Post by Lori on Sept 29, 2016 21:59:01 GMT
Full Name
Ella James Reeve
Nicknames
Most people think Ella is actually her nickname but it's not. Her father sometimes calls her Princess but other than that, really the only nickname is El which just sounds lazy.
Age/Birthday
Ella just turned 15 on October 1
Zodiac
Libra
Job
Student/Band mate
Ella James Reeve
Nicknames
Most people think Ella is actually her nickname but it's not. Her father sometimes calls her Princess but other than that, really the only nickname is El which just sounds lazy.
Age/Birthday
Ella just turned 15 on October 1
Zodiac
Libra
Job
Student/Band mate
Class
Sophomore at Metric High
Major
Music with a concentration in singing. Ella also minors in dance to help her work on her stage presence.
Grades
Although she doesn't come across as "smart", Ella generally gets pretty good grades. Though she doesn't want anyone to really know that.
Friends
Ella has a couple of friends in the form of band mates.
Kasey Hunt is her stepbrother, a decent enough guitarist and a possible fame hog in training. Although she and Kasey initially weren't crazy about each other, they did manage to bond over music. Though they are knowingly stepsiblings and are nothing alike they have no problem referring to each other as full-fledged siblings, which also means bringing in every bit of drama and rivalry that comes with it. Kasey is kind of full of himself and is more focused on becoming a rock star than anything else. Ella has to be the one to keep him level-headed even though that's a bit of a challenge.
Clare Temple has her keys and is also Ella's roommate. Ella finds Clare easy to talk to and enjoys sharing space with her. They get along in general, although working on a major project together brought them closer as friends. While Ella is happy Clare is one girl she can completely be herself around, she has to admit she can't completely understand her thinking. Seriously, Alvin? Why??
Alvin Ohnn is a drummer, Kasey's roommate, a chipmunk and the biggest annoyance Ella has ever met in her life. It's not that she has a problem with him, but the fawning over her has got to stop! Ella in unsure how much longer she can just sit back and deal with Alvin constantly chasing after someone who has no interest in him whatsoever and never will. If only there were a way to direct the twerp's attention to a different band member....
Enemies
None at the moment, although if Alvin Ohnn doesn't shut his mouth and turn his head he might just go on Ella's list!
Interested in
Girls
Relationship Status
Single, which would be great for all the other single lesbians if she could find any!
Clubs/Organizations
Ella is an active member of Metric's GSA. She'll offer to share events online or create flyers, but she can't be anything more than a member until next year. She's hoping to go for the position of secretary next year at the very least.
Sophomore at Metric High
Major
Music with a concentration in singing. Ella also minors in dance to help her work on her stage presence.
Grades
Although she doesn't come across as "smart", Ella generally gets pretty good grades. Though she doesn't want anyone to really know that.
Friends
Ella has a couple of friends in the form of band mates.
Kasey Hunt is her stepbrother, a decent enough guitarist and a possible fame hog in training. Although she and Kasey initially weren't crazy about each other, they did manage to bond over music. Though they are knowingly stepsiblings and are nothing alike they have no problem referring to each other as full-fledged siblings, which also means bringing in every bit of drama and rivalry that comes with it. Kasey is kind of full of himself and is more focused on becoming a rock star than anything else. Ella has to be the one to keep him level-headed even though that's a bit of a challenge.
Clare Temple has her keys and is also Ella's roommate. Ella finds Clare easy to talk to and enjoys sharing space with her. They get along in general, although working on a major project together brought them closer as friends. While Ella is happy Clare is one girl she can completely be herself around, she has to admit she can't completely understand her thinking. Seriously, Alvin? Why??
Alvin Ohnn is a drummer, Kasey's roommate, a chipmunk and the biggest annoyance Ella has ever met in her life. It's not that she has a problem with him, but the fawning over her has got to stop! Ella in unsure how much longer she can just sit back and deal with Alvin constantly chasing after someone who has no interest in him whatsoever and never will. If only there were a way to direct the twerp's attention to a different band member....
Enemies
None at the moment, although if Alvin Ohnn doesn't shut his mouth and turn his head he might just go on Ella's list!
Interested in
Girls
Relationship Status
Single, which would be great for all the other single lesbians if she could find any!
Clubs/Organizations
Ella is an active member of Metric's GSA. She'll offer to share events online or create flyers, but she can't be anything more than a member until next year. She's hoping to go for the position of secretary next year at the very least.
Body
Ella stands at 5'6, though her hair probably adds an inch or two. She's average weight in the mid 130's. She has a nice figure, if she does say so herself, although doesn't have the best lower body strength. Her skin tone sometimes appears as though it's a tan; Ella doesn't get the most sunlight.
