Cinderella Complex

by Rebekah L. Purdy

  “What do you mean?”

  “Let’s say you get an assignment, a young woman fated to marry a certain young man. And something goes wrong. Perhaps you can’t get her to the ball in time or maybe an accident happens and she doesn’t arrive. Then she ends up missing her chance. She meets another man who is nice, but not whom she’s supposed to be with. She marries him instead. A few years later, they get divorced. So, not only does she not get her happy ending, but neither does the person she’s with or the man she was supposed to be with.”

  “Kind of like Mom,” I said in a hushed voice. “Sometimes she talks about this guy, Philip, from college.”

  Grandma’s eyes welled up with tears. “Yes, kind of like your mother. But that’s another story.” She paused. “What I’m trying to tell you is it’s important to make sure the happy ending happens. Whether it’s for a job or a school play or finding love. It’s imperative we keep the Grimms away and make sure we’ve granted the wishes that need granting.”

  I pushed away from the table and went to Grandma’s side. “I might not be any good at this. I mean, it’s not like homework or board games. These are people’s lives we’re dealing with.”

  “And you’re ready to take it on. I wouldn’t have been able to transfer the power if you weren’t.” She hugged me to her, stroking my hair. “Maggie, things won’t always be easy. You won’t be able to tell your friends or your brother. It’ll be lonely. No one will understand when you disappear to take care of an assignment. You’ll miss out on things, but you’re doing this for the greater good. As long as you’re here to make things happen, there will be hope.”

  There was so much more I needed and wanted to know. But Grandma released me and pushed me toward the door. Once we stepped out of the magic room, it disappeared with a pop like a bursting bubble.

  “Isn’t there more you should tell me?”

  A smile spread across her face as she led me from the closet. “Only one more thing. At some point in the near future, you’ll likely be assigned a Knight of the Godmother Order. You will know him by the sword tattoo on his neck. He’ll be your protector against the Grimms.”

  That got my attention. “When will this happen?”

  “Don’t hurry the process along, Maggie. A knight won’t normally appear until you need him. When you’re in danger.”

  “Oh.” Yeah, good idea because I dang sure didn’t want any danger. The knight could wait.

  “Now comes the fun part.” Grandma opened the sliding glass doors leading onto the balcony. “You need to learn how to fly.” She tugged a lounge chair next to the railing. “Just climb up here and leap off.”

  Not that I didn’t love my grandma, but she’d lost her ever-loving mind. No way in the world did any of my plans include jumping to my death.

  I took a step back. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

  “It’s like riding a bike.”

  Maybe now was a good time to remind her how much I’d fallen down while learning to ride my bike.

  Taking a deep breath, I glanced at the ground below. It was a long way down. My pulse buzzed like a warning bell in my ears. Insane didn’t begin to describe this idea. More like freakin’ idiotic. And yet, I climbed onto the chair, then up onto the railing. I felt like a suicide on the ledge of a skyscraper.

  “Think of your wings.” Grandma stood next to me, her hand resting on my calf.

  Squeezing my eyes shut, I imagined my wings. The back of my shirt ripped and my wings expanded. Ugh, I loved this shirt.

  “Okay, I’m up here.” I kept my focus straight ahead. As long as I didn’t see the ground, I’d be all right, or at least I hoped I would be.

  Grandma shoved me. I flailed off the balcony. She was trying to flippin’ kill me. In two seconds I’d be splatter on the lawn.

  “Flap your wings,” she called.

  The ground came at me at an alarming rate. Then, to my amazement, my wings kicked in, brushing air. Like a butterfly, I shot forward, gliding.

  “Make sure you’re steering yourself.” Grandma’s voice sounded far away.

  My lips tilted into a smile as I flew higher. Cool night air kissed my cheeks and whipped through my hair. I felt so free. I felt so—smack—a low-hanging tree limb whapped me in the face.

  Ow, crap! My face stung and my eyes watered. Right. Need to watch where I’m going. A strong gust of wind billowed in, catching my wings and tipping me backward. Like an out-of-control kite, I half fell, half glided toward the ground and into the side of a car.

