Thanks you guys, all who reviewed. I've been trying to make each chapter pretty interesting. Enjoy this chapter! I'm having TONS of FUN writing this!

She just started working here. She's gorgeous. But that's my problem.

-Jim

Jim continued to watch the redhead waittress talk on the phone.

" 'Kay," she said, ending the conversation abruptly and turning off her iPhone with its purple and green striped silicon case.

Jim walked up to her. "Want something to drink?"
The redhead looked up. "What did you say?"

Jim shrugged. "You been here a couple hours, want something to drink?"
The redhead blinked. "Uh, okay."
Jim led her into the back kitchen. "Lemonade? Milk? Juice?"
"Just—water," Redhead said, sitting down on a chair Jim directed her to.
Jim poured her a glass of icy water, and Redhead gulped it down.

"You're new, right?" Jim asked. "You never worked here before today."
"I applied for the job last week, as a waittress," Redhead said with a tired smile. "I'm Ariel, by the way. Ariel Triton."
"Ariel Triton?" Jim raised his eyebrows. "Your dad? The YMCA sponsor? The Save-The-Environment crap—"

Ariel grinned "Exactly."
Jim grinned back. "I always thought you guys were those rich-ass swim-race winning girls. Emphasis on rich."
"What's your point?" Ariel demanded.

Jim shrugged. "Eh, I never thought I'd find one of the Triton girls working in a drafty diner like the Benbow."
"We need the extra money."
Jim barked out a laugh. "Extra money?"
Ariel sighed. "You wouldn't understand. Girl stuff."
Jim shrugged again, poured himself a glass of juice and grabbed a tray of dirty dishes to wash.

"What's your name again?" Ariel asked, putting her glass in the sink.

"Jim."
Ariel smiled at him, and then a tiny alarm on her cell phone rang. She looked down. Then she gasped. "I gotta go. Homework."
Jim nodded. "Sure. Grab your paycheck from my mom up front."
Ariel smiled. "Okay." A Facetime request came in. From Alana. Ariel leaned against the door and pressed ANSWER.

"Ariel?" Alana grinned and waved.

"Calm down," Ariel frowned. "I'm on my way home."
She realized, self-consciously, that Jim was watching over her shoulder. Ariel reached over and flirtatiously smacked his shoulder. "Jim, go away!"

Jim held up his hands and began to back off, when suddenly, Alana let out a squeal of delight. "Hey, wait!" she called. "Who are you?"
Jim glanced down into the screen. "Ariel's workmate. Jim."

Alana giggled. "Well, Ariel, aren't you lucky. Money and Mr. Gorgeous."
Jim ran a hand through his hair. "Me?"
Alana laughed. "Do you see another Mr. Gorgeous?"
Jim smiled at her.

"Alana, enough!" Ariel shrilled. "I'm coming home, okay? Stop flirting!"

Alana cackled. "Girrrrrrl, jealous much?" When Ariel just continued to glare at Alana, Alana shrugged. "He's yours, Ariel. I don't see him every day at work anyway. Keep your clothes on."
Ariel gasped, and Jim choked back a laugh.

Ariel reached for the END button.

"Hold up!" Alana raised her hands. "Just wanted to say that the house will be empty when you get home. Daddy will be home late, and we're all going shopping. But not Arista. She's sick. We would have taken you, but you have work."
"All good," Ariel said weakly.

"By the way," Alana lowered her voice to a whisper. "Invite Sexy Waiter to our party."
Ariel gasped. "No! I only just met him today!"

Alana smiled. "Who cares? If you don't want him, I'll take him. He's hawt!"

Ariel rolled her eyes. "You're such a sl—"

"Don't say it," Alana warned. "Ciao, Ariel!"
The Facetime call ended.

Ariel just stood there, considering Alana's request. Then she shook her head and started walking out the door. "Bye, Jim," she called.

"Bye."
She collected her paycheck from Sarah Hawkins and started walking out the door, but she stopped.

As Jim continued washing dishes, he heard a noise by the door. He turned. "Ariel? What's wrong?"
Ariel smiled timidly. "Would you like to come to a party tomorrow?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Peter's ideas are very bright and fun for him, but I always find a crack in his plans. If he only listened, he wouldn't have gotten arrested a few days later.

-Cindy

"That's your plan?" Cindy was doubtful as she stared at Peter.

Peter nodded. "I saw that big jewel thingy around Princess Kida's neck at the assembly at school. I was thinking—how much money could that thing get us? I could buy us both a first-class college education, get us both dorm rooms for several years, buy you nice clothes, get us both away from Lady Tremaine."
Cindy sighed. "Peter, your plan is nice, but stealing is wrong. And even if you do steal, how are you gonna manage that? The crystal is around the Princess's neck."
Peter smiled. "I have my ways. And what I'm going to do first is buy you a gorgeous dress for the party."
Cindy blinked. "Uh, what party?"
"The party tomorrow night. At the Triton place. Andrina Triton invited me."
Cindy was in total disbelief. "Andrina Triton invited you to a party? Peter, Triton's daughters are the most flirty, sexpot low-life girls ever!"

Peter narrowed his eyes. "Cindy, how would you know? You've practically been a prison in here for your whole life!"

He regretted his words as soon as had spoken them.

Cindy looked at him, stunned. "Peter, how could you say that to me?"
Peter looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry. That didn't come out like I meant it to."
Cindy began to cry. "Sometimes I'm so tired of life, you know? Like, I miss my dad and mum, and freedom, and going to school, and not frickin' scrubbing the floors until my damn fingers are bleeding!"
Tears streamed down Cindy's face.

Finding no other words inside him, Peter pulled Cindy close to him and just let her cry as he stroked her hair.

He vowed he'd make things better.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The moon gleamed above, and Peter crept stealthily forward towards Baker Guesthouse, run by Eudora Baker and her daughter, Tiana.

It was a little cottage, made of bricks, ivy wrapped around the pillars. The windows were glass and easily breakable with a rock.

Peter stashed a rock in his pocket, adjusted the black cotton ski mask over his face, and crept towards the ivory trellis. He climbed carefully. He peeked through each window, and spotted Princess Kida.

Dressed in just a light blue bra thing and what looked like the tiniest shorts in history, wrapped in a blanket, Kida was asleep.

Peter pressed his fingers around the rock. Did he dare to do this? Then he smacked the rock into the window.

No alarms sounded. No cop cars screamed their ways down the streets. Peter let out a breath and climbed in through the window, knocking over a little wooden chair.

He gasped. "Crap!"
Kida stirred, but didn't wake.

Peter leaned forward, shifted the green blanket backwards so he could see her front.

The Crystal glowed and hung around her neck, and Peter could smell fresh soap on her and see into her cleavage.

Forcing himself not to look, Peter pulled the knife away from his belt and severed the silky gray cord that fastened the Crystal to Kida's neck.

The crystal fell into his hands, and Peter stuffed it into his pockets.

Heart pounding hard, he jumped back out through the window and down the street, silent as a shadow.

After all, he had gotten what he wanted.