He Called Her Cinderella

Introduction

A/N:

              Hey everyone! Thanks for reading. This is just the intro, but still important. It's short, though, so it's not too painful. Also, just a note: my friend created a beautiful cover, but I've been having some trouble uploading it; hopefully that will change soon. Just a thank you in advance to LANdofthesun for the beautiful work she did. Thanks, awesome possum!

Here's some other basic stuff:

1. This is not exactly an original story, but please do not steal my characters or my story word for word. If this inspires you to write your own Cinderella twist, by all means, write on! (as if you needed my permission!).

2. This book is 100% cuss word free, keep your comments in the same genre, or else they might magically disappear!

3. If you like it, please vote and comment! That makes me really happy!

4. Am I seriously still jabbering? Let's just get this intro over with!

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        Ruthie Mae Springs sat next to the hospitable bed where her dad lay. Stephanie, her step-mother, had just taken her two step-sisters, Julianna and Justice, to the cafeteria to get lattes'.

        Mr. Springs' eyes opened, "Ruth?"
       
        She scooched closer, "I'm here."

        "Where am I?" he asked.

        "The hospitable. Remember?" she asked.

        "No, tell me what happened," he sighed.

        "You were coaching basketball practice and Reuben Matthews challenged you to fifty push-ups in a minute. You had a heart-attack, but you didn't let them call 911 until you finished," Ruth told him.

        Her dad's eyes brightened as he regained his memory, "Listen, Ruth. I want you to stay in school, graduate, and have a good career. Don't let Stephanie get you down, she can be a bit obnoxous until you really get to know her. Remember your mother, remember how she loved you, and how I loved her. I would have taken that cancer for her a million times if I could. Be an example to Julianna and Justice, they may get annoying, but I know you can be a good older sister," he stopped to catch his breath, which sounded congested. "Finish strong. Always finish strong."

        After he breathed those words, his eyes closed. Machines started beeping, nurses and doctors rushed in, and Ruth watched in horror as they tried unsuccessfully to revive him.

        A nurse gently walked Ruth out of the room, "How old are you, sweety?"

        "Fourteen, I'm a freshman," she said blankly.

        The nurse, who had children of her own, blinked away tears, "Can I call someone for you?"

        Ruth nodded and handed her a slip of paper, "Thanks."

        The nurse walked down the hall, passing a tall woman in purple heels followed by two girls in identical dress.

        "How's he doing?" Stephanie asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

        'He's dead,' Ruth thought, but she couldn't say it. Instead she just shook her head and walked away, going the direction the nurse had gone.

        "Ruth! Get back here and answer my question! I've had enough of this silent treatment, I'm practically your mother!" Stephanie screamed.

        A doctor poked his head out of the room, "Ma'am, please lower your voice."

        "How's my husbad doing?" she demanded.

        "I'm sorry, he's passed away," he informed her regretfully.

        Stephanie looked shocked, but then cooly sipped her latte.

         "Survival of the fittest," she mumbled before turning to find Ruth.

        She saw the girl walking slowly down the hall, "Ruth! Come here."

        Ruth turned, and Stephanie pulled her into an awkward hug, "I'm sorry. Don't cry, it does nothing to help your looks. It's a pity you didn't turn out like my girls, though it's only to be expected. I look nothing like your mother did, and their scum-bag father was nothing like yours. I should have known better than to marry that good-for-nothing just because of his looks. But at least my girls inheirited them." Stephanie rambled her comforting speech, "I expect you'll want to stay with the Bradfords for a while. That's alright with me; in fact, I was thinking you might like to stay with them every weekend. We'll talk about that later. Anyway, did your dad mention the will? I suppose he left everything to me to sort out, typical man."

        "He didn't say," Ruth said, wiping the tears from her blue eyes.

        "Oh, well I'll be sure to take care of that," Stephanie grumbled, but then pulled a lock of Ruth's light blonde hair. "Did you brush your hair this morning?"

        "I didn't have time, I came here at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, and I haven't left," Ruth explained, looking anxiously down the hall for the Bradfords.

        "Oh, your dad told me to give this to you," Stephanie handed Ruth a silver, heart-shaped locket. "Your parents' photos are inside."

        Ruth slipped the locket around her neck, and walked towards where she saw the Bradfords.

        A couple days before, everyone knew her as "Ruth Springs, Coach's daughter." A couple weeks after, everyone knew her as "Coach Springs' daughter," and said how sorry they were for her. Tired of being reminded of her father's death, Ruth avoided attention, and soon, few even noticed her. 

        She stayed the weekends with the Bradfords, who were more than happy to "all but adopt" Ruth. She followed her father's last words and "finished strong," putting her best into her schoolwork and anything she did.

        With most students paying little to no attention to her, imagine her surprise when he called her Cinderella.

A/N:

Wow, that was cheesy. The rest of the book is not like that, I promise!

I know, two a/n's is almost two too many... but I just wanted to direct your attention at how I subtly slipped that book title in that last sentence. If you missed that, read the last sentence again... it's actually not that subtle. Who's ready for the first interesting chapter????

*cough* awkward silence *cough* (this is your que to shout MEEEEEEEEEEEEE at the top of your lungs). 

Alright, here we go...... ( NOT a reference to a certain alcoholic beverage).

I AM SO EXCITED TO WRITE THIS, I'M THROWING A PARTY INSIDE MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

        ~Peach