Chapter Twenty-One
Cinderella and Snow White lay facing each other on Cinderella's bed, a hand cupped under each chin with an elbow propping them up. There was a half eaten bag of nacho cheese Doritos resting between them, which they continuously reached into with their free hands.
“So what do you think they're doing right now?” Snow White asked.
“I don't want to think about it anymore,” Cinderella said glumly. “We need to think of something fun to do ourselves.”
“Let's see,” Snow White said. “We can't watch TV, your mom took away your phone, and we can't go anywhere...there's just so many options! However shall we pick just one?” she asked sarcastically.
Cinderella rolled her eyes and shoved Snow White's elbow out from under her, making Snow White's head collapse onto the pillow below.
“You can be really obnoxious sometimes, you know that?” Cinderella said with a smile.
“Is that the way you're going to treat the only person who stayed by your side during imprisonment?”
“It's true,” Cinderella said. “But I can't really blame the others for going. It’s not their fault I'm stuck here,” she said, motioning around the room.
“You're right,” Snow White added. “It’s not their fault, it’s Dave's fault.”
“It's not Dave's fault either. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“I still choose to blame him,” Snow White said.
Cinderella laughed. “You sound like my mom!”
Snow White threw the chip she was about to eat in Cinderella's direction and it bounced off her head, landing back in the open bag. The two of them laughed at the new game that had been invented as they tried again and again to repeat the perfect landing. Orange cheese powder left streaks on their cheeks and in their hair. Then the doorbell rang. They both jumped to their feet and tried to brush as much powder off themselves, and the bedspread, as possible.
“Who could that be?” Snow White asked.
Cinderella shrugged and then paused in her efforts to clean up. “Oh,” she said, “I bet my mom just locked herself out. I'll be right back,” she added as she bounded down the stairs, taking two at a time. She pulled open the front door and was met by the chocolate eyes and perfect smile of Scott Prince. Cinderella froze.
“Miss me?” he asked, grinning at her stunned expression.
Cinderella was finally able to catch her breath. “Yeah,” she sighed.
“I was just on my way to Salt Lake to hang out with some friends,” he said, pointing his thumb toward the parked car outside. “I wanted to stop to talk to Dave for a minute, but no one appears to be home. I know you guys hang out a lot so I was hoping I’d find him here...” he trailed off.
Cinderella smiled up at him, but said nothing. Her voice seemed to have run away with her pounding heart.
“Looks like you've been having fun without me,” he said, wiping some bright orange cheese powder off her cheek with his thumb.
Cinderella's eyes quickly scanned over her clothing as she frantically tried to brush additional powder from her body. She wiped another smudge from her arm and sheepishly looked into Scott's laughing eyes.
“We were, uh, having a Dorito fight,” she said.
Scott put his hand up. “No need to explain,” he said. “So do you know where Dave is?”
“Yeah,” Cinderella finally seemed to get her brain working again. “He’s at Lagoon with a few of my cousins.”
“Why aren’t you with them?” Scott asked.
“I'm grounded,” Cinderella said, frowning. Then realizing her mom could pull in at any moment she added, “And my mom isn't home, but she could be soon so you better go. She would flip if she saw you here!”
Scott raised his eyebrows, but didn’t ask for details. “Well, I don’t want you getting into any more trouble, so I’ll head out. Tell Dave I stopped by, will you?”
Cinderella nodded and then slowly closed the door behind him. She stood staring at the door for several minutes before finally turning around and trudging back up the stairs. Scott had come to see her! Well, technically he came looking for his brother, but he was at my house!
“Ummm Cindy, come here!” Snow White called from her bedroom. Cinderella hurried up the last couple steps and found Snow White with the curtains pushed aside, looking outside.
“What's up?” Cinderella asked. Snow White turned around and smiled wide at Cinderella then looked back at the window and pointed. Cinderella slid the glass door open and stepped onto the balcony and into the warm night air. Below her stood Scott, holding a large pink rose that he had obviously just picked from her mom’s rosebush.
