A Modern Day Version of Cinderella
Cindy woke to yelling downstairs. It was peculiar that she heard the noise, because Cindy resided in the attic of the elegant mansion her stepmother had inherited.
What is it now? She thought. Cindy got up out of bed. Cindy knew that the conversation must have come from under her, for it is the only possible way that she could have heard what was being said. This meant that is was her 2 stepsisters, Anna and Dakota, arguing. They were, most likely, arguing about prom arrangements.
Oh, dresses…For prom! I completely forgot, Cindy thought. The next thing said from her eldest stepsister's lips, Dakota's, made Cindy run to her closet and rush to put on her clothes for the school day.
"LUCINDA! I know you're listening, you ungrateful wench! Tend to yourself for once!" This is how every day went, with Cindy being teased and bullied by, primarily, her oldest sister.
Cindy finished getting dressed, and went downstairs to the kitchen to get her stepmother's breakfast. Cindy was in charge of basic care for her immobile step mother.
When she brought small tray of breakfast to her stepmother, she decided to talk to her about prom.
"Step mother?" She asked, slowly walking into the pitch black room.
"Yes?" Briar replied. Her voice was quiet, soft- But Cindy alone knew that it could transform into a tone greatly horrifying.
"Here is your breakfast," Cindy told her, setting the food onto a nearby side table. "And, oh, I wanted to talk to you about-"
"About what, Lucinda?! Don't I do enough for you already?!" Briar interrupted, her voice now ice cold, with an edge of malice.
"I just wanted to ask you about what I am to wear to the senior prom this Friday; I mean, your twins' seem to have something, and I was wondering-"
"Now, now, no need to worry, for you are not going! You have a double work shift at the store Friday. Off to school," Briar interrupted once again, her voice back to being soft and melodious.
"Okay, Step mother." Cindy replied, her voice timid and weary.
She returned to the attic to fetch her backpack, and went on with her twin stepsisters to the bus stop.
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A little while later, the bus lurched to a stop in front of Saint Brook's High School.
Cindy was the first one off of the massive black and yellow bus, followed by Anna and Dakota. Cindy headed to the entrance of the high school, joining the massive tidal wave of students headed there with ease.
Then, Cindy jogged to her homeroom 12-1. This room was for seniors like her, and in it, an English class usually went on. But homeroom was in session, and Cindy's only friends Mick and Dacia were already seated, the raven haired boy waving to her from his spot in the back of the classroom. Dacia also waved to Cindy, one hand up waving, her left fastened on to the back of a seat next to her.
Cindy headed over to the seat, and plopped down into it, mentally preparing how to tell her friends about the unfortunate news for prom. Cindy told them with a heavy heart that she could not attend prom, and her friends' spirits sank.
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The school day went by fairly quickly after that, with Mick and Dacia going to their classes after homeroom, Cindy walking to her own.
At 3:09pm on the dot, Cindy was out of the school building, and on her way to her stepmother's store, where she had a shortened single shift that day.
"Hello, Martha," Cindy greeted her older coworker with a pat on the back.
"Eh, Lucinda," Martha said, opening the small counter gate to let Cindy into the back of the store, where the extra inventory was located, as well as the shift schedule for the week.
"I'm going to need you to show this new employee the ropes. He says that he goes to Saint Brook's High School, 12th grade, and so I thought that you might know the boy." Martha led Cindy to the very back of the inventory room, and handed her an employee vest with the store's label.
Cindy looked straight to the back of the room, and saw a very good looking young man, with spiked brown hair, and leaf green eyes, as well as a rebel type vibe surrounding him.
"Hey," He said to her. "The name's Prince, short for Princeton." He smiled at the short girl in front of him, already enchanted with her innocent beauty.
His eyes scanned her face, obsessed with her lapis lazuli blue eyes and pale complexion. Prince decided right then and there that he wanted to know more about her.
Cindy told him, "Okay, then. Prince... This is your schedule for every work day you have." She handed him a piece of paper with a chart on it.
"And now, inventory. That is what your position is in, correct?" Prince replied with nod, enraptured in her blunt forwardness.
For the next few hours Cindy went on to show Princeton how he was to go about his job, gave him his uniform, ad answered his many questions.
At about 6:00pm, Cindy went to the front of the inventory room, and clocked out on the shift schedule. As she turned to leave the room, however, Princeton called for her. Cindy spun to him.
"What?" She said.
"Hey, I just wanted to catch you before you leave for the day." Prince said, taking a step forward.
"Anyhow, I was wondering… I mean, I want to see you again. I like you-"
Cindy interrupted him. "I think you're a really cool guy, Princeton, but my schedule is packed to the extreme. I just don't have time for you."
"Well, do you have a date to prom?" He asked, ever persistent.
"I-I'm not going," Cindy started to say, but Prince cut her off.
