by Lisa Shea
After a while, Cupid told Prudence she was tired, but she promised they’d practice dancing again tomorrow. Prudence happily agreed, and Cupid left.
As she walked back to her own room, Cupid thought back to the pile of clothes hidden under Charlotte’s bed. Fairy strange indeed. Cupid called on Maddie for some help again, and the two of them decided to track down Charlotte. Maddie, as usual, was up for any adventure.
“This is fun.” Maddie laughed. “It’s so hexciting!”
“Look, there she is!” Cupid said, pointing to a nearby field. They watched Charlotte meet up with some boys from the kingdom who were playing bookball.
One of the boys said, “Charlotte, you’re finally here! Come on, let’s go!”
“Just give me one minute,” Charlotte replied. She started searching through her bookpack for something but came up empty-handed. She looked upset.
Suddenly, Cupid figured it out. She knew exactly what Charlotte was looking for! “Maddie, go find Hopper,” she said excitedly. “Bring him to the house right away—I know how we can make this a Happily Ever After for everyone!”
CHAPTER 10
If the Sneaker Fits…
Hopper and Maddie arrived with Hopper’s court at the front door. When the formerly wicked Stepmother answered the front door, Hopper’s court announced that they were searching the kingdom for the young lady who lost a sneaker at the Grand Ball. Stepmother wanted to make certain the girls looked their best before meeting with the prince. She told the prince and his court to make themselves at home, and then rushed to her daughters’ bedrooms.
She found Prudence in her room, music blasting. Prudence was dancing wildly. Her mother shut off the music. Prudence stopped mid–dance move.
“Mother, please!” Prudence said.
“Oh, dearest. Put on one of your prettiest frocks. The prince is here!”
“The prince? What’s he doing here?” Prudence peeked out of her bedroom to find the prince and his court in the living room.
“They are looking for a special young lady who left a sneaker at the royal ball. They are trying it on every girl in the kingdom.”
“Oh. Well, that’s not me.” Prudence reached out to turn her music back on, but her mother grabbed her hand and stopped her.
“Prudence. Do you know what this means? If this sneaker fits you, you will marry the prince! Now do put on something pretty, and come downstairs and try. On. That. Sneaker!”
Meanwhile, back in the living room, Cupid stole a glance at Hopper, who looked absolutely miserable. She quietly went over to him. “Hopper, why do you look so down?” she murmured.
“I’m happy to help the stepsisters find their Happily Ever Afters,” he said glumly. “But I also know in this fairytale, whomever this sneaker fits is supposed to be my true love.”
“That’s how the story goes, Hopper.”
Hopper looked even more upset. “Yes, but that’s Ashlynn’s story. But it’s not mine! I was supposed to meet the girl of my dreams at the ball. She loses her glass slipper or sneaker or flip-flop or whatever. Then I put it on her foot and we live Happily Ever After. Only I didn’t dance with anyone last night! I mean, I started to, but then I chickened out and ran away. I didn’t fall in love, and I don’t want to marry whomever this stupid sneaker fits!”
“Don’t worry,” Cupid whispered. “I think I know who the sneaker is going to fit. And you’re not going to have to marry her, either.”
Prudence came down the stairs wearing a pretty blue frock and a sour expression. She did not look happy about having to try on the sneaker. “Oddness gracious, this is ridiculous,” she said. “Why would I ever wear sneakers to a Grand Ball under my fancy gown? Who would ever wear sneakers to a ball?” She quickly shoved her foot into the sneaker and waved her foot up in the air. The sneaker was way too small.
“This is a waste of my time,” she said. “What am I doing down here trying on sneakers I know don’t belong to me when I could be up in my room dancing? Come on, Cinderella, let’s go practice,” she said. But now it was Cupid’s turn to try on the sneaker. The wicked Stepmother let out a worried gasp, but Cupid said, “I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to fit.” And sure enough, the sneaker was too narrow for her foot. She stood up, handed the sneaker to Charlotte, and said cheerfully, “You’re next, Charlotte!” Charlotte turned even paler than usual. But Cupid gave her a knowing look and a wink. Charlotte slipped it on and laced it up. It fit perfectly!
Prudence was shocked. “That’s your sneaker, Charlotte?”
“Yes, it’s mine,” Charlotte whispered. Then she walked over to a table, grabbed her book bag, and pulled out the matching sneaker. She put on both sneakers and stood up.
Hopper looked over at Cupid with wide eyes and mumbled, “Now what?!” He looked frantic. Cupid shook her head and made a gesture with her hand as if to say, Don’t worry!
Charlotte looked over at her mother nervously. “Mom? Are you angry?” she asked.
The wicked Stepmother screamed. “Oh my wand! My daughter is going to marry Prince Charming! I think I’m going to faint!” And, true to her word, she did.
When Stepmother finally came to, the first thing she did was hug Charlotte. But then she pulled back and saw Charlotte’s unhappy face. “Charlotte, my love, whatever is the matter? This is so hexciting! You’re going to marry Prince Charming! Why don’t you look happy?”
Charlotte took a deep breath. “Mother, I don’t want to marry the prince. I never did,” she said.
Stepmother said, “Oh dear, I think I’m going to faint… again!” And she did.
CHAPTER 11
The Sweetest Stepmother
Once Charlotte’s mother was revived, the first thing she asked was, “Darling, tell me. Why did you wear these sneakers under your beautiful gown to a fancy ball? And why don’t you want to marry the prince?”
