सिंडरेला turned her head to the palace clock just a few miles away from the forest. Sunset was nearing, and Char STILL hadn't come.
"Do आप think he'll come?" she asked the mice.
Jaq swallowed a chunk of watermelon. "Princey was supposed to come TWO HOURS ago!"
Gus nodded. "Jaq-Jaq right. Can we go home?"
सिंडरेला sighed. "I guess he was too busy." She got up to pack up the खाना she brought, when she heard a distant voice.
"...I barely get to see her, the picnic was the least I could do..."
"He's here!" सिंडरेला whispered. She quickly put the खाना back out.
She was still laying everything out when a shadow stood over her. Charming was looking away, still talking into his phone.
"I know, Ana. Yeah. प्यार ya. Bye." He sighed and clicked the phone shut.
सिंडरेला scrambled onto her feet to hug him. "Charming! You're here! I was just about to leave."
Char laughed as they sat down on the picnic blanket. "Sorry for being late, ऐनस्टेशिया was anxious about where I was again."
सिंडरेला poured फल पंच into two cups. "Fighting again?"
His brown eyes looked sad. "Yeah."
सिंडरेला patted his knee. "Well, आप could always tell me anything. I'm your best friend."
Char smiled. "Girlfriends come and go..."
"But फ्रेंड्स are always there for each other." She loved how he still remembered their प्रिय motto.
They sat there for what seemed like forever, staring at the sunset, just like the best फ्रेंड्स they always were.
Suddenly, a loud beeping noise came out of Charming's phone.
"Sorry Cindy, but I promised Ana that I'd see her right now at your house." He got up and offered his hand.
सिंडरेला reluctantly took it. "But you've only been here an hour!" she complained.
Char decided not to answer and helped her with the cleaning.
Together, they walked to the manor where सिंडरेला had lived in all her life with her stepfamily. She walked up the steps to the front door and quietly pushed it open.
"CINDERELLA!! WHERE HAVE आप BEEN?!" screamed her stepmother.
सिंडरेला looked down. "Sorry Stepmother, I was out--"
"You KNOW you're not allowed to go out without my permission. If I ever find आप out there again..."
Charming stepped inside. "My apologies, Lady Tremaine. Cindy and I just needed some catching up to do."
Lady Tremaine blushed at his appearance. "Well, then आप are forgiven Cinderella."
"CHARMING!" ऐनस्टेशिया ran down the stairs and towards the prince.
सिंडरेला watched sadly as they shared a किस right in front of them.
ऐनस्टेशिया pulled away and glared at her stepsister. "Cinderella, I thought I specifically told आप to stay away from him!"
"Ana, be easy on her. We haven't seen each other for a while--" Charming pleaded.
"But she's a freaking MAID!! She doesn't deserve to be out with a prince," ऐनस्टेशिया interrupted him.
सिंडरेला cringed. She was hoping Ana wouldn't play the maid card.
Charming sighed. "Well, I'll see आप tomorrow." He smiled at सिंडरेला and left.
Without a word, सिंडरेला retreated to her bedroom where she looked out her window. Her face felt hot with her anger, and only cooled when her tears streamed down her face.
Jaq climbed up onto the windowsill and sat अगला to her hand. "What's wrong, Cinderelly?"
"Did आप see how she talked to him?" She didn't even bother saying their names, for Jaq already knew.
"Mean lady yelled at Princey," Jaq कहा softly.
Cindy sniffled. "He doesn't deserve a person like that. He deserves someone more, someone who could make him happy."
Jaq patted her hand. "Well, look at the bright side! At least Princey will come here tomorrow."
सिंडरेला wiped her eyes. "I know, Jaq."

And she sat there, wondering what would become of her life.