  Beep. Beep. Beep. The car alarm blared. I rubbed my arm and head. Now I knew how road kill felt.

  “You okay?” Grandma hollered down.

  “Sure, just give me a second to pull the fiberglass out of my face.” I stood and wiped myself off.

  Grandma laughed. “You’ll get the hang of it. Maybe you should fly home tonight. Give yourself a chance to get used to your new wings.”

  Sure, great idea. Then maybe I’d fly into the grill of a semi-truck or a hunter might shoot me out of the sky, thinking I was a big duck or something. And they’d stuff me like a turduken—only I’d be a turMaggen. Yeah, not a great visual. Because either way I looked at it, something or someone was going to be shoved into some place they didn’t want to go.

  What had I gotten myself into? Grandma smiled and gestured for me to fly back up to her. A Fairy Godmother. Me. Maggie Winters. The new Fairy Godmother. And I had no idea what I was doing.

  Chapter Five

  Jackson poked his head in my room the next morning. “Mom said to get your butt up.”

  “I’m up already.” I kicked my blankets off, crawled out of bed. Yawning, I stretched my arms over my head. My body ached all over.

  Jack stepped further into my room and frowned. “What happened to you? You look like you got run over by a car.” He pushed my hair from my face.

  Startled, I rushed to the vanity mirror. A bruise painted the whole right side of my cheek . “No, I didn’t get hit by a car.” I groaned. More like my face had taken on an old Buick and lost.

  And of all days when I needed to look my best. Maybe I should tell Connor something came up and he can’t come over after school.

  “Did someone hit you?” Jackson said.

  “No. I—I rode my bike into a fence.”

  “Yeah, right. No way did you get up early and go for a bike ride.” He crossed his arms at his chest. “We practically have to drag your butt out of bed every morning just to get you to school on time.”

  “Fine. You wanna know the truth? When I got up last night to get a drink, I fell down the stairs.” Why couldn’t Jackson go back to his normal, not-giving-a-crap-self?

  Jack looked thoughtful then turned to the door.

  And just when I thought he’d bought the story, he stepped on my clothes from last night. Eyes wide, he bent down and picked up my shirt. Almost the whole back was torn from where my wings had punctured through.

  “Fell on the stairs, huh? And I suppose your shirt got caught on one of the ceiling fan blades on the way down?”

  I stomped my feet and tried to rip my shirt away from him. “What do you want me to say, Jackson? I went on a date with Bigfoot and he got a little rough?”

  “If that’s what happened, then yeah.”

  “I’m fine, okay? I tripped. My shirt ripped. End of story. Now, please get out of here so I can get dressed.”

  But he didn’t move. Instead, he cupped hands around his mouth. “Mom, you need to come up here.”

  Aw, this wasn’t good. My first day on the job and my identity was gonna get blown.

  “It’s too early for you two to be fighting.” Mom pushed into my room, trying to put an earring in. “Can’t you just be nice and hug?”

  “No!” we cried out in unison.

  Jack gripped my arm and tugged me closer to Mom. “Look at her face.”

  “Jackson, I’m not in the mood for your jokes this morning. I’ve got to get to…”

  I closed m
y eyes, pleading Mom wouldn’t notice.

  She gasped. “Maggie, what in the world happened?”

  “Apparently she’s been dating Sasquatch.” Jack handed her my torn shirt.

  What a prick. I was half-tempted to grab my wand and turn him into a giant turd. But Mom would probably make me clean it up.

  She held my shirt. Her eyes widened then her gaze fell to the tattoo mark on my wrist. Crap. I was so dead.

  “Jack, go get breakfast while your sister and I talk.”

  He hesitated, glancing between us. “If someone at school did it, Seth and I will kick their a...”

  Mom spun around. “Jackson Charles! If I ever hear that word come from your mouth, I’ll make you drink a bottle of dish soap. Do you understand?”

  Jack held his hands up and backed out of the room. “Sorry, I’m just saying.”

  Mom shut the door and sighed. “Grandma had the chance to talk to you last night?”

