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warning: this chapter may cause diabetes

ღ Finding Cinderella- 44 ღ

-Kylie-

"Are you okay? You've been so quiet," I asked Lacey. She was on dishwashing duty tonight, and I decided to help her by placing the plates and utensils in the dish rack. I wanted to speak with her to make sure she wasn't bottling up her bad emotions. She might end up locking herself in her room again.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she answered, her eyes downcast.

"You and Clark talked after I left, right? How did it go?"

"Awkward, but he did try his best to explain his side. I really can't blame him for what he did."

"Oh. That's right..." I murmured, scraping the fleck of food on the plate. "I'm at fault, too, for being so strict and protective of you. I wasn't being a good friend and sister..."

"Oh, don't say that. You've only been trying to protect me. I don't hate you for that, Kylie."

I rinsed the plate and put it in the rack. "I'm glad to know that. But... I've been a total jerk to Clark, and I haven't been a good judge of his character, which still makes me at fault. I shouldn't have been a colossal wall between you guys. You're always at your happiest with him."

She slid me a teasing look. "Aww. Your silly romantic side is showing, sister. Better hide it fast."

I bumped her hip with mine. "Shut up," I said with a smile, pleased to see her back.

Her giggles filled the room, and then slowly, they transformed into a pensive smile. "I guess we all still need to learn how our actions and decisions affect other people," she said.

I hummed in agreement. "Anyway, have you worked things out with him?"

She puckered her lips. "We... decided to cool off for a while. I don't trust him completely yet, so he has to work hard to win my trust back."

Whoa. She wasn't letting someone off easy? That was a first. God, she seemed to be full of surprises today.

"Did I rub off on you?" I couldn't help asking.

"Funny. He asked me that, too. Do you find it weird?"

"No, no. I find it impressive. Never let anyone think you're easy."

When we were done with the dishes, we headed to the living room with Mom to watch Sleepless in Seattle, which we'd already seen bazillion times. In the middle of the movie, Mom went upstairs to sleep, so Lacey and I decided to switch to Supernatural.

"I'm getting a funny feeling," I said while munching on Doritos.

"Why?"

"Don't know. I just feel it. Like something's gonna happen."

Two episodes later, the doorbell rang twice. It was ten o'clock.

"Who in the world would visit us at a time like this?" I said, lifting myself from the couch.

"Should we call Mom?"

"No, let her rest. I got this." I went to the door and peeked through the peephole, seeing nothing but the porch. "There's no one outside,' I announced.

"It was a ghost!" Lacey cried. "Quick, call the Winchesters!"

We laughed at that. I knew, though, that whatever had rang the doorbell was making us uneasy. Carefully, I opened the door, all prepared for a fistfight in case some psycho would pop out from the bushes.

However, all I could see was our empty lawn and a peaceful neighborhood. I cast my eyes down and noticed a red box in the middle of the porch. The fluorescent light was shining down on it like it was a game quest item. I picked up the box and showed it to Lacey.

"What's that?" she asked.

"There's only one way to find out."

I lifted the cover with caution. I'd read way too many horror stories that had the same scenario I was in, so I couldn't stop my brain from imagining severed body parts inside the box. To my great relief, it contained a Finn and Jake stuffed toy.

"Oh, that's cute!" Lacey commented.

"Sure is, but... who on Earth left this here?" I asked, turning to her.

"Uh..." She shrugged, glancing from side to side. "From Tristan, maybe?"

I frowned. "Or it could be from anyone. Remember that news report in which serial killers would lure their victims out of their homes by playing a recording—"

"Sis, chill. It was just an internet rumor that was posted years ago." She cackled. "You haven't even checked all the contents yet, and you're already overthinking!"

I scowled. "Hey, better to be cautious." I looked at the box again, and she was right. There were more items in it. A folded card was wedged between the stuffed toys. I flipped it open and found—lo and behold—Tristan's handwriting.

An amused smile made way on my face. Seriously, T, what are you up to this time?

"'Ready for some adventure?'" I read the card out loud, then sputtered a laugh. "'Just get the flashlight and pen below and follow the red trail. Along the path are cards that you have to collect and answer. Just keep going until you reach the last card.'" I flipped the card over to find a blank side. "Wait, that's all?"

Lacey bounced on her toes like a kid on Christmas morning. "Ooh, this sounds fun. Let's find out what this is all about!"

I shook my head. "I hope there's no prank waiting for me at the end of this."

I fished out the small flashlight and the pen. Then, Lacey took the box and the toys inside the house so we wouldn't have to carry them around. Stepping down the porch steps, I flashed the light onto the ground and noticed a long red ribbon leading to the tree near the picket fence. Along with this ribbon was a trail of rose petals, which immediately made my heart pump fast. I didn't think something like this could even exist outside of movies.

Lacey and I began to follow the trail. It didn't take us long to find the first card because it was hung on the tree trunk. I pulled the card from the string and studied it.

