Chapter 29 - Part Of The Family

“Ella, Ella, listen to me. Calm down!” Niall exclaims grabbing my shoulders and shaking me a bit so I can stop freaking out.

“You don’t understand, Niall. Ten days, that’s all I had to wait. Ten days. She’ll ask me to break up with you or she’ll make my life a living hell and I’ll have to quit, but I’m so close. I almost made it!” I snap, shaking as I imagine all the possibilities, all the ways she can ruin my life. She can even do something to my record, talk to her lawyers and ruin my chances or working somewhere else. Rhonda is powerful, Rhonda is resourceful. You can’t just shit with her.

“Ella, relax. If she tells you we have to break up you tell her you do and we can pretend. I can even leave now and complain to her. I dunno. But we won’t let her ruin us, okay? And I won’t let her ruin you.” No matter what he says, even if I trust him, I can’t stop shaking.

There are so many things she can do to ruin me forever. She may even do something so I won’t be accepted in Oxford and they will cancel my enrolment. I don’t know, but I just know she’s capable of anything just to get what she wants.

Niall hugs me tightly and I hold on to him, still shaking, scared. I’ve seen Rhonda ruining the life of employees just because they leaked a picture of some guests. I don’t know what she could do to me, for dating one… dating one that her daughter wanted.

“I’m scared,” I whisper against Niall’s chest, holding maybe too tight and he does the same and I’m grateful. “She’s powerful, Niall. She can’t ruin my dreams. All what I’ve planned.”

“Whatever she does, I’ll protect you, okay?” I don’t reply, I only hug him even tighter.

After that Niall takes me away as a way to distract me from what will happen. It’s a matter of time before Rhonda will call me and hell will break loose. And I know he’s really trying to make me smile and forget all this, but I can’t. I only imagine endless scenarios, and none of them has even a bearable outcome. But I look at Niall and pay attention to the way he makes me feel. I don’t want Rhonda to push me away from him, I don’t want to lose him because she doesn’t want me to be with him. I know we haven’t been together for too long, but this time has been precious to me. These past few weeks have been the happiest for me. How can I just give up on him like that? But how can I give up on my dreams? I know he says he will help me, but can he really do that? We don’t even know what Rhonda will do yet… maybe it’s going to be too much and not even Niall will be able to help. Then what?

I’m so stressed that not even brushing Ares is helping me and when Charlie runs into the stable I almost have a heart attack.

“Ella,” Charlie pants, his hands on his knees. He’s not used to run. “Rhonda is looking for you. What happened?” He asks, worry all over his features and I feel how a chill runs down my spine, dread consuming me.

“Ella’s stepsister saw us,” Niall answer for us and Charlie’s expression is of sheer terror. He knows, he knows how terrible this situation is. He knows Rhonda.

I feel Niall taking my hand, entwining our fingers together and squeezing gently. I look at him, my heart racing in my chest and I think I may throw up.

“It’s gonna be fine, I’m with you, okay? Whatever happens, I’m with you,” he tells me and I nod, trying to gather courage. “You own your life, okay? She doesn’t control you.”

He’s right. This is my life, I control my life. I chose with whomever I want to be, even if that person is Niall Horan, even if my stepsister wants him, even if he’s a celebrity. And I have Niall’s support, whatever Rhonda does, I’ll manage it somehow. He’ll help me. Charlie will help me. Liv will help me. I’m not alone.

“We’ll be fine,” I tell him and he nods, cupping my face with his other hand. “I’ll be fine.”

“You will,” he repeats and leans in to give me a soft kiss. “Let’s go.”

I nod and Charlie looks at me with worry but he nods as well and we make our way back to the complex. I’m still nervous, but I’m determined that I choose the person I’m with. Rhonda can’t stop me from loving whomever I want to love. This is my life, I do what I want with it.

When we’re finally in front of the door to her office I have this urge to run away and never be seen again, but I take a deep breath and squeeze Niall’s hand and he squeezes back. I wish he’d come inside with me, but this is my problem with Rhonda. I have to do this alone.

Charlie gives me a hug and whispers in my ear, “good luck. I’ll help you no matter what she does, okay? Don’t be scared.”

I nod and hug him back and when he lets go of me, Niall claims his turn, hugging me and kissing me at the same time, deeply, passionately, giving me the strength I need to face this situation. “I’m with you,” is the last thing he tells me before I step back and knock at her door.

“I’ll see you later,” I tell both of them and they nod just when I hear a “come in.”

I open the doors, slightly shaking and I close them behind me as I take another deep breath, summoning all my courage to face this. She can’t stop me from being with Niall. I won’t give up on him because she demands me to do that.

“There she is!” Rhonda turns around, a big smile on her lips as she sees me standing there. She opens her arms as she walks towards me and I freeze, I can’t even breathe as I see her coming. “Oh my dear Arabella!” She exclaims, stopping once she’s in front of me and the next thing she does is hug me.

Rhonda. Hugs. Me.

I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what’s happening. Is this a nightmare? Why is Rhonda hugging me? Shouldn’t she be like yelling at me? Threating me to destroy everything I love?

She pulls back, that sweet smile that she only gives to celebrities still on her lips. Adoration is shining in her eyes. This makes no sense. What is happening?

