A New Life

Ding!

Cinderella looked over as the chef placed a, rather bland looking, plate of meatballs on the counter top. She grabbed the dish and skated over, in her pink roller skates, towards the Italian diner’s most regular customer. She laid the plate down in front of him.

“Here you are, Sir. Enjoy your meal” she smiled.

The man grabbed her wrist before she could skate away; making her jump in surprise, although she knew what was coming next.

“Would you care to join me, Miss Munro?” the man asked, his voice raspy and his eyes hopeful.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Barry. I’m working. Maybe some other time” she said, once again. He nodded, sadly, making her heart pang out of remorse.

She rolled back over to the front counter, leaning against it and looking back over at Barry. The poor guy. His wife had passed away a few years earlier and he was starting to experience the later stages of dementia. He didn’t realise that he had practically lived at this diner since her passing; always ordering the same meal, always asking Cinderella to join him and always being rejected, simply because she wasn’t allowed. She was working, as per usual.

“Do ya think he’ll be put in a nursin’ home?” one of the other waitresses leaned forward, chewing on her overly chewed gum, and looking at Barry as Cinderella did.

She turned to the waitress, “I hope not. Nursing homes are like prisons. All the elderly can do is sit around and wait to die” she said. The words came out harsher than she had intended and she briefly touched her lips, shocked at what she had said.

A small frown formed and she hurried around to the back, starting up on the load of dishes that awaited her. She sat on one of the stools and untied the laces on her roller skates, pulling them off and gently tossing them near her handbag.

She motioned with her hand, as she looked at the sink, the faucet turning and warm water rushing out from the tap and into the sink. She kept the water running, and waved her hands; the detergent pouring into the sink and the smaller utensils jumping in, one by one. She then turned the faucet off and started on the dishes.

Hours passed and she had finally cleaned every nook and cranny of the diner. It was after hours and all the workers and customers had left. It wasn't like she had anything better to do anyway. She took her apron off and hung it up on the rack before picking up her hand bag and roller skates, and walking home. Her small apartment was only a few blocks away and she arrived within twenty minutes of leaving the diner. She was about to head upstairs, before spotting a white envelope in her letter box. Her eyes widened in surprise and she hurried over, grabbing the letter and darting upstairs.

Who could it be from? Surely not my step-mother… She locked her front door and dropped her bag and skates onto the worn out floorboards. She almost jumped onto her bed, out of excitement and nervousness, and tore the fancy seal off of the envelope, pulling out a bit of parchment.

Dear Miss Cinderella Munro,

I am writing to you in hopes that you will take up the vacant maid position at Blanditia Academy. The Academy is in dire need of cleaning and I have heard of your recent activity in the Italian diner. I know that you will enjoy it here and I hope to see you soon. The job will start once you get settled in.

My warmest regards,

Athena Von Claret, Headmistress.

Cinderella held the letter in her lap. She must have reread it a thousand times. Athena Von Claret, asking her to work at the Academy? It must be some kind of joke. She read it once more. Yeah sure, it wasn’t a teaching position, but nonetheless, it was bound to be more fulfilling than it was at the diner. Plus, it more than likely paid more and she needed the money.

She barely got a wink of sleep that night, the letter perched on her bedside table. She often rolled over and just stared at it in disbelief, waiting for it to disappear and for her to wake up.

Once morning arrived, she had already gotten ready and packed all of her belongings, before heading for the train station. The train ride seemed to go on forever and she found herself growing more and more nervous the longer it took to get there. Once the train rolled into the station, she grabbed her luggage and caught a cab, heading straight for Blanditia Academy and for a new, unknown and exciting next stage of her life.

((Trololol. What is this? I don't even know. I kinda just made it up as I went along... since you're all asleep right now xD And, it's nothing exciting. Hopefully it sheds a little light on Cinderella's personality. I don't know, I don't write fanfics, so I guess you could consider this as my first one? D: ))

This is your first fan fic? Wow o.o" I love it! Cinderella seems like a lovely person (: And who knows? Maybe she might end up being a teacher?

Aw, thank you! Haha! Maybe! We'll see (;

Aw, I like it!