Chapter 7 - Happy Birthday

It’s July the first, which means… today is the Summer Ball, which also means it’s my birthday. I don’t know whether to be excited or to stay in my bed and pretend this day isn’t happening. Yes, I’m legally eighteen now, which means I’m a legal adult and I can make use of my money. However, I have to finish my contract until the end of the summer. Just two more months and I’m free of Rhonda forever, and this day just means I’m closer than I was before. She’s not my legal guardian anymore! That makes me happy. But this day also means, I have loads and loads of work. Running here and there, obeying orders so the ball is perfect. It’s been exhausting the last couple of days, I can’t imagine how it’s going to be today. I bet Rhonda has her list with all the things I’ve got to do today.

I sigh as I mentally prepare myself for the most exhausting day of the summer. This ball always makes my birthday a bittersweet day.

I push the covers down and take a deep breath, but then my door slams wide open making me scream and jump like in cartoons. I end up on the floor in a very tangled mess. How? I’m not quite sure yet, it seems like I’m defying the physics laws.

“Happy birthday!” A duet sings slash screams and when I pop up my head above the bead, I see Olivia and Charlie, grinning from ear to ear with a small cute cake in Liv’s hands. “You’re an adult now! I remember when you were a wee little girl!” Liv adds fake crying and I giggle.

I rise to my feet and I look like a human once again as I walk up to them. “I could’ve been naked, you know? It was risky of you two to walk in like that,” I tell them trying to look serious, but I’m grinning as well. “Thank you.”

“Happy birthday!” Charlie exclaims again hugging me quickly. “Quickly, make three wishes and blow the candles before the cake is ruined!”

I chuckle and do as instructed.

To be the best doctor…

To leave this place and never see Rhonda and her daughters again…

To never lose Liv and Charlie.

I finally blow the candles and both of them cheer and clap, well, only Charlie claps. I smile at them grateful. I know the Summer Ball was once to celebrate my birthday, but it’s okay if I don’t have that anymore. I have Liv and Charlie and just a small cake with three candles is enough for me. Maybe no one else knows or remembers my birthday, but my two friends will never forget it. Liv always brings me cake and is the first to wish me a happy birthday, and this is the first time Charlie can be with me, as well.

Yes, I’m really grateful they are here.

Liv puts the cake aside and gives me a huge hug. “Group hug!” Charlie shouts before joining us and I laugh happily. They are my family; in my heart, they are my real family. I don’t care about legal terms.

“I hope your wishes come true, Ella. You deserve all the happiness in the word,” she tells me stroking my hair in the same way my mum used to do. Liv never got to meet my mum, but both have something in common: they never failed at make me feel loved and appreciated.

“I’m happy,” I tell them because despite everything, despite the hell of life Rhonda makes me live, I’m happy when I’m with them.

It’s all a matter of perspective at the end, isn’t it? If I only focus on the bad aspects I’ll always be miserable, but there are good things in my life and I just have to hold those closer to my heart. My dad always said ‘Don’t let the bad things take your smile away’. And I’ve made that my life motto.

“You’re a legal adult! Be responsible, missy! I won’t bail you out of jail,” Charlie jokes and I laugh.

“I’ll try to behave, but I promise nothing, Charles,” I joke along and he tries to look pissed, but ends up laughing. “Okay, I wasn’t naked when you came in but I have to dress up so I can start working,” I tell them and we all sigh. “Some cake before leaving?”

Charlie is the happiest which makes me giggle. At the end we three have some cake and they leave to give me the space I need to get ready for a hard day. At least it started better than any other. Last year Rhonda beat Liv and came into my room first, throwing at my face the list with all the things I had to do.

Let’s this day begin.

+ + + + +

“Here’s the list. And I’ll be checking on you during the ball. Nothing can fail, Arabella, so you better not sneak out there. You’re not welcome in the ballroom,” Rhonda says when I’m in her office, waiting for instructions.

“It’s not my plan,” I lie because it is my plan, but she doesn’t know it.

Charlie, Liv and I have everything planned already and we’ve covered every single detail to make this work. I don’t find the part of being in a ball with all the celebrities thrilling, I couldn’t care less about them, but I love the idea of doing what Rhonda hates the most. Of defying her. She can’t control me and we fool her right under her nose. I’ll be in the ball, dancing, having fun and she won’t even notice me. That’s what thrills me.

“I know, but I have to make sure,” she says. For many years, I’ve never showed a bit of interested in going to the ball, so she has no reason to doubt me. “And don’t forget to help the girls.”

“I won’t.”

She looks at me from head to toe and gives me that derogatory grin she’s known for. “Good, Even if you try to sneak into the ball, you wouldn’t fit. You’re too simple to blend in with these celebrities. They would only laugh at you, so I’m only helping you, dear,” I cringe at the way she says dear, with so much venom I’m impressed she doesn’t poison herself. “You’re dismissed. Leave,” she instructs and I don’t stay a second longer, I turn on my heels and leave, as fast as I can.

I have a huge list of things to do, and I have to start working know if I wanna finish before the ball starts. I’m impressed with all the things Rhonda has managed to find for me to do. I better run and start with the rooms, then the kitchen, then helping with the last preparations for the ball, then with the laundry, and I even have to clean the pool. It’ll take me the whole day, this is a huge complex. It wasn’t that big when Dad started the business, but Rhonda has made many changes, in every level you can think of.

