Cinderella Stays Late

by Joan Holub

“Wow! You look grimmazing!” she told the other three Grimm girls. And they did.

  Snow looked adorable in her blue dress. She had dusted on a hint of blue eye shadow and had wrapped a blue satin ribbon in her hair and tied it into a cute bow.

  Meanwhile, Red had pulled her hair high into a rhinestone clasp so her dark curly locks with their glittery red streaks fell over her shoulders in a pretty tumble. And Rapunzel had woven her hair into several braids and then twined them together in an intricate affair that hung down her back. Black and silver flowers were threaded here and there through the pretty blue-streaked braids.

  “Why aren’t you ready?” Red asked Cinda. Then her eyes fell on the dress and slippers Cinda held in her arms and she gasped. “What happened?”

  Rapunzel swiveled to look. “It was those Steps, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, but they aren’t going to get away with their troublemaking this time!” With a determined look on her face, Cinda headed toward the door that led to the tower staircase.

  “Where are you going?” called Snow.

  “To the library,” said Cinda. “For a new ball gown.”

  “Wait for us,” said Red, as the girls caught up to her. “We’ll help you find the goose doorknob.”

  Snow nodded. “We can split up in pairs to search faster.”

  “Right,” Rapunzel agreed. “And once you have a new dress, we’ll all go to the ball together.”

  “Where we’ll foil whatever mischief those horrible stepsisters of yours have planned!” added Red.

  Cinda’s jaw dropped. She wasn’t used to having supportive, kindhearted girlfriends like these. “Are you sure?” she asked uncertainly.

  The three girls enveloped her in a group hug. “Of course!” said Red.

  “No way we’d leave you behind,” said Snow. “It’s one for all and all for one.”

  “That’s right!” said Rapunzel. “Why should you have to miss out just because of your mean stepsisters?”

  Without another word, the four girls dashed from the dorm.

  As the girls ran up and down staircases and through hallways looking for the library, they could hear music floating on the air. It was coming from the ball. Where everyone was starting to arrive. And where a dastardly plot would unfold if they weren’t there in time to stop it.

  Eventually, Cinda and Red found the GA-less doorknob on the stairwell wall between the second and third floors. Without thinking, Cinda reached to turn it.

  “Hold your honkin’ horses!” the knob protested, instantly becoming goose-faced. “Nobody enters without answering —”

  “Not another riddle!” Cinda begged. “We’re kind of in a hurry!”

  But the gooseknob wouldn’t listen. “What’s black and white and black and white?” it demanded, just as Snow and Rapunzel found the other two girls.

  The Grimm girls named off a bunch of black-and-white things. Piano keys. Raccoons. Penguins. Tuxedos. Salt and pepper. All were wrong.

  Rapunzel tried another guess, “A zebra?”

  “Honk! Good guess, but you’re only half right,” the gooseknob told her. “Guess again.”

  The girls named more black-and-white things. Finally, Snow said, “A printed page in a book?”

  “Half right again!” said the knob.

  They all stared at it and each other, totally confused.

  Suddenly, Cinda snapped her fingers. “I know! Is it a printed page in a book with a picture of a zebra on it?” She knew she’d guessed correctly when the carved library door appeared around the knob.

  Together, the four Grimm girls entered the library. Only the occasional goose was flying back and forth overhead. And Ms. Goose was nowhere around. She was probably already at the ball, Cinda thought. Spotting the library return, she set the tattered yellow gown and slippers in it.

  Then the girls all zipped to the G section. When they found the magic mirror again, they didn’t waste time trying to enlarge it. Instead, Cinda said to the teeny mirror:

  “Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

  Please make me a new gown for the b —”

  Before she could finish, the magic mirror interrupted her, saying:

  “I know what you are going to ask,

  But I cannot perform the task.

  The rule of mirrors on the wall

  Is one gown per girl for any ball.”

  “Oh, no!” said Red.

  “That’s not in the handbook,” Snow argued.

  But the mirror didn’t reply. It had apparently said all it was going to say. And that was that.

  “What do we do now?” asked Rapunzel.