“Rupunzel, Rupunzel, let down your hair!” he cried.
Cinderella laughed. “You've got the wrong princess,” she said.
“But Cinderella didn't have a balcony,” he responded. “Here,” he said, throwing the rose, underhanded, into the air. Cinderella leaned forward and caught the flower just as it was on its way back down. She brought the soft petals to her face and breathed in deep.
“What’s this for?” Cinderella asked. She hoped he couldn’t see how bright her cheeks were turning.
“It’s a peace offering,” Scott said. “I just called Dave and he told me you were grounded because of lying to your mom about staying in Logan. I’m so sorry! My friends are idiots; I never should have let Jenny lie to your mom like that.”
“It’s not your fault,” Cinderella said. She buried her nose in the rose to hide the huge grin on her face. It smelled amazing! “I shouldn’t have done it. I just didn’t want to leave.”
“Well, we didn’t want you to have to leave either, but we should have found a better way for you to stay,” he went on. “I guess maybe I should be apologizing to your mom. Give her the flower for me, will you?” he asked, grinning.
“Oh wait!” Cinderella put up her hand to stop Scott from leaving. She grabbed his sweatshirt off her dresser and ran back down the stairs and out the front door. “Here,” she said, handing it back to him.
“Oh, awesome!” Scott said. “Now I don’t have to worry about Dave stealing it.” Scott turned to get back in his car, but Cinderella stopped him.
“There’s one more thing,” she said, hesitating. Cinderella stood up on her tiptoes and gave Scott a lingering kiss on his cheek.
Scott took a step back and looked down. “Listen Princess, I think...I think we need to talk.”
“What about?” Cinderella asked. She didn’t like the sound of those words. They never ended with anything good.
Scott directed her to the porch steps and they both sat down. “I’m just afraid I’ve given you the wrong impression,” he said. “I really like you. In fact, I think you are great! But we really need to just be friends.”
Cinderella could feel all her hopes for their future, crushing inside her. She bit her lip to keep from crying. “Why?” she finally asked.
“Well, you are still in high school,” Scott said. “Which I still can’t believe,” he mumbled under his breath.
“Yeah?”
“And I’m in college,” he said slowly. “I’m too old for you.”
“Why does it matter?” Cinderella asked. “Technically, you’re only three years older”
“But we’re in two different worlds right now,” he said. “High school was a blast, and I want you to be able to enjoy it. If we were to start something, I would be taking high school away from you. And I just can’t do that!”
“Don’t I get a say in it?” Cinderella started to sniffle.
“It’s not even legal,” Scott said. “And with everything you’ve told me about your mom, I highly doubt she’d give us her blessing.”
“I’ve lied to her before,” Cinderella said, quietly.
“Please don’t,” Scott pleaded. “I’m not worth it, I promise!” Cinderella couldn’t fight the tears any longer. She put her face in her hands and began to cry. Scott placed a comforting hand on Cinderella’s shaking shou
lder. “Why don’t you give me a call when you’re 18 and I’m 21?” he asked. “I would love to take you out then.” He meant for his words to be light-hearted and comforting, but Cinderella just cried harder.
They continued to sit on the steps in silence, neither of them knowing what to say. Cinderella was finally able to regain composure and she looked up at Scott again. His eyes genuinely looked sad, and his mouth drooped down at the corners.
“Why did you kiss me then?” she finally got the courage to ask.
Scott shifted uncomfortably. “Because I wanted to,” he answered. “And because Dave asked me to.”
Cinderella looked at him quizzically.
“I am so sorry!” Scott said again. “I know I shouldn’t have. I know it was stupid on my part. I let my hormones do the thinking instead of my brain.”
Cinderella jerked her head up and she looked at Scott again. “I can’t believe he just said that!”
“I’m sorry,” Scott said, seeing her reaction. “Maybe I’m being too honest, but that’s the only way I know how to be.”
“It’s fine,” Cinderella said, forcing a weak smile. She wanted to hate Scott right now, but she still liked him too much! And the longer they sat together, the harder it was getting to look at him. “I need to go,” she finally said. “My mom will be home really soon.”
