Football Stars Don't Date Cinderella, Part 8
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“Do you want a hot chocolate?”
“I’d love one,” I replied.
“To be honest, I’m probably not going to stay long after midnight,” Ethan admitted as we went back under a marquee. “I’m on the team to help clear up after tonight, and Mum needs help with something later on.”
As we talked, I noticed some of the partygoers were glancing at us and whispering. I blushed, fighting the urge to look away. They were acting like I was talking to royalty or something.
I might as well have been. The Reyes were one of the wealthiest families in the area, and Ethan was without a doubt going to be nominated as Prince at this year’s Summer Ball.
My pendant started to feel uncomfortably warm. A feeling of sudden dread swirled around in my stomach. “What time is it?”
“It’s…Oh. It’s twenty-five to midnight. I’ll see you at the next one?” Ethan asked hopefully.
“Yeah. I’ll see you then.” I would, but he wouldn’t recognise me at all.
I hurried away from the celebrations, hoping Flora wouldn’t mind I hadn’t said goodbye to her. As soon as I slid into the white Jaguar, it started and pulled gracefully out of the farm and away down the road.
What if I’d left the party too late? Claudia might arrive ten or fifteen minutes early, just because she could. All the excitement and happiness I’d felt tonight ebbed away as the car drew closer and closer to the sixth-form campus.
There was nobody else in the car park. Sighing in relief, I opened the door and got out; immediately, the car began to shrink until a plain white pumpkin lay on the concrete. Bundling it under one arm, I hurried towards the main building.
I needn’t have worried. Patrick and Jocelyn were waiting for me, smiling expectantly.
“How did it go?” Jocelyn asked.
“It was amazing. Thank you both so much.”
“You might want to hurry up and get changed before your stepmother gets here,” Patrick warned me as he gave me the bags for my clothes. “Don’t look so happy, or she’ll get suspicious.”
“And you might want to take that necklace off as well!” Jocelyn called as I walked towards the nearest Ladies.
It ached to put away the lovely clothes and shoes, but I knew I’d wear them again someday. I quickly stuffed my necklace into my fleece pocket, then tied my hair back into a ponytail and pulled some strands loose, so it looked like they’d come out while I’d been working.
There I was again: Mina Asher, in her worn clothes and old trainers.
Minutes after I emerged, Patrick said: “She’s here.”
Claudia came striding up to us, her heels making unpleasant noises on the floor. She addressed Patrick and Jocelyn with: “Did she give you any trouble?”
“None at all,” Patrick replied. “She worked her fingers off.”
“Glad to hear it.” Claudia beckoned to me and headed towards the entrance without a backward glance.
“See you on Wednesday,” Jocelyn whispered.
I was afraid Claudia would talk to me during the drive back, but she said nothing. She waited until we were inside the house before saying: “I’m going to go and pick up Craig at half-past one; he won’t be expecting breakfast until ten at the latest. There’s leftovers in the fridge.”
I was about to say that I wasn’t hungry – but then remembered I hadn’t had anything to eat before the party. “Thanks.”
Alone at the kitchen table, I slowly chewed the remnants of chicken and a potato salad. I was excited about the second party, but not for the reasons I’d had about the first one. Before tonight, it had been about having three wonderful nights; now, I wanted to go because it meant seeing Ethan again.
But that didn’t matter. Even if I did go to the second and third nights, he wouldn’t recognise me as Mina or as Cindy.
I’d still have a great time anyway. Nobody could take that away from me.