Cinderella's Diary

TWELVE

Initially, this chapter was intended to provide the full acount of Charles and Ella's get-away trip. Seeing that its not an option--considering its length. I have decided to split them in three parts. Since it is after all, a three day trip. As usual, this is yet to be edited. So I request you overlook the mistakes, for now, in the meantime...

                                                    TWELVE (Day 1)

            I awakened to a bustling engine. My body cradled in a 4x4 Toyota Corolla sedan’s leather front seat. Black, eyes opened against the fury of the sun. Its heat seeped through my window. I lifted a hand to shield my view—blocking out the terrible heat beating down my face.

“I see you’ve finally awakened,” said a nearby voice.

“Charles?” I asked “Where am I?”

“I stole you away,” he replied as a joke.

            In an instant, memories from last night cramped their way up to my head. “You whisked me away!” the pungent scent from his handkerchief entered my nostrils. There was a familiar voice from the answering machine, then a sudden silence. Charles had cut Patrick off…but after all he did yesterday. He deserved it? Didn’t he? Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I…could have at least listened to his explanation. And feign indifference—of not being affected. Pretend nothing was out of the ordinary and just move on. Since he apparently, already has with Katherine.

“Here,” Charles said as he handed me a cheeseburger pandesal bun from 7/11 “You must be hungry from a long sleep.”

I shoved the food away. “Take me back!” I snapped “I shouldn’t be here with you!”

He grunted in displeasure, “Ella, don’t waste your food like that,” he hissed, turning his eyes from the steering wheel to mine “Many people in different parts of the world are starving, and you’re—“

He halted his words. He must have seen me close to tears, “Look,” he sighed “I knew you wouldn’t consent, that you would say no, so I did what I must to get you to come with me.”

“That’s it?” I raised my voice “You have no right to drag me in this road trip! I got work and more work to do,” I rubbed my hands to my temple “Please, just take me back.”

“You don’t really want that?”

“Of course I do,” I looked out the window “I don’t want to be anywhere near you…”

And that was that. Deafening silence followed after. Neither of us took any initiative to start a conversation. Both lost in the turmoil of our emotions—him in silent rage, I—in anguish and despair for not having a choice, or the will and strength to get out of this situation. So against myself and him, I finally let my protective wall slip. Tears slid down my cheeks slow and quiet. His soft fingers brushed them upon my skin, as he spoke, “I mean you no harm.” He once again pointed to the discarded pandesal bun, “Hand me that, will you?”

Charles managed to open the paper-wrapper with one hand while driving. He took a bite, “Hmmm,” he added for effect, “delicious,” then he gave it back to me “eat,” he told me.

“I’m not a child to order around.”

“Then stop acting like one.”

“But you took me away without asking me first!” I blurted, fighting hard to keep my voice down.

He made a sudden turn and drifted along the other side of the road. Barring the way of other vehicles on their side of the street,” are you mad?” I yelled angry “You’ll get us both killed.”