“It’s going to be okay, Charlotte,” Cupid said. “Just tell your mom the truth.”
Charlotte took a deep breath. “Mother, I’m sure the prince is fairy nice—” She paused and looked directly at Hopper. “Your Majesty, I’m sure you’re fairy nice.” Then she turned back to her mother. “But I don’t love him, and besides, I’m just not ready to get married,” she said. “And as for the sneakers… well, to be perfectly honest, I don’t care much for fancy balls. I would much rather be playing bookball with my friends. I’m part of a team with the local boys. I’ve been sneaking out to play bookball for a few months now.” Everyone gasped and waited for Charlotte’s mother to explode in anger. But instead, she simply looked surprised.
“Why were you afraid to tell me that?” she asked.
Charlotte was shocked. “Mother, all you ever talk about are fancy balls and having your daughters marry princes. I thought for sure you’d be furious with me.”
The wicked Stepmother then surprised everyone by saying something decidedly un-wicked. “My darling daughter, above everything else, I want you to be happy. And if that means playing bookball instead of wearing a ball gown and fancy shoes, then by all means, please, play bookball!”
“Oh, Mother, really? Thank you! Thank you so much!” Charlotte cried, and rushed to give her mother a big hug. It wasn’t long before Prudence joined in.
After the group hug, Stepmother looked at Charlotte and asked, “Are you happy now, my dear?”
“Happy? Happy?! Hexstatic is more like it!” Charlotte said.
Prudence, meanwhile, had been staring thoughtfully at Hopper. Hopper looked as nervous as ever. But Prudence, never taking her eyes off him, walked right up to Hopper and boldly asked, “Would you please dance with me, Your Majesty?”
“Me… you… dance… now?” Hopper said, stamming. “Well, I… aah… you see…” He began to sweat. He felt dizzy. And before he had a chance to run away—poof! Just like that, he changed into frog form. But even though he was mortified, Hopper the frog was finally able to find the words to say just what he wanted to. “My dear Prudence, I am but a lowly frog. If you
just take a quick look around the kingdom, I am certain there are far better partners for you to dance with than I.” Hopper then bowed as grandly as a frog can bow and tried to hop away. But Prudence quickly caught up to him. She picked him up gently and looked him straight in his bulgy frog eyes.
“Wait a spell! I still think you would make a fableous dance partner,” Prudence said. “I know just what it’s like to feel different from everyone else. And you know what? Being different can be pretty spelltacular!”
Hopper the frog couldn’t help but smile. A girl—a lovely princess—wanted to dance with him, even when he was a frog!
Prudence put on some music and started dancing. Hopper the frog joined her. He was a little nervous at first, but before long, he loosened up and started having a wonderful time.
“I loooove dancing!” Hopper shouted to Prudence. (He had to shout, since she seemed like she was miles above his head.)
“I love dancing, too!” Prudence shouted back. They danced and danced. When the music stopped, there was wild applause.
“Your Majesty, I do believe you should throw another ball right away. I’d love to dance with you on a real dance floor, not just in my living room,” Prudence told him.
“I daresay you might be right,” Hopper the frog replied.
CHAPTER 12
A Spell to Remember
Another Grand Ball was quickly scheduled. This time Prudence did not make up any silly chores for Cupid. She was too busy asking for her help getting ready! Then she and Cupid practiced dancing for a little while before they left for the ball.
This time there was no hiding in the shadows for Prudence! She was front and center on the dance floor, twirling happily with Hopper the frog, each dancing to the beat of their own drum. Prudence was jumping and spinning and bopping. Everyone in the kingdom was asking who the wonderful dancer with the long dark hair was. Prudence was a hit!
And nobody had realized that Hopper the frog was actually Prince Charming. They found the frog delightful and charming, and all the girls lined up to take selfies with him with their MirrorPhones. It was one of the best nights of Hopper’s life.
Meanwhile, Charlotte was nowhere to be found—at the royal ball, that is. She was outside playing a heated game of bookball with her team while her suddenly not-so-wicked mom cheered her on. Charlotte was laughing and high-fiving her teammates. She spotted her mom in the stands and gave her a huge, happy smile and a wave.
“Woo-hoo! Go Charlotte!” her mom cheered from the bleachers. She nudged the person next to her. “Did you see that? That’s my daughter playing out there!” she said proudly.
Cupid and Maddie observed everything going on and then they high-fived, too.
“Prudence is really dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and Charlotte is playing bookball with her friends,” Maddie said. “That’s a Happily Ever After if I ever saw one!”
“It’s wonderful and also fairy interesting, too,” Cupid said. “This is my first Happily Ever After where love wasn’t involved.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Maddie said. “You taught Prudence and Charlotte to love themselves, and that’s way more important than falling in love with some boy! And anyway, there is plenty of time for that!”
“You’re right,” Cupid said. “I think my work here is done.”
Maddie agreed as she started to dance. “It’s time for us to spellebrate!” she cried, and, just like that, Cupid, Maddie, and Hopper were all on their way back to school.
Back at Ever After High, Cupid’s classmates huddled around her, eager to hear all the details of her adventure. Cupid gave her friends and a royally disappointed Faybelle a recap of everything that had happened in her Cinderella story—from the little doves to bookball practice. “It was a bit of a topsy-turvy ending…” she said. “But I can definitely say that we all lived Happily Ever After!”
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