  “Maybe I can convince the knights guarding the Great Hall doors to let me in dressed like this?” suggested Cinda. She peered down at her cloak, seeing the bottom of her pj’s and her sneakers sticking out below it.

  The others stared at her and shook their heads. “No way,” said Red. “Balls have a strict dress code.”

  “Then you guys should go to the ball without me and do what you can to stop the Steps,” Cinda decided. “Meanwhile, I’ll go look for another mirror that might help me. I remember seeing a room full of them the other day.”

  “We’re not leaving you,” said Red.

  “You might need our help,” said Snow.

  “Yeah, you don’t really know your way around. You could get lost in this place for the whole night!” Rapunzel agreed. “C’mon.”

  Not giving her a chance to argue them out of it, the three girls rushed off toward the M section. Cinda zoomed after them, hoping to find a more helpful mirror.

  When they entered the M section, they heard someone singing. High on a shelf beside her, Cinda saw a sparkly foot-long pink stick with a little starburst at one end. It was doing flips and twirls.

  “Wing-a-ling, zing! I love-a to sing!” it sang as it whirled and somersaulted.

  What was a wand doing in the M’s? Cinda wondered. Then she thought of a possible reason. “Are you a magic wand?” she asked it.

  “Yes!” it replied in a happy voice. It flipped down to a lower shelf on a level with Cinda’s shoulders. “Name’s LaWanda.”

  Cinda curtsied as best she could in her pj’s and cloak. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Cinderella. Do you think you could lend me enough magic to change my pajamas into a ball gown?”

  “What’ll you trade?” asked LaWanda.

  Cinda and her friends looked at each other.

  “Nothing,” Cinda admitted. “I mean, we don’t have —”

  “Okay! I’ll trade you my magic for nothing!” said LaWanda. “What a deal I made. Woo-hoo!” The wand did a joyous flip in the air and landed right side up again. “Take off your cloak, please.”

  What a good-hearted wand, thought Cinda. “Thanks!” she told it, tossing her cloak on a shelf.

  Before she could make any suggestions about what kind of gown she’d like, LaWanda decided for her. With a single leap into the air, the wand began spinning around over Cinda’s head, raining pink sparkles down on her.

  “Presto. Change-o. Here we go-ho!” the wand singsonged.

  All at once, Cinda’s pj’s turned into the most beautiful ball gown she’d ever seen! It was bright white with puffed sleeves and a heart-shaped neckline edged with pearls. Its long, full skirt was covered with a layer of sparkly gauzy stuff that seemed to float around her like a cloud. There was a wide, glossy pink ribbon belted around her waist that fell into a bunch of curly ribbons at the back. White elbow-length gloves completed the outfit.

  Red clapped her hands together in delight. “You look beautiful!”

  Snow sighed happily. “That dress is grimmtasmagoric!”

  “What about her hair?” Rapunzel asked the wand.

  In response to her question, LaWanda let out a high whistle. Instantly, a dozen bluebirds flew from somewhere across the library, bringing small bags of silver and pink pearls.

  With their help, the girls arranged Cinda’s hair into long soft waves. Supervised by the wand, the bluebirds tucked g
lossy silver and pink pearls here and there into her new style. Within minutes, all was done, and the bluebirds fluttered away again.

  “Wow! I feel so glamorous,” Cinda breathed, giving a little twirl. The gown’s skirt swished around her in an elegant way. She looked at LaWanda and the other Grimm girls. “Thank you, thank you, thank you all!”

  “Gowns are my specialty,” said the wand, sounding pleased with itself.

  “How about slippers?” Snow asked.

  “There’s not enough magic left in me to create slippers,” LaWanda admitted. “It’ll take me at least an hour to recharge.”

  “That’s okay,” Cinda told her. “I’ll go look for some in the S section.”

  “Take me with you,” begged the wand. “I’ll help you choose.”

  Cinda grabbed LaWanda and her cloak, and the girls zipped through the aisles, their ball gowns rustling. But when they reached the S aisle, the shelves were empty, except for the tags.

  “Oh! All the slippers have been checked out for the ball!” wailed Snow.

