Cindy: A Highschool Cinderella

Chapter Eleven

After an hour of listening to the droning voice of my history and almost falling asleep, the bell finally rang and I was the first person outside the door. “Wait up,” somebody said behind and turned to see that it was Jeremy hastily picking up his bag. I paused outside the door and let the other students through while I waited for him. Actually, I’m not even sure if it was me that he called after. That would be so embarrassing.

Jeremy gave me that heartwarming smile when he came out and I couldn’t help but smile back. “Your books,” he said and reached out to grab the stack of books that I was carrying. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as he took my books. Why does he have to be so gentlemanly?

“You don’t have to carry it, you know. It’s only three books,” I said as I started walking down the hallway and he fell into step beside me.

“Yeah, three incredibly heavy chemistry and trigonometry books!” he said. “And it’s hardbound. Why do you have to get hardbound books?” he teasingly asked.

I smiled at him. “Because it makes me feel smarter,” I told him. Seriously, it does. It makes me feel like I’m studying in Harvard or Oxford or some prestigious school. Maybe I should get all of my books hardbound and then I’ll have straight A’s and then I’ll get into Harvard! Yeah, sounds like a plan to me.

“Well, maybe I’ll try reading hardbound books and see if I feel smarter,” he teased. We walked in silence for a few seconds when I said, “Tell me about her.”

“About who?” he asked and looked at me.

“About the girl in the party,” I said without hesitation. I wanted to know what he thought about me. Well, the me in the party not the me that he was talking to now.

“Well,” he said and paused for a second to think. “She had fair skin, blonde hair that’s almost white and I’m not quite sure if her eyes were gray or blue ‘cause she was wearing a mask.”

“Blue,” I muttered so quietly.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” he said.

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Well, what about her personality that makes you so eager to find her?”

“It’s hard to explain, really,” he paused. “Well, to make sit simple she’s not like other girls,” he said and smiled at me and I smiled at him but I kind of felt sad. How is the version of me in the party different from the version that he’s seeing now. Was it because I was wearing makeup then? Or is it because I looked pretty because of Emma’s dress? I’m pretty sure I acted normal during the party and I’m acting normal now. So what’s up with Jeremy not noticing me while I’m in front of him? Do I have to change?

“She left her shoes though,” he said and ruined my train of thought.

“What?” I asked.

“She left her shoes at the party. I hope she comes and get it from me. I want to see her again,” he smiled at me and we stopped by my locker. I took my books from him and muttered thanks but he probably didn’t hear it. “What’s your next class?” he asked as I shut my locker door.

“Free period,” I said quietly.

“Oh, lucky you! I have to suffer an hour and a half of chemistry!” he told me. “I guess I’ll see you later then,” he said and jogged down the hall.

Usually, I would have been happy for an hour of free period but now I hate it. Free period only means that I have an hour to think about myself and what Jeremy just told me. An hour to hate myself for not telling Jeremy that I was the girl from the party. An hour to ponder about my existence and if Jeremy will ever realize that I was the girl from the party. My goodness, why does he have to be so blind?