Once Upon A...Oh, Never Mind!

Pumpkin

Chapter 6---Pumpkin

“I can't believe you're making me do this,” I said, staring in the mirror.

“We're doing you a favor,” Jenn said, fixing my hair.

Dex laid on Jenn's thick queen-sized bed lined with zebra-print sheets. “You're gonna thank us for dragging you to this party.”

“Plus, we won't have to crash it this time because Seth personally invited us,” Jenn added.

“Jade and Ruby are bound to be there,” I mumbled.

“So what?” Dex asked. “Let them have their fun, and we'll have ours. Who says that they're in charge of everything?”

“Technically, they answer to Lynn Crystals,” I pointed out.

“So...Lynn Crystals is sort of their queen bee,” Jenn stated, “But you know what? Who cares?”

“I kind of do,” I answered.

“Well, stop caring,” Dex said, sitting up. “Tonight is the night.”

I raised my eyebrows. “The night for what?”

“The night that you make Seth Maxis fall for you.”

“Guys!” I whined. “Stop giving me false hope. This is all just so...out there. How am I—a little pumpkin—supposed to magically turn into a princess for the night?”

“Hey, Cinderella did it. You can do it, too,” Jenn said.

“Yeah...Emberella,” Dex teased.

“Oh, please,” I begged, “Don't call me that.”

“It sounds like umbrella,” Jenn mentioned.

“Well, I'm gonna need an umbrella when the populars come and rain down on my parade,” I commented.

“Don't sell yourself short. You're better than they are,” Dex told me.

*

About a half hour later, we arrived at Seth's house.

The three of us took Dexter's car; I have no choice but to stay here. Otherwise, I have no ride back. My friends really thought this through, much to my dismay.

“You look great, so work it,” Jenn said. “Strut your stuff.”

“I don't have stuff to strut,” I mumbled.

I adjusted the light blue dress I was wearing.

I stared down at my silver ballet flats.

No glass slippers for you tonight, I thought to myself.

I was so caught up in feeling self-conscious and thinking to myself that I didn't even realize that my friends dragged me into the house.

I blinked a few times and looked around.

Seth's house was almost as grand as Lynn's.

Typical. Spoiled, popular, rich boy, who just happens to be a complete hottie that I have a major crush on...who is dating my step-sister. Will things ever work in my favor?

Just once. I'd like to get the guy.

Just once. I want to be the girl who the cute boy falls for.

But will that happen to me?

Or is this reality destined to be an anti-fairytale?

I followed Dex and Jenn to the backyard.

People were chilling on the pool deck, and some guys were in charge of the grill.