“She’s not trying to be difficult. She just wants the truth—before someone else decides how to spin it.”
Who She Is
Ellie is Rowan’s daughter. Seventeen. Sharp, loyal, and a little impatient with people who say one thing and do another. She has a strong sense of right and wrong, especially when it comes to love, family, and people keeping secrets.
She has a quiet edge to her. Not loud or performative, but direct. She knows when something’s off, and she doesn’t pretend it isn’t. She doesn’t like fake. Doesn’t do vague. And she’s still learning how to be vulnerable without feeling like she’s giving up ground.
She’s a big sister in the truest sense, part bossy, part protector. She watches out for Cal even when he doesn’t notice. And for a long time, she tried to watch out for her parents, too.
Energy:
⚖️ High-integrity | 🛡 Fierce protector| 👁 Sharp-eyed realist | 🎧 Old soul with boundaries
Her Role in the Story
Ellie is the one who wants answers. She doesn’t care about keeping the peace if the truth is being buried. She wants to know what’s really happening, and once she knows, she doesn’t easily forget.
She has little patience for ambiguity. If something’s happening, she wants it named. Defined. Made real.
She found the messages on Paige’s iPad first.
She didn’t tell Cal right away.
Didn’t tell Rowan.
She carried it for days before finally showing her brother.
And when it all came out? She didn’t cry.
She got quiet.
Then she got clear.
Since then, Ellie’s trust has been harder to earn.
She doesn’t hate Paige, but she doesn’t give her blind loyalty, either. She loves her dad with a fierce protectiveness that sometimes comes out as criticism. And when Mira entered the picture, Ellie didn’t welcome her blindly. She watched. Measured. Waited.
But over time, Mira earned her place—not by trying too hard, but by being consistent. Honest. Present. Ellie respects that.
Her role in the family is both grounding and activating. She’s not just a teenager with opinions. She’s someone who’s lived through quiet fractures, and now wants to be part of something that lasts.
She’s also built her own relationship with Pepper—not quite friends, not quite sisters, but something in between. Pepper makes her laugh in ways she pretends not to enjoy. And Ellie, who is used to being the one who carries everything, is slowly realizing she doesn’t have to be the adult in the room anymore.
Where She’s Been
Ellie grew up watching her parents coexist in quiet disconnection. She was old enough to notice the tension, but young enough to internalize it. She thought if she stayed excellent—if she performed well enough, stayed in control—it might fix things.
Then she found the texts.
They weren’t explicit. But they were enough.
Enough to break the illusion.
Enough to shift how she saw her mother forever.
She told herself she was fine.
Kept her grades up. Stayed composed. Took care of Cal.
But it hurt.
Not just the betrayal, but the pretending.
She didn’t understand how someone could leave a good man.
A steady one.
A dad who showed up every day.
She watched her mom remarry. Have another baby. Start fresh.
And she didn’t say much.
But she started needing less from her.
And more from herself.
Now, she’s learning how to soften again.
Not for everyone—but for the right people.
What She’s Learning
- That boundaries can exist without shutting people out
- That not everyone lies—some people just take time to show the truth
- That she’s allowed to be angry and loved
- That softness isn’t weakness—it’s trust
Favorite Line from Her Story
“I don’t hate her. I just don’t believe her. There’s a difference.”
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