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Ballroom Beauty

5 years ago... 

Cindy couldn't believe this was happening, how could Lily betray her? Lily had been her best friend for as long as Cindy could remember and the pain of her betrayal was overwhelming. Cindy tried to get away as fast as she could but the cackling laughter seemed to follow her. Cindy's heart raced as the laughter became closer and closer until it was right in front of her. 

"Did you really think you could get away from us Cindy?" Cindy's monster of a step mother asked incredulously. 

"Stupid girl, I told you she was stupid but did either of you listen to me? No!" 

"Shut up!" Drizella yelled at her sister and elbowed her. 

"Ow that hurt!"

"It was meant to". 

As her step-sisters began to fight Cindy tried to use the distraction to get away but her step-mother grabbed her arms so tightly that Cindy cried out in pain. 

"Where do you think you're going?"

Now...

Cindy felt tears roll down her cheeks because of the memory. That had been the worst night of her life, the one person Cindy thought she could trust had betrayed her. Lily had told her remaining so-called family the truth of what she was, and ever since they had kept her locked up and taken away the potion she took to keep her human form. Lily shook herself back to the present and focused on the here and now. Cindy could feel her heart swell with happiness when her wonderful prince came towards her and offered her his hand. Cindy took it and let him lead her to the dance floor. 

Time seemed to slow down and everything faded away until it was just Cindy and her prince on the dance floor. Cindy couldn't believe this was happening, after everything she had suffered she was here. It was like a dream. William smiled at Cindy and her breath caught in her throat, he was so beautiful. His crystal-blue eyes shimmered and lit the room, Cindy couldn't help staring into them. 

William leaned his forehead against Cindy's and whispered, "I can't believe I found you my ballroom beauty". 

Cindy looked down at the floor, "I'm not beautiful, far from it". 

William gently took Cindy's chin and lifted her face to meet his eyes, "Please believe me when I say you are the most beautiful woman I have ever known". 

Cindy gaped at William, he thought she was beautiful? But then Cindy remembered she wasn't in her true form, would her prince still think this way if he knew what she was. Cindy knew he wouldn't and the thought hurt more than she could stand. Her thoughts seemed to show on her face because William hugged her. 

"I wish you could see what I see Cindy, I will continue to tell you how beautiful you are until you believe it". 

Cindy pulled back at this, "Does that mean you-"

Cindy was cut off when the clock struck midnight. The spell was suddenly broken, Cindy felt dizzy when she came back to reality. Cindy and William were no longer the only ones on the dance floor and the horrible realization of what would happen if she didn't get away now came crashing down on her. 

"Cindy what's wrong?" 

"I'm so sorry, I have to go". 

"Again? Cindy please-"

"I'm sorry", Cindy cried, she ran away from William despite the shattering of her heart. The thudding of her heart seemed to get louder and louder as she ran. 

"Cindy!" William shouted. 

Cindy risked a glance behind her and saw that William was running after her. This spurred Cindy on she couldn't let him find out what she was, he would never look at her with that breathtaking smile again. Cindy was running when she suddenly tripped over a red cape and fell flat on her back, why would someone leave a red cape lying around? Cindy gasped in horror as she realized she had run out of time, she could feel the magic wearing off. A blue light that mirrored William's eyes shone all over her body and Cindy's legs were gone. Instead there was a beautiful scarlet tail. Cindy looked up in horror when she heard footsteps stop abruptly, William was staring at her in shock. 

"Y-you're a mermaid?" William managed to get out. 

Cindy nodded not trusting herself to speak. William and Cindy stared at each other until William shook himself out of his stupor. He rushed over to Cindy causing her to flinch away, afraid of what he was going to do to her. 

"Hey, it's okay I'm not going to hurt you, but I have to get you out of here before people see you. Can...can I carry you". 

Cindy blinked several times unable to comprehend what was happening, "Y-you aren't afraid of me?" 

"No", William whispered and made the action Cindy feared she would never see again, he smiled at her. Cindy felt tears form in her eyes and tried to wipe them away but they kept coming, William was the first person to ever accept her. 

"You can carry me". 

William picked Cindy up with some difficulty as her tail was very heavy and ran as fast as he could to the secret room of the palace, and lay Cindy gently down on the bed and keeled in front of her. While William had been running to the room he had tried to distract Cindy from the danger by asking about her past. Cindy had told him everything, she never thought she would tell another soul but William was saving her so she trusted him. 

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, I promise you I will protect you and bring you justice for what you have been through". 

"I don't understand, why would you do that for me, why aren't you afraid of me?" 

"I have had the time of my life with you, you are wonderful. You are nothing like what I have been led to believe and what your family and Lily did to you was so wrong I won't let them get away with it". 

Cindy felt her heart soar at these words, "I can never thank you enough for believing in me and saving me". 

William pulled Cindy into a hug, "You never have to thank me my ballroom beauty".