AN: HELLO! I am Lauren, and thank you all very much for reading my new fic!

This is going to be a short story, I am guessing 10 chapters max, with short chapters. As of right now, I am thinking about not doing a sequel, but that's as of right now.

This story is something that I have been thinking of for quite some time and I finally got the nerve to start it. I'm hoping to have the story done by early June. Now, let me just say that in order for me to have fast updates and what not, I'll have to feel motivated. SO get me motivated! REVIEW!

I have another fic that I'm working on, "Change was All they Needed", so feel free to read and review!

Title: Ella's Plan

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance/ Drama

Author: twinsRus (Lauren)

Summary (as in bio): Ella devises a plan on the morning of the third ball to let Char know the truth about Lela. So what happens if Hattie never snatched off Lela's mask? Would Ella let Char know that its been her the entire time? how will she get rid of the curse?

This is first person, in Ella's perspective

Scene: On December 14, the day of the third ball, Ella is talking to Mandy.

Chapter 1: Preparing for the 3rd ball

"Mandy," I called as I walked into Mandy's room.

"What is it sweet?" Mandy asked politely.

"I can't do it! I can't handle leaving him again," I cried as I threw myself onto Mandy's bed.

"Honey, you must. He'll be in danger if he knows the truth," Mandy told me quietly, while rubbing circles on my back in a soothing manner.

"But Mandy, if I never see him again, even as Lela, that will break his heart," I said. "I refuse to cause him so much pain," I said, sitting up away from Mandy's grasp and wiped away any tears.

"Honey, I'm not going to stop you from going."

"Good. Can I borrow some paper? I'm out," I asked.

"Of course, it is in the top drawer in my bureau. What do you need it for?"

"I'm going to write him a note and give it to him before I leave the ball."

"You're telling him that you're Ella by a letter?" Mandy asked surprised.

"No, of course not Mandy. This is what my plan is…"

At 7:30 pm that evening, Hattie, Olive, and Dame Olga left for the final ball, give me time to get dressed. During the afternoon, I formed a plan with Mandy that would allow Char to know the truth and allow me to get closure. I loved him with my whole heart, but I knew that we could never be together because of that damned curse. I originally never intended to tell Char the truth, that I am Lela. But, I had a change of heart. I couldn't not tell him, I know that it would trouble me for years if he never knew the truth.

So, this is what my plan for the evening is:

Arrive at the ball as Lela, looking my best. Spend time with Char at the ball but also give him time to be with other guests Listen to Char sing an Ayorthaian song Hand him the note at the end of the ball

I really hope that I am doing the right thing, in telling him the truth. I'll probably regret what I did after it's all over, but I'll never know unless I go through with it, right?

So, like I said earlier, Hattie, Olive and Dame Olga left for the ball. As soon as they left, I got dressed. Mandy had picked out a gorgeous dress for me to wear, in my opinion; it was as gorgeous as I hope my wedding dress will look like one day. It's a lovely shade of off white with a low neckline edged in lace. The skirt is parted in the front to reveal a petticoat with three lace flounces. In the back, the skirt is tied with a large bow that flows into the graceful sweep of the train. It's absolutely gorgeous. During the afternoon, after I told Mandy my plan, she gave me two lovely gifts. One was a tiara of woven silver leaves and the other was a silver chain on which hung an aster made of lapis. They go absolutely perfect with my dress.

During the year, I had become close friends with Bertha, another maid in Dame Olga's household. We were somewhat close, and I told her some of my problem. I told her that I was in love with Char, but could never be with him, for reasons that I wouldn't explain, and that I was going to the balls as Lela, to be near him. She thought that it wasn't the greatest plan, because I, like Mandy had once said, would break my heart leaving him. But she did say that if I ever wanted a nice hair do, then she could help me out.

So that evening, as soon as Hattie left, I went to Bertha for some help. Promptly at 7:35 Bertha started her work on my hair after getting different sizes, shapes and colors of burettes, elastics, brushes, combs and some water. 30 minutes later, Bertha finished her work on my hair. I once told her about the first time that I met Areida, and how her hair was plaited into many braids. So that is what Bertha did for twenty minutes; she braided tiny sections of hair along my forehead. And that is not all she did; for the remaining ten minutes, she curled small sections of my hair and then placed the tiara that Mandy gave me on top of my head. I must say, Bertha knows how to do hair.

At 8:00 pm, Lucinda showed up, I explained to her (while Bertha was finishing my hair), that I would need a longer curfew than midnight because I wanted to hear Char sing. After much talking, and debating with Mandy, Lucinda finally agreed that I could have a 1:30 am curfew.

So after I thanked Mandy, Bertha, and Lucinda tremendously, I left on the orange carriage that Lucinda provided for me.

I applied the mask as soon as I climbed into the carriage, and checked my small purse for the note that I wrote for Char. Everything was going so perfect, nothing could ruin the evening.

AN: Well, how was it! I was originally going to do 4-5 longer chapters, but while I was typing this chapter, I decided to write small chapters.

The bold, italicized words are from the original text, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I didn't really know how to describe the dress, so I changed some words and put the text here.