The Urban Princesses: Cinderella

Chapter 8

Ella's POV

I ran out to the back porch and collapsed onto one of the lounge chairs in sobs. How could she do this? I treated her with so much respect and she treated me like something dead in the gutter. My mom always told me to treat others how you want to be treated, and it was not working in my favor.

"Why do you cry, my dear?"

I looked up and saw Mrs. Goldman walking around the wooden fence that separated our yards, funny, she wasn't using her cane and her posture was straight.

"I'm sorry, was I loud?" I tried to keep my voice even as I wiped my wet cheeks.

"No, dear, not at all," She came over and sat on the lounge chair, rubbing my back. "What's the matter?"

My lip wobbled and I burst out into sobs again, her old arms pulled me close to her chest.

"There, there, it's your stepmother isn't it?"

I nodded.

"Mmm, that's what I thought. James deserved better,"

I calmed down. "You never told me how you knew my parents,"

She stared off into the distance, smiling, as if she were looking at an old memory. "I started out just as your mother's teacher, just her lowly junior English teacher, then it became so much more. I mentored her, helped her get past her ill thinking about herself,"

"Ill thinking?

She nodded gravely. "Your mother had a very low self esteem for a very long time, she thought nobody liked her," Her grimace was replaced with a soft smile. "But really, there was a handsome young man with his eye on her," she winked. I smiled. "We stayed very close for many years, even when you were born. She asked me to be your godmother and.... well I couldn't refuse." She pushed a lock of golden hair behind my ear.

My eyes grew wide. "You're my.... godmother? Why didn't I ever know?"

"Oh, you probably did when you were very young. But when your mother died and your father remarried, your stepmother demanded I stay away from you, I think she was worried you would turn out as wonderful as your mother did and make your father pay more attention to you than her."

It took me minute to wrap my mind around it. "Why did you act so crippled around me?"

She smiled softly. "It was a test, you passed by the way. If I saw that you turned out like your stepsisters, I would have to take a different, more strict approach to get back into your life. Ella," She laid a wrinkly hand over mine. "I am always here for you no matter what, so is your mother, even in spirit. Don't be afraid to ask me anything,"

"Ok, have any advice for me now? I really want to go to prom, but I won't get ready in time, and for whatever reason my stepmom doesn't want me to go, she would throw me to the street if I went,"

She grinned. "I can do better than advice,"

I was confused. She stood up and offered me her hand. "You are going to go to prom,"

I laughed. "In this? I don't have any other dresses,"

"Who said they had to be yours?" We went around the fence and into her back door. She led me upstairs and into her large master bedroom, complete with a walk in closet. She sat me down at a vanity and spun me around, fixing my makeup. Her fingers were quick and nimble for an older lady. She hummed as she worked. Next, she wrapped my hair up into a fancy bun on the top of my head and put pearl adornments around the bottom of it.

While I did my lipstick, she sifted through her clothing, murmuring to herself things like "Yes", "No," and "Why did I ever buy this?" She finally took a dress still in the bag off of the rack and handed it to me with a smile.

I went into her humungo bathroom and changed into the dress, trying not to look down at it, I wanted it to be a surprise.

I walked out and she gasped and clapped her hands together. I went over to her mirror and had to take a step back to make sure it was me.

I was wearing a long, baby blue gown, with a tight sparkly corset and thin, see through straps that hugged just below my shoulders. It had a low sweetheart neckline that was adorned with sparkles. Mrs. Goldman tied a black choker around my throat to finish it off.

"Beautiful," she smiled and slipped me a matching baby blue silk mask that covered my eyes and was lined with diamonds, they were probably real. "Now, we don't want to be tardy, so let's get a move on, I'll call my chauffeur,"

"You have a chauffeur?" I asked as she took out a small flip phone.

"Well, now he is more of a family friend but he will be an amazing chauffeur just the same," she went into the other room and made a few calls. I stayed in front of the mirror, twirling a bit, making the blue chiffon swirl around me. I kept staring at myself in awe for a few minutes, before Mrs. Goldman came back in.

"Your chariot awaits dear,"

She whisked me downstairs and out the door, where a sleek, Mustang limo (I didn't even know there was such a thing) waited in her circular driveway. The chauffeur tipped his hat at me, his droopy features reminded me of Bruno.

"Now, the prom awaits you, my dear." She handed me a small silvery clutch and ushered me into the vehicle, I felt like a movie star as I lifted my dress to get in. Mrs. Goldman shrieked.

"What?" I asked.

"Y-Your shoes,"

I looked down at my pink flats. "Oh....."

She turned to the chauffeur, "Give me a moment," she rushed inside with an agile grace and came out a few minutes later holding high heels that looked like they were made of glass, they also looked very uncomfortable.

"Here," she handed them to me and I slipped them on, the soles felt like they were made of gel and weren't uncomfortable at all.

I gave her one last hug, "Thank you,"

"Anytime, dear," she pulled away. "Now remember, your stepmother is coming home at midnight, make sure you get home on time,"

I nodded. "Okay, I will."

She ushered me into the back of the car and shut the door, it lurched forward and she waved until I couldn't see her anymore.

This was it, I was going to prom.

****

So the picture at the top was an outfit that I generated myself on an app called Covet fashion and I used to be absolutely ADDICTED to it a year ago. Like, I wouldn't go to sleep until I entered all of the events. Then, I finally detached myself from it and my life was a lot more peaceful. I got it back the other day because I got bored and I thought I might make some outfits for my books. I found this dress and thought it was absolutely PERFECT, then matched it with some of my other clothes and gave the model some pretty hair and makeup. Btw, that dress cost 500 diamonds which are hard to come by so I hope you like the dress.

Tell me what you thought of this chapter and don't forget to vote!

-RavenclawMaven1198