Eye Color
Brown
Hair
Ella has light brown, curly hair and is proud of it. There are hints of blond in there, courtesy of her mother's side, which Ella brings out more with the help of highlights. She has a lot of hair and it can be a bit to manage, but she prides herself in taking good care of it. She washes it twice a week, uses shampoo and conditioner - basically anything she needs to do and a little extra to give it a good fluff factor. Ella prides herself in her use of "hairography" while performing. She will almost never tie it back or put any accessories in it - why improve what already looks so good?
Style
Ella has a few different styles in her closet. It really depends on the day and what she's doing. If she's only going to class or staying inside, something simple is the best option. If she's rehearsing with the band or singing she'll go for a bohemian-inspired outfit - something vibrant with various patterns that may not necessarily match. Ella wants to get as many creative juices flowing as possible when her music is involved. And when it's time to actually perform Ella's a rocker. While she doesn't gravitate towards a particular category of rocker, she wears what she feels like would match with her performance. Waterproof makeup is a must in this situation; she doesn't need much, just enough to look good under the lighting, but she can't risk anything running if she starts sweating. And chains are not her thing for performing. That's what she has her hair for!
Piercings
She has her ears pierced, though you probably can't tell with her hair most of the time. 99% of Ella's earrings are stubs.
Ethnicity
Her father is African American and her mother was biracial.
Playby
Mckenzie Small
Ella stands at 5'6, though her hair probably adds an inch or two. She's average weight in the mid 130's. She has a nice figure, if she does say so herself, although doesn't have the best lower body strength. Her skin tone sometimes appears as though it's a tan; Ella doesn't get the most sunlight.
Eye Color
Brown
Hair
Ella has light brown, curly hair and is proud of it. There are hints of blond in there, courtesy of her mother's side, which Ella brings out more with the help of highlights. She has a lot of hair and it can be a bit to manage, but she prides herself in taking good care of it. She washes it twice a week, uses shampoo and conditioner - basically anything she needs to do and a little extra to give it a good fluff factor. Ella prides herself in her use of "hairography" while performing. She will almost never tie it back or put any accessories in it - why improve what already looks so good?
Style
Ella has a few different styles in her closet. It really depends on the day and what she's doing. If she's only going to class or staying inside, something simple is the best option. If she's rehearsing with the band or singing she'll go for a bohemian-inspired outfit - something vibrant with various patterns that may not necessarily match. Ella wants to get as many creative juices flowing as possible when her music is involved. And when it's time to actually perform Ella's a rocker. While she doesn't gravitate towards a particular category of rocker, she wears what she feels like would match with her performance. Waterproof makeup is a must in this situation; she doesn't need much, just enough to look good under the lighting, but she can't risk anything running if she starts sweating. And chains are not her thing for performing. That's what she has her hair for!
Piercings
She has her ears pierced, though you probably can't tell with her hair most of the time. 99% of Ella's earrings are stubs.
Ethnicity
Her father is African American and her mother was biracial.
Playby
Mckenzie Small
Positives
Social; Smart; Dramatic; People person; Multitasker; Confident; Lyrical
Negatives
Conceited; Fiery; Self-critical; Dramatic; Low endurance; Dumbs herself down; Wants to know everything
Likes
Pop music; Apples; Youtube; Instagram; Computers; Starbucks; Singing; Her hair; Tea; Patterns; The Voice; Christina Aguilera; Cats; Chinese food (especially fortune cookies); The band; Taylor Swift; Girls
Dislikes
Sweating; Lace; Chains; Onions; Small spaces; Lace; Beans; Dogs; Know it alls; Homophobes; Justin Beiber; People who are better than her; Anyone who screws over her stepbrother (he's annoying but not always that annoying); Criticism - only she can do that; Karaoke - she doesn't need to prove herself!
Social; Smart; Dramatic; People person; Multitasker; Confident; Lyrical
Negatives
Conceited; Fiery; Self-critical; Dramatic; Low endurance; Dumbs herself down; Wants to know everything
Likes
Pop music; Apples; Youtube; Instagram; Computers; Starbucks; Singing; Her hair; Tea; Patterns; The Voice; Christina Aguilera; Cats; Chinese food (especially fortune cookies); The band; Taylor Swift; Girls
Dislikes
Sweating; Lace; Chains; Onions; Small spaces; Lace; Beans; Dogs; Know it alls; Homophobes; Justin Beiber; People who are better than her; Anyone who screws over her stepbrother (he's annoying but not always that annoying); Criticism - only she can do that; Karaoke - she doesn't need to prove herself!
