"Cinder?!" Jeff called to her in the garage. He looked all around
and saw no sight of her. All he could see was her mustang and all he could
hear was the stereo on the counter cranked up singing the latest from Sean
Paul. "Cinder?!" he called once again. He heard the clank of tools and
walked around to the back of the car. Cinder rolled out from under the car
covered in dirt and grease. She looked up at him and smiled.
"Hi ya!" she laughed sitting up.
"Hey, Adam told me you were in here working on the car. What's wrong with it?" he asked kneeling down.
"Oh there's nothing wrong with it," she stated.
"Okay, then what the hell am I missing here? You're working on a car that isn't broken?"
She just laughed and dragged out a neon blue light from under the car. "I'm installing those hot neon lights under my car."
"Oh, why?"
"Because they look sweet and the cars in Fast and the Furious had them," she smiled.
"Ah, I see. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked looking around at the tools.
"Do you honestly think that I wouldn't learn a thing or two about cars when I grew up with Shannon, Adam, Jay, Amy, and all those other guys?"
"True. Sorry to have doubted your knowledge," he laughed.
"So what are you doin here?" she asked him grabbing a cloth and wiping her hands off.
"Shannon, Oscar, Amy, Trish, Matt, Lizzie, Jay, and I were going snowboarding and wanted to know if you wanted to come with us," he said.
"Yeah, sounds like fun. Just give me a few to get cleaned up," she smiled getting to her feet. She turned off the stereo and Jeff followed her into the house.
"I just have one request," he said following her up the stairs.
"What's that?" she asked grabbing her board and gear out of her closet.
"Could you teach me?"
"Jesus, you've never surfed before, you've never snowboarded before, what the hell did ya'll do where you used to live?!" she laughed.
"Dirt biked and went 4-wheeling," he answered.
"Yeah, I'd be glad to teach you. But I'm warning you now, I'm not as good in the snow as I am in the water. Jay's much better than I am. He actually taught me," she shrugged. "I'm gonna jump in the shower real quick. You know the rules. Help yourself to anything and everything!"
"Can I try out your drums?" he asked.
"Yeah, of course, just be careful. I'm thinkin bout selling them."
"What?! Why?"
"For money to get a new surf board."
"Cinder, you can't sell em. What are you gonna do about playing in the band?"
"Just use Shannon's crappy ones."
"But the bass drum is almost broken all the way through."
"I know, but I need a new surf board."
"Please don't sell them, okay?"
"Alright, I'll wait it out."
"Good," Jeff smiled as she skipped off to the shower and Jeff made himself at home in her room.
"Hey Jeff," Adam said walking into his sister's room and rummaging through her dresser.
"Hey man. What are you looking for?" Jeff asked.
"A shirt," he replied.
"In Cinder's drawer?"
"Yeah, well, Alanah and I are going to a frat party tonite and the theme is cross dressing. So I'm borrowing some of Cinder's clothes."
"She's not gonna get pissed?"
"If she does, too damn bad. She's constantly borrowing my shit anyways. Bout damn time that I got a turn at it," Adam said pulling out a tiny spaghetti strapped tank top. "This'll work." He moved onto the Cinder closet and searched through there. He pulled out a plaid pleated skirt that had chains dangling from it. "Hmm, not bad, right? You'd date someone that dressed in this, right?" Adam asked holding the clothes in front of him.
"In the past I would have told you yes, but after seeing you with them, absolutely NOT!" Jeff laughed.
"Ah, well, probably better that way anyways," Adam smiled walking back to his room.
"What was my brother doing in here?" Cinder asked towel drying her hair which had now become faded.
"Believe it or not, he's decided to become a woman," Jeff said seriously. Cinder cocked her head to the side and stared at him, then shrugged.
"Not surprised," Cinder replied. "Where's my cousin?"
"Oh, she's at my house with Shannon waiting for us. Probably messing around with Amy and Trish or something," Jeff said watching her pull on her winter coat. She looked at her pile of stuff and nodded.
"Alright I think I'm ready to go." She picked up her stuff and Jeff followed. She stopped short on the stairs and turned around to him.
"Did you forget something?" he asked starting back up the stairs.
"No, you said that Trish was coming?!" she exclaimed
"Yeah," he answered softly.
