“Will you promise me something?” Five year old Ella whispered, her sunshine kissed hair pulled back in two loose pigtails each tied with a little yellow bow.
“Anything.” Mason promised his eyes wide. They were standing under the jungle gym at the local park.
“Okay.” Ella smiled happily and turned to run away.
“Wait, what did I just promise to do?” Mason asked, catching her arm.
“Nothing!” Ella said promptly, “And everything.” At Mason’s confused expression she laughed and pulled her arm away, she was already running when she called back, “I just wanted to see what you would do!”
~:~
“Mason!” Ella, now ten, called happily from across the street. She waved merrily as she danced with her mouth open, her thoughts intent on catching raindrops.
“Hi, Ella,” Mason replied.
“Come on!” She said impatiently.
“I can’t today,” Mason mumbled sadly, and Ella made a face, “My mom says I need to-” he broke off in horror as across the street Ella had suddenly slipped and fallen. “Ella!” He cried racing over to her. She lay unmoving.
“Mason?” She whispered groggily her eyes half closed.
“Ella, no!” Mason shook her shoulder, “I’ll run home! My mom will call nine-nine-one.”
“I got you!” Ella laughed sitting up and shaking raindrops out of her hair, “And by the way it’s nine-one-one!”
Mason’s mouth fell open, “Ella! That’s not funny! Why would you do that?”
He was rewarded by being splashed with a handful of cold, muddy, puddle water, “I wanted to see what you would do.” Ella sang as she ducked his splash of water.
~:~
“Mason? Mason! Hey wait up!” Ella ran after her friend. Dodging through the crowds she finally caught up to him, “Mason, what happened? Why weren’t you in English?”
“My schedule got changed.” He murmured darkly, without turning around.
“What? I though sophomores almost never got their schedules changed.”
“Where did you hear that?” Mason asked sarcastically.
“I don’t know, Mason!” She grabbed his arm and forced him to turn and see her, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing!” Mason glared at her, “Nothing is wrong with my best friend going out with that jerk, Preston Traught.”
“Preston is not a jerk, Mason.” Ella’s eyes got narrow, “So I would appreciate it if you didn’t call him one.”
“Preston,” Mason scoffed, “He is so stupid! I bet that’s the only reason he asked you-”
“You bet what?” Ella practically yelled, “That that’s the only reason he asked me on a date? Because he is too stupid to know better?”
“No,” Mason looked shocked, “That’s not what I was saying at all!”
“Well seeing as he is the first person ever to ask me out and he is sooo stupid, I just assumed. I guess you don’t have to deal with all the stupid people since you’re on a date with a different girl every weekend.” Ella’s eyes flashed.
“Ella, I,” Mason pleaded.
Ella looked at him scorchingly then she slapped him across the face.
“Young lady!” The principal voice rang through the hall as her high heeled shoes clicked towards them, “Come to my office right now! Why on earth would you hit this boy?”
“I wanted to see what he would do,” Ella said sardonically as the principal lead her away by the arm.
~:~
“Ella?”
Ella looked up from the book she was reading, and looked around confusedly.
“Ella, it is you!” Mason blinked in surprise as he walked up to the bench she was sitting at, “It’s me. Mason!”
“Mason?” She looked up at him and laughed before hugging him, “I haven’t seen you in what three years?”
“I think four,” He laughed with her, “since you transferred schools sophomore year.”
“Right,” She said awkwardly closing her book; it was too dark to read anyway, everything was bathed in the soft blue light that comes out before the stars, “I thought you were up at collage?” She finally said.
“I was, I’m on break.”
“Oh yeah? Me too.”
“Do you remember all the games we used to play here?” Mason said wistfully gesturing around at the park.
“Of course,” Ella laughed and the tension broke, they were just two friends. Hanging out.
Mason’s eyes glinted playfully, “Race your across the monkey bars?” Ella took off before he was even done talking. They raced across the monkey bars, and then continued through all the playground equipment ending up under the jungle gym.
“I win,” gasped Ella.
“No,” Mason said collapsing onto the tiny bench, “I believe I won.”
“Not a chance,” Ella smiled sliding onto the bench next to him.
“Ella?” Mason said after a few moments, “I am sorry I called Preston a jerk. I am sorry I implied that he only… I didn’t mean to, Ella I swear! It was just… I just-”
Without warning, Ella leaned forward and kissed him.
“Ella, I… Why would you do that?” Mason looked completely shocked.
“To see what you would do.” Ella whispered looking down at her hands nervously.
“I will do anything.” He promised sincerely, as his hand reached over and took hers.
~:~
“Ella.” Mason’s voice was so serious she looked over at him surprised; he opened his mouth then closed it again.
“Are you okay?” She asked reaching for his hand.
“I will be.” He muttered, “If…” He smiled nervously, “I will do anything for you Ella. I love you more than I can ever explain.” He took a deep breath and bent down on one knee.
Ella’s hand flew to her heart, “Mason,” She whispered, “Why would you do that?”
He took another deep breath, “To see what you would do.” He answered, pulling out a ring.
“Yes!” Ella cried falling into his arms and hugging him, “Oh gosh Mason, yes! I say yes!”