Family
Father - Joshua Devon Reeve, Foot Doctor - Joshua has been very fortunate to be in the same field doing exactly what he went to school for, for over 20 years. After graduating high school he went to college, graduate school and medical school. Joshua takes his position very seriously and has a good reputation around his home in Colorado. Joshua has pretty much lived in the same area his whole life until he got a job offer in New Jersey. He relocated to the East Coast and started at his new office, which is where he met his wife Sarah. Sarah worked in HR and first met him through a Skype interview. After Joshua moved there she offered to show him around the area, having been living in Jersey since starting college. After about a year they eventually started dating, which was against office rules. Once the boss found out he gave Joshua the choice of ending the relationship or losing his job. Joshua chose the latter, though unfortunately going a couple of years without having a job. In their small town it was difficult for some places to want to hire Joshua knowing he went against the rules. He eventually moved a couple of towns over and was able to start out as an assistant before becoming a full-time foot doctor. He had been in that one practice for the last seventeen years. Joshua and Sarah continued their relationship even though they lived two hours away and had less time together. About a year after he started at his new position Sarah found out she was pregnant. Joshua immediately proposed and they eloped, deciding to wait until after Ella was born to have a wedding. They had a grand wedding planned after her birth and were going to invite friends and family to celebrate; that had to be put on hold when they discovered Sarah was pregnant again with Emma. When Emma was two and Ella was four the family had a small intimate gathering where Joshua and Sarah renewed their vows. They were a very happy family and although Ella was close to both her parents, she absolutely adored her mother. Unfortunately, four years later there was a terrible car accident. Sarah didn't make it. It devastated the girls and Joshua was forced to stay strong for them. He forced himself to continue going to work to support them because they needed it. He became much more protective of his daughters after the accident, a part of him always worried he would lose them as he did his wife. He found it difficult to open up after that, including admitting that he needed help raising two daughters. He eventually found that help in Talulah, who he started dating when Ella was in middle school. He was never doing it as a way to replace Sarah or to have a son; Joshua considered it a gift that he was able to fall in love again. Joshua is very happy with his second wife and overall considers their blended family a success. Sometimes though he just wishes that Ella would find something else to do other than her singing. Surely she can find a better career path than that and can stop sounding so much like her mother....
Mother - Sarah Miranda Reeve, Deceased - Sarah mostly grew up in Ontario Canada, but traveled to the states often to visit family. She absolutely loved to sing and was so insistent on making a life out of it. However her parents weren't always keen on it. They wanted her to go into a position where she would make a nice enough living and be respected. Especially with the way some people still seemed to be stuck in the mindset of the 1950's it could be easy to be looked down on as a biracial child. Sarah attended college in New Jersey where she focused on business and took as many classes as she could on music. About five years after graduating she earned a position in human resources at a medical building. That was how she met Joshua, interviewing him via Skype. When he moved to Jersey shortly after she offered to show him around. They ended up becoming friends which then developed into romance. Although she knew her boss had a thing against relationships in the business, Sarah kind of didn't care. And when the two of them were given an ultimatum, she was shocked that Joshua opted to leave the job for her. She knew it was difficult for him because he was doing what he loved and it became difficult for him to secure a job until he moved two years later. The distance did put a bit of a strain on their relationship, but it meant nothing when Sarah found out she was pregnant. They welcomed Ella eight months later and were in the process of planning an actual wedding when Sarah discovered she was pregnant again. She and Joshua scrapped the idea of a big wedding completely because they had two children to support. In Sarah's opinion these were the best possible outcomes. Staying with Joshua and getting pregnant meant she was able to move in with him. Having two kids meant that she could teach them to follow their dreams, which meant Sarah should follow hers. She changed her career path and became a wedding singer She adored singing to her daughters as well and couldn't be happier. Unfortunately the happiness wasn't meant to last forever. On her way home from the mall one night Sarah was involved in a terrible car accident. It was a somewhat graphic scene and even from the pictures in the paper the next day, anyone could tell it was horrible. Sarah's death hit the whole family hard. Ella hated not having her mother around anymore and she hated that sometimes it hurt to sing and it hurt even more to get into a car to go anywhere. Ella knows her mother gave her the gift of singing and that's one thing no one can take away from her. If Sarah was finally able to do something she loved, then so can Ella.
Sister - Emma Gale Reeve, Student - Emma is two and a half years younger than Ella and kind of the brains of the family. She was every bit as unplanned as Ella was, but Joshua and Sarah couldn't have been happier for their two girls. Emma's name, like Ella's, was derived from family; Emma was Joshua's mother's middle name and Gale was one of Sarah's great grandparents. Between the two girls Emma had always been the 'smarter' kid. She got straight A's, all of her projects were done on time, she never got into any trouble and none of her teachers ever called to complain about her. Not that Ella ever had any problems in school technically, but she was definitely not up to the standards of her younger sister. Emma, likewise, didn't get any musical talent from Sarah whatsoever. She was put to sleep easily by her mother's lullabies but that was about it. She preferred to sit and work in silence instead of hearing music. She was six years old when Sarah passed, so the whole situation was confusing to her. All Emma really understood was that Sarah wasn't coming home. Emma focused on her schoolwork and tried to be the good kid, since sometimes it seemed like Ella put up such a fuss. Like Ella, Emma was indifferent when Joshua started dating Talulah but she mostly stayed out of the way. Emma doesn't particularly care for their blended family and is still completely focused on school, but she's hoping it will be much more comfortable with her sister and stepbrother away at Metric.