"She doesn't snowboard," she said.
"I know, she's gonna sit in the lodge and look pretty," Jeff smiled. Cinder shook her head and continued down the stairs.
***************
"What do ya'll wear at these things?" Lizzie asked Cinder as she searched through the racks of formal dresses. Cinder, who was leaning against the wall of the store reading a surfing magazine, wasn't paying attention. "Cinder Mae Copeland!"
"Huh?" she asked looking up.
"I'm talking to you Miss absent minded," Lizzie laughed.
"Oh, sorry," Cinder apologized rolling up the magazine and sticking it in her back pocket.
"So what's been keeping you away today?" Lizzie asked.
"Nothing, just thinking."
"Obviously, but what about cuz?"
"About the winter formal. I mean I'm expected to go because I'm up for Winter Queen against Dawn Marie, Stacy, Torrie, and Trish, but I don't have a date so I really don't want to go."
"I'm sure you can find a date between now and next week."
"But the person I wanted to go with won't even talk to me."
"So fuck Shane."
"I was going to."
"Yeah, haha, funny. Find someone else. There are plenty of hot guys at that school. What about going with Chris?"
"He's got a date."
"What about Rob?"
"He's going with Sonya."
"Well, um, what about Oscar?"
"Oscar is leaving early to spend winter break with his grandfather in Mexico."
"Jay?"
"Surprisingly, Jay already has a date, some Denise chick he met at work."
"What about dipping into other cliques? Like what about Andrew?"
"He's still hung up on Stacy. Plus he's been a prize ass lately."
"Good God woman! You've got to be the hardest girl to please. What about John Cena?"
"Oh please! John's nothing about but a major loser."
"Randy?"
"Randy's got all those evolution jerks."
"I know! What about Sean O' Haire?"
"Hmm, well, he's definitely hot," Cinder smiled. "Maybe I'll ask him tomorrow."
"Great! Now help me look for a dress," Lizzie said going back to her search. "And I'd suggest you look too."
"I already know the dress I'm wearing," Cinder grinned.
"Ooooo, I bet it's nice by the look on your face," Lizzie smiled with interest.
"Oh, yeah," Cinder nodded as Lizzie seemed to pull off half the rack of dresses to take into the dressing room with her.
***********
As she leaned against her locker in a black long sleeved midriff top and a pair of black cargos, she looked down the hall both ways, trying to get a sight of the guy she was asking to the Winter Formal. She watched many people walk by her, but not one of them was Sean. At one point, Shane had walked by her and a smile grew on her face. He seemed to look right past her to Melissa as he ran up to her, kissing her gently. Cinder looked towards the floor and felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Shannon's baby face and smiled.
"Still no easier, huh?" he asked.
"Not at all," she shook her head.
"Well, Lizzie told me you were thinking about asking Sean O' Haire to the formal. So I just wanted to come and tell you that he just got out of Shop class and is headed towards his locker," he said.
"Thanks Shan. Do you think I should ask him?"
"Well, sure. Why not?"
"I don't know. I mean I know it's been about a month since Shane and I broke up, but I still love him. What if he's just my rebound guy?"
"CC, it's just a date. Just a date to the formal. Not a life time commitment. You have every right to ask him to go with you."
"Ugh, I hate it when you're right!" she laughed.
"So how are we doing Christmas this year?"
"Ugh, Christmas! I totally forgot!"
"Oh sure! You do this every year!"
"I don't know, my house this year?"
"That'll work. So whatcha gettin me?" he asked excitedly.
"Not a damn thing!" she exclaimed pushing him out of her way as she watched Sean walk by. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a man to catch!" She bit on her lower lip as she ran after Sean. "Sean!" she called to him. He turned around and looked at her as she ran up to him. He gave her one of his mischievous grins as he put his hand on her arm and moved her off to the side out of the way of the people in the hallway.
"Hello Cinder," he said in his raspy low voice.
She took a deep breath as he spoke, feeling like she might faint at the sound of his sexy voice. "Um, hey," she replied.
"What can I do for you?" he asked.
"Well, I was just wondering who you were going to the formal with next Friday," she said.
"I'm actually not going with anyone," he replied.
"Oh, well, then, would you like to be my date?" she asked looking up at him.
