Glass slipper

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Is this my happily ever after ?

        As the Prince took my hand dance, I didn't feel this spark father always told me I would feel when it was the right one. But I wasn't paying attention much to notice either. There was one thing that caught my eye, in the balcony there's a skinny golden-blond haired boy he looked kinda like the prince except little bit younger about my age. I looked away. Looking back I noticed he was gone. It was nothing l told myself.

        I ignored it. It was kinda weird, having everyone look at me, stare at me. I was just so used to having everyone ignore me, l wasn't used to attention. The attention felt really nice. In the distance I could see stepmother and stepsisters, they had no idea who I was, they had no idea I was the one who stole the attention .

        There's so many different faces it was hard to count them all. There were people dressed in feathers, ruffles, lace, and jewels of all kinds. Looking at everyone start and make me dizzy. the music seemed to be going on for hours. A slower song started, when I look into the Prince's eyes, I thought I saw kindness, love, tenderness and much more.

        I also saw something else, he looked as if he was proud to be dancing with me. It was like a little kid at a carnival winning the largest prize. It seemed as if, I was a prize to be won over. Did he think I was a thing, something to be won, a trophy even? That's not what I wanted, I didn't want to be pushed around, told how to do everything and how everything was supposed to be done.

        If this was how I was going to be treated, how I was going to live my life, I wanted out. I was too lost in thought to realize that the song was over, looking over at the Prince, I could see he left me. For some reason it stung. I felt as if, a thousand knives pierce my chest. Why did I feel that, why do I feel that way, I do not know even today. But for some strange reason I did. As l walked toward the crowd, l looked back to were the prince was gone, I wasn't able to see him anywere. 

        Walking into the crowds, I thought I'd meet some people, maybe even look out for the golden-blond haired boy, I saw earlier. As I walked into the crowd, it seems as if everyone wanted to talk to me. They ask questions like, "what was it like to dance with the prince or so are you going to be the new queen." I tried to ignore the questions that they kept on coming.

        As I was slipping through the crowd, I barely noticed anyone around me. I don't know when it happened, but halfway through dance, I felt a cold, bony hand on my shoulder. I froze, there's only one person in the world I knew, that had that hand, and she was the last person I wanna see you right now. Turning around slowly in fear, I see Lady Dushlun behind me.

"St- stepmother I gasp my chest pounding, my heart is racing."

"Ella" Stepmother said trying to sound sweet.

"How- how you know its me" I stutter trying to sound brave.

"Ella, I have been your stepmother for 10 years now, don't you think I would have then able to find you."

"Leave me alone, I'm going nowhere with you."

"No! You were coming with me we're going home you have work to do. Besides you don't belong here, you're nobody, you worthless , you're lucky that you stayed with us."

        She was right, I'm nothing, I mean nobody, I'm worthless. I was lucky that they took me in. I was about to listen to her, that would have ruined my life. I burst into tears, I did my best to stop them but they just wouldn't. I was ready to give up, I was ready to go back to the way things were, I'm not a princess, I'm just Ella. I hear this voice in the back of my mind. "Stay strong, stay strong." the voice was right, "don't give up Ella," I told myself.

''No!" I tell step mother. "Not going back, I'm not your slave, I'm not worthless , I'm not a nobody. I'm Ella and I'm not going to let you push me around anymore."

"Very courageous Ella, but it could have been one of the worst mistake in your life. Oh and one more thing, don't bother coming home, ever!"

        As she leaves, I burst into tears . "What have I done" I thought, I just made myself homeless. For what, a dance?! Through all my tears, I ran out of the ballroom. I did my best to stop myself from crying, but I couldn't. I couldn't see very well through all the tears, everything was blurry. Right as I was about to finish getting off the staircase, I bump into someone. I think I blacked out, I must have been running so fast I forgot to breathe. All I remember was waking up and seeing figure of a man kneeling beside me.

"Here take this" The man said as he passed me a handkerchief.

"Tha- thank you. I'm Ella."

"Nice to meet you Ella, I'm Elliot."

"Nice to meet you Elliot." I kind of standing there blushing like an idiot. Putting my hands flat on the ground, I slowly search to push myself up.

"Here" He said as he gave me his hand. The second I touched his hand, a slight tingling feeling spread throughout my whole hand. Like with the boy from the village. He was dressed in rags, but I didn't care, he was nice enough to not hate me. Slowly he pulled me up, our eyes met. It felt as if some magical thing was happening.

        Looking at me, Elliott asked if I wanted to dance. I nodded in agreement. Slowly taking his hand in mine, he walks me out the staircase. About halfway up, I trip on one of the steps, almost losing my shoe. When we get to the ballroom, I can see the prince flirting with other girls.

        Taking my hand in one of his and and placing one on my wais, we start to dance. I look up at one of the balconies, I realize that he was the one watching me. Questions day going through my head. About halfway through the dance, William comes over. Grabbing my torso he picks me up and move me away from Elliot.

"William, leave Ella alone!"

"Elliott! I thought I told you to leave her alone. But you don't listen, like always!" William yelled.

"She's not yours, William . You can't take her!"

"Watch me!"

        Prince William grabbed my hand and start pulling me away. I did my best to fight back but his grip was too strong. Elliott came up to the prince, grab him by the shoulder and turned him around. "William" Elliott started, he didn't listen. He grabbed Elliot by the neck and started and hosted him up. Only able to push my for a few seconds, Elliot told me to run.

        I hesitate, he yells it again. I run. I can hear William roar to the guards to follow me. My heart felt like as a hummingbird's wings, beating so fast that it can never stop. I was terrified, what was to happen to Elliot, what was going to happen to me. As I ran down the stairs my right glass slipper fell off. As I turn back to grab it, the stranger in the carriage grab my hands and pull me in. I look back, only to see Elliott being attacked by the guards.