# A Cinderella Story: Chapter 8



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Some people had heard Nicholas yelling in the hall, and came out of the ball room to see him. They had all taken their masks off now. It was quite amusing for many to find the people they thought were their friends were actually complete strangers just playing along, and vice versa. A few actually were dating the wrong people that night, through a mix up of dresses and masks. Nicholas was no exception to the reaction.
"Nick! Some joke! Why were you hiding yourself from us?" a couple of friends with the dates had come up to him, a few of those girls looking a little irritated.
He didn't respond right away.
"What's that?" one of the girls asked, looking at the shining thing in his hand.
"Hey man, are you alright?" his closest friend went up to him. Nicholas had a very tense look in his face.
"What was her name?" he looked up suddenly. "Did anyone know her?"
"Who? the girl in white?"
"Yes! Who else?" he said angrily. He went through them and into the ballroom.
A bunch of people were waiting for him, and cheered as he came in.
"Congratulations, Nick! You were voted Prom King! And that girl was voted Queen!"
He paid no attention.
"Everyone! Please help me! Someone tell me who that girl was! I have to know here name!"
"What?" the crowd got closer. "Is that her shoe? Where did she go?"
"Maybe she turned into the shoe?" some joked.
"I knew something was tricky with her," another said.
"I bet she just set us up tonight, what a poser."
"No! She did not set me up!" Nicholas was very anxious now. "Please! Would someone tell me who she was!"
Everyone looked around at each other. Nobody knew.
"I knew there was something up with her!" a girl in green said to them all.
"I know! Who did she think she was, parading in with that outrageous outfit?" the girl in yellow joined in.
"A spoiled brat," they laughed at that comment together. Their faces looked exactly the same.
Nicholas suddenly recognized them. They must be that girl's twin stepsisters. But seeing them speak of her this way, he turned away from them. He wouldn't let them know she came that night. She didn't deserve that.
"She didn't leave me because she was dumping me," he said to his friends, "she left because she was afraid. What it was... I have no clue."
"What if she was a ghost?"
"No. A ghost wouldn't leave something like this," he held up the shoe.
"Look! There's not even a label or size on the shoe!" one girl commented. "Something's up with that."
"Perhaps..." Nicholas was very troubled.
Why would she just leave like that? Why? The night was far from over, and now he would be lonely the rest of the night.
"I can't stay here," he said, and began to walk to the door.
"Wait! Nick, you can't leave either! What about the After-Prom?"
"It's nothing without her."
"Were you so smitten by her?"
Nicholas flipped around, his eyes aflame.
"You have no idea," and he walked out of that building. He called for a cab rather than the limousine, so his friends could use it later. He just needed to get home and think alone for once.


Ella had less luck. As soon as she got in her limo, her dress began to fade, almost evaporate away. Her clothes returned to the way she was before, and her hair as well. She began to really fear that the limo would changed shape too, so she prepared to get into the front passenger seat if that happened. Sure enough, a the whole car seemed to melt around her, and they were still a few minutes away from home. Her chauffeur, noticing this, slowed down, and stopped by the side of the road. The car was back to normal.
"I'm sorry, madame," he said sadly, "I can't risk driving anymore. I hope you can drive yourself home from here."
"Yes," Ella replied, "and... thank you."
The man nodded his head to her, and suddenly, he began to evaporate too. A gray squirrel appeared where he was just sitting.
Ella climbed into the driver's seat, and the squirrel scurried to her side.
"I'm sorry," she said to it. It seemed to understand her perfectly.
In the dark, Ella finally got to her home. It was now 12:20. When she opened up her door, the squirrel jumped out and looked around. It was rather dark for him to find his own home, but he gave one last look at Ella, and fled into the dark.
"Good-bye," she said softly. She was alone now.
She lost touch with all reality. She slowly walked to her front door, and opened it with a key she happened to find in her pocket. Ella noticed she was walking crookedly, when she looked down and found she only had one shoe on. It was her glass shoe.
She took it off and looked at it. It still glowed in the moonlight.
"So... it was real..." she thought to herself. Where the other shoe possibly was never occurred to her.
Ella could hardly sleep that night. So many thoughts were running wildly in her head.
God. Nicholas. God. Nicholas. She couldn't push them out of her mind! Ella could hardly believe what happened still. But it had such a strong impression on her. She truly did believe in God now, she was certain of that, and she promised herself to go buy a Bible the next day. And she had Nicholas to thank... that wonderful man...
Who she could never face again.


----------

