Like a Fairytale

“Why, hello there Ella,” Mr. G said as soon as I walked into the music room. He’s very used to my presence, and seems to like it, which is good because I spend most of my free time at school here, playing my guitar, singing, or writing. “How was your summer?”

“Long,” I replied honestly. Mr. G is one of those teachers who always listens to you, no matter what it is you have to say. “Dad was only home for four days out of the whole thing.”

He frowned sympathetically. “I’m sorry. How bad were Tanya and Rebecca?” Mr. G only knows that Tanya and Becca don’t like me, but he doesn’t know how they starve me sometimes, or beat me, and how I’m practically their servant. He also doesn’t know that I call Tanya the Stripper. I could never tell a teacher that, even a nice teacher.

“They were awful,” I sighed, sitting on a stool and pulling my acoustic guitar out of the case. (I have two - one for here at school, and one for home. I keep the one for school in the music room.) “They’re always getting worse. I wish I could move out or something.”

He sighed. “Sucks to be fifteen, doesn’t it?”

I laughed. “Yeah, yeah it does.” The conversation ended as I started to play, losing myself in the music and the chords. I started out complicated and quick, but then slowed it down until I was just repeating an A-minor and a C. That’s when I started to sing.

“Well, I heard there was a sacred chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do ya?
Well it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
A minor fall, and a major lift
The baffled king composed hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof.
You saw her bathing on the roof.
Her beauty, in the moonlight, overthrew ya.
Well she tied you to the kitchen chair
She broke your throne,
She cut your hair
And from your lips, she drew the hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

And baby, I’ve been here before
I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew ya
But I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
Our love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Maybe there’s a God above
But all I ever learned from love
Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew ya
Its not a cry you can hear at night
Its not someone who has seen the light
It’s a cold and a broken hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.”

I continued playing for a minute with my eyes closed, and when I finished, I still kept my eyes like that. It was nice to lose myself in the song, one of my favorites, if only for a few minutes.

“That… that was beautiful,” A boy said. When I opened my eyes, I saw that the boy was none other than Justin Bieber.

I flushed with pleasure and kept my eyes on the floor. “Thank you.”

Mr. G, bless him, could tell I wasn’t entirely comfortable, and went to go talk to Justin while I got ready for class. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Justin Bieber, prince of the world, wasn’t just another spoiled teen pop star.



“So, are you going?” Rebecca asked in early October, digging in the cabinet for a washcloth to help her get the kiwi-green facial off her face.

“Going where?” I inquired, flipping through an issue of Seventeen magazine dully. I was incredibly bored, but having my sister actually talk to me was pretty interesting.

“To the Halloween dance, silly!” She laughed without a trace of hate in it. It always amazed me how normal, even sweet, Becky could be when we were alone. “Seriously, everyone is going. Aren’t you?”

I sighed. “I don’t think the Str- Tanya will let me.” I didn’t think calling Tanya the stripper right in front of her daughter was the best idea. Besides, I was still trying to figure out what to do to help Rebecca out with Hannah, who still hadn’t launch whatever “plan” she had.

“I could talk her into it, if you want,” Becky offered, turning on the sink. “You know she wouldn’t say no to me.”

Suddenly, I had a vision of Justin and I dancing together, but I quickly blew it out of my mind. You do not like him, Ella. You can’t. Not when Rebecca is just starting to be nice. Don’t even think like that. I knew it wouldn’t make a difference though - the more I heard Justin talk, the more I liked him. He had a fantastic sense of humor, some deep thoughts, and he did have heart. Lots of it. I liked this about him. Hell, I liked almost everything about him - except that he was the object of Rebecca’s affection.

“Ella?” Becky laughed. “You in there?”

I looked up, laughing a little myself. “Yeah, just zoned out a little. Um, you could talk to her, I guess. But, um, Becky, I need to talk to you.”

“Go for it,” She said cheerfully.

