Intro: Hi, I'm Ella Cavelleri. My parents died when I was a year old. For the next six years I lived in an orphanage. At seven I was adopted by the Moores. But being the daughter of one of the wealthiest couples in Orange County California wasn't all it was cracked up to be. So now I'm the adopted granddaughter of a man I've never met. Who also happens to run a boarding school in England. Life is an ever changing adventure.
Chapter 1: Insanely Optimistic
Out of the tiny airplane window I watched the sun shining so brightly among the clouds that I couldn't help but think back to all the beautiful days I'd spent on the sunny California beach coast. I was going to miss hearing the waves crash against the shore , feeling the sand on my skin and the sun on my face, but most of all I would miss the place I had called home for the past sixteen years. The California beach had been my safety blanket, the one thing that had always been there when I needed it.
I would also missed Tyler. The other constant in my life. He was the closest thing I had to a best friend. Thinking of Tyler also made me think of my parents, the real ones, not the Moores who adopted me. I thought of how if my parents hadn't been taken away from me in that car crash so many years ago, I wouldn't be sitting on this plane today. I thought of growing up in that orphanage and how happy I had been when the Moores adopted me. Thought of how all the pampering and extravagant gifts were never what I really wanted. I obviously hadn't been what they had wanted either.
Looking back it makes some sense at least now that they were separating. If they couldn't love each other how could they love me? I had just been their key to fit in with their friends and fool themselves into thinking they were parents and we were a family. Even through all that I had been grateful they had taken me in and given me a place to call home for nine year. Not that it mattered much now.
Now I was on my way to England, Whitman Academy in London to be exact. I remembered when they had told me I was being adopted by Mr. Moore's step uncle. It amazed me, the lengths they had gone to get someone to take me in. Almost made me think they cared. Almost. I was told he ran a boarding school in London and that is where I would be staying. It made me angry that just because they were getting a divorce I had to be shipped across the world. I loved California. It was where I was born, where I grew up and where I had spent my one and only year with my parents. There wasn't really a choice though, I had to go. Tyler had tried to get this parents to adopt me, and even though they had always liked me, it hadn't worked, obviously.
Tyler was also the one who had taken me to the airport this morning, my former "parents" were to busy with their own lives to bother. Knowing that I wasn't one for gushy, teary eyed goodbyes Tyler had helped me with my bags, handed me a small box telling me to just open it later and started to leave. I caught the look on his face as he turned away, it reminded me of a puppy being abandoned by its best friend and I couldn't help myself.
"Tyler wait." I walked up and hugged him harder then ever. "Thank you so much for everything. I'm really going to miss you, you're a great friend."
He hugged me back "no problem Tink. Its just how I roll" and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and laugh. He had been calling me Tink since I was nine and wouldn't stop no matter how much I begged.
"Same old Tyler, don't ever change. Ok?"
"You either. Stay that crazy, clumsy, chocolate loving Tink I've learned to put up with."
"Haha. Alright Ty, I will"
"Flight 159 to New York and London boarding now" The lady on the intercom called out above us.
"Well I guess I have to go. Bye Tyler" I gave him one last hug. "I'll call you when I get there."
"Bye, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." He flashed his amazing smile that made 90 percent of the female population at my old school drool. I was the few 10 percent who didn't. I had walked up to the ticket counter after seeing that I had a first class seat. Money was the Moore way of fixing everything. When I asked the lady at the counter to switch my seat to coach she looked at me like I was crazy but did it anyway. The Moores had been trying to buy me off for years. If it hadn't worked when I was eight it wasn't going to work now. So after seven hours of sitting next to a man who snored on my right and a lady with a baby on my left we landed in London, England.
I surprised myself by being strangely excited and only a little nervous. Even after everything in my life had turned upside down my dread about living in a different country and going to a new school hadn't curbed my optimism. "Insanely optimistic" Tyler once called it. I had told him that I long ago came to accept the fact that change is inevitable and you just have to go with it.
I got off the plane and went to the luggage claim . My wardrobe selection was pretty large thanks to my "mother's" love of shopping. She hardly ever shopped with me though. More like given me money and told me to go shopping and pick up something nice for her while I'm out then actually spend time with me. Because of that I had a pretty good sense of fashion without being a materialistic snob. The bad part was that I now had three very large, over stuffed suitcases and those were only the ones I was taking to the Academy. The rest of my stuff was shipped off to the headmasters house. Wherever that was. As I waited for my luggage I glanced around and noticed a man hold a sign that said "Gabriella Cavelleri." He was dressed in a suit with a matching hat like one of those guys you see in movies chauffeuring rich women in fur coats. Well this is a first I thought as I walked up to him. He inclined his head toward me.
"Miss Cavelleri?"
"Yes, that's me."
A courteous smile spread across his face and he dipped his hat. "Welcome to London Miss Cavelleri. My name is Ron, I will be your chauffer this evening." The first thing I noticed was his thick British accent. "Mr. Morrison says he's very sorry he couldn't be here. But not to worry Miss. Cavelleri, you are in good hands."
"Umm well thank you Ron, and you can just call me Ella."
"Sure thing Miss Ella. Now lets get your bags."
I stared out the window as Ron pointed out the buildings, monuments, and landmarks on the way to Whitman Academy. I was in the front seat next to Ron instead of in the back of the sleek black Mercedes. Ron had tried to get me to sit back there but I told him that I rather not be chauffeured around, it made me uncomfortable, and besides how was he going to point out scenery to me if I was in the back? Ron being a smart man could tell I was stubborn so he gave in. So even thought I had loved the balmy beaches of California I soon became mesmerized by the atmosphere of London.
"Almost there", Ron said from beside me. We were about ten minutes outside the central part of London, and I was starting to get a bit anxious as butterflies rose in my stomach. Just breath Ella, just breath. The Mercedes turned down a long gated driveway with trees on either side and before I knew it, right in front of me was Whitman Academy. My new home.
"Here we are Miss Ella. Beautiful Whitman Academy" Ron came around the car and opened my door for me. It was beautiful indeed, and very big. The school was made of reddish brown bricks with ivy crawling up the sides of the building. There were long slender windows on either side of huge elegantly carved wooden front doors with pillars and grand steps that lead up to them. All of this sat behind a magnificent marble fountain that was in the center of the u-shaped drive way. I loved the antique yet modern feel to it all. Ron had taken out my suitcases while I was taking it all in and just as I was about to walk up the front steps a very distinguishing looking man with gray hair walked out and I paused. This is it.
A/N: This is my first story so I would love some feedback. There is much more to come soon. Thanks for reading :)