(The month after that)
Ella sat straight up.
"Today's the day!" she thought, dressing quickly.
Ella threw on a grey cami, flowing white tank top with an outline of a rose on it, and dark jean shorts. She rushed into the bathroom, spritzing perfume, applying mascara, and brushing on sparkly white eye shadow. Putting on black Toms, Ella catapulted down the stairs and into Aunt Mary's car.
She stuck her head back into the house, "Hurry Aunt Mary! The sooner the school day is over, the sooner I get to tonight's dance!"
Five minutes later, Aunt Mary bustled out of the house, rollers still in hair. Ella face-palmed, but said nothing.
They pulled up to the school, and Ella jumped out, running to Lauren.
"Today's the day!" she shrieked, pulling away from their hug.
"I know!" Lauren squealed back.
They heard the bell ring, and walked inside with the rest of the mob, disappearing into the mournful faces, awaiting for the dance to come. Ella pulled her math binder out of her locker and was hugged from behind by Ian.
"A 'Hello' would suffice," she said, turning to face him.
He dropped to one knee, holding a pretend case.
"Ella Taylor, will you go to the dance with me?" He said dramatically.
"Yes!" Ella gasped, linking arms with Ian.
She pretended to throw a bouquet behind her, seeing the imaginary flowers be caught by an awaiting Lauren.
She turned around to see Zack holding a box about the size of a basketball. Lauren opened the box, then the one inside of it, then the other one inside of that one, and so on until she found piece of paper at the bottom of the smallest box. It read:
Will you go to the dance with me?
Lauren squeaked out a 'yes' and hugged Zack with all of her might.
Ella turned back to her locker and took out her Texas History binder, closed it, locked her lock, and strode to math, Lauren beside her.
One really boring math class later, Ella was pulling on her gym shorts and heading out into the lobby to go in for gymnastics.
While waiting, she called out to Bree, "So, Bree, how do you like the taste of dirt?"
Bree's reply was a scoff and a hair toss.
Coach Sherry unlocked the door, and the girls flooded in.
"Today we will do bars." she said as the group stood in their roll call spots.
"Ella first,"
Ella stepped over to the uneven bars, rubbing chalk onto her hands.
"I want you to kick up and over, then stay up on the bar, do a great big cast, swing your feet under, flip off, and land on your feet. Got it? Okay do it." Coach Sherry said to her student, stepping back and watching.
Ella kicked up, spinning over the bar. Staying up, she swung her hips away from the bar, throwing herself, feet first, over the bar, and landing on her feet.
"Good! You may work on your floor routine." her coach said, dismissing her.
Ella's day rushed past, only being able to see certain moments, sleeping in Texas history, laughing in science, eating lunch, writing an essay in English, surprisingly, dancing in choir, playing Beethoven's fifth symphony in band. Finally, it was time for the dance.
(line break O-O)
"LAUREN! WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?" Ella screeched once they got to Aunt Mary's house.
"How about this one?"
"Too poofy."
"This one?"
"Not the right color."
"This beauty right here?"
"Plaid? Really?"
"You wouldn't like this one."
"Let me see."
"No."
"Lauren!"
"You're not nice."
"Please?"
"Fine."
Ella gasped when she saw the dress.
It was a coral pink knee length dress with ends that fell in different lengths, resembling flames, but no color change, with a sweetheart neckline, strapless, white cotton lace bodice that ended underneath her breasts, and a brown belt wrapped between the two colors.
She instantly changed into it, slipping on silver heels, and pink jeweled necklace. Ella curled her hair into large, golden ringlets. She spritzed hairspray onto her curls and re-did her makeup. When Lauren emerged from her closet, wearing a short white dress with a light blue ribbon tied around her waist, Ella gasped.
Five minutes later, Lauren dropped the bomb.
"Tonight is the night of the Taking." she blurted, causing Ella to drop the hairspray bottle.
Ella looked away, drummed her fingernails against the granite bathroom countertops, looked at her perfectly manicured toes, and then back at Lauren.
"There's nothing you can do about it anyways." she muttered, continuing to straighten her hair while Ella stood dumbstruck. Once she was done, they grabbed their phones, purses, and got in Aunt Mary's car.
(line break O-O)
They arrive at the school, sashaying through the doors like queens. Finding Zack and Ian, the girls remind them what tonight is.
"You remember that tonight is the Kidnapping, right?" Lauren asked over the music.
"Yeah!" Ian replied loudly.
Just when the teens started to dance and feel comfortable, the lights went out. Girls screamed and gasped, guys soothed their frightened dates. Ella and Lauren looked at each other in the dark, fear radiating from both of them. Suddenly, Ella's feet started to sink into the marble. She looked down and realized the marble had opened up to reveal dirt, which she was rapidly sinking in.
Ella screamed and thrust her hand skywards, lighting up the room. Lauren tried to run to her, but was also being sucked down into mud. Everyone was staring, wide eyed and open mouthed, not being able to do anything. Ella clawed at the dirt, trying to pull herself out.
"IAN!" she shrieked, attempting to find his face in the crowd.
Seeing and hearing nothing of Ian, Ella cried out for Lauren.
"Don't worry! I'm right here!" Lauren called out from her sinkhole.
"Who me? Nope. Not worrying at all." Ella replied calmly.
Serenity and Bree's faces appeared in the crowd.
"Serenity! Help me!" Ella shouted, reaching out her hand.
Serenity looked at Ella's outstretched hand, and turned away, leaving poor Ella to possibly suffocate and die.
"Bree?"
Once again turned down. Ella continued to sink, even after she heard the sound of earsplitting squawking. Finally, Ella's head sank beneath the dirt.