Joey's life has never felt like it was turning out quite like the way she wanted it to be. When Joey was eleven, her mom had died of lung cancer. After that, her life didn't feel quite like her own. She lived with her Dad and sister, and then later when she was thirteen with her stepmom and her two daughters.
Six months after they came into the picture, Joey's Dad and sister died in a car wreck. She remembered hearing the news and breaking down.
But instead of her stepmom breaking down as well, she decided she would show a forceful side to her that Joey had never seen before. A side that continued to be more and more aggressive, a side that never let her breathe for a second after cleaning and cooking.
That was until one day when her best friend Dawson told her about prom that was coming up that Friday.
"Joey today when you are cleaning the bathrooms make sure you actually clean the bathrooms correctly this time." Her step-sister, Alice said to her.
"Yes, Alice," Joey said.
"Yeah, you really don't exactly clean the bathrooms, you think you do but you really don't. It's disgusting, Joey. I mean really mother will have a fit if she saw how you are cleaning it. Luckily we won't say anything to her." Her other step-sister Scarlett said to her with a wink.
Joey continued to not say anything as she took a basket of clothes off the floor. At sixteen years old, her life only contained of cleaning, picking up groceries, studying, going to school, and doing things that her stepmom and sisters had told her to do. She felt like in some universe this would be considered normal but she knew better than to think that.
She still had friends but never got to do the things she used to do with them. Dawson and her haven't had a sleepover in three years since she could never really leave the house.
She would get screamed at when he came over but she didn't care at this point she felt like she needed him more and more each day. She needed that human connection especially when she was home.
Joey started to walk up the stairs with the basket of laundry but then heard the doorbell ring. She just stood there for a few seconds while her stepsisters stared up at her as if she was stupid for not getting the door right away.
She walked downstairs and opened the door to see Dawson standing there. "Hey."
"Hi."
Suddenly, Joey saw a tall boy with light brown curly hair and when she looked up at his eyes she was mesmerized by how blue they were.
"Hey. Pacey." The boy said as he took his hand to shake hers.
But before she could shake his hand, her two stepsisters ran up to them.
Scarlett pushed Joey out of the way and smiled at the young boy in front of her. While Alice shook his hand.
Joey felt Scarlett's black hair rub against her face while Alice stared longingly into Pacey's eyes.
Dawson cleared his throat as he watched this. "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."
Joey nervously put the laundry basket down and looked around. Her stepmom wasn't home due to work and she needed to get out of this house.
"Sure," Joey whispered as she started to walk out the door.
"No, no, no. You aren't going anywhere." Scarlett said.
"I am just stepping outside for a minute-"
"Our mother would not be happy with you. I will tell her if you walk out that door." Scarlett added as Alice nodded her head at this.
Joey felt anger rising inside of her body but she stopped herself before she let her anger completely out. If she didn't do what her stepsisters say now, then she would get even more chores and punishments than needed to be.
"I am sorry, Dawson," Joey said quietly as she picked up her laundry basket.
Before she could walk away, Pacey suddenly spoke.
"How about I come inside and keep you girls company while Dawson and Joey talk."
Alice and Scarlett suddenly changed their minds about her mom not liking the fact that she was going out for a minute. The two grabbed Pacey's hand and pulled him inside.
Joey rushed outside before they suddenly could change their minds.
"I think we got at least five minutes. If they tell Patricia then they can just bite me." Joey said with an eye roll.
"I was wondering if you like to go to the prom with me."
"With you?"
"Yeah, Friday night."
"Sure, I would love-" Joey started to say but then saw Patricia pull up.
"Dawson, you need to get out of here." She quickly said while pushing him away and then raced inside and grabbed Pacey's arm.
"Woah." He said as her two stepsisters angrily looked at her. Before she could get him off of the yard, Patricia was face to face with her.
"What the hell is this?" She said in shock as she looked at Pacey and Joey.
"Mrs. Potter, I am sorry it's my fault," Dawson said to her.
"I don't want to hear it, Josephine, get inside."
"Yes ma'am," Joey whispered as Patricia took her arm.
Pacey stared as she walked up the driveway to the front door as Dawson waved at her.
Once Joey got inside, all three ladies were onto her about the boys coming over with enough threats and nagging to tell them what Dawson had wanted Joey to do Friday night.
"Oh, no. You aren't going anywhere. You brought a boy home into my house and then you deliberately disobey me with a rule I have placed after your stepsisters told you I wouldn't like it. You aren't going anywhere."
"I am going," Joey said to her.
"Excuse me?"
"I am going whether you like it or not. Ask your daughters what they did while I was outside. I dare you. Well, you can bite me Patricia because I am going."
