Authors Note: Thanks to all of my reviewers! You guys are great, I know a lot of people probably aren't interested in a story about Ella but the idea came to me and wouldn't leave me alone and I liked the thought of pushing the family I created for Scarlett and Rhett in my last story into the future seeing what drama would come along and how they would handle it. This chapter starts off the drama Ella is in for at school and there's still some surprises to come so keep reading and leaving those reviews if you have time they mean a lot to me so once again thank you.
Chapter 8 – Mean
Ella tossed and turned restlessly her first night at school. Sleep wouldn't come to her and she could barely find a comfortable spot to lay in for long. She missed her own bed terribly. Finally she settled for just lying still staring up at the dark ceiling. It felt as if morning would never come. She thought over the events of the day, of being left behind, of the tears she shed when she had came back to her room with the realization that it would be her home for the next few months. Carreen had offered all the comfort she could, even eating dinner with her in her room so that she wouldn't have to face the dining hall just yet. She had even helped her prepare for her classes and promised to come for her in the morning. She sighed she wished the morning would come soon.
By the time daylight broke, Ella was up and dressed. Her face was washed and her hair fixed. She had even reorganized her books and tablets making sure they were ready to be taken to class along with her pencils. She sat on the edge of the bed trying to keep herself from chewing her nails but failing miserably. Her head hurt from the lack of sleep and her stomach was queasy from nerves. The ticking of the small clock on the night table kept her from being in complete silence. She wished Carreen would hurry. The sooner the day got started the sooner it would be over.
Finally a knock came at the door and Ella moved from her perch to open it. Carreen smiled softly as she entered the room.
"Are you ready for morning service, Ella?" she asked.
"Morning service?"
Carreen nodded "Yes, we have a brief prayer service before breakfast and classes. I thought I told you about it yesterday."
"Oh," Ella answered. "I must've forgotten, is it mandatory?"
"Yes, you must attend is there something wrong?" Carreen asked.
"No it's just that we've never been much of regular church goers. Mother only makes us go on holidays and a few other various times a year."
"That's alright, Ella; you'll be fine. It isn't as long as a regular church service and mainly consists of prayers and blessings for the day ahead."
"Alright" Ella said with a nod. "What about my books? Should I bring them with me or do I come back and get them?"
"Bring them with you dear, there will be a place for you to store them during the service and then you can take them with you to breakfast."
Ella gave a shaky smile, "You sure do pack a lot into a morning don't you?"
Carreen smiled, "That's why we start early."
She gathered her books and followed Carreen out into the hallway where several other girls were milling about. One of them was a petite blonde with icy blue eyes who trained her gaze on Ella and smirked before whispering to her friends. Ella turned her attention away from them and focused on Carreen who was asking her how she had slept.
"I hardly slept at all," she admitted.
Her aunt patted her arm. "The first night in a strange place is always the hardest. I'm sure tonight will be better."
Ella hoped she was right as she followed her downstairs and down a long corridor that lead to an indoor entrance into the chapel. Carreen showed her where to place her books and then lead her into the church where many of the other girls already waited. She showed her to a vacant pew.
"This will be where you sit every morning. You may be seated for the blessing but for prayers you must kneel," Carreen explained quietly.
Ella nodded in understanding and took a seat to wait for the beginning of the service.
"I'll sit with you today," Carreen told her as she slid in next to her.
Ella gave her a small smile, "Thank you."
Carreen patted her hand and they sat in silence as the rest of the students and the nuns filed in and took there places. Shortly afterward, Father Bennett took his place at the pulpit and began the service. As it went on, Ella found that she was on her knees more than she was in the pew. She had figured when Carreen had said a brief service she had meant ten to fifteen minutes but it had been dragging on for nearly thirty-five when at last they said their final prayer and was dismissed.
Ella pushed herself up off the floor and forced herself not to rub her knees. She shuffled over to the shelves and reclaimed her school books as Carreen came behind her.
"You'll get used to the kneeling," she whispered to her.
Ella smirked, "And here I thought I was doing well at hiding my discomfort."
Carreen smiled, "You did better than most. Now we can go to breakfast."
The dining hall was large and lined with long wooden tables and benches. The other girls were quickly finding their places, obviously ready to chat while they ate. Ella wasn't used to being the new girl. In Atlanta she had gone to school with the same people every year. She didn't know what to do or how to act among all of these strangers. Her nervous stomach kept her from filling her plate with the selections offered, not that the eggs looked particularly appetizing anyway. She settled for two slices of toast and a glass of orange juice and went to a vacant spot at the end of one of the tables and ate quietly while Carreen spoke with the other nuns at a table in the back of the room. She felt as though every ones eyes were on her but she knew she was only being paranoid.
