A simple favor

Part 11

The festival was more crowded that anyone expected it to be. Cinder didn't really expect to be in a crowd that big.
"Why did I agree to this?" Cinder sighed.
"Because you agreed to go to Prom with your boyfriend?" Iko said like a question as they grabbed their bag of honey buns."
     Cinder shook her head as they pushed their way through the crowd. She had always hated crowds, and just because she was here with Kai didn't change the fact. She felt too over exposed, like anyone could figure out her secrets at anytime.
     They made their way back up to their room before collapsing on their beds.
    "Ah!" Cinder shot up and grabbed her leg.
    "What's wrong?" Iko asked.
    "It's my nerves acting up again." Cinder sighed.
    She remembered the first she would get pain in her leg, it would be after a lot of walking or exercise. Her doctor gave her a brace to wear to help with the movement and medication.
    "Do we have my brace?" Cinder asked, limping towards her her part of the shared closet.
    "Sit down I'll get it." Iko said.
    "Thanks." Cinder smiled.
     "Are you ready for tonight?" Iko said.
     "I am!" Cinder replies as she strapped her leg in.
    "Are you going to be ok? I don't want you-"
    Cinder just waved her friend off, "I'll be fine. I promise. After I take my medicine I should be fine.

   Prom started in two hours, and Iko had started to do her hair an hour and a half ago.
    "How is it I'm physic crazy hair town?" Cinder laughed at Iko as she grabbed one of her twisted braids.
    "Fine." Iko huffed.
    "Wait you aren't even going to prom. Why are you doing this?"
    "Because I want to still look nice." She side eyed Cinder. "Come here so I can get you ready. I don't want you to be late."

    She was twenty minutes late, but honestly it looked like they were just getting the music ready.
    She was so nervous of having a huge late entrance, good thing the only person who took notice to her was Kai. He gave her a smile so warm her heart melted.
    She walked down as graceful as she could with her heels (that Iko forced her to wear) and her dress that she actually loved, but of course refused to admit.
    Kai waited by the end of the stairs as she descended down with a little bit of grace.
    "You look even more beautiful in this than the first time I saw you in it." Kai said as he placed a kiss on her left (gloveless) hand.
  "I guess I can be a beautiful cereal box huh." Cinder laughed.
    She never thought that she would actually enjoy prom, well she knew she would enjoy the company at her side. She and Kai danced to the (of course horrible rap that they play no matter what) music, ate the devine (it was hungry Howie's) food, and talked next to each other in the ball room and the breezy garden.
    "I never expected this night to be so amazing." Cinder sighed as she leaned against Kai's chest during the slow song.
    "We could be in a fight club and I would think it is perfect." Kai said.
    "Stop being so cheesy." Cinder laughed.
    "Yes Kai, stop." A familiar voice said behind them.
    "Levana what do you want?" Cinder growled.
    "I want you to tell him the truth." Levana shot at her.
     "About our childhood, about your viciousness towards us. I already did." Cinder crossed her arms.
     "How about your ugliness?" Levana smiled.
     "My scars?" Cinder raised an eyebrow. "Surprise literally everyone can see them tonight!"
    "How about your leg?" Levana leaned forward.
    "What's wrong with my leg?" Cinder laughed, even though she felt fear rising in her.
    "I know what happened to you after Peony died." Levana snarled. "I know you stopped talking to everybody, and it wasn't just grief."
   Levana circled them like a vulture on the attack. "And you told everyone what you did, but him." She cocked her head towards Kai. "But no matter." She sighed, bringing her hand up to bring a lock of hair behind her ear.
    Cinder gasped. Peony's scrunchie sat on her wrist.
    "You gave it to her?"
     "I tried to get it back, I... I-" Kai tried to explain.
    "Don't." Cinder looked at him, miserable.
    "How's your leg Cinder?" Levana smiled, looking like a snake-fox. "How was the surgery?"
    Cinder felt the air leave the room, she felt it get smaller and smaller, she only had tunnel vision, it was like she was in a huge crowd.
    "I need fresh air." Cinder gasped and ran out of the room to the gardens.
    She felt her ankle start to give out, it felt bolts were coming loose. She ran down the stairs, her simple hair style coming undone.
    Then she heard a snap and screamed.

  The week after Peony died, Cinder thought it would be best for to do what Peony though she should have done years ago. Her left leg always felt like it was on fire, no matter what. And the only way she could really stop it was to get it amputated. Yet, she still had nerve damage and pain in her upper thigh, she felt better. She was self continuous now of her leg, more than before; but she would live with that.
     But her stupid prosthetic broke at the ankle. Of course the one she was wearing wasn't made for running, she had another one for that. But here she was sprawled out on the stairs for all to see. She could hear laughing and phone camera shutters going off. She heard foot steps around her, people whispering, talking, a quiet siren in the distance. Someone probably called, there was no need for one really.
    "Cinder." Levana's face popped up next to her, "Kai is mine, and if you think that he wants you now, your wrong."
    Cinder sighed, pushing herself up so she could get a better look at her, "Fine take him, like you took Channary and everything innocent from me. I don't care anymore."
    "I didn't take anything, you lost it. You let everything hurt you and not try to fix, then pushed it away. You even pushed your name away, you never loved the family, you only loved yourself , and still do." Levana stood up, "Selene."
     Before either of them could say anything else, Cinder felt her limbs grow heavy and everything turned black.