Hello all! I apologize for the gap between updates. I still don't own A Cinderella Story. I am still responsible for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Thank you for reading! Enjoy. Even if you don't review please. Reviews are the best!

Same formatting as previous chapters applies.

I nervously paced around the dance floor while half listening to my friends complain about my "missing" costume. I couldn't care less about the fact that they looked like wimps in wigs and just wanted to pace nervously to stave off the nervous breakdown I was sure was coming into being alone for Pete's sake! I also was watching carefully for Shelby as to avoid a scene that I am sure she wanted. Ah, I saw the Queen of the vapid bitches with her minions coming down the stairs and striking a pose as if on a movie set. Just then I saw who had to be Princetongirl. She was so beautiful and someone with half a brain and eyes turned a spot light on her making her glow! She made her way carefully down the stair, almost tentatively to be honest. Though if she were Princetongirl she wouldn't be used to being decked out and big skirts.

I watched in rapture, something I am sure my "friends" noticed, as she made her way to the middle of the dance floor. The cinched it. It had to be her I managed to see her standing while the odd boy who thought he was from outer space walked in circles around her making odd noises. When he finally left the disgruntled princess I carefully approached her. I had no idea what to say and recognized the irony of a poet without words.

Princess girl? I asked tentatively.

Austin Ames? You're nomad? She asked almost sounding appalled. Though at that moment I made myself think of is as a more surprised kind of tone as I didn't need any more nerves at the moment.

Yeah, I guess my costume doesn't do a very good job at hiding who I am. I said with a light attempt at humor.

No, I know exactly who you are. I'm sorry this was a really big mistake. I've gotta go. She said as she picked up her pace at the edge of the dance floor. Leaving me panicking. What had I done for her to say that? She knows who I really am for God's sake! I made a point not to proactively live up to my stereotype like the rest of the people I hung out with, so what made her panic. And I STILL didn't know who she was! I quickly called for her to stop though I took several tries for her to listen.

Wait. It's not a mistake! I said desperately.

Don't you know who I am? She asked quietly. I knew who she was on the inside. I knew her quick mind and sharp words but I didn't know her name. I worried that she would fixate on that. So I said exactly what I meant.

Of course I do!... You're Princetongirl. You're the girl I have been WAITING to meet! I know WHO you are. What's your name? The last part sounded a bit desperate even to me.

We then were interrupted by the odd boy bringing Princetongirl punch.
Damn I thought don't have that place to go anymore. Though looking over I saw Shelby standing there and decided it was for the best. The way the boy, Terry was it?, said my name. God does everybody hate me? He quickly retreated to both of our relief and I continued to cajole Princetongirl into giving me a chance. Though I would expect nothing less than that from the girl I had become enamored with over the course of the last several months.

She got straight to the point with What about your girlfriend?

It's over. I guess you were expecting some guy who hangs out in Starbucks and writes poetry. I didn't really phrase it as a question though she answered in the affirmative anyway. Then she got to the heart of her disbelief.

Come on, you're Austin Ames. You're football captain, Student body president and Closet poet? You can't be both guys.

I'm not

Then who are you?

That was quite a loaded question. I pondered what I could tell her to make her believe that it was real. I was real, not playing a prank on her, not lying just trying to finally shed my fake persona in favor of the real me. I instantly went to one of our conversations.

On September 7th, I wrote you: "I live in a world full of people pretending to be something they're not. I said and slightly smile as she continued
- "But when I talk to you... "

"I am the guy I want to be" Give me a chance to be that guy. I all but begged and then said Join me for a stroll outside. I knew that if I went outside the possibility of me being homecoming prince was practically none which was fine by me. And when she asked about it I told her as much. Finally outside, I realized I still didn't know exactly who she was and it was obvious she wasn't going to tell me so I had to think of a way to figure it out myself.

Would you tell me who you were if I guessed it?

Maybe.

Maybe. Well might as well go for the old icebreaker then. How about we play 20 questions?

How about 10. She suggested with a slight gleam in her eye.

Well, I'll take what I can get. So first question. You do actually go to North Valley High school right? I was both serious and not at the same time. I didn't recognize her for sure but that isn't a huge surprise as there were a lot of kids at my school.

Of Course! She looked amused even as her toned suggested otherwise.

Look, I'm just checking. I mean, you can never be too sure with the internet. I said back playfully thanking whatever deity would listen that I got her to smile.

Okay next question, I said quickly before she could change her mind, were you disappointed when you found out I was Nomad? Be honest. I looked at her to make sure she wasn't hiding anything.

Surprisingly no. She said with a shy smile.

Did you vote for me for student body president? I asked going for something completely different.

Surprisingly yes. She said and I had to wonder what made it so surprising that she thought she wouldn't want to vote for me but I quickly tucked that thought away for later.

Really…. Ok I got it, given the choice would you rather have a rice cake or a Big Mac? This would definitely narrow down the list of possibilities.

A Big Mac she said forcefully, But why does that matter? She asked. I decided to tease her and say, Well I like a girl with a hearty appetite plus you eliminated about have the girls in our grade. I was so thankful that she had said that. With that thought, I realized again that I was running out of questions and running out of time to decipher who this magnificent creature beside me was so I turned and was struck by the look in her eye.