: LIKE A CINDERELLA STORY

Samantha's POV This isn't what I planned for myself. This isn't how I envisaged my life to be. I'm an orphan without a degree, a high school dropout, and I work as a waiter in my stepmother's restaurant. Amazing ammiryt? No, it's absolutely awful. My parents will be rolling in their graves right now if they see what my life has become. I laughed dryly to myself as I took the order of another customer and walked to the kitchen to give it out. "Why the sorry face again, Sam?" Lucas teases as he walks up to me also here to deliver an order. I smile at him, trying not to look too miserable. "It's nothing, I'm just thinking how..." I'm stopped short as I see my worst enemies walk through the doors of the eatery. Lucas frowns worriedly, following my gaze as he sees Daphne and Evan sitting at a table, Ethan drumming his fingers condescendingly. "Are you going to or shall I?" Lucas asks, smiling warmly. "Nah! I got it. " I scoff, shaking off the feeling of fear I usually get from them. I walk up to their table and give out my best waitress-to-customer smile. "Good morning, and welcome to V-Luxe. What will you be ordering today?" I smile accommodatingly. Ethan holds back a laugh, and Daphne giggles, smirking intimidatingly. "Really.. of all the waiters here, you come to attend to us. You've got some nerve coming here, yunno that?" Daphne starts staring me down, daring me to talk back. I keep my calm, smiling warmly at both of them. "Apparently, you haven't gone through our menu. How about I give you a few minutes?" I say, quickly turning around to sprint away. "Wait!" Ethan halts, and I stop, frozen. Ethan doesn't talk much. He's more of an 'action' kind of guy. He doesn't get involved in Daphne's petty bullying. Why now? "I want a lemonade with a hint of cinnamon and strawberry toppings....oh...and maybe you add some ginger sprinkles while you're at it," He said smiling. "That isn't even on the menu," I said slowly, begging them not to bully me here in public. "Well... make it be on the menu. I'll have the same, I just want little cotton candy polar bears on mine and maybe a straw shaped like a bow... no... definitely a straw shaped like a bow, " Daphne added, smirking as they both looked back at their phones. "End of discussion," I murmured and walked back in. "You don't look too happy," Luc asked worriedly. "Here is their order!" I shouted frustratingly and shoved the sheet in his hands as he stared shockingly at it. "Well, they want the impossible, sweetheart, we give them the impossible." Lucas smirked, and I opened my eyes wide in disbelief, begging for him not to enact one of his evil plans again. #### It was 11:30 pm, and everyone had left as I and Luc cleaned up for the day. "Well, I'm done, I should be headed home. My mom's been calling me crazy. You'll be okay?" Luc asked, and I hummed as he said his goodbyes and left. Once I was done, I locked up, heading down the street to the bus stop to take the bus. I put on my earphones and walked, humming to the music that played. Suddenly, a car pulled up. "What's a pretty girl like you doing on the street at a time like this?" The man drawled, he and his friend snickering. Fear gripped my chest as I increased my pace, ignoring them as they got out of the car to follow me. Oh God! Oh God? Oh God! s'il te plaît, sauve-moi, ne laisse pas ces hommes me faire du mal.(please save me don't let these men hurt me). I prayed in my mother's native dialect; French. "Hey, sweetheart! Wait for us!" They drawled as they tripped over themselves in their attempt to follow me. I immediately picked up my pace and ran. Thank goodness for sneakers, I was really fast as I ran all the way down the street. The bus wasn't at the bus stop, it hadn't arrived yet and I couldn't wait so I ran past the stop heading for the nearest crowded neighbourhood. Every store and shop was closed by this time, so there was nowhere I could hide. I ran past Tail-o-Gabriel, and I knew I was wayyyy off my house route. This was Heart of Heights Fountain, and this led to my old high school, which was being demolished by some rich snobby businessmen. I hid behind the fountain, knowing if I ran any further, I would be lost. It's 12am in the middle of the night, I could meet people worse up front, I'm better off here. "Are you okay?" A voice startled, and I shrieked, jumping out of my hiding place. "Who're you?!" I shouted. "You're the one hiding suspiciously. Who're you?" He asked, arching a brow up in question. "I'm...." I was hooked, my mind running through possible scenarios. He could be a serial killer, a murderer, a rapist... or he could be my saviour. I saw the drunk men's car pulling up ahead, and my face went pale. "Get in, I'll drive you," he immediately said as I got into the car, no questions asked. He drove away, and once we were across the bridge, I felt at ease. I slipped into the car seat, finally letting out a breath I've been holding. "You could've led with I'm in danger. Please help me," he smirked. "I didn't know if I could trust you," I replied, rolling my eyes defiantly. "Fair enough. But I'm glad I could be of help. Where are you headed? I could drop you off, " he offered. I wanted to tell him. He seemed really nice and he was handsome too. But if my stepmother even got wind of me getting out of someone else's car, she'd accuse me of p**********n and kick me out. And I couldn't have that. Not now, at least. "I'm fine, just drop me at that bus stop, I'll take the bus." I smiled appreciatively. "Alright. Have a nice night...?" He raised an eyebrow inquiring my name. "Sam," I smiled. "A pleasure, Samantha." he smiled as I got down and got into the bus that was heading for my street. I looked back to wave, but he had already driven away. A sort of pain struck at my heart because I didn't know if I'd ever see him again. I mean, I'm never that lucky.