“Oh my dear Arabella, I never thought this day would come. I must admit I had given up on you, but here you are, proving me wrong once again,” she speaks, her hands on my shoulders, grabbing confidently.

“What— what’s going on?” I ask, utterly confused. Maybe Jenny hasn’t talked to her.

“Jenny told me she saw you with the young boy, the one from the band. Niall Horan,” Rhonda explains, still smiling and I blink more confused. “Oh, my dear. I’m so proud of you. You finally did the right thing. I won’t lie, I am surprised he laid his eyes on you. I guess he saw beyond the plain appearance. He’s the good kind, don’t let him go,” she winks at me and I feel like puking, right there.

“I-I don’t get it. You are happy about it?” I ask, still confused and she laughs, as if I’ve said the most hilarious thing ever.

“Of course I am! I knew someday you’d see the light, Arabella. I knew you were clever and you’d see things like they are. To be honest I thought that one of my girls would get one of the celebrities first, but it’s okay. You did it! Now you don’t even need to go to University. You just got one of the richest out there! Congratulations!”

I catch my breath, blinking confused as I hear her. This is not what I expected. I was prepared for the rage, for the screams, for the threats. Not for this! What is this? This doesn’t make sense!

“But— but Jenny. She wants Niall,” I state, still sounding like an idiot and Rhonda laughs again.

“I know, dear, but she’ll get over that. It wasn’t nice and you should’ve been more thoughtful of your sister, but oh well, we can’t control our hearts, can we? She’s really mad, but she’ll get over it. And now you can even help her to get another of the boys. I’ve heard the other one, Liam, is single again!”

“Yes,” I confirm because Niall told me Liam and Sophia broke up… she broke up with him. Long story and I won’t share that with Rhonda.

“See? You can help both your sisters now! This is wonderful. I’m so proud of you, Arabella. You are finally doing what’s right by dating this boy. This is wonderful news!” She claps and walks away, almost dancing, too excited, but I still can’t move.

“So… so you want me to be with Niall?” I ask, still confused.

Rhonda turns around, her blue eyes fixed on me and that bright smile still on her lips. “Of course, dear! I would’ve preferred your sister to be with him, but I’m happy for you. All this time this is what I wanted you to do, to see the opportunity. You are finally following the path I want for you three.”

I feel like ice is taking over me as I hear her, shock, dread and horror running through my veins, getting to every single part of my body.

Rhonda is happy for me. She wants me to be with Niall. I’m doing what she always wanted me to do. I’m following the path she wants for Jenny and Kimmy. She is delighted that I’m dating a celebrity.

She’s not mad. She won’t ruin my life… because I’m ruining it myself. All what I despised for so many years, all that pity for the life Jenny and Kimmy were pursuing, for letting Rhonda control them and mould them at her will. All that is what I’m doing. All what I refused to be part of is now my life. And I chose this. I chose to be this because of what Niall makes me feel. I chose to be this bloody cliché, the maid who fell in love with the rich prince who came to save her.

I chose Niall and by choosing him, I chose all what Rhonda loves. All what she wants for her daughters… for me, her stepdaughter, as well. I chose what I swore I would never do. I threw all what I fought against for so many years to the rubbish bin.

How… how did I end up here?

“This is wonderful!” Rhonda exclaims and when I look up I notice she’s blurry and it’s because I have tears in my eyes. I feel them running down my cheeks. “Oh, are you crying of happiness? I feel like crying, too, Arabella! Don’t worry, it’s normal.”

“I’m doing what you always wanted me to do,” I mumble and she claps, her smile even wider. Pride is written all over her face.

“This was always my dream but you always fought me. You never saw that I just wanted the best for you. You always saw me as the bad one of this story, but I just wanted you to be happy. If I hadn’t done what I did with your father’s business, you would’ve never met this boy. I did all this not for me, sweetheart. I did it for you three: Jennifer, Kimberly, and you, Arabella,” she explains and I feel cold, I feel numb and I feel like an idiot. “Aren’t you happy?”

I was… I was happy until I realised what I was really doing. How I betrayed myself. It’s okay, celebrities are not the problem, they are just pieces of Rhonda’s plan. I know that now, I don’t have to hate them. But by choosing Niall, I chose to be part of her game. To be another piece of her plan. I can’t be happy knowing I’m doing what she wants. I just… I can’t.

“Oh, dear Arabella! I didn’t think you were going to be the first to do the right thing, but I’m proud. I’m so proud of you.” One tear escapes her left eye and she wipes it away as she chuckles, bewildered with all what’s happening. “You are finally part of this family, Arabella. You finally accepted you are one of us. I’m so happy! Oh, come here, my daughter!” She exclaims and approaches quickly, hugging me again but I don’t feel anything. I don’t move. I’m frozen.

What have I done?

“I— I need to go,” I say and Rhonda pulls back.

“Oh sure, sure. You want to be with your boyfriend. And don’t worry about your chores anymore. You really need to make him completely fall in love with you before summer ends. Go, go, be happy with him!” She encourages me and I feel sick, oh so sick that when I ran outside her office I go straight to the toilet and throw up.

This isn’t happening. No. I didn’t do this. Oh God, no.

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Dedication to @Pickles4You for that great comment.  

Bel, xx