It Started With A Mask (A Cinderella Story)

Best Friends

Ok guys...important question! Who should this girl play? ->

Dani or Cora? HEELPPP!!! SERIOUS DILEMMA!!! THEY'RE BOTH PRETTY...and I'm sorry Amanda Seyfried fans...but she doesn't make the cut...the girl is Blake Lively. I found a perfect pic of her in the most amazingly similar dress to Cora's...but I'm not sure if Laura Vandervoort looks like Dani...so what do you think? HELP!!!

Celeste stamped the floor, snorting heavily, and puffs of air showing as she breathed. I brushed her ebony fur, thinking hard about the ball, the flyers, Prince Pierre and numerous other things that were buzzing around my mind like a bee. Celeste had been my father’s horse, a proud mare sired from a noble line, which even deviated into the Royal Breed. I had inherited her, but my aunt had taken possession of her, and used her as a pack horse, not caring for her fine silken mane, or the elegant lines of a true nobleman’s horse.

I sighed.

“Pssst!”

I turned, alarmed, before relaxing as I saw Mouse’s familiar mop of hair peeking over the low brick wall at the far reach of the back yard. I walked over to him, amused when he continued to make that noise.

“Pssst!” I crept past the small gap in the wall, treading almost silently over to behind him. Mouse peered over the wall briefly, frowning.

“Where is that girl?” he attempted another ‘psst’, but found no response. “Dani! Daaani!” he whisper-shouted. “Daaa-”

“BOO!” I jabbed him hard in the sides, laughing at him, as he jolted awkwardly, tipping over the top of the wall. I snickered, as he attempted to regain whatever dignity he had, straightening up, and brushing off his deep satin blue tunic.

“Mean” he stuck out his tongue childishly, giving up his attempt. I smiled innocently, before returning to Celeste, picking up my discarded brush.

“Where’s our dynamic duo, and Gertrude?” I found mildly amusing and saddening that Hag and Snoot were always paired together, but Gertrude was always the exception.

“Out. They’ve gone to go stalk his Highness whilst he goes for a ride” Mouse smirked.

“Along with the hundred other women who heard about this trip” I laughed, before sighing.

“Did you get a flyer?” I asked him, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah. What are you going to do?” he asked, but I shrugged, continuing to stroke Celeste’s mane gently.

“At your age, most girls are married and pregnant. Cora isn’t married because she is of nobility, and has a choice about it, and she hasn’t chosen anyone yet…thankfully” I don’t think I was meant to hear the last bit, so I ignored it. “But for girls of your class in this system, you’re mostly sold to willing suitors, mostly older than you. Seeing as there are no suitors, and you being the only servant that your aunt can’t fire, your aunt can’t afford to sell you” Mouse mused. I blinked up at him, feeling slightly hurt. Was he implying that I wasn’t appealing enough to have any suitors? Mouse suddenly looked up, as if realising what he had just said.

“Not that I don’t think you can’t get suitors!” he exclaimed, but it was too late. He had struck a deep chord in me, and it twanged painfully and sorrowfully. I knew I wasn’t the epitome of femininity and beauty…but I’m not horrible enough that my best and oldest friend thinks I’m incapable of getting a husband, right? I felt tears pool in my eyes for the first time since my father died. I looked away from Mouse, embarrassed at my reaction to his words. I have always been the strong one. Crying isn’t normal for me. But even as I thought that, tears started spilling down my cheeks.