So I get down to business and work my arse off to get everything done. During the day I see celebrities going up and down, getting ready. Almost every woman is in the spa, making sure her skins look stunning and immaculate. Men are more relaxed, but still, you see them worried. They are celebrities, they live for the others’ opinions. It’s all about how people see them. They can’t miss a single detail, even if they are only among celebrities. I see this every year, I’m not impressed.

I see the boys of One Direction and they are the most relaxed ones, maybe because they are young. They go to the pool, they have fun and act like tonight is not the ball. I find myself smiling when I see them like that, as I keep folding towels next to the pool and picking up all the things others have left. They are having fun, enjoying the pool they have only for them. They laugh, they hit each other, they chase after one another. They are just teenagers having fun and that makes me smile. They don’t look like the other celebrities, panicking for tonight. It’s not even a televised ball, they shouldn’t worry that much.

Out of all the celebrities in this complex, I think I dislike One Direction the least. No, I don’t like them… but I don’t hate them. They are okay. Plus, they have brought their girlfriends, even Zayn and Liam who had hand’t brought them before. I only know the blond one, Perrie, because she’s a celebrity as well and my stepsisters also love Little Mix. The gorgeous brunette next to Liam is unknown, probably just a regular girl. She’s really pretty.

So they are with their girlfriends, having fun, pushing them to the pool.

“I’m the only one without a girlfriend,” a deep male voice says, startling me. I didn’t even notice I was staring so intently at the group by the pool until he talked to me.

I look over my shoulder and I find Harry, grinning because he knows he scared me. “I blame your moth tattoo,” I say and he laughs. “I’m serious.”

“I know you are,” he chuckles. “That’s what makes it even funnier. Anyways, are you sure you don’t wanna come with me to the ball?” He asks and I look away, folding the last towels.

“I have loads of work and I’m not allowed there,” I tell him casually. No one can suspect I’m planning to go, because gossips run faster than Flash and somehow it would get to Rhonda’s ears.

“What a pity. I bet we would’ve had fun,” he says and I shrug. “See you around, Ella.”

I don’t reply, I just nod and keep doing my work and he goes back to the pool, with his friends. When I take a last glimpse in their direction before leaving with the basket full of used towels, I notice how Niall is looking in this direction, ignoring his girlfriend for a second, a frown in his features.

I ignore that and leave. I still have loads of things to do, including helping the twins.

The rest of the day flies by, I run from one side to another, doing all I can, breaking my own records. I help the twins and they look really beautiful. It’s a pity that their only ambition is to marry a celebrity, they could do better. Sometimes, in really weird occasions, I pity them because their dream is only what Rhonda has made them believe they want.

The ball starts right on time, all the celebrities making their way into the ballroom and taking notice of everything. The room is impressive, with a classic and really fancy decoration. It’s all in black, red and white colours, with big and astonishing chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, there’s a DJ at one side of the room, keeping a good music that makes everyone move at a certain rhythm, even if they are not dancing. The dance floor is in the middle with some couples walking by, admiring the decoration. Many waitresses and waiters pace across the room, offering all kinds of drinks to the celebrities. The big tables with red tablecloths have all kind of snacks you can imagine, even a chocolate fountain. There are also booths with sofas and cushions in case they get tired or want some privacy. The lights give the whole room an energetic vibe, but classic at the same time.

I watch from afar with a smile. It looks amazing, a combination between a classic masquerade bash but modern, with good music. I look at the celebrities and I only recognise a few because everyone is wearing a mask. Some of them are really amazing, some of them don’t hide a thing but they are pretty.

I do recognise Rhonda walking by the celebrities, receiving compliments because she is the only one who’s not wearing a mask, so everyone can recognise her. She’s smiling proud of what she’s done: another successful Summer Ball.

Close to eleven, as we planned, I go to Olivia’s room where she is waiting for me with Charlie, ready to start off with our plan. I’m exhausted, it’s been a long day and I haven’t stopped, but watching the dance for a while made me want to be there. It’s beautiful and everyone seemed to be having fun, plus, with all of them wearing masks I can totally forget they are celebrities and I can pretend they are just the people Dad used to accept in this retreat.

“Quickly,” Liv hurries me. “We don’t have much time,” she says and goes for something in her wardrobe.

She comes back with a big dress, in a beige colour made of tulle. I can’t say anymore, but it looks amazing although she still has it in her arms.

“Happy birthday,” she says approaching even closer.

Then Charlie approaches with a box in his hands. “Happy eighteenth birthday, Ella,” he says opening it and showing me an amazing mask that matches the dress perfectly, with so many details that I could stay staring at it for hours and always find something new.

I look at them with a big smile, getting excited with all this. “Thank you,” I say and they smile back at me.

“Now, let’s get ready for this ball,” Liv says and looks at Charlie. “Make sure no one notices that she’s not around. Let us know of Rhonda’s every movement,” she instructs and he salutes.

“See you later, Ella,” he says kissing my cheek and leaving the room. I’m left alone with Liv.

Liv grins at me before saying, “Time to do magic. Bibidi, babidi, boo.”

-:-:-:-

I hope you liked this chapter. The ball takes place during chapter 8 and 9 and Ido know you're excited for that. 

Dedication to @LuluPayne4life because I liked how you described this: "it's so cliché in every aspect that it is so NOt cliché". It is true, this story is made of every cliché youcanthink of.

 Bel, xx