It's not a Cinderella story

chapter 1

I wake up tangled in loose practice mats. Probably because someone made me work late. I stretch a little before I get up and turn on my laptop:

32 MESSAGES

Probably Neomi wondering were I am. I look at the clock and it reads 8:43 am. "Ah shit" I realize I'm late for school, Again. I look at what I'm wearing and nod proudly. I were a loose lace long sweater type of thing, the sleeves go down to my elbows and the back goes down about in the mid thigh. Underneath I were a simple white tank top and black short shorts. Good enough. I run into my room grab my books. Shove em' in my bag. Look at myself in the mirror. Flatting down my hair so the purple in my tips is noticeable and run out the door .The school isn't far away so it takes me about 5 minutes to get there if I run and trust me, I run. I make it in the school, up the staircase and burst into my class room.

"Sorry I'm la-" I forgot I was doing a test today. Every body stares at me as the red in my cheeks burst into flames with embarrassment.

"Ms.Vega a little late this morning?" Mr. Poted says with a scowl.

"Um yeah sorry I slept in." I hope that's a good response but as I suspect some kid in my class shouts "AGAIN!" and the hole class erupts in laughter.

"Now quiet down everyone. Ms.Vega next time may you please be a little earlier than usual?".

"Yeah, sure". I find a spot to sit next to Neomi and as soon as I sit down, and open up my laptop we talk.

NEOFISH13: Godzilla made you work late?

Our nickname for my foster mother because she is living and talking hell.

COREE19MAID : yep you have to help me tonight.

NEOFISH13: oh hell ya im coming.

COREE19MAID:why???

NEOFISH13: Tyler Clare is coming.

Tyler Clare is this snot up super star that all the girls fawn over. He makes me sick.

COREE19MAID: He is coming to my sisters performance, the ones that fall on each other on stage and call that dancing, umm what performance are you talking about ?

NEOFISH13:ya i cant believe it either and here ill even send you a link

She sends me it and I open it to my step sisters performance page and scroll down to the tickets/seats section and scroll until I see in big letters TYLER CLARE and he's in the first row, and if you do down further you see a caption titled; Tyler Clare, performing live. He's probably looking for a charity case to look good.

COREE19MAID: why do you like him so much ?

NEOFISH13 : cause he is so frickin hot and charming and has a six pack and what happened to you you used to have poster of him evrey were huh what happend to that coree?

COREE19MAID: Thats when i was a dork and didnt know better.

"Miss Vega you are wanted in the office." I look up and see Mr.Poted in front of me. "And dear maybe instead of talking to," He peers at my computer screen and reads, " Neofish13, you could be doing your test." I peer over my shoulder at Neomi to see she's sinking in her desk while the class laughs.

"Um yeah sorry I-I um yeah". I get up smiling awkwardly and walk away.

"Im guessing you will be doing your test Friday them, hum, "Mr.Poted says behind me

"Yeah, I guess." Before he continues his sentence I walk out of the class room and head towards the front office. What could I have done? Well yeah, I was late and I was probably going in for a late slip but still I can't help but feel uneasy. I've been doing good on my grades, never skipped, always concentrated during class and hell, school just started! How could I have done something wrong, but as I near the front office I can practically smell the hags cheap perfume. She knows I have school. She knows I need an education but here she is.

"Co-Co darling, were did you go this morning? I was worried sick!" I can tell she's lying from the lack of worried lines on her face as I enter the office.

"Well your kind of here now so, I think you have an answer."

I see her fake smile twitch as the words leave my mouth.

Let's get this straight the women standing in front of me is Angelo, my foster mom. When I was 2, my mom died in a car crash causing my dad to get depressed. He gave up taking care of me, so, he dumped me in a foster care house that soon led to the hag and long story short that's how I ended up working till twelve at night while my foster sisters attempt to dance as Godzilla bribes the men and women to keep watching. And better yet she keeps me in a cramped storage room at the studio, so I'll never miss a shift. Whoopdy-doo my life's great and plus, to add to my very exciting life, I only have one friend, also knowns as boy crazy Neomi.

"Well dear," Angelo says her voice dripping with venom. "You could have gave me a heads up before you left."

"I'm sorry Ms. Williams, but Coree has classes. Unless you want to take her home I prefer you speed things up" my principle, Mr.Witherspoon says not to politely.

"I'll be gone in a minute, Coree, I need to speak with you now!" She declares. I follow her out of the office and into the vacant hallway.

"Listen you little brat, you need to come home early tonight because I don't now if you heard, but somebody with potential is coming and I don't appreciate the studio being a mess okay?"

"No" I say, taken aback by my sudden courage.

"Pardon me?" she says, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"No I need to do my homework and get a good sleep because I don't know about you but I have school."

"Psht, you'll work for me forever you don't need an education."

"Like hell I'm working for you 'forever'!" I say making quotation marks "I'm planning on opening my own studio so I can teach kids how to play music."

She flips her bleached hair over her shoulder and stares me in the eyes "I'll let you off at seven if you stop thinking that nonsense and you get off early."

At least I get off early, I hope. "Fine how early?"

"Two thirty, I've talked to that principle so you can get off" and with that she turns and stalks away.

*~~*~~*

By the time it came too 2:30 I was surprisingly happy to go back to my crappy job. I gave my calculus teacher my note to leave and went out the door but when I got by my locker it wasn't unoccupied.

"Neo don't you have a class?" I ask.

She shrugs and flips her amber curls over her shoulder ."Got a free period but I'm not here because of that. I'm coming home with you."

I take a overly exaggerated sigh and open my locker ."You know how the hag feels about me having friends over during work hours."

"Will she be at the studio though?" she asks curiously.

"I don't think so but still, if I ever want to leave I'll need the money and I don't want to get in trouble." I slam my locker shut and head toward the exit.

"Wait! I'm coming" she shouts hooking her arm in mine to keep up the pace with me.

"What about last period?" I turn my head to look at her.

"HA! your funny last period is with half of the people form this mornings class so yeah ,no thanks, I've been getting messages from losers all day" she finishes with a scoff.

I suppress a sigh as her and I make are way down towards the crappy studio.

*~~*~~*

As I unlock the door to the studio, I feel Neo shift uneasy "what's up? your acting like one of those chicks from the crappy horror movies who always get scared"

"oh you know just the thought that some famous person is gonna be in this building tonight!"

I sigh as I head to the sound booth.

Tonight was going to be one long night.