Cinderbella

After my mother's death, I knew my life was going to be different. My father acted different and next thing I knew he was getting remarried and I had a stepmother that hated me. She was tall like a bean pole, she had long dark hair that looked like soot and went to her mid back. I had never done anything wrong to Sue, or her kids but they hated me. Her daughter hated me with a passion but her son didn't despise me but wasn't too fond of me either.

Charlie, my father, was never home, and if he was it was only for a few days. He wasn't interested in living with a wife and children anymore. Renee was his true love and he had been heartbroken over her death. He still hadn't ever really moved on from her. He married Sue to take care of me. I looked too much like my mother, it pained Charlie to look at me. I had dull brown hair and brown eyes, while my mother had the medium length brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. I grew up not knowing much about my mother except what Charlie told me the few days he was home. I felt like I didn't have the chance to form a bond with her since she passed away when I was three. Charlie always had either a babysitter or a nanny for me. He felt the need to support me but never to be around. I resented him as I got older but I knew that on some level that he loved me. He wouldn't have married Sue if she wasn't a decent person on some level, right?

I was about ten when we got a visit from one of the local Deputies. Forks was a small enough town to where everyone knew each other, Deputy Kent was one of the neighbors, he had raised his daughters in the house two doors down from us.

He was talking to my step mother with a tone that told me it was bad news, "Sue, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Charlie was killed in an accident this afternoon. There was a shootout and Charlie was killed in the crossfire. It was wrong place at the wrong time. I'm sorry for your loss. If there is anything you need, my family is just a few doors down." I broke down in tears, unable to move from my spot in the living room. I could hear them from the front room. Sue could've cared less, she was going to get everything that he owned, including one thing, me.

~*~ Seven Years Later ~*~

"Bella. Oh Bella. BELLA!" I woke with a start, falling off my bed, as my stepmother called me over the intercom that had been installed in the house.

"Yes Sue?" I said as I pushed the button, spying the clock to see what time it is. It was 6:30am, I had to be at school at nine.

"Seth got sick and I need you to take care of him for me. It is going to make me sick if I have to take care of him. He smells." I agree to take care of him, I know Seth doesn't like me but his mother has became more "defenseless" ever since she became my guardian. She sits around doing nothing, living off my father's money forcing me to do anything that requires any work at all.

I enter the den of a preteen male, full of dirty laundry, posters of half naked girls and a mix of odd smells. No wonder the kid is sick, he lives in a pig sty. I cover my face as I enter the room, scared something may attack me. Seth looked like he was near death, sickly pale. I walked into his bathroom careful not to trip, or get attacked by something. I grab a clean rag out from under the sink and run cold water over it, a cold compress to break the fever he has.

I forge my way through the room, to his bed. I put the back of my hand on his forehead to check for a temperature. I was right about the fever, I dab the cold rag on his forehead and head downstairs to get some ibuprofen to help break the fever.

I grabbed the meds and a bottle of water for him to down them with. After Seth took the meds, I went to my room and took a shower. School had never seemed more of a comfort than it ever did.

I hated that Seth was sick, and I wasn't thrilled that I had to take care of him. His mother was a lazy witch that sucked the souls out of good people. Once I graduated, I was leaving this town. The day my father died was the day I was ready to leave. I had no reason to stay in this town after I turned eighteen. I had no ties to this place. The only tie was that it was my birthplace but it wasn't strong enough to keep me here.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I drove my beat up 1953 Chevy truck to school, picking up Rosalie on the way. She was the one that fixed my truck to where it would go over fifty without dying. She was going to University of Washington in the fall to major in auto mechanical engineering. "Bells, you know I love your truck, but is there any way I can talk you into letting me buy you another one? I doubt the beast is gonna last much longer." I roll my eyes at her, my truck is older than both of us combined. I love my truck and there is no way I would get rid of it.

"Rose, how many times do I have to tell you. I'm not getting rid of the truck? You could buy me any kind of car, but my truck is the only thing I will drive. Don't even try to kill it, remember what happened last time?"

The first and last time she tried to kill my truck, it tried to set her hair ablaze. She tried once and that was enough to deter any other attempts. She stroked her hair, "It's the truck, it hates me. But then again it is a mutual hatred."

