My So Called Cinderella Life

We all sat down on the round table with our filled up bellies and just conversed with each other. I looked at the time and it was already 5:25!

I looked at Kaylie and we nodded at each other. I tapped Peter, "Dude, it's almost 5:30, we gotta go."

Tory added, "Wait, you're already going? Didn't you say six?"

"When my stepmother says six, she actually means 5:50 so we really have to go." I answered.

Peter, Kaylie and I stood up and Ryan stood up right after and grabbed my wrsit. "You really have to go?"

I could see Tory looking at us and I was just a bit confused. I stuttered, "Uhm, yeah... My stepmother will like ground me if I'm home after six."

He looked at me, "So what if you get home at like 6:03..."

Kaylie added in, "She'll be grounded. Believe me, you don't know my mother. She will ground both of us."

I nodded and Ryan let go of my shoulders. "I'll see you in school tomorrow then?"

I smiled and nodded my head at him. He continued looking at me, and Tory gave him a really weird look. Peter stood up and asked Daniella, "Yo... you going back home with me or Sheck?"

"Well, I'm doing my shopping but you just hurry up and drop Marisa and Kaylie home. I'm afraid that they'll be grounded."

Peter grabbed my arms and nodded, "Let's go."

Then we ran off into the car. I sat in the front and Kaylie sat in the back. There was no time for their happiness right now.

On the highway...

Of course, with my luck... there would be traffic. I sighed loudly, "Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead... Dead!! I probably won't be able to go to school anymore... Margaret doesn't care if I'm paying for tuition or not."

He grabbed my hand, "Don't worry! I will get you there as fast as I can. I know a shortcut, but you guys are gonna have to put your seatbelt on."

"I have mine on, but what about you?" I said pointing at Peter. He snickered, "I've been driving this car and this route for about two years now... almost every day. I don't need a seatbelt."

I shook my head. Peter looked at his rearview mirror and smiled at Kaylie. "Seatbelt." He said, softly. I looked back at her, and she did what he said. I smirked at both of them.

Okay, definitley not a one side situation.

Peter took an exit and started turning about... six, seven, nine?... Nevermind, I can't count how many times he turned... and turned very quickly... Which brought us out of our seats.

By about 5:57, we were on the street that was off of my street and then we turned towards my house. I arrived at my house at exactly 6:01...

So... dead.

I got out of the car as quickly as possible, "I'll call you! Bye!"

Kaylie and I ran through the front door and when we entered, Margaret was sitting at the kitchen table and Kayla was watching television as usual.

We both stood still and Margaret started, "Well that was a fail."

She stood up and got down from the kitchen table and her eyes went toward Kaylie first, "Go somewhere, that's not here."

She let go of my hand and slightly grinned. She didn't want to leave me but she had to. Margaret came really close to me. Margaret, I could say, was about three inches taller than me. My mouth was up to her chin and right now, she had the most evil look she could give anyone.

I looked away and she grabbed my chin, "You know... just cause you go to school now, doesn't mean you can go wild. I allowed you to go to school just because you're the resposible one for it. Didn't mean you can not listen to me."

Kaylie butt in, "Mom. We're only a minute late, come on."

She pointed at Kaylie with one finger, still grabbing my chin with the other, "You... stay out of this."

I gulped. She continued, "I'm not going to let you bring down my daughter. My daughter has to be the best. Understand?" I sighed loudly.

I nodded. But she kept talking. "If I ever hear you messing with my daughters at school, don't even think about going to school anymore, I don't even care if you're paying for tuition. If you take Kayla's boyfriends, you're not going to school. If you don't listen to Kayla at school, you're not going to school... You understand me?"

"Yeah, I got it."

I could practically feel Kayla smiling. She must have told Margaret about talking to Ryan, or Tory. I wanted to just... slap her, right now.

Margaret let go of me and Kayla went on to watching television. Kaylie came up to me and grabbed my heads. My eyes became watery but it wasn't as much as crying yet.

It was basically like this every day, and I hated it. I let go of Kaylie's hand and tried to smile, but then ran up to my room.

I looked at Dad's picture on my nightstand and slightly smiled. I said to myself softly, "Why... Why did you have to marry her, Dad... Why?"

I then heard banging on the door and dropped the picture. I wiped the slight tears that came from my eyes and went to go open the door. I opened it and it was Kayla, and she snickered at me. "You look... so pathetic right now."

