Hi there! This is actually my English homework. We are doing a course on the 'Taming of the Shrew' and the appropriation, '10 Things I Hate About You'.

And now we are supposed to come up with a short story that appropriates a fairy tale. I chose Cinderella. Anyway, obviously I am horrible at short stories, so everything is a bit rushed and confusing. Please read on!

Oh...Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I don't even own half of the plotline!!

I was three when my mother died.

I was eight when my stepmother moved in, with her daughter.

I didn't know them at the time; I thought that my new sister and mother are going to be the best in the world, mainly because my stepmother was, according to me, is so beautiful.

I was ten when my father died of a heart attack.

It was so sudden, that he didn't even leave a will.

Therefore, by law my stepmother inherited everything, from our mansion and its robot servants to my fathers multi billion-dollar robot company.

My stepmother immediately took control, and started spoiling my stepsister atrociously.

I ended living in the servants' quarters with our three servants.

I was almost invisible, like a servant, or maid working here.

I still remember doing all my stepsister's homework, and she got the top marks, and I was usually second, never first.

My memory is still crystal clear from the first time he came, as an exchange student from somewhere foreign.

He was standing at the front of the class, as the teacher introduced him.

'Here's the new student; he came from Mt. Olympus, Mars. Be nice to him. He's name is Li Xiaolang.'

As soon as I looked at him I knew that he would be the next target for Meiling, my stepsister the master seductress.

He was incredibly…as someone from the twenty-first century would say…so hot and cool that he would just evaporate.

And as soon as his amber eyes met mine, my life was turned upside down.

The news got around the school the instant Li stepped into the classroom, via the telecommunication PCs.

Just as I predicted, Meiling made her move as soon as the snack break ring resounded across the school.

And from then on Li stuck like a magnet.

To me.

Yeah, he basically followed me wherever I went, and Meiling was so damned furious she started to tell to stepmother about my fictional bad behavior.

Naturally I then was grounded for the rest of my life.

So why does Li stick to me like a magnet?

Because I'm the only girl that doesn't stick to him like a magnet.

I tried to shake him off by insulting, hiding and sometimes screaming at him when I explode with the unfairness of my life.

He would still smile at me and hang around me.

He would often come to my house, which Meiling was delighted at, but he only went where I would go.

He seemed very interested in my house.

So I, to my horror started to crush on him.

The odd relationship between us continued for about half a lightyear, in which I realized that this is something more than a crush.

So the Christmas dance came up, and naturally I can't go, so I was lounging around the house.

I was wondering what Li meant when I told him I can't go to the dance and he told me to watch the TV, channel 101.

I switched on the TV, and the accurate 3D image flickered on.

And I fell off the hover chair.

It was a court case.

On my father.

Why was I not told about this?

The judge slammed down the wooden hammer.

A young man came up, his messy brown hair the complete opposite of the balding gray heads around him.

It was Li.

He started speaking rather formally, as if he was my father's lawyer.

'Your Honor, I have been investigating this case for half a lightyear. I am positive that Mr. Rae was assassinated. I have been in contact with his only daughter, and have observed her stepmother's actions. I found the evidence in the fourth attic of the second turret of their property.'

He used me.

Yeah, I guess a guy like him can't seriously be interested in me.

He presented a stack of papers.

'Mrs. Rae, and I was surprised at this, kept a hard copy of the receipt, messages, and details of the murder. It is here, her print signature on all documents.'

The opposition was speechless with the hard proof of the case.

Li continued on, 'Your Honor, now that you have seen the proof will you answer my request of reopening this case and arresting the murderer?'

The judge was blinking in surprise; I guess this kind of thing doesn't happen everyday.

'Err, yes, Mr. Li I shall grant your request. We have to however, bring the case to a proper close by arranging a court case with Mrs. Rae and all witnesses and relatives.'

I blinked at the projection in shock.

This just did not happen.

So here I am now, eating ice cream with my boyfriend.

What happened?

I inherited the company.

My stepsister is living with me.

My stepmother is in jail.

She had poisoned my father with Sarin, a binary chemical that has deadly uses.

Li admitted that he did use me, but he actually liked hanging around me.

I remember the night when he confessed.

It was one of my happiest days in life.

'Yingfa?'

'Hmmm?'

'You know that fairytale Cinderella?'

'Yeah?'

'I was just pondering about it and just realized that you are exactly like Cinderella!'

'And you just realized now? You are so ignorant.'

'My Cinderella. Has a nice ring to it.'

I smiled at him.

'And my Prince Charming. I guess we'll just live happily ever after now.'

'Nah…life never works out like that. But I am happy now.'

'So am I.'

Happily ever afters don't exist in reality, but happiness does. And Xiaolang showed me where it is.

The End

So? What do you think? Yes, the word count is supposed to be 600, but the teacher said 'a page'. I am just lucky to keep this below 1000. Please give me a grade out of 15!! Thankyou!

PS I decided to use their chinese names because of--

a. I am chinese

b. They sound cool