Cinder Boy -- A Scomiche Cinderella Story

Chapter Seven

When Mitch arrived at the ball, the dancing and partying was already in full swing. Beautiful classical music was filling the entire ballroom, and couples were waltzing in perfect synchronization to the beat.

It seemed that Mitch was the last to arrive. He probably was, with the delays of Todrick's makeover and the fight with Kirstin.

Kirstin. She was probably here somewhere. Mitch bet she looked beautiful in her dress. He'd been too busy being a crybaby to even notice what she had decided to wear.

As he walked down the stairs onto the main dance floor, it seemed that no one even noticed him.

He took in the ballroom. It was, for lack of a better word, beautiful. The architecture was absolutely stunning, with a glittering golden chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. The instrumentalists were sitting on chairs on a raised platform, and their soothing music was one of the most gorgeous things Mitch had ever heard.

There were butlers in simple but fancy tuxedos walking around and offering champagne to guests, their footsteps somehow perfectly in time with the music.

Everything was so elegant and royal that Mitch wasn't exactly sure he belonged. After all, he was just a dirty housekeeper that usually dressed in rags.

But as he looked down at himself, in his formal attire, he found that he matched the atmosphere. Here, he could pretend that he was a poised, rich, elegant member of society instead of who he really was.

He giggled. Maybe this was why Candice and Kirstin loved fancy dresses so much. They got to play pretend.

"Cinder Boy?" A voice asked from behind him.

Mitch gasped and turned around. There he was. The Stranger, standing there in the golden chandelier light, and looking as beautiful as ever. Mitch smiled involuntarily.

"Hi," Mitch spoke quietly, a bit shyer than he had been when they had first met.

"You came," the Stranger said, a small smile on his lips.

"Of course I did," Mitch stated, smiling. "I always keep my promises."

Mitch drank in the Stranger's appearance. He was wearing a simple white collared shirt under a black suit jacket, and black pants. It was ordinary. But because it was the Stranger, it was so much more than ordinary. The suit jacket fit him so well, and even though his arms weren't visible, Mitch could still see small folds though his jacket where his muscles were. His hair, instead of being messy like it was in the marketplace, was now neatly combed and gelled back. He was still gorgeous, no doubt, but Mitch decided he liked his untamed hair better. And his eyes. Somehow they were even bluer than they were when the two had first met. Mitch swore he could see waves crashing upon the beach gently when he looked into those eyes.

Then Mitch realized what the Stranger's eyes were focused on. They were focused on Mitch. They were crinkled at the corners slightly, and looking at him with the same adoration that Mitch felt. Those stunning, sapphire eyes were the same ones that thought that Mitch was beautiful. Wow.

"Scott," the Stranger said suddenly, shaking his head slightly as if to get out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" Mitch asked.

"Scott. My name is Scott," he explained. "I keep my promises, too."

"Oh. Nice to meet you, Scott," Mitch said, smiling. He liked that name.

Scott offered his hand for Mitch to shake. Mitch took it in his own, his heart beginning to race with just the one touch.

"Nice to meet you...?" Scott left the sentence open-ended, an indication for Mitch to give his own name. He almost did, but he caught himself.