Alice and Scarlett looked shocked as their mother, nodded her head.
"Test me, again, Josephine. I dare you. Because trust me, sweetheart, I will make your life a living hell."
Joey looked at her stepmom dead in the eyes and simply said. "Test me, too and I will do everything in my power to make your life a living hell as well," Joey said.
"Fine, you can go if you do every chore on this list," Patricia said to her as she started writing down a bunch of chores on a piece of paper.
"Mother, you are not really letting her-"
Patricia held out her finger to quiet her daughter down. "If you can find a dress and do all these chores by Friday. That gives you three days, then you shall be able to go to the prom. If you fail to do so, you are grounded and you will never ask for anything again."
Joey stared at her stepmom and was shocked as much as the two daughters were.
"Mother," Alice said.
"You have a deal," Joey said as she smiled and walked up the stairs.
"Oh, Josephine. You are going to need this list."
Joey walked over and smiled as she took the list.
She did all fifty chores that her stepmother had listed, it took her all day Wednesday and all day Thursday. Not to mention how school took most of her time. She still studies at lunch and refused to talk to anyone.
When Thursday night, came around she stayed up all night to make her dress. She used the book her Mom made when she was her age and by the end of it, the sleeveless black dress was perfect for tomorrow.
When Friday night came around she walked down the stairs and shocked everyone. But she was told that she would get a ride from Pacey and Dawson for prom but as soon as she saw her stepmother and sister's eyes she knew it was going downhill.
"You aren't going," Patricia said to her.
"We made a deal. I finished all the chores just like you wanted, I even made my dress."
"Did you now?" Her stepmom said as she walked around Joey in circles.
"Yes, it took me hours, I am most definitely going to that prom."
"What would happen if that dress happened to get… I don't know ruined?"
"What are you even-" Joey started to say but then Alice and Scarlett started ripping and ruining every part of her dress.
Joey fell to the floor in tears, she was giving up. She didn't see the point in going anymore.
"Come on, girls. Let's go to your prom. I have a date tonight and we need to drop you off now."
Alice and Scarlett walked out while laughing as Joey sobbed on the floor.
"Oh and Josephine… clean up this mess. We will be back by midnight. I need this place sparkling when I get back."
Then they were gone.
Joey laid on the floor for what felt like forever but she got herself back together and went upstairs and fixed her dress. She had less than thirty minutes to get to that prom and she was determined to go. She called Dawson to tell him not to pick her up and that she will find a ride.
Even though her stepmom was unable to solve the fact that Joey was human, she did have her driver's license so she could go to the store. But Joey had always been too scared over what her stepmom would say if she took Alice or Scarlett's car but if she could make it back by midnight all of that could change.
Twenty minutes later, her dress was more perfect than it was before. She had found her mom's bracelet and put it on. Everything was absolutely perfect.
She raced to the car and drove to the dance. She felt like a princess when she parked her car. She looked down at her bracelet and made a wish that was tonight I will find a reason to continue prove Scarlett, Alice and Patricia wrong.
When she walked into the dance room, she walked up to Pacey and Dawson who were standing there. She explained what happened with her stepmom and sisters. But as she was explaining she could feel Alice and Scarlett's eyes on her.
Suddenly Pacey interrupted her, "Dance with me."
Joey looked up at him and she took his hand as he led her on the dance floor.
"You know, I just met you today but I think you are the most gorgeous woman in this whole place." He whispered. "Really?" Joey said as she felt her cheeks turn pink.
"Yes."
"Do you want to do me a favor?" Joey asked him.
"And what would that be?"
"Kiss me."
Pacey smiled as he leaned her back and kissed her. She felt like a princess. She was most definitely a princess. She felt like Cinderella when the prince and her were walking into the garden. Special and important.
But unlike Cinderella, she didn't know that Pacey was her happily ever after. That Pacey was the one she would marry one day. The fact that the boy she just met was her true love.
Unlike Cinderella, she didn't care what happened if the magic went away. In her eyes, the magic had just begun with that kiss.
"Thank you." She said breathless and amazed by his soft lips that were now pressing against her cheek.
"Anytime," Pacey said with a smile as he watched Scarlett and Alice walk away. Joey knew one thing that she hasn't felt before in her life. The fact that he felt it too, he felt memorized by the kiss so much that he started to kiss her again.
That's where their fairytale had begun. Where their love had started and the sparks were beginning to fly. Maybe her wish she made on the bracelet did come true. She was proving them wrong, that they can tear her to shreds but she would still manage to find courage. She had just found out what it was like to be seen as beautiful and loved by a young boy who had just met her. Just like Cinderella did.
