A couple of days had passed since the dance and Lily was just focusing on her studies. She hadn't spoken to or seen Seth since the dance but it didn't really bother her that much. It had certainly surprised Lily that it was Seth who she had been speaking too online all these months, but the butterflies in her tummy let her know that it was alright.

She wasn't mad that it was him, it felt right and he always made her feel special. He complimented her that night, he called her beautiful and that was a rarity these days. Her sisters always called her the ugly one and Rachel didn't exactly make her feel welcome in the house so she felt isolated most of the time.

Lily sighed as she sorted all of her textbooks out for Uni, her bag always felt heavy and she hated it. Taking all of these classes was really starting to get Lily frustrated, her writing classes demanded story after story, and her other classes were filled with assignments. Plus on top of that were her sister's assignments, they could never be bothered to do them so they dumped them on Lily demanding she do them.

Of course Lily would argue back, but then Rachel would get involved and punish her. It was a tough world she lived in, and now without speaking to Seth she felt lonelier than ever.

"Get a grip Lily," she said to herself as she went over to her computer to switch it off. But she noticed a new message flashing and it could only be Seth, he'd been constantly trying to get her to talk since the dance.

"Cinderella please speak to me, or at least tell me who you are. It's driving me crazy… please?"

Lily bit her lip when she read that message, it was so heartfelt and she knew that he must like her a lot. But she just couldn't do it, he'd freak out if he knew who she really was.

"Lily! My breakfast… now!" Lily jumped at that and then sighed, another morning being Rachel's slave, another day at Uni and then another evening at the diner, just great!

"You're lucky you haven't had that porridge poured over your head yet," Lily mumbled as she grabbed her bag and jacket and then headed out the door.

"Lily it's been 3 days since the dance" Josh said as they got out of the car to head into class.

"So" Lily said as she slammed the door shut and locked it.

"So… have you spoken to Seth since?"

"No why would I?"

"Maybe because you're his Cinderella and his new crush"

"Oh come on Josh it's not like that"

"Oh really?"

"Yes really, it's not like he's freaking out over it"

"Has he spoken to you?"

"Yeah he's tried"

"And have you replied?"

"No"

"Why?"

"I just can't"

"What's so bad about it?"

"Because he wants to know the real me"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I'm not sure"

"What's holding you back?"

"I'm a lowlife Uni student, living at home with a wicked step mom, I live in an attic and I don't have any real life dreams for my future"

"Yes you do"

"But I don't Josh that's the thing, I haven't heard from that book company in weeks, I'm putting all my hopes into that book and if it gets rejected… I'll be crushed. And then what do I do? Where do I go from there?"

"You pick yourself up and keep on writing, I've read your book and I think it's amazing"

"You do?"

"Yes, your writing is beautiful they'll love it"

"Thanks Josh"

"You're welcome, but we still haven't sorted this whole Seth issue out"

"There's lots of problems with it"

"Name two"

"Okay, he's famous worldwide, he's a millionaire, he used to date Amy, he knows my stepsisters and just everything else!"

"Oh yeah... i forgot he knows them"

"Exactly, they follow Amy around, so who knows what he's heard about me"

"Yeah that is a pickle"

"Exactly! Which is why I'm just gonna let it go and move on. He'll forget about me soon enough" Josh nodded and then continued to follow Lily through the crowds in the hallways.

But somebody stopped them and said "Hey man, take one of these"

"What is it?"

"This guy came in earlier with a bunch of fliers and asked if I could hand them out"

"Oh okay" Josh said a little surprised as he took the leaflet and watched the kid walk off.

"Oh god" He heard Lily say next to him.

"What? What?" he asked and then Lily pointed to the flier she'd been given. It was like a missing person's advert but it had a picture of Cinderella but with no face, "Have You Seen This Girl?" it had written on the top and then had some small details along the bottom.

