The Gospel Truth (A Disney Fanfic)

Chapter 37. Cinderella

It was the night of the ball and Cinderella was absolutely drained. She had finished all her chores that her stepmother had assigned, but it didn't matter. She was missing the final part of their deal. 

She didn't have a dress to wear.

Cinderella sighed and slumped back against the wall of her room. Maybe next year, she thought to herself. But what would stop her stepmother from doing the exact same thing again? Next year would be her senior year, she didn't want to miss the dances then. Would she be forced to spend her last year in high school in misery? She really hoped not.

Cinderella was so consumed with her thoughts, she almost didn't notice whispering coming from her closet. She slowly opened the door. It creaked loudly and she came face to face with all the kids crammed in her closet.

"Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!" Jaq yelled.

"Uh...Uh...Uh....Happy birthday!" Gus exclaimed. Jaq slapped him on the back of his head.

"My goodness, what are you all doing in here? Come on, let's get you out of here. You could suffocate, especially with the door closed and so many of you in there," Cinderella pulled them out.

Jaq frowned. "We only wanted to surprise you with a present!"

Cinderella smiled. "Oh, really? What present?"

One of the girls hiding behind Linette pointed back towards the closet. "Your dress!"

Cinderella's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Dress..." She looked back towards her mother's dress and gasped.

"Do you like it?" Gus whispered.

Cinderella felt tears well up in her eyes. The pink ball gown had been transformed into a more modern dress. The soft pink fabric didn't extend all the way to the floor, like it used to, and the poofy sleeves had been cut off. The kids had added a sweetheart neckline as well as a white sash that went around the waist. The sewing wasn't perfect, but it was all she could have hoped for.

Cinderella turned to the kids and individually hugged everyone. She was at a loss for words.

"Well let's go so Cinderella can get ready for the ball!" Linette cheered. The kids all chorused together in agreement. They bolted out of the room and wished Cinderella a good night at the dance.

Cinderella still had the biggest smile on her face as she got dressed. She rushed through her makeup and hair to make it downstairs in time. She could hear her stepfamily bustling around last minute and immediately dropped everything to head out towards the house.

"Are you ready, girls?" Her stepmother asked.

"Oh, please wait a moment! I'll be coming with you!" Cinderella said.

Her stepsisters eyes immediately widened at the sight of her. She could see the fury building up in their eyes as they looked towards their mother. "Mother, she can't come!" Anastasia said.

"She really can't!" Drizella agreed.

Cinderella's stepmother motioned for them to calm down. "Girls, please. We did make a bargain, didn't we Cinderella?"

Cinderella confidently nodded. She was not going to let this night be taken away from her now.

"I would never go back on my word...." Her stepmother trailed off. She walked in circles around Cinderella, a vulture waiting to come in and scavenge over what's left of the prey. "These beads though, they give it a nice touch."

Cinderella held a hand up the necklace she wore. The kids had left it with a little note telling her she now had jewelry to wear to the dance. She started to wonder where they had actually acquired it, when it finally struck her.