  “Um—yeah.”

  “Then you’ve officially taken over for her?” She moved to my side, brushing my arm with her hand.

  “Wait, you know?”

  She nodded. “Grandma tested me when I turned sixteen. I was the only person, other than the people she helped, who knew her secret.”

  “So you didn’t want to do it?” I ran a hand through my tangled hair.

  “I didn’t possess the Godmother power. But even if I did, I would’ve still said no.” Mom hugged me. “My mom was gone a lot. I didn’t understand her constant disappearance. At least not until I was older.”

  The scent of Mom’s perfume clung to me as she pulled back. “It’s a lot of work, Maggie. And you’ll miss out on things.”

  “I know. Grandma explained it.”

  She gave me a sad smile. “I’ll try to help you as best I can. And I’ll make sure to give your dad some excuse to cover for you. Maybe tutoring…something that’d take you away.”

  “Thanks.” Relief flooded through me. At least I wouldn’t have to lie to her. “So, any idea how I’m supposed to explain my face?”

  She quirked an eyebrow as strands of blonde hair tumbled across her forehead “Do I want to know what happened?”

  “Flying lessons.” I laughed, flapping my arms like a crazed bird.

  “If anyone asks, you fell.” Mom walked to the door. “I’ll tell Jackson to say the same. Now, go on and get dressed.”

  With a smile, I hurried to pick out my clothes. Nothing could ruin today. Not my bruised face. Not my brother. Heck, not even Katrina. Nope, today was the day my life would take a drastic change. Four magical words. Connor. Prince. After. School.

  ****

  Jack glared at me from the driver’s seat. “How did you get Mom to believe your stupid lie?”

  “I told you, I fell down the stairs. Will you drop it already?”

  “I just want to know if someone hurt you, that’s all.”

  I rolled my eyes. “No one hurt me. Besides, you saw my face last night during Grandma’s party. No injuries, remember?”

  “Still doesn’t explain the shirt. And I didn’t hear you fall down the stairs.” He shifted the car into reverse. We pulled onto the main road. Jack slid on a pair of sunglasses. “Besides, when Mom first walked into the room she seemed as surprised by your face as I was.”

  I threw my hands in the air. “What? Do you think I used a magic wand and forced her to tell a lie?” At the word wand, mine slipped from my wrist and landed in my lap.

  Crap! I reached for it and tapped it against my arm. My skin tingled as it disappeared again. I glanced at Jack to see if he’d noticed. Lucky for me, he’d been staring at the road. Great, I’d have to watch what I said from here on out.

  Soon we arrived at the school, only to find the parking lot full. So we ended up parking in the back lot, furthest from the entrance. When I climbed from the car, I let my hair fall over the side of my face, hoping to hide my battle wound.

  “I’ll be watching you.” Jack fell in beside me. “If I see one person mess with you, I’ll know they did it.”

  I laughed. “Okay, what’s gotten into you? Seriously. You don’t ever care what happens to me.”

  He stiffened, shifting his backpack to the other shoulder. “Whatever. I’m your brother. If someone’s bullying you, I’m gonna take care of it.”

  Great. The last thing I needed was for him to see me flying or something. Where was his girlfriend? At least she’d keep him distracted with her boobs or lips.

  “Well, let me know if your spidey-senses start tingling.” I waved, hurrying toward Taylor.

  “Why did I have to hear it from the entire school that Connor gave you a ride home yesterday?” Taylor rushed into me, almost knocking me over. “I mean, what happened to the best friend code?”

  “I would’ve called, but we had Grandma’s retirement party last night.”

  Her cherry-colored lips puckered. “Still, you’ve got a cell. You could’ve texted or something!”

  “Okay, I’m sorry.” I caught her arm and dragged her toward the school. “I should’ve called.”

  “Darn straight.”

  “So do you want to be the first to hear the good news?” My voice lowered an octave.

  Taylor stopped walking, then turned to face me. Her eyes widened when she noticed the bruise. “What’d you do to your face?”

  I groaned. At this rate it would be a long day. “I fell. Now, do you want to hear my news or what?”

