The Stepsisters

Chapter 2

"Have you tried talking to Cinderella?" I carefully fill the empty cups on the table to the rim, fighting my clumsy habit of spilling things.

Drizella grabs a biscuit off a plate, the one that appears to be the most appetizing, and answers before stuffing her mouth. "Nope, I haven't even run into her yet. Why?" She looks to me, yet I can sense she already knows my answer.

"I don't know what her problem is. I tried to be nice and she just ignored me." My eyes scan the room, ensuring that no one will overhear my comments.

"You know how her kind is. She may be our new step-sister, but she isn't going to ever see us as more than a couple of simple peasants." Drizella looks down and brushes loose crumbs off of her green dress.

I nod in agreement. "You're right, but we should still keep trying. We owe it to mother, she hasn't been with anyone since father left us and I don't want to be the cause of any issues with this wedding."

"Fine, we'll play nice with the little perfect princess. But they should've introduced us way before the day of the wedding." Drizella laughs.

Everyone thinks that Drizella and I are twins, never mind the drastic difference in our appearances; we look to be around the same age. Drizella is two years older than me, and when she was born things were good between our parents. My sporadic red hair seemed to cause lots of tension between Mom and Dad. My father began to doubt that he was even my father at all, which was nonsense of course. Everyone knew how much my mother loved my father, and that she would never do anything to jeopardize their marriage. My mother used to tell Drizella and I the story of how they met, almost every single night. It was like a fairy-tale. Everyone knew they were perfect for each other, despite their difference in class. Father came from a wealthy family leading to a high title, while Mother was raised on a struggling farm. My favourite part of the story begins on the morning of their wedding, when father decided to surprise my mother with a beautiful gift. He refused to see her dress before the moment she would walk down the aisle, so he left it in her bedroom with a note. A golden box sat on the surface of my mother's bed, with a note that read, 'A gift for my love, because the moment that I met you I could see right through you. I saw all of your strength, courage, kindness, and love. See you soon.' Remaining in the box was a beautiful pair of luminescent, glass slippers. Mother was so proud to wear the beautiful shoes, even though they were completely hidden by her dress. It's been years now, and mother never speaks of the story anymore ever since father left. Mother discarded all of father's belongings to try and forget the painful memories of her loss, but I know she still keeps the glass slippers hidden somewhere.

Gasps and shuffling of heels echo from the front hallway. Drizella and I follow the voices and we arrive just in time. My mother slowly ascends from the staircase, and the smile on her face assures me that she is finally going to regain her happiness. She is wearing a beautiful blue gown, her brown hair braided into a loose bun with curls peeking through the sides of her face. My new stepfather appears at the bottom of the steps and offers his hand, which my mother is eager to hold. "You look beautiful." He says. I look around the room to see if Cinderella is as happy for her father as I am for my mother.

Small talk begins as the bride and groom make their way around the gathered groups. Multiple faces come into my vision, but all seem to lack the beautiful golden hair. I tell Drizella I forget something in my room, and I race up the stairs, observing my surroundings. A subtle tune hums through the hallway, luring me towards it. I peek through the door of my bedroom, and I see a perfect girl with beautiful blonde hair, sitting on my bed.