Stepmother - Talulah Cadence Hunt, Receptionist - Talulah was raised in a single parent household in Staten Island and was actually in an area where she was in the minority. Talulah always promised herself growing up that when she had children and a family she would live in what would overall feel like a safer area and she would be with her kids' father. Unfortunately for her, it didn't exactly work out that way. Talulah had been working since she was 15 so most jobs she knew were retail and customer service. That continued even as she went away to college in New Jersey, although she relocated back to Staten Island after college when her mother became sick. Talulah worked as many hours as she could be given at the pharmacy about a mile away from her home where she was a cashier. That was how she met her son's father. He could come into the store often and ask which aisle the advil was under because of headaches. Talulah would always show him, but it was often an excuse for him to see her. He ended up taking her out a few times and, even though he was a much older man, Talulah found herself falling for him. When she found out she was pregnant with Kasey, she let the guy know the very next time he came into the store. He nodded and let her talk, but never came in after that. He changed his phone number and Talulah could never get in contact with him again. Talulah and her mother ended up having a falling out, which caused her to move back to New Jersey. She raised Kasey in a town about two hours away from Atlantic City and worked two jobs at a time to support him. Raising a son was also a challenge for Talulah, as she was very girlie. But she always put him first and did whatever she had to do for him. When Kasey was around seven or eight Talulah finally earned a full time position as a receptionist for a doctor's office. That was how she met Joshua; although he was older than her Talulah always had an affinity for older guys and the fact that he had two kids around Kasey's age really helped his case. They became official when Kasey was nine and Ella was ten. Their families got along alright for the most part, although it was a lot to get used to. Talulah's cooking really worked in her favor, thankfully. Although it continues to be difficult raising a blended family, Talulah tries her best not to step over the girls' toes or try to replace their mother just as Joshua doesn't try to overstep his boundaries with Kasey. They're still a work in progress, but Talulah thinks they're turning out pretty well. Plus it makes it much easier to carpool to work!
Stepbrother - Kasey Ray Hunt, Student - Kasey has only been Ella's stepbrother for a couple of years but they've been in each others' lives for about four or five years. For a little guy, he can have kind of a big personality. Living his whole life with just one parent Kasey didn't necessarily have as much as Ella and her sister, but he usually seemed to get what he wanted. Despite his situation, he could come across as kind of spoiled. Even though he's only a year younger than Ella he's much shorter than her while Ella likes; it makes her feel like she has some sort of power over him. Although Kasey can come across as overeager and every bit as determined and detail oriented as Ella can be, Ella doesn't like it when people give him a hard time. They attended the same middle school together and because Kasey had been new at the time and never really fit in there, Ella often had to come to his rescue. She hated doing that. Now Kasey has it in his head that, because they both love music, they should form a band together and be popular and become famous. Ella has her doubts that's going to work. She wants to make a life out of her music, but she doesn't necessarily have the same thirst for fame and power that her stepbrother does. Although hearing girls scream her name would be pretty awesome. Kasey can get under Ella's skin just as much as anyone else's; but he's family now so they're kind of stuck with each other. And Ella does give him some credit - she wouldn't be at Metric if it weren't for him!
Backstory
Ella was not planned by any means. Her parents were not living together and had no immediate plans to get married when Sarah found out she was pregnant. Still, she was very much a welcome surprise. With Ella's impending arrival it encouraged Joshua and Sarah to get married beforehand and plan a big wedding after. Ella's name was inspired by her maternal grandmother, whose name was Eleanor. Her middle name, although commonly a boy's name, was actually Sarah's maiden name. When Ella was a little over two years old, she became a big sister to Emma. The sisters often clashed, not really seeing eye to eye, but it didn't mean they didn't care about each other. Emma just liked reading and school way more while Ella preferred to sing with her mother.
When Sarah became a wedding singer, her music almost always filled the house. Ella without a doubt got her talent and love of singing from Sarah while Emma got her brains from Joshua. Sometimes at kid friendly weddings Sarah would bring Ella along. Ella didn't sing much at the weddings, unfortunately, although there were a couple of instances where she was allowed to sing a Disney song or two. That was when Ella knew for sure her place was meant to be on stage - even if her singing still needed a little bit of work. But everything that Ella learned from musical terminology to scales to her own range was from Sarah. Ella was always extremely close with Sarah and really looked up to her.
