kids never stayed long, and Ella never attempted to befriend them. Most of the kids sent to stay in the Dark home were already broken or damaged in some way, and they didn't want to strike up any friendships. The rare few that Ella meant who did make nice, she diligently ignored for their own safety. She felt that if she made friends with any of the other foster kids, that they would be in greater danger. She simply left them all alone, because as soon as they'd begin to realize how awful the Dark's could be, Thelma sent them packing before they had a chance to complain. And Ella was left behind with no one who could corroborate any tale she contemplated revealing.
Honestly, she wished somebody in Faraway would just notice.
After all, Ella was a fairly popular girl at school. Despite the fact that she never attended dances, social events, or invited friends over… Despite the fact people didn't perceive her as too academically bright… They liked her. So it always amazed her that nobody ever noticed the bruises. The gaunt cheeks, or dark circles under her eyes. The shadows of cinders accumulated in her clothes and hair. She didn't want to have to cry out for help. She just wanted to be rescued. Maybe by an observant teacher. Or a stalwart police officer. Or, in her most sad and lonely imaginings, it was a handsome prince who came to her aid.
When Ella and the Dark sisters began their junior year at Faraway Senior High, the situation that had remained relatively dormant for some time, once again became volatile.
For one thing, Ella became more popular than ever among their classmates. She flourished into perhaps the most gorgeous girl in school and boys fell at her feet. Meanwhile, Brittany Dark grew tall, gangly, excessively thin, with very bad acne. And Lexi grew progressively more obese, wearing a perpetually hateful facial expression with what appeared to be only one bushy frowning eyebrow. Ella was invited to more and more social gatherings which she could never attend, while the Dark sisters were passed over time and time again.
At home they were in a particularly slow stretch and Ella was the only foster child at the time. This left her open to abuse from all the Dark women. The twins invented infractions to punish Ella for. Even when it was absolutely clear they were lying, Thelma supported them explicitly. She would sometimes go for days with food being withheld. Or a backhand would come from nowhere and send her reeling. Any homework she attempted to do, they'd destroy before she could return it to school. If they let her shower, it was only with cold water.
And with all of this, threats accompanied if she dared breathe a word of her home life to a single living soul.
But in November, everything changed.
Ella was upstairs putting away their laundry when she heard the front door open and Thelma Dark's sugary sweet voice, the tone she reserved for social workers. Ella's ears perked up. Somehow she hadn't lost hope that an outsider could come to rescue her. She heard Thelma chatting enthusiastically with the social worker for a few minutes. And then she heard another voice. A male voice that sounded like honey tastes.
He said only a brief hello and introduced himself as Nicholas Monarch. But just a few words from that voice were enough to completely mesmerize her. The stack of Lexi's laundry she carried slipped from her hands and scattered on the floor. She drifted into the hallway and then crept quietly down half of the staircase. She crouched down to remain hidden by a wall and peeked just barely through the bars of the banister. She had a limited view into the parlor.
Nicholas Monarch towered over Thelma and the social worker. He stood straight, somehow managing to look both regal and at ease. He had a flawless face with twinkling blue eyes. And when he smiled, a dimple appeared, and pearly white teeth were revealed. His thick
Honestly, she wished somebody in Faraway would just notice.
After all, Ella was a fairly popular girl at school. Despite the fact that she never attended dances, social events, or invited friends over… Despite the fact people didn't perceive her as too academically bright… They liked her. So it always amazed her that nobody ever noticed the bruises. The gaunt cheeks, or dark circles under her eyes. The shadows of cinders accumulated in her clothes and hair. She didn't want to have to cry out for help. She just wanted to be rescued. Maybe by an observant teacher. Or a stalwart police officer. Or, in her most sad and lonely imaginings, it was a handsome prince who came to her aid.
When Ella and the Dark sisters began their junior year at Faraway Senior High, the situation that had remained relatively dormant for some time, once again became volatile.
For one thing, Ella became more popular than ever among their classmates. She flourished into perhaps the most gorgeous girl in school and boys fell at her feet. Meanwhile, Brittany Dark grew tall, gangly, excessively thin, with very bad acne. And Lexi grew progressively more obese, wearing a perpetually hateful facial expression with what appeared to be only one bushy frowning eyebrow. Ella was invited to more and more social gatherings which she could never attend, while the Dark sisters were passed over time and time again.
At home they were in a particularly slow stretch and Ella was the only foster child at the time. This left her open to abuse from all the Dark women. The twins invented infractions to punish Ella for. Even when it was absolutely clear they were lying, Thelma supported them explicitly. She would sometimes go for days with food being withheld. Or a backhand would come from nowhere and send her reeling. Any homework she attempted to do, they'd destroy before she could return it to school. If they let her shower, it was only with cold water.
And with all of this, threats accompanied if she dared breathe a word of her home life to a single living soul.
But in November, everything changed.
Ella was upstairs putting away their laundry when she heard the front door open and Thelma Dark's sugary sweet voice, the tone she reserved for social workers. Ella's ears perked up. Somehow she hadn't lost hope that an outsider could come to rescue her. She heard Thelma chatting enthusiastically with the social worker for a few minutes. And then she heard another voice. A male voice that sounded like honey tastes.
He said only a brief hello and introduced himself as Nicholas Monarch. But just a few words from that voice were enough to completely mesmerize her. The stack of Lexi's laundry she carried slipped from her hands and scattered on the floor. She drifted into the hallway and then crept quietly down half of the staircase. She crouched down to remain hidden by a wall and peeked just barely through the bars of the banister. She had a limited view into the parlor.
Nicholas Monarch towered over Thelma and the social worker. He stood straight, somehow managing to look both regal and at ease. He had a flawless face with twinkling blue eyes. And when he smiled, a dimple appeared, and pearly white teeth were revealed. His thick
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