Not Another Cinderella Story...

~Chapter 1~

Copyright© 2020

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher (me!).

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. 

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~Chapter One~

"Cindy!" My Step Mom yells from downstairs.

Not again...

"Coming ma'am" I yell back before quickly grabbing my backpack and heading down.

"Where do you think you're going?" Margery folds her arms across her chest, greeting me at the bottom of the stairs.

" Yeah, where are you going?" Sage asks, copying her mom's stance.

" ...to school" I say in disbelief. "It's 8 o'clock and I'm late"

I stare at the two people in front of me wondering what the hell did I do in my past life to deserve this crap. In the span of six months my life moved from comfortably mediocre to unbearably chaotic.

" Oh right," Margery frowns. "I forgot...she has to go"

" What do you mean has to?" Sage's twin appears from the kitchen. Thank goodness our school wears uniforms because this girl has zero fashion sense. Everyday she has her hair pulled up in a tight bun because it accentuates her 'sharp jawline'. However, if you ask me -it accentuates her receding hairline.

" Well, Sara we don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to this big. Happy. Family do we? "

What I really wanted to say was: since you all inherited half of Dad's money and are waiting on the lawyers to reveal what's going happen to the other half... you might need to play nice.

They all stare in astonishment.

I'll probably have to pay for that later, I think to myself as I squeeze between the Mother and daughter blockade in front of me. I glance at Margery's face -yup, I definitely have to pay.

"Okay 'bye! " I wave, hoping they can't hear the fear in my voice as I rush out the door.

"Wait!," Sage yells after me. "Where did you put the laundry? "

'in the trash can'. That's what I want to say and do, but instead I had to put on a polite smile and say:

" Go look for it" I mutter as the door slams shut behind me.

Their stupid laundry is the reason I'm late on the first day of school. Everyone wants their clothes washed with a different soap and a different scent and...by the time I was finished, it was midnight. Of course they're being difficult on purpose -which is why I wanted to toss everything in the trash.

Feisty just like your Mother. My Dad's voice rings in my head. I wish he was still here. No, I wish he was still alive. I bet he would've kicked those posers out immediately.

The look on their face would be priceless...

"Ella!" My friend Courtney calls out to me from her front porch. We normally walk to school together but I thought she already left so I wasn't paying attention.

"Hey Court," I smile as we embrace in a quick hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh...I live here," She nudges me playfully. "Here I saved you some breakfast, since I know the step-shits don't feed you"

" Thanks," I mumble taking a bite of the double-chocolate muffin. "Mhm it's still warm"

"You're welcome Cindy " She jests. The use of my pet name makes me snort.

Dad used to call me Cindy because when I was little, Cinderella was my favorite bedtime story. I looked up to her -her confidence and bravery made me want to be just like her. One day I told my Dad that I'm no longer Ella I'm Princess Ella. He only smiled, "No, Ella is the name your Mother gave to her beautiful baby girl. Ella is a normal person...a Princess is far from ordinary, how about...Cindy?" 

When I was a little girl, Cindy meant Princess but as I got older Cindy is my Father's Princess. Cindy is who I aspire to be. Cindy is someone I'm not. She's fake. Fictional. A fairytale.

Margery calls me Cindy to mock me. When Dad told her the story she said it was cute and asked if she could call me Cindy too. Really she thought I was a joke. Everytime she calls me Cindy I notice a small glint in her eyes -a challenge. Unfortunately she's an opponent I can't beat.

I roll my eyes. "Seriously, why are you here? You should already be in class"

"Well..." She scratches the back of her head.

"Mikey? Hey!" I wave at the guy coming out of my friends house.

Wait a minute..

" Oh? " I look at Courtney, my lips curving into a smile.

" I was um..." Mikey says as he approaches.

" Studying! " Courtney yells cutting him off.

" What were you studying, chemistry? " I laugh.

" Yes!" Mike yells.

" No " Courtney slaps his arm.

" Oh I-I meant, no!" He panics.

" Nice save, bro " I smirk.

" Thanks! " He grins and Courtney slaps him again. He looks at her apologetically.

" Come on guys, I am not stupid! -I might live with a house full of turd brains, but that does not mean I'm stupid!" I pout.

" Fine," Courtney groans, then looks at me seriously. " Mortney is a thing "

" Eeek! oh my gosh! why didn't you tell me sooner?" I slap Mike after I stop squealing...and jumping.

" Oh...um...because..." Mike's voice waivers.

" Because what mike? " I cross my arms pretending to be upset.

" Because I..." He breathes heavily as his eyes move from me to Courtney and back me.

" Well?" I ask feigning impatience.

He looks at me in panic again...and run.

"Too easy" I snicker.

" Hey, don't terrorize my boyfriend" she pokes my shoulder.

" Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am!" I salute.

" I hate you" She chuckles.

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