"So, I'm your date. Prom is on Friday. I'll pick you up here, on Friday, at 8:00pm sharp. I'll see you around!" With the last word in, Princeton walked right out of the inventory room, a spring in his step. About a minute later, he came back in, saying, "It's still my shift," and pushed Cindy out of the room.
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Cindy got home at about 6:30pm. She had planned exactly what she was going to say to her bed ridden stepmother, down to the last word. Yes, she knew there was still going to be a major conflict with her stepmother, but she would make sure that the battle ended in her favor. Cindy went up to her stepmother's room, and knocked softly on the door.
"Come in," Said Briar, her tone soft yet firm. When Cindy came in, Briar let out a sigh. "Oh, it's you. I have to tell you something, dear."
Briar motioned for Cindy to sit at the foot of her bed, and Cindy did. "You have prom this Friday. I have arranged the shop schedule so that you do not have work Friday."
Cindy remained silent, knowing Briar was going to say more. "Now you have a triple work shift on Saturday and still no other plans for this prom. No dress, no transportation, so many other things you just cannot or do not have. Not even a date!"
"Actually, Mother, I in fact do have a date to the prom. His name is Princeton," Cindy countered, a defiant look in her eyes.
"Well, then, I allow you to attend the event." She paused again. "Lucinda, are we done here?"
Cindy took a deep breath, and started her speech. "Mother, prom is something that all of the senior classmen go to. Surely you, a woman of high caliber and exquisite taste, can understand that?"
There was a moment of silence as Briar thought about what had been said. "Do you have transportation to prom? What about a dress?" Cindy took her time as she replied.
"I do have transportation. I need a dress."
"No dress!" Briar screamed her fiery tone hot enough to burn firewood. "Surely I have done everything you have asked of me as a mother, and now you want more! No! No more shall I do for the likes of you! Find your own dumb dress; only my real daughters have the right to use my clothing." Briar sniffed, her nose held high. "Now get out."
Cindy quickly stood up from her spot on the bed, and ran out of the room, into her own. She slammed her door shut once inside, and leaned against it, the exhaustion from dealing with her moody step mother apparent.
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Two days passed, it was the day before prom, and Cindy still didn't have a dress for prom. After school, Cindy went to the store, and worked her shift from 4:30-8:00pm.
When her shift ended, Cindy looked around the store, looking for a good dress to wear to the Senior Prom.
There was a big display at the center of the shop, showing multiple dresses of a variety of designs. Immediately, Cindy saw a size 8 dress that was calf length, with off the shoulder white straps, and a sharp v neckline. This dress was made with a dark, rich blue silk. This blue matched the color of her eyes. She loved this dress!
Cindy ran to Martha, her dress in one arm, her open purse in the other.
"Martha!" Cindy shrieked in excitement. Martha jogged to the cash register at the sound of her name being called.
"Yes?" She asked. Cindy gently placed the dress on the long brown counter, smoothing out its' delicate fabric over every available surface.
"Oh, a pretty sight," Martha started. Her wise hazel eyes bore into Cindy's. "But can you afford it?"
"I hope so!" Cindy replied, emptying her entire wallet into her right hand. "How much is the dress?"
Martha typed some things into the register. After the machine made a slight clicking noise, Martha looked down, avoiding Cindy's direct gaze.
"What is it?" Cindy stated, her tone displaying her nervousness.
"Nine hundred dollars," Martha told her, finally looking up at Cindy. Cindy was looking down, this time. After a long look at Cindy, Martha knew the girl needed help. She knew that Cindy was treated badly, and that good things came rarely to the young lady.
"I'll pay for it," Martha said, knowing her words were true. Cindy looked up at the older woman, shock on her face.
"But-" Cindy began, but Martha interrupted her. "This dress suits your eyes. Now, you need some shoes to go with it. Pick out a pair from the selection in the cases over there." Martha said, with a smile on her face and in her eyes. "Now, cheer up!" Cindy did as she was told immediately, a smile gracing her beautiful features.
"Thank you, Fairy Godmother!" Cindy replied, a joking look on her face.
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The next day, Cindy went through school faster than a flying bullet, taking the bus home with her stepsisters.
After arriving home, she decided to help her stepsisters get ready, saying that she was getting ready later. Anna and Dakota had chosen dresses of similar size and design. Cindy complimented the girls, who responded with fluffing their hair and pulling down the hems of their dresses.
When it was about 7:00pm, Cindy made her way to the store.
When Cindy arrived at the shop, she quickly dressed in the rich blue dress with the white off the shoulder straps. She slipped on her clear, white glass slippers. With the help of Martha, she pulled her hair up into an elaborate bun.
At promptly 8:00pm, the tinkling bells on the shop's door signaled a visitor.
"Hello? Oh, Ms. Martha, I'm glad you're here. I'm looking for-" Princeton stopped right in his tracks when he saw who was with Ms. Martha. A beautiful girl, with a beautiful dress, stood in front of him.
Was this his date? He thought. I'm one lucky guy!
