Sorry guys! For the oh-so-very-late update!
But it's here now! And you know how I do two segments for each chapter? Well, I'm short on time right now so I just decided to do one segment for this, and it's Peter's POV. He gets his happy ending! Yay! Well, without Alice, but still. I worked with what I have.
Thanks to Flying By Wire, Avril Lambert, The LonelyMonstersCompanion, LexiBear98, Cookie Cutter, and Nash Grier Is Da Guy for reviewing.
Enjoy!
This isn't the Cindy that I used to know.
-A Very Angry Peter
P.S. No. Wait. Hold on. I came off pretty mad. Let me rephrase: if Cindy's happy, I'm happy. I wish all the best for her—as long as she doesn't turn into a snob.
-A slightly calmer Peter
Peter marched down the street, Pluto tugging on his green leash as hard as he possibly could.
"Pluto, would you stop?" Peter was already pissed off after a week of staying alone without Cindy at the Tremaine house. No one to speak to, no one to confide in, no one to visit after lights out. It was like prison. And Lady Tremaine had not yet hired a maid, and she was not exactly one to cook.
Peter marched along the streets, trying not to groan as a few preppy girls giggled at Pluto yanking him along.
Finally, Peter had to sit down and breathe. Pluto plopped beside him, tired out from their little "adventure."
"Who do you think is the master here: you or me?" Peter demanded, mopping sweat from under his reddish bangs. "Why do you think you can drag me around like a bag of crap? Huh?" Peter gave Pluto's furry bottom a light, playful swat, and Pluto licked Peter's hand.
Suddenly, Pluto took off running, the leash dangling behind him.
"Oh, no." Peter jumped to his feet. "PLUTO!" He ran after the dog, feet pumping against the sidewalk, heart racing, afraid to breathe. "Oh, dear God," Peter prayed, sprinting after the haywire dog. "Oh, dear God, please let him slow down or something so I can grab that damn leash."
Peter swung for the leash but only succeeded in tripping over his own feet and landing heavily on the sidewalk, scraping his chin open. Blood leaked onto the pavement, and Peter silently cursed himself.
Pluto changed courses and shot to the right, entering a driveway.
"No!" Peter yelled, twisting his head around and crawling to the gateway. The door opened and a maid in a black and white uniform went out, carrying a green watering can. As soon as she had stepped onto the porch, she uttered a little scream and sidestepped as Pluto barreled through the doorway and into the house, joyful barks flying out of his open, slobbery mouth.
"God, no. Pluto!" Peter shot into the driveway, running, arms flailing, down towards the porch. He took the porch steps three at a time and jumped forward, grabbing the door. He had no clue who's house this was, but he had to apologize and get that frickin' dog out of here.
"Sorry," he told the maid. "I'm so sorry—that was my dog. I'll get him out of here."
The maid didn't reply, just clutched the watering can to her chest as Peter bolted inside, screaming, "Pluto!"
He found Pluto parked on his haunches in the room nearest to his left, his front paws up on a cream colored sofa, licking a girl with golden brown hair. The girl was laughing and petting him, and Peter hurried forward, finally closing his fingers gratefully around Pluto's leash.
"I'm sorry!" he said, beginning to pull the dog away, and suddenly, the girl raised her head.
It was Cindy.
"Cindy?!" Peter was bewildered. He barely recognized Cindy Tremaine, even after the years he had known her. Her golden hair was no longer thin and dull; it smelled like passionfruit and was fluffy and thick and shiny. Her skin was clear and dewy—as always—and she wore a pretty lace dress with a blue belt that ended right above her knees. She wasn't wearing a grubby rag around her head to pull her hair back—it was loose and free and longer since he had last seen her. She was also wearing makeup—the expensive kind from Sephora or MAC that brought out her cornflower blue eyes and her full pink lips.
"Peter?" Cindy stood up and lunged forward. She locked her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.
Peter could do nothing but stand there as Cindy bounced like an actual freaking Barbie Doll that had come alive. Cindy leaned back from the hug and frowned. "Your chin!"
"I fell," Peter told her, not giving any details.
Cindy quickly moved on to what she was going to say. "Peter, do you see this place?" Cindy grabbed his hands and actually twirled around the room.
"It's nice." Peter glanced around. It was certainly nothing short of fancy, but having lived it up in the Tremaine House all his life, Peter certainly didn't see anything special about it. "What's different from here and the Tremaine House?" he demanded. He was feeling a bit...on the edge and protective of Cindy at this point.
Cindy frowned. "For one thing, I'm not a servant here, Peter!" she snapped. "Here I have a boyfriend who loves me and a room to myself and room to breathe and...I have a LIFE here, Peter! This is a HOME!"
Peter stumbled back, almost tripping over Pluto, who had a calm wise look that infuriated him.
"Well, okay!" Peter yelled. "I'm glad you love your new house while I live in hellhole."
"Peter, that house was my hellhole for the last ten years!" Cindy shrieked, picking up a pillow to hit him with it.
Peter stopped. He was causing these problems. He had to stop. Cindy was already looking upset.
"Okay, okay." Peter held up a hand, almost as if waving a white flag to make Cindy stop.
She held the pillow in midair, glaring at him, Pluto lying in between them like a line between two warring countries. "I'm sorry, Cindy. I'm sorry."