Finally the breakfast period ended and Carreen came to lead her to her first class.
"You'll be in Sister Mary Patrick's class for the first part of the morning," Carreen told her as they traveled down the hallway once more. "She teaches history and geography." The second half of the morning you will be with Sister Mary Roberts for language arts and after lunch you will be with Sister Mary Stewart for arithmetic and after that you'll see Sister Mary Thomas for your music lessons."
"Music lessons?" Ella asked as they came to a stop outside the classroom door.
"Yes, you'll learn piano."
"I already know how to play piano," Ella answered. "Mother taught me."
Carreen smiled, "Then you'll do well. Now I'll introduce you to Sister Mary Patrick and then I have to go see to my classes but don't worry you'll be fine."
"Of course I will," Ella agreed as she steeled herself for whatever the day held.
Carreen made the introductions and then Sister Mary Patrick introduced her to the class before pointing to a desk in the middle row where only one girl sat instead of two and telling her it would be her place. She had caught a glimpse of the blonde haired girl she had seen that morning, sitting in the back. She slid into her seat as the Sister called the roll. She learned the girl's name was Margo Sinclair and she had a feeling she was nothing but trouble but she wouldn't worry about that now, after all so far no one had acted as though they wanted to start anything with her. She just had to focus and breathe and make it through the day one step at a time.
By the time the lunch hour rolled around Ella was exhausted. The lack of sleep the night before was catching up to her and she felt overwhelmed and weary as she selected a salad and a ham sandwich for her meal. She scanned the dining hall looking for a place to sit, wishing she could just take her plate up to her room. One of the tables was still empty and she made her way towards it reluctantly. She missed Helen Coldridge, she had never had to eat alone during the lunch hour with her best friend around. In fact she couldn't even recall a time when she had to eat alone. There was her Mother and Uncle Rhett or her siblings to fill the table around her. It was an odd and discontenting feeling and she hoped she'd find someone to talk to save her from it before long.
As she ate her salad she caught a glimpse of Margo Sinclair eyeing her as she and her followers sat down further up the table on the opposite side. Ella pretended not to notice as she forced herself to eat her meal. Every so often she'd raise her eyes and scan the room. Finally she took notice of a girl that had sat down across from her. The girl smiled shyly, her brown eyes holding warmth and what Ella hoped was friendship because she desperately needed a friend at the moment.
"Hello," the girl said quietly as she pushed a strand of her chestnut colored hair behind her ear.
"Hello," Ella replied with a smile.
"I'm Alice Kathleen Callahan."
"I'm Ella Lorena Kennedy," she answered.
Alice nodded, "I know I'm in your classes, I sit beside you," she told her a friendly smile on her lips.
Ella blushed feeling embarrassed; she hadn't taken any notice of the girl she shared a desk with. "I'm afraid I was a bit overwhelmed this morning and didn't take notice of many people around me but it's nice to meet you, Alice."
Alice nodded in understanding, "It's always a bit overwhelming at first but you'll get used to it after a few days."
"Yes, I've been told that, I only hope it's true".
"Why didn't you begin classes at the end of last month?" Alice asked.
Ella sighed, "It's a long story but basically I am here as punishment,"
Alice's eyes widened, "Why?"
"I wanted to marry my beau but my mother and step-father wouldn't allow it."
"Why not?"
"They don't like Johnny and they seem to think they can tell me who I can love," she explained.
"I don't know who would want you with that red hair of yours," Margo stated snidely interrupting the girls conversation.
"There is nothing wrong with the color of my hair," Ella answered sternly in effort to show the girl that she wouldn't back down from her.
Margo only laughed. "If you say so but really red hair is so unfashionable."
Ella smirked, "At least it isn't as boring as blonde hair."
Margo narrowed her eyes, "My grandmother has always said that there are only two types of people that have red hair. Do you want to know what they are?" she inquired her icy blue gaze vicious.
Ella took note of Alice's worried glance before answering, "I'm sure you're going to tell me whether I want to or not."
She laughed once more, "You catch on fast. You see I say and do what I want which is exactly why I'm going to tell you what she said. My grandmother says that only whores and trashy Irish have red hair."
Ella raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes. "I suppose it's only fitting then that my hair is red, I am Irish and I'm proud of it. In fact I'm sure it's better than whatever heritage you claim to have. I don't know anything about whores though so I guess it would take one to know one, so perhaps you and your grandmother have me at a disadvantage on that one."
Margo's eyes widened but she didn't respond to Ella's backhanded insult. Alice grinned at Ella silently applauding her for fighting back.
Margo wasn't ready to give up yet however and she went on with her assessment of Ella.
"What kind of name is Ella Lorena anyway? It doesn't even sound nice."