“Are we okay?” Scott asked.
Cinderella nodded, then she turned and went back inside. Scott stared at the closed door for a moment. He kicked a rock hard, sending it flying into the bushes beside her house. Then, with a final glance up at her empty balcony, he got in his car and drove away. Cinderella reached her bedroom, where Snow White was waiting.
“You were gone a long time,” Snow White said with a grin. Then she noticed Cinderella’s red eyes and blotchy skin. “What happened?” she asked. Cinderella sat on the bed and as she started to relay her story, she felt the waves of tears wash over her all over again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dave glanced at the two blonde, resting figures in his rearview mirror as he guided the car home that night. Ariel was sleeping with her head on the middle hump, while Aurora was bent in half, her head resting on Ariel’s shoulder. Aurora sat up and looked at her sleeping sister with a pang of jealousy, then she put her earbuds in, turned up her I-pod, and lay back down. With their two heads almost touching, it was a mass of blonde curls and impossible to tell whose hair was whose. Then Dave looked beside himself at the still figure of Belle. Her head was leaned back against the headrest and her eyes were closed, but he wasn’t sure if she was asleep. His answer soon came when Belle sat up and peered around the side of her chair at the two still figures. She then resumed her restful position and without looking at him asked, “So what’s going on with you and Aurora?”
Dave’s hands tightened around the steering wheel, “What do you mean?”
“Well, she obviously likes you and you didn’t do anything to deter her attention, so…?” Belle paused, hoping for him to quickly deny the accusations she was implying, but Dave was silent for too long.
“I’m not really sure what you mean?” he asked.
“Do you like her? Cause I thought you liked me too at one point. I mean, we kissed, but clearly that doesn’t mean much to you.” It was like someone had finally broken through the barrier that stood between Belle and Dave when she mentioned the kiss. The tension between them had been building since that fateful night, but neither had dared bring it up again. Now that the topic had finally resurfaced, it was like a breath of fresh air.
“I do like you,” Dave said, reaching over and placing a hand on top of hers. “More than you might think,” he quickly added. “But it’s complicated.”
“How is it complicated?” Belle’s voice rose and they both absentmindedly glanced in the backseat to make sure the twins hadn’t heard.
“Can we talk about this later?” Dave asked.
“Sure,” Belle said, pulling her hand out from underneath his. “Just like the kiss and just like our relationship. We’ll discuss it later.” Belle made hand quotes in the air when she said the word ‘later’, then folded her arms across her chest and shifted in her seat so she was facing away from Dave. He tried to reach over and put his hand on her back, but the backseat started to move and the subject was dropped again.
“What’s going on?” Aurora asked, stretching her arms above her head so they touched the carpeted ceiling of the car.
“Nothing,” Dave and Belle both said in unison.
“I thought I heard something.”
“Ariel fell asleep and you seemed pretty peaceful, so Belle and I were just talking,” Dave responded.
The headlights briefly shone on the bright green street sign ahead as the car slowed and Dave turned onto their little street. The car didn’t even come to a complete stop when Belle’s door flew open and she jumped out. Dave tried to stop, but the jerking of the car made Belle lose her balance and she ended up landing hard on the gravel.
“Oh my gosh Belle! Are you okay?” Dave asked.
“I’m fine!” she said. But she limped slightly as she walked toward her house.
“Nothing, huh?” Aurora asked as she opened her own door.
Dave glanced back at Aurora without really seeing her, then his eyes followed Belle until she disappeared behind her front door. Ariel and Aurora thanked Dave as they climbed out of the car and then ventured up their own steps.
“Well, the day started out fun,” Ariel said once the twins were inside.
“Oh come on, you didn’t think that was fun?” Aurora asked with a sly grin as she headed up the stairs to their shared bedroom.
“Watching Belle leave in a huff? No, I’m going to say that part was just awkward.”
“I wonder what happened in the car,” Aurora said, seeming a little too eager about the prospective answer.
