On this twist of the classic Cinderella, Cinder is your average step child: ignored, mistreated, and left in the dark. But when the chance of a lifetime arrives to sneak out to the Prince's ball Cinder leaves his past behind - even if only for a few...
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"Adam van der Woodson, the man that finds his wife tomorrow, is gay? Are you sure about that?" Bellami coughs out, palms pressed tight against her temples in utter confusion.
Cinder sits cross legged on his bed, his fingers fumbling with his black sweatpants as he eyes Bellami sat on the dark wood floor ahead of him. Her eyes are wide, matching the halo of hair that surrounds her as she shakes her head in disbelief at the news.
"He held my hand and practically sucked the air out of my soul he was so close to me." Cinder rolls his eyes, body falling back on the bed as he stares at his glass ceiling fan. "And he wants me to go to the ball."
"What!" Bellami screams, body shooting up as she shuffles across the white fur rug on all fours. "Why didn't you say that sooner? Oh my god, Cinder, what are you going to wear? And when are you going to have time to go to a ball when you have to make eight outfits by scratch before tomorrow night?"
"Exactly," he breathes out, hands falling above his head. "I'm not going."
"You could marry a van der Woodson and you're just not gonna' go?" She quizzes, crawling onto the bed next to him and curling into his chest.
It's been a while since the two of them have just sat and talked, void of Tremaine drama or insane deadlines. It's a bit refreshing to say the least.
"He said to my face that Tremaines' are the devil. And I happen to be a Tremaine. So what do you think will happen when he finds out I do more than just work for the family. Hell, Bellami, I am the family!"
"Since when have you ever claimed the Tremaine name?" Bellami squints her doe eyes, smacking a fist against Cinder's chest until he's curled over in pain. "Use your head, Cinder! You do realize if you go to the ball, and Adam chooses you, you won't be a Tremaine anymore, right? You'd be free from Auntie and Averdale."
Free from Cassandra? The thought swirls in his mind for only a second before being pushed away, the boy dragging his hands over his face in frustration. "Even if I wanted to go I still have the dresses to make, plus," he sighs, sitting up from the fluffy bed. "I don't think anyone knows Adam is gay. How am I supposed to explain why I, someone he doesn't know, got a special invite? It's a marriage party, Bell, the invite might as well say 'girl's only'."
Bellami only falls forward on the bed, her Afro puffing around her cheeks as she lets out an aggravated grumble. "Do you know how much easier this would be if you were a girl?" She mumbles against his sheets, words barely audible as she lets out another groan.
Of course his one shot at being freed from the Tremaine name would come with a thousand and one hurdles. A girl only party, an invite from a closeted rich boy, and a hastily approaching deadline all blocking the road to freedom.
Great.
Freckled hands drag across tired eyes, Cinder letting out a heavy sigh before turning to his cousin still face-forward on the bed. Deciding it's not worth it, he leaves her be, exiting the bedroom and finding his way down the staircase leading to the main room. Eight dresses aren't going to make themselves after all.
