Teaching Mia

Chapter 14 - Cinderella

"Mia, I've been looking for you everywhere. Where have you been?" Leo asked, as he finally found her on campus.

"I got caught up with my study group. I have a gazillion things due this week. I swear, sometimes I feel like an indentured servant," she said exhausted.

"A very sexy one I might add." Leo dropped his head to give her a kiss on the lips.

Mia's eyes flew open. "Leo, we're in public," she said swatting him in the arm.

"Y?"

"Did we not go over this? You know I don't like all the gossip."

"Well, it's too late for that. Everyone knows about us at this point, people around here talk a lot you know?"

"Yeah, it's crazy. I feel like all people do is ask me about you now."

Leo shrugged. "Just don't pay attention to them. They don't matter. The only thing that matters is you and me." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him. He noticed she felt uncomfortable though, and let her loose.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I can't help it. Can you blame me? I have a smoking hot girlfriend."

Girlfriend? When did that happen? We've only been going out for a few weeks, Mia thought.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask if you wanted to come over to my place tonight. What do you say?"

"I'm not sure Leo...I have a lot of work to do," Mia said immediately.

"C'mon Mia, are you gonna make me go through this again? You need to unwind. It'll be fun. I promise to have you home by midnight, Cinderella style."

"Leo, it's a school night and I have a test and a presentation tomorrow," Mia insisted.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it," Leo quoted.

"Isn't that from Ferris Bueller's Day Off?" Mia asked incredulously.

"You know it," Leo replied with a smile.

"Fine, point taken. Only because I love that movie. But if I get a bad grade, it's going to be on you."

"As long as you're the one doing the punishing," Leo said with a grin.

She arrived home from school later that day and the doorman greeted her at the entrance.

"Ey Carlos, cómo estás?" Mia asked.

"Nada, que tenéis un paquete."

A package? "Para mí?"

"Si, ha llegado esta tarde." He handed a box over to her.

That's odd. I don't remember ordering anything, Mia thought. But it had her name on it so it was intended for her.

"Gracias, Carlos," she said, as she walked towards the elevator.

"Venga!" he called out behind her.

She walked into her apartment and noticed it was a huge mess. She would have to clean that up later. She placed the package on the kitchen table and couldn't help the anticipation of its contents. When she finally opened it, she stood mesmerized.

White chiffon fabric? She pulled the garment out to find an astonishing dress from Carolina Herrera. It had a one-shoulder neckline, a black empire waist, and vertical ruffles running through the skirt. It was perfect. She looked back into the box and saw a note.

Get ready for the ball, Cinderella. Your coach arrives at 8pm.

Yours, Leo

Mia looked at her watch. 7:30pm. No time at all. She would have to hurry. Leo always had a way of keeping her on her toes. What the hell was he up to? He had made it seem like they were just going to hang out at his house or something. It seemed odd he had asked her over in the middle of the week, especially since she had only been to his house that one other time.