We went on to class, it seemed like a normal day. There was a group of new students and it was causing a stir in Forks High. Apparently they were 'gorgeous beyond all belief', as Jessica Stanley kept saying to one of her friends, I think it was Lauren, through the ENTIRE class period I had with them.

She described one of the guys as tall, built like a bear, cute dimples and the curliest blackish brown hair she had ever seen. She described the other as tall, penny colored hair, less built but still totally gorgeous, but she described the girl as a pixie with spiky black hair that jutted out in all directions and a good taste in clothes. When I asked what there names are, she looked at me like I had lost my mind. "Does it matter? They aren't going to be interested in you." She laughed and turned back to Lauren.

I just waited for the bell to ring so that I could go to lunch with Rose and Jasper. Jasper was Rose's twin brother, he had the shaggy blonde hair and violet eyes that people would pay hundreds of dollars for, he was about six foot and lanky with some tone and build.

Finally the bell rang and I was out the door like a shot. I was ready to be around people that liked me for who I was and didn't look down on me for it. I was surprised to say the least when I realized that I hadn't had any classes with Leah. She loved to torment me and make me feel worse about myself. I shook the thought out of my head as I went to go find Rose.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Rose and Jasper were sitting on the bench waiting for me like they have every day since freshman year. They were talking, well more like screaming at each other as I walked up. I thought I heard the words, "shopping" and "bike" come up. I wasn't going to press it. I knew I wouldn't want to get dragged into the screaming sibling match. It was a disaster waiting to happen, and I could wait for death to come before I got into one of their matches. Last time I tried to put my two cents in, Rose attempted to murder my beloved truck.

I shook my head and walked over to the cafeteria. I got an apple off the salad cart, and ran into something solid as I made my way over to the check out counter. I saw that I had ran into one of the new kids, it was the medium height one, with hair the color of a penny, he was a god on Earth and he went to our school. I couldn't find the words to say, I just gaped at him. When the words finally came out he just turned up his nose at me. He glared with an aura of conceitedness, and walked over to the table where the jocks sat.

I just rolled my eyes, I wasn't going to put up with the drama he could bring. I walked back out to the bench where Rose and Jasper were, still yelling at each other, in there own little bubble that no one dare burst. I sat on the bench opposite from them, watching the match eating the apple.

Halfway through lunch they finally noticed that I was there. I had pulled out "Wuthering Heights", and had started reading it again. I had realized that the fight was about Jasper wanting to get a motorcycle. Rose compared it to my truck, a metal death trap. I wasn't about to disagree, I love my truck but I like my safety better.

They left me alone to go get their lunches. I read more of the book getting lost in the world that the book created. I didn't notice the girl come over and sit on the bench next to me until she started to talk. "Hi! I'm Alice Cullen! What's your name?" She was bouncing as she spoke. She was like a five year old on a sugar high in a confined area.

"I'm Bella Swan. It's nice to meet you Alice." I turned back to my book, unsure of what to say to the sugar high teenager. She stayed on the bench until Jasper and Rose walked back, she flitted to another group. I put my book back in my bag, knowing that Rose would want to talk.

I felt Jasper's eyes on me, "What do you need Jasper?" I could tell he liked the new girl. I knew that he wouldn't want to go after her for his fear of chasing her away. He was the shy one when it came to people of the opposite sex compared to Rosalie.

If Rosalie found someone she liked she went after them full force. She spoke her mind, and didn't care what anyone said about her. She only cared if it was someone spreading trash or rumors about someone she cared about, or herself. I envied her for that, but I was just as cowardly as Jasper in the romance department. If I was mad at someone I wasn't afraid to let it show, however as soon as the feeling of "like" became involved I was back in my shell. I had only dated one guy and there wasn't that spark, that ah-ha moment that told me he was the one.

"So, what is her name? I know that she is one of the new students but no one seems to know her name." Jasper said as he stuffed a cheese-y potato wedge in his mouth.

