock, trying to mirror the places Tanner had grabbed on his upward trek. How do I even get up here?

Wait, youre actually coming? Tanner asks and suddenly, hes peering down at her. His short, shaggy hair is dark, like her dads coffee in the morning before her mother puts in his creamer, but its almost golden in the way that the sun is hitting it. He watches her climb, lips curling into a smile as she makes her way up.Be careful. If you die, itll be your dad who has my ass.

My dad wouldnt hurt a fly, Ella says, carefully hoisting herself up with a very unladylike grunt. Hes too concerned about Cassi and Oliver to worry about me. Cassi was her older sister, a gorgeous blonde who was twenty, two years older than Ella was. She was the perfect daughter, the type of girl Ella shied away from in the halls at school. However, she had a thing for bad boys and Oliver was her bad boy: a twenty four year old who gave Ella the creeps. Hes trying to convince her to go run away to like, London with him and dads not having it.

London is lame, Tanner says, rolling onto his back. He looks at her, face upside and turning pink and his hair is dangling, revealing his eyebrows, his ears, his forehead. We should go to Seattle.

Whats in Seattle? She asks, slowly but surely making her way to the top of the rock. I like it here.

Adventure is in Seattle, Tanner says and Ella can picture him rolling his eyes, something he does every time he thinks shes being silly. Music is in Seattle.

Theres music here in LA too, Tanner. Theres lots of opportunity here, she says, gasping sharply as her foot slips on a rock. She feels her stomach clench and her heart

3 drop, her breath escaping her lungs before she realizes what happens. Help me! He rolls over, offering his hand to her, which she grasps tightly. It always amazes her at how big his hands are in comparison to hers and how theyre always so warm and so comforting. They arent soft hands, thanks to years of guitar playing and climbing rocks and trees, but she wouldnt have it any other way. His calluses represent stories: years of adventures and stupid decisions and, at night when she cant sleep, Ella traces them, over and over until he either wakes up or she falls asleep. Right now, his hands are her savior, and as he helps her make it to solid ground, Ella sighs in relief. Shes never been a huge fan of heights, but as she looks over the water, over to the setting sun and the colors playing on the gentle lapping waves vibrant orange fading into gold and navy she realizes its worth it. She feels one of his hands steady her at the small of her back and instinctively, she curls into his side. Its beautiful up here, Tanner.

Isnt it great? He asks and she nods, looking up at the underside of his scruffy jaw. She wants to kiss it, but she finds herself hesitating. This whole relationship concept is still completely foreign to her; its still too new to her and shes still not sure where their boundaries lie. You realize the only way down is to jump, right?

Yeah, I know, she says, but she wraps her arm more tightly around him. But not yet. I want to enjoy this. Tanner nods, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. For a long moment, they dont speak, silence that is surprisingly comfortable. Finally, she cant handle it and a question slips out form her lips, breaking the silence. Do you think our parents will figure us out before we tell them?

Yours wont, Tanner states, confidently and she feels his fingers curl into her side. I think mine already have though. My dad handed me a box of condoms the other day and told me if I knocked you up, there would be problems.

4 We arent even doing that, Ella says, horrified at the thought. Why hasnt he told my dad?

He has fun making your dad figure things out on his own and keeping him from having aneurisms, Tanner says, shrugging. He pulls away, leaving Ella surprisingly cold, and begins to fumble with the button of his shorts.

Tanner-

Shh, lets jump.

Tanner.

What?

Im glad were skinny dipping, She says, laughing, pulling her shirt off in one easy motion and dropping it over the side of the rock. She watches as it lands in a pile, far away on the ground.

That was my plan. Bucket list, man, He says, sounding slightly surprised, but his shorts join her shirt.

I thought Id double check, Ella says, grinning. What she doesnt tell him is that shes scared. Nervous. She isnt the type to just get naked, to show her boyfriend, who she barely kisses, body parts she hasnt shown anybody before. But here she is, on top of a rock, feeling like the king of the world. Nothing can stop her, let alone hurt her.

Yet, as she stands on top of that rock, toes curling over the edge and clothes too far to reach, she feels too awkward, too exposed. Her hips jut to one side, pushing a knee out

5 to hide herself, thin arms crossing her chest, trying to cover herself as best as she can. Tanner, though, doesnt seem to care. He stands on the rock, shoulders back, chin high, looking like an emperor overlooking his newly conquered land, the type of man who would have been the next Alexander, the hero of epics. She wishes she could embody his confidence, his arrogance, and she often tries. Ella throws her shoulders back, standing a little taller, but she cant do it. Not while this exposed. You ready? He asks, offering his warm hand again and she nods, taking it, suddenly too aware of his eyes that are tracing over her body.

