Chapter Text
Ella always felt out of place for as long as she could remember. Her mother died when she was young and her father remarried an affluent woman years later just for him to end up dead. She never thought much of it; she did her best with escapism.
She focused her energy into decorating her room to look the way she wanted it to without the input of her step mother. Walls decorated with posters of her favorite gothic literature classics , landscape paintings and a charcoal drawing she made of a grave of a rumored princess who died here and her kingdom collapsed shortly after.
Ella felt some weird connection towards the grave and with the girl like she saw herself in the dead girl buried in the ground she could never explain it to anyone so it was kept to herself.
Despite the work of one of her step sisters she would always be disconnected with them but that wasn’t for lack of trying she went to parties with her step sisters well. Mainly for one reason.
The one thing she felt normal about was a crush on a guy. Christopher Charming was always polite with her and didn’t treat her like a weird outsider. He was the only reason why she was going to a stupid party tonight anyway.
Ella sat in the back of her step sister's car rubbing the sleeves of her homemade denim jacket. Tuning out the conversation of them talking about the boys they like and sport conversations she could not care about.
“Ella ?” one of her step sisters Anastasia brought her back into reality.
“Whats wrong ?” Ella said not hearing the beginning of the conversation that was attempting to involve her.
“What do you do for fun in your free time ? We’ve been step sisters for years and yet we don’t really know much about you” she asked her.
Ella started rubbing her pants. It was something she did to help with her anxiety, something that has only gotten worse since her father’s passing. “Um..I got to the cemetery in the woods and cleaned the graves there. They were people once. I don't think they should be forgotten to time and vines and leaves” she said “I have a favorite , the princess , I always feel bad for her” Ella continued on before hearing Drizzella scoff after finishing.
“You are so weird you know” hearing Drizzella say shutting Ella up about her hobbies.
Ella tuned out the conversation when Drizzella and Anastasia started arguing over their tone. She wanted to shrink into the seat and disappear. She glanced out the window and caught sight of the cemetery.
The graves have seen countless wear and tear over the years from the environment and Ella always felt bad for the people buried there. Especially the princess that was buried here, her homeland supposedly a collapsed kingdom due to her death and her name not even known anymore the only thing remaining was a bust of her and the surname “Hearts” it always piqued Ella’s interests but she never thought much about it further.
God it would be so much easier if she could walk to the party. It's not that far wouldn’t have to deal with her sisters arguing over if her hobbies were weird knowing that she doesn’t have anything else to do.
She was dissociated by time they arrived at the party even considering if she should be here but sucks it up anything to see Charming. Maybe she could make a move on him. It was a party after all.
Seeing her sisters run off to their own friends to talk she ducked away from everyone and headed to the cooler by the pool. She didn’t really want to drink but maybe that would help her fit in. Digging through the cooler she only finds cans of Pepsi good enough I guess she would probably have to be sober for her sisters.
“If you want a beer they’re probably insane” a familiar voice. Charming. Ella shot up and smiled “oh yeah my sisters probably brought it all” the tension in the air was awkward “oh im uh Ella but you probably know that” she stuck her hand out awkwardly
Charming shook her hand despite the awkwardness “yeah I know and I like your poems by the way It's why I publish them” he said causing Ella to smile.
The group of cheerleaders stared at Ella who was awkwardly talking to Charming about poetry and literature “What's the deal with her ? You’re her step sister so you have to know ?” one of them said to Anastasia.
Anastasia sighed “I can’t say it's legal and personal. I pinky swore to her to not talk about it…but I trust you guys so you can know too” she said with a smile.
“So Ella’s mother died when she was young due to an illness. I'm not entirely sure about what it is. She refuses to talk about it but then her dad married my mother and we were out one night. It was just Ella and her dad and someone broke into their house with an axe. Her dad told her to run and she did when she came out few minutes later she was the one to discover her dad dead”
The crowd looked shocked with someone saying “wow I would be messed if I was her too”
Ella continued talking as much as she could about poetry in her own awkward way before being interrupted by a goth kid “oh thats where you are Charming” she said holding a beer cup.
“Oh hey Maleficent” Ella said trying to strike up a conversation just to get hit with a stare.
“Do I know you ?” Maleficent asked, killing Ella’s mood causing Ella to fidget with her sleeve.
“We have science together…” Ella said just for Maleficent to ignore her.
Maleficent disregarded her and gestured a beer to Charming “found the beer by the way do you want a sip ?” she asked.
Ella found it the perfect time to finally try a beer. Maybe it will finally make her act normal. “I’ll take one” she said, randomly grabbing the beer from Maleficent’s hands causing Maleficent to give her a death glare.
She took a sip and everything went wrong.
Suddenly everything went dizzy and she couldn’t stand straight or barely at all. Charming ran up to her and kept her up “hey hey you okay ?” he asked , she couldn’t respond at the moment.
She hoped she was just a light weight she’s never drank before but somehow she just knew that was wrong. Everything was too loud and bright, oh she wished she just stayed home.
“I’m…fine…” she said, getting out of his grasp running to find one of her step sisters, maybe she could leave.
She wandered around the party people saying incomprehensible things from her understanding and she ended up in the house in some room with her lab partner. James Hook.
Ella could barely comprehend how she ended up in the room she just knew she needed to throw up.
Which she did.
Next thing she could comprehend is James asking if she wanted him she shook her head no and ran from the house. In the rain she somehow ended up in the cemetery.
She found the grave of that princess, maybe somehow she could save her. She didn’t know how if it was some weird attempt to have someone save her from a drug trip gone wrong or her wanting to be dead she was so out of place would anyone miss her ?
Ella broke down and cried, staring at the grave “I wish I could be with you” is all she could say between her tears. Next thing she could comprehend was a lightning strike near her area. Taking that as a sign of danger she ran the rest of the way home maybe she should just sleep it off. Maybe that will make it feel better.
She was home alone; her step mother was probably working some late shift at the hospital. It was good for her that she needed to be alone. First thing she did was head to the bathroom she needed to clean herself up, her head was still fuzzy from the drink she stared at the mirror what looked back was a mess her makeup was messy and runny the look she prepared was ruined and the jacket she worked so hard on was covered in dirt and her own vomit. She didn’t want to look at her reflection anymore and smashed the mirror with a toothbrush holder.
Ella stared at the mirror not fully comprehending that her step mother would definitely take it out on her. She just went to bed. She had to sleep this off. She couldn’t deal with her mind fuzzy and angry at herself for existing differently from everyone else.
The storm raged on during the night. The wind howled and knocked down trees. The thunder deafening and awakening several dogs to bark at hours of the night. Unknown to those asleep in the town, lightning hit the grave of the dead princess awakening her decades after her passing.