It was a hot day in New Beijing's market. Cinder was sitting in her step father's booth waiting for customers, but they wouldn't come, they didn't want to come near her. She looked to her left and saw her step father working on some sort of chip.
"Hey Garan, what are you working on?"
Her step father looked at her startled. "Nothing Cinder."
"It doesn't seem like nothing."
Garan took a minute to reply. "It's nothing to you Cinder, but everything to everyone else."
"What?" Her eleven year old brain couldn't wrap around on what he really meant, and came up with the solution that would have made her cry, if she could have. She looked down and started fiddling with her gloves. "Oh."
Then Garan realized he was talking to a eleven year old cyborg. "Cinder, I didn't mean that! This chip has nothing to do with you being cyborg, it's something bigger than you right now."
She nodded, not entirely convinced. "Okay." Then she heard a knock from the back of the booth and Garan got up to let the rest of her step family in.
"Cinder, you are not going to believe this!" Peony screeched.
"What?" Cinder replied, her mood immediately improving in the presence of her favorite step sister.
"Prince Kai is in the market today!"
"Seriously!?" Cinder said with fake enthusiasm. She was probably the only girl in the Commonwealth that was not head over heals for him.
"It's true." Pearl replied a foot behind Peony. Even though it's been a couple years since Cinder became part of their family, Pearl and Audri were still wary of her, but thankfully they've warmed up to Cinder. They seriously had no idea how much this meant to her. "We saw the royal hover on the outskirts of the market. And you know that the entire family goes everywhere together, they're inseparable. So that means Kai is here! Oh my stars, how awesome is that!?"
Cinder nodded like a bobblehead. "Do you think we'll see him?"
"Maybe," Peony whispered.
Just as she said that Cinder heard someone clear their throat at the front of the booth. The three girls turned, and each simultaneously gasped. Standing in front of them was Prince Kai. The entire family bowed.
"Thank you, but there's no need for that now, I already get enough of it at the palace. So anyway, I couldn't help but hear that you were talking about me, and since this is a mechanic booth, I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Anything," Peony giggled.
Prince Kai smiled. "Well, my portscreen seems to be having problems, and I was wondering if you could fix it for me." When he said this, he was looking straight at Cinder. She looked down at her feet thankful she couldn't blush.
Garan stepped forward. "Here let me have a look Your Highness."
The portscreen was just inches away from Garan's hand when Cinder spoke up. "Can I fix it Garan?"
Her stepfather looked down at her in surprise, but then smiled. "Here Cinder." Behind her, Peony and Pearl were elbowing each other.
"Cinder. That's a unique name." Prince Kai said.
"So is Your Highness," Cinder muttered under her breath.
"Ah, I see somebody else has my sense of humor too." Kai snickered.
Cinder gave the Prince a shocked look. "I'm sorry if I offended you Your Highness."
"Oh it's okay Cinder. It's nice to see someone who views the world the same as I do. Also, there's no need for formalities, you can call me Kai."
"Thank you Your- Kai."
"No problem Cinder." Behind her Peony and Pearl were giggling and pretending to swoon.
Cinder turned on the portscreen and was meet with a bunch of pixels and a loud screeching noise. Everybody in the booth covered their ears. "When did this happen?" Cinder yelled to the prince.
"Earlier this morning."
"Okay." Cinder raised the portscreen and the hit it against the edge of the table. Suddenly the noise stopped.
"How did that work?" The prince asked in awe.
"You'd be surprised how often it works for that kind of thing." Cinder shrugged, and handed the portscreen back.
"Thank you Cinder," her said and stuck his arm out so he could pay, but Cynder shook her head, even though she knew she would regret it later with Audri.
"You don't need to pay. Consider it a favor."
"Thank you Cinder."
"No problem Kai."
The prince smiled and started to walk away, but before he disappeared, he yelled back at her. "I'll remember you Cinder."
Cinder smiled and looked down at her feet.
"Oh my stars!" Peony yelled right in her ear. "You like him?!"
Cinder nodded. She hated to admit it, but now she was one of the millions who were in love with Kai, but she had something those other millions didn't have. A memory.
