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

Chapter 16 (Edited)

I walked into the school building and looked around. I had a skateboard in my hand, which I used for transportation, since my lovely step-mother thought that I could do without a car and a license.

Sure, I knew how to drive. I mean, I lived on a farm that had over 700 acres of land. It would be hard to travel from one end to the other on foot and take a long time, also. So, my father taught me how to drive the old pickup truck when I was around 10 years old. Talk about scaring the shit out of him when I almost crashed into the barn and getting yelled at by my step-mother.

My father just laughed it off, saying that he'll teach me when I could reach the pedals. He knew that Delilah was being tough on me, but he said that I needed a mother, and she was going to warm up to me. She never did, and he died when I was twelve, leaving Blue as my last gift from him.

I shook my head and broke myself from my thoughts, not wanting to go into a far darker place than I needed to.

"Ella!" my friend, Baxley, squealed, making everyone turn to look at me. She ran over to me, her eyes filled with happiness. She had a bounce in her step, making her hair bounce. "Guess what?!"

I frowned and studied her, not really knowing what she was beaming about. I didn't really care, knowing that she would tell me in the end. "You're pregnant," I said, even though I knew that wasn't true.

Baxley Espinoza was and has always been my best friend, even though my step sisters made my life a living hell at school. She had chocolate brown eyes that always seemed to smile behind her glasses. She had light brown and black hair, which she had dyed herself, to make it look more interesting. Another thing was, her hair was ear length and really curly as well as bushy. Her skin was a natural tan, which was because of her being Spanish descent. Bax, which I called her for short, stood at 5'7, an inch taller than me, even though she didn't look like it.

Her nose was small, and it fit into with the rest of her heart shaped face. Her ears were also small, even though she had full lips, which were a darkish color also. When she smiled, she had a perfect row of white teeth, something that I never had and probably will never have.

Bax wrinkled her nose in distaste when she came up to me. "Eew, no," she said. "Why would you guess that?"

I shrugged my shoulder. "What else would you have wanted me to guess? Chicken butt?" I asked.

Bax sighed and shook her head. "You are hopeless, Child," she said. She cleared her throat and grinned. "No, that is not it, and I'm not pregnant. Anyways, Dean Andrews has moved back to Kentucky, and he is at our school." With that she made a face as if she was going to squeal, however, she was waiting for me to squeal also.

I wrinkled my nose and cocked my head. I knew I had heard that name before, but I could really care less on who it was and what they did. I didn't really watch television anymore, because my step-mother didn't want my brain to rot. I, also, wasn't into any of the latest fashions and stuff like that, so it wasn't my fault that I didn't know who Dean Andrews was.

"Who?" I asked finally, my voice showing my confusion.

Bax gave me a look as if to say I was crazy. "Dean Andrews? He's the heartthrob of Hollywood, and he is a horse rider so you should know who he is."

I shook my head. "Don't know him. Delilah cut off my magazines, saying that I don't need them." I bit back a sigh and shook my head again. "It doesn't matter. I have no way of knowing who the person is, even if I wanted to."

"But, you got a laptop."

"With parental controls and such. She makes sure that I can only go on websites that are for school, and then I just have a flip phone that is stupid." Again, I shook my head and walked towards my locker. "I am too busy, as it is with all the work that Delilah makes me do."

Bax sighed and shook her head. "That's why, and I should've known." She grinned and placed an arm around my shoulders. "So, how is life?"

I sighed and shook my head, feeling defeated. "Crazy as always," I replied. I hid a wince as she hit a bruise, knowing that she was going to ask about it. "Now, I have to wait until after high school to see if I can't get into that college of my choice."

Bax nodded her head, frowning. "I don't know why you don't go to school close by. I mean, it'd be cheaper."

"And, I want to get away from them."

Bax stood by my locker and frowned. She studied me, making me feel quite nervous. "She beat you again, didn't she?" she asked. Her hand went to poke my ribs, but I slapped it away with a hiss. "She did! When are you going to tell someone?"

"I can't." I opened my locker and looked inside, hoping that she wouldn't go down this road, again. However, I knew that she would, even though she knew that my mind wouldn't change. I couldn't deal with having to leave just yet.

"Why can't you? Don't say it's because of the group. They can survive without you." She gave me a knowing look, knowing that I was going to say them.

I sighed and shook my head. "It's not because of them," I muttered. "There is a better reason."

"And that is..."

"Derek," I replied. "He needs someone that will actually care about him." I pulled some of the books out of my locker before putting my skateboard in there. "And the animals need my help. Some are more loyal to me than the group."

"Like Blue?"

My heart broke when she said his name. I cleared my throat and nodded my head. "Uh, ya. Like Blue." My voice cracked at the end when I said his name. I wasn't going to tell Bax about what had happened, because she didn't need to know. "Come on, we got to get to class. If I'm late again, Delilah will make my life miserable." I rolled my eyes before going to my first period. I knew that Bax wanted to ask me about what I meant with Blue, but I knew that she knew that I wasn't going to tell her if I can't help it.

I was sure that she would find out on her own.

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A/N: Well, this chapter is done. I think I am done with this chapter. Anyways vote and/or comment. Peace.

~Rissa