"Oh man" Josh said a little surprised, "Somehow I don't think he's going to forget you"

"Did that kid just say that Seth had been in here?"

"Sounded like it yeah"

"So Seth's here?"

"Yeah"

"Right now?"

"Yes"

"Oh crap"

"Why is that bad? Now you can finally go and tell him the truth"

"No I can't do that" Lily said as she crumpled the leaflet up and continued to walk with her head down.

Josh caught up with her and said "Lily he's seriously looking for you everywhere, please please tell him it was you!"

"Josh it's better to keep it is a dream, I couldn't ruin everything with reality, he'd hate me"

"Now you're lying to yourself"

"I am not lying it's true"

"Whatever" Josh said making Lily glare at him, she couldn't believe this was happening.

Seth was actually in the Uni looking for her!

"What is all that noise?" Josh said as they walked further down the corridor heading towards what sounded like, a group of girls screaming and cheering.

"I have no idea, early football excitement?" Lily suggested as they walked further ahead. There was a football match in a couple of day's time and the whole Uni was buzzed about it.

"I don't think that's what it is," Josh said as he'd managed to catch a glimpse of what was happening. It looked like Seth was still here and had a group of screaming girls following him. Lily had managed to squeeze through to the front of the crowd to see it for herself and her eyes widened when she saw Seth.

"Oh crap" she said quietly as she watched him walking down the corridors looking around at all the girls, he looked like he was desperately trying to pick out the girl he'd met at the dance, but Lily kept her head down. She messed with her blonde hair trying to get it to block her eyes but when she looked up and saw that Seth was staring in her direction.

Lily felt the butterflies in her tummy and all she could think of was "Please don't come over, please don't come over!" If he saw her and recognised her she was screwed, he'd said he loved her eyes so she kept looking at the floor and not at Seth.

"Lily it's alright he's gone" she heard Josh say beside her; she looked back up and saw that Seth had walked off outside shaking his head. Looks like he'd never find his Cinderella.

"Man I can't believe he's actually here" Josh said surprised making Lily look at him,

"Wonder what Amy's doing about it"

"She can't do anything, they broke up remember?"

"She's evil and scheming, she'll come up with something"

"Lets not think about her, it's time for class"

"Okay" Lily replied and then followed Josh towards the classroom for another boring lecture. But Lily knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate with Seth in the building.

Rachel had just finished all of her errands and decided to have a rest in the living room. But just as she was about to sit down, the mail clanged through the door, one letter dropping with a big thud. Rachel sighed and then realised she'd have to go and fetch it because Lily wasn't around to do it. She could call her to get her to come home and pick it all up, but that would mean going into the kitchen and getting her cell phone… nah!

"Hmm more bills" Rachel said as she crouched down and picked up all the mail, especially the heavy one that hit the floor with a thud. She sat herself down in one of the chairs and sorted through everything.

From junk, to unpaid bills to… ahhh… what do we have here? A letter addressed to Lily, surely that wasn't right? She wasn't allowed to have mail, especially ones that are from a top writing academy.

Rachel opened the big envelope and slid out the letter and read it carefully:

Dear Lily,

Congratulations! It is indeed a pleasure to tell you that your book has been accepted and will be published at the beginning of the autumn fall! It was absolutely wonderful and I enjoyed reading it, we are excited to tell you that you have definitely been accepted into our writing academy!

More details are enclosed to tell you more about your own studio apartment, if you have any queries please do contact us.

Once again, congratulations and welcome aboard!

Charlotte Campbell

"What!" Rachel shouted as she read the letter again and again, Lily was going to be a published writer? Since when!

"That little snake!" Rachel shrieked as she threw the letter down, now what was she supposed to do? Who was going to clean the house and do all of her dirty work? That would mean Lily would leave the diner as well!

"This won't do" Rachel said as she folded her arms and glared at the letter.

Lily could never see this!

Rachel would have to come up with something to keep her here forever, whether Lily liked it or not.