Changing the Rules

Chapter 1

My name's Cinderella Rose Burkenson. Now your probably thinking is she really named Cinderella? The answer to that would be yes. My mom named me after her favorite princess and her favorite flower because she says I have the heart of Cinderella, but I'm as fragile as a flower. She's crazy. I have no idea how my dad puts up with her. Oh wait that's right he doesn't. He left me and my mom when I was three...jackass. Now I'm 17 years old and I'm starting my senior year of high school. Only one more year. Thank God. I have one friend and recently my mom has started dating some guy that has two daughters. She thinks that I need father like person to influence my life. She's wrong. My dad left, so therefore I don't have a father that influences me, nor will I ever.

I lay in bed looking up at the ceiling waiting for my alarm to go off telling me it's time to get ready for school. I'm not sure I'm ready for my last year of high school. Not that I've had many great memories or anything, it just doesn't seem like I should be a senior yet. It feels like I just started my freshman year...Oh boy this is going to be one long year if I keep thinking like this.

My alarm sounds disturbing my thoughts. I roll over and turn my alarm off. I sit up in my bed and rub my eyes. I look around my room to see books stacked everywhere, around the chair in the corner and beside my bookshelf, which my chair is next to. I look over at my desk to see it perfectly clean. If only it would stay that way during the school year. I get up off my full size bed that had a white comforter and light blue sheets. I walk over to my closet and pick out a pair of dark blue jeans and a nice green tank top with a pair of keds. I walk to the bathroom and look in the mirror to see my dark wavy brown, almost black, hair is a mess. My crystal blue eyes look tired and my pink lips are chapped. I brush my hair and teeth and put some chapstick on before I head downstairs to the kitchen.

Once I reached the kitchen I see my mom and her evil boyfriend laughing. He has his long muscular arms around her waist while she's trying to mix something in a bowl. He keeps leaning down and whispering something in her ear. It took them a while to even notice me just standing there staring at them. My mom sets the bowl down and walks out of the grasps of her boyfriend and over to me. "Sweetheart, we need to talk." She says gently while putting a hand on my shoulder. Oh no this can't be good. Since I didn't say anything, she continues "Darren and I got married yesterday. It was just the two of us, the judge and our two witnesses." How could she do this to me? I totally take back me not being ready for this to be my last year of high school. I want to get out of here. I back up trying to take it all in, when two girls my age walk in and say "Good morning mom, good morning daddy." They walk over to the counter and get some food to eat. So they knew, but I didn't. This isn't fair. "I'm so happy for you mom." I say with a smile before I grab a granola bar and run out of the house.

I grab my long board out of the garage and head towards school. It was only a ten minute ride, so I didn't really have time to get all of my thoughts out about my mom getting married without me knowing. I mean how could she do that to me? Didn't I deserve to know that my own mother is getting married? I get off my long board once I reach the entrance of the school. I look at the time on my phone to see that I'm early. I put my long board in my locker, then walk to my first class and take a seat in the back. I'm the type of girl who likes to go unnoticed, that's why I sit in the back because nobody sits behind me and the other people that sit next to me also don't want to be noticed. I take a book out and read until school starts.

*****

Finally the school day is over. I go to my locker, grab my long board and head home. Not that I'm excited to go home to a new household, but I don't really have any place else to go. After ten minutes I reach my house and put my long board up. I walk inside to see my mom sweeping the stairs. I guess her new husband isn't home. "Hey mom!" I yell. She stops sweeping and looks up at me. She smiles as she walks down to greet me. "Hi sweetie, how was school?" She asks as she pulls me into a hug.

"It was okay."

"Did you make any new friends?" She pulls back from our hug to look at me.

"No. I was too busy thinking about having a new dad."

"How do you feel about it? Do you like the idea of having a dad?"

"I guess. I just expect him to leave us like my real dad. That's partly why I kind of freaked out this morning, but I'm sure it'll be fine. Right?"

"Rig-" My mother starts, but she interrupts herself by coughing badly.

"Mom, are you alright?" I ask with a worried tone. I see blood in her hand. She coughed up blood...this is bad, really bad. I pull my phone out dialing 911. Before they answer my mom falls to the ground. I drop my phone trying to catch her, but it was no use. I sit next to her holding her hand. "Mom what's wrong? Please don't leave me. Please." I plead as tears fall from my eyes, "You can't leave me. I don't want to be alone. Please." My mother puts her hand on my cheek and says "I'll always be with you, sweetheart. No matter what. Have courage and be kind. I love y..." She didn't finish before her eyes went cold. She stopped breathing. "NO YOU CAN'T MOM! PLEASE!" I yell in frustration. "I love you. Please come back." Tears are streaming down my face now as I hear sirens out front. The doors burst open, but I don't care. All I want is my mom back.

Two police men walk over to me putting there guns away. One of them asks "Ma'am what happened?" but I don't say anything. I just sit there holding my dead mothers hand.