The Urban Princesses: Cinderella

Chapter 17

"Did he kiss you goodnight?"

"Well technically I kissed him goodnight."

"Ella, that's the guy's job."

"Everything is the guy's job, why can't a girl take charge?"

"Ugh. You girls make our lives so much harder,"

"Hey!" Mia punched Jack playfully on the arm and laughed, kissing him on the cheek. "It's so hard to stay mad at you."

He grinned at her. "With your cute face, I wouldn't even want to start to be mad at you."

"Awe!"

August and I sat awkwardly as they started making out, I saw a tongue. Luckily, Mr. Phillip's was too busy picking spitballs out of his hair he didn't notice.

I put my hands in front of my eyes. "Okay! You can stop now!"

Mia pulled away and giggled.

The bell rang, signaling the end of school. I strolled out of Biology and up to Carmen's locker where he put his binders back in.

"Hey," I said as I kissed him on the cheek. I had been in a lot better mood since we had been together. My stepmother had started to leave me alone, but never ceased to give me dirty looks when I came across her at home.

"Hey," He kissed me lightly on the lips before turning back to his locker. He didn't have his usual smile.

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

He shut his locker and motioned for me to come outside with him. We sat down under a large oak tree in front of the school. It was a beautiful day, all sun and blue skies, the tree providing shade on this hot day. Carmen picked at the grass, dirt creeping under his nails.

"My mom," he didn't meet my gaze. "They moved her to the hospital. I got a call in the middle of trig, she isn't doing well. My dad wants me to go to the hospital but...." His blue eyes stared ahead at the side of the school.

"Why don't you want to see her?"

A tear dripped down his cheek and he shook his head. "I don't want to see her in pain. I won't be able to handle it-"

"Carmen," I scooted closer and put a hand on his shoulder. "You have to be strong. She wants you there."

He looked at me, his eyes watery. "Will you go with me?"

I kissed him on the cheek. "If that's what you want,"

He hugged me and I squeezed him back. In reality, I had no idea what he felt. I barely knew my mom when she died, I couldn't miss her as much as Carmen would miss his mom. He had seventeen years under his belt, I had two.
___

The car ride was silent. I didn't want to say anything that might make him break down. I had to stay strong, for him.

We pulled into the hospital and took a spot by the entrance. He grabbed my hand as we walked through the doors and up to his mom's room.

I braced myself for what I was going to see next. Maybe a hollow faced, wrinkly, scratchy voiced smoker with no hair. Maybe she would have a tube in her throat like that commercial, or maybe she wasn't a smoker.

We stood outside the door, hand in hand.

"Are you ready?" He sighed.

I nodded and he opened the door.

She wasn't at all what I expected. Most of her auburn hair was still intact, she didn't have a tube in her throat. Her eyes had dark circles under them, and her face was not in the least wrinkly. She let out a cough here and there, wheezing for breath. The heart monitor beeped steadily. I assumed it was Carmen's father who gripped her hand at her bedside. He was plump and bald with a thick white mustache, but Carmen had his eyes. He looked up when he saw us come in.

He gave a weak smile. "You must be Ella,"

I nodded. "N-Nice to meet you," I looked over at Carmen, he was pale and his lips trembled. I squeezed his hand one last time before I let go and let him to go his mom. He sat down in the chair at her bedside warily.

"I'll go wait outside-"

"No," A hoarse voice said. "Please, stay." Carmen's mom said.

I tried not to look nervous, but my palms were sweating more than ever and wiping them on my jeans wasn't helping. Carmen scooted over so I could sit next to him.

Her head lolled to the side so she could face me, then her hazel eyes opened slowly. She smiled weakly.

"You're beautiful,"

I blushed. "Not as pretty as you," Carmen definitely got his looks from his mom. Even old and cancerous, she was still gorgeous.

"I knew you wouldn't give up on my Carmen. I told him you would come. He talks about you all the time,"

Carmen blushed.

She pulled her arms out from under the blankets and extended them slightly to me, it was a hug gesture. I leaned into her arms and hugged her back, sure not to crush her frail body.

"He needs you. You need to stay with him when I'm gone," she whispered.

"I will." I whispered back.

"Thank you," She croaked.

I pulled away, not realizing that tears were streaming down my cheeks. Carmen wrapped an arm around me and squeezed his mom's hand.

One, shallow, shaky breath.

Then the long beep of the heart monitor.