Cinderella for Hire

For a moment, I forgot that Caleb was with me. And all the noises of tourists and rowdy kids around me melted away. I was rooted to the spot without thinking about anything actually. It was the first time in months – years, probably – that I had ever felt that serene.

"A penny for your thoughts?" asked the familiar, warm voice.

"When I was a kid, my parents used to bring me out to this aquarium a lot—" I stopped myself and stared at Caleb, horrified.

"Hah! I knew it," he said, smiling. "You're from Seattle too?"

I shrugged with a sheepish grin on my face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," I said. "It's just that I haven't been here for so long and this place is starting to play tricks on my conscience."

Actually, I didn't realize it before but all throughout my first semester in college, most of my paintings were based on this place, I suppose. Especially the abstract ones.

"Your parents…?" he trailed off, cocking an eyebrow. I nodded.

"I haven't met them since forever."

"Why?"

I sighed. "I don't know," I finally said. I couldn't reveal too much to him. To him, I was April Bennett, girlfriend of Nicholas Fulton who was supposedly awesome and what-not. And the truth was, I was terrified at the thought of visiting my parents. They too, were under the illusion that somehow I scored an artist job in New York. While they had been so supportive of me all the way throughout my life, the one time that I should've made them proud…

"Caleb?" I shrieked when his fingers suddenly clasped themselves around my wrist, tugging me along behind him after he shot me a 'don't-worry-just-trust-me' smile. "What are you doing? Where are you taking me?"

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. I should've listened to Nick but noooo. For all I know he might be a rapist with a very good lawyer or whatever…

"Where's your house?"

"Excuse me?"

"I won't accept anything but your real house address—"

I stopped him from dragging me along but he still had his grip on my wrist. "Look, Caleb, you don't understand," I began but he shook his head and interrupted me before I could even at least try to wriggle out of this situation.

"You said it's been weighing down on your conscience," he said. "I don't know you enough to even know what sort of situation you're currently in with your parents but April, don't you think that somehow if it's weighing down on your conscience, you should at least clear that bit up?" he asked, looking genuinely curious. "I'm sure your parents must miss you a lot, and you do too."

In the end, I found myself once again sitting comfortably in his black Mercedes and looking out the window as his GPS navigate him closer and closer to my childhood home. It was daunting but at the same time, so exciting and relieving. I just didn't know what to say to them. The truth? Should I?

My hands were shaking. Now it was just plain daunting again.

Realizing this, apparently, Caleb cautiously took my hand in his and squeezed it before letting it go and placing his hand back on the steering wheel. To lighten up the mood, I told him, "I wonder if all Fultons are this bossy."

"It's in our blood," he replied jokingly.



Matthew and Melissa Bennett didn't expect their daughter to arrive at their doorsteps that evening. Their suddenly-blonde-daughter (who once vowed to never change her hair color because she loved it so much) with a man behind her, who happened to drove her all the way to her parents' house in a sleek, expensive car. Nope, they didn't see that coming.

Honestly, if I were them I would just stand there for 5 minutes and didn't know what to do either.

"Mom, dad," I said, smiling a bit nervously. "Hi."

"Young lady," my mom said. She was a tall woman, almost as tall as dad was but with a fragile-like frame. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled up into a very tight bun as always when she was in the middle of reading or something and her blue eyes showed surprise. "You should've told us you were coming! I would've baked your favorite apple pie!"

I let out a sigh of relief and flung my arms around her. "I miss you, mom," I said, my voice cracking a little. My mom hugged me fiercely back and my dad laughed and joined us.

"You haven't been here for a while, have you?" dad said, his blue eyes flooding with relief. "I thought you were in trouble or something," he said, giving a laugh. "Please, come in," he said, literally pulling me inside the house and patting Caleb's back as he went into the house too.

I didn't want Caleb to even say that I was someone's girlfriend, because in reality I wasn't. And if he did, I would have to lie. Again. So after we had some polite conversation, I told mom and dad that I wanted to see them in the kitchen. Plus, I wanted to help mom bake that apple pie.

Dad scratched his chin and said, "he seems like a nice chap."

"Stop it, dad," I said, laughing. "You were interrogating him as if he was Jimmy in there."

Jimmy was my prom date back in high school. He was a nice guy but dad scared him so badly that he didn't even return my calls for 2 months straight.

"Well, we have to know what kind of boy you're dating," mom defended.

"I'm not dating him, mom," I replied. "He's just a friend."

Mom chuckled lightly as she wiped her hands on her apron. "But honestly, I didn't think you would stop by. It's been so long," she said. And all the guilt came rushing back.

"I'm sorry mom," I whispered, fiddling with the spoon in my hand.

"Oh, no need to be, darling!" She exclaimed hurriedly. "I know you artists are always busy."

Maybe I could just stab myself with the spoon right now and ignore the whole telling-the-truth thing…

Stop it. Stop.

"Mom, dad, actually, I have something to…tell you…" I trailed off. "I'm not…I'm not the person that you think I am."

In return, I got confused looks.

"I mean, I'm not an artist. I do freelance work and commissions but even then I have a hard time…coping with my expenses," I said. "There was a phase where I ate nothing but bread and water," I continued, feeling embarrassed. "I lied. I'm sorry I lied, I just didn't know how to tell you this because I feel…I feel like such a huge disappointment after all that you have done for me and—"

"You should've told us," dad said, sounding angry. "We could've help!"

"But—!"

Mom hugged me again.

"You are never a disappointment to us, April. And I'm sorry that you feel that way."

I was so overwhelmed. I burst into tears.