Cinderfella

03: PART OF YOUR WORLD

"Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?/Wouldn't you think I'm the girl/The girl who has everything?" - Part of Your World, The Little Mermaid

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CINDY WAKES UP THE NEXT MORNING WITH A POUNDING HEADACHE AND A STRONG DESIRE TO FIND MYSTERY MAN AND PUNCH HIM IN THE THROAT. Not literally, of course, because assault is never okay, but metaphorically? She can feel herself just anticipating it.

But the first order of business is her headache, and Cindy drags herself out of bed, groaning slightly as she stumbles to the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water and swallowing some Tylenol. After she'd been left hanging by "Prince Charming" - not that he was a prince or charming (not anymore, after he'd up and left her) - she'd wandered back to the ball, confused at the time (now she's just pissed), and discovered that the bartender did, in fact, have a bottle of vodka under the counter. It had been high quality, too, and Cindy had found herself finishing a quarter of the bottle.

Surprisingly, unlike most morning-afters, Cindy doesn't really regret this one, because that vodka was really good. As good as vodka can get, anyway. The notion that she might still be slightly drunk does occur to her somewhere along the way back to her bed, her phone in her right hand. Sluggishly, she unlocks her phone, frowning when she sees that she has thirteen missed calls from Ari.

[9:17 am] Cindy Lovelace: wow. 13 missed calls? i feel popular

[9:17 am] Ari Lee: you're welcome

[9:18 am] Ari Lee: spleen

["spleen" is Cindy and Ari's codeword for emergency talk]

[9:18 am] Cindy Lovelace: oh, baby. what happened?

[9:18 am] Ari Lee: can you come over? please

[9:18 am] Ari Lee: i need someone to talk to

[9:18 am] Cindy Lovelace: you want icecream?

[9:18 am] Ari Lee: and chocolate

[9:19 am] Ari Lee: maybe some wine so i can feel like a sophisticated divorced socialite also

[9:19 am] Cindy Lovelace: be there in fifteen

Cindy rushes to her room, grabbing the biggest tote bag she can find. She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grimaces - she looks like an absolute mess, but there's no time for that now.

She has a certain best friend to comfort.

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As soon as Cindy raises her hand to knock on Ari's door, the door swings open, revealing a teary looking girl. If Cindy was a mess, Ari is a trainwreck - still in her pink dress from last night, mascara running down her face in half-dried rivulets. Without speaking, Cindy just drops her bags filled with goodies on the steps, opening her arms for a hug. Her friend rushes into her, squeezing the life out of her.

Cindy pats her back, murmuring consolingly. "How about we go inside and binge out on ice cream, hm?" She feels Ari smile against her shoulder. "Sounds good to me."

Ari is halfway through her pint of ice cream when she decides to speak. "I -"

Cindy nods at her encouragingly.

"I saw Eric kissing someone else at the ball," her friend says finally, after much head shaking and a mouthful of Rocky Road. "Some girl named Ursula."