Ella's Story

Chapter 1

Word count: 1400

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I hold the skirt up to my waist. Ella, I decide. That's what I want to be called. Ella.

I look up in the mirror, smiling. My hair has grown out so it falls right in the middle of my chest. I let it down a little bit ago, I don't normally do that. Only because of my step-family.

I borrowed some of Anna's makeup earlier, and I'm almost crying from how good I look. I don't look like myself. I look like Ella.

"Elliot!" My stepmother, Mistress Amaya yells.

"Coming!" A wave of panic rushes through me. I tie my hair up in a bun and put a beanie over it. I put the unfinished skirt on my bed and straighten my pants.

I run to the living room. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Isn't there supposed to be a meal soon?"

"Yes, Mistress." I bow my head before leaving for the kitchen.

I catch myself smiling at my new name as I spin around the kitchen making lunch for my stepfamily.

Anna and Annie come in bickering. They are my twin stepsisters. Anna is sopping wet.

"You threw me into the bloody pond!" She shouts.

"You were the one standing in the boat!" Annie shouts back at her.

Anna starts stripping off her wet clothes in the middle of the parlor. "I was not!" She insists.

"Yes you were, you and Jacob were talking about how pretty the fish were"

"then I looked over to see them."

"Then you stood up and you fell over."

"I never stood up!" They start shouting again.

I'm leaning against the doorway, trying to subtly watch as Anna strips down to minimal wet layers. When you are like me no one teaches you how to get dressed in all those layers.

"Elliot, stop watching your sisters. Go finish cooking lunch."

"I'm sorry Mistress," I say, disappointed at how deep my voice is. I whisper the phrase over and over again while I dress the plates for lunch. I try to soften and raise my voice until I am satisfied. By the time lunch is here my voice is tired.

I set the table and call them in. Mistress Amaya instructs me to wash and dry Anna's clothes, and bring her a new dress to wear.

"It's rude to eat while you are so indecent." She says.

Someone outside might be wondering why they aren't covering up while I'm here. After all, I'm (sadly) still a boy to them.

The answer is simple. They don't see me as a predator, I've never shown an interest in girls romantically, I'm pretty sure they think I'm gay.

I gather an armful of dress layers for Anna. Something catches my eye in her closet, An old nightdress. I grab it before I can think twice, I drop it in the parlor while I help Anna get dressed again.

"No, It's the silk petticoat, you put on the tulle ones first!" Anna yells at me when I hold up the wrong petticoat accidentally.

"I'm sorry," I say in a soft voice so it sounds better in my ears.

"You should be."

I help her get dressed, then they eat while I take all of Anna's wet clothes down to the basement, which doubles as my room. I hide the nightgown. And start washing the layers, and layers of petticoats that Anna was wearing.