Because maybe, you're gonna ____ the one that saves me, and after all, you're my wonderwall.

"Oh my God," my sister said, giggling like she was getting ticklish. "That sure is the work of a serial killer. Too dangerous for the heart."

I hushed her and put be on the blank.

The trail wound back to the ground, leading us to the side of the house, where we found the second card beneath the rose petals.

I wish ____ heart was always on her mind.

We sang at the same time and burst into laughter. After I wrote down my, we continued our search. The area was dark, so we had to look more closely. The third card was dangling from the lowest branch of the tree that stood between his bedroom and mine.

You'll be my ________. I'll be your toad. I'll follow behind you on a rainbow road.

The song played in my head for the first time in years, and I sighed in nostalgia

"Let me see it." Lacey squinted at the card, trying to see through the darkness. "What's this called?"

"It's Mario Kart Love Song," I replied. "He knew how much I loved the game before, so he sent this song to me."

"Oh my gosh, he sent you a freaking love song, and you didn't realize that it was his way of expressing his feelings to you?" she hissed.

"Wait, what?" I tried to make sense of it, but I couldn't. "No, we were kids, okay? I didn't think too much about the lyrics, and maybe he didn't, either. We just liked the tune."

"I really believe he knew what he was doing, sis."

"Whatever. Gosh, this unlocks a memory I didn't know I had," I said.

The ribbon climbed up to the thickets of bushes lining the house, and on top of it rested the fourth card.

There's a story ___ ____ bottom of this bottle, and I'm the pen.

I wrote at the. Easy peasy.

"I think the answers are forming a secret message or something," Lacey suggested.

I shone my flashlight on the four cards, and the answers formed: Be my princess at the.

My skin tingled, goosebumps forming. Oh my God. Don't tell me this is...

With my hands sweating, I held the flashlight and the cards tightly and walked further until the trail stopped in the backyard. In a blink, hundreds of fairy lights flashed, adorning the tree branches, the shrubs, the ground, and the fence. The beauty of it blew me away. It was as if the stars had fallen down from the sky.

My eyes became hazy with tears when I saw Tristan standing in the middle, with his hands in his pockets and an expectant smile on his face. Julianne was also there, holding her phone horizontally to record the scene. Four of his friends were beside her, individually holding out huge cardboards that spelled out P-R-O-M-?

"What do you think?" he asked.

Instead of saying thank you or screaming yes or saying something flirtatious and sweet, all I did was utter, "Holy smokes."

He laughed. "I knew you'd say something like that."

"W-well, it's because... This is just so—oh my God, wait, give me a sec." I ran a hand over my face to sober myself up. Shock, gratitude, and joy were swirling inside of me like a tornado, and I could only express them by wheezing a laugh. I twisted my head to Lacey, who was behind me, and said, "You knew about this, didn't you? You knew this would happen."

She was grinning from ear to ear. "I would be spoiling all the suspense if I told you."

"But you should've at least told me to throw on something. I look ridiculous standing here in my pajamas while all of you are dressed up," I said, returning my gaze to the rest of the group. They were also grinning like idiots.

"Cool pajamas, though," said Tristan, eyeing my rainbow-printed clothes.

"Just make out already, damn! We're getting cramps here," Grey shouted. The others said their affirmations, making Tristan roll his eyes and me blush.

I wasn't concerned about kissing him in front of everyone. I was concerned that he mentioned my breath smelled like Doritos.

Everyone quieted down when he stepped forward. No, not just everyone. Everything. Like the world stopped turning for us. He didn't hold my hands or make any physical contact with me, but I felt zingy from head to toe. And was it just me, or had he grown another inch? I remembered when we were young, and I had made fun of him for being the short one. Now, I had to lift my head to get a good view of his face. And—okay, I had to acknowledge that he was indeed handsome. Not just as a boy, but as a man.

"This is way too much, T. You didn't have to do all of this, you know?" I said.

"I did this all for you because you mean so much to me. Besides, you asked me out quite unconventionally, so it's just appropriate if I ask you to prom elaborately."

I snorted. "Fine."

"So, Kylie Harris... will you be my princess at the prom?" He pulled up his signature cocky smile, one with his confident gaze and his pronounced dimple. "A, yes? B, hell yes? Or C, both A and B?"

"Very clever, Tristan." I hit his shoulder playfully. "You already know my answer."

He pulled me into a tight hug and kissed the top of my head. I beamed into his chest, feeling warm and safe and ticklish all over. Everyone else was cheering as if it were New Year's Eve or something. I felt like I was in one of those books that Lacey loved to read. I'd never read them myself, but I always saw her swooning and grinning and screaming in her pillows, so they must be as dreamy as this.

After a moment, Tristan pulled away and snapped his head up as if something caught his attention. I turned around and was surprised to see Mom leaning against the doorframe of the back door, watching us like she watched her romantic TV shows. Full of adoration.

