ELLA GOES TO THE GALA (PT 1)

age: 16-25
purpose: To show that young girls should be be treated equally and fair by their parents.

"Ella, come down here right now!", her mean stepmother's voice resonated throughout the house. Ella dropped the mop to the floor in her stepsisters room and immediately hurried downstairs to face her stepmother. "Ella, what is this?", her step mom asked with a flared nose, while waving a form in front her face. "It's my UFT form I have to fill out to order my Gala ticket. Remember I told you it's happening on June 4Th at the ROM," Ella replied nervously. "Oh well, maybe you did, maybe you didn't. But the point is, you're not going. Are you forgetting you have to do the house chores? Besides me and you're dad are going out that night, we need you to stay here to watch the house," her stepmother said strictly. "But that's not fair. Greta and Leona get to go, can't I just have one night off?" Ella pleaded with tears welling up in her eyes. "You're stepsisters are going because they have jobs and they can afford it, unlike you," "But, you've never wanted me to have a job. You always tell me to stay at home and do the chores and errands. Can't you give me lend me some money? Ella asked innocently. "NO! And don't even think about asking you're father. Besides what are you going to wear, those geeky golf shirts?" she said with an evil laugh then walked off into the kitchen to find herself another meal.

Ella sadly bowed her head and dragged her feet back to her stepsister's room to finish the mopping. A single tear made it's way down her left cheek and splattered into the dirty bucket water. While she continued cleaning, she thought about her mom, who died a couple months back. Each day, Ella would terribly miss her and wished with all her heart she was with her. Ella's hopes of attending her University Gala were crushed. How can she go, when all she had were her uniform tops and a couple of old worn out t-shirts, she thought to herself.

Later that night when Ella finished doing all of the chores, she logged onto her computer in her small room. She talked to her only friend, Steve online for a bit while checking her Facebook notifications. Suddenly, Ella's saddened eyes were brightened at the large colorful pop up that flashed onto her screen. Ella slowly read it to herself, trying to make sure no one else would hear.
'THE GLITTERING GALA GIRLS PROJECT AIMS AT ASSISTING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO CAN'T AFFORD THIS YEAR'S GALA EVENT. COME OUT TO OUR BOUTIQUE EXTRAVAGANZA ON SUNDAY, MAY 20 AT 12P.M, WHERE YOU WILL SPEND THE AFTERNOON SELECTING YOUR COMPLIMENTARY GALA GOWN AND ACCESSORIES TO MATCH! *applies to ONLY University of Toronto girls.

Ella's eyes widened and gleamed at the sight of the page that was on her screen. This was the perfect extravaganza to go to. She would find the perfect gown, shoes and accessories for the Gala she now was looking forward to attend. She wrote down the address and kept it safe hidden in her desk drawer. With that, Ella turned off her computer and crawled into her bed.
Sunday finally arrived. Ella quickly got dressed before her stepmother was awaken from her beauty sleep and before her stepsisters came back from their sleepovers. She made her way down the stairs and out the door, managing not to make much noise. Ella looked at the address she wrote down and lead herself to a large building. When she entered, there was an elderly looking woman standing at at a desk. She hesitantly walked up to the lady.
"Hi dear, you must be Ella," the old lady said friendly. "Yes, I am," Ella said nervously. "Follow me," the lady said in a high voice. The old lady brought Ella into a large room full of racks of sparking dresses and and accessories. To her surprise, there was no one else in the room, but Ella.
"OK, now you look like a small. So you can look through these dresses and pick out one that you will like to wear at the Gala," the old lady said.Ella had never been surrounded by such fancy and sparkling looking clothes. She scanned through the dresses until her eyes caught a magnificent pink poofy gown. Ella stared at the gown in 'awe' and took it off the rack. She knew this was the gown for her Gala.