  “I’ll just go in my sneakers,” suggested Cinda. Maybe no one would notice. And if they did, who cared what they thought? Cinda kind of did, actually, but whatever.

  The other girls looked doubtful. Still, there didn’t seem to be any choice. On their way out of the library, they went through the G section. There, they came to a screeching halt.

  Because right in the middle of the aisle floor sat a single pair of glittery glass slippers. They scooted themselves up to Cinda and began tap dancing around as if they were trying to impress her. Cinda stared at them in surprise.

  “They’re perfect!” trilled LaWanda. “Try them on!”

  Cinda looked at the wand. She’d forgotten she still held it.

  “Look! There are tiny words written inside them,” said Snow. She kneeled and read the words from one of the slippers aloud:

  “These glass slippers will convey

  the magical power to lead the way.”

  “Maybe they’ll lead you to the missing pumpkin so we can give it to the principal,” said Red.

  “That would spoil your stepsisters’ evil plans!” agreed Rapunzel.

  Cinda looked at the slippers. “I’m not sure. How could glass slippers be comfortable? I mean, I’m not that great at dancing to begin with. I think I’d better just wear my sneakers.”

  “No! You can’t! Sneakers are not happily-ever-after enough! Try the glass slippers on!” begged LaWanda.

  The other girls grinned at Cinda. “You heard her,” said Red.

  The glass slippers began stepping up their efforts to be chosen, too, performing what appeared to be can-can kicks.

  Not wanting to disappoint the helpful wand, her friends, or the slippers, either, Cinda kicked off her sneakers and stepped into the glass shoes. They were small, but luckily, so were her feet. The glass slippers fit her perfectly. She took a couple of steps in them.

  “Well?” asked Snow.

  “They’re comfy. It’s almost like being barefoot,” said Cinda.

  Not only that, the slippers made Cinda feel lighter somehow. Happy. She took a few more steps in them. The steps turned into dance steps, whirling her into a graceful waltz right there in the middle of the aisle. And she wasn’t even in the W for Waltz section or the D for Dance section!

  Cinda looked at the others in surprise. “Well, if the slippers’ powers will help me to dance better, I’m all for it!”

  “Time for you to go-ho have fun!” said LaWanda. The magic wand did a series of flips high in the air. Almost instantly, a goose with a net bag swooped down to carry the wand back to its shelf in the M section.

  “Thank you!” Cinda called after the departing wand.

  “Toodle-ooooo!” LaWanda called back.

  Then Cinda and the other three Grimm girls scurried off to the ball in a whoosh of satin and sparkles.

  As Cinda, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel got closer to the Great Hall, the Hickory Dickory Dock clock bonged out eleven o’clock.

  How has so much time passed? wondered Cinda. Then she remembered what the other Grimm girls had told her about library time. How it could speed up or slow down.

  “Only one hour until midnight,” noted Red.

  “I hope we’re not too late to derail your stepsisters’ plot,” said Rapunzel.

  Snow nodded. “Let’s all split up and keep our eyes open. We can meet at the table at the far end of the Hall when we have something to report.” She and the other girls moved ahead and were quickly swallowed up in the crowd.

  Unfortunately, the Steps would spot her right away, Cinda thought as she paused at the entrance to the Hall. And that could make it harder to stop their dastardly plan. If only she had some disguise!

  Just then, a knight guard reached for the cloak she’d brought to hang it up. He looked surprised when she handed him her sneakers first. As he took the cloak from her as well, something fell from its pocket. The white masketball mask from the game last Monday! She’d stuck it in her cloak pocket, intending to return it to the gym during the week. But she’d gotten so busy, she had forgotten all about it.

  Perfect! Quickly, Cinda slipped the mask on.

  Tonight she’d be the only one wearing a mask, which would be a little odd. However, it was cute and it did match her dress. And with the masketball mask on, although Cinda would still look like herself, no one would recognize her! Including the Steps and any of their Evil Society friends who might be lurking.

  The moment Cinda entered the ballroom, heads turned to stare at her. “Who is that beautiful girl?” she heard someone whisper. It was really the ball gown they were admiring, she decided. It was so grimmazing that anyone would look beautiful in it.