"Thanks again for letting us borrow your yard tonight," he said.

"Oh, don't mention it."

I was open-mouthed. "Mom! You knew about this, too?"

"If it makes you feel any better, sweetie, Tristan only told me this afternoon."

"I feel so clueless," I exclaimed.

"That's why it's called a surprise," said Lacey.

I turned to Tristan and asked him, "By the way, where's Clark?"

"Long story."

I glanced at Lacey. She shot me a 'don't worry about me' smile.

"Listen, T," I told him, serious now, "don't let a stupid mistake and some jerk ruin your years of friendship with Clark."

He ran his fingers through the tips of my hair, saying, "I know." Then he bent to plant a kiss on my forehead.

ღ

Another week had come, and I could classify this as one of my best. It seemed the universe was on my side this time because good things began to come my way.

First: Mr. Cross called me after class to congratulate me for doing well in his examinations. It was my first time seeing a soft look on his face, and his awkward conversation with me made me guess that he wasn't used to praising his students. There's no denying that I almost cried right there, knowing that I'd survived. He still wasn't my favorite teacher, but he was officially crossed out in my Most Hated list. I thanked him profusely, and in response, he nodded and smiled—not a big one, but it was definitely a smile. I felt better about myself as a student from that moment on.

Second: I received an email from the college admissions stating that I was invited for an interview in June. My heart almost burst out of my chest when I read the letter, and I actually cried in front of my family for five minutes straight. Sure, it was only an interview invitation, but to think that I'd get a positive response after beating myself up for having only three remaining brain cells. When I told Tristan that I'd have to be out of the country for a few days, he immediately slumped against my shoulder, so devoid of life that I laughed and hugged him.

Third: The stupid picture was still on Facebook, but the student body had pretty much forgotten about it as soon as fresh rumors surfaced. That some junior kids were caught vandalizing a police car, and that the student council advisor was proven to be writing erotic novels under a pseudonym, and the students had begun buying her books. But what created the most buzz was Fiona breaking up with Erik.

God bless this high school.

I heard from Julianne, who had heard from one of Fiona's underlings, that Fiona had only been using him as a "toy" to keep her busy. That gossip made things much clearer to me, and my God, what a mess it had been. I couldn't believe that all of us—Erik, Fiona, Ronnie, Clark, Tristan, and me—had gone to such lengths just to hurt and humiliate one another. Perhaps our adult selves were looking back on this time and were shaking their heads at how childish we'd been.

But maybe it was all part of growing up. Making rash decisions. Crushing each other's hearts. Falling in love and out of it. Breaking friendships and forming new connections. Thinking that our problems were just as important as our parents' dealing with adult problems. As silly, messy, and painful as everything had been, I was glad it had all happened because it made me grow up in a way.

Lunchtime became even more fun because my friends and Tristan's friends decided to have lunch together, like two kingdoms ending their senseless conflict by marriage allegiance or something. Those guys weren't as bad as I'd assumed. They were actually hilarious, geeky, and weird—even though they could be annoying with their boyish arrogance sometimes.

There was only one problem, though. Clark was missing from the group. Sometimes I'd catch him talking to Ryo or Justin, but never to Tristan. Most of the time, I would catch him looking at Lacey from afar, but he didn't attempt to approach her with respect to their agreement. She tried to resist, but the way she snuck glances at him when he wasn't looking made it obvious that she was missing him, too. Underneath the fun exterior, there seemed to be this blanket of tension wrapped all of us, like we were just waiting for someone to make the first move.

One day, Clark did. While we were all having lunch together, he came to the table looking all determined and said, "Hey."

We all fell quiet, except for Ryo, who was slurping his drink. Tristan bored his eyes into Clark, jutting out his jaw as if squaring off for a fight.

After a few seconds of tension, Tristan said back, "Hey," which made me smile in relief.

Clark scratched the back of his head and turned his eyes to Lacey, who was sitting across from me. She stared at him wide-eyed as if she was sending him a telepathic message to go on. They must've made up some time ago, and she must've encouraged him to make up with Tristan.

"So... uh..." Clark began with a puff of air, breaking the awkward moment. "Have you guys played Mass Effect 3?"

And in a snap, the guys jumped into a huge discussion about the game and how the ending fucked them up. Justin was shouting, "No spoilers!" and Lacey was going giddy as Clark sat beside her. Grey was practically inhaling all the French fries, and Julianne was yelling at him to leave some for us. As for Tristan and me, well, we just watched the chaos while holding each other's hands under the table.

Just when I thought that everything was going well again, the anxiety about our looming long-distance relationship settled in my stomach and made me queasy. I looked at him. He seemed to be thinking the same thing because he smiled and squeezed my hand tighter, reassuring me that we would be okay.

Songs mentioned above:

Wonderwall by Oasis

Say You Like Me by We The Kings

Mario Kart Love Song by Sam Hart

Dear Maria, Count Me In by All Time Low

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