# A Cinderella Story: Chapter 6



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

When Nicholas and his friends arrived at the place, they got out and went to the entrance. Chaperones were there taking attendance. The whole inside was lit up with chandeliers, and decorated with wreaths. Immediately further in, there was someone to give them masks.
The theme of this year's prom was Masquerade, and the game would begin that everyone wouldn't tell who they were until midnight. Nicholas had been planning the whole day what he was going to do. Now he put his plan into action. He let his friends go ahead of him to pick their own masks. There were dozens of different designs, so everyone could pick the one that would fit them best. Once they left, Nicholas pulled one off, and pretend to leave, but quickly switched his mask to a black one when the host wasn't looking. He then went to a secluded hallway and changed parts of his tuxedo: he changed his flower in his jacket pocket from red to white, and his cuffs and watch from gold to silver.
"If this doesn't work," he thought to himself, "Nothing will. Maybe now people will get to know me for real..." he left that hall and went to the ballroom.
Inside were many people all in formal outfits, refreshments, and soft music in the background. They would have a DJ and dance the night away. Nicholas immediately went up to a group of people he didn't know, and made small talk.
"Who are you?" one of them asked. "I don't recognize your voice."
"That's the point," Nicholas smiled. He was speaking purposefully lower than he usually did. "Tonight... we're all strangers, and we're all friends at the same time, aren't we?" They laughed.
There was a bit of an intro to the night made by the chaperones, who all talked about how happy they were to host tonight, and gave some ground rules. Everyone waited impatiently for them to finish, but when they did, the party really began. This wasn't like other dance parties that people at school often had. It was quite a bit more formal, and there were many couples dancing.
Nicholas didn't need to find any partner, they came to him. There were actually more girls at the Prom this year than guys, so they were clammering to find any pair.
"Hey handsome, wanna dance?" a girl looked at him slant in her green mask, matching her dress.
"Um... alright?"
"No!" a girl in yellow ran up next to them "I'm better! I dance way better than her!"
"Hah! I doubt that, J-- young lady. Honestly have a professional do it. I was here first, go find someone else!"
The girl in yellow scoffed and went elsewhere. Nicholas was already regretting his decision to dance even once.
He danced with this girl for 10 minutes, but had to decline. He liked the music, but she was stepping on his feet over and over, and she was trying to hold him in an awkward way. So he stood by the wall and watched from that point for about 20 minutes. Some girls tried to approach him, but his glare behind his mask warded them off. Nicholas was mostly thinking to himself. What was he waiting for? A better girl? There were none here, but he had to find someone, shouldn't he? Or else his night would be thoroughly boring.
"Nick?"
He recognized the voice as one of his best friends. If he let his guard down now, his plan would fail. So he pretended not to hear.
"Nick? Nick! Isn't that you?" his friend went up to him.
"What?" he said in a lower voice. "Who are you talking to?"
"Oh, I... oh nevermind. There's this guy I've been trying to find all night and... sorry," and he walked off.
Nicholas sighed. He decided it would be best to just mingle, and went for a group of people he never knew, who were all having a blast joking about who they were. They had all taken various personas: some were ninjas, some were movie stars, others princesses. The girl in yellow was the center of attention, who was putting on different foreign accents to the entertainment of all those laughing at her (not with her).
Nicholas looked at his watch: 7:30. This would be a long night indeed, he thought.
Suddenly, he heard the room go quiet. Everyone turned and looked behind him, so he turned around to see the front entrance.
No wonder. There stood a goddess.
She wore a silvery white mask, to match her dress. She apparently was so wrapped up in looking around the room that she didn't notice everyone looking at her. The awe and excitement in her face struck Nicholas: she apparently was very happy to be there. But where was he partner? Was she alone?
More importantly, who was she?
Nicholas wasn't sure if it was curiosity or actual attraction that made him step forward. This brought all the attention to him as well. But he wouldn't give in to the pressure.
The girl saw him and gasped. She didn't seem very prepared for the idea of actually meeting anyone. But she curtsied, and smiled nervously for him.
"Hello," she said.
"Hello... would you dance with me?"
The question came out before he could think twice. But it was said truthfully.
"Uh... yes, I would like that," and she bowed.
Nicholas lifted her hand. A spark of energy seemed to go through him the moment he touched her. She _was _a goddess! He had never known a more beautiful girl, or a more beautiful dress to suit her. He wanted to know everything about her as soon as he could.
Her dancing was completely different than the other girl whom he met. She was light on her feet, and moved gracefully around him. Not only was she swift, she was passionate. She apparently loved the music as much as him.
When they stepped away for a rest on a couch, he pounced on her with questions, taking on a humorously serious air.
"How old are you?"
"17."
"A junior?"
"Yes."
"You act older."
"Oh... it's just the dress."
"Perhaps... and what a dress! Where did you get that?"
"Um... a gift."
"A gift. From who?"
"Uh... a relative."
"You're going to be vague about it now?"
"Uh, I... I-"
"Nevermind. Where do you live?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Do you live in a palace in heaven? Or maybe a haunted house?"
The girl laughed. Her laugh was more pleasant than any other girl he knew.


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