Just Another Stupid Cinderella Story

Chapter 1

When my father died I had nothing left. No joy, no peace, and least of all, no love.

He loved me. I know he did. It was that THING he married that had no love in her.

Except for her daughters.

Her daughters she treasured like fine china.

Not me.

She treated me no better than a house maid. In fact, I believe she treated me worse, since I didn't even get a pay check.

"Isn't a loving family, and a warm home good enough?" She would always tell me if I asked for a little money to go to the mall, or out for a soda.

Loving family? HA! More like hating family!!!

I should probably start at the beginning.

My name is Elizabeth, but most people call me Elle.

My father's name was Alex.

My step-mother's name is Tonia, but behind her back I call her something worse.

My step-sisters' names are Dawn and Analyse, they're twins and the most obnoxious ones at that.

My mother's name was Calantha, which is Greek for beautiful blossoms. She died in a car crash when I was three. Some idiot was driving drunk and hit her head on. There was an air bag malfunction. She died instantly.

I lived with my father from that point on. We talked about my mom when the subject arose. He told me how beautiful she was, and how she wore flowers in her hair on their wedding day; he told me how much she loved me, and how we were happy together.

That changed when he met Tonia.

He was walking home from work, he refused to drive after what happened to my mom, when he saw her. They were both waiting at the cross walk. When the light came on for them to walk, being the gentleman he let her go first, but a car didn't slow down, when he saw that they weren't going to stop, he pulled her back, saving her life.

But of course, it didn't end there. He asked her to dinner, and within a six months they were engaged. My father kept saying howhe knew she could never replace my mom, but that he loved her equally. To me it sounded like a load of bull. I knew she was just trying to get a green card.

Oh yeah, the wicked witch of the west wasn't an American citizen. She was here from Argentina, and they were threatening to deport her. That's why they were engaged so quickly.

But anyway, back on topic. They were married. And suddenly I had two step-sisters who were MY age! I was the luckiest girl in the world! NOT!

They were the most annoying girls in the world. For example, Analyse hates her name and refuses to be called anything but Anna. Drew get extremely upset if anyone, including her mom, sister, and the maid, touch ANY of her designer purses, including the ones that the style is retired, and she doesn't use anymore. "They're more valuable now!" She exclaims. Hate to break it to her, but if it's been used, it's about as valuable as any other Coach, Prada, Channel or Gucci bag that's being sold now, if not less than that. Which, granted, is still expesive, but not as expesive as she's making it sound.

Just a few months ago, though, even my less-than-perfect life was made worse, I had just gained three unwanted family members, and I was about to lose the only one that mattered to me.

My dad.

He was on a business trip for the law firm he worked at. He had to go to New York for an all-important meeting. So he had to fly out of LAX. His plane never made it to New York.

His last words to me were, "I love you. See ya soon pumpkin. Try not to get in your step-mothers way. I'll be home as quick as I can."

Now I was living in the basement of my father's mansion in down town LA.

Perfect life, huh?

But as they say, it always gets worse, before it gets better.