The Princess Pages: A Girl Like Cinderella

Song Seventy Seven

A KISS CAN MEAN GOODBYE

Carter stood in front of the living room window, his hands laced behind him as his brown eyes watched buckets and buckets of rain spill from the gray clouds.

The teen with wavy brown hair lifted his wrist to his eyes and checked the time. 5:23pm.

Lucy--with her thick black glasses, pale skin, long dark hair and batman jacket teamed with batman-print boxers, walked over to him, her feet encased in black flip flops.

"You've been standing there for a while," she observed while drawing nearer.

"Lu, it's been more than two hours and he's still there, waiting for you."

"He's.. WHAT?" She demanded incredulously, her face practically pressed against the glass.

To her astonishment, a tall figure stood a few feet outside the house, his hands shoved inside his gray pants' pockets as he trembled under the freezing rain. His mop of blond hair was visible in the darkness, and when Jonas, his chauffeur, offered him an umbrella, the tall young model refused, sending his driver away.

"That idiot," Lucy muttered as she pulled her hoodie way up over her head, and she hastily grabbed a random umbrella from its hook on the wall, then she carefully dashed towards the shadowed figure who had just released an audible sneeze.

"What do you think you're doing?" the brunette asked flatly as she held up the red umbrella above their heads.

Trent's green eyes lit up when he saw her. He was still hugging his arms, a futile attempt to lift his body warmth.

"I-I'm p--p-proving t-t-to you that m-m-my feelings a-are r-r-real," the tall blond stuttered, his teeth chattering from the cold air and rain.

Lucy exhaled deeply, raising her right hand to run her fingers through his soft yellow mane.

The handsome teen closed his eyes, leaning into her touch when she tenderly held his face.

"Trent," she began, retracting her hand, which made him open his green eyes. When she saw that he was looking at her, the brunette continued: "I do believe you have feelings for me, but I'm too afraid to give you a chance. It's me. I'm the problem. I can't handle the fears and doubts that creep in every time girls throw themselves at you, be it fans or exes or co-workers."

His now-blue lips parted to reply,but she wasn't done talking.

"You'll find someone better, Trent. You deserve to meet a girl who has no strings attached. A girl fit for Trent Morgan. But she isn't me." A tearful smile danced on her full lips.

"Lucy."

She stepped closer to him, then brought her free hand to the blue fabric draped around his neck.

"You know, I made this for you to prevent you from catching cold," she said jokingly, while her hand adjusted the soft cerulean scarf around him. "So much for that."

"Lucy."

"What?" She raked her blue eyes over his serious face.

"I'm in love with you, Lucy," he admitted, sincerity evident in his voice.

A regretful smile graced her lips. "You know I can't say it back even if I feel the same way," she told him as she stood on her tiptoes and placed a feather-light kiss on his damp cheek.

When Lucy pulled back to look at Trent, his green eyes were transfixed on her and only her.

"Why can't we be together?" he asked, grasping at straws. "Why does it have to be so complicated?"

To his cold horror, a lone tear rolled down Lucy's pale cheek as she gazed at him.

"When two people have perfect chemistry, all that's needed is timing," she said in a defeated voice. Her fingers curled around the umbrella's curve more securely. "But timing's a bitch."

By then, Trent had started to cry uncontrollably as well. The rain came down relentlessly.

Slowly, but surely, the tall blond cupped Lucy's face in his damp hands, his fingers weaving their way to the back of her nape, cradling her rich black hair in his palms.

Lucy tightened her hold around the umbrella stick. Her eyes fluttered closed as she raised her head, hearing the drumbeat of her heart as she sensed Trent's shadow cast over her face.

He kissed her softly, treating her like delicate porcelain he didn't dare break. When their lips met, Lucy tried to burn the tingling feeling into her memory, how perfect it felt to kiss Trent Morgan, the warm sensations flooding her cheeks. How his thumbs tickled her ears while the rest of his hands combed through the back of her neck, stroking her hair.

She could taste the salt from their tears, and without a second thought, Lucy responded, placing a gentle hand on his broad chest while her other hand clutched the red umbrella protecting them from the ear-piercing downpour. She kissed him hard, and deeply, wishing time would stop at that exact moment, but all too soon, she felt his lips pull away from hers.

Panting heavily, Trent touched his forehead to hers. "Your lips.. are soft," he whispered.

Lucy's face turned crimson when her blue eyes stared into green ones. "Um, thank you?"

"It's still a no, isn't it?"

She gave a somber nod of her head. "It's still a no," she affirmed, and Trent shut his eyes.

"Just as well." He shrugged nonchalantly, but his face was crestfallen. "I won't be able to make it to your graduation tomorrow. My flight's early."

Pulling away from one another, Trent slid his hand inside his pocket and fished out something small and silvery.

"Here. I altered it so you can wear it as a bracelet," the tall blond said, placing the item on her palm. "It's an advanced graduation gift to you."

Lucy stared down at the silver chain ending in a familiar moon pendant. When she flickered her gaze to Trent, she caught him staring at her, as if committing her face to his memory.

He dipped his head and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, before whirling around to brave the rain, walking out of her red umbrella, out of her life, but not her heart.