"Cinder, I would love to go out with you, but I'm not going to the formal. They're not my sort of thing. Sorry," he answered.
"Oh, um, well, that's okay," she said feeling broken hearted.
"I hope you find a date," he said leaving her standing by herself feeling depressed.
"So how'd it go?!" Trish asked as she ran up to her. "I saw you talking to Sean about the dance. When's he picking you up?"
"He's not," Cinder answered solemnly walking down the hall.
"What? He rejected you?!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, Trish, he did. Apparently he doesn't do formals," Cinder sighed stopping at Lizzie's locker and leaning against it next Matt.
"No luck?" Matt asked.
"Nope. Sean doesn't do formals," she said.
"Sorry. There's gotta be someone that'll go with you!" Matt said.
"If not, then oh well, I just won't go," she shrugged.
"You have to go! We'll find you someone!" Trish said putting her hand on Cinder's shoulder as she gripped her books tightly in her other arm. "What about that Rene Dupree guy? He's rather hot!"
"He's a freshman!" Cinder yelled.
"So? Give him a chance!" Trish pushed as Cinder stared walking down the hall.
"Not ever!" Cinder yelled back to her. Cinder was almost to her Italian class when she was pulled into an empty classroom. She looked up at her captor and glared as she crossed her arms.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," she said in an emotionless tone.
"I saw you talking to Sean O' Haire," he said.
"So? Is that supposed to affect me in any way Charlie?"
"Sorry, I just wanted to ask you a question."
"Fine, what?"
"Did you ask him to the formal?"
"Not that it's really your business, but yes I did."
"Did he say yes?"
"No, he did not. He doesn't do formals like I've told EVERYONE else!"
"So then you still don't have a date, right?"
"No Charlie, I don't. Would you PLEASE get to the point?! I'm gonna be late for Italian."
"Well, I don't have a date either. I was kinda hoping to ask you. So, um, Cinder, you wanna go to the dance with me?" he asked sincerely.
"Are you fuckin with me?"
"No, not at this moment in time," he laughed.
"I don't know Charlie. I mean our relationship wasn't very great towards the end. I'm gonna have to think about this. I'll give you an answer tomorrow?" she said.
"Alright, I'll take it," he smiled. She nodded at him and left the room. "I'm getting you back Cinder, if it's the last thing I do. And when I do get you back, you'll never leave me again!"
"Hi ya!" she laughed sitting up.
"Hey, Adam told me you were in here working on the car. What's wrong with it?" he asked kneeling down.
"Oh there's nothing wrong with it," she stated.
"Okay, then what the hell am I missing here? You're working on a car that isn't broken?"
She just laughed and dragged out a neon blue light from under the car. "I'm installing those hot neon lights under my car."
"Oh, why?"
"Because they look sweet and the cars in Fast and the Furious had them," she smiled.
"Ah, I see. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked looking around at the tools.
"Do you honestly think that I wouldn't learn a thing or two about cars when I grew up with Shannon, Adam, Jay, Amy, and all those other guys?"
"True. Sorry to have doubted your knowledge," he laughed.
"So what are you doin here?" she asked him grabbing a cloth and wiping her hands off.
"Shannon, Oscar, Amy, Trish, Matt, Lizzie, Jay, and I were going snowboarding and wanted to know if you wanted to come with us," he said.
"Yeah, sounds like fun. Just give me a few to get cleaned up," she smiled getting to her feet. She turned off the stereo and Jeff followed her into the house.
"I just have one request," he said following her up the stairs.
"What's that?" she asked grabbing her board and gear out of her closet.
"Could you teach me?"
"Jesus, you've never surfed before, you've never snowboarded before, what the hell did ya'll do where you used to live?!" she laughed.
"Dirt biked and went 4-wheeling," he answered.
"Yeah, I'd be glad to teach you. But I'm warning you now, I'm not as good in the snow as I am in the water. Jay's much better than I am. He actually taught me," she shrugged. "I'm gonna jump in the shower real quick. You know the rules. Help yourself to anything and everything!"
"Can I try out your drums?" he asked.
"Yeah, of course, just be careful. I'm thinkin bout selling them."
"What?! Why?"
"For money to get a new surf board."
"Cinder, you can't sell em. What are you gonna do about playing in the band?"
"Just use Shannon's crappy ones."