Things drastically changed when Ella was eight years old. Sarah had gone out to the mall one night after a wedding. She was supposed to be back shortly after dinner but a fatal car crash stopped that from ever happening. Emma didn't completely understand what was going on, but Ella pretty much knew what happened. The realization that her mom was never coming back devastated her. And when she accidentally saw a picture from the crash in the paper the next day, Ella froze. She desperately tried to avoid getting in a car for a while after that. She didn't have nightmares exactly, but she was worried that another car accident was going to take someone else away. Knowing it was bad enough to take her own mother away pretty much freaked her out. She stopped singing for a while after that, despite the silence sounding even worse. Ella tried to distract herself with school like her sister, although her grades still weren't as amazing. Ella went on the computer a lot, which was a very good distraction for her. It was also entertaining because people just didn't seem to expect her to be a smart girl. So if she could figure out how to hack a website and change something no one would ever suspect her!
When Ella was in middle school, Joshua announced to her and Emma that he had a new girlfriend. It was a nice lady who worked in his office and she had a son about their age. Ella really didn't know what to think about Talulah and Kasey at first. She was kind of indifferent to them, but Kasey just came across as annoying. Then again, Ella didn't exactly know what it was like to have a brother. Joshua and Talulah becoming engaged was a different story. Ella felt like her mom was being replaced even though that wasn't true. Kasey hadn't been too fond of the idea either; he liked being an only child and having everything to himself. The two of them actually ended up taking their frustrations out with music and bonded over that. It started with Kasey blasting It's On from Camp Rock 2 to show how annoyed he was and was practically slamming his fingers across his guitar. Then Ella got into singing and they played together. Before they knew it they were bonding. Ella and Kasey actually performed a couple of songs at their parents' wedding.
Having a new stepmom and a stepbrother was always a bit of an adjustment for Ella. Dealing with Kasey at home and singing with him was one thing. But school was a completely different story. He transferred to her middle school and never quite seemed to fit in. He was either too quite or too eccentric. Not that Ella was ever the most popular girl in school, but she was way more social and better with people. So whenever Kasey had a problem she had to help him. Whenever he got under someone nerves Ella had to defend him. It got kind of annoying. But at the same time she didn't exactly like people messing with Kasey either. Yeah, Kasey could be a pain in the butt sometimes. But he was her brother now so it was kind of job. And when anyone else got involved it became Ella's business.
When the time came to start high school Ella knew there was only one place she wanted to go. That was Metric. Even though it was on the other side of the country she heard so many great things about it. And with music becoming a huge part in her life again, Ella really wanted to make her mother proud. Joshua was hesitant about it. It wasn't that he didn't support his daughter but he had his own reasons for her not to go into the music business. Ella doesn't remember who argued with him or what they said, but Joshua somehow agreed to go out to California with her and Kasey so she could audition. Even though Ella's grades were average there was still a chance her talent could get her in. She sang a Kelly Clarkson song, which was probably overambitious because it was Kelly Fricking Clarkson. Ultimately that's probably what did Ella in. The original vocals of the song was just too much to live up to. They told Ella that she had potential but there was still work to be done. Ella returned to New Jersey, upset that she wasn't able to get into the school she wanted and was forced to attend normal high school. She couldn't focus on her music there! She'd have to take classes like math and chemistry and all that other boring stuff! At least at Metric they treated music and arts like it was actually a big deal. But the only person that really seemed to get it was Kasey. He asked Ella if Metric was really everything she said it was. She questioned if he even looked around when they visited the campus. She went on and on about the music program and the kind of students that went there. That's when Kasey decided that he'd audition for Metric next year, when he'd start high school. And Ella would audition with him again. The two of them agreed the other wouldn't go to Metric unless they both got in.
Now both Ella and Kasey are at Metric for their first year. Kasey's a freshman and Ella's a sophomore. With the two of them being music majors they're ready to show Metric what they're made of. Now if only Kasey would shut up about them starting a band! No one is just going to magically walk up to them and say, 'oh you guys are talking about a band? I play, too!' On the other hand, there are a lot of kids in the music classes. And Ella is always ready to rock out. So she's ready for anything! She's also ready to finally have a room that's not across the hall from Kasey's. That kid can snore!