Of course Im ready, she says, her hand squeezing his. Her voice is over confident, cocky, like it always is with him. Tanner just smiles because he knows her. He knows that she acts more confident that she really is. He knows shes been in love with him because thats just how things naturally went when youve been friends since birth. He knows how she takes her tea honey with milk and how she has a soft spot for anything Tiramisu. At night, he knows, she doesnt like to sleep alone, so even at eighteen she still sleeps with a teddy bear. But she knows him as well. She knows shes the exception, that he tends to go for girls like Cassi with their long blonde hair and even longer legs. She knows he likes reading the classics The Count of Monte Cristo, War and Peaceand is currently working through Moby Dick. He loves the ocean and wants to be apart of it; his room is blue and his prized possession is an aquarium. He hates coconut but loves toffee. He wants to be a marine biologist if he doesnt make it big as a musician. Hes full of high hopes and dreams, things that Ella both admires and thinks hes crazy for.

Are you listening? Tanners voice catches her attention and she lo oks at him, nodding again, fingers tightening around his. Its a struggle to keep her eyes focused on his face. On three?

Three. She repeats, stomach churning.

Then one He grins at her, cheekily, and suddenly shes flying, falling, through the air, his gleeful Three! echoing around her, heart dropping to her toes and she feels like a cannon ball, barreling towards the water. For a moment, she forces herself to close her eyes, breathing in quickly. Theres a splash, icy drops hitting her. She cant think straight, mind frozen, limbs tense.

Its cold. She enters the water, going under so deep that pressure hurts her ears and her lungs burn. She realizes shes exhaled on the way in, cold water stealing her breath and she looks up, seeing the last bit of light beginning to fade and she kicks, pulling her arms to her side, again, trying to force her way to the surface. Shes confused; she wonders where Tanner is, if he can see her, and why the hell he isnt helping her. Her arms feel like lead, her lungs beginning to ache, and shes beginning to feel the soft ball of fear settle in her belly, like a ball of lead shes somehow swallowed. This is why she never takes risks. Risks leave her cold and alone.

Her head breaks the surface and she gasps, violently, for air delicious air - and she looks around, eyes straining in the dim light. Tanner doesnt seem to be in the water and that ball of fear grows heavier, sinking into her veins. She cant speak, she cant croak, breath still fast and frenzied. She tries to swim to shore, but her limbs are heavy. She begins a pathetic attempt at breaststroke, letting her body float in the water until she feels the strength starting to return. She wants nothing more than to be standing on solid ground, out of the water, away from this rock that shes convinced has ruined her. Her knee suddenly drags across the sand and a smile breaks onto her face and she stands, legs shaking. Her arms immediately wrap around her chest, hunching her shoulders, goose bumps prickling her skin.

7 A towel drops on her back and she looks up to see Tanner, grinning his crooked grin. You asshole, she wheezes, clutching the towel around her body. You just left me. I cant believe you.

I didnt leave you? I went to get towels because its cold, He says, frowning.

I thought I was drowning and you left me. You promised me before we got here that youd wait in the water for me. What if I was dying? What if youd died? Shes rambling, anger and fear releasing from her body in a rush of words.

Im not though. Im okay and youre okay. Im sorry? He says, arms wrapping around her and she freezes. He doesnt move and she finds herself relaxing against him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Im so mad, She says and she feels Tanner chuckle. You promised you wouldnt leave.

Im here, arent I? He asks and she nods. Im never going to leave you, Jellie Bellie.

Dont call me that. My name is Ella. Im not some stupid jelly bean. She says, pushing a fist against his ribs. She pulls away, going to the pile of her clothing that hes dropped at her feet and she begins to pull them on, piece by piece.

Too bad, youre my Jellie Bellie, He says, laughing. She just glares, heading to his car once shes dressed, and she curls up in the passenger seat, leaning her head against the window. Soon, theyre driving home and hes telling her something hes learned in one of his classes, but Ella isnt listening. Her heart is still pounding and she still feels lost and alone, even though shes with Tanner and his hand is resting on her upper thigh, tapping

8 a beat along with her favorite song which is playing on the radio, as he drives through the night, absorbed in the road and the music in the air.

What is important The Seattle thing stressed more? Enhance the skinny dipping thing has he been talking about this for a long time?

Climbing up the rocks enhanced First time seeing each other naked FOR THE FIRST TIME? Just friends? 16/17 Flesh out Nate and Archies relationship/flesh out the familial relationships A doesnt want T dating E because N as a kid She needs to discover herself Tanner seems entitled a lot like his dad; power difference between parents Flesh them out more Better idea of the water scene MORE DESCRIPTION!!!!!!!! Stay there no car make her decision