Prelude
There once was a young girl who lived in a large city. Her name was Ella. When Ella was six years old, her parents got a divorce and her father won custody. A few years afterward, Ella was living a happy life with her father. But one day Miranda stepped into their lives. She tricked Ella's rich father into marrying her, when she was only in it for the money. Miranda had two daughters from a prior marriage, Amanda and Leila. The sisters were as bad as their mother. Cruel and unjust, the trio forced Ella to do a maid's chores, such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Ella's father, meanwhile, was getting old, and he soon became ill. Just after Ella's 13th birthday, he died.
When we pick up the story, Ella, Leila, and Amanda are all the same age, and all go to the same school, Meadow View Junior High. Ella has been tormented there by everyone, mostly about her clothes, which are never trendy or fashionable. The only person who is even remotely nice to her, or, at least, doesn't tease her, is Jordan Halliburton, the prince of the 8th grade.