Played For A Fool

The Fender

The picking pattern was simple, but beautiful. Cinder didn't know where she had learned the song, but it was one of her very favorites. She began to hum along with the song just as her little sister ran into her room.

"Cinder!" yelled Peony as she skipped through the door. Peony was two years younger than Cinder, who was sixteen. Cinder and Peony weren't actually sisters but their bond was just as tight. Cinder had been adopted by the Lihn family when she was 11 years old, just after she had gotten into the car accident that had changed her life forever. Cinder could hardly remember the accident or her life before it and she was glad for it. Her childhood hadn't been a pleasant one and she was happy to forget it. Not that her life had improved much since.

Cinder looked up from the strings of her ukulele. "What's up Peony?" Cinder questioned. Cinder was just about to head out to work at her little repair shop for string instruments. She loved working there because she spent the majority of her time just messing around on her uke.

"Nothing." Replied Peony. She groaned and looked at Cinder again "I'm just bored out of my mind! When are you going to teach me how to play the ukulele like you?"

Cinder smiled. Peony had been asking Cinder this same question for the past 3 months and Cinder gave her the exact same answer every time. "Once you get a uke, then I can teach you."

Peony drooped. Cinder laughed. "How am I supposed to teach you if you don't have the thing you want to learn? Are you going to play an imaginary ukulele?" Peony grumbled incoherently and Cinder smiled at her. "I promise I'll teach you once you get your own uke. If I had enough money, I would buy you one myself, but I can't."

Cinder looked at her watch and her eyes widened. "Holy stars, I'm gonna be late! I've gotta go! Love you Peony!" Cinder yelled as she grabbed her gloves and ran from her room and out of the house.

Her car was the most ugly thing known to mankind. It was an ugly shade of mustard yellow that wasn't desirable by anyone. She was glad to have it though. Cinder had found it at the dump and found it in good enough condition to use and Pearl thought that it was so hideous that she never wanted to ride in it, so that was an extra bonus.

Her shop was tiny and often overlooked, but Cinder felt more at home here than anywhere else. She was sitting there fixing a broken guitar when she ducked under her desk to fish for a steel low E and B string when someone slammed a guitar case on her table.

Cinder jerked upwards, hitting her head on the bottom of her desk. She looked up and scowled at the idiot who had scared her. She was met by shaggy black hair and the most brilliant copper eyes that she had ever seen. She immediately recognized him as Kaito Prince. They went to the same high school together, though he was a senior while Cinder was a sophomore. He was also the senior class president and most popular kid in school, while Cinder was the a complete nobody.

Kai looked at her very surprised and a bit apologetic. "I'm sorry! I didn't realize that anyone was back there!" He did look very sorry and Cinder decided that she would overlook the fact that he had caused her new throbbing headache.

"It's fine," Cinder said, playing with the hem of her left glove, "What can I help you with?" She cast her eyes down to look at the enormous guitar case that was sitting on her desk. Kaito's eyes stayed on her still looking a little bit worried.

"Well, I'm looking for a Cinder Lihn because I'm having some problems with my guitar." He looked at her and gave a heartwarming grin. Cinder looked back down at her gloves and pulled the left one up even further.

"I'm Cinder Lihn." She whispered. Kai looked at her confused and a little suspiciously and then smiled at her again. Cinder's stomach did a backflip.

"You're Cinder Lihn?" he asked astoundedly.

"Yes, now what seems to be the problem with your guitar?" Cinder inquired.

"Um... Oh yeah! My D string is having some issues. It won't tune and it's acting all wonky and so I was thinking that I might need a new string or something. My friend said that there was this little shop so I decided that I would come and see what I needed to get fixed. Also, my name is Kaito Prince, but you can just call me Kai." He said.

Cinder opened up the case and looked inside at the most beautiful fender guitar that she had ever seen. It was sleek, with dark mahogany wood that made you want to never touch it, but just let it sit there so that you could look at it. She picked it up and played a simple tune. He was right, the D string was out of whack.

Cinder tried to tune it but it just wouldn't go. "You'd be surprised how often that works." She muttered under her breath. She looked at the peg to see if there were any issues but couldn't find any. She looked up to see Kaito staring at her. She looked back down. "I'm not spotting the problem but I can replace the string in no time. It might take me a few days because I need to order new steel D strings though."

"That would be great! Do you need payment upfront or after?" Kaito looked relieved. Cinder knew what a bummer it was to not be able to play your instrument. One time her ukulele string had broken and she hadn't been able to play it. That was when she very first learned how to fix instruments.

"Payment upfront." Cinder replied. Kaito payed her and was just leaving out the door when he turned around.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Kaito asked. This surprised Cinder. Nobody hardly ever knew her or recognized her, let alone that most popular kid in school.

"I'm a sophomore at Commonwealth High." Cinder said lamely. Kaito looked surprised, then he smiled.

"Really? That's awesome! I guess I'll see you around Cinder!" The bell rang as the door closed behind him and then rang again.

Cinder's very best friend walked into the room with blue braids bouncing and exclaimed, "Cinder! Was that Kaito Prince who I just saw walking out of your shop? Oh my stars, Cinder!" Cinder laughed at her friend's enthusiasm.

Iko and Cinder had met just after Cinder had moved in with the Lihns. They were complete opposites, but they were best friends. "Yes, that was Kaito Prince. He wanted me to fix a string on his Fender."

"Oh my stars, Cinder! He's the most popular guy at school! And the hottest as well!" Iko fanned herself for emphasis and sat down on Cinder's desk. "You'll have to introduce me to him!"

Cinder scowled. "Iko, he only came in here to get his guitar fixed. I don't even know him at all!" That was true. Cinder didn't know him. She had only just talked to him for the first time about 3 minutes ago.

"Hmm. I still want to meet him," Iko gazed out into space absentmindedly. Iko was what you would call "boy crazy" because she was always flirting and found almost every boy attractive. She was never in an actual relationship though, because she liked to maintain an air of being unattainable.

"You want to meet all of the rich and popular boys!" Cinder laughed. Iko laughed with her and they just sat there chatting for a while until Cinder realized that it was time to close down the shop.

"I'll see you tomorrow Cinder!" Iko exclaimed and ran out of the door as Cinder said goodbye. Cinder stood there, staring at the place where her best friend had just been and thought about her encounter with Kaito.

A soft smile appeared on Cinder's lips. She began to hum as she locked up and turned out the lights. Her car was as old and gross as always, but Cinder couldn't wait to get home and tell Peony about her encounter with Kaito.