Cindy dropped the pillow. "God, Peter. What are we thinking?" She sat down, and Pluto crawled over to her feet again.
Peter sat down next to her. "I guess Stepmother found her Cindy replacement." He jerked his thumb at himself and rolled up his shirtsleeve to point at a large purple and black bruise.
Cindy's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?!"
"Yeah. I mean, I texted Alice and told her, and she told me to call the cops and turn Stepmother in."
Cindy tilted her head. "Oh, Peter. And?"
"I turned her in."
Cindy covered her mouth. "You did?"
Peter nodded after a moment of flashback. "Yeah. I did. I reported physical abuse of stepchildren."
Cindy nodded quietly. "She gave you that bruise."
Peter nodded back. "She heard the whole conversation I had with the policeman through the bathroom door."
Cindy closed her eyes. "Stop. Don't tell me."
"She went right back downstairs, grabbed that broom, and came back up to my door. I opened the door, phone in hand, and she grabbed my shoulder, threw the phone across the room, threw me to the floor—"
"Peter, please," Cindy said, raising her arms as if they would create a soundproof barrier. "Stop."
"She hit me hard." Peter continued. "All over the place. I was aching terribly, and I knew what you were going through everytime you didn't do something the way she wanted, or forgot a chore, or fell asleep on the job. The pain, and the panic."
Cindy ran a hand through Peter's hair.
A voice jerked them out of their memories.
"Who's this?" A young man was standing on the steps, staring at the two of them on the couch.
Pluto immediately jumped up to greet him.
The man petted Pluto and let Pluto run his tongue over his arms, and then pushed him away to glance at Cindy.
"Char!" Cindy got up and hurried over. "Char, this is Peter."
Char's face broke into a jovial smile. "Peter! Peter Tremaine?"
Peter shrugged. "The one and only."
Char rushed forward and pumped Peter's hand up and down. "Sir, I've been wanting to meet you since the day you saved that boy Jim up onstage at the Execution. It takes a brave boy to do that."
"Thanks." Peter looked Char up and down. He was too rich for Peter's taste. Instead, Peter grabbed Pluto's leash and began to walk him towards the door.
"Oh, Peter, you aren't leaving now, are you?" Cindy looked dismayed, and she grabbed his shirtsleeve.
"Yeah, actually." Peter sighed. "I am."
Cindy shook her head rapidly. "I will tie you to the floor if I have to, Peter, but I'm not letting you go home to that...that...that bitch!"
Peter choked. "Cindy!" Never had he ever heard that girl say a single word against Lady Tremaine. Never. He had never even heard her say a swear word, despite all she had been through.
"She can hurt me," Cindy hissed. "But she cannot hurt those that are important to me. I won't let her."
"What are you talking about?" Char jutted in, eyes flitting from Peter to Cindy.
Cindy gazed at Peter, willing him to speak.
"My mother," he said at last. He couldn't bring himself to say the words. Instead, he rolled up his sleeve and let Char see for himself.
Finally, Char just shook his head. "You can't go back," he said at last. "It would be suicide."
Peter didn't respond. Just stood there. I don't need charity, he wanted to snap. He wasn't even sure where his thoughts lay. They were scattered, like fallen game cards. One part of him wanted to keep Cindy. He didn't want to give his best friend away. It was a sense of protectiveness, but he knew she wanted her love too.
"You'll have to stay." Char shook his head. "Did you report your...er, mother?"
"She's not my real mother." Peter suddenly felt the desire to say that out loud. "I was adopted from an orphanage."
Char blinked. "Oh. I see. Well, did you report her?"
Peter nodded, standing awkwardly, holding a jumpy Pluto's leash gingerly so he wouldn't bolt anywhere else.
Cindy looked sadly at him, holding Char's forearm.
Char turned his head. "Well, if you reported her, then the cops should be in soon to cart her off. Then shouldn't the house belong to you?"
"She has daughters," Peter chirped, shaking his head. "Anastasia and Drisella. The house goes to them. Well, Mother would rather give the house to her cat Lucifer than me."
Char winced. "Well, that's tough." Then he brightened. "You could stay here, Peter. You're absolutely welcome here."
Peter was taken aback. He didn't expect such kindness from a stranger. He reeled backwards towards the door, gripping the leash, them stepped forward. "I don't wanna intrude," he told Char, dark eyes hardening underneath the flow of his reddish bangs.
"Naw, man." Char grinned. "We're cool. I'm good with this. And I'm sure my dad will be too."
Peter was overflowing with gratitude. Happy endings didn't just come like this. This was like a test wrapped in a happily ever after and tied with the bow of dreams.
But Peter just sucked in air. If you want to throw a storm at me, life, Peter thought, like hell this boy can take it. After all, I've been through enough drama for a lifetime.
Peter stepped forward. "I'll stay."
Cindy smiled. And for one thing, there was no secrets in her smile. It was the only happiness Peter wanted.
Awww! Hope you liked!
3+ reviews and I update.
I think...two more chapters and the story will be done. The Triton Girls will settle out, and Bronson Gang is already over. So we should be pretty much good to go!
And a last bit about Hades and a "mystery character" that you will soon get to know a bit.
*mysterious smirk*
Byeeee, guys! Enjoy your summer!