Chasing Cinderella (Book one of the Cinderella Series) (Completed)

Chapter 11 (Edited)

That morning there was that deep ache as if something was missing. I knew it was because Blue wouldn't be there to greet me, as he did every single day. I stayed in bed for a few seconds before getting up and starting with my day.

I knew that I might see him one day. I just had to hold out to then. You never know what the future brings to you. It actually might bring my horse back to me. I snorted and shook my head. That is like wishing for the Earth to be flat, I thought bitterly as I pulled on my jeans and started to walk towards the barn. Wishful thinking.

***

I walked out of the house and into the feed room, getting started on the food for them. My whole body instantly relaxed as I smelt the horses, food, and other stuff that barn's smell of.

I started to sing, trying to get my feelings in order. I didn't want to think, so that is what I did. I let my hands do the business that they have known since probably the beginning of my life.

I was glad that I've known this for a long time, because some days, I did need to stop thinking about stuff and just let my body do the work. Singing helped me keep thoughts out of my head.

My father had told me that I had gotten it from my mother. He said that he had loved the way we would get lost into music. We would just listen to the tune of a song and then copy it. He told me that it was a gift, getting lost into the music. Me, I just thought it was because we had bad stuff happening to us, so we need an escape.

So, I sung A Little Bit Stronger, by Sara Evans, which was another of my favorite songs. It was to remind me that every day I was going to get stronger. It didn't matter what would happen, I would just start getting stronger.

After I finished the song, someone started clapping at the doorway. This made me jump and turn around, to see that Anna was standing in the doorway, watching me. A grin was on her face and her eyes were filled with happiness. "That was beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Better than Sara Evans any day."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "No, it wasn't," I muttered as I looked down at the feed buckets. I shook my head, seeing that they were all ready ready, and I didn't even realize it. My heart clenched a little as I saw that I had done Blue's food even though he was gone. And I didn't even use his bucket, but a pan.

Anna saw the look on my face and looked down at the feed bowl I was staring at. "Ell?" she asked as she looked up at me again. She glanced down again at the feed bowl, realization dawning on her face. "Oh," she said softly.

I sighed and shook my head. "Oh is right," I muttered as I started to put the food I had for him in other horses feed bowls. I didn't want him to be gone. He was my best friend, second to that of my only friend, a girl named Baxley, or Bax for short.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

I looked up at her stunned. She never apologized to me and this was new. What is she trying to do? Get me to trust her and then stomp on my heart like the rest of them? I don't know if I can go through that pain again.

I snorted and shook my head. "Of course you are," I replied bitterly as I started getting the food together, so I could give them to the horses. "You have nothing to be sorry about, so I don't know why." I started to walk past her, not caring that I bumped into her.

"You know, they are right," Anna called out behind me. "You are just a self-centered, worthless, piece of shit, with no backbone."

I turned around and stalked over to her. I have had it with people playing with my emotions. "Worthless piece of shit with no backbone?" I asked with a hiss. I snorted and shook my head. "Every time I do show a backbone, you, Delilah, Clarice, or Korren break it, again. And being self-centered?" I barked out laughing. "Bitch, please, I am most un-self-centered person you'll ever meet. Why? I had all my stuff taken away from me. And that doesn't even count my mother or my father."

Anna set her jaw as she narrowed her eyes. "Oh?" she asked. "And how do you not have anything?"

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. She was getting on my last nerves, and I haven't done anything to her, yet. "I have no clothes that I call my own. Most of them are yours or Clarice and they have been used or you two didn't want to wear them anymore. I don't get food because your mother doesn't want me to eat. I don't get enough sleep because she makes me do lots of chores and clean the house every day. I had a room, but now I have none, because she took it away from me and now have to live in the basement with Anne." I paused and took a deep breath. "And she took the one thing that I wanted to keep forever. She took my best friend and sold him. So, I have nothing left. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have horses to feed before my face becomes a place where people hit." With that, I turned around and walked taking feed buckets to the horses.

***

I grumpily walked back to the feed room to get the hay after I had delivered all the food buckets. I was still in a bad mood from dealing with Anna. I was tired of her trying to play nice and then go back to her mean self. She didn't care about my feelings. She just wanted to get close to me, to see a side that no one has ever seen before, well Clarice, Delilah, and Anna.

Someone hummed in the feed room and I tensed, knowing it was a girl. I stepped in to see Anna placing hay in hay nets. She looked up startled when she heard me clear my throat. "I- I."

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked interrupting her.