The Search for Cinderella

Chapter 11

In bold was written across the front page with a photo of Xavier, the shows logo and a group photo of all of us from the talent night.

The article was mainly speculation over who the girl might be after he had spilled about 'fancying' one of the girls on a radio interview this morning.

In another magazine there was a few paparazzi shots of Xavier partying a club and there were at least three photos of him hooking up with different girls. You couldn't see his face clearly, just the back of his head, his brown hair coming out a beanie. You couldn't even verify that this was him in the photos except that the magazine had included a snapshot of his Twitter profile with his tweet reading, 'Great night out at the clubs'. My heart seemed to hurt a little bit as I saw the pictures but I was confused. The other night he was there when Jono gave Coco back to me. That feeling at in my gut told me something was wrong with this.

Before I could read anymore, a fourteen year old girl came up to Rose and I and asked, "Are you Rose and Annie?"

Rose smiles kindly and nods her head. I let out a small chuckle when the girl squeals a little trying to contain her excitement, "Can you sign this please?" She asks with puppy eyes.

Rose laughs and takes the pen signing the receipt the girl held out to us and I sign after. The girl gives us both hugs and then says, "I hope one of you two will win!"

We say thank you to her before we leave the shop so we could get back to the mansion in time.

The second I enter through the double doors, Jo pounces on me and drags me up to my room and pushes me into a seat, "You're late, where have you been?"

I tell her the story of meeting the fan and everything while she does my make up making my eyes dark, covered with eyeliner and mascara topped with gold and black eye shadow and my lips blood red. This time she straightens my dark hair and brushes it so my fringe covers a bit of my eye. One of her assistants paint my nails blood red, the same as my lips.

Soon she pushes me into my wardrobe with some clothes and I change into something I thought I would never have to wear. It's a skin tight black dress with a high neckline but a low cut back and short sleeves which came to midway down my thighs. The dress fits comfortably like a second skin and hugs all my curves. I then slip my feet into black platform shoes with thick straps and a golden heel.

I walk outside and give Jo a look. "What is this?"

She looks at me and grins, "I wanted to try something new. I saw some reports saying that you're too innocent for someone with Xavier's reputation and so I wanted to bring out your dark side."

I shake my head. So far I hadn't seen Xavier's "wild side" whether it just wasn't true, although there are pictures everywhere, or maybe he was just a different person in front of cameras and behind them.

But if that was so, which Xavier is the real one?

I cover myself with my silk robe as I felt so exposed. When Jo pushes me outside and Rose is there in a baby pink, poofy princess dress which finishes above her knees, the robe is ripped off me and Rose grins, "Girl, you look so hot!" she says in a valley girl voice.

I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around my torso but Jo slaps my arms away and shakes her head, "uh-uh," she tuts, "You have to be confident or it doesn't work. You have to prove to America that you can be a bad girl too."

"But I'm not," I mutter.

She shakes her head, "You have to fool them; I know you can do it."

I sigh and Rose and I walk downstairs, me pulling my dress down every step of the way."