Father - Joshua Devon Reeve, Foot Doctor - Joshua has been very fortunate to be in the same field doing exactly what he went to school for, for over 20 years. After graduating high school he went to college, graduate school and medical school. Joshua takes his position very seriously and has a good reputation around his home in Colorado. Joshua has pretty much lived in the same area his whole life until he got a job offer in New Jersey. He relocated to the East Coast and started at his new office, which is where he met his wife Sarah. Sarah worked in HR and first met him through a Skype interview. After Joshua moved there she offered to show him around the area, having been living in Jersey since starting college. After about a year they eventually started dating, which was against office rules. Once the boss found out he gave Joshua the choice of ending the relationship or losing his job. Joshua chose the latter, though unfortunately going a couple of years without having a job. In their small town it was difficult for some places to want to hire Joshua knowing he went against the rules. He eventually moved a couple of towns over and was able to start out as an assistant before becoming a full-time foot doctor. He had been in that one practice for the last seventeen years. Joshua and Sarah continued their relationship even though they lived two hours away and had less time together. About a year after he started at his new position Sarah found out she was pregnant. Joshua immediately proposed and they eloped, deciding to wait until after Ella was born to have a wedding. They had a grand wedding planned after her birth and were going to invite friends and family to celebrate; that had to be put on hold when they discovered Sarah was pregnant again with Emma. When Emma was two and Ella was four the family had a small intimate gathering where Joshua and Sarah renewed their vows. They were a very happy family and although Ella was close to both her parents, she absolutely adored her mother. Unfortunately, four years later there was a terrible car accident. Sarah didn't make it. It devastated the girls and Joshua was forced to stay strong for them. He forced himself to continue going to work to support them because they needed it. He became much more protective of his daughters after the accident, a part of him always worried he would lose them as he did his wife. He found it difficult to open up after that, including admitting that he needed help raising two daughters. He eventually found that help in Talulah, who he started dating when Ella was in middle school. He was never doing it as a way to replace Sarah or to have a son; Joshua considered it a gift that he was able to fall in love again. Joshua is very happy with his second wife and overall considers their blended family a success. Sometimes though he just wishes that Ella would find something else to do other than her singing. Surely she can find a better career path than that and can stop sounding so much like her mother....
Mother - Sarah Miranda Reeve, Deceased - Sarah mostly grew up in Ontario Canada, but traveled to the states often to visit family. She absolutely loved to sing and was so insistent on making a life out of it. However her parents weren't always keen on it. They wanted her to go into a position where she would make a nice enough living and be respected. Especially with the way some people still seemed to be stuck in the mindset of the 1950's it could be easy to be looked down on as a biracial child. Sarah attended college in New Jersey where she focused on business and took as many classes as she could on music. About five years after graduating she earned a position in human resources at a medical building. That was how she met Joshua, interviewing him via Skype. When he moved to Jersey shortly after she offered to show him around. They ended up becoming friends which then developed into romance. Although she knew her boss had a thing against relationships in the business, Sarah kind of didn't care. And when the two of them were given an ultimatum, she was shocked that Joshua opted to leave the job for her. She knew it was difficult for him because he was doing what he loved and it became difficult for him to secure a job until he moved two years later. The distance did put a bit of a strain on their relationship, but it meant nothing when Sarah found out she was pregnant. They welcomed Ella eight months later and were in the process of planning an actual wedding when Sarah discovered she was pregnant again. She and Joshua scrapped the idea of a big wedding completely because they had two children to support. In Sarah's opinion these were the best possible outcomes. Staying with Joshua and getting pregnant meant she was able to move in with him. Having two kids meant that she could teach them to follow their dreams, which meant Sarah should follow hers. She changed her career path and became a wedding singer She adored singing to her daughters as well and couldn't be happier. Unfortunately the happiness wasn't meant to last forever. On her way home from the mall one night Sarah was involved in a terrible car accident. It was a somewhat graphic scene and even from the pictures in the paper the next day, anyone could tell it was horrible. Sarah's death hit the whole family hard. Ella hated not having her mother around anymore and she hated that sometimes it hurt to sing and it hurt even more to get into a car to go anywhere. Ella knows her mother gave her the gift of singing and that's one thing no one can take away from her. If Sarah was finally able to do something she loved, then so can Ella.
Sister - Emma Gale Reeve, Student - Emma is two and a half years younger than Ella and kind of the brains of the family. She was every bit as unplanned as Ella was, but Joshua and Sarah couldn't have been happier for their two girls. Emma's name, like Ella's, was derived from family; Emma was Joshua's mother's middle name and Gale was one of Sarah's great grandparents. Between the two girls Emma had always been the 'smarter' kid. She got straight A's, all of her projects were done on time, she never got into any trouble and none of her teachers ever called to complain about her. Not that Ella ever had any problems in school technically, but she was definitely not up to the standards of her younger sister. Emma, likewise, didn't get any musical talent from Sarah whatsoever. She was put to sleep easily by her mother's lullabies but that was about it. She preferred to sit and work in silence instead of hearing music. She was six years old when Sarah passed, so the whole situation was confusing to her. All Emma really understood was that Sarah wasn't coming home. Emma focused on her schoolwork and tried to be the good kid, since sometimes it seemed like Ella put up such a fuss. Like Ella, Emma was indifferent when Joshua started dating Talulah but she mostly stayed out of the way. Emma doesn't particularly care for their blended family and is still completely focused on school, but she's hoping it will be much more comfortable with her sister and stepbrother away at Metric.
