A Cindy Story

Chapter 8

I am home, finally.  I wish I could just curl up in a ball and hide from the world.  But I can't. I have to clean and cook and do all the work I never wanted to do.  But some how it all got placed onto Cindy's shoulders! Linda yelling at me every day, "Cindy, scrub this or dust that!" Why does it have to be me?

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After dinner, and I had cleaned up, I began my sweeping of the house. I started in the living room.  Linda was having her afternoon tea and reading a magizine.  All of a sudden the triplets come running down the stairs, almost tripping over one another yelling, "MOM! MOM! OMG! OMG!"  They run into the living room with their phones glued to their faces.  Jumping up and down, screaming, and checking their phones, while yelling "MOM! MOM! OMG! OMG!!" Finally Linda puts a stop to this madness.

"Darlings! DARLINGS! Calm down." The girls obey their mother and run to sit excitedly on the couch. "Now, would ONE of you tell me what is going on?"

"OMG! MOM! The school excepted our propsal for the theme to homecoming!!" Mia exclaimed.

"Which would be?" Linda inquired.  Silence filled the room, but only lasted for three seconds.  The girls exchanged excited glances and then all at the same time screamed,

"A MASQUERADE DANCE!!!"  The room was filled with the screetches of the triplets.

"Mom, we just have to go dress shopping!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Yeah, I want to get my costume ready. I was thinking of going as a butterfly." Anna added excitedly.

The silence filled the room once again.  Mia, Olivia, and Linda all gave Anna a very confused look.

"What? It's a masquerade, right? So, I'm going to need a costume. Otherwise I'll just look stupid." 

"Anna, a masquerade is where girls wear pretty dresses and masks." Olivia explained.

"NOT costumes." Mia added.

"Oh yeah, right." Anna said trying to cover up her mistake, "I knew that, duh."

"Anyway, I would be happy to take you dress shopping.  Go get ready and we will leave in a few minutes." Linda decided.  I couldn't take it any longer.  All this talk of a dance and dresses made me have to ask.

"Step-Mother, can I go dress shopping too?" At first there was only silence, like they all had to quesion if I actually just asked that question.  Then laughter.  The triplets laughed all the way upstairs.  

"You stupid girl, of course you can't go! Who do you think you are?" Linda snapped at me, bringing me back to my sad reality. 

"But why not? Step-Mother, please! All I ask is to go out one night! You never let me do anything! I can't even have a friend over! I feel like a prisoner in my own house!" It all just came out.  I covered my mouth as soon as it came out.  I knew that was a terrible mistake.

"YOUR HOUSE?!? This house became mine the day your Daddy died." She snarled through her teeth.  

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" I yelled at her.  I threw down the broom and started to lunge at her. She caught me and slapped me across the face.  I fell to the ground.

"CINDY! Don't ever try that agian!" LInda screamed, " Go to your room NOW!"

I ran up stairs and straight into my room.  I collapsed onto my bed and pulled out my diary. 

Dear Diary,

She hates me.

                               -Cindy