"But the bass drum is almost broken all the way through."
"I know, but I need a new surf board."
"Please don't sell them, okay?"
"Alright, I'll wait it out."
"Good," Jeff smiled as she skipped off to the shower and Jeff made himself at home in her room.
"Hey Jeff," Adam said walking into his sister's room and rummaging through her dresser.
"Hey man. What are you looking for?" Jeff asked.
"A shirt," he replied.
"In Cinder's drawer?"
"Yeah, well, Alanah and I are going to a frat party tonite and the theme is cross dressing. So I'm borrowing some of Cinder's clothes."
"She's not gonna get pissed?"
"If she does, too damn bad. She's constantly borrowing my shit anyways. Bout damn time that I got a turn at it," Adam said pulling out a tiny spaghetti strapped tank top. "This'll work." He moved onto the Cinder closet and searched through there. He pulled out a plaid pleated skirt that had chains dangling from it. "Hmm, not bad, right? You'd date someone that dressed in this, right?" Adam asked holding the clothes in front of him.
"In the past I would have told you yes, but after seeing you with them, absolutely NOT!" Jeff laughed.
"Ah, well, probably better that way anyways," Adam smiled walking back to his room.
"What was my brother doing in here?" Cinder asked towel drying her hair which had now become faded.
"Believe it or not, he's decided to become a woman," Jeff said seriously. Cinder cocked her head to the side and stared at him, then shrugged.
"Not surprised," Cinder replied. "Where's my cousin?"
"Oh, she's at my house with Shannon waiting for us. Probably messing around with Amy and Trish or something," Jeff said watching her pull on her winter coat. She looked at her pile of stuff and nodded.
"Alright I think I'm ready to go." She picked up her stuff and Jeff followed. She stopped short on the stairs and turned around to him.
"Did you forget something?" he asked starting back up the stairs.
"No, you said that Trish was coming?!" she exclaimed
"Yeah," he answered softly.
"She doesn't snowboard," she said.
"I know, she's gonna sit in the lodge and look pretty," Jeff smiled. Cinder shook her head and continued down the stairs.
***************
"What do ya'll wear at these things?" Lizzie asked Cinder as she searched through the racks of formal dresses. Cinder, who was leaning against the wall of the store reading a surfing magazine, wasn't paying attention. "Cinder Mae Copeland!"
"Huh?" she asked looking up.
"I'm talking to you Miss absent minded," Lizzie laughed.
"Oh, sorry," Cinder apologized rolling up the magazine and sticking it in her back pocket.
"So what's been keeping you away today?" Lizzie asked.
"Nothing, just thinking."
"Obviously, but what about cuz?"
"About the winter formal. I mean I'm expected to go because I'm up for Winter Queen against Dawn Marie, Stacy, Torrie, and Trish, but I don't have a date so I really don't want to go."
"I'm sure you can find a date between now and next week."
"But the person I wanted to go with won't even talk to me."
"So fuck Shane."
"I was going to."
"Yeah, haha, funny. Find someone else. There are plenty of hot guys at that school. What about going with Chris?"
"He's got a date."
"What about Rob?"
"He's going with Sonya."
"Well, um, what about Oscar?"
"Oscar is leaving early to spend winter break with his grandfather in Mexico."
"Jay?"
"Surprisingly, Jay already has a date, some Denise chick he met at work."
"What about dipping into other cliques? Like what about Andrew?"
"He's still hung up on Stacy. Plus he's been a prize ass lately."
"Good God woman! You've got to be the hardest girl to please. What about John Cena?"
"Oh please! John's nothing about but a major loser."
"Randy?"
"Randy's got all those evolution jerks."
"I know! What about Sean O' Haire?"
"Hmm, well, he's definitely hot," Cinder smiled. "Maybe I'll ask him tomorrow."
"Great! Now help me look for a dress," Lizzie said going back to her search. "And I'd suggest you look too."
"I already know the dress I'm wearing," Cinder grinned.
"Ooooo, I bet it's nice by the look on your face," Lizzie smiled with interest.
"Oh, yeah," Cinder nodded as Lizzie seemed to pull off half the rack of dresses to take into the dressing room with her.
