A/N: This short story is based off a song I heard on the radio. It's called "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to the song if you want to.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the song mentioned

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays without a single care in the world. I look at my daughter, Amelia. She's such a lively spirit, always looking for people to help and would do it with a simple smile.

Lately, she has been seeing a boy. I never met him, but I knew who he was. They met five years ago at the annual festival and I knew that they got along very well. I would take care of our small run-down shop while she's with him. She'd always come back in the late afternoon, around eight to eight-thirty. Amelia is twenty- four now and I knew that soon enough the boy will ask her to marry him.

Amelia tugged at my sleeve, "Dad! I need you! There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancing. Please, daddy, please?"

So I danced with her while she's here in my arms. She's growing up too fast. It seemed like yesterday she was a clumsy five year old girl barely learning how to step in the rhythm of a song. Now she's about as tall as I. I knew this day would come. We continued our dancing for an hour or so.

Amelia looked ecstatic. She kissed my cheek and said, "Thanks dad!" She ran off to her room to get ready for tonight.

An hour or so later, she came back with a lavender dress that reached past her shins. Simple yet very nice with a lace design at the hem of her dress. Her curly blond hair was washed and carefully combed, pulled back by a hair clip on either side of her head.

"Do you like it?" Her question snapped me back to reality. "Do you like my dress? My friend, Alice lent it to me. Is it nice?"

"Yes," I replied, "It's very beautiful. Suits you just fine." I look at her with a sad smile. I knew that tonight, the boy will ask her to marry her and she'll be gone.

I think she knew what I was thinking because she warmly wrapped her arms around me and said, "He's a very nice guy. You'll be impressed, I promise!"

I knew who the boy was, though I never met him. I've seen him holding hands with Amelia. I know he's a nice man and I believe that I will be impressed once I meet him officially. I ran my thin fingers through her blond hair. "I know Amy. I know."

She came back home today with a ring on her hand just glowing and telling me what they had planned. Her fingers were locked with the fingers of the boy she brought home.

His name was Arthur Kirkland. Prince Arthur is what the kingdom called him. He had sandy blond hair with bright green eyes. He greeted me with a firm handshake and a, "Hello Mr. Jones. How are you today?" He seemed to be the quiet type to me, but I've seen him laugh and joke with Amy. I knew they will be happy together so I let it be.

Amelia continued rambling about what they already had planned and asked for input. I agreed with everything, hoping that she'll be happy with the wedding plans they already have.

The next day, she came home. She seemed tired this morning.

"Have you two been planning all night?" I asked as I went into the kitchen to cook some breakfast for her.

"Well actually, most of the people here heard that Arthur and I are engaged and you know that rumors spread too fast for my liking," she added in a light chuckle, "So there were large crowds at the castle entrance giving us gifts. No one got hurt, thank god, but it took a long time for Artie and I to-"

I chuckled, "'Artie'?" Amelia was always one to give people nicknames. I honestly thought that she would give him the nickname of "bushy-brow" due to his thick eyebrows. But I chose not to say anything about it.

"Yeah, 'Artie'," she imitated me with a laugh, "... As I was saying, it took us a long time to get through the crowd. So that took us away from our planning-time."

I finished cooking the eggs I prepared for her and offered her a seat by the table. Amelia took it and began eating.

There was a silence as she ate. It wasn't awkward, more like it was comfortable as we were sorting out our thoughts.

Then she spoke up. "You know the wedding is six months away. And I was thinking: I need to practice my dancing"

So I danced with her one last time while she's here in my arms. Then she'll be gone.