I knew Jasper was a hopeless romantic, I just rolled my eyes, "Her name is Alice. Have you talked to her? I could see the two of you together, so go talk to her. I doubt Rose will get into trouble while you're gone." Laughing as Rose threw one of her fries at me, I blocked it before it could hit me. I laughed at Rose as she pouted, she loved to play the part of "Trouble". I could swear that it was her middle name. She either caused it or was part of it.

Jasper looked nervous. I saw Rose lean over to him and whisper in his ear. His eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open. He stared at Rose, I could tell that whatever she said to him that she wasn't going to back down.

That wasn't Rose's style. I had seen her beat a girl for talking trash about her. She was so aggravated by the girl that she got me to drive her to the girl's house. I couldn't help but stare gobsmacked as Rose and Lauren fought it out in her yard. Rose won the fight and Lauren came to school with a busted nose and lip. That was the last time anyone talked trash about her.

Jasper was up and gone, while Rose sat on the bench with a smirk. She was the younger of the two of them, but she held the most power. Jasper was a great big brother, but he was a little shy. He walked over to Alice and I saw her eyes light up as he started to talk to her. I turned back to Rose to see Royce walking up behind her. I just coughed and nodded my head in his direction.

Rose and Royce had broke up, but he didn't seem to understand the meaning of broken up. He was like a lost little puppy that followed her everywhere. Rose turned to see him walking up. She got off the bench and linked her arm with mine. We turned and ran towards the central courtyard.

"He was cute before he became the lost little clingy puppy." Rose said, as we started to slow down, coming back towards the remainder of our classmates. I just shook my head, Rose was never with a guy for longer than two weeks. She wasn't trashy or anything. She just lost interest. The guy became too possessive, or there was just too many personality differences.

We sat down on the stairs, I was glad that I didn't wear a skirt today, or I wouldn't have been able to sit down. I looked up the stairwell and saw a poster that would bring about the event that I had dreaded for the past seven months; PROM.

It was the last one that I would have the chance to go to, not that I really wanted to go in the first place. Rose had told me that I was going and had no option in the matter. We saw a teacher coming towards us, so we ran out the door, back to the cafeteria. We sat down at one of the tables close to the exit, ready for the lunch period to be over. I closed my eyes, relaxing before it was time for class change.

I felt something cold a slime-y drip down onto my head. My eyes shot open, Rose no longer sat in front of me, but was on her way back from the vending machines. I reached my hand up to my head, I felt a goopy slime-y substance on my head, I brought my hand back down in front of my face. It was yogurt in my hair, I turned around to see Leah with a smug expression on her face.

I turned back to Rose, she on the other hand had a murderous expression. I stood up, unsure of my actions as Leah walked away, in the opposite direction of Rose. Rose walked over to me, taking my arm and dragging me towards the girl's locker room. I handed Rose my truck keys, I had an extra shirt and pair of jeans in the car. I sat in the locker room as I waited for Rose to bring me the clothes. I tried to get as much of the yogurt out of my hair as I could.

I knew that I was going to have to start putting the clothes in my locker rather than in my truck. Leah had done this before, I couldn't retaliate or I would get in trouble with Sue, and I couldn't wait to leave for college.

I stayed on the bench in the locker room until Rose walked in with an Aeropostale Henley tee, a pair of Levi Skinny Boot Jeans and my makeup bag that had shampoo in it. I washed the yogurt out of my hair and changed into the clean shirt and pants. I put my sneakers back on and made my way back to class.

I had a free period after lunch, so I was glad that Leah did it when she did rather than later. I couldn't be late or miss any classes, I had missed enough due to her. I walked towards my fifth period U.S. Government class that I had with Mr. Saltzman. Rose walked with me, knowing that Leah wasn't one to do one thing and go on her way. Usually it was a series of events to get me to disappear. I was turning eighteen this year, the week after graduation I would be turning eighteen and moving out as fast as humanly possible.

The bell rang signaling the end of fourth period, I walked into Mr. Saltzman's class sitting down in my usual seat. I was glad that Rose had this class with me, she always stood up for me when I couldn't and it had been proven useful in the past years. I saw Alice walk in with Jasper, she was talking animatedly about something; I could tell that even though Jasper had known her a few hours, that he was wrapped around her little finger.