Stepmother - Talulah Cadence Hunt, Receptionist - Talulah was raised in a single parent household in Staten Island and was actually in an area where she was in the minority. Talulah always promised herself growing up that when she had children and a family she would live in what would overall feel like a safer area and she would be with her kids' father. Unfortunately for her, it didn't exactly work out that way. Talulah had been working since she was 15 so most jobs she knew were retail and customer service. That continued even as she went away to college in New Jersey, although she relocated back to Staten Island after college when her mother became sick. Talulah worked as many hours as she could be given at the pharmacy about a mile away from her home where she was a cashier. That was how she met her son's father. He could come into the store often and ask which aisle the advil was under because of headaches. Talulah would always show him, but it was often an excuse for him to see her. He ended up taking her out a few times and, even though he was a much older man, Talulah found herself falling for him. When she found out she was pregnant with Kasey, she let the guy know the very next time he came into the store. He nodded and let her talk, but never came in after that. He changed his phone number and Talulah could never get in contact with him again. Talulah and her mother ended up having a falling out, which caused her to move back to New Jersey. She raised Kasey in a town about two hours away from Atlantic City and worked two jobs at a time to support him. Raising a son was also a challenge for Talulah, as she was very girlie. But she always put him first and did whatever she had to do for him. When Kasey was around seven or eight Talulah finally earned a full time position as a receptionist for a doctor's office. That was how she met Joshua; although he was older than her Talulah always had an affinity for older guys and the fact that he had two kids around Kasey's age really helped his case. They became official when Kasey was nine and Ella was ten. Their families got along alright for the most part, although it was a lot to get used to. Talulah's cooking really worked in her favor, thankfully. Although it continues to be difficult raising a blended family, Talulah tries her best not to step over the girls' toes or try to replace their mother just as Joshua doesn't try to overstep his boundaries with Kasey. They're still a work in progress, but Talulah thinks they're turning out pretty well. Plus it makes it much easier to carpool to work!
Stepbrother - Kasey Ray Hunt, Student - Kasey has only been Ella's stepbrother for a couple of years but they've been in each others' lives for about four or five years. For a little guy, he can have kind of a big personality. Living his whole life with just one parent Kasey didn't necessarily have as much as Ella and her sister, but he usually seemed to get what he wanted. Despite his situation, he could come across as kind of spoiled. Even though he's only a year younger than Ella he's much shorter than her while Ella likes; it makes her feel like she has some sort of power over him. Although Kasey can come across as overeager and every bit as determined and detail oriented as Ella can be, Ella doesn't like it when people give him a hard time. They attended the same middle school together and because Kasey had been new at the time and never really fit in there, Ella often had to come to his rescue. She hated doing that. Now Kasey has it in his head that, because they both love music, they should form a band together and be popular and become famous. Ella has her doubts that's going to work. She wants to make a life out of her music, but she doesn't necessarily have the same thirst for fame and power that her stepbrother does. Although hearing girls scream her name would be pretty awesome. Kasey can get under Ella's skin just as much as anyone else's; but he's family now so they're kind of stuck with each other. And Ella does give him some credit - she wouldn't be at Metric if it weren't for him!
Backstory
Ella was not planned by any means. Her parents were not living together and had no immediate plans to get married when Sarah found out she was pregnant. Still, she was very much a welcome surprise. With Ella's impending arrival it encouraged Joshua and Sarah to get married beforehand and plan a big wedding after. Ella's name was inspired by her maternal grandmother, whose name was Eleanor. Her middle name, although commonly a boy's name, was actually Sarah's maiden name. When Ella was a little over two years old, she became a big sister to Emma. The sisters often clashed, not really seeing eye to eye, but it didn't mean they didn't care about each other. Emma just liked reading and school way more while Ella preferred to sing with her mother.
When Sarah became a wedding singer, her music almost always filled the house. Ella without a doubt got her talent and love of singing from Sarah while Emma got her brains from Joshua. Sometimes at kid friendly weddings Sarah would bring Ella along. Ella didn't sing much at the weddings, unfortunately, although there were a couple of instances where she was allowed to sing a Disney song or two. That was when Ella knew for sure her place was meant to be on stage - even if her singing still needed a little bit of work. But everything that Ella learned from musical terminology to scales to her own range was from Sarah. Ella was always extremely close with Sarah and really looked up to her.
Things drastically changed when Ella was eight years old. Sarah had gone out to the mall one night after a wedding. She was supposed to be back shortly after dinner but a fatal car crash stopped that from ever happening. Emma didn't completely understand what was going on, but Ella pretty much knew what happened. The realization that her mom was never coming back devastated her. And when she accidentally saw a picture from the crash in the paper the next day, Ella froze. She desperately tried to avoid getting in a car for a while after that. She didn't have nightmares exactly, but she was worried that another car accident was going to take someone else away. Knowing it was bad enough to take her own mother away pretty much freaked her out. She stopped singing for a while after that, despite the silence sounding even worse. Ella tried to distract herself with school like her sister, although her grades still weren't as amazing. Ella went on the computer a lot, which was a very good distraction for her. It was also entertaining because people just didn't seem to expect her to be a smart girl. So if she could figure out how to hack a website and change something no one would ever suspect her!
