Goody Two-Shoes

Ella Mae Fortier was the cheesy example of a perfectly adequate girl that came from a wealthy family. She deepened her roots at an apartment which took most of the sixth floor on 5th Avenue, and her life went on according to all the conventions attached to being a Fortier girl. Her universe was predictable, at least for those to were part of it. It was either a matter of convention or a matter of keeping the appearance.

At the age of 23, she was in a relationship with Connor Mills and it was expected that they soon eloped. She had finished her undergraduate course at Columbia University the year before and got an internship at the MET. Life was good, as far as the eyes could see.

It was not until the day she got a call from Brie, her best-friend and also Connor's cousin, that she started to put things into a different perspective.

"I just overheard my aunt telling my mother that Connor is looking for the ring", Brie said with a monotonous tone.

It was no secret that as much she and Connor had the same blood, she was not fond of him and it did not go well with her that Ella was going to settle down just for conventions.

Brie was one of the two people that right until then knew how Ella really was behind the goody two-shoes image. The other was her brother, and he was a whole new story to tell, one which could go on for hours. In order to keep it short, he was the rotten apple of the basket, the one who chose to break free from the Fortiers hold.

"Good morning to you too, Brie. And what lovely news at... 7:30 AM", Ella look at the alarm clock with her sight still blurry after having woke up suddenly with the call.

"I'm just the messenger, honey. Don't shoot the messenger!", Brie laughed wholeheartedly from the other end of the line, amused by Ella's reaction. That girl could be moody in the morning. "But let's change the subject to something more pleasant... Have you checked your inbox? You're supposed to hear back from them today, if I recall correctly...".

"I haven't yet, but I will in a minute. Will you stay in the line?", Ella asked while she streched herself and looked for her notebook by the nightstand.

"Sure thing, I'll even put some music to set a mood", and after saying this, Brie turned on her iPod dock. Numb by Usher poured out of the speakers. "Here's a hint to whom you have to choose if you make it to the auditions".

This time it was Ella who laughed, "Have you forgotten that they do have to turn their chairs for me? That if I pass the first phase, which we don't know yet...", she put some sense into Brie's head. At the same time, she typed her login and password and felt her hands tremble a little when an unread e-mail from NBC's The Voice stood out on the top of her inbox. "They answered..."

"And...?", Brie sat upright in her computer chair to hear the news. "You're killing me, woman! Just say it already!"

"I...", she clicked on the subject and waited a second before the message opened. She could not believe her eyes. She was in! She would have to be in Los Angeles by the end of the week to the audition. "I got through! I'm going to LA!"

"Holy shit!". Brie started a chain of curses that went on for about two minutes and these were followed by screams by both girls to the point that Ella heard a not too gentle knock on her door by her mother, and Brie earned an earful by her brother, Steven, who stormed into her room furious.

"Keep it down, please! I'm trying to fucking sleep!", he screamed. His appearance only made Brie laugh, since he was still in pajamas and had his hair sticking to all directions.

"Go away, kiddo! I'm trying to celebrate here!", it was the only answer Brie gave him before returning to the phone call, "So, open the site for us to book our tickets to next Wednesday. We get a day to party in LA."

"On my way, baby... At least some good news to start the day!", Ella replied feeling cheery.