They took the table in front of Rose and I, I knew Mr. Saltzman wouldn't have a problem with it, due to the fact the seat beside Jasper was normally vacant. Alice turned around, "Why did you change Bella? I mean this outfit is cute, but normally people don't change in-between classes." I saw her eyes widen as Rose told her what Leah did to me.

"Well that's just mean." Alice said, I could practically hear the gears turning in her head, plotting revenge on Leah. Leah was one of the queen bees of the school. I could tell that all the people that she was friends with were fake friends. They would part ways at the end of the year. I put my hand on Alice's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, I'll deal with it soon." The class quieted as Mr. Saltzman walked into the room. The rest of today was going to be rough.

~*~*~*~*~*~

During the remainder of the class I plotted my revenge. I wouldn't enact it until I graduated, that way I couldn't get in trouble for it. Once the bell rang, we walked out of the class. Rose and Jasper going in the opposite direction of Alice and I. "Have you gotten your stuff ready for Prom yet Bella?" Alice asked as we walked into the Trig classroom.

"Rose bought my ticket, and she is making our dresses." I said as I got my notebook out and ready for class. We talked and passed notes throughout class. By the end of the day I was ready for Prom to be here. I was ready for another day to be over so that I would be gone.

I checked the mail, the letter from the University of Washington was there. I was nervous to open it, I hadn't heard anything from them before now. I was terrified that I had been rejected. I broke the seal, my heart pounding in my ears, ready to burst. The second I saw the Congratulations, I felt my heart soar. I was out of here.

I walked into the house, careful not to disturb Sue or Leah. I went and checked on Seth. He looked better, I could tell he wasn't one hundred percent but he looked better. I went up another level to my room. I put my bag on the bed, pulling out the homework. Only two more months until graduation.

~*~*~*~PROM NIGHT~*~*~*~

Sue practically had a conniption fit when I asked to go to Prom. She grounded me. I wasn't allowed to leave the house unless it was for school. I really didn't leave the house before, unless it was to go get groceries.

I called Rose and Alice telling them I wasn't going. They were disappointed and upset that I wasn't going. I cleaned the house. I heard the doorbell, there wasn't anyone coming over that I knew of.

I opened the door seeing Rose and Alice standing there holding my dress in a garment bag. "Tell me you aren't here, that ya'll are at Prom and my eyes are lying to me." I said as I closed my eyes.

"Nope, we're here and you're coming with us. You have two options: Either you take the dress and dress yourself or we dress you. Choose wisely." Alice threatened with a smirk. I thought about it for a second, my options weren't that great but I knew that they would strip me and change me. I took the bag and ran to get changed.

I put the green strapless dress on. I looked like I had stepped out of a fairytale book. It had tulle in the bottom layer making it a full skirt. Embroidered beading on the bodice and a drop waist, made me feel like a princess. I looked in the mirror. I didn't look like myself, but then again it was a night for dreams to happen.

Alice and Rose swarmed when I opened the door. They attacked me with a brush and make up. When they finished, I looked like a princess. They handed me the mask that went with the dress. I slid on the green heels that matched the dress.

The fear began to rise as I walked out towards the limo that Rose and Alice had arrived in. Jasper was waiting with Emmett, Rose's new beau and Alice's cousin, as I walked out of the house. Both guys looked between me and the girls. It seemed like they couldn't understand the fact that 'Bella, the girl that wasn't a fan of skirts and makeup' was in a prom dress looking girly. We all got in the limo heading to Prom.

Emmett was one of the new students. He, Alice and her brother Edward were the new kids that had came to Forks High. Emmett and Alice had congealed with our group while Edward was part of the "popular" crowd at school. I felt bad for him now. Alice had told us the story of how they were forced to move in with their Aunt and Uncle after their parents were killed in a car accident.

We pulled into the parking lot of the school. It was the largest place for the Prom to be held. We all put our masks on and got out of the limo. I feel the beat of the music coming from the gym as we walked to the front of the school. When we walked in the world seemed to go in slow motion. Life seemed simple and carefree.

My friends walked over to the main floor, leaving me by the entrance. I was fine with it, I was happy to be here. However, I was still scared that Leah was going to see me, or someone would recognize me. It was a masked prom, and we were all to be revealed at midnight. I was leaving before the reveal, Leah was here with Jake and I couldn't be spotted.

