Just Like Cinderella

Just Like Cinderella [8]

Are they back yet?" Megan asked anxiously, bringing her car to a stop in front of Josi's house. It was half past midnight and they were just returning from the dance, worried out of their minds about if Tammy was back.

Josi glanced out the window of the car and heaved a huge breath of relief when she saw the house still dark and no other car in the driveway. "No," she informed Megan. "But they're probably on their way."

"Then you better hurry up."

"Yeah." She located her cell phone and the rest of her things, threw open the door and alighted. "Thanks, Meg. I'll stop by tomorrow to return the dress and everything else."

"Okay, okay, just go. And take care of yourself."

"You, too." She smiled gratefully then shut the door. She stepped back and soon the car sped off.

Not wasting any more time, Josi hurried into the house and up to her room where she took off the dress and heels and tied her hair up. In her state of frenzy, she didn't notice her missing bracelet, the vine that had come off from one of her heels, or that one of the crystals was missing from the headpiece Megan got her. She changed back into her pajamas, washed all the makeup off in the bathroom then crawled into bed with her phone after hiding everything she used away.

She turned on her phone and groaned at the sight of ten missed calls from Tammy. Fuck, but she had completely forgotten Tammy planned on calling her regularly to ensure she stayed awake for them to get back. What would Tammy think? Would she be able to guess that Josi snuck out to the dance?

This was all on her, Josi knew. First, it had been losing track of time at the dance. And now forgetting Tammy had wanted to check up on her as much as possible. How could she have been so careless? She never forgot anything, or got carried away. So what had happened tonight?

But she already knew the answer despite not wanting it to be so.

Caleb Flynn had happened.

She didn't want to think about him and all that had happened tonight, wasn't in any way ready to analyze what it all meant. So she didn't.

As Josi's eyes began to shut, she heard the sound of a car pulling up in the driveway. Tammy was home. Josi rushed downstairs in time to see Tammy using her keys to get in, Kitty May right behind her. Her stepsister's movements were languid, evidence that she was just waking from a deep sleep—she had probably slept the whole journey back—but she still managed to perk up and flash Josi a smile.

"Hey, sis. Why're you still up?"

She obviously didn't know about Tammy's order. Speaking of the devil... Tammy chose that moment to lock the door, the sound almost echoing in the silence of the night. She came over to stand beside Kitty May but her eyes remained on Josi. Her face showed no emotion, so Josi couldn't guess what she was thinking. That was never a good sign. "We've been through this a thousand times already. She's not your sister, niña."

Seeing that her mom's gaze wasn't on her, Kitty May used the opportunity to make silly faces at her, and Josi had to bite on her lip to stop a smile from escaping.

But Tammy was more intuitive, looking down at Kitty May who quickly schooled her features into a frown of innocence.

When Tammy looked at Josi again, she noticed how tired her stepmom looked. The three hour drive to and fro had taken its toll on her, but she'd done it to comfort her friend Cheryl. It was sweet, especially considering it was almost two in the morning and Tammy hadn't slept in almost twenty-four hours. Josi found herself getting worried.