Cinderella's Twist

chapter one: i'm missing a party, not getting pregnant

JACLYNN WINSTON'S POV

"Are you sure you can't stay, Jackie?" Lydia, my best friend asks me as I put my clothes into a bag to go to Idaho to see my cousin.

I laugh at the fact she is asking for the fourth time this week. "Yes, I have to, Lyds. It's Andrea's birthday and I can't miss it for the world."

She sighs. "Will is throwing a party tonight. It's his huge kick off the year party and rumor has it that Jaxon is looking forward to seeing you."

"And that is fantastic, but Jax will still be here when I get back on Sunday," I explain to her as I close up my suitcase and put it next to my door.  "He will still be pining for me as I tease him. Not much is going to change just because his best friend is throwing a party."

"A lot can change over the course of a weekend. Like that time McKenna Bradley found out her family went bankrupt. Or when Keller Williams discovered his girlfriend was pregnant. Things happen, Lynn." she insists.

"You're thinking way too widely about this," I tell her. "I'm only missing a party not getting pregnant or watching my mother and father let their eight kids crumble with having no money. I mean have you seen where I live?"

She laughs and takes a bottle of nail polish from my vanity and begins painting her nails. "Okay, okay. Maybe you're right. You are still missing a pretty awesome party."

"I'm going to an even better party," I say proudly plopping down on the floor next to Lydia and begin painting my own nails.

"In Idaho? You are going to a mall town in Idaho what is so great about that?" She asks in disgust.

"Masquerade ball."

"You're so lucky!"

"Who's so lucky?" Sanders, one of my older brothers asks.

Yes, one of my older brothers. I have eight total, four of them being younger than me, three being younger than me. The order goes Derek at twenty-two. He lives a street over with a group of his friends.  Ricky at twenty who dropped out of college and is apparently "finding himself". More like finding himself in the bed of every girl in California. Then there is Sanders and Lucas at eighteen but Sanders was adopted at birth. Then there is, me, the glory child at sixteen turning seventeen. Then we have Fredrick and Sullivan who are twins who are fourteen. Their names had to be altered because we would make fun of them so we just call them Sully and Freddy. Then Brian who is twelve. He mainly keeps to himself and tells the family random and useless facts. Chance is five and he is probably my favorite with his cute chubby cheeks and bubbly personality.

My parents are successful. They are co owners for a bunch of companies and my dad designs specially ordered cars. I live is Casasbas, California in a really big home to fit my huge family. I've always been adored by my loving parents for as long as i can remember along with my mother's best maid, Caterina and butler, Francisco. They've been my second set of parents when mine aren't home.

I'm friends with pretty much everyone including the one guy i have pinning after me, but my true friends are Lydia Pearl and Tonya Lake. We've been best friends for as long as i can remember. We were all sent to boarding school until we were in high school so we shared a dorm room there.

"Me, I'm heading to Idaho tonight to see Andrea for her birthday," I explain to him as I zip up the suitcase.

"You are? Huh, mom never mentioned anything," he says with a shrug and takes a swing from his cup.

"Well, her school is having a masquerade ball and Aunt Bella got us dresses."

"Yeah, I don't care. I'll see you Sunday, sis," he calls walking away.