I walked towards the punch bowl. I saw Edward standing there. He was dressed in a tux, with a simple black mask on. It was too easy to reveal his identity. I got a cup of punch, hoping that he wouldn't realize that I was there. He turned around and noticed that someone was standing near him. He asked me to dance, I just nodded unable to say a word for his voice was like pure velvet. I danced with him until I heard Alice and Rose come up behind me.

"Come on Cinderella. If you want to get home before the wicked stepmother get there we have to go. Now!" Rose said as she put a hand on my arm.

"I have to go, but I will see you in school." I said to Edward as I was being tugged on the arm by Rose.

"Wait. What's your name?" He asked as Rose and Alice pulled me towards the door. I never got a chance to answer, Rose and Alice had pulled me through the door. I got into the limo, Emmett and Jasper were there waiting for us. Rose tossed me a bag that I had failed to notice earlier. It had my clothes from earlier, I slipped the jeans on. Alice and Rose had made the guys face the front of the limo, unable to see me change. I slipped the shirt on over the dress I shimmied out of the dress. I felt the car stop outside of my house. I was thankful there was no cars in the driveway. I slipped in the backdoor as I heard the limo pull away. I saw Seth sitting in the kitchen with a soda in his hand. He wasn't supposed to be home tonight. He was supped to be at Embry's or Quil's house spending the night. "Bella, sneaking in? I'm disappointed. Didn't mom say you were grounded? Tsk. Tsk. What is she going to say when I tell her you snuck out?" He said with a malicious smirk on his face.

"Are you really gonna tell on me? Who is the one that takes care of you? I do. Who is the one that cooks for you? I do. Who is the one that does your laundry? I do. So do you really want to bite the hand that feeds you?" I said. I knew that I had won. He wasn't my biggest fan, but he knew that I was the one that took care of him. More than his mom at least.

"You win this round Swan. But next time you may not be so lucky." He said as he walked away and towards the stairs. He turned and yelled, "Tell Alice and Rose that next time they may want to remember to take all the make up with them rather than leave half of it on the counter."

I took a breath of relief. I was luck tonight, if it was Leah I wouldn't have been able to get away unscathed. I went upstairs. I was home free for the night and I was safe for the day.

~*~*~*~ The Next Day ~*~*~*~

Edward was on a massive man hunt to try and find his "Cinderella", I didn't want to let the magic disappear. Last night was like a dream that I didn't want to end. I knew it would vanish the second that I revealed that I was his Cinderella. I hadn't spoken to him since the first day he was here. I knew that the manhunt would continue until he found "her".

Alice and Rose goaded me, they felt that I had to tell him it was me. I wanted to but I didn't want for the dream to disappear. He could never have feelings for me. I was Bella and he was Edward. We simply did not mix.

I walked over to him. He didn't see me. It was like he was looking through me rather than at me. "Edward, can I talk to you?" He finally looked at me. I could tell he thought that I looked familiar, but couldn't place me. He nodded and walked over to one of the outside tables.

I drew a breath, I was going to tell him it was me and I could feel the butterflies fluttering in my stomach ready to escape. "Edward, I was Cinderella, I was the one you danced with last night." Is what I wanted to say, and what I did say but it came out in a jumbled mess that I doubt he could decode. A look of confusion passed on his face. "Bella, I don't know what to say." he looked over my shoulder and saw Rose and Alice. They walked over, sitting across from us. Alice pulled out her camera and showed him a picture. I didn't remember it being taken but it was one of me and him dancing.

"Bella? You're my Cinderella?" He whispered. I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. He put both his hands on my face. "I hoped it was you. I thought it was Alice and Rose dragging you away. I just thought that it couldn't be you because you ignored me the entire time I was here." He said staring into my eyes. I felt the tears trailing down my cheek. Tears of disbelief, I hadn't talked to him because he always made it seem like he didn't like me. There was always a barrier that I couldn't break through around him. He wiped the tears away. He was what I had spent years waiting for. My life was turning around and couldn't get better. I knew this was going to be my happy ending.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight Characters. They are a product of the author Stephenie Meyers.