Call Me Ella (ft. Niall Horan)

Chapter 35 - Hero

I was so naïve.

“I’m out, Rhonda. For real this time. You won’t control me anymore because I’ll do what I want. I won’t mind if you approve of it or not. I’ll be with whomever I want and you won’t have a say in the matter. I won’t think of you when I make a decision. I won’t have you in the back of my mind anymore. I’m cutting the threads.”

“So what are you going to do now? Go back to that boy, that famous boy that will remind you of me all the time?” She defies me and I know he will, he will always remind me of Rhonda and her game.

“I may,” I answer, shrugging. “That’s my business only. I do what I want.”

I know she’s angry and this time I don’t allow myself to get satisfaction from that. I’m not going to fall in her game anymore. If I’m cutting the threads then I better stop this sick game now. It’s time to grow up and set free. For real.

“You are just my stepmother, a woman I don’t like. But you won’t have more power over me, Rhonda. It’s over,” I say with a proud smile because I should’ve done this long ago. Maybe the day I noticed how she was making me her slave.

“Do what you want, you’re not my responsibility anymore. You’re an adult now, so be one,” she says and for a moment I almost get angry at her because I know what she’s doing. She’s trying to play with my mind one more time, making me believe that she doesn’t care about what I do when she still wants to control me.

“I’ll do, thank you,” I answer, not getting mad or happy because this time I’m doing what I want. Whether it makes her happy or angry, I don’t care anymore.

I’m setting myself free here.

“Go back to that boy even though you don’t deserve him,” she defies one more time and I see a crack in her façade, I see rage in her eyes.

“You’re right, I don’t deserve him because I was stupid for letting you control me for so many years. But I may still go to him if I want to. Whether I do or not, it’s my business only. You’ll find out in the magazines… maybe.”

I stand up still looking at her, telling her that it’s over. I’m walking out of her game but I’m taking my piece with me. I’m my own piece in my own game. This is my life and only mine.

“I still have this place to myself,” she says and I know she does because she wants to have the last word.

“Oh, about that,” I say looking at her over my shoulder, not even fully turning around. “You better take care of this place, Rhonda. I won’t fight for it because celebrities need it, you know? But if I don’t like what you’re doing I’ll fight for it and I’ll make sure you lose the case. After all you said it, I’m part of this family. I’m the only rightful Drennan here so be careful, Rhonda. Forty per cent of this place is mine, after all.” I grin when I see the rage taking over her expression before she controls it. “We’re family and I control my life now, every aspect of it. I have power, too.”

And with that I leave her office, feeling powerful, feeling in control. Very different from how I felt when I left the first time. Now I’m sure I have everything sorted out, now I really feel free because I left her ghost in her office with her. She’s my stepmother but I’m my own owner. Whether she likes what I do or not is irrelevant, I’ll do what I want.

And I could totally go to Niall right now, knock at his door —even if I don’t know where he lives— and smile at him, telling him things are all right and we can be together. But you know what? I won't do that. Not because it’s cliché or anything.

You see how Cinderella escapes her stepmother just to become a princess? When is she just Cinderella? When does she have time to be herself, to find herself? She was a prisoner for so many years just to become the prince’s girl. Cinderella didn’t get time to be herself, to discover the world on her own, to enjoy her freedom. Somehow she was always someone else’s property of some sort. But I don’t want that.

I’ve dreamt of my freedom for so many years. I’ve waited for this for so long and I want to be just me. I don’t want to be Ella, that girl manipulated by Rhonda. I don’t just want to become Niall Horan’s girlfriend. I want to be on my own, I want to be with myself. This is my time, this is my chance. I want to enjoy this and find myself.

I’m my own hero and I want to enjoy the freedom I earned and I don’t need to be with somebody to do that. I have a whole life ahead and maybe I’ll find another amazing guy like Niall, or maybe we will meet again in the future and it will be our time. I don’t know and isn’t that exciting? Not knowing what the future holds for you. Life is an adventure and I want to live it as I discover myself. I’m not Cinderella, I’m not a lady in distress and my fight is over. I slaughtered the dragon. Now I only have my life and my decisions ahead.

I can’t wait.

When I get to where Charlie is waiting for me, I’m smiling happily. Happiest than I’ve ever been and he notices. “I assume it went well,” he ventures and I smile as I hug him.

“It went how it was supposed to go. I’m free,” I say and he smiles, happy for me as well.

“So, where now?” He asks with his hand on the key of the ignition, still smiling at me. I guess he expects me to tell him to take me to Niall. That’s what any other girl would do, right? But I’m not your normal girl after all.

“Let’s just live, Charlie. Let’s keep living our dream. Fighting every day to get what we want,” I tell him with a big smile and hope and excitement bubbling inside of me. This is the beginning of my life, of my dream and I can’t wait to live it. “Let’s go home.”

Charlie chuckles as he says, “Ready then?”

“More than ready. Ready to live my new adventure,” I reply happily.

He starts the ignition and with it the radio that is just playing Hero by Jessie J. “Oh, you want me to change it?” Charlie asks, ready to change the station. “I know your story with Jessie J,” he adds and I chuckle as I stop him, remembering that time she caught me singing as I was cleaning the toilet of her  room.

The chorus hits in that moment and I start to smile very differently.

I don’t need no hero
I can save myself no hero
Anything is possible, feeling indestructible
I don’t need no hero
I don’t need no hero

 I laugh and I see Charlie watching me with curiosity in his eyes.

“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I like this song,” I add and he laughs because I feel the power of it and I feel it speaking to me. After what Rhonda did I’m saving myself, I’m being my own hero.

Charlie laughs as well and we start moving as the song keeps playing while I look out of the window with Jessie J still saying that I don’t need a hero.

Some clichés are good.

-:-:-:-

All I wanted to teach you with this story is that you are the most important person in your world. You are the main character. Start believing it. You are not the princess, you are the knight in shiny armour. I believe in you... even if you don't see that yet.

Dedication to @That_Crazy_Kid for being happy for Ella.

Bel, xx