  The boys especially were looking at her in a way she wasn’t used to. Almost like they were in awe of her! Though none of them came up to her, they bowed low and cleared a path before her. It made her feel weird. Especially since these were some of the same guys she’d played a rough-and-tumble game of masketball with last Monday.

  Cinda gazed at the transformed Great Hall in wonder. Huge swags of white satin hung around each window, all of which had been left open to let in the cool night air. The two long meal tables had been removed. Instead, smaller satin-draped tables sat here and there with white chairs tucked around them. Each table had snacks and party favors, plus a glorious bouquet in the middle.

  And amid each flowery centerpiece was — a little pumpkin! The pumpkins had been decorated to look like small fanciful coaches drawn by tiny white toy horses. Oh, no! If Peter Peter’s pumpkin was here, how were she and her friends ever going to find it among so many other pumpkins?

  Almost immediately, Cinda spotted both Steps over by one of the tables. They were talking to Prince Awesome. Were they trying to recruit him for that Evil Society they’d mentioned? Cinda slipped over to stand behind them, where she could listen in.

  “How positively E.V.I.L!” she heard Malorette say to the prince. She spoke each letter clearly, as if they were initials.

  “If you say so,” said Awesome.

  Grinning prettily, Malorette tapped him with her fan in a teasing way. “So about that dance?” she hinted.

  “It would be my pleasure,” the prince replied in a formal voice, offering her his arm. As he swept Malorette off to the dance floor, Odette turned toward the snack table and Cinda. Her eyes grew envious as they swept over Cinda’s gown.

  “What’s up with that mask?” she asked.

  “It’s just for fun,” said Cinda. She held her breath. Would Odette see through her disguise? No. She didn’t seem to recognize her at all!

  Pretending she was only there for a snack, Cinda picked up a cupcake from the table. It had pink frosting and a cute little crown made of sugar on top. She took a quick bite.

  “May I have this dance?” a tremulous voice asked her. Foulsmell had come up to stand beside her.

  “Ur, no, thernk you,” she told him around a mouthful of cupcake. She looked over her shoulde
r. Odette had disappeared. And she couldn’t see Awesome or Malorette among the dancers. Nor Red, Snow, or Rapunzel!

  “Sure. Okay. You don’t have to. I understand.” Foulsmell stuck his hands in his pockets and started sidling away. His cheeks had gone as pink as the cupcake frosting when she’d turned him down.

  Oh, boppingfangle! Cinda did not have time for this. But she wasn’t going to leave poor Foulsmell feeling rejected and embarrassed.

  “Wait.” She set down the half-eaten cupcake and lifted her mask just a little, so he could see it was her. “It’s me, Cinda,” she whispered. “The reason I said no just now is because I stink at dancing. I only came here tonight because I’m on a mission. Have you seen Red? Or Snow or Rapunzel?”

  “I think so,” Foulsmell said, not asking about the mask or the mission. Wasn’t he the least bit curious? He seemed to accept things for what they were without worrying about whether they were strange or not — like his own name. “I saw them on the other side of the Hall,” he added. “I could dance you over there?”

  “Okay,” Cinda said reluctantly. She really didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she didn’t want to hurt his feet, either. Still, dancing might be the quickest way to reach her friends.

  At her agreement, Foulsmell’s face brightened and he took her gloved hand. They whirled around the dance floor to the other side of the room. The crossover happened so fast and smoothly, Cinda hardly even realized she’d been dancing. Somehow, the slippers had made it easy for her!

  “Thought you said you couldn’t dance,” said Foulsmell, grinning at her.

  “I can’t. It’s these glass slippers that can,” she said breathlessly. “Wait, my friends are right over there. Okay if we stop?”

  “Sure,” he said. After they halted, Foulsmell bowed to her. Then he walked off, looking proud of himself for having been the first to ask Cinda — or the strange masked girl — to dance.

  Cinda scurried over to Red, Snow, and Rapunzel. “Psst!” she told them. “Any luck?” Not recognizing her, they just looked at her in surprise.

  “It’s me, Cinda,” she said, lifting a corner of her mask.