  “You fell? Off what? A roof?”

  “Ugh! Never mind.” Lips pursed, I stomped toward the school. Maybe I should’ve worn a mask or something. It’d get a lot less notice than with the stupid bruise.

  “Maggie, wait.” Taylor caught up with me. “What do you want to tell me?” Her gaze kept flickering to my face.

  “Connor’s bringing me home from school again. And he’s going to come in and hang out for a while.”

  “It’s fate. I can feel it!” Taylor and I bounced up and down like we were on a trampoline.

  “Hello. Some of us are trying to get through.” Katrina shoved by, her shoulder bumping mine.

  “Well, excuse me.” I glared at her.

  Katrina sneered, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Black and blue is really your color. It hides the blemishes.”

  With my teeth clenched, I gripped my bag tight. Was it too much to ask for just one Katrina-free day? Too bad Grandma didn’t give me a secret Fairy Godmother shield I could use against her.

  “Did you just smell brimstone and sulfur?” Taylor’s booming voice carried across the yard. “Hey, Katrina. The devil called. He wants his horns back!”

  She flipped us off and walked into the building.

  “She’s such a pleasant girl—we ought to invite her for a sleepover,” I said.

  Once inside the building, Taylor and I headed to our lockers. People milled around us, their endless chatter sounding like a loud concert. Then I saw him down the hall, leaning against a wall. Connor Prince.

  Beams of sunlight filtered in from the skylights, spotlighting his gorgeous bod. I could bask in his hotness all day. Someone stepped in front of me, blocking the view.

  “Man, that is bad.” Seth brushed the hair out of my face, his fingers tracing the bruise.

  My heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings. I swallowed hard, slapping his hands away.

  “Did Captain Tool beam you with a football or something?” He shoved his hands in his pockets, a smile tugging at his lips.

  “Let me guess. Jack sent you over?” I slammed my locker door shut and walked toward first hour.

  He followed me. “He might have mentioned it in passing.”

  “Well, you can tell him, again, that I fell. End of story.”

  Seth grabbed my arm, jerking me to a stop. “I’m on your side. If you say you fell, then cool. But if I find out otherwise, I’ll take care of things. That’s what friends do.”

  His face shadowed. His eyes darkened. For a moment, his whole body tensed. I watched the mu
scles in his jaw tighten. Then he reached forward and tugged on a strand of my hair, a smile on his face once more. “Friends look out for one another, Mags.”

  “I know.”

  We walked past Connor. I fought to keep from gawking at him. For one, I didn’t want him to look at my face. And, well, I was too afraid that yesterday had been a dream.

  Once we stood outside my class, Seth ran a hand through his dark hair, his eyebrows raised.

  “So, is it true? Is Connor really going to your house after school?”

  “Oh yeah, it’s true.” Taylor grinned, marching up behind us. “Our girl has officially snagged the hotness himself.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. It’s just a ride home…”

  “You won’t mind if we drop in?” Seth’s eyes met mine.

  Taylor shoved him, grabbed my arm, and dragged me to our class. “No, you won’t drop in. Maggie needs some alone time with a certain quarterback. Maybe show him some plays.” She winked at me. I groaned. Sometimes my friends annoyed me.

  “Listen, you better get to class or you’ll be late.” I waved to Seth, who gave me a not-so-amused-look.

  “I still think he’s a moron. You could do much better.”

  “Not likely,” said Taylor.

  The first bell rang and we hurried to our seats. As I watched Connor walk into class, I thought of how slow school was gonna go.

  When he saw me staring, he grinned. I took a breath. He had no clue what kind of effect he had on me. Sweaty palms. Out-of-control heart rate. Stupid grin. Romance book fantasies. I was hopelessly in love with Connor Prince.

  Taylor tossed a note onto my desk. Only seven more hours to go!

  Way to be the bearer of bad news.

  Chapter Six

  After endless hours of torture, I finally stood in the student lot, searching for Connor. One by one, cars pulled out, until only a few were left. Oh, crap. What if this ended up being a joke? Maybe the whole football team was in on it.