Glass

Part Three

The rest of the week passed in a similar fashion—minus the stargazing with Kam. In fact, Ella hardly saw her friend at all. For some reason she found herself looking for him more often, and when she wasn't looking, she was thinking about him. Whenever she did, she got that warm, happy feeling, and though she didn't know what to call it, she did know that it was what helped her get through the long days.

At last, the day of the ball arrived. The girls tore down the stairs to shovel down their porridge sprinkled with peaches before hurtling back upstairs with Ella in tow.

"Of course, you'll help me first," Ciela said casually as they stepped up the last stair and began at a near-gallop down the hall.

This caused Anemone to let out a snort. "How funny, Ciela. I didn't know you were a jester. Ella wants to help me get first—right, Ella?" She clamped her hand possessively around Ella's arm. Ciela seized the other.

"Silly Annie," she said in her sweet, breathy voice, but there was venom in her eyes. "I am the eldest; therefore, of course I should go first."

"You know, sister, you may be right," Anemone sneered, her hand still tightly fastened around Ella's arm. "After all, it's age before beauty, isn't it?"

That did it. With a cry Ciela pounced at her sister, knocking her against the wall. Anemone drew back and punched her sister in the arm (though Ella couldn't help but notice her thumb was tucked inside her fingers, which, had it been a more forceful blow, could have broken it); in a flurry of skirts and perfectly-curled hair, the girls were on the ground, duking it out in an all-out brawl.

Ella wanted to laugh so badly that she had to pinch her lips together with her fingers to keep from doing so. Wait until Kam heard about this!

The stepsisters' squalls brought a pair of footsteps running toward the scene. Their mother appeared at the end of the hallway, eyes wide and face pale.

"Girls!" she cried. Her face switched directions and began to burn a furious red as she stomped toward the fight. But rather than reaching to pull the girls apart, she turned her focus on Ella and jabbed a finger at her face. "What did you do?" she shrieked.

Ella curtsied and said nothing. Nothing would help. But this was worth any punishment she might receive, and she still had to fight to keep a grin off her face.

Her desire to smile didn't last for long, however.The stepmother grabbed her by the arms. "You useless girl!" she snarled. "Turning my angels into animals! I should throw you out for this. I should have you hanged!" Giving her a hard shake, the older woman released her to kneel elegantly by her daughters. "It's okay, babies, Mummy's here. You can stop now."

"No!" howled Anemone. She drew away from her sister, eyes bright with anger and hair poofed into a wild halo around her squarish head. "Ciela is hogging Ella! She won't leave me any time to get ready for the ball! The prince will hate me!" She burst into tears.

Ciela gasped, clearly shocked that her sister would use any term with the word "hog" in it to describe her. "Mama, don't believe a word she says! If she had her way, I would be attending the ball wearing Cinderella's rags!"

Huffing, Anemone cast a disgusted look in Ella's direction. Then she smiled a little. "Well, maybe not that bad."

    Ciela looked over too. The anger on her face melted into amused scorn, and a giggle escaped her mouth. Anemone gave a honk of her own. They dissolved into laughter, and even their mother allowed herself a couple chuckles.

    "Come along, you two," she said, rising to her feet and holding out a hand to each girl. They joined her, and they all began to walk down the hall. "You too, Cinderella," she called over her shoulder.