***********
As she leaned against her locker in a black long sleeved midriff top and a pair of black cargos, she looked down the hall both ways, trying to get a sight of the guy she was asking to the Winter Formal. She watched many people walk by her, but not one of them was Sean. At one point, Shane had walked by her and a smile grew on her face. He seemed to look right past her to Melissa as he ran up to her, kissing her gently. Cinder looked towards the floor and felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Shannon's baby face and smiled.
"Still no easier, huh?" he asked.
"Not at all," she shook her head.
"Well, Lizzie told me you were thinking about asking Sean O' Haire to the formal. So I just wanted to come and tell you that he just got out of Shop class and is headed towards his locker," he said.
"Thanks Shan. Do you think I should ask him?"
"Well, sure. Why not?"
"I don't know. I mean I know it's been about a month since Shane and I broke up, but I still love him. What if he's just my rebound guy?"
"CC, it's just a date. Just a date to the formal. Not a life time commitment. You have every right to ask him to go with you."
"Ugh, I hate it when you're right!" she laughed.
"So how are we doing Christmas this year?"
"Ugh, Christmas! I totally forgot!"
"Oh sure! You do this every year!"
"I don't know, my house this year?"
"That'll work. So whatcha gettin me?" he asked excitedly.
"Not a damn thing!" she exclaimed pushing him out of her way as she watched Sean walk by. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a man to catch!" She bit on her lower lip as she ran after Sean. "Sean!" she called to him. He turned around and looked at her as she ran up to him. He gave her one of his mischievous grins as he put his hand on her arm and moved her off to the side out of the way of the people in the hallway.
"Hello Cinder," he said in his raspy low voice.
She took a deep breath as he spoke, feeling like she might faint at the sound of his sexy voice. "Um, hey," she replied.
"What can I do for you?" he asked.
"Well, I was just wondering who you were going to the formal with next Friday," she said.
"I'm actually not going with anyone," he replied.
"Oh, well, then, would you like to be my date?" she asked looking up at him.
"Cinder, I would love to go out with you, but I'm not going to the formal. They're not my sort of thing. Sorry," he answered.
"Oh, um, well, that's okay," she said feeling broken hearted.
"I hope you find a date," he said leaving her standing by herself feeling depressed.
"So how'd it go?!" Trish asked as she ran up to her. "I saw you talking to Sean about the dance. When's he picking you up?"
"He's not," Cinder answered solemnly walking down the hall.
"What? He rejected you?!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, Trish, he did. Apparently he doesn't do formals," Cinder sighed stopping at Lizzie's locker and leaning against it next Matt.
"No luck?" Matt asked.
"Nope. Sean doesn't do formals," she said.
"Sorry. There's gotta be someone that'll go with you!" Matt said.
"If not, then oh well, I just won't go," she shrugged.
"You have to go! We'll find you someone!" Trish said putting her hand on Cinder's shoulder as she gripped her books tightly in her other arm. "What about that Rene Dupree guy? He's rather hot!"
"He's a freshman!" Cinder yelled.
"So? Give him a chance!" Trish pushed as Cinder stared walking down the hall.
"Not ever!" Cinder yelled back to her. Cinder was almost to her Italian class when she was pulled into an empty classroom. She looked up at her captor and glared as she crossed her arms.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," she said in an emotionless tone.
"I saw you talking to Sean O' Haire," he said.
"So? Is that supposed to affect me in any way Charlie?"
"Sorry, I just wanted to ask you a question."
"Fine, what?"
"Did you ask him to the formal?"
"Not that it's really your business, but yes I did."
"Did he say yes?"
"No, he did not. He doesn't do formals like I've told EVERYONE else!"
"So then you still don't have a date, right?"
"No Charlie, I don't. Would you PLEASE get to the point?! I'm gonna be late for Italian."
"Well, I don't have a date either. I was kinda hoping to ask you. So, um, Cinder, you wanna go to the dance with me?" he asked sincerely.
"Are you fuckin with me?"
"No, not at this moment in time," he laughed.
"I don't know Charlie. I mean our relationship wasn't very great towards the end. I'm gonna have to think about this. I'll give you an answer tomorrow?" she said.
"Alright, I'll take it," he smiled. She nodded at him and left the room. "I'm getting you back Cinder, if it's the last thing I do. And when I do get you back, you'll never leave me again!"