When Ella was in middle school, Joshua announced to her and Emma that he had a new girlfriend. It was a nice lady who worked in his office and she had a son about their age. Ella really didn't know what to think about Talulah and Kasey at first. She was kind of indifferent to them, but Kasey just came across as annoying. Then again, Ella didn't exactly know what it was like to have a brother. Joshua and Talulah becoming engaged was a different story. Ella felt like her mom was being replaced even though that wasn't true. Kasey hadn't been too fond of the idea either; he liked being an only child and having everything to himself. The two of them actually ended up taking their frustrations out with music and bonded over that. It started with Kasey blasting It's On from Camp Rock 2 to show how annoyed he was and was practically slamming his fingers across his guitar. Then Ella got into singing and they played together. Before they knew it they were bonding. Ella and Kasey actually performed a couple of songs at their parents' wedding.
Having a new stepmom and a stepbrother was always a bit of an adjustment for Ella. Dealing with Kasey at home and singing with him was one thing. But school was a completely different story. He transferred to her middle school and never quite seemed to fit in. He was either too quite or too eccentric. Not that Ella was ever the most popular girl in school, but she was way more social and better with people. So whenever Kasey had a problem she had to help him. Whenever he got under someone nerves Ella had to defend him. It got kind of annoying. But at the same time she didn't exactly like people messing with Kasey either. Yeah, Kasey could be a pain in the butt sometimes. But he was her brother now so it was kind of job. And when anyone else got involved it became Ella's business.
When the time came to start high school Ella knew there was only one place she wanted to go. That was Metric. Even though it was on the other side of the country she heard so many great things about it. And with music becoming a huge part in her life again, Ella really wanted to make her mother proud. Joshua was hesitant about it. It wasn't that he didn't support his daughter but he had his own reasons for her not to go into the music business. Ella doesn't remember who argued with him or what they said, but Joshua somehow agreed to go out to California with her and Kasey so she could audition. Even though Ella's grades were average there was still a chance her talent could get her in. She sang a Kelly Clarkson song, which was probably overambitious because it was Kelly Fricking Clarkson. Ultimately that's probably what did Ella in. The original vocals of the song was just too much to live up to. They told Ella that she had potential but there was still work to be done. Ella returned to New Jersey, upset that she wasn't able to get into the school she wanted and was forced to attend normal high school. She couldn't focus on her music there! She'd have to take classes like math and chemistry and all that other boring stuff! At least at Metric they treated music and arts like it was actually a big deal. But the only person that really seemed to get it was Kasey. He asked Ella if Metric was really everything she said it was. She questioned if he even looked around when they visited the campus. She went on and on about the music program and the kind of students that went there. That's when Kasey decided that he'd audition for Metric next year, when he'd start high school. And Ella would audition with him again. The two of them agreed the other wouldn't go to Metric unless they both got in.
Now both Ella and Kasey are at Metric for their first year. Kasey's a freshman and Ella's a sophomore. With the two of them being music majors they're ready to show Metric what they're made of. Now if only Kasey would shut up about them starting a band! No one is just going to magically walk up to them and say, 'oh you guys are talking about a band? I play, too!' On the other hand, there are a lot of kids in the music classes. And Ella is always ready to rock out. So she's ready for anything! She's also ready to finally have a room that's not across the hall from Kasey's. That kid can snore!
Random
♪Ella's parents wanted a classic, old school name for her. Her middle name was also her mother's maiden name.
♪Because Kasey plays "It's On" and "Determinate" so much, Ella knows all of the lyrics by heart. And whenever they play, those songs are a must use!
♪This is what her singing sounds like. Ella has a naturally softer voice so when she rocks, she really rocks.
♪Ella's not a fan of dogs; she's more of a cat person. It doesn't mean she won't comment if a dog is cute, but she'd rather not be around dogs unless she knows them personally.
♪She gets extremely frustrated when she can't hit just the right note, especially knowing other music students in her class can hit certain notes so much easier than she can. You probably don't want to be in the same room as Ella when that happens!
♪Ella's very musically inclined and although she's a smart girl, her sister's always been academically successful. This can at times cause Ella to try to overachieve and take on more than she can handle. She's a work in progress.
♪She is extremely hesitant to start driver's ed and earn her license. After what happened with her mom, Ella really doesn't want to drive!
♪Ella's always known she was into girls. And she's out and proud!
Music
♪Chandelier - Sia
♪Just Like Fire - Pink
♪It's On - Camp Rock 2
♪I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry
♪Born This Way - Lady Gaga
♪Everybody Talks - Neon Trees
♪Determinate - Lemonade Mouth
Music