Ella smiled with false sweetness. "If you must know, I was named Ella in honor of my grandmother who was named Ellen and Lorena was a name my mother liked, I believe it came from a song. The real question is what did you do to your mother to deserve a name like Margo?"
"Margo is a very stylish name," she protested.
Ella laughed, "Really? Where is it fashionable at? A horse stable? Although I don't believe anyone would even want to name their horse Margo. May I ask what your middle name is?"
"It's Louise," she spat.
"Margo Louise," Ella repeated. "Sounds like some kind of disease of the lungs."
Alice nearly choked on her drink.
"In fact it even rhymes with disease…how odd."
Margo glared at her but Ella was ready for whatever she wanted to throw at her.
"If anything is odd it's those green eyes of yours," Margo stated.
"I hate to inform you, Margo; but green eyes are not an oddity. Many people have them including my mother and little sister."
Margo snorted, "If that's what you want to believe, but if you ask me they make you look like a feral cat, in fact maybe that's what we can call you, a little Irish kitten isn't that quaint?" Margo stated with fake sweetness.
Ella smiled and her eyes glittered with anger, "You'll call me by the name my mother gave me."
"And if I don't?"
"Well Margo, if you don't, I'm afraid I'll just have to rip that blonde hair of yours right out of your head," she replied with a smile.
"I'd just like to see you try!" Margo answered her lips pursed in anger.
"As my big brother says, anytime you feel froggy take a leap."
"Perhaps your eyes aren't those of a cat after all," Margo sneered. "Witches are known for having them and you certainly seem to fit that description."
"Thank you, Margo; I take that as a compliment coming from someone like you and may I say that your eyes bug out enough to give one the impression of looking at a frog, so I see my brother's expression is especially fitting for you," Ella replied.
Margo huffed and snatched up her plate before storming away from the table. Once she and her friends were gone Alice spoke once more.
"You just made yourself a big enemy," she stated her expression slightly worried.
Ella shrugged, "So did she, I won't tolerate her walking on me."
"Margo likes to make people miserable. She's absolutely horrible to anyone she deems to be beneath her which is just about everyone. She'll be after you for sure now."
Ella smiled, "I'm not afraid of her or what she dishes out. Anything she throws at me will be thrown back and if it gets too out of hand, I'll simply report her."
Alice shook her head, "That won't do you any good, Margo says and does what she wants just like she said. The Mother Superior allows her to get away with everything."
"Why?"
"Because her father makes all of these large donations to the church every year. He even paid to replace the stained glass windows that were damaged so now Margo gets to walk the halls as a saint in the eyes of Mother Superior."
"That's not right," Ella protested.
"I know but that's how it is, Margo Sinclair does no wrong as long as her family keeps paying for everything," Alice whispered.
Ella was quiet for a moment as she digested the information. "Well if Margo wants to do battle, then I'll just have to take her on by myself."
"Oh she'll defiantly want to do battle with you, you're new and new girls are the ones she likes to torment the most."
Ella grinned, "She may find that she's met her match when she tangles with me."
"You're braver than I am," Alice admitted.
Ella shook her head, "Bravery has nothing to do with it. I simply can't stand people like her and if she needs knocked off her high horse, I'll be more than happy to do it."
Later that night after she had extinguished the lamp, Ella laid on her bed with her hands beneath her head and stared up into the darkness processing the events of her first day. Her classes had gone by without any problems, she had been able to pick up the lessons easily and complete her work without much effort. She felt she had found a friend in Alice, who thankfully shared all of her classes. Her confrontation with Margo played through her mind but she brushed it aside. The remainder of the day after the lunch hour had been uneventful with the small exception of Margo purposely slamming into her in the hallway causing her to drop her books. Margo had then loudly proclaimed her to be a clumsy fool but she hadn't allowed herself to be provoked opting instead to smile sweetly and tell Margo that perhaps she should look where she was going.
A sigh escaped her at the thought of snobby Margo. Margo was something… in fact she was a certain word, Ella thought to herself. A word ladies weren't supposed to say and probably weren't even supposed to think about but Ella was thinking it and she didn't care if it made her unladylike, in fact she couldn't think of anything more boring than being a perfect lady so she allowed the thought to flow freely. The simple fact was that Margo Sinclair was a bitch. Ella smiled, it always felt good to think the words that she couldn't say out loud and once she started thinking them she couldn't stop. Margo was a bitch and if need be, Ella could be one too, probably a better one than Miss I can get away with everything Sinclair. She rolled onto her side and forced herself to find a comfortable position. She could handle this; it was all a matter of showing her that she wouldn't back down. It was going to be an interesting semester that was for sure she thought to herself before drifting to sleep.