I took a deep breath, knowing this was the end of nice Becky. “Hannah… Hannah’s going to try and like de-throne you or something.”

She stopped scrubbing at her face and I could see her eyes on me from the mirror. “What.” Though it was a question, her tone was not inquiring.

I sighed. “Hannah told me that you ‘weren’t going to rule this school anymore’ and that she’d be ‘the popular one’ and all this other stuff on the first day of school.”

“You lying bitch,” Rebecca spat, now scrubbing vigorously at the facial mask. “You’re just jealous that you aren’t popular! You wish you were pretty like me! You’re so jealous of me that you’re trying to make me stab my friends in the back! Well, it won’t happen, you bitch! So just go hang out with the freak and the faggot and leave me the fuck alone!”

“Look!” I yelled back. “Diss me all you want, but do not call my friends names.”

“Why?!” She screamed back, looking at me now, her hands balled into fists. “That’s what they are!”

“No! They! Aren’t! Rebecca, you’re just a judgmental bitch! You’re mean! You’re a mean girl! Just leave me the hell alone!” I walked out of her room, going towards mine. As I left, she yelled over her shoulder, “Can motherfucking do!”

But once I had locked myself in my room, the Stripper called for me.

I opened my door, grimacing. I knew this had something to do with me and Rebecca’s fight, and sure enough, as soon as I got to the living room, Rebecca and Tanya were in there, Becca crying, the Stripper with her hands on her hips.

Tanya is very pretty, I’ll admit. She has long, blonde hair (dyed) and crystal blue eyes, the very same ones her daughter has. She’s skinny as a stick, with a fantastic boob job. All-American and innocent-looking, Tanya has everything anyone could ever want. I was the biggest nuisance in her life.

“Why were you yelling at your sister?” The Stripper asked angrily, though her face didn’t show it. Thank you, Botox.

“She yelled first,” I said calmly. I knew how to play these women’s games.

“I did not!” Rebecca sobbed. “You just starting screaming some stupid story about Hannah that wasn’t even true.”

“It wasn’t?” I questioned sarcastically. “Just you wait, she’ll get you, and I’ll be there saying I told you so.”

“Eleanor!” The Stripper shrieked. I cringed, both from her volume, high-pitched voice, and the use of my full name. “Don’t be so mean!”

“Tell her, Mama,” Rebecca sniffed. “Don’t let her go to the dance.”

“Good idea, sweetheart,” The Stripper simpered. “Eleanor, you’re grounded for the rest of the month. Cough up your phone.”

I shot her a look that could kill as I gave her my purple Razr. “What else?” I asked bitterly.

“With that attitude, lots,” She grinned. “Your laptop.”

“I need it for school,” I replied immediately.

Only then did she frown. “Well, you aren’t going anywhere but school for the next month. And by that, I do not mean you can go to the dance. You don’t deserve that fun.” Her laugh was as cold and fake as she was, and I felt resentment rush through me. “Now, go to your room. Go.”

The second I got into my little oasis of peace, also known as my room, I starting pacing. Some girls would cry in this situation, I knew, but not me. Since the age of seven, I’ve been learning to keep my tears under control.

Something had to give, and soon. I couldn’t keep living like this. Rebecca and Tanya couldn’t keep ruling over my life, I couldn’t keep going about my life in fear of them. I had to do something.

And then… there was Justin. What were my options with him? He still smiled at me every chance he got, and once or twice towards the beginning, I smiled back. Now, I had learned that it was smarter just to avoid him for dear life. But… what if I didn’t have to? What if I could do something that would make it possible for me to like whoever I wanted? I didn’t know what that something was, but I intended to find out.

Slowly, I drew out my plan, scheming on how I was going to get what I wanted out of life. Everything connected, but I couldn’t do it alone. I needed Sammy and Kelsey’s help. I also needed my own courage. I needed to stay strong and fight until I got out of this mess. I needed to be like a fricking chick flick.

This plan all started with Sammy, Tanya, Justin, and the dance.