No, no way, I never said that, absolutely not! – A Cinderella Story One-shot

Sam's POV

I got my books out of my locker as Carter leant against the ones to my right.

"So it's a no-go on telling Austin that you're his Cinderella?" Carter asked, using the philosophical voice he liked to use when he made a really obvious point.

"Exactly," I said, nodding, "Austin doesn't need to know that I, Sam Montgomery, Diner Girl, am the one who is meant to be his soul mate. Not a very appealing image, am I?" I asked.

"Sam-" he began to say but I just shook my head and shut my locker, coming face to face with an image that sent a shot of panic straight to the pit of my stomach – Austin's best friend Ryan, standing there eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

"Um yeah, I have places to be so-" and Carter ran away. Frickin' chicken.

I swallowed thickly. Come on Sam, you're smart. Now would be a nice time to think of an excuse!

"So, you're locker is near mine?" I asked him nervously.

He abruptly closed his mouth and spoke up. "It's two down but that's beside the point. I'm pretty sure I just heard you say that you were Cinderella at the ball on Friday Sam."

"No you didn't," I said quickly, "and I didn't think you knew me, let alone my name."

"Yes I did," he disagreed, "but again, not the point."

"You can't tell Austin," I said, leaning forward and practically begging him.

"Same you have to tell him," Ryan said empathetically.

"No I don't," I said stubbornly, crossing my arms, "I'm not the kind of girl he wants Ryan, and it's best if everyone just leaves it and moves on."

"All he's talked about for the last month is you! He was at my house, all weekend mind you and all I heard out of his mouth was 'oh, she's so beautiful' and 'her eye sparkled like the stars'. And you're telling me that you're not the one for him?" Ryan asked me, eyebrows raised really high.

"Ryan this isn't your place," I said, my annoyance at the entire situation seeping into my tone.

"It is when my best friend and the girl who will become his girlfriend are involved," he said to me, just as annoyed as I was. The bell rang at that moment and he looked back at me. "Meet me in B12 after school okay?"

I just nodded and turned and left, not bothering to say goodbye. The panic was still in my stomach, which, if Rhonda was right and my instincts could be trusted, was not a good thing.

~SMAA~

Austin's POV

OK, I was a little confused about why Ryan wanted to meet me here, in Mrs. Wells' English room, to discuss football. Football wasn't the weird part; it was where we were meeting.

I was sitting on the desk when all of a sudden the door opened and in walked Sam from the Diner, the girl that secretly I thought was really cool and didn't deserve half the shit she had to deal with.

Just as I got off the desk to ask why she was here I heard a click at the door. She seemed to have heard it as well because we both rushed to the door and started pulling at it, only to find that it had been locked from the outside. We stepped back from the door and sighed. Great, just great, I thought. I felt a vibrating in my pocket and pulled out my phone to see that Ryan was calling me. "Bro, what's happening?" I asked as soon as I answered.

"Put me on speaker man," he ordered in a no nonsense tone. I shrugged mentally and did what he told me to, since I knew he had something to do with it.

"You're on speaker," I said after pressing the button, "now why are Sam and I locked in the room?"

"Sam knows why you two are there," was all he said. I looked at Sam and saw that she had gone scarily white. "You two will be let out when you fix "it"," and he hung up.

I closed my phone and turned to the ghost like girl standing behind me. "Sam?"

She closed her eyes and I could see her visibly swallow, apparently trying to work through something in her head. "Austin," she said, opening her eyes, "can I have my cell phone back?" I just stood there, gobsmacked. Cinderella had lost a cell phone, at the ball. Instantly my mind went into overdrive, comparing every one of Sam's traits to Cinderella's, and concentrating on it I found they were actually very similar. When I didn't say anything Sam spoke again.

"I believe you have it. It's a little blue Samsung with stars on it," she said, her eye betraying for once how nervous she really was.

There was nothing for it, I had to do it. I felt myself take three long strides to where she stood, gorgeous as ever. I took her in my arms and kissed her, putting as much passion as I could into the kiss. I felt her melting into my arms, giving herself to me, and I faintly heard the door being unlocked, but I didn't care. I was too busy kissing the woman I loved.

~6 years later~

"So that's why I take full responsibility for getting these two together. Cheers everyone!" And Ryan sat down, leaving our 100 wedding guests in fits of laughter. I look at Sam and see her relax her grip on Rhonda's dress that she had given to Sam for the wedding. I had to laugh. It took me a lot to convince Sam that Ryan wouldn't totally embarrass us, and we should let him make a speech.

My life had turned out pretty good. I finished at Princeton with honours and was just about to publish my second novel. Sam graduated top of our class and went into film. She was now one of the most successful young directors in Hollywood. We decided on a small wedding, back in the valley, away from all the media hype.

My attention was put back on my beautiful wife when we were called for our first dance.

"I love you," I said, as we started our first dance as man and wife, to our song, the first song we had ever danced to.