I rolled my eyes, "What do you want?"

"Are you going to mope in your room for long? I have work to be done, and you need to go make dinner for mom."

"I'll get to it. Just give me like five minutes to get out of these clothes, and my contacts off."

"Just hurry up." She concluded then walked off. I closed the door and went back to pick up the picture. The back of the picture came off, and I saw a white piece of paper. I took out the back of the frame and the white paper had Dad's handwriting on it and said "To Marisa. My beloved daughter."

My eyes grew large. I turned the paper back and started reading, it was pretty small, and the paper was old... but I tried making it out.

"My little Marisa, my lovely daughter. I want you to know I never wanted to hurt you and think that I didn't love your mother anymore. Your mother was always number one in my heart. You will find that I can't really fit a lot in this piece of paper, and with your stepmother it's almost impossible to write a whole entire note. I want to say that I did not want to marry Margaret. There was a reason that we had to get married but I couldn't tell you with her besides me all the time. Around the house, little notes are scattered around like this. Take it as a scavenger hunt that we used to play together. This is the beginning of my scavenger hunt for you. They are numbered on the right hand corner and they go til' number 20... Find it, put it all together and you'll understand why it had to be like this. I love you so much... Love, Daddy."

I started crying. Dad wrote this note to me, like he knew he was going to go on. My tears wouldn't stop. Reading the note, I felt like he was actually reading to it in front of me. I could hear his voice and see his face... and imagine putting the note behind the picture frame.

A reason why he had to marry Margaret?

I had a flashback when Dad and I were finally alone in the house, but before he could say anything Margaret came barging in and took him away from me. Was there a reason?

Did she actually love Dad at all?

This was all so confusing, and sad, and real at the same time. He said there are 20 notes and all numbered, and I had to put it together when I found all of it to understand.

The beginning of my scavenger hunt.

Daddy did always love me. He even cared for me even though he wasn't even here.

But the scavenger hunt? I had to find out what that was all about.

**Kaylie's Point of View**

I watched Marisa on the couch as she was making dinner by herself. I tried going into help her, but Margaret and Kayla stopped me. She looked like she had been crying from upstairs.

Ugh, I hated having to keep everything inside.

I wanted to tell her everything. Everything I knew about Paul, everything that had to do with Margaret... How we were actually related... But with Margaret as a mother... Everything is absolutely impossible to do.

I don't know how long I could keep this up. But if it goes on any longer, it's possible that I could explode.

**End of Point of View**

**Tory's Point of View**

So I knew that Peter had a thing for Kaylie... but never knew Ryan had a thing for... anybody.

The last time he had a crush on someone, was... well his ex, Tammy, and that didn't end as well.

Well, he dumped her but she was still following him up until today.

But anyway, the way Ryan even looked at Marisa, it wasn't like any other girls. It was sweet, and he just looked like he was into her.

Another thing he has never done was pay for anyone's lunch... That was just not him. I thought about today at the mall, after Peter, Marisa and Kaylie took off.

I pushed his shoulders, "Dude. You have a thing for Marisa?"

He didn't answer and shook his head and laughed. "Dude... answer my question."

Daniella added, "Yeah you do seem friendly with her."

He laughed, "Hey... She's just cute. Not every day a really cute girl is new to school."

"So if there's another new cute girl, then you'd be into her."

He rolled his eyes and kept eating his ice cream. "Well, don't be into her... cause I am."

Daniella and Ryan looked up and she started, "Well... that was quite fast."

I laughed and Ryan frowned. "Yeah, a little fast, dude. She just got here."

I shrugged. "Well, I'm obviously gonna get to know her more."

Daniella and Ryan rolled their eyes. Daniella continued, "Well... When Marisa goes out anywhere, a lot of guys like her. She's not the girly type but she doesn't come across as a tomboy as well. She's like perfect..."

"Yeah..." Ryan and I said in unison. I glared at him and he looked down.

Daniella continued, "But... if it comes to wearing a dress, you pay her 10,000 dollars she won't even wear."

Ryan laughed, "Why?"

Daniella shrugged, "Ask her... that's the only insane thing about her. She'd look gorgeous if she wore a dress."

Okay, Ryan definitley had a thing for her. But I didn't wanna say anything yet.