The Princess Pages: A Girl Like Cinderella

Song Sixty Eight

THE NIGHT WHERE EVERYONE FINDS OUT

March 11, 2015. Wednesday Evening. Two days before the Green Day Graduation.

Jacqueline lived alone in a two-story white house with yellow shutters and red roof. She'd dived into independence since she was fourteen, when both her parents began to frequent travels as sought-after professionals in the field of news and media.

With that fact now known, it was the main reason her pad was voted to be the makeshift salon and fitting room for her and the five girls: Lucy, Stella, Beverly, Genevieve, and, because of Lucy's scheming, Scarlet Monroe, head cheerleader of Green Day High School.

The Jones residence was a comical mayhem of teenage girls putting on makeup, styling their hair, dodging cosmetic bottles littered on the tiled floor, and climbing into their chic gowns as the clock ticked by. 6:45. The ball would begin at 8, and their dates would arrive at 7:30.

Soon, all girls were ready---except for Lucy, who was still in a gray sweatsuit.

Jackie's purple hair was straightened, and she wore an off-shoulder dark blue cocktail gown whose full skirt had a long slit that flaunted her right leg.

Stella's white-blonde hair rested in a small bun against her nape while her burgundy halter dress fell above her knees, and her manicured feet were encased in sequined high heels.

Beverly had curled her long platinum blonde locks and she was wrapped in a lacy pink gown, its long sleeves transparent, her tulle skirt stopping above her ankles.

Scarlet's silky blood-colored hair was immaculately layered, and her eyes seemed darker because of the one-shouldered beige gown whose silk skirt pooled around her pedicured feet.

Genevieve's pink-salmon tube dress had a hi-low skirt with a satin ribbon in her back. The weak shade of pink made her straight brown hair turn two tones darker, and her white strapped sandals elevated her already-generous height.

"How come Heartwood is still in those hideous sweats?" Scarlet asked, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

"I'm so glad you asked, Monroe,"Jacqueline drawled with exaggerated formality. She folded her arms in front of her and stood next to the makeup-chair Lucy was occupying. She spun it so that the bespectacled brunette was facing the three girls standing against the back of the black sofa.

"I don't have all the details on what you three know or don't know, so I'm going to have a little fun figuring out the capacity of your knowledge concerning my friend," said Jackie, grinning.

Scarlet rolled her eyes. "What the hell is going on, Jones?" the redhead demanded.

The amber-eyed girl took a smug step towards the three dolled-up teens, and she asked:

"I don't suppose you're still curious about Cara Wall, the girl in the white mask who attended the Valentine's Dance at the last minute?"

Stella and Scarlet shared the same clueless expression. Only Beverly and Genevieve knew.

"What about her?" the short haired blonde yawned. "She's not the talk of the town anymore."

A sly smile stretched Jackie's carmine lips. "Before I feed your intrigue, I would like to warn the two of you to keep your mouths shut like a bear trap after what I'm about to tell you."

"And what if we don't?" Scarlet shot back.

"As if you can scare me, Jones," Stella taunted.

In a flash,Jackie took out a pepper spray from her white purse and threatened to spritz their eyes before they could attend the Graduation Ball.

"Okay, okay! Gees. Keep that thing away from me," the two girls conceded.