“You know exactly what happened,” Ariel replied. “Don’t play dumb.”
“You think it was my fault,” Aurora stated more than asked as she slipped into her pajamas.
“Come on, you know Belle likes Dave, but you were flirting pretty heavy with him today.” Ariel stepped out of the room to wash her face in the adjoining bathroom. She really didn’t want to have this conversation, as she thought about the Surf n Swim and her secret kiss with Dave. Somehow, she just hadn’t been able to discuss it with Aurora, and now she was glad she hadn’t. Her heart fell when she thought back over the day. Dave hadn’t acted any differently toward her. But even as she continued getting ready for bed, Aurora pushed the conversation onward.
“So what, does she have dibs on him or something? Belle thinks he’s cute so I’m not allowed too? Besides, he was flirting back!” Aurora said, following her around. “There’s no harm in that.”
“Dave flirts with everybody. That’s not exactly saying anything that he was flirting with you. It doesn’t necessarily mean he likes you back.”
“Fine,” Aurora said, looking at Ariel through the mirror as they finished washing their faces. Then pausing for effect, “But does he kiss everybody?”
“When did Dave kiss you?!” Ariel asked, splashing water on her face and then hurrying to follow Aurora back into their bedroom. Aurora shrugged and climbed into bed.
“Now you know you can’t leave me hanging like that!” Ariel said, sitting down on the edge of Aurora’s bed. Aurora just grinned, then pulled the covers up under her chin and pretended to sleep.
“Fine,” said Ariel, getting into her own bed. “But just know he kissed me first,” she added, switching the lights off. They immediately came back on and Aurora was staring hard at her identical sister.
“When did Dave kiss you?” she asked, no longer smiling.
“At the Surf n Swim,” Ariel said. “But he told me to keep it quiet and nothing has happened since then. I think he’s just a player.” Even as Ariel spoke the words, she wished they weren’t true. She had been hoping Dave would show his interest again, but now that he’d kissed Aurora, s
he wasn’t sure what to think.
“He kissed me in the spook house,” Aurora said quietly, her voice no longer boastful. Ariel and Aurora each lay awake for several hours, but neither of them spoke another word that night.
***
Dana got home shortly after Scott left and sent Snow White on her way.
“Cinderella is still grounded,” she reminded her.
Then around 11:00pm Cinderella could hear her cell phone going off in the other room. She could hear her mom’s agitated voice as she answered the late call.
“No….that’s…but she’s grounded.”
Then Dana’s voice softened, “What’s wrong?” Then it turned accusatory, “Did that boy do something to you? Alright, but only for a few minutes.”
Cinderella’s door opened and Dana handed her daughter the cell phone.
“It’s Belle. She said it’s an emergency, but I told her you could only talk for a few minutes, okay?” she said.
“Belle?” Cinderella asked as soon as her mom had left the room.
“I don’t know what to do!” Belle choked. Cinderella could tell by her voice that she had been crying.
“What’s going on?” Cinderella asked.
Belle proceeded to tell her cousin everything; from the kiss at the redbox to their day at Lagoon and Aurora’s flirty behavior.
“I know Dave told me it was between us and to keep it a secret, but I just can’t hold it in anymore!”
Cinderella could feel a lump growing in her throat. I guess I read him wrong when we were in Logan. It seems like he’ll kiss anybody who will let him! Cinderella swallowed her lump and tried to think of the best way to break this news to Belle. “I'm beginning to think Dave is just playing us.” Cinderella tried to sound as calm and sweet as possible.
“Us?” Belle asked, sounding agitated.
“I wasn't going to tell you this, but when I went to Logan with Dave and his brother kissed me, Dave kissed me too.”
Belle was silent for a little while. “Really?” she asked quietly.
“He said he didn't want me to say anything about it either. He didn't want to make things weird with the rest of you. I don’t think Dave is the prince we thought he was. I’d like to think he might still be a frog, but it sounds like he was acting like a total toad today.”
The Princess Sisters (The Princess Sisters Series) Page 13
