The Cinderella Punk

The Cinderella Punk [Edited]

I looked around at all the graffiti painted on the wall of the garage.I was in Tyler's garage. His parents had allowed us to paint it on the day of Tyler's fifteenth birthday. Now that I think about it,Tyler's parents were cool with almost everything we did. He sure was a lucky kid.

"Earth to Elle. Earth to Elle."

I looked up, momentarily surprised as I stared at the face before me. I smiled and pushed away Dani who was squatting down in front of me.The action made her fall flat on her bum making me and Tyler, who were both sprawled on the battered couch, laugh.

"Har har. Very funny you guys. Let's see you fall on your but with grace," huffed Dani who was dusting of her immaculate clothes.

I stifled my laughter and pulled her into a friendly hug.

"Sorry,I was just spacing out for a moment," I apologized, ruffling her hair.

She pouted at me before sticking out her tongue. I laughed out loud before sitting myself down to continue studying my algebra. After all these years, I still had Tyler and Dani to count on. They were my best friends and no one could compare to them.

"So Elle. Who you gonna fight with this Saturday?"

I looked up to see both Dani and Tyler looking at me expectantly. Their large eyes, sparkling with anticipation had me laughing in amusement.

"You guys know how the Ring works, I have a go with whoever they put me up with," I replied as nonchalantly as I could even as a smile was threatening to appear on my lips.

The thought of the upcoming match reminded me of how I even got into the sport I was in now. It was the night of my parents wedding anniversary. I had snuck out of the house, intending to visit my parents grave and celebrate it with them. With Fiona around, I did not have the freedom to do as I wished. I was constantly under her iron whip, forced to do as she commanded. Ever since my father's death, Fiona had all but locked me up in the house. 

The only"charity" she did was to pay for my school fees and allowing me to attend school. But even that was held against me; saying it was a debt that I was accumulating.

 But that day was a special day and I was determined to get out. I had mustered up the courage to open the windows of the attic I was staying in and climbed down towards freedom.

I was walking down the quiet and empty street towards the graveyard,being careful to stick to the shadows. The night air was crisp, the wind was blowing my hair around my face. I shivered as the cold bit into my skin but I had no warm clothes. I was never given such a privilege. 

It was these kind of nights that I found the courage to sneak out for a brief respite from the suffocating prison. Even treated the way I was, as a slave, I never complained. I knew that with every hardship, there came ease and happiness. One just had to be patient. I looked up at the stars, noting two that shone brighter than the others. I smiled knowing that Father and Mother were happy and smiling down at me from heaven.

I was abruptly cut off from my own thoughts when I rammed into someone.I was about to apologize when I came face to face with a burly-looking man. His hair was up in a tomahawk-don't-mess-with-me kind of style. He attempted to look as intimidating as he could as he stared down at me but I knew otherwise. After all, I have been living with monsters for a while now. I knew the difference. So instead of apologizing, I flashed him a small smile.

"You look cool with that hair," my eleven year–old self said staring up at him curiously.

I was wearing my house maid clothes that were plain, thin and a little tattered. My feet were bare and dirty, with dirt-smeared nails. I saw his eyes taking in my clothes and bare feet. Some sort of emotion fleeted across his face, caught between shock and curiosity. I watched as his face suddenly morphed from one that was scowling and thunderous to friendly and warm. He smiled down at me and crouched down so that he was staring straight into my eyes. I stepped back,wary of the sudden movement.