Ella's pov:

"How are you?" Samantha asks walking towards me with Emilia in her arms.

"I'm good, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, Emilia's diaper started to smell so I decided to change her here before I head off to my parents house for the first time since Emilia was born."

But this made me confused, "What do you mean for the first time? Is this the first time they are getting to see her? That's exciting!"

But instead of a smile on her face, she frowns a little, "Well, when they found out I was pregnant, they weren't... really that accepting. But now... they want to apologize for what they did. At first, I ignored their request, but then I thought about Emilia, and I just want to do what's best for her."

I smile, "That's amazing, you're such a great mom."

She smiles back, "Really? Thank you," She then quickly looks at her watch, "I actually have time to spare, would you like to sit down?"

I nod my head and we walk over to a small picnic table, I sit on one side, while her and a now sleeping Emilia sit across from me.

I stare adoringly as Samantha cradles Emilia to her chest.

"I'm guessing you like babies." Samantha chuckles as she catches me staring at Emilia.

"I can't help it, I love all babies, it's my weakness." I laugh and shrug my shoulders.

"Would you ever want to be a mom some day?"

I take a couple seconds to respond, "To be honest, I haven't put much thought into it, but maybe someday."

Samantha's smile widens a little as she looks back down at Emilia, a comfortable silence falls between us as we just sit in our own thoughts.

But this makes the gears start to turn in my brain.

I really want to ask her what made Luke so upset, but it really isn't my place.

But if I know, could I help him?

I would do anything to help Luke, because I just feel like if I was put into his situation, he would do the same for me.

"I'm sorry."

I look up at Samantha in surprise to see she was already looking at me.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"If I put you in a difficult position at the ice cream shack, I never meant to do that."

But this makes me shake my head, "Samantha, you did nothing wrong to me, was I confused? Well yes, but I was certainly no upset."

At this, the ends of her lips curl up just the tiniest bit, "Really?" She asks, almost like she was cautious or afraid of my answer.

"Really, but... if you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

She takes a deep breath and my eyes widen to what I just made myself say, "Wait, I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that-..."

"No it's okay, I feel like I should tell you." She attempts to smile but it doesn't completely show all the way.

"Are you sure?" I ask, just incase.

She nods her head and begins.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time she was finished, my mouth was left open in complete shock.

She didn't just only tell me everything that happened with Luke, but she even told me how she got pregnant in the first place and who the baby daddy was.

I found it crazy how the baby daddy was the brother of her worst enemy.

"So let me get this straight, correct me if I'm wrong, you tried to get your enemy and Ashton together to keep your secret, which meant even using Luke, then you got a crush on Ashton....." I draw out and she nods her head telling me to continue.

"Luke found out, broke up with you, you were actually relieved, and then you realized you never actually liked Ashton and felt like you wanted someone like him in your life because he was.. like the baby daddy?" I question.

Woah that was a lot in one breath.

"Kinda, hearing it out loud though makes me feel even worse about myself." She says looking down and at the table.

Out of instinct, I stand up and walk around the table and sit by her and pull her and Emilia into a side hug.

"It's okay, it's in the past, and you changed for the better. Look at you, you're a single mother who is taking care of a beautiful daughter on her own, you deserve a medal."

I watch as a few tears from Samantha's eyes fall freely down her face as she smiles at me.

"Thank you Ella, you have no idea how much that means to me." She says giving me one last squeeze before pulling away from the hug.

"Don't worry about it." I move back to my side of the table and I watch as she strokes Emilia's tiny hairs at the back of her head in a soothing motion.

She pauses for a second, "What's wrong?" I ask.

"It's just, I don't know if Luke will ever forgive me for what I did. I hurt him so bad Ella." She says.

I reach for her free hand and grab it in mine, "I promise you, someday he will forgive you, it just takes time."

"Thank you, and with you saying it, I know he will."

"What do you mean?"

At this, a small, but creepy smile, makes its way to her face.

"The way he looks at you."

"Huh?" At this, she rolls her eyes.

"He clearly likes you, I bet even Emilia could sense it." Samantha smirks.

I stare at her wide eyed, "What? No way, he just thinks of me as a friend."

"No way Ella, trust me, I know a lovestruck puppy when I see one, have you even seen him? That boy would take a bullet for you."

I sit up in my seat a little, "You... really think so?" I find myself asking.

"I don't think so... I know so."

Sometimes, I feel like my blush likes to go against me, because at the moment, it's not fighting by my side.

"Mhmmmm..."

"And I think it's pretty clear you my dear, may be feeling the same way."

"What? Who me? Where did you come up with that?"

"I don't know, I think your cheeks might have given it away."

My stupid blush is going to be the death of me.

Suddenly, I hear a phone go off and I look over to see Samantha reach down in her pocket.

Once she takes it out, she looks at the screen and sighs.

"Oh, I got to go, it was nice talking to you." She smiles.

"You too." I smile back and we both stand up and hug one last time.

You know, the best I could do with her holding a snoring Emilia.

I clutch my car keys in my hand as I watch her start to walk away towards her car.

Well, that was until she turns around one last time.

"Oh and Ella, don't be afraid to give Luke a chance."

And.... that really got me thinking.

Should I take the chance?

Or am I better off playing it safe in the friend zone?