The girl was looking at him. He is- he is handsome! Cindy thought to herself.
Princeton walked over to her, the familiar spring in his step. "You look good." He said to her. Cindy put her arm in his, and replied.
"Let's go."
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The prom was taking place at Saint Brook High School's giant showroom. Streamers were laced up into the ceiling; balloons were placed in the corners of the room with the wallflowers. Tables with endless platters of food were located on the right side, and the disc jockey's station was at the left side of the showroom.
As soon as Princeton and Cindy entered, the DJ announced for a slow dance. The couple started dancing along the outskirts of the people moving, and ended up twirling around each other at the heart of the room, aware only of the person in their arms. Even when Princeton's football buddies went to say hello, and Cindy's friends tried to call her over, the two people at the room's heart were unaware of the outside world. When the music changed its beat, the couple at the center didn't notice. Only when the music stopped, and the principal of the school called for the senior class' attention, did Cindy and Princeton escape their private world.
Cindy had brought her cell phone, just in case there was an emergency, and at that moment it rang. As she answered it, Principal Goode announced, "And for the year of 2013, Saint Brook's High School Senior Class Prom King is….Princeton James!"
Cheers erupted all around. Prince's football buddies pushed him to the front of the room, to accept his crown. He looked back worriedly at his prom date. Her name…He had never gotten her name! He mentally chided himself. The schedule was right there, he thought.
He reached the front of the room, and turned to face the crowd. Where did his date go?
Cindy had gone out of the show room and into the school's hallways. She had to talk to her stepmother, Briar, because she had already accepted the call. She couldn't just press the end button, now could she?
"We need you at the shop. Now! I don't want you at the stupid ball! You can just leave! Run here! Fast! And now! There is no time to waste!" Briar hung up her phone before Cindy could get a word in.
Cindy decided to return to the shop. Who knows what could have happened?
While Cindy was fetching a cab to take her back to the store, Principal Goode was announcing, "And for the year of 2013, Saint Brook's High School Senior Class Prom Queen is….The Girl Dancing with Princeton James! What?" The Principal was shaking her head in confusion, looking at the ballad counters. What? She mouthed to the head counter. He walked over to her, a hug pile of voting ballads in his hands.
Once Cindy arrived at the shop, she saw Martha looking at her, bewilderment in her eyes.
"What are you doing here, dear?" Martha said.
"I was called here by Briar! She said, basically, that something was wrong! Are you okay?!"
"Yes, I'm fine." Martha said. "I was just closing up the store. I don't even need help. What's wrong?"
Cindy replied, "Briar had a mood swing…"
"Don't tell me," Martha began, "That that little old doll tricked you into coming back! Oh, how dare her!"
Back at Saint Brooks, Princeton was searching for a way to escape the crowd, to be able to search for his date. What if she left? She probably did leave the likes of you, a part of him said.
Prince pushed through the bulk of the crowd, handing his crown to the first guy to cross his path. Running through a showroom exit, Prince jogged into one of the high school hallways. In the hallway, Prince searched the floor for any clues as to where his beauty might have gone.
In the middle of the hallway sat an old fashioned flip phone. He bent over and picked it up, evaluating the phone to see if it looked familiar. And it did! Princeton was almost certain that this was his girl's cell phone. He planned, right then and there, that he would claim his girl as a girlfriend the next time he saw her.
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The next morning, Cindy was already working at the shop, having gotten a head start from an early rise.
While Cindy was at the back of the store, working inventory, Princeton was just entering the store, walking determinedly toward the inventory area.
Prince didn't break stride when he reached the store counter, just leaped right over it.
When reaching the back of the store, where Cindy was piling boxes and sticking on labels, he called out for her to stop what she was doing.
She dropped the box she had been lifting in surprise, and it landed directly onto her right foot.
"Ouch!" She yelped, suddenly hopping on one foot. Princeton just grinned.
"I see I have you at a bad time. Perfect." He walked over to Cindy and easily supported her right side onto his left, looping her right arm around his neck.
They proceeded to leave the inventory room, and each took a seat behind the sales counter. There was silence for a couple beats. Then, Princeton reached into his back pocket, and pulled out Cindy's cell phone. Prince handed the phone to her.
"You must have dropped it when you left," He muttered. A pause. Then Princeton started by saying, "I like you, I like how you are, and I think we should start dating. You know, be a couple." Prince looked down, overcome with shyness.
"Is that all? Because I thought that we could also match up shift schedules, and go on double dates and stuff." Cindy joked, forgetting all about the pain in her foot.
"I want to know more about you." Cindy said, on a more serious note. "So, yes, I will be your girlfriend. But, that means you're my boyfriend. Is that okay?" Cindy whispered the last sentence, looking at Princeton's distinct features.
"It's okay," He whispered back to her, looking into her lapis lazuli blue eyes. "But I have one question before we start: What's your name?"
"Lucinda," Cindy said, with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. "But everyone just calls me Cindy."
THE END!