Cindyrella

Chapter two- In which my stepfather calls me an abomination

When she went to school the next day, everybody stared at her, some of the children nodded. But most of them just stared. The teacher looked at her and said, “you are dismissed from school, your mother wants you at your house.” Then the teacher turned towards the classroom and started lecturing about proper grammar.

But Cindy didn’t move. She just stood there. She wasn’t going to leave, school was the only place she was treated like other children, not the child of the kings royal advisor ‘wait,’ she remembered ‘father is gone, I am no longer the child of my father, but only a child of a widow’. The teacher stopped the lecture to look at her.

Woops, she had thought aloud. The teacher (Mrs. Joardan) sighed and came to her side, “go home Cindy, you are not needed here till the mourning of your household is over. Now go.” Cindy stared; Mrs. Joardan was usually very calm and loved Cindy’s love of knowledge. Cindy desperately looked around the room for Gerald.

He was all the way in the back of the room, his head down, supposedly taking notes, but she was sure he was just trying not to make eye contact with her. Gerald was her friend from the castle, he was the son of the king’s priest and they had met when her father had hosted a birthday dinner for her when she turned five.

Before, Gerald had always stood up for her, but now, all she saw in his downcast eyes was betrayal. She looked around for anyone else, only Brittney gave her eye contact. She nodded towards the door. Cindy sighed, “Fine, but only if someone gives me his or her notes so I will be prepared,” Gerald raised his hand shakily, “I will,” he muttered. Cindy was enraged, not really for any reason, just enraged. She stormed out taking her coat with her.

       Cindy did not want to go home. Her mother would be waiting in open arms, but she did not want pity. So Cindy took a walk. She walked to the palace and opened the creaky gates to the palace gardens. The gardener looked at her strangely but did not protest.

She walked among the chrysanthemums and daisies. These flowers seemed to be her only friends now. Cindy smoothed her Tunic, which had turned wrinkled after walking so far. She sighed. It was time to go home.

When Cindy was 15

“Ugh! What are you thinking Cindy! This outfit would make the Bell of Lucifaith stop ringing!” a scream erupted from the room across the hall, Cindy snorted, “Joyce! I was just trying to help!” her stepbrother came out of his room, with a rainbow tunic slung over his shoulder, “well, I certainly won’t ask for YOUR help then!” he growled, “I really don’t care Joycey,” Cindy said sweetly, “fine, I’ll just ask mother for help!” Joyce said grinning, Cindy’s smile melted off her face and she stepped over to Joyce menacingly, “she is NOT your mother, and she never, EVER will be!” Joyce snorted and pushed Cindy aside with his beefy hands, “whatevah sistah!” he laughed and sauntered off to find mother.

Cindy shook with rage, ever since mother married that horrid Mr. snotface or whatever his name was, his sons had been destroying her wall of pride, slowly taking one brick off after another. She HATED them! The other one was Alien. Oh, sorry, Alllen. No mistake with the triple L there, he says, “the ladies triple love me! That’s why I spell my name right not wrong sissy,” Cindy stormed off to find Alien, “ALIEN! GET OUT HERE!” Cindy screamed pounding on his door.

Was someone choking in there? Oh, he’s just singing. Gross. Cindy thought, “SHUT UP AND GET OUT HERE ALIEN!” Cindy yelled, still hammering on his door. Suddenly, the door opened and Cindy tumbled inside. Alien did look like an Alien with all that gross stuff he puts in his hair. It looks like the mud the children gather at the creek to throw at each other. Alien’s eyes narrowed. Woopsy daisy, she just though out loud again, “Cindy, you stepped foot in my room,” Alien hissed, “no I didn’t, my feet are still outside your door, you made me fall!” Cindy added fake tears to add to the effect. “I’m going to tell my mama!” she started weeping, “WAIT! What did you want it the first place anyway?” Alllen asked, looking startled, Cindy got up from her position on the floor “give me your cosmetics, Adela's having a birthday party and I’m certainly not ready,” Cindy’s tears had ‘magically’ disappeared and a smirk took their place. She was most definitely not going to wear the makeup, she just like making her stepbrother angry.

“Fine, Cindyrella, just don’t use them up!” he thrusted the cosmetics into her hands and started to walk away, “wait, wait, what did you call me?” she cried, “Cindyrella is a modification of Cindy, since all girls have loooooong names,” Cindy looked horrified, “not Adela!” she shrieked, “no, not Adela, she’s different,”

“How?”

“She’s named after a saint!”

“WHHAAT?”

“Go ask mother Cindyrella

“My name is Cindy!”

“No its not Cindyrella…”

“I’m telling mama!”

“Fine! Like I care!”

Cindy stormed off slamming her brother’s door in his face. She ran to her mothers door and threw open the door, “mama!” Cindy yelled inside. “I’m in here Cindy!” her mother yelled from the direction of the washroom. Cindy stormed into washroom and saw her mother in the tub. “I need more hot water Cindy, be a dear and fetch some please,” her mother purred, “no mother, might I remind you that your bug of a husband has two terrible sons that will not let me have any peace and quiet, is there any way that you can SHUT THEM UP?!"

Mother stared at me, confused, "honey, Alllen and Joyce are wonderful children, they're just adjusting to having a sister!"

Adjusting?! HA! As if! I brushed my straight hair out of my face and stormed out of the room, "Cindy! The hot water!" Mother yelled. I groaned and went to the kitchen. Gilia was there, our maid. "Gilia, am I the only one to notice that Alllen and Joyce are complete MUD HEADS?" I growled.

"Oh beautiful Cindy, only a few years ago you were such a young lady, now you've become such a boy!" Gilia muttered sadly, gesturing to my pants and shirt, "what made you think of that?" I asked her suspiciously, "your language," she laughed and handed me a pot, "water for the lady?" She asked, "yep," I answered. I went to the fire and put the pot above it. Gilia gave me a pitcher of cold water and I splashed it in. Water dripped over the sides and splashed into the fire, Gilia winced, "be careful dear, we don't want the fire to go out." I shook my head and plopped down on one of the chairs.

"Gilia?"

"Mm,"

"What would you do if Joyce married the princess?"

Gilia stared and me, and started laughing.

"Oh darling, she's out of his league!" she guffawed, I joined her and we both stood there, laughing our heads off.

"That's no way for my step daughter to behave. And where's your dress? I say! Pants on a girl! What an abomination!" I winced at the sound of his voice. Mr. I-married-your-mother-so-your-mine-now. Ugh. I immediately stopped laughing and turned to him, "abomination? If you saw how much makeup Alllen has on right now you would be going crazy!" I snorted. He looked at me, disgusted, "how dare you say that about your betters! Go to your room at once!"

I laughed heartlessly, "I'm bring hot water to mother, I'll go when it's done."

He let out a chortle of laughter, "that's what we have servents for!" he laughed, pointing to Gilia, "you. Go bring my darling some hot water."

MY DARLING? 

Gag.