Wicked (WICKED #1) | ✓

prologue

"Once I catch you you're dead!"

She didn't doubt it.

As she sprinted through the hallways, she was glad the last bell had rung a while ago, the hallways completely empty. On the other hand, that also made her upcoming doom that much more certain, no one around to lessen her mother's wrath. She glanced back at her mother, who was right on her heels, and picked up the pace even more. If anyone wondered where her stamina and strength came from, the answer would be pretty clear.

Even after years of quitting martial arts, the woman still could easily beat Ella in a match.

She skidded to a halt, panting as she put her hands on her knees. They had practically run through the whole school, but if she ran another few feet her mother would see the remnants of the chairs she had shattered.

It was a sight that would make her death unavoidable.

"Mamá," Ella said, raising her hands in a pacifying movement as she turned around," please have mercy."

"The fourth time," her mother repeated again, not out of breath at all," it's too much, Eleanora."

The tall woman straightened her back as she looked at her, her mother's eyes hard now.

"I'm sending you to a reforming camp," she said.

"You're doing what?" Ella said," which one?"

"St Joseph's Institute for Troubled Children holds one at the start of each year."

Ella frowned in confusion, before placing the institute in her memory. She had heard of it, the notoriety of St Joseph's delinquents exceeding that of every other school in the whole country. The place was crawling with delinquents, send in from every place in hopes of them changing there.

They never did. If the rumors weren't enough for her to know that, her brother was. He somehow had returned from his trip to St Joseph with an even bigger notoriety than he had before. In a place like that, she was sure she would fit right in. But then again, she'd probably also have a fight every other second.

"This isn't negotiable," her mother said," as soon as your principal called about this incident, I contacted the head of St Joseph. The year just started, so enrolling you immediately was no problem."

"Camping?" Ella spit out," with a bunch of delinquents? How'd they think that was a good idea?"

Before her mother could reply, Ella shook her head firmly.

"My MMA championships are starting soon," she pleaded," and St Joseph is on the other side of the country. What about my life here?"

"You think I'll sweep this incident under the rug again?" her mother scoffed," I doubt they'll let you join any MMA championship with this."

Ella's heart seemed to stop then. Despite her reckless behavior, her mother had always helped her out so she could still participate in the matches. She had tried to keep her fights to a minimum outside of the ring, but today she had been provoked way too much again.

This damned, short temper of hers -

"Mamá," she said softly.

Her mother sighed, shaking her head once she saw her eyes.

"You should have thought of that before you broke someone's bones again," she said," I'm fed up with this. So you better act at your best behavior there and then I might reconsider letting this be the last fight I'll cover up for you."

Ella knew better than to protest any more. Her mother looked her dead in the eye, her fingers digging into Ella's shoulders when she spoke again.

"But if I hear even one thing," she said, her voice but a menacing whisper," and I literally mean even one thing about you misbehaving there, I'll send you to a nunnery in another country. I will, Eleanora, don't test me."

Ella's mouth fell open. She waved a hand at herself, at her black, off-shoulder crop top and crimson skirt.

"Have you seen me, Mom?" she said," I could never survive in a nunnery."

"Then you better act at your best behavior," her mother said," I don't want to see a shred of violence or hear that your smart-ass comments got you in trouble again or so help me God."

"Mamá, please -"

Her mother raised a finger in warning and Ella immediately shut up.

"You're going to become a model student at that camp, Eleanora," she said," or you'll become a nun, you hear me?"

Ella wisely held her tongue.