Cinderella in the Cameras

Chapter 12- Stuck in a Dungeon

I was sitting on my bed with Honey laying on my feet warming them. It was now late October and the leaves outside had turned as orange as the Jack-o-lanterns decorating my old trailer park. The kids were buzzing with excitement, you could practically here from in here.

This Halloween also marks two weeks stuck in this dungeon. After that awkward day last week River has been trying hard to get me to talk but I think he is just trying to be nice while I'm on my cycle. Boys.

I get that he loves me, I see it in his eyes every time he talks to me and my heart feels the same. My brain is just very, very cautious. Every time my hand brushes his at dinner I pull back but my heart warms and my toes tingle. My brain is putting up walls but deep inside my feelings completely mirror his. I have just decided to break that mirror in order to keep him happy. Everyone has doubts, fear and embarrassing things in their closet but in show business all of that is revealed and gossiped about. They speak of your affairs and abuse casually over coffee, it really is heartbreaking to walk down the street one day and everyone know your deepest darkest secrets.

River doesn't ever need his heart broken, if I continue this he will either be hurt by me before the public sees us or hurt by the fame like I am every day. Which is why I am putting up my walls, not for me but for him. 

I look out the small window of my room and see the sun slowly setting. It casts an orange glow over the previously blue sky and I sigh. Another day gone and no sight of Duke and no hope of love. Isn't fame wonderful?

I rack my brain for something I can do to fill time. Recently I have gotten a bunch of old classics to read from RIver's trips to the store. My favorite so far is The Great Gatsby. The language and elegance in the original version is beautiful. The story of the lengths you go for love, and it ended quite sadly. It has a realistic ending, unlike some books.

I go to get To Kill a Mockingbird form my shelf but stop when I hear a clatter of pots from the kitchen. I run in, hoping River isn't hurt. All that is running through my mind is that I can not put him through pain if he got me out of mine. I turn the corner and run down the hall, not even thinking about the possibility of slipping on the wood floors. I make it into the kitchen and see River standing in the doorway chuckling to himself.

"What happened?!" I exclaimed more in concern of his safety than frustration at his chuckles.

He turns to me with a big smile. "Nothing." he answers in a mischievous tone. I slowly take a step back from him. He hand are clamped in a dome as if- no. No, no, no, no. The realization struck. The years when I lived here with my mom were terror, but the worst part:

"NO! Get it away from me! Go away!" I sprint the opposite way into the hall again. I turn a corner but fall on my butt. I let out a squeaky scream and River turns the corner, dodging me at the last moment and landing next to me with his hands still secure around that thing.

"So, I got you a present, Ella." He jokes and leans a little closer to me while I lean back.

"Get. It. The. Hell. Away." I snapped at him, meanwhile slowly inching back.

"He has a family too. I can't kill him." He raises an eyebrow and tries to keep from laughing.

"Kill his whole family. Just- no. No, no, no, no. Make it go away." I beg weakly.

"Ella. It's just a little spider." At that moment he opens his hands and I see the furry spider in his hands. I let out the loudest scream and River lets it go to hold his ears.

"No! Where did it go?! River?!" I shrieked and inched close to him

"I'm not sure I think all my senses broke from that scream." He rubs his temples in complete seriousness.

"RIVER! The spider is loose in my house. It could crawl in my ear and have babies. Or bite me and infect me until I die. Or it cou-" I babble.

"Babe, I'm a doctor. Just relax I got this." He interrupts non-chalantly.

"I wish you were an exterminator!" I argue and point a finger at his chest.

"I'm offended." He claims, obviously joking.

"Stop being dramatic. we have a real emergency here. I am stuck in this house with a SPIDER. DO YOU HEAR ME A SPIDER?" I shout at him and get up off the floor. I gaze around nervously to try and find the spider.

"Ella," he stands up and grabs my hand, I freeze right there at his action, "It's fine. Stop freaking out. The spider is literally the size of my thum-."

The doorbell interrupts his little speech and I look at him with wide eyes. No one ever rings our doorbell.

He motions for me to stay here but I fiercely shake my head and whisper, "Spider!"

He rolls his eyes and grabs my wrist, tugging my to the door with him. He put one hand on his holster and uses the other to position me behind where the door will open. My breathing gets faster as he opens the door and I peek in the crack and see someone familiar.

"Hi there! Some of the kids sent me over, said they heard a scream." Nennet says in her high-pitched and happy southern accent. I smile and step out from behind the door, but at that same moment River narrows his eyes at her. I drag her in and shut the door, River watching me carefully.

"Nennet! I've missed you! How are you?" I hug her and she looks pleasantly surprised.

"Oh my dear! I did not expect to see you, Ella! Look at what a fine young lady you've become! Are you and your boyfriend looking for a little time away? Don't worry I won't tell." She smiles that heart warming smile at me. It makes my heart warm remembering the meals she gave us when my mom couldn't afford food.  

"Excuse me, Mrs. Nennet, but I'm going to have to keep you here until the police come. Nobody is supposed to know where Ella is, she is here for her safety." He informs my neighbor in a serious tone and a worried look on his face.

"Oh, Dearie! What happened, Ella?" She turns to me with an expression matching River's. I wring my hands together and look down at my toes.

"Well, this guy my mom hired, to uh," I cleared my throat not really wanting to tell her about it, "Date me. But only in public. He kidnapped me and tried to d-do um...t-things." I have solemn look on my face and Mrs. Nennet pulls me in for another hug. 

"Oh! My poor baby! Fame is not a good thing, I knew seeing you on all those magazines would leave to Lindsay Lohan style drama. I'll make dinner for you two lovebirds while we wait for the cops to get here." She gives me a half smile and I return it.

"Were not dating and thank you." I tell her.

"Well, Honey, the way he looks at you I don't doubt you will be single any longer." She winks at River and I look up into his pretty eyes. He smiles at me and I just cock my head at him, silently wondering about our future.