Just Another Cinderella

 I remember being 5, laying in my bed listening to my mama tell me a bed time story. "Tesoro, you have to lay down if you want a story!" My mama says.  "Sorry, mama." I lay down. "Now, once upon a star there was a man who was lost. He was searching for something he wasn't even looking for. He met a woman who was searching for a home. They found each other, their hate grow to love. They were married and had a beautiful little girl. They gave her the gift of finding the same love. The end." She kiss me good night.  I was 9 when my world changed, the only person I had was my papa. I stayed in Italy while my father travel to the US for work. When I was 12 we moved to Chicago and my papa remarried. I was happy at first, my papa created me a dance studio above his restaurant. I spent hours in that room, and hours in the kitchen creating new dishes.   I turned 15 and I was alone. My papa died, a heart attack. Everything went to my stepmother, Rebecca. She had me working in the restaurant, I was happy with that. She had me doing more cleaning the house, running errands for them, and cooking meals.   I graduated and still was stuck, my stepmother had rights over my trust fund. So I stayed and lived through the loneliness. Now I spend my time working at the restaurant form opening at 7 am to closing at 10 pm